Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite books for the eARC!
Noelle never disappoints with her books. I absolutely loved this one. It was action packed, with a good plot, and a few moments where it tugged at your heart strings.
It was such a page turner, and the plot was fantastic. It was well written, and executed perfectly.
These things are a parents worse nightmare, and as a mom, my heart was pounding as I was swiping through this book.
It was very fast paced, quick and easy read, much like her other books. It was straight to the point, no slowness to it.
Overall, this was fantastic, and I loved every second of it.

Noelle Ihli did it again with another 5 star read from me! I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it every time, but I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of this book. You just know whatever she writes is going to be amazing, and this book did not disappoint! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Such Quiet Girls before it officially hit the shelves.

First and foremost, I love that this story takes place in my hometown of Emmett, Idaho. It really brought the characters and the story to life for me. Knowing the streets that the bus was driving on and the picturing the area in mind made this read even more intense for me, because I know just how secluded and remote this bus full of kids really was. It really brought the story to life for me and made it just that much more frightening! You can’t help but hope for a good outcome for these characters but you definitely are fearing the worst!

Noelle has a beautiful way of writing that really makes the characters in her stories relatable and real. I love that these are just your average people, going about their daily lives with their own personal crap that their dealing with, until they’re placed in a situation that makes them have to rise above themselves. The fact that it was a CHILD who did so first, made this nightmare situation all the more terrifying. Will they make it? Or do they suffer the worst fate imaginable, leaving behind families and no answers . . . Or bodies?

If you read the synopsis of the story, you know already going in that a bus full of kids is kidnapped and buried underground. But knowing that and then being completely immersed in the pages of this story are two completely different things! It was heart pounding, infuriating, hopeless, sad, exhilarating, and amazing. Everything you want a good book to be! Noelle definitely knows how to deliver to her readers.

I loved that this was based on a true story and she uses her incredible writing to shed light on stories, and incredible people that have beat the odds, in the most brilliant of ways. She always makes sure to provide the context behind the true story and I appreciate that so much.

I will say, I started out hating the bus driver Jess’s. I found her weak and whiny and I just screaming at my kindle for her to just freaking do something already!. However, as the story goes on you just can’t help but root for her. You KNOW she’s stronger than her fears and you just hope she can get there. That really is what makes this story so completely relatable. Because Noelle provides both weaknesses and strengths. You FEEL the characters and get the fear and paralysis. I bet we all think, if we were ever faced with a situation like this, that we’d fight back or do something different. But in reality, how many of us actually would? Or would the fear take over. That’s why I really love the way that Noelle writes her characters, because she makes you question your OWN thought process as if you were right there in the middle of it.

While you didn’t get much from all 10 kiddos in this story, I loved how even in the face of the most terrifying of situations, they really came together to support one another. While you get different points of view from several characters in this book, it all flowed beautifully together and provided much needed context. I personally didn’t feel as if the story was bouncing all over the place. Noelle is amazing at blending in the multiple view points and makes sure it doesn’t feel choppy!

Overall, I loved this story. There were some spots of slower paced filler, that I felt was necessary to the big picture, but really nothing that would make me not recommend this book. I think ANY book Noelle writes is definitely worth the investment to read it!

I really, really enjoyed this book. It is suspenseful and leaves you on the edge of your seat. I like how every chapter it tells you how long they’ve been buried. I also enjoyed how it was told from different pov. It’s sad but happy at the same time. This story keeps you think what happens when a bus driver and 11 kids are kidnapped.

just finished this book, its my first book by this author. Id heard people mention a few of this authors backlist and how they had enjoyed them, so I thought I would give it a read.

I found this book was fast paced and it did keep me reading and engrossed. But I felt there was no major mystery or thrill to it. Everything was very obvious. I was expecting some kind of connection between the kidnappers and the bus driver, parent or grandparent and there was nothing. Which I think led to it feeling a bit lack lustre.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! all thoughts and opinions are my own ✨

i'm sad about this one. i really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, it just wasn't for me. let it be known that i read ask for andrea last year, and i really enjoyed it. as a result, i was very excited to get my hands on noelle's newest release, such quiet girls.

there were a few issues with this book that made it extremely hard for me to get into the story. while the premise was wildly intriguing, the execution fell painfully flat. it felt like a lot of small, unimportant events were drawn out unnecessarily. the plot dragged for a good chunk of the book—it was so consistently slow that even the "climax" at the end wasn't enough to make up for the sluggish pace.

i also found it very difficult to connect with any of the characters. the story unfolds amidst four different points of view—the bus driver, the oldest child on the bus, the child's mother, and finally, one of the kidnappers. i wasn't really pulled in by any of their perspectives. everything just felt bland and plain. the writing didn't hook me, the characters didn't jump off the page, and the plot moved far too slowly for my tastes. when none of these aspects are done well, what else is left?

it appears that i'm in the minority here, because most of the early reviews for this book have been overwhelmingly positive. sadly, it just didn't deliver on its promise of being fast-paced and unputdownable. hopefully noelle's next release will live up to the hype!

Noelle Ihli does it again. This book was such a journey. I loved every second of it. THIS IS A MUST READ.

Inspired by true events from the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, Such Quiet Girls is a multi-pov gripping thriller that follows Jessa and her young school bus passengers as they're kidnapped and buried alive. With oxygen running out and a ransom deadline looming, Jessa and the children must summon all their strength to survive. This one hit a soft spot as someone who works with young kids. It's not only suspenseful and twisty but also emotionally resonant. Noelle did such an amazing job of developing the characters & making it easy to form connections with them. It felt impossible to put the book down. Noelle is an auto read for me for a reason, she never disappoints!

