I really enjoyed this book. It is told from multiple POVs and many underlying story lines going along side the major story line. We get to know some historical background on some of the characters. I loved the twist at the end and that after the harrowing experiences you are given an ending that provides closure to the reader.

Ten kids and their bus driver are abducted during the day. They are all put in a trapped in a shipping container twenty feet below the ground. Everyone tries to stay as calm as possible as the kidnappers ensure they will be released when the ransom is paid. One of the children and their bus driver bus driver don’t know if they will be able to survive until the random is paid. They must come up with a plan to outsmart their kidnappers.

The book is written from multiple POVs that allow the readers to get the viewpoint of two of those kidnapped, one of the kidnappers, and the one who received the ransom note. The book also touches on how Alzheimer’s can affect relationships. This was a fast paced book based on a true story.

Thank you to Noelle West Ihli, Dynamite Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so hard to read, I hate when things happen to children. However, given that it was based on accurate events I felt compassion and a since of trying to help these kids. You have to read this and find out the outcome!

This book was a whirlwind of emotion—I absolutely loved it, but wow, it really made me think. I’ve spent (and probably will keep spending) so much time spiraling in all the “what ifs” and “what would I do?” moments this story threw at me. I even found myself asking my husband and friends, “Okay, but seriously… if this happened, what would YOU do?!”—because the situations and roles in this book really make you go there.

This was my first Noelle Ihli read, and I already adore her writing style. She puts you in the scene—you can see, smell, hear, and feel everything. It’s so immersive. Not a lot of books make you feel like you’re right there with the characters, especially when the situations are ones you honestly don’t want to be in. But she pulls it off. And because of that, you can’t help but connect with the characters on such a deep, emotional level.

As a mother, this one was heartbreaking to read—especially knowing it’s based on a true story. I plan to watch the Chowchilla documentary on CNN that Noelle recommends in her author note tonight.

This is definitely one of those books I started thinking, “Why the hell did I, as a mom, sign up for this emotional rollercoaster?” But by the end… it was so worth it. It did not disappoint. I absolutely devoured this novel and I’m giving it a very well-deserved 5 stars!

first off thank you Net Galley for sending me this as an ARC! I absolutely loved every moment of it 😍 this one gets all the stars from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

10 kids, 1 bus driver in a makeshift bunker what could go wrong?! this was a heart pounding thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat as it all unfolds 🫣 its been a few books since I had that “just one more chapter” feeling and Such Quiet Girls kept me up at night and forced me to wake up early just to find out what happens. I will recommend this one to everyone I know who loves the thrill of the unknown.

I already really enjoyed Noelle W. Ilhi’s books, like Run On Red, Gray After Dark, and Room For Rent, so I was certain I would want to read her newest book, Such Quiet Girls. But when I realized it was loosely based on the Chowchilla Kidnapping of 1976, I was obsessed.

As a little kid, I remember my parents watching something on TV about a school bus full of kids being kidnapped and forced into some kind of underground bunker while they were held for ransom. It was some special with a reenactment that absolutely traumatized me (why was I in the room when they watched this???). I have always remembered images from that and was almost convinced it wasn’t real… turns out it was.

Noelle W. Ilhi took this terrifying concept and presented it in such an interesting way, with four competing perspectives: Jessa, the busdriver; Sage, an 11-year-old who was on the bus; Sheena, Sage’s mom; and Ted, one of the kidnappers who had more of a conscience. It was a satisfying way to tell the story because the reader desperately wants to know what’s going on on all sides of this traumatic event.

Jessa wants to do what’s right but is fighting with her own fears and desperate desire to make it out alive, frequently falling short of the adult the children needed in that bunker. Sage is brave and determined to save herself, her sister, and the other children; she takes things into her own hands, knowing someone needs to act. Sheena is desperate to save her children and grappling with the choices she has to make along the way, including the added stress of dealing with her father who has Alzheimer’s and doesn’t understand what’s going on. Ted thought he could make a better life for himself and no one would have to get hurt, trying to convince himself these kids are young and will bounce back from everything.

Through the four perspectives, the reader gets to watch the story unfold from all sides as they stare open-mouthed as the trainwreck unfolds, questioning what they would do if they were in their place.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This book definitely had that 'suck you in' thriller sort of vibe, although I will say that the beginning was a little bit of a drag, with a really effective middle, but an ending that was flat in some ways and absolutely killer in others. I did really enjoy a lot of this book, and definitely found it quite gripping, with a 'tear through the pages' sort of climax that was really fantastic.

The multiple points of view worked in some ways, but I did find that Ted's detracted a bit from the story. It was difficult to have the quasi-sympathetic baddie be the main focus at times, and not in an uncomfortable way, but more so because he was just not a good fit for the narrative or to have as a first person character.

Jessa was also a little bit too much, and I found that her twist just pushed things a bit too far. That's not to say that she wasn't interesting, but she did present difficulties at the beginning, and Sheena was also not quite what I would have hoped for. I get that we all respond differently in a crisis, but I thought all three of these characters could have been a little stronger. Bonnie and Sage were wonderful, however, and I found that their sections carried the book almost all the way through. The story through just the eyes of the kids would have proven quite powerful in and of itself.

All in all, this was definitely an edge-of-your-seat thriller, it just could have been a touch stronger, and that would have pushed it firmly into strong four star territory to me. As it stands, I give this one a 3.5.

There’s a reason why Noelle W. Ihli, Author is my favorite author, everything she writes makes your heartbeat faster and has you sitting on the edge of your seat! Or cringing at the dirt-bag character that she has created 🫣. Such Quiet Girls is based on the true story of the Chowchilla bus kidnapping in 1976.

