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Good Girls Stay Quiet
Stay silent...To stay alive.Fifteen-year-old Cora Snow has a dark secret she only shares with her journal and her best friend, Noah, who happens to be her talking stuffed elephant. Well, and Sally, a wrench and trusted confidant for when Cora's locked in the basement after breaking one of "Daddy's" rules.House Keep hair neatly braided. Prepare Daddy's favorite meals. Keep the house perfect. Stay locked in room when Daddy isn't home. Call Daddy "Daddy."School Get good grades. No friends. No boys. Don't EVER attract attention.And the most important rule of Never, ever make Daddy angry.Cora follows all of the rules to avoid suffering the painful consequences until one day her journal goes missing. A note appears in her locker saying, "I know your secret," and its followed by a series of blackmail demands that take Cora far out of her comfort zone.For most girls, losing your diary might be embarrassing, but for Cora? Finding the missing journal could be a matter of life and death - and uncovering who took it requires breaking all the rules.Question is, how far is Cora Snow willing to go to protect her and "Daddy"?An intense psychological thriller for fans of Natasha Preston, Good Girls Stay Quiet will take you on an emotional journey and help you uncover the importance of finding your voice in dangerous situations.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews
October 24, 2023
Fifteen year old Cora must obey her “Daddy” or risk beatings and being locked in the basement. Now she’s attending school for the first time, trying to follow Daddy’s rules to talk to no one and avoid attention. Two students are determined to befriend her, which could result in their death. Or Cora’s.
GOOD GIRLS STAY QUIET is a creepy, creepy story. Kidnapped from foster care, Daddy is the only family Cora has ever known. For years her stuffed animals, who talk to her, have been her only companions. Jo Cassidy never addresses the mental health aspect of Cora hearing the voices of her stuffed animals, understandable as a coping mechanism, but still a sign of deeper pathology. Cassidy did a good job of showing the naïveté of a girl isolated from everyone, believing in Santa Claus for example.
The stolen journal/blackmail angle of the story was least credible of GOOD GIRLS STAY QUIET. Teenagers can be unkind to each other, but most don’t blackmail a kidnapped victim (only the journal knows), threatening exposure. Other disconnects in the story include a neighbor being suspicious so Daddy deciding to send Cora to school without homeschool records, a birth certificate or ID never felt authentic.
With all its faults, GOOD GIRLS STAY QUIET is still a satisfying read with engaging characters.
GOOD GIRLS STAY QUIET is a creepy, creepy story. Kidnapped from foster care, Daddy is the only family Cora has ever known. For years her stuffed animals, who talk to her, have been her only companions. Jo Cassidy never addresses the mental health aspect of Cora hearing the voices of her stuffed animals, understandable as a coping mechanism, but still a sign of deeper pathology. Cassidy did a good job of showing the naïveté of a girl isolated from everyone, believing in Santa Claus for example.
The stolen journal/blackmail angle of the story was least credible of GOOD GIRLS STAY QUIET. Teenagers can be unkind to each other, but most don’t blackmail a kidnapped victim (only the journal knows), threatening exposure. Other disconnects in the story include a neighbor being suspicious so Daddy deciding to send Cora to school without homeschool records, a birth certificate or ID never felt authentic.
With all its faults, GOOD GIRLS STAY QUIET is still a satisfying read with engaging characters.
August 17, 2018
I freaking loved it. I was on the edge of my seat. I wanted to know who it was so I stayed up reading the whole night and finished it by 4 in the morning. It was worth it.
May 7, 2019
Jo Cassidy's Good Girls Stay Quiet is a powerful, thought provoking, intense read that left me reeling in the end. Cassidy's portrayal of Cora was haunting. Her naivete. Her innocence. Her unwaning desire to make "Daddy" happy. The psychological and physical abuse Cora endured left a lasting imprint on my soul. And that ending... In a story like this can there be a happy ending?
****This story deals with intense emotional and physical abuse but does not include sexual abuse. In my opinion, the story is suitable for teens.
****This story deals with intense emotional and physical abuse but does not include sexual abuse. In my opinion, the story is suitable for teens.
October 2, 2019
Cora Snow writes down all her secrets in her journal, including all the ones about her "Daddy." When one of her journals with all her secrets goes missing, she is forced to do things her Daddy told her not to do. She opens up to people at school and begins to make friends as she searches for the journal before all the secrets get out.
