Julie Soto does it again. When I saw she was writing a YA Thriller, I had to admit I was skeptical. Neither are particular my genre, but what the heck, obviously I’d give it a try. And….. WOW.

Julian and Jodi were giving Soto’s signature enemies to love with that BANTER. The twists felt unpredictable, and I found myself on the edge of seat for the last third of the book.

Would I read another YA thriller? Probably not. Will I read a sequel? PLEASE.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a HUGE fan of Julie Soto's writing - so I was very excited to try her YA Thriller.
It did not disappoint. It's a quick read that you will not want to put down - The characters were well written, the plot kept me interested, and the overall story kept me guessing the entire time. If you are a fan of teen drama, twists, and psychological thrillers surrounding a group of rich dysfunctional students - you will absolutely love this.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC of The Thrashers, releasing May 6, 2025.

Julie's debut in YA psychological thrillers! It’s engaging, fast-paced, and kept me hooked. The story follows Jodi, a Sacramento teen desperate to fit in with "The Thrashers," a wealthy friend group that includes her childhood best friend, Zack. When new girl Emily Mills inserts herself into the group and later dies by suicide, accusations of bullying emerge, unraveling their world.

Julie Soto’s writing is gripping, and while the book explores tough, relevant themes, the plot lacked the big twists I was hoping for. The haunting elements were intriguing and wrapped up well. Also, I was totally rooting for Julian & Jodi! That epilogue still had my jaw dropped.

Definitely search up TWs. A solid 3.5 stars, rounded up.

I stayed up till 3am reading this book because I could not put it down. I’m rating it 4.5 because there was some things that disappointed me but overall I loved it.

This one made my tummy hurt my anxiety was so bad 🤣 so so good though! Very twisty turny and had plenty of “no f-ing way” moments

Thrashers is the story of 5 popular close teenage friends whom everybody wants to be friends with. Emily who kept hanging on to their group committed suicide on prom night and the five are later accused of being the catalyst for her death. But everything was not as it seemed with Emily, and even after her death she continues to make her presence known. Delightfully creepy, with authentic teenage characters, this was a great read. I read it in one night, I couldn’t put it down.

Wow, this book was hard to put down and kept me up till late in the night.

The story starts off with the suicide on prom night of Emily Mills, and after some evidence showing up leading to the Thrashers as the suspects. The story follows with mystery, tension, betrayals, family dynamics, wonderful twists, a hint of paranormal activity and a bit of really well done slow burn.

I truly enjoyed this book and was left with wanting more time with these characters and story. In my opinion, the balance in seeing the bullying and teenagers’ emotional turmoil from multiple sides was done well. The little hints of romance were perfect. I loved the writing and will definitely read more books my Julie Soto.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review.

“Either you’re in or you’re out.”

Zach, Julian, Paige, Lucy, and Jodi make up the elite friend group “the thrashers” of New Helvetia High. Emily wanted to be a thrasher, but instead ended up dead and now things are quickly spiraling out of control.

I definitely enjoyed this one! I love reading about petty high school drama, and mix in murder and a rich, attention-loving friend group and I’m all in.

This book did take a turn I didn’t see coming, not necessarily a twist but just a different direction than what I was expecting. A little bit of supernatural elements were at play and I know that turns some people off, but I thought it added an interesting, unexpected touch.

The end really got me. I thought it put an entirely different meaning to things and I thought it was done well!

Overall a 5 out of 5 stars for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

This was my first ever read by Julie Soto and I enjoyed it so much! The pacing, the gripping moments, the spine chilling moments were all well done! I’m really excited to read other books by this author and can’t wait for others to read this one too! I rated this one 4.5 but rounded it up to 5 for the sake of this site!

Ok I really loved this book but that epilogue was terrible! The story had elements of Pretty Little Liars and 13 Reasons Why to it which made it both fun and thought-provoking. I was so invested in this story, and honestly it made me so glad to not be a teenager anymore with all of the cliques that go with it. But it was so much fun to read about. It would have been a perfect book except for all of the “supernatural” elements thrown in. I didn’t mind some of the creepy “is this real or in our heads?” but it went too far in my opinion.

I cannot think of a single critique for this book. It was truly ever single thing I look for in a thriller. Or really in any book for that matter.

One big thing that really got me is that i was feeling something akin to nostalgia for Pretty Little Liars and 13 Reasons Why without feeling at all like the book was a copycat of either of them.

THE RANGE OF CHARACTERS. Did I kind of hate them all?? Yeah, a little bit. Did I decide immediately that one was going to be my favorite and nothing they could possibly do would ever be wrong in my eyes? Also yes.

So obsessed with the twists and turns and all of the flaws. Plus the timing of everything was immaculate. I can’t properly form my thoughts but the vibes for this were perfect. Julie Soto turns every single thing she does into pure gold.

THE THRASHERS is a thrilling mystery with all the emotional highs and lows of being a teenager. I was careening from one "who dunnit" theory to another, all while second guessing who's innocent and who's to blame. The action and danger of a possible revenge seeking ghost was balanced with deeply emotional revelations that sinks these characters into your heart. I'm mesmerized by Julie Soto's storytelling.

Okay, it being a mystery I will tip toe around the plot. What is important here is Jodi! A stellar main character. Popular but considers herself so only by association to her friend group. Jealously, anxiety, trauma all weight on her actions. There were times I was shouting at her as if I could affect her panic choices. It's those horrible choices that make her so relatable too, so I'm not mad.

