This was the first book I read by Noelle Ihli and I have zero regrets! Well actually, I have one regret, waiting so long to read this book! This book sucked me in immediately and never let me go. I completely missed that this book was based on real events before reading it, but as soon as I was reading it and everything came together, I immediately went to hearing about something so similar, which made me more invested in the book. It was like reading an extended episode of Crime Junkies and I could not get enough! Absolutely cannot wait to read more from this author!

Wow! This was a page turner full of suspense, unease, and fear. Great for readers who love multiple POV's and for fans who enjoy the writing styles with plot driven storylines and female protagonists who are mixed up in dangerous situations (similar to Freida McFadden). I would pay attention to the trigger warnings before going in as this is central to the plot. Overall, I really enjoyed this one! It was quick, short chapters, and kept me engaged with hope for the children. And to find out this was based on events that occurred during the 70's left me with no words.

Tw: Domestic Violence, Kidnapping, Alzheimer's,

Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

*Book publication date: April 29, 2025*
*Reviewed on April 23, 2025*

4.25 STARS

A bus full of ten children and their bus driver are kidnapped in broad daylight and buried alive. Will Jessa, the new bus driver, and the kids figure a way out in time?

I love Noelle W Ihli’s writing style. The topics in this book were dark and heavy, but I believe Ihli did a fantastic job addressing them. The descriptions almost made me claustrophobic; I felt like I was there with Sage and Jessa. The multiple POV made this book thrilling and nonstop. From the first chapter, I was hooked. We were involved in the story every step of the way as the plot unfolded. It was unique getting to read from the antagonist’s/kidnapper’s point of view. Jessa’s story was so heartbreaking, Sheena’s worries and actions were so understandable, and Sage was such a brave, smart girl for her age. I was crying and cheering Sage on in the end. Even Ted’s storyline made you *almost* sympathetic for him. I highly recommend this book. The research Ihli does in her books inspired by true events and the way she tells these stories in a thrilling way… unlike any other! Pick up any of her books and you will not be disappointed!

TW: This book tackles heavy topics such as child kidnapping, domestic violence, and Alzheimer’s.

I enjoyed the book but being so close to where this really happened and I blame myself for not fully realizing it was based around the true story it was so difficult for me to not compare the story to the actual 1976 bus kidnapping. If I remove all my attachments from that.. this is a great story but felt like the relation should have been addressed in the front of the book not the end.

Wow! What a story! I was vacillating between holding my breath and then racing to the next page to see what was happening next! Heart wrenching at times and mind numbing other times. Definitely hard to put down!

Loved this book! I especially loved the characters. Especially Sage! The characters were so relatable and felt so real! This one in my opinion, wasn’t as fast paced as Run on Red. But, I was sucked in, cause, I really loved the characters and cared about what happened to them. This was based on true events. The Chowchilla Incident. It got me interested in the true story. I love Noelle’s books, writing style, and character development in her books! She’s one of my top two favorite authors!! :) I love how she takes a real event and puts her own twists on it. The story is terrifying! Especially if you’re a parent! She makes me very interested in wanting too know more about the real life incident! I read online somewhere, the real school bus is on display in a museum somewhere close to Chowchilla, California! Several of the students and the bus driver signed it too! That would be so cool to see it! But, great job, Noelle! Loved Such Quiet Girls! :) :)

This book was so stressful! Such Quiet Girls is an edge-of-your-seat and emotional read. Wow. I had trouble putting this book down. Noelle Ihli has been recommended to me many times, I’m so glad I gave this a try. I absolutely loved this author’s writing and how it kept me hooked the entire book. She makes you care about all the characters and what’s going to happen to all of them. I will definitely be recommending this one to my thriller loving friends. Thank you to Netgalley and Dynamite Books for the ARC.

A school-bus of children and their driver get taken as hostages. Has the driver's shady past returned to catch up with her?