Despite how it sounds, this book contains no sexual abuse; however, it does contain physical and emotional abuse
Good Girls Stay Quiet was a creepy, frustrating, and heartbreaking story. Cora life was horrible. She shouldn't have had to live like that, nor should anyone, but she had been so manipulated all her life that she did. She thought it was the way to live and there was no other way. She was so manipulated that she didn't see a life outside of the house she was in. It was devastating to read about.
While I'm no expert on this type of abuse and everyone should certainly listen to those reviewers, I thought that it was well done. The author showed Cora's struggles as she started to learn more about the world and her thoughts on love were challenged, but the author also showed how she struggled afterwards too. Not everything was find, Cora was still working on healing and overcoming the pain and abuse she had been put through. I thought that was wonderful.
The relationships that built from this were wonderful. There was one relationship in particular that I truly adored and loved.
Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. I was eager to see how Cora's world was continually changing and how the relationships she was beginning to form grew. There were scenes that were hard to get through as they were violent, but there were a number of bright spots throughout this.
Despite how it sounds, this book contains no sexual abuse; however, it does contain physical and emotional abuse
Good Girls Stay Quiet was a creepy, frustrating, and heartbreaking story. Cora life was horrible. She shouldn't have had to live like that, nor should anyone, but she had been so manipulated all her life that she did. She thought it was the way to live and there was no other way. She was so manipulated that she didn't see a life outside of the house she was in. It was devastating to read about.
While I'm no expert on this type of abuse and everyone should certainly listen to those reviewers, I thought that it was well done. The author showed Cora's struggles as she started to learn more about the world and her thoughts on love were challenged, but the author also showed how she struggled afterwards too. Not everything was find, Cora was still working on healing and overcoming the pain and abuse she had been put through. I thought that was wonderful.
The relationships that built from this were wonderful. There was one relationship in particular that I truly adored and loved.
Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. I was eager to see how Cora's world was continually changing and how the relationships she was beginning to form grew. There were scenes that were hard to get through as they were violent, but there were a number of bright spots throughout this.
May 19, 2019
WARNING: Please be aware that there is mental and physical abuse in this story. There is NO sexual abuse.
"I am strong, I am brave."-Cora
No truer words could ever be spoken. It has taken me a while to post my review because I had to do some serious thinking with this story. Due to the abuse I suffered from as a child, I had a really hard time reading this book. There were many times that I had to stop reading and remind myself that this is a fictional story with fictional characters and that it was not me. Now with that being said, I will begin my review leaving myself out of the equation.
The characters were phenomenal. Cora was such a strong and very brave character. Her light never seemed to dim during any of the abuse that she suffered through. I, of course, disliked "Daddy" a lot for his role in the story and the more I read, the more I grew to hate him. I had, as I mentioned above, a real connection with Cora. I had every feeler running through me as I read her story.
The story-line was memorable. Even though the abuse made me put the book down several times, I found myself wanting to return to the story in search of a happy ending. Granted, there were many happy parts within the story as well, which always gave me hope for Cora. The ending was quite shocking and I sure did not see any of it coming. Cassidy is truly an amazing storyteller with a colorful, clean and precise imagination and I will continue to follow and read this author's work.
"I am strong, I am brave."-Cora
No truer words could ever be spoken. It has taken me a while to post my review because I had to do some serious thinking with this story. Due to the abuse I suffered from as a child, I had a really hard time reading this book. There were many times that I had to stop reading and remind myself that this is a fictional story with fictional characters and that it was not me. Now with that being said, I will begin my review leaving myself out of the equation.
The characters were phenomenal. Cora was such a strong and very brave character. Her light never seemed to dim during any of the abuse that she suffered through. I, of course, disliked "Daddy" a lot for his role in the story and the more I read, the more I grew to hate him. I had, as I mentioned above, a real connection with Cora. I had every feeler running through me as I read her story.
The story-line was memorable. Even though the abuse made me put the book down several times, I found myself wanting to return to the story in search of a happy ending. Granted, there were many happy parts within the story as well, which always gave me hope for Cora. The ending was quite shocking and I sure did not see any of it coming. Cassidy is truly an amazing storyteller with a colorful, clean and precise imagination and I will continue to follow and read this author's work.