She puts her own spin on the story and tells it from different perspectives. Be sure to add this one to your TBR!! It releases on April 29.

Thanks, NetGalley for the early read 🤓

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc. I really like the premise of this book, what a terrifying thought that your kid's daycare bus get hijacked. I liked the different POVs and the mystery surrounding the driver at the beginning and what she could have done. Overall, it was hard to get into and I felt stuck at some points.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #DynamiteBooks for the book #SuchQuietGirls by #NoelleWestIhli. So many stars for this fantastic book. The fact that this is based on a true story breaks my heart. Jessa is a new bus driver for an after school daycare. She is suffering from her own demons and trying to start over. On her bus route, she and 10 children are hi-jacked and put in an underground bunker where there is hardly any air. They realize they need to take matters in their own hands and try to escape. Can they make it out alive? This book along with all other books by Noelle have really tugged at my heartstrings and I praise her for writing them!

Good pacing, interesting storyline.

Recommend if you enjoy kidnapping, trapped or confined space tropes.

The book's clear and straightforward writing style makes it accessible and easy to follow. However, it ultimately fell short of my expectations. I found it difficult to form a connection with the characters, and their struggles failed to evoke the suspense feel I was hoping for. Despite the premise, the tension didn’t build as anticipated, and the narrative lacked the suspense typically expected from a gripping thriller. Instead, it read more like a concise recounting of events than an immersive experience.

A. Twists and Suspense
⭐⭐: Minimal suspense, twists felt forced or clichéd.

B. Atmosphere and Writing Style
⭐⭐⭐: Good atmosphere, writing was solid but lacked emotional or suspenseful depth.

C. Character Development
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Characters felt real and deeply engaging, enhancing the story’s stakes

D. Pacing and Engagement
⭐⭐⭐: Pacing was decent, with a few engaging moments.

E. Mystery Resolution
⭐⭐⭐: The resolution made sense but wasn’t particularly satisfying.

F. Emotional Impact
⭐⭐: Minimal emotional engagement; few memorable moments

Overall, while this book may appeal to readers who prefer a simple and direct storytelling approach, those seeking a deeply atmospheric or emotionally charged thriller may want to explore other titles.

Pro’s
• As usual with all of Noelle’s books, the writing is SO descriptive. It’s so easy to visualise every single thing that is happening. I could picture everything perfectly.
• I really enjoyed the multiple POV’s being told throughout the whole ordeal. It really helped you know how each of them was feeling and why they were doing what they were doing.
• The suspense in the second half had me gripped. I flew through it. I was literally on the edge of my seat and waiting to see if the kids would make it out or not.

Con’s
• I have to say I found the first 46% a little slow. I wasn’t gripped and I wasn’t wanting to constantly pick it up. I totally get that the scene was needed to be built but yeah, I felt it dragged a little for me.
• My only other con is it didn’t feel like a thriller. It felt more like a suspense novel. For it saying it was a thriller, I expected a little more to happen, or some bigger reveals.

Thanks for letting me read and review again. Always appreciated☺️.

is recommended for fans of psychological thrillers who appreciate emotionally charged storytelling and are prepared for its intense subject matter.

Wow! Such an amazing, thrilling read. Kept me on the edge of my seat through out the whole book. I felt every emotion, every feeling each character had. Had my heart racing at times not knowing what was to come. The story is told from 4 points of views which helped to see all of what happened. I felt like I was there one of those kids on the bus. Noelle W. Ihli is such an amazing author. Thank you to Noelle and Net Galley for the opportunity to read Such Quiet Girls as an arc!

Wow! This one had me on edge!! What a storyline. I felt like I could relate with the characters and the POVs really made me want to keep reading. There wasn’t any huge plot twist but the storyline kept me in anticipation of what was coming next.
Thank you for the ARC and congrats on a fantastic book!!

Noelle west Ihli is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. Her books are fast paced and terrifying, and I appreciate her research into real life events that inspire her writing. This book was no different. I loved all the character arcs, and quickly took to rooting for most of them.

This is the first time I read a book by this author, I've been trying to Branch out and read new books but authors I have never heard of nor read their books. And once again I chose a good one. The twist are unbelievable you will not see them coming and you would not be able to put this book down once you start so just be prepared..

SUCH QUIET GIRLS
By Noelle W. Ihli

Thanks to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the ARC ebook.

3.5 stars rounded up

This is a fast paced, heart pounding, and gripping thriller of ten children along with their new bus driver, Jessa, buried underground in a shipping container. With a race against the clock, will they be able to outsmart their captors or will time run out before they lose air to breathe? This is told from different POVs and I enjoyed the chapters of Sage, the oldest child kidnapped and her mother, Sheena’s, story. The POVs gives you a glimpse of what is going on in the minds of some characters, as well as, a few backstories on some. This book is inspired by actual events.

I was hesitant to read because I don’t usually like to read about child kidnappings, however, after reading a few reviews of others and how the subject matter was handled I decided to read it. It was my first read by this author and I will check out some of her previous books. This does have possible TRIGGERS - domestic violence, kidnapping, and murder

3.5 stars! I really enjoyed the overall story of Such Quiet Girls. I really liked that you drop immediately into the kidnapping, and because it’s written in 4 different perspectives, you get to know the thoughts of all of the main characters. I love short chapters in thrillers, and while they were short enough that I kept telling myself, “okay, one more,” I felt like the writing fell a little flat in the first 2/3 of the book. The plot was interesting and eerie enough to keep me intrigued, but there were definitely moments where it felt like it was really dragging. I didn’t feel the “I have to keep going” spark until the last 75 pages or so.

Overall a good read if you’re looking for a thriller to add to your list.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for my unbiased review.