Julie Soto delivers an emotional, gripping story in The Thrashers, balancing complex friendships, a touch of romance, and just the right amount of paranormal intrigue.

At its heart, this book is about the messy, tangled dynamic between five friends. The main character’s feelings were particularly compelling; she loved her best friends deeply but always felt like she had to fight for her place among them. That push-and-pull made her story incredibly raw and relatable.

The romance? Adorable. I ate it up. But I definitely wanted more. It felt like a sweet little tease rather than a fully developed arc, which left me wishing for a few extra chapters to really explore that side of the story.

That being said, the book was never boring. The mix of real-life emotions with a subtle but striking paranormal element was absolute perfection—just the right amount of eerie without overpowering the emotional depth. And the epilogue? It got me. No spoilers, but it was the kind of ending that lingers.

Overall, The Thrashers is an unforgettable read that delivers on character depth, tension, and atmosphere. A solid 4 stars!

I finished The Thrashers a week ago and needed the time to process all my feelings, as they went through quite the roller coaster. I was hooked from the very beginning, and was turning the page obsessively to find out what happened next. This book might be Julie Soto's first YA but it didn't come across that way at all. The characters, their actions, and their lives felt accurate. And that included everyone - even the popular characters can have doubts and questions, they have people they love and protect. They felt like real teens, with real feelings.
I did not expect an actual supernatural element, and that blew me away and added an extra mystery and thrill, all the way til the very end. Emily is still haunting Julian! I love it!
Overall, this was a 5-star read for me. Although this storyline was wrapped up beautifully, there's a part of me wishing for a sequel so we can see what comes next for all of them.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I will read anything Julie Soto writes. This was not what I expected at all. It felt all over the place to me, pacing and what was happening. The ending, also very unexpected. Definitely seems like there may be a sequel in the future….

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a chance to read this book as an ARC!
To say I stayed up late to finish this is an understatement, I was sucked in as soon as I started reading. It gave very similar vibes to Pretty Little Liars which I know is why I was so invested in finding out all the secrets from each character. The paranormal stuff was interesting, not my favorite aspect of it because I think it would've been just as good without it. I'd totally recommend this for thriller readers and someone who wants an easy ya thriller to read and one that's similar to all the 2010 teen drama shows we all know and love.
This was my second book of Soto's that I read and tbh, I liked it better than the other one, but I know this won't be my last book of hers.
Thank you again to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the chance to read this early!

4.5
I am not necessarily a thriller reader but I will read everything Julie Soto writes
I liked the characters and the plot - the ending has me thinking and this feels like a book I would reread knowing what I know to see if it changes the way I think about this book

Thank you NetGalley & St Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ebook!
The Thrashers is Julie Soto's YA next release coming on May 6th. Jodi Dillon never felt like she belonged with the elite Thrashers, but as Zack Thrasher’s childhood best friend, she’s part of their world. When Emily Mills, who longed to be one of them, dies and her journal emerges, dark secrets about the group begin to unravel. Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me. There were too many characters, and I guessed the twist within the first few pages. I think I just wasn’t the right audience for this book.

4.75⭐️ Holy everything this was good. I have a feeling this book is going to catch fire the same way 13 Reasons Why did. I was itching to get back to this book every time I walked away from it.
A group of teens get caught up in potential criminal charges when a peer from school dies by suicide and leaves a journal with details of all the bullying they did. The main character travels throughout this book trying to figure out if the journal is a sham or does she really not know her friends at all?
So good! I will read everything Julie Soto writes. She is so talented!

The Thrashers is an intriguing, creepy YA thriller based on Sacramento. It has high school drama, compelling mystery and supernatural elements. I loved all the Sacramento locations and Easter eggs.
The character relationships reminded me of my high school days. The feelings of not fitting it and not feeling worthy of your friend group were quite real. The plot was fast paced and the mystery kept coming.
There are some triggers regarding abuse, alcoholism, suicide and drug use.

I’m usually not a big YA / thriller reader. I got 13 Reasons Why / Cruel Summer / Tell Me Lies vibes from the story. With a sprinkle of paranormal. I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting, Julie's writing was beautiful but the story itself just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Julie Soto is an automatic read for me. I'm not a big fan of the thriller genre, but if she wrote it, I had to read it. Let me yell you, she did not disappoint! Amazing plot lines that kept me so intrigued that I read it in 48 hours! HIGHLY recommend!

This book really surprised me. I was not expecting to get sucked into the storyline so quickly. I was immediately invested and needed to know what happened. I loved all of the twists and turns. Some things were predictable and then others I was floored by. Definitely a good, was to read thriller. I wish we got to see some of the relationships develop more but overall this was a really enjoyable read and I stayed up way too late to finish it.