Thank you to Netgalley, Noelle Ihli, & Dynamite Books for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book really gripped me at the start but lost me a little bit in the middle and towards the end.

Multiple POVs always enhances a thriller in my opinion and I especially enjoyed the perspectives of Sage (oldest child kidnapped) and Sheena (her mother) as they both showed strong determination. I also loved the grandpa! (Perhaps because he reminded me a bit of my own grandpa and father who both also happen to be named Ron.)

Towards the end I was hoping for another twist to really make me think but didn’t get that. There were a few twists throughout but all relatively mild.

The author is no doubt talented and I enjoyed this as my first book read of hers. Will try another one sometime soon!

I was so excited to get this book. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. So intense, I was on the edge of my seat. It may be my favorite book for April. I cannot wait for the audio so I can listen to it. Loved all of the characters except of course Andy and Jeepers creepers lol. As long as Noelle keeps on writing, I’ll keep on reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, Noelle Ihli, and her publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

Such Quiet Girls centers around kids and their bus driver being kidnapped and the fallout. While the book did start off a bit slow, the story really picked up around the 60% mark. The story is told from multiple POVs. The oldest child Sage was a particular standout in this book and I looked forward to her chapters. Overall, while I did enjoy the story, I do wish it was more fast paced in the beginning and pulled me in a bit more than it did. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a gifted ARC of this novel!

I am a huge fan of this author’s writing, and this book is no exception. Familiar with true crime myself, I was able to link this plot with the case that the author references at this end. However, I will say that the author did a fabulous job at humanizing all of the victims in this story. Told from multiple POVs, readers were able to be in the shoes of several different people who were impacted by one event. I felt all characters, likable or not, were well developed overall as well. As is the case with this author, the book for me went by at a lightening quick pace and I couldn’t put it down. Another highly recommended book by this author for me!

I received this as an ARC! I absolutely love Noelle’s writing! This story is about 10 children who get kidnapped on a bus and are held captive by two people. The book will keep you gripped the entire time and sometimes make you feel a little claustrophobic. I loved the multiple POVs from one of the children, the mother of two of the children, the bus driver, and one of the kidnappers. I think the POV from one of the kidnappers put a really interesting twist on the overall story. If you like a fast paced thriller, then this book is for you! It is available to purchase or on Kindle Unlimited April 29th, 2025!

This was so good, and very fast paced. I personally struggle with kidnapping themes in books, so it took me longer to get through than it probably would have had it been another topic. But I cannot resist anything written by Noelle Ihli, so I pushed through and I’m so glad I did!

Eh… not really sure what I was expecting with this one… I read that this book was heart stopping and the twists were good but I thought it was just “eh”. I know it was a bit off of actual events but the book was basically the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping but fictionalized.

Short Synopsis:
Inspired by true events, Jessa, a new bus driver is haunted by her past. It’s been three years since losing custody of her daughter, when the bus she’s driving, carrying ten children—including sisters Sage and Bonnie — is taken by abductors in broad daylight to be buried alive in a shipping container 20 feet below. This is a story of bravery, survival, and family at its core.

My Thoughts:
I loved this one! However, I gave it 4.5 stars because it felt a little slow in the beginning. Once things started to happen — THEY HAPPENED — and maybe the ending felt a tad bit rushed? But over all, it was a great page turner.
The relationship between Sage and Bonnie kind of reminded me of my sister and I; me being Bonnie as I am younger — and what a comfort it is to have someone you’re so close with to go through some of life’s hard things with (not that we’ve ever been kidnapped and buried alive…knock on wood). But I just loved seeing how brave Sage was for her sister and how their relationship ship evolved from beginning to end. I tried to imagine what I would have done if I was the mother in this one (I only have fur children 🐱🐶) and honestly - what a hard decision to make! I really don’t know what I would have done! & just the last bit - as a great grandchild of someone who had Alzheimer’s, what a crazy disease - I really loved that part of this book and felt that it was portrayed in a real yet dignified way. Needless to say, I recommend this book! Go preorder it now!!

Thank you @netgalley and Dynamite Books for this ARC for my honest review! I’d say it was a good one for sure.

Thank you @noelleihliauthor for writing such great books! I can’t wait to read another!!

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Fast paced and action packed, but I didn't find any of the adult characters particularly interesting to read about. The only POV I enjoyed was the kid's.

This was an intense mystery that had me biting my nails while reading.
I felt like I was right there I the hole with those poor kids.
Solid 4⭐️ read!

As a teacher of small children man this book hurt my soul. But it was very good! It was very fast paced for sure. The multiple point perspectives weren’t to much to follow and offered the insight into the bad guys. I will definitely recommend as a high paced quick read.

I COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN! WHAT A PAGE TURNER🙌🏻 THIS RACE AGAINST TIME THRILLER KEPT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT FROM START TO FINISH!
LOVED THE MULTIPLE POV’S!
EVERY PARENT’S WORST NIGHTMARE AND BASED ON TRUE EVENTS😳
AS ALWAYS, ANOTHER MASTERPIECE BY THE AUTHOR ♥️

Inspired by real events, ten children and their bus driver are abducted in broad daylight and buried alive in a shipping container.

Unfortunately, this was average for me. I didn’t find it to be thrilling at all. My favorite character was the oldest child Sage. I did enjoy the multiple POV’s.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.