I originally was hooked by the cover and description alone.
Each chapter left me wanting more and in suspense.This was a quick read for me. I
especially enjoyed how it alternated between past and present day.

As heavy as the subject of juveniles who have suffered institutional abuse, especially through the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI), I feel like the author handled it respectfully and it’s incredibly important to shed light on.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Wow! This one was INTENSE, but I still found it to be an engaging and (dare I say) enjoyable read. It was difficult at times - particularly reading Hazel's chapters - but the subject matter and storytelling were so powerful that I found myself compelled to continue even when her treatment was its most disturbing. I was fascinated to see how the dual narrative worked itself out, and to eventually realize the interconnectedness of it all. It's difficult to stomach, but an important part of our recent (and long-standing) history to understand. This one won't be for everyone, but it's an incredible story blending the supernatural, family, and abuse of power into a whole that is infinitely more complex than the sum of its parts.

This book, 30 pages in, sank it's teeth into m. I knew it was going to take me on an emotional roller coaster, exposing the exploitation and abuse of teenagers in these so called behavior modification programs. This story brings the elements of horror, mystery, and what it's like to be someone who constantly sits under the radar, too timid and shy to speak up and out for herself.

This book, 30 pages in, sank it's teeth into m. I knew it was going to take me on an emotional roller coaster, exposing the exploitation and abuse of teenagers in these so called behavior modification programs. This story brings the elements of horror, mystery, and what it's like to be someone who constantly sits under the radar, too timid and shy to speak up and out for herself.

really well done horror about the horrors of these reformatory schools. 5 stars. tysm for the arc. would recommend.

This was just supposed to be a run of the mill school project for Hazel Perez. However after a late-night research expedition to Oakwell Farms School for Girls results in her falling unconscious she awakens not entirely alone. As Hazel digs deeper into the history of the Farm the secrets get twisted and dark. While Oakwell Farms has been abandoned for decades it becomes clear that there are restless spirits still trapped waiting for justice for what happened to them.

The Silenced by Diana Rodriguez Wallach is a haunting story inspired by too many real experiences in the troubled teen industry. The main character has to deep dive into the secrets the owners of Oakwell Farms have tried to bury, and these secrets share similarities with many court cases we have seen in the media today. While this story is not for the faint of heart, it is important and shares perspectives from young girls who are all too often villainized for making mistakes. The scenes painted by the Rodriguez Wallach are all too real, you can almost smell the strawberries...

Hazel Perez is doing a group history project on the Oakwell Farms School For Girls. Unfortunately, her group includes her former best friend Becca whose family has a connection to ‘The Farm’. After a prank goes wrong on a nighttime research trip to the Farm, an injured Hazel starts acting strangely. Her life starts to unravel after out of character, violent outbursts at school.

As Hazel explores deeper into the entity that is haunting her, she uncovers the true horrific past of the Farm and the secrets her own family has kept from her. With the help of her sister and group mates, Hazel sets out to bring light to the suffering of the girls at the Oakwell Farms School before the troubled ghost haunting her takes over for good.

Told in alternating narratives, The Silenced evokes the sinister nature of the Troubled Teen Industry and the truth that has been hidden about these ‘schools’ for the decades. Hazel makes a great protagonist for the reader to discover this hidden history through. A few of the twists were rather obvious, and I wish the author had leaned in a bit more on the horror, but I enjoyed the overall story.

Thank you to Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing the e-arc for my honest review.

A gripping horror story with a terrifying message.
Be scared and learn at the same time!

I will always be a sucker for books that reference my home state.

The Silenced by Diana Rodriguez Wallace gave me chills I wasn’t expecting. The haunted Oakwell Farms School for Girls feels like a place that’s still alive—and not in a good way. Hazel’s investigation into the past uncovers dark secrets and spirits that seem to cling to you long after you’ve finished reading. Wallach masterfully weaves a tale of betrayal, corruption, and supernatural terror that kept me turning pages late into the night. The haunted visions and eerie whispers make your skin crawl, especially when Hazel begins to see the ghostly girl staring back at her in the mirror… a girl with stories to tell—and a thirst for justice. The storyline is intense, with some genuinely creepy moments that will leave you second-guessing every shadow. It’s not a cozy read—more like walking through a fog of malevolence that might just follow you home. A hauntingly good story, but definitely one to read with the lights on. Just be prepared—it’s not just a ghost story; it feels like these spirits might still be lurking...long after you’ve closed the book.

This was a really intriguing premise that pulled me in right away. I couldn't put it down. Very powerful.

The Silenced gave me witchy vibes I did not even know I was craving. I could not put this book down. I was reading it before bed, during lunch, even while sitting under the dryer at the salon. That is how good this book is.

What really pulled me in was how the story jumps between the present and the past. It kept me hooked, always wanting to know what piece of the puzzle would drop next. The abuela in the story reminds me of my husband’s grandmother. Just like her. I related so much to Hazel. She reminded me of my own high school days when I felt invisible. And Deidre was the queen that embodied what a hero is. She was fierce and unforgettable.

If you are into stories that blend mystery, witchy vibes, and timelines that shift between then and now, The Silenced is absolutely worth reading.

