This was so good and should def be on your TBR. Creepy vibes reminded me of PLL 😂 I haven’t loved a YA thriller so much since The Mary Shelley Club (which should also be on your tbr). Also, you could not pay me to redo high school.

*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Psychological high school thriller and a YA debut? Fab! I love a toxic cliquey novel, especially when it has paranormal elements. Every time I feel like the culprit is clear, Julie Soto delivers a twist that veers us so far off course. These high schoolers are cutthroat, codependent, and manipulative like nothing else. It really annoyed me how spineless Jodi is though, especially with Zack. Is there a sequel coming?? 10/10 would still read.

High school Emm would've been absolutely feral for this book. 30 year old Emm? Little less so.

My goodness is there anything Julie Soto can't do? This was an incredible read, I was at the edge of my seat and fully entertained the whole time. Jodi was such an unreliable person to follow, she had one focus and that was it. She really knew nothing about what happened around her and in her friend group if it didn't involve Zach. Everything else around her basically didn't exist, but that made it fun to see her get out of that hole she put herself in. After finishing the book I just sat there and thought for a minute and fully took in how little she knew, but my god do I love her. She was so flawed, but at the same time she was just a teenager that has been so focused on this one person her whole life she didn't, or couldn't see beyond him. She had so much going on in her life that to escape it she tried to forget and made Zach into this hero he wasn't. I wished we could have seen more of Lucy, Paige, and Jullian, they, at least Julian, was a very interesting person even if he did lie like there was no tomorrow. I'm not even going to try to be nice, Emily creeped me out, she desperately needed professional help that no one was giving her. I really can't believe everything she did and made others do for her. I don't know if I could have ever forgotten any of it if it had happened to me, especially the role Hannah played. There was a hint, a wisp really, of romance in this and because Julie Soto wrote this it was incredible, I clung to it every time I was creeped out about something. The ending was not what I expected, but it left me desperately wanting more. This just solidified that I will read anything and everything that Julie Soto writes, she is unable to write anything bad. This is like Pretty Little Liars if Allison had allowed someone that she didn't like into the group and that person had died instead of her. That is the best way I can describe the book. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this ARC.

Props to Julie Soto for branching out and writing in a new genre. Creative minds fascinate me, especially when it comes to things like publishing something so entirely different than one has done before. I have mixed feelings on my personal enjoyment, but it is nothing to do with the skill or storytelling that is present in this book.

The story here is immersive, thought-provoking, and, sadly, all too easy to believe as an authentic teen/high school experience. This is the kind of book that reinforces my firm belief that you couldn’t pay me to go back to high school. I feel blessed to have been on the tail end of classes to graduate before social media became a thing. There is a lot more than the light paranormal elements in this book to be afraid of when it comes to how vicious teenagers can be. I had to process a lot of emotions while reading this one, mostly anger and pity.

There are a lot of toxic characters here. Even the ones who draw out empathy and pity at times. It’s an interesting dichotomy of feelings toward nearly every character in the book. I can’t say that I loved reading about any of them. I can say that the way Julie Soto writes will draw a whole host of emotions out of a reader, for better or worse, whether you like it or not. She’s so talented with words no matter what genre she’s writing in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book will stick with me for a while! I feel like it captured the feeling of being an outsider perfectly, not ever really knowing where you fit into the high school hierarchy.
My only criticism is that I feel it should have leaned in to the supernatural elements more. Emily could have been developed more as a character. I did not really feel like I knew her motivations and personality other than being obsessed with Zach.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed it, like I do all of Julie Soto's books! I am excited to see what she comes up with next!

If Julie Soto writes it, I’m reading it - that’s the rule.

Thrashers was a perfect mixture of Pretty Little Liars, a Stephen King novel, and 13 Reasons Why. I was completely pulled into this book from the beginning.The characters were interesting and well-developed, and the story had just enough tension and mystery to keep you constantly guessing and anxious for what would happen next. I flew through the last 100 pages, and dare I say, I’m haunted by that epilogue. I desperately need a sequel!

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Julie Soto can do no wrong! This is her first YA Thriller and I was so blessed to be able to read an advanced copy of this! I was curious to see how a thriller would play out in her writing, since she’s killed it in the romance genre. This was a twisty mystery, that kept me turning the pages long after I should’ve been in bed. Told from Jodi’s perspective, but laced with flashbacks, journal entries and texts, Julie gave us only exactly what we needed at that moment. The greed I felt when I realized there was also some romance afoot, I knew the queen would keep us fed. I’m curious to see if we can expect any more thrillers from Julie… I’ll be at the edge of my seat waiting for whatever she’s willing to grace us with!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me access to this book early in return for an honest review!

I am hovering between a few numbers for my rating, but feel its good to just settle on a four. The plot of this book was so engaging that I quite literally had a hard time putting it down when I sat down to read. The dialogue was great (and it was reflective of ACTUAL teens, something a lot of authors fall short of doing when writing YA). Our main girl being on the outs when it comes to information allowed the story to feel eerie as we became aware of characters' true intentions.

I feel icky finishing this book because at the end of the day, the protagonists are... not good people. It felt reminiscent of the way people felt after reading books like "Yellowface" where the premise of the book relies on the main character not being morally pristine. While we find out NO ONE was a great person in this story, it makes it harder for me to sit back after the resolution and think, "Oh, phew! I'm glad it's all over".

Jodi deserves better friends at the end of the day LOL. That girl has some self-reflecting to do while she is at college.

First off I’m so happy I was approved to get this arc. Thank you Julie and thank you Martin St Press. I love Julie so much shes one of my favorite authors! Anything Julie writes I will read! Her writing is always so amazing and well written. It pulls you in and is hard to put down. Truly addicting.
The very beginning of this book I knew I would be hooked. I kind of got 13 reasons why vibes and that thriller/mystery aspect is fun to read.

I’m so excited to get this book!
5/5 stars! Recommend!

The mystery is so interesting and addictive. I really feel for this girl Emily but I really don’t like her or get her. Everyone has the same thoughts and opinions on her like it’s totally ok to be included in a friend group even though you so desperately want it. She seems obsessive! I think she wrote everything down in a way that would make them look bad and i think she didn’t tell the truth on a lot of things. She wanted to be apart of them so bad. I was getting so heated AHