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!
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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.

I really want to give this 4 stars, but now that I’ve finished it, I’m feeling a bit conflicted. Some aspects of the plot and characterization left me confused, and I can’t help but wonder—are we getting a second book?

The Trashers has a very Pretty Little Liars meets 13 Reasons Why vibe, making it a great YA thriller. It tackles bullying and harassment in a compelling way, showing how toxic dynamics can spiral. I liked the variety of characters, and even though I disliked all of them, I still found them weirdly likable. The main character is particularly interesting—she’s ultimately problematic in her own way, which adds to the intrigue. The pacing was strong, but the ending left me with more questions than answers. Maybe that was the point, but I’m not sure I loved the direction it took.

The Thrashers stuns as Julie Soto’s YA debut! I was hooked from the very beginning, following the popular high school crowd in their attempt to both uncover and withhold the secrets among them. Another absolute page turner by Soto - I devoured this one read in one sitting (especially down to those last few pages IYKYK)

ARC via Net Galley

Goodreads review

The Thrashers consumed me for several days. I HAD to know what was going on! This was overall a very enjoyable book that kept me entertained the entire time.

To read two Julie Soto books from completely different genres and both get 5 stars is wild. But this book was so so good! I had no clue where this story was going to end up and the ending had my jaw on the floor. Julie is now an auto buy author for me!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I’ve observed recently that the Teen & YA space, especially mysteries and thrillers, has seen some incredibly strong writing that rivals the adult space. With The Thrashers it has absolutely overtaken it with a stunning story that will be a hit across all ages. This mystery is fascinating, the writing is exemplary, and the story goes from strength to strength, ending with the most absolutely shiver inducing, ‘I can’t wait to discuss this’ reveal.

I can understand the appeal to younger adults with our main character Jodi, who has always felt her in to the tight knit, exclusive popular group has been her friendship with Zack Thrasher. And while the others are close and kind with her (with the exception of Julian, Zack’s first ‘other’ best friend), they all orbit around Zack and feel it necessary to ‘thrash’, or isolate, other teens who fall for Zack’s charismatic personality, not realizing he’s like a butterfly in a field of flowers. When Emily, a younger girl who has an obsessive personality, doesn’t get the hint, rumors abound that her suicide must be related to the group finally drumming it home.

Following Jodi as she feels more and more like she may as well be Emily, not getting the hint or understanding why she’s friends with the other teens, and the mystery of a diary Emily left behind that points fairly damningly at the group, we get to live in Jodi’s head and try to figure out exactly what happened… and in fact is happening, as it seems like the group is being haunted.

It’s hard to describe how this book just balances all of that so well, but it does, throwing in little curve balls to keep readers engaged while also giving just so much new information about the group and Emily to fuel the tension and deepen the mystery. I’m not sure how Julie Soto could make the possibly paranormal element feel so natural to a story but she did it masterfully. And again, the ending, after everything that came before, was absolutely amazing - as is the fact that this will elicit the same reaction from a host of readers across generations.

3 stars for me, an adult, 4 stars for a YA, averaged out to 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 stars. Math.

The five Thrashers are the most important clique at New Helvetia High. Zack Thrasher is the de facto leader, Jodi Dillon has been his best friend since second grade, so she’s included, even though she doesn’t believe she has anything particularly special to offer the group (we see the action via her) and Lucy Reed, Paige Montgomery and Julian Hollister, an outstanding athlete, a beautiful girl and a former child model, make up the rest of the group.

Lots of people would like to be Thrashers, including a girl named Emily Mills. She died on prom night last spring, a suicide. Police seem to suspect the Thrashers may have played a role. And there’s other weirdness…text messages, flickering lights….what is going on?

So, I liked this, but I did have some questions about the bullying. I saw it clearly in a few instances, but didn’t in others…to paraphrase one of the characters, it’s not bullying not to like someone. But I have no children and may not be clear enough…and, again, there was clear bullying in some instances. So, I liked it fine, and I think the intended audience will enjoy.

Julie Soto is an auto buy author for me and this book solidified my choice! This book definitely gave "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" vibes but I enjoyed this way more. The book had me hooked from the beginning and I couldn't put it down! I finished it in one day and I haven't done that with a book in a very long time. The intrigue and the mystery were so good it had me on the edge of my seat. I loved all the characters and the story really made me question them throughout the whole thing. I could not recommend this book enough!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC! Julie Soto is one of my “instant read” authors and this was no different. Julie is so incredible in her writing and I could not put this down!!

I was so invested in what was happening with the group and things that I thought would be predictable just kept me guessing. This has such a good balance of keeping you hooked but not drawing things out too long.

I cannot wait for more from Julie!!

4.75 ⭐️ This was so GOOD! The epilogue was crazy!!!
Im a sucker for ya mysteries, and I‘ll keep repeating myself but found family trope is the absolute best!
Loved the friend group, the family drama, the secrets and mystery, the tiny bits of romance???!!!!! YUP! I ate this up!!! I also didn‘t expect this to be so emotional. I felt for the mcs, the history of certain things were just tragic!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher that I got an arc for one of my most anticipated releases of 2025!!! I laughed and cried and was giddy while devouring this book! Couldn’t put it down and I highly recommend reading Julie Sotos next banger!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this masterpiece of a book 🥹

I knew Julie Soto’s writing was perfection but going out of her comfort zone (adult romance) and writing the perfect YA thriller wasn’t something I expected!!!!

I need more of it 🤭

This book had me hooked since page 1.
So so good!!! I haven't read a thriller as good as this one in quite a long time. I am impressed.
Great job Julie Soto!!
And that ending!?!? There better be another book soon!
Thank you to NetGalley, and the publishing company for getting me this ARC!!