A note before I go further, - the subject matter is chilling. Suicide, death, stalking, bullying, rape. There is some justice leveled against the offenders, but only "some." And for that, if you are sensitive to any of these topics please proceed with care.

Overall, highly recommend for a gripping mystery with the bonus vibes of 00's teen thrillers. You're going to want to reread it immediately to catch any clues you might have missed along the way.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Okay well this was the paranormal thriller of my dreams! As always, Soto’s writing is INCREDIBLE. I loved to hate and then love and then hate the Thrashers. A hard look about belonging, finding your people, and who becomes disposable to who and when and why. UGH I loved every second of this. Super quick, fast paced read that kept me on the edge of my SEAT.

Thank you Wednesday Books & NetGalley for the ARC!

omg this was INSANE. This was very reminiscent of a Holly Jackson YA thriller. I could not put this down once everything got going. The relationships between all the characters was so integral to the story and made it so interesting. Every character had traits that made them likeable and unlikeable, which made it really hard to figure out who, if anyone, was the “villian” of the story.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Absolutely phenomenal read! Couldn’t put it down…Julie Soto perfectly captures the dynamics of high school friend groups in this YA thriller. She has us alternatively rooting for these teens and then hating them. Kept me guessing until the totally satisfying epilogue..

Now, I need more! Please tell me there’s a sequel coming!

thank you netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc!!! ah, the things we do to feel seen, to fit in. this story was not only spooky as hell (paranormal will always give me goosebumps) but was also extremely impactful; our actions affect others. “you don’t have to like somebody to be kind.” i honestly had no idea where this was going at times. it gave pretty little liars and thirteen reasons why vibes and i ate it up!! also, i am officially a jolian stan and will be in ms. soto’s DMs asking for a follow-up adult book regarding them ;-) please please read this when released - 5 stars!!!

I enjoyed the Veronica Mars type setup of this book. This was a little slow for me, but started to sing with the Jodi / Julian interactions. The ending was perfect.

The Thrashers
By Julie Soto

The Thrashers is a compelling new adult thriller that delves into the tangled lives of a tight-knit group of high school friends, known as “The Thrashers.” Set just months after the tragic suicide of Emily, the story unfolds as Jodi prepares for her senior year, eager to reconnect with her friends. The group earned their name from Jodi’s best friend, Zach Thrasher, and has always been a close, almost impenetrable unit. While Jodi and Zach have been inseparable since second grade, the others were brought in gradually — with Emily being the last to attempt to join their exclusive circle. However, Emily's attempt to be a part of their world would prove to be her undoing, as anyone who doesn't truly fit into the group gets "Thrashed" — essentially pushed aside and discarded.

When a journal belonging to Emily is discovered, it becomes the catalyst that upends Jodi’s life and the lives of her friends. With secrets buried deep and the mystery of Emily's death hanging over them, Jodi begins to question not just her place within the group, but also her ability to trust those closest to her. Haunted by Emily’s memory and the unsettling revelations from the journal, Jodi finds herself unraveling the truth behind her friend's suicide — a truth that leads her down a dark and dangerous path.

I rate The Thrashers 4.5 out of 5 stars. This gripping thriller kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The mystery is expertly woven, with twists that kept me guessing until the very end. The conclusion was especially shocking, leaving me with my mind racing long after I closed the book. Julie Soto has crafted a story that is both captivating and thought-provoking, and I am eager to see more thrillers from her in the future.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing me the opportunity to read The Thrashers.

I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story! It has those familiar vibes reminiscent of shows like "13 Reasons Why" and "Pretty Little Liars," which really drew me in. The characters were spot on for the roles they played, adding depth to the narrative. However, I couldn't quite wrap my head around the bizarre three-way obsession the girls had with Zack—definitely left me scratching my head!

What really intrigued me was the lack of exploration around Emily’s obsession with Jodie. I found myself wondering: Was Emily trying to take out Jodie to assume her identity, or did she genuinely develop romantic feelings for her? And then there’s Julian—the mysterious, behind-the-scenes protector. I wish we could have delved deeper into his perspective during all the chaos; his character had so much potential!

Zack, on the other hand, was just plain unlikable from the very beginning, along with Lucy and the other girl in their clique. The story leaves several loose ends, and while I haven’t heard anything about this being a series, I’m left craving closure on so many unresolved moments. All in all, it was a captivating read, but I definitely need more answers!

This book had me hooked after a few short chapters and I couldn't put it down. It deals with the death of a high school student and the way that death impacts "the Thrashers", who may or may not have been her friends. This story touches on suicide, bullying and harassment as well as alcoholism and abuse, but it does it in a way that I felt was done respectfully. This story also had a few paranormal elements woven in that I wasn't expecting, and a little bit of romance. The protagonist, Jodi, is different from her friend group, but they basically rule the school and their world revolves around Zach Thrasher (golden boy). When Emily dies, there is a mystery that this story revolves around as a journal filled with details about her relationship with The Thrashers comes to light. Jodi has to figure out if she really knows her friends as well as she thought, to navigate a new normal with them and face the potential charges against them for involvement in Emily's death. This story reads fast and it will be very popular with some of my students. The ending was good, but it did leave me hoping for another book because I feel like there may be other avenues for Soto to explore with this group of freshly graduated students. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.