Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy of Such Quiet Girls! I absolutely loved this book. It kept me on my toes the whole time reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves suspenseful thrillers. Noelle W. Ihli will continue to be one of my favorite thriller authors!

Couldn’t put down. Edge of my seat through the whole book. If Noelle Ihli writes it, I’m going to read it. Definitely add to your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite books for the digital ARC!

WOW! This book was insane! Such a great read. I was hooked from the very beginning. There was so many twists and turns in the book I couldn't put it down. I kept rooting for the kids and for the book to end on a positive not. It was FANTASTIC! Another great book by Noelle.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars - this was a netgalley read for me and the first Noelle W. Ihli book that I have ever read. Noelle W. Ihli will now be an auto purchase author for me as this book was simply incredible.

10 children and a bus driver go missing in broad daylight and are buried alive, leaving no trace behind. This is a story of strength and bravery, as well as longing for new beginnings. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a thriller and is interested in books inspired by a true story.

Noelle West Ihli does it again. Inspired by actual events from 1976, Such Quiet Girls is a heartstopping anxiety filled suspenseful thriller. A bus full of children is kidnapped for ransom but will they make it home alive? Following 4 viewpoints, you are taken into the minds of the bus driver, one of the kidnapped children, the mother of one of the kidnapped children and one of the kidnappers. I was on the edge of my seat through this emotional roller coaster ride.

Noelle is quickly becoming the queen of suspense! The story was executed flawlessly and held my attention every minute. I was so engrossed in the book that I started feeling claustrophobic too! Written with multiple POV’s which were easy to follow made it even more interesting. Excellent attention to detail made it a great read. Definitely a wild ride and I look forward to every book from this author! Thank you to NetGalley, Dynamite Books and Noelle Ihli for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. Loved it!!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.75 stars. Similar to Noelle W. Ihli’s other books, this one was incredibly suspenseful! Told from multiple perspectives- Jessa (the bus driver), Sage (a 12 year old student), Sheena (the mother of two children on the bus), and Ted (one of the kidnappers)- the different viewpoints provided a deeper insight into the kidnapping and the trauma experienced by these characters.

Loosely based on the real-life Chowchilla kidnappings of 1976, this gripping survival tale had me feeling claustrophobic and completely on edge. The first part of the book was absolutely chilling and although the middle dragged a little bit, the ending had me frantically scrolling to the next page to see what would happen to all the characters.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller featuring short chapters, multiple viewpoints, a kidnapping-and-ransom storyline, and a powerful tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable odds, consider reading this one!

I was really excited to read my first Noelle Ihli and I was left a bit underwhelmed. The strength of this book lies in the quickly advancing plot. A thrilling tale of survival against a rapidly ticking clock.

The character development fell flat for me, especially Jessa and Ted. The bones were good, but they could have been given more time to be fully fleshed out. However, I did enjoy the different aspects of sacrificial motherhood that were explored.

This story seems better suited to being a movie because of its plot heavy focus. I would still recommend reading it if you’re looking to be whipped along on a whirlwind ride.

JUST READ THIS!!!!!! This book was absolutely AMAZING! My favorite Noelle book so far! I cannot even describe it. Just read it and you will understand!

This book fell a little flat for me. It tried to jump between the past and the present but the story with the past didn't have much sustenance to it. I think more could have been added there and it would have made the storyline more exciting to jump between past and present. But every time it jumped to the past not much seemed to happen, and not a lot of details were given. The book talks about the main characters daughter Sophie, but again, not many details were given about that situation either.

An enjoyable but predictable thriller! This is my second book from this author and I have to say I was much more impressed by “Ask For Andrea”. The pacing of this book is where it shines, from the beginning to the end the pacing is very fast and the short chapter format allowed me to fly through this one. I enjoyed the different perspectives and the author did a good job of capturing the POV or children. Like in her other novel, the alternating POVs are a strength, she is able to really individualize the POVs to make them stand apart. Where this book lost points for me was its predictability, the plot progressed exactly like I thought it would and there really weren’t that many surprises throughout. The ending was overall satisfactory and wrapped up a few loose ends. I liked the acknowledgement at the end, that this novel was inspired by true events. It was also nice of the author to include other media to explore if interested by the true story. Overall a good read but not anything special or unique to the thriller genre!

Thank you Netgalley and Dynamite Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. “Such Quiet Girls” will be published April 29, 2025.

Intense. Gripping. Emotional.

If you are looking for a wild thriller with extreme stakes, this is the book for you. I'm glad Noelle included a content advisory at the beginning of the book. The mama in me kept thinking, 'What would I do?' as both mother protagonists in the novel. This book really makes you think and also makes you grateful for the people and things you have. In the blink of an eye, everything could be taken away.

Synopsis: Ten children and their bus driver were abducted in broad daylight, held for ransom, and buried alive. Based on a true story.