An eerie ghost story that had was an absolute page turner but at the same time making me want to look away. Ever since reading this book I’ve been trying very hard to not look into mirrors, or anything with a reflection, with the fear I’d see something. It even had my heart rate increase because the descriptions were just chilling. I absolutely loved this book, it was heart wrenching reading what these girls went through and how much pain they felt even after death. If you’re looking for a spooky revenge ghost story that has you looking over your shoulder constantly as you read it, but isn’t too scary this one is for you!

Thank you again to @netgalley and @delacortepress for this advanced copy!

A school for juvenile delinquency that ended in death while the others just thought they were in the bucket aka solidarity. Hazel and Maddie had discovered so much about the reason why Hazel couldn’t be friends with someone she considered her best friend and the behavior she started to have after her incident and the death of her sister. All information started to pour out entirely.

This is my first book by this author but, if the others or any more in the future will have me wanting to go to the next pages like this one did, I am all for it. I loved this book and I really hate the way the bad guy was in this book trying to get everyone else to do his bidding just so he could have a clear conscious and have the other person with regret. He was a narcissistic hypocrite and I hated that for him because a truth goes a long way. The apple didn’t go to far from the poisonous tree.

I always love books that shine a light on often overlooked and devastating parts of history. I also like how this author made the creep factor and unfairness of this institution without outright and blatant SA. It felt more impactful and not at all gratuitous. Well written and a great story that leaves you aching for the characters, knowing that they've probably actually existed in some form in the world.

The Silenced was just WOW. I got this book not knowing that it took place practically in my back yard. I was so excited to learn some Philadelphia Suburb history and I loved that Diana included the history of the farm and ended the book with resources and what is being done to fix this broken system - I hope you read the afterward it is eye opening to the real issues that are still happening. This book absolutely floored me, I felt like there were some parts that felt slow but I am so happy I stuck around to the end because it did not miss. Once I made it to the second half the book I FLEW through it, every chapter leaves you wanting more, and at the edge of your seat. Hazel goes through a lot in this book and I think it perfectly portrays the struggle of a high schooler - with a few paranormal additions - the fight for a social life, keeping grades high, and keeping a good relationship with family and friends, and dealing with the trials and tribulations of just being a high schooler - I felt like I was back in the halls of my high school.

I honestly do not think I could recommend this book more, I this is was an easy read as it is a YA book, but do not let that fool you, there were creepy scenes that felt so so real and left me speechless. This book opens up a conversation while entertaining you with thrills and chills.

Thank you to Diana Rodriguez Wallace, NetGalley, and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Silenced was absolutely fantastic! The author wrote a story that was so well written I found myself flying through the pages, unable to put the book down, pondering what would happen next. My favorite piece of this entire story was how believable the characters were.

The writing is clear and clean, and very immersive. The book hums along at a good clip, but the pacing makes sure we're given time to breathe between plot-intensifying moments. The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb. I felt absolutely transported and I'm so incredibly glad I was able to read an arc of this story.

I enjoyed the representation of a Hispanic FMC and Catholicism. This book also did not shy away from the gore and blood and I love that. I think the theme of not being punished for the sins of the father could have been better developed and the chapters at the reform school could have been a bit grittier but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Hazel Perez has a school assignment to research a place of history. The rest of her group wants to do the project on "The Farm", a reform school for girls, that closed in 2001. But something has followed her back, and wants her to solve the mystery of that place...
What a great book. It's a YA book, but it doesn't read like one. I was totally engrossed from the first page to the last. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I thoroughly enjoyed enjoyed this book! So many emotions were felt. Empathy, anger, rage, sadness, desperation. Absolutely a 5 star! I felt the author did her research and did this story justice.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review

The Silenced is edge of seat thrilling, a very well-researched YA horror novel that gives a voice to the Troubled Teen Industry by flipping back & forth between an outcast teen girl of today & a girl yearning to survive one of those facilities in 1995. Hazel and Maddie, her younger sister, are each perfect by their own standards in their parents' eyes and never truly disrupt the status quo, thus keeping peace in the family and publicly, but that all changes with Hazel's group history project. A local history project seems simple, especially with a classmate's connection to the landmark, but some truths lie buried from the youth of today. Ghosts linger at The Farm because of trauma wrought upon them during their stay, which leaves Hazel and others puzzling together the pieces to provide a much needed microphone.

I love how Wallach digs deep for historical facts behind the stories she wishes to tell, especially the chilling truth of Sleighton Farm School for Girls. The polished details refine the story, setting, and characters with unsettling nuance that urged me to learn more about places like The Farm and those survivors and victims. The connections families in The Silenced have to the abomination of a "school" lingers in my mind, wondering what sort of situations could drive parents to send their daughters away and what types of people hit the end of their ropes with children in that way or how someone could justify running a facility like the one featured here. Relationships of the novel among friends, family, and romances feel natural from the heartwarming to the snarkiness, and their realness further brings the reality that people have lived (or not) through these ordeal in our world home.

Note: I read the entire second half of the book in one day, partly because of the fast pace and partly because of the CONSTANT intrigue.

Huge thanks to Random House Children's /Delacorte Press and Netgalley for access to an early copy.