Julie Soto can do it all! thrashers deals with high school friend group dynamics, fitting in, bullying, and suicide. There was a general feeling of unease through this book, and I couldn’t tell where it was going all the way until the epilogue. The ending was CREEPY! Great book

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

JULIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! Is this going to be a series? I have so many questions. I absolutely loved this. It takes a lot, as someone who continually reads thrillers, to truly have me on the edge of my seat and flipping pages continually, but Julie did just that. I didn't care at points this was a little predictable. I LOVED this. I loved all the characters and I felt so invested from the very beginning. This was a wild ride from beginning to end. I immediately wanted to restart this one once I finished. I know this will long be a staple in my rereads. I know this is Julie's first dabble with thrillers, but I'm hoping there's more in the future. I'm also hoping that we get more from this world. I wouldn't even mind being thrashed, honestly. But truly, I want more. I need more. This was everything.

*The Thrashers* by Julie Soto was an unexpected thrilling ride. I did not expect it to be this way- very different to what Julie Soto typically produces to the world.

Jodi Dillon, who’s never quite fit in with the affluent popular Thrashers, is suddenly thrust into their world due to her lifelong friendship with Zack Thrasher. But then a former "wannabe" Thrasher, Emily, dies under mysterious circumstances, Jodi is caught in a web of lies, betrayal, and eerie occurrences that suggest Emily’s spirit isn’t at peace.

So many twists will keep you on the tip of your toes and edge of your seat making you second guess yourself. Soto masterfully explores a new genre that will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page. Still an absolute shock. You’ll be heading into this book really having no clue what’s going on!

Julie Soto can write anything, I’m convinced! I’d probably happily read a grocery list she wrote, and either giggle or gasp. Thrillers aren’t always my favorite genre but this was SO good! Haunting, thrilling, thought provoking. The scream I scrumpt when my roommate opened the door at a particularly jumpy part. 😅 The way I was rooting for these very flawed but still likable and relatable characters. The ending makes me want to beg for a sequel and is going to have me think about it for a while! This book will for sure be added to the ever-growing list of Julie’s books I can’t shut up about.

Excuse me. Um--What? I have so many questions. It is not often that I am caught off guard with an ending...and THAT.WAS.IT! 🙌
The Thrashers had me glued to the edge of my reading chair and shouting obscenities at my kindle.

I'm convinced that Julie Soto can write an advertisement on the bathroom stall of a dive bar and I'd be satisfied.

Spoiler-free Favorite Characters:
1. Julian 🖤
2. Jodi
3. Nikita (obviously 😉)

In The Thrashers, Julie Soto's characters have oddly specific and unique traits that make them complex characters but somehow they all found each other and latched on for dear life. Jodi, Zack, Julian, Lucy, and Paige faced battles as a group and on their own and JS showed glimpses of each, leaving the reader grasping for more at the end of every chapter. It was plot edging at its finest! Julie knew exactly what she was doing with this!👌

With that being said, Jodi is a character that I, a 30-something, can relate to and I think a lot of women will see some reflection of their younger selves in Jodi. Simply put, she is filled with unrevealed strength and a suffers from (what I'm going to call) imposter syndrome. She has to fight harder than anyone in this book and I loved her character more and more with each page turn. She is so much more than she appears to be. I don't know how she did it, but Julie managed to write her so dynamically that she was a a completely different person from start to finish--and it tracked! Each move and counter move was, unexpected, but made sense.

Now, can we PLEASE talk about Julian? I feel like I need an instagram channel or discord just to talk about Julian. If you're a Julian stan, please DM ME! I need to discuss things! –> @_melreads_
Julian can do NO WRONG. He is absolutely, 100% a morally gray character. But you know what? He owns it! He doesn't try to hide who he is. THAT is what makes his character so amazing. That is what makes him so likable. He is misunderstood in so many ways and I can't get enough. 🤌

Julie, has done it again! She wrote a book that I couldn't help but devour.


Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Soto (sorry for all the Instagram tags 😅), and St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books for allowing me to read an e-arc. This was AMAZING! I loved every second.
All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

‘ The Thrashers’ by Julie Soto is everything I didn’t know I needed in a high school drama. The premise? Elite friend group meets dark secrets, with just a HINT of spooky vibes.

Jodi Dillon is somehow trying to fit in with the “it” crowd (aka the Thrashers, AKA a whole mess of drama), but she's just not vibing with their rich, sophisticated, and seriously and frankly weird ways. Enter childhood bestie Zack (of course, he's mysterious duhhhh) and a dead girl’s journal….. that threatens to ruin EVERYTHING.

I was hooked, I was stressed. I’m STILL spiraling through what I read. But you know what? I’m also loving the chaos of it all.