April 14, 2020
I trusted the reviews on this one, and I really wish I hadn't.
I found myself getting bored during this more than once, but I powered through to get to the "twist" at the end. What. A. LETDOWN. Twist?! That wasn't a twist, y'all. It was a convenient plot device that led to the sickliest-sweet cookie-cutter ending that I could have ever expected to have to stomach. I gave myself a migraine rolling my eyes during the last chunk of the book, which wrapped up the life of this ostensibly-traumatized teenage girl in an almost condescendingly neat little bow. Really? A fifteen year old spent the last nine years of her life under the total control of a manipulative and abusive man that she knew as her father, shoots him to death during the final showdown (conveniently attended by her biological father who tracked her down and OH SO CONVENIENTLY is there ready to take her into his arms and present her with a home and ready-made family, but don't even get me started on THAT), and the next scene (the book's ending) doesn't even touch on the lingering trauma she undoubtedly must have at the sudden violent shift of her entire life? Of the fact that she LITERALLY KILLED SOMEONE WHO WAS HER ENTIRE WORLD A MATTER OF WEEKS BEFORE??
(Can you tell that I'm not a "happy ending" kinda gal?)
I'm so offended by the smugness of the perfect ending that I can only muster up a single star for this one. I'll credit the author that she manages the tone of a fifteen-year-old functioning at the level of someone much younger for a majority of the book (although that did make it all the more difficult to get through). Also, there was some decent representation of the dynamic of a physically and emotionally abusive relationship. So there's that.
The only good thing that came out of reading this was that I stumbled across another disappointed review from a fellow reader recommending Living Dead Girl instead, and I absolutely DEVOURED that one, which was more of what I was hoping from this.
I found myself getting bored during this more than once, but I powered through to get to the "twist" at the end. What. A. LETDOWN. Twist?! That wasn't a twist, y'all. It was a convenient plot device that led to the sickliest-sweet cookie-cutter ending that I could have ever expected to have to stomach. I gave myself a migraine rolling my eyes during the last chunk of the book, which wrapped up the life of this ostensibly-traumatized teenage girl in an almost condescendingly neat little bow. Really? A fifteen year old spent the last nine years of her life under the total control of a manipulative and abusive man that she knew as her father, shoots him to death during the final showdown (conveniently attended by her biological father who tracked her down and OH SO CONVENIENTLY is there ready to take her into his arms and present her with a home and ready-made family, but don't even get me started on THAT), and the next scene (the book's ending) doesn't even touch on the lingering trauma she undoubtedly must have at the sudden violent shift of her entire life? Of the fact that she LITERALLY KILLED SOMEONE WHO WAS HER ENTIRE WORLD A MATTER OF WEEKS BEFORE??
(Can you tell that I'm not a "happy ending" kinda gal?)
I'm so offended by the smugness of the perfect ending that I can only muster up a single star for this one. I'll credit the author that she manages the tone of a fifteen-year-old functioning at the level of someone much younger for a majority of the book (although that did make it all the more difficult to get through). Also, there was some decent representation of the dynamic of a physically and emotionally abusive relationship. So there's that.
The only good thing that came out of reading this was that I stumbled across another disappointed review from a fellow reader recommending Living Dead Girl instead, and I absolutely DEVOURED that one, which was more of what I was hoping from this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2024
Such a good book, from start to finish it pulls you right in. Highly recommended. ☝️
July 10, 2019
Until I saw this book on Hoopla, I had never heard of it or it’s author. It seemed like it would be akin to Living Dead Girl, one of my favorites reads, so I decided to give it a try. I was amazed at how quickly it pulled me in. Maybe it was the long car ride and the child like reader. The story follows Cora, an abused “little” girl who copes by writing in journals. Cora is actually 15, but was kept in such seclusion that she comes off much younger many times. She is in high school for the first time ever. The neighbor was getting suspicious. Her “Daddy” keeps her locked in her bedroom at night, and locked in the basement when she is in trouble.