4.5 stars! This book exceeded my expectations, I felt like I was there with the children! I didn’t see the ending coming the way that it did, everything tied together so well! A perfect popcorn thriller, one of Noelle’s best.

4.5 ⭐️ Talk about not wasting any time! This thriller grabs you from page one and holds on tight throughout this heat-pounding, gripping story. This book is based on the true account of the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, where a bus of students and bus driver were taken and buried and held hostage in a truck trailer. This book is a highly fictional take on that situation, what they endured, and how they survived. The way this story came alive with the relatable redeeming characters, captivating back stories, and enthralling details; it was harrowing and addictive. I couldn't put it down! I enjoyed the multiple POVs, and the short chapters always help move a story along. Noelle Ilhi has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and this was one of her best! Thank you to NetGalley, Dynamite Books, and Noelle Ilhi for an ARC of this unforgettable thriller!

The first 40% or so of this felt so slow however as soon as I was invested??!! It was SUCH a fast, fun read. I loved the different POV’s that really made me feel as though I was going though this alongside everyone. The writing style as well was so captivating, and you could easily make out the different styles for each individual person’s POV. I felt like this was a very conclusive, satisfying ending and this book met all of my expectations from loving previous books by this author. Definitely felt like an amazing palette cleanser, with it wanting me to just keep reading and it being a relatively short book!!
Thank you so much to net galley for this arc! Really enjoyed this one! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this one!!! Definitely an auto buy author

I will be uploading a review of this book closer to the release date on TikTok: shannonreads02

✨ARC Review: Such Quiet Girls✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Summary: This is a thriller novel based on the events of a true story. It follows the terrifying hours after a bus full of kids and the bus driver go missing, and what they endure during that scary time.

Thoughts: Since the day this book was announced, it has been my most anticipated read for 2025, and it did not disappoint! From the first chapter, you are sucked in and don’t want to stop because you want to know what is going to happen. I loved the multiple POV’s and the short chapters. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! I HIGHLY recommend you pick up this book when it releases on April 29th!

Thank you so much Noelle W. Ihli for the opportunity to read this early and give a review! I cannot wait until your next release!!

Another wildly addictive read from Noelle W. Ihli that I would’ve said was almost unbelievable, except for the fact that it was based around a true story. I went into this without knowing any details of the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, and my mind is blown that this actually occurred. I recommend doing further research on this event after reading the book.

Noelle is an auto-read author for me for a reason. I fly through her books because they are truly too hard to put down. She brings stories and characters to life like no other and her ability to create tension is *chefs kiss*.

No notes. I loved this! Thank you to NetGalley, Dynamite Books and Noelle W. Ihli for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest review. Publishing date is April 29th, 2025.

ARC Read
What an honor to be chosen to be an ARC reader for this book. It will be published on April 29th, 2025.

Such Quiet Girls is a book based on a try event that happened back in 1976.

In this book, we have 4 povs. Jessa, the bus driver, Sage one of the students, Sheena, the mother of 2 of the students, and Ted, one of the kidnappers.
When I say this book had me on the edge of my seat and gave me anxiety, waiting to see what was going to happen. I couldn't read fast enough.

This was a well written, fast-paced thriller with great character development. I absolutely enjoyed it!

As a mother, this is absolutely triggering. Having your child, children, kidnapped is the ultimate nightmare.

I have heard nothing but great things about this. Author, ask for Andrea is a book that I see recommended a lot. I have never read one of her books so when this book became available I jumped right on it. Recommending this author is something I will absolutely do moving forward. Can't wait to read some of her previously published works.

This book is about a bus full of children and bus driver who get kidnapped and buried in a hole. The kidnappers promised that once they get the ransom they will let everyone know where the children are. It follows the mother of two children who were kidnapped as she tries to pay the ransom to get her children back, all while struggling with her father and his Alzheimer's flare-ups.

I think the thing I appreciate most about this book is Sage, a 12-year-old, thought to save her sister and the other children. I love the references to Harriet, the Spy and how she used her strength to keep going, even when things looked impossible. That little girl had so much strength + I was super proud of her and her growth throughout this book.

I think the ending was a perfect present wrapped up with a bow on top. It seemed like everything worked out the way it should, a even love the outcome for the bus driver because she deserved redemption as well.

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Such Quiet Girls by Noelle W. Ihli—out April 29, 2025!

This book is every mother’s worst nightmare. A school bus gets hijacked in broad daylight, and the driver, along with a group of kids, is buried alive in a shipping container. I mean… I actually caught myself asking why am I reading this? Why am I doing this to myself?!

But the writing is so good, I couldn’t stop. I had to know what happened. I needed to know if the kids were okay. Noelle W. Ihli does an incredible job of capturing that raw fear, urgency, and the deep connection that forms between Jessa, the bus driver, and Sage, a 12-year-old girl trying to be brave.

It’s intense, emotional, and unputdownable. If you’re into thrillers that make your heart race while also tugging at your emotions, Such Quiet Girls is one to watch for. Just be prepared—it’s a ride.