Soto does a fantastic job at showing how toxic friendships can thrive in high school and that addictive feeling of being in a group where you know you don’t quite belong. It’s like Mean Girls meets Pretty Little Liars...LITERALLY. I did not expect all the twists and turns. I did not expect to have my mouth agape. I’m seriously in shock but in the best way possible. Seriously, there’s a moment that will make you question everything.

ABSOLUTELY recommend. But proceed with caution, because this one will haunt you long after the last page. 👀 #ThrashersVibes #HauntinglyGood #JulieSotoForTheWin

Ich will, nein, ich BRAUCHE eine @netflix Adaption, ein Prequel & ein Sequel! & zwar sofort! 😍🔥 OMG! #TheThrashers von @juliesotowrites hat einfach alles: Rich Kids, nervenaufreibende Mystery, Lügen, Geheimnisse, Herzschmerz, Romance, Freundschaft, Verrat & paranormale Elemente!

Jodi gehört zwar zu Zacks Freundeskreis, aber wirklich dazugehört hat sie sich nie gefühlt. Neben Paige, Julian & Lucy – reich, schön, beliebt – wirkt sie einfach fehl am Platz. Kein Geld für Designerklamotten, kein perfektes Aussehen, & wenn es nach Julian geht, ist sie sowieso unsichtbar. & dann war da Emily. Vor einem Jahr wollte sie unbedingt Teil der Thrashers sein. Aber niemand mochte sie wirklich. Sie war… anders. Fast schon besessen. In der Nacht des Abschlussballs nahm sie sich das Leben. Jetzt, Monate später, beginnt das letzte Schuljahr & plötzlich stellt die Polizei Fragen zu ihren Tod. Während Mobbing-Gerüchte die Runde machen, merkt Jodi, dass sie ihre Freunde vielleicht gar nicht so gut kennt. Immer wieder passieren merkwürdige Dinge. Fast so, als würde Emily keine Ruhe finden… Jodi will die Wahrheit herausfinden. Aber ist sie wirklich bereit für das, was sie erwartet?

Ich konnte so gut mit Jodi mitfühlen. Sie ist eine so sympathische, starke & vielseitige Protagonistin – jemand, den man einfach ins Herz schließen muss. Aber auch die anderen Charaktere sind super ausgearbeitet & haben alle ihre ganz eigenen Ecken & Kanten. Ich hatte wirklich eine fantastische Zeit mit ihnen! Die Charakterentwicklung von jedem war nachvollziehbar- manchmal etwas vorhersehbar - aber ganz ehrlich? Das hat dem Lesespaß keinen Abbruch getan! Denn das Ende? ABSOLUTER WAHNSINN. 🔥 Es gibt so viele Twists, so viele Enthüllungen, dass ich teilweise das Gefühl hatte, kaum Luft zu bekommen. Ich habe mitgefiebert, mitgelitten & jede einzelne Seite verschlungen.

Die Story ist dramatisch, düster, voller Spannung, Geheimnisse & Emotionen – aber genau das macht sie so unglaublich gut. Absolute Leseempfehlung für alle, die Mystery Thriller & paranormale Vibes lieben!
.
Danke an @netgalley für das ARC im Austausch für meine ehrliche Bewertung!

3.5 ⭐

What the freak!!! What is this ending? The epilogue 💀. I'd have given this book 4 stars if it wasn't for the slow beginning. I usually don't go for this kind of books but it's a good experience I think

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕿𝖗𝖔𝖕𝖊𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
🌸 Mystery
🌸 Paranormal
🌸 Friend Group

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

Just received this ARC from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, this is my 3rd book of Julie Soto, loved one and DNF'd the other let's hope this is worth it 😅

Julie Soto could write anything and I’ll read it. This just confirmed it 10000%

My mind is blown and this book will quite literally be haunting me for the foreseeable future (or perhaps until a sequel??)

She had me sold at Veronica Mars-inspired and specifically the LoVe dynamic. Once a Marshmallow, always marshmallow!! And boy did she deliver on her promise tenfold! Id even say, it also gave 13 reasons why and pretty little liars at times, but complimented by Julie’s immaculate writing and brilliant mind.

This book will have you have you at the edge of your seat. It will keep you guessing and enthralled until the very end - a provocative and thought-provoking novel that dives deep into the complex nature of teenagers and high school dynamics. But really, the coming of age and the complexities of adulthood where nothing is truly black or white.

As the plot unfolds, it goes beyond the “who did it?” and more so on the why and how and the fierce reality that sometimes, you’ll just never know the absolute truth.

I cannot wait to see if we in fact are getting a sequel (a girl can pray) and to listen to Julie chatting about this book more. Also hi I need friends to unpack this with - HELP.