Cora is a trafficked child. No sexual abuse, but physical and emotional. It would be hard for some to read/listen to this story. When Cora is in school she is only supposed to talk when talked to, make no friends, and be as invisible as possible. But that is pretty hard when you sit next to someone in French class who could make friends with a rock. Then there is Brenden. He is the cute boy who works at the pizza place. He has figured out Cora’s secret, but he is not really the problem. The person who stole her journal is the real problem.
It is when the journal goes missing that this book jumps the shark. It does it at least one other time, but these jumps need to be make for the ending to make sense. Warning Spoilers below!
Someone starts to blackmail Cora. If she does not do what they say, Cora’s journal will be turned over to the police and Daddy will go to jail. I would like to think that if a modern teenager found that journal they would not black mail a potential victim, but help, or seek help. This almost had me turning the book off.
Part of the ending is just flat out crazy (see the jumping the shark reference above) while the rest it just too easy. There is threats of death, a house fire, a shooting, a second father, etc. And in the end everything is just hunky dory. It’s too easy. We see in the book that Cora has mental problems from long time abuse. She sees her stuffed animal as a real person, and her “toy” wrench as another real person. This reader can see that they are the other parts of Cora, the parts that do not believe Daddy to be a good man, trying to overcome Cora’s fear of going back into the foster system, and that daddy is actually a horrible person that she needs to get away from. The only thing this book acknowledges about this is when Cora realizes that the two toys know each other, and that they can talk in her head when they are not in the same room.
As an audiobook, I had to finish this story, but if i was reading it in print form, there is no way i would have reached the last page. If someone really wants to read a tragic story about child trafficking, pick up Living Dead Girl. It says so much more in a third of the pages.
#KillyourTBR #neverheardof
Cora is a trafficked child. No sexual abuse, but physical and emotional. It would be hard for some to read/listen to this story. When Cora is in school she is only supposed to talk when talked to, make no friends, and be as invisible as possible. But that is pretty hard when you sit next to someone in French class who could make friends with a rock. Then there is Brenden. He is the cute boy who works at the pizza place. He has figured out Cora’s secret, but he is not really the problem. The person who stole her journal is the real problem.
It is when the journal goes missing that this book jumps the shark. It does it at least one other time, but these jumps need to be make for the ending to make sense. Warning Spoilers below!
Someone starts to blackmail Cora. If she does not do what they say, Cora’s journal will be turned over to the police and Daddy will go to jail. I would like to think that if a modern teenager found that journal they would not black mail a potential victim, but help, or seek help. This almost had me turning the book off.
Part of the ending is just flat out crazy (see the jumping the shark reference above) while the rest it just too easy. There is threats of death, a house fire, a shooting, a second father, etc. And in the end everything is just hunky dory. It’s too easy. We see in the book that Cora has mental problems from long time abuse. She sees her stuffed animal as a real person, and her “toy” wrench as another real person. This reader can see that they are the other parts of Cora, the parts that do not believe Daddy to be a good man, trying to overcome Cora’s fear of going back into the foster system, and that daddy is actually a horrible person that she needs to get away from. The only thing this book acknowledges about this is when Cora realizes that the two toys know each other, and that they can talk in her head when they are not in the same room.
As an audiobook, I had to finish this story, but if i was reading it in print form, there is no way i would have reached the last page. If someone really wants to read a tragic story about child trafficking, pick up Living Dead Girl. It says so much more in a third of the pages.
#KillyourTBR #neverheardof
May 28, 2019
I loved this book and kind of wished it was a bit longer.
Good Girls Stay Quite brings Cora into your dull life. She's about fifteen years old and lives a weird life. Mostly because I never call my dad 'daddy' and it kind of made me cringe throughout this book. I think the last time I called my dad 'daddy' was maybe in like.. uh.. idk.. 3rd grade? No idea though but he's just dad to me. Or Michael if he makes me mad. OR Darth Vader when he pisses me of/calls my cellphone (because that's his name).
Back to this book, 'daddy' has a firm set of rules. If she doesn't follow them to the T, she gets a beating or two. Might even get locked into the basement for shits and giggles. No matter what, it never ends well for her.
Surprisingly, she gets the opportunity to go to school for the first time. Mostly because people were starting to question on how he got a kid and shit.. so yeah - super sketchy up to here. Well, ever since day 1 of school - things start to get crazy. New rules and a overprotective (cringe) 'daddy' are not making her life easy.
