Noelle W. Ihili does it again ! "Such Quiet Girls" had me captivated from the very beginning. Keeping me on the edge of my seat while reading with my heart thumping in my chest with each turn of the page. As a mom this is my absolute worst nightmare. While this story is fictional, knowing that this was based off a true story made it even more gut-wrenching with each turn of the page.

Thank you to #DynamiteBooks and #NetGalley for my ARC of #SuchQuietGirls.

This thriller novel was really good and had me feeling anxious the entire time! The fact that this book is based off of a true story is chilling! These characters completely captured my heart from the absolute beginning & will probably still have a hold on it for near future. This was an emotional roller coaster from page one. I loved the short chapters because the last 30% of this book i FLEW through. my anxiety was sky high. This was a really good read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

I started this book forever ago and had to read it in pieces thanks to grad school life 📚… and I’ll be honest—it started a bit slow for me. Not quite the instant hook I’m used to from this author. BUT y’all… once it picked up?? HOLY MOLY. I was locked in and could not put it down!! ⏳😱

This book wrecked me emotionally. As a mom, it made me borderline sick to my stomach thinking of my own babies in this kind of nightmare 💔 It was so real and absolutely terrifying.

What I loved most was the strength of the female characters—two women, both carrying trauma, both fighting like hell for their kids in different ways. It was HEAVY to say the least. 😩 This story was equal parts heart-wrenching and blood-boiling. And the ending was perfect! This author never disappoints me and I can’t wait to read more! 📚

SO So good! Fantastic! I love that it is inspired by true events. I never knew about that and I now want to know more! I would love to see this made into a tv show or movie!

Great thriller!! A must read! This one had me on the edge of my seat. A pulse pounding hard to put down page turner.

As a parent this book did raise my anxiety, but it was written so well! It’s sad that it’s based on a true story, but the suspense and emotion put into the book made it such a great book! Devoured it!

This was a great representation of the actual event that happened. Characters are written very well and it kept you on the edge of your seat until the very end! She is an amazing writer.

Stories like this are why Noelle Ihli is one of my favorites! This book was absolute perfection. The most amazing heart-wrenching roller coaster ride of a locked room thriller! It didn’t help that my oldest two kiddos are the same age as Sage and Bonnie so my mama heart was breaking the whole time and I held my breath throughout! I white knuckled my way through this in a just a few days and was super upset any time I had to put it down.

I will never stop recommending @noelleihli and her fast paced thrillers and this one is no different. Seriously to your TBR now!

Thank you to netgalley for an e-arc copy for an honest review.

Over the past few years I have quickly become a Noelle W. Ihli fan; I can always rely on her to deliver a gritty, survival thriller. Like a lot of her novels, Such Quiet Girls is influenced by a real life crime and while I’ll read anything she writes, the bus abduction focus really interested me.

I loved the sister relationship between Sage and Bonnie, and the development of it throughout the novel. Out of all the POVs, it was definitely Sage’s that I enjoyed the most. Something I really appreciate about Ihli’s books are the realistic little details, for example how much air they had in the hostage situation, and how long everything took. I also really liked the way all the details came together in the end with what could seem like offhanded comments/objects actually connecting to the overall story.

Unfortunately it took me longer to read this novel than I thought it would; it wasn’t as pacey as I had expected. I think the many POVs meant I felt removed from the story and it lessened the tension for me. I much prefer it when we are only in the head of the main ‘survival’ character, but this all may be personal preference. Jumping from head to head, and each character's focus which wasn't always fast paced, meant I disconnected from the novel after a while of following the same threads.

Overall, I enjoyed Such Quiet Girls and recommend it if you are interested and don't mind this narrative choice, as I think that is the main takeaway for me.

I initially received this as an Advanced Copy through Netgalley, but I messed up and didn't download it in time to review prior to publication. However, I was so excited to read this new release that I purchased it on release day.

And I'm so glad I did. If you were a fan of the lightening paced opening of Run on Red, I think you will really enjoy this novel, which very quickly gets your heart racing and locked in when a school bus is ambushed. It carries on that momentum and made me feel very claustrophobic and like I was trapped in the bunker with the girls!

It also has a lot of heart too and I really felt for the two mothers in this story. Justice for Jessa!! That this is loosely based on a true story is mind boggling to me. I'd thoroughly recommend. 4.5 🌟

I may change this rating. I need to sit with how I feel after reading this. 😳 Right now I will rate this 4.25⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc copy. I was hooked right away. Jessa was so frustrating in the beginning. I wanted to scream, and throw my book at times. I don’t know how I would react in that situation, but as a mom I really hope I would not respond the way she did at first. I loved the character of Sage. She reminds me so much of one of my daughters. I enjoyed her relationship with her sister and how it evolved through the story.

This story was tough at times to read, but adding the fact it was based off real events that happened in the 70’s in California made it even more tough at times to read. I would have to take breaks and process what I was reading. Even though this story doesn’t follow exactly what happened in the 70’s the parallels were written well, and added an extra element to this book. I highly recommend reading Such Quiet Girls. You can’t put this book down, but may need to every now and then just to prepare for what’s to come.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. Such Quiet Girls which was a first for me bu this author Noelle West Ihli
Wow what a riveting book! The author sure knows how to weave a story that kept me on my edge of my seat! The kind of story that sticks with you for a long time. Thx again. Definitely going to look up this author and see what else she has good to read!
Good read!!!

Sadly DNF at 65% and I can’t believe I went this long in the book. I didn’t like this at all! It’s super slow and I just couldn’t get into it like her other books. I also did not like the bus driver character😭

My 2nd book by this author and another 5 star. Absolutely terrifying from start to finish. I challenge any mom to read this and not feel the same emotions as the characters in this story.

This was my first book by this author and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story! This brought to life one of a mother’s worst nightmares when it comes to her children. I was captivated from the very beginning, even when the pacing was very slow and on purpose might I add. I never thought I’d enjoy a book with intentionally slow pacing during certain parts but it was very well done given the plot of the book and the setting. I will definitely be reading more books by this author in the future!

This is a good book to read if you enjoy thrillers that focus on one event and goes through said event looking into each characters pov. Sage in particular is a cool character. Overall I enjoyed this book.

Noelle W. Ihli delivers another knockout with *Such Quiet Girls*—a chilling, claustrophobic thriller inspired by real events. When a school bus is hijacked and its occupants buried alive in an underground bunker, the fear is palpable. The story digs deep into the psychological terror of being trapped—and the resilience it takes to survive.

Ihli’s writing is sharp, immersive, and emotionally resonant. She strikes that rare balance between edge-of-your-seat suspense and genuine heart, making you care deeply for the characters while dreading what comes next. If you're into true crime-inspired thrillers that keep you breathless, this one is not to be missed.

I’ve read several of Ihli’s books and she never lets me down—each one is darker, smarter, and more intense than the last. Highly recommended for fans of fast-paced, emotionally gripping thrillers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

Wow this premise is just horrifying to think of and even worse that it is based off true events. It was a page turner and kept me on the edge of my seat. Exactly what I look for in a thriller. Ihli outdid herself with this one.

Holy cannoli!! This book had me trying to breathe through the claustrophobic atmosphere. All of her books are so well done and this was brilliant. I could feel the fear and panic as it was palpable. I had to out my kindle down a few times to remind myself it was just a book and that I was okay. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.