Thank you Dynamite Books and NetGalley for this ARC ebook by: Noelle West Ihli Publication Date: April 29, 2025

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 - This book was a page turner. Be sure you set aside a few hours of uninterrupted time to read this book because once you start you won't want to stop until you're done.

Due to the sensitive topic of this book (a bus full of kids being kidnapped) the anxiety you will feel while reading this book is real.

The author truly conveyed stress, claustrophobia, nervousness, anger, fear and put me on an emotional roller coaster that I couldn't & didn't want to get off of.

This might be the best Noelle West Ihli book that I have read to date.

Once again, thank you to Dynamite Books and NetGalley for this ARC ebook.

#SuchQuietGirls #NetGalley #DynamiteBooks

WOW!!! That is probably the first word that comes to mind when explaining this book.
I love the story building of this book, the different characters' point of views.....AMAZING! It was very easy to follow each perspective without needing to go back to see whose viewpoint we are seeing the story from, which is huge for me because I get frustrated when I have to go back to see who is telling the story. This author makes it so easy and seamless, there is no mistaking who is telling the story.

I ate this book up....I was on the edge of my seat the entire time waiting and bracing myself for what was about to come.

Super action packed, Super suspenseful, 10/10 would recommend this to my friends and anyone looking for a read that will leave them on the edge of their seat.

My first book by this author. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
This book was non stop suspense. A great read. I'll definitely be reading more from this author .

I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
This one pulled me in right from the first page. It was full of some really great twists and the fast pace kept me reading well in to the night. This story is told in several different view points, even one of the bad guys, which was an interesting POV. I'm a newer reader to Noelle West Ihli and I'll definitely keep reading her books!

This book is so good! It absolutely gripped me from beginning to end and I could not hardly stop reading it.

Such Quiet Girls is based loosely on a true story and the story of survival for these children is absolutely heartbreaking. The author did such a good job telling this story and also of talking about Alzheimer's. One of the characters has it in this book and she did a great job of navigating the early symptoms! One of my favorite reads this year. Noelle does it again with this one!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review! Thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the chance to read and review this book!

I loved it!!! The thrill and excitement was infectious too! I would absolutely recommend it and would buy the book as well.

Such Quiet Girls hooked me from the very first page and didn’t let go. I stayed up until 1am reading because I had to know what would happen next. The tension was palpable, the pacing relentless, and as a mom, I couldn’t help but constantly ask myself, What would I do in this situation?

Knowing it was inspired by true events made it hit even harder. This is the kind of thriller that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. Emotional, intense, and unforgettable. Highly recommend.

Such Quiet Girls is a pulse-pounding, anxiety-inducing thriller that grabs you by the throat from page one and never lets go. Based on a chilling true story, the novel centers around ten children and a bus driver who are kidnapped, held for ransom, and shockingly buried alive in an underground hole with nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and water to keep them company. The children, ranging in age from 6 to 14, are forced to cling to hope in a situation so claustrophobic and terrifying, it feels impossible to survive. What makes the story even more gripping is the complexity of the kidnappers—particularly one who begins to wrestle with guilt and morality as the horror unfolds. Ihli’s writing is tense, visceral, and emotionally raw, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. It’s one of those rare reads that leaves your heart pounding and your mind haunted long after the final page.

Such Quiet Girls by Noelle W. Ihli is an unbelievably claustrophobic, nail-biting and emotional suspense thriller that will show you the mother's strength in extreme situations. There were some unexpected turns but most of everything there was the dedication of not giving up!
You are sucked into the story straight away and you are curious how the story will unfold.
There are so many human emotions that your heart will be in constant pain and hope.

Mostly told in the present through multiple POVs it is easy to follow the story. Small sprinkles of past stories made this story complete to understand the characters and their actions.

All the new bus driver Jessa wanted was stability and her daughter back. Life already slapped her in the face so she is not ready for new events or dramas. But when things get out of hand her mother's instinct takes over and she is dedicated to keeping the children safe.
Sheena knows how to deal with numbers and spreadsheets but she is not prepared to decide what is the right way to save her children. All she has is her gut instinct and fear that she is risking the children's lives.
12 years old Sage is the oldest child on the bus and most definitely my favourite character in this book! I love to witness her transformation through events and tough decisions! Honestly, if there would be a sequel I would love to see Sage 10 years later as a 22-year-old woman shaped by trauma but strong as a rock!

This book is based on true events— the Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping in 1976 so knowing that it's just partly fiction makes your heart beat harder.

Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite Books for this copy!