This book was so freaking good. I have no idea how many times I have said this or will but hot damn - it kept me on the edge of my seat. The top of my toes. Even the whole relationship between Cora and 'daddy' was amazing. Her life, whether it was in foster care or not, was just jaw dropping. I'm so proud of the neighbors being suspicious and I'm also happy that I found this book!
Good Girls Stay Quite brings Cora into your dull life. She's about fifteen years old and lives a weird life. Mostly because I never call my dad 'daddy' and it kind of made me cringe throughout this book. I think the last time I called my dad 'daddy' was maybe in like.. uh.. idk.. 3rd grade? No idea though but he's just dad to me. Or Michael if he makes me mad. OR Darth Vader when he pisses me of/calls my cellphone (because that's his name).
Back to this book, 'daddy' has a firm set of rules. If she doesn't follow them to the T, she gets a beating or two. Might even get locked into the basement for shits and giggles. No matter what, it never ends well for her.
Surprisingly, she gets the opportunity to go to school for the first time. Mostly because people were starting to question on how he got a kid and shit.. so yeah - super sketchy up to here. Well, ever since day 1 of school - things start to get crazy. New rules and a overprotective (cringe) 'daddy' are not making her life easy.
This book was so freaking good. I have no idea how many times I have said this or will but hot damn - it kept me on the edge of my seat. The top of my toes. Even the whole relationship between Cora and 'daddy' was amazing. Her life, whether it was in foster care or not, was just jaw dropping. I'm so proud of the neighbors being suspicious and I'm also happy that I found this book!
August 15, 2018
I’ve always had an interest in psychology and have made it a mission of mine to try to understand people and why they are the way they are. I found the phrase “hurting people hurt people” to be accurate here as well as in every other facet of life.
Good Girls Stay Quiet is an interesting exploration of generational abuse and Stockholm syndrome. Because of the frequent violence and isolation, Cora is naive and seems almost child-like, especially in the relationships she has with her stuffed imaginary friends. Daddy’s actions—and Cora’s too near the end of the book—are irrational and unpredictable, further results of their abuse and seclusion.
There’s evidence of Cora’s future struggles too, which I found to be true to life.
This book is an insightful read for those who are interested in the psychology of abused victims and their abusers.
Good Girls Stay Quiet is an interesting exploration of generational abuse and Stockholm syndrome. Because of the frequent violence and isolation, Cora is naive and seems almost child-like, especially in the relationships she has with her stuffed imaginary friends. Daddy’s actions—and Cora’s too near the end of the book—are irrational and unpredictable, further results of their abuse and seclusion.
There’s evidence of Cora’s future struggles too, which I found to be true to life.
This book is an insightful read for those who are interested in the psychology of abused victims and their abusers.
May 9, 2019
Disturbing
Intense
Heartbreaking
I can't even. This book was just so much. I couldn't read too much at a time without getting in a dark mood. I needed to know how it ended but I was afraid to get there.
Intense
Heartbreaking
I can't even. This book was just so much. I couldn't read too much at a time without getting in a dark mood. I needed to know how it ended but I was afraid to get there.
June 27, 2020
I would like to start out by saying that this is a spoiler-free review.
I had really high hopes for this book and let me just say, it exceeded every single one of them. It was more of a heavy read but it was still fantastic. The writing style was just awesome! The way that Jo Cassidy wrote this book kept it exciting to the very end. It literally pained me to stop reading to go to work. I was just constantly dying for more!
I loved the mystery, suspense and the overall creepiness that was throughout the book. Without giving anything about the book away, I think that Jo mastered all of the characters. Each character had something that I just adored about them. They were all just absolutely amazing.
Can I just talk about this cover for a second? This cover is freaking amazing!!! It is so creepy and I loved how you discover little details about it as you read the book (not that I was staring at the cover for hours on end…..).
I don’t want to jump to any conclusions quite yet, but I think that this might be one of my favorite reads of the year!
Overall I LOVED this book! It was so amazing! I gave this book five out of five stars.
I received a free copy of this book for review. I do not have to leave a positive review.
I had really high hopes for this book and let me just say, it exceeded every single one of them. It was more of a heavy read but it was still fantastic. The writing style was just awesome! The way that Jo Cassidy wrote this book kept it exciting to the very end. It literally pained me to stop reading to go to work. I was just constantly dying for more!