This was my very first Noelle book and definitely won't be my last! I loved her style of writing, but there were too many slow parts for me! I think they were there for the added suspense, but I had a hard time staying intrigued. I expected many more twists and turns for a thriller! The ending was exactly what I expected, which isn't what I want out of a thriller. Overall, this was a solid thriller and would recommend giving it a shot!

Thank you Dynamite Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review!

This was my first book by this author and quite honestly i feel like i have lived under a rock my whole life because WHERE HAS NOELLE BEEN?!?! OBSESSED with the way she writes.

This book was a tough subject, especially since it is based off of real events. i am here for it!! I had tears in my eyes at some parts and i also found myself checking my pulse because my heart was racing the entire time i read this. I really liked the multiple POVs from both the innocent, the the loved ones, and the bad guy.

I went down the true crime rabbit hole after reading this because i wanted to know exactly what happened. So unbelievably disturbing.

Wonderfully written and i already ordered another book by Noelle. What an amazing talent to be able to write such a great thriller.

Such Quiet Girls

I had seen a lot of fantastic #reviews of this one, and combined with the absolutely haunting #bookcover, I had to move this one up on my #summerreadinglist. This one did not disappoint, although if you are sensitive to #psychologicalthrillers that have a lot of heavy content with children, or are very sensitive to claustrophobic situations, this one will probably not be for you. That being said, I could not put this one down. Emotional, fast-paced, and with several other hard-hitting themes, including aging parents, Alzheimer’s, and other parental struggles, this one packs a punch.

A seemingly normal day, full of life’s mundane moments and seemingly insignificant choices. A road detour sign. A school bus full of innocent children. One bus driver, shattered from her past and desperate to regain custody of her beloved daughter. A string of decisions that lead them into potential death and unimaginable horrors. And one mother willing to do whatever it takes to have her daughters back in her arms alive. An unbreakable bond between two young sisters.

This story will keep you turning the pages, desperate for goodness, rescue, and salvation. And, for what it’s worth, I found the ending to be well written and immensely satisfying.

This was my second book that I’ve read from this author, let me tell you this one did not disappoint. This book was so intense and had me on the edge of my seat all the way throughout. I was so satisfied with this one and really recommend you give it a read.

100% would recommend this book.

This book was okay. The story was good but I found myself bored with the writing. It took me months to actually finish the book

⭐️⭐️ – Just couldn’t get into it
I really wanted to like Such Quiet Girls, but it just moved way too slowly for me. I kept hoping it would pick up, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stay engaged. The premise had potential, but the pacing made it a struggle to get through. Just not the right fit for me.

This was archived before I was able to read it, and I only recently saw that I am still able to provide feedback. This was one of my first approvals on Netgalley (I am new to it), and I have learned to download as soon as I get approved. :) This book is high on my TBR, and I will post a review to Goodreads upon finishing it. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity to review!

3.5⭐️

Noelle W. Ihli stresses me out! I was so worried during this whole book. Lots of tension and nerve wracking moments. Some characters I loved, like little Sage, and others were soso, like Jess. Overall a good thriller that was hard to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Such Quiet Girls is a gripping thriller that held my attention with its compelling storytelling and fast-paced plot. I had no idea it was inspired by real events from 1976—once I found that out, I went straight down the rabbit hole.

The story follows a harrowing school bus hijacking carried out by two men. Told through multiple points of view—Jess, the bus driver; Sage, a child on the bus; Sheena, Sage’s mother; and Ted, one of the kidnappers—the narrative remains engaging and immersive. Each perspective added depth and urgency, making me feel as though I were right there with each character.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Not one of my favorite Noelle books, but definitely a roller-coaster! So hard to believe this is also based on true events -- those poor babies.

I love Noelle but this one dragged a bit for me. It was still good and kept my attention but it wasn’t her best. Thank you for an arc of this

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this arc! I absolutely love Noelle West Ihli novels. I don’t think I have read any of hers that I didn’t like. Such a great thriller. Would recommend for a good beach read!