I'm a huge Noelle W. Ihli fan, I've read many of her books and I was incredibly excited and privileged to have the opportunity to read this ARC and review it.

This book is based on the actual events of The Chowchilla Kidnapping in 1976 where three men hijacked a school bus and abducted 26 children and their bus driver.

It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, I couldn't put the book down because I was so drawn in by the storyline. I was truly invested in the safety of the children. It was thrilling, exciting and had a fantastic twist at the end.

The main characters in the book were Ted, Jessa and Sage and we saw the events from their point of view as the timeline progressed. Sage was my favourite, for such a young girl she had incredible strength, determination and heart.

I couldn't recommend this book highly enough, it's my favourite read of this year so far!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

That was heartbreakingly beautiful. When a school bus full of kids is kidnapped and buried underground, the kids come together to find a way to escape while a parent has to make tough decisions when there is no right one to make.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and definitely recommend it to every thrill seeker!

Imagine that you’re on a school bus headed home when suddenly, there’s a detour sign. The bus follows the sign, but shortly after, it’s clear the whole thing was a setup. The bus is held up by men with guns, and before you know it, all 10 students + the driver are forced into the ground. This is the basic premise of this story that was inspired by a real life event.

Even the minor characters had their own unique personalities, which was a big plus. By the time this book ends, it had stood up for women’s rights and introduced the perils of Alzheimer’s. Plus, it was a quick, easy read. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

This book was so good! It was my first read from Noelle and I will for sure read her other work. This book had me hooked from the beginning and I couldn't put it down. The ending gave me chills and I cried the whole way through the last 20 minutes of reading. It was tied together so well. Definitely one of recommend reading!

4.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an arc of this book for a review!

This was my first book by this author and definitely won’t be the last! Ask for Andrea has been on my tbr for so long and definitely going to be one of my next reads. This was an epic, edge of your seat, suspenseful thriller with some really strong and relatable characters!

I really enjoyed the multiples povs in this story whilst still following along with the timeline of the story, I think it really added to the suspense knowing what one group is doing then it going to a different pov! It really was really suspenseful and a great read. The last 50% of this book is impossible to put down I found myself glued to my kindle until I was finished.

No spoilers but this is a really good thriller and definitely one all thriller fans should check out!🚌

It’s not often that a thriller is so heart pounding and heart wrenching at the same time. I was terrified, and also cried. Amazing!

Such Quiet Girls - Noelle West Ihli
Pub Date - April 29, 2025
Rating - 4/5
Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley and Dynamite Books for this gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. This story is based on the 1976 Chowchilla Kidnapping. The author always manages to write books that cause me anxiety and stress in the best way possible! In a perfect retelling of the original nightmare, Ihli also brings in themes of sisterhood, abuse, and Alzheimer's, making the story even more human and relatable. I was holding my breath till the very end asking myself how this story will end! I will warn you- this story will leave you an emotional WRECK. Definitely watched some Friends after finishing it. Beautifully written story, definitely will be recommending to others!

This was a heart pounding, palm sweating, terrifying and haunting thriller based on the 1976 Chowchilla Kidnapping.
I felt this book was super well rounded having 4 different POVs: The Bus Driver, a Mother of one of the kidnapped children, one of the kidnappers and one of the kidnapped children.
I literally could not put this down after 50%. I finished the rest of the book in one sitting and I swear I was hyperventilating reading it.
Ten children get on bus 315 heading to their daycare but they never arrive as 2 kidnappers abduct everyone on the bus, including the bus driver and bury them all alive underground ! With time and air running out, they all must fight through pain and fear to find a way out before time ends.
Highly recommend but be sure to check the trigger warnings as always.

Noelle is absolutely amazing. I love her stories and her writing and this one was no different. She knows how to capture an audience and I love having multiple POVs to truly grasp everyone’s story. This is the second book I’ve read from her this year and I felt so honored to be chosen as an ARC reader by one of my favorite authors!

HOLY COW. This book had me on the edge of my seat, heart pounding and dripping sweat. This was a fast-paced thriller and I loved every page. This one took me on an emotional rollercoaster and it is by far one of my favorite Noelle Ihli books.
This book was inspired by actual events and it was so well done. I finished it in a day and was left speechless. I absolutely recommend this!

SUCH QUIET GIRLS was well written and an exciting premise, but lacked many suspenseful moments and was just too long. I know Noelle West is a popular author but unfortunately, her writing and storytelling style is not for me. Nothing much happens in her novels (of which I’ve read 3), and they all seem overly hashed out and descriptive.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the opportunity to read and review SUCH QUIET GIRLS.