I loved the mystery, suspense and the overall creepiness that was throughout the book. Without giving anything about the book away, I think that Jo mastered all of the characters. Each character had something that I just adored about them. They were all just absolutely amazing.
Can I just talk about this cover for a second? This cover is freaking amazing!!! It is so creepy and I loved how you discover little details about it as you read the book (not that I was staring at the cover for hours on end…..).
I don’t want to jump to any conclusions quite yet, but I think that this might be one of my favorite reads of the year!
Overall I LOVED this book! It was so amazing! I gave this book five out of five stars.
I received a free copy of this book for review. I do not have to leave a positive review.
October 18, 2019
Cora Snow has a secret that only she, her Daddy and her journal knows. Cora is expected to act exactly as her Daddy says. This includes how she dresses, plaits her hair and spends every minute of her life. For her whole life she's been homeschooled until this year when her Daddy allows her to go to public school. Cora exists exactly as her Daddy commands until her journal goes missing at school. Soon she's being blackmailed for test answers or money in order to keep her secret.
This book was strange. I wasn't sure what to think about the MC's relationship with her "Daddy". It was so weird and creepy. I also had such a hard time understanding why Cora stood up for him so much too. He was cruel and awful to her all the time, but she nevertheless did whatever he said.
I did love seeing Cora become friends with Brenden and Jenna. Their concern for her was heartwarming, especially Brenden's. I loved how he tried to help her even when she refused to talk about what was wrong. The reality of Cora's situation only grows worse throughout the book. Her Daddy continues to escalate in his treatment of Cora.
The ending was pretty insane, but it read well to me.
This book was strange. I wasn't sure what to think about the MC's relationship with her "Daddy". It was so weird and creepy. I also had such a hard time understanding why Cora stood up for him so much too. He was cruel and awful to her all the time, but she nevertheless did whatever he said.
I did love seeing Cora become friends with Brenden and Jenna. Their concern for her was heartwarming, especially Brenden's. I loved how he tried to help her even when she refused to talk about what was wrong. The reality of Cora's situation only grows worse throughout the book. Her Daddy continues to escalate in his treatment of Cora.
The ending was pretty insane, but it read well to me.
Read
October 5, 2022Anyone for a pixie cut?
The first thing I wanted to do after reading this book, was chop off all my long hair.
The story was intense, but clean and without all the sexual weight many stories like this carry.
I loved the characters and relationships formed. I can’t say too much more without revealing spoilers. My one tip: start this book when you have a good chunk of free time. You won’t be able to put it down.
The first thing I wanted to do after reading this book, was chop off all my long hair.
The story was intense, but clean and without all the sexual weight many stories like this carry.
I loved the characters and relationships formed. I can’t say too much more without revealing spoilers. My one tip: start this book when you have a good chunk of free time. You won’t be able to put it down.
July 11, 2019
Haunting, gripping and emotional. The story of the ramifications of mental and physical abuse stirred up such emotion in me. Never before have I disdained a character more and had actual verbal responses to their actions. Jo Cassidy caused me to be deeply invested in the life of Cora Snow and she caused me to never want to stop reading, because I NEEDED to know what happened next in Cora's journey.
September 23, 2023
This was the scariest book I’ve read in a while, if not ever. At some point I had to put it in the freezer.
The ending was a tad too romanticized, but it was nice to read after all the gruesomeness before.
Wouldn’t recommend unless you have no problem with physical and emotional violence!
The ending was a tad too romanticized, but it was nice to read after all the gruesomeness before.
Wouldn’t recommend unless you have no problem with physical and emotional violence!
March 13, 2024
Mama Bear Syndrome got me through this novel! A tad too immature for me, and overdone, BUT usually hear this story from the cops perspective! Nice change.
July 7, 2023
Not going to lie this book had my stomach flipping. It was hard to read some of the pages but it was just so well written. Had you guessing and feeling all the feelings. I really enjoyed all the pieces coming together in the end and how everything made perfect sense for every character. I was so hard to put down!
November 25, 2025
Quiet the story
I really enjoyed reading this suspenseful thriller. The storyline kept my interest throughout the book and I really liked how the author wrapped it all up. There are triggers in this book like abused and kidnapping, so be fair warned. I like that the aftermath of the abuse wasn't just swept under the rug, because going through something that Nora went thru doesn't go away overnight. Highly recommend this book.
I really enjoyed reading this suspenseful thriller. The storyline kept my interest throughout the book and I really liked how the author wrapped it all up. There are triggers in this book like abused and kidnapping, so be fair warned. I like that the aftermath of the abuse wasn't just swept under the rug, because going through something that Nora went thru doesn't go away overnight. Highly recommend this book.
August 14, 2018
"Good Girls Stay Quiet" by Jo Cassidy
This suspenseful novel was impossible to put down.
When the reader first meets Cora, she is locked inside her bedroom and in desperate need of the bathroom. This is a common occurrence for Cora. If fact, it happens every day after school. To say her daddy is controlling is putting it mildly. Her best friend is a stuffed elephant because she's been forbidden to make friends at school. But Jenna is hard to resist. Her bubbly personality draws Cora like a magnet. Cora must also hide her growing attraction to Brendon, the cute boy in school who seems to like her, too.
Then one day, the worst possible thing happens. Cora loses her current journal at school. It soon becomes apparent that someone has found it, and this person isn't above blackmailing Cora in order to keep her secrets safe ... and Cora's secrets could destroy her life.
I only have good things to say about this novel. Cora gained my compassion in the very first scene. She also had my admiration. It isn't easy standing up under abuse, but Cora chose to bear it instead of allowing it to crush her. She is a very strong girl.
The tension grows in this exciting plot. I could feel Cora's desperation to get her journal back. And Jo Cassidy shows the agony Cora endures with heart-breaking clarity. I guarantee this is a book you'll never forget.
This suspenseful novel was impossible to put down.
When the reader first meets Cora, she is locked inside her bedroom and in desperate need of the bathroom. This is a common occurrence for Cora. If fact, it happens every day after school. To say her daddy is controlling is putting it mildly. Her best friend is a stuffed elephant because she's been forbidden to make friends at school. But Jenna is hard to resist. Her bubbly personality draws Cora like a magnet. Cora must also hide her growing attraction to Brendon, the cute boy in school who seems to like her, too.
Then one day, the worst possible thing happens. Cora loses her current journal at school. It soon becomes apparent that someone has found it, and this person isn't above blackmailing Cora in order to keep her secrets safe ... and Cora's secrets could destroy her life.
I only have good things to say about this novel. Cora gained my compassion in the very first scene. She also had my admiration. It isn't easy standing up under abuse, but Cora chose to bear it instead of allowing it to crush her. She is a very strong girl.
The tension grows in this exciting plot. I could feel Cora's desperation to get her journal back. And Jo Cassidy shows the agony Cora endures with heart-breaking clarity. I guarantee this is a book you'll never forget.
December 29, 2019
Brace yourself for a gratuitous over-usage of the word "gorgeous".
The cover? GORGEOUS.
The writing? GORGEOUS.
The plot? GORGEOUS.
The characters? GORGEOUS.
Good Girls Stay Quiet has been patiently waiting near to the top of my TBR pile for over a year, and it was well worth the wait. I got my copy for Christmas, and by the next day I had finished it. How could I not? The suspense doesn't let up for a second! Seriously, every part and page of this story is top-notch. There are tons of twists, the characters are so easy to invest in, and the ending is positive yet realistic.
I never thought I'd get to say that one of my favorite characters is a talking stuffed animal elephant named Noah, but there you have it. This book is full of oddities both endearing and terrifying, and Cora's vulnerable and unpredictable narrative make it completely engrossing.
If you only buy one YA book this year, make it this one.
The cover? GORGEOUS.
The writing? GORGEOUS.
The plot? GORGEOUS.
The characters? GORGEOUS.
Good Girls Stay Quiet has been patiently waiting near to the top of my TBR pile for over a year, and it was well worth the wait. I got my copy for Christmas, and by the next day I had finished it. How could I not? The suspense doesn't let up for a second! Seriously, every part and page of this story is top-notch. There are tons of twists, the characters are so easy to invest in, and the ending is positive yet realistic.
I never thought I'd get to say that one of my favorite characters is a talking stuffed animal elephant named Noah, but there you have it. This book is full of oddities both endearing and terrifying, and Cora's vulnerable and unpredictable narrative make it completely engrossing.
If you only buy one YA book this year, make it this one.
September 19, 2024
I’ve read some thrillers lately that I felt were YA but because they weren’t categorized as so, they felt off. This IS a YA so I was prepared and it absolutely worked
Cora has been held captive by her “daddy” for 9 years. Her only sense of freedom is attending high school, on the proviso that she doesn’t make any friends
She tries to be a ‘good’ girl but classmate Jenna is too friendly and too nice and Cora concedes. One friend leads to another and before she knows it, she’s in way over her head
Cora’s naivety is charming and every time she doesn’t understand something my heart melted - Santa’s not real? Shawn Mendez is in our class? What’s Snapchat?
My favorite unique characters are Noah and Sally. They made me laugh and cry - such precious ‘friends’ and I won’t forget them
The pace is fast and it’s gripping. It’s non stop and exciting, but it’s also tragic and frightening. Cora’s daddy is controlling, abusive and volatile
The audiobook narrator was wonderful and added an extra element. I often listen to my books whilst cleaning, eating, driving and this audio easily held my attention
By the time we get to the birthday party I could figuratively feel Cora’s anxiety! Every time Jenna opened her mouth I wanted to scream!
And then the finale - tragic, thrilling and at times hilarious!
This was such an easy, entertaining, gripping and surprisingly emotional read. Cannot recommend it enough
Cora has been held captive by her “daddy” for 9 years. Her only sense of freedom is attending high school, on the proviso that she doesn’t make any friends
She tries to be a ‘good’ girl but classmate Jenna is too friendly and too nice and Cora concedes. One friend leads to another and before she knows it, she’s in way over her head
Cora’s naivety is charming and every time she doesn’t understand something my heart melted - Santa’s not real? Shawn Mendez is in our class? What’s Snapchat?
My favorite unique characters are Noah and Sally. They made me laugh and cry - such precious ‘friends’ and I won’t forget them
The pace is fast and it’s gripping. It’s non stop and exciting, but it’s also tragic and frightening. Cora’s daddy is controlling, abusive and volatile
The audiobook narrator was wonderful and added an extra element. I often listen to my books whilst cleaning, eating, driving and this audio easily held my attention
By the time we get to the birthday party I could figuratively feel Cora’s anxiety! Every time Jenna opened her mouth I wanted to scream!
And then the finale - tragic, thrilling and at times hilarious!
This was such an easy, entertaining, gripping and surprisingly emotional read. Cannot recommend it enough
January 12, 2021
This book was quite intense! Such a sad (but really good!) story. It is written from the perspective of a girl who is stuck with an abusive father figure and addresses human trafficking. I would highly recommend it! No foul language, although there is one awkward moment where the girl is given some lingerie by a friend for her birthday. Other than that one scene though, the book is really clean and sweet. This subject needs to be addressed way more often than it is! Stay safe, because while this story is fictional, not all stories are.
August 26, 2018
Gripping and gut wrenching
I found this book riveting. From the first page to the last, the writer has you turning page after page, without wanting to put it down. I would recommend it to everyone. Good read!
I found this book riveting. From the first page to the last, the writer has you turning page after page, without wanting to put it down. I would recommend it to everyone. Good read!
March 20, 2023
This was more sad than anything but the last third of the book really didn’t do it any favors. I don’t believe this is the way to handle this kind of situation and it just became unrealistic and she cannot be that fine after only two months.
January 28, 2024
the amount of times that i rolled my eyes reading this💀. the amount of romance almost made me throw the book away. like if i have to hear about how warm brendon is one more time i will lose it😟 the ending was predictable and this girl needs therapy idk what else to say
April 9, 2020
So many parts made me extremely nervous to listen to but in such a good way! And even though there were a few things there at the end that seemed to work out a little too perfectly, I still really enjoyed how everything wrapped up.
April 12, 2024
Omg kept me on the edge of my seat! 😫💗
May 13, 2025
wow!! I enjoyed this one!!! I was hooked from page 1!!!
July 20, 2025
This book was interesting, it kept throwing subtle curveballs that made me not quite sure how it was going to play out. But I am so glad it was a good ending because my heart broke a few times during this one. All in all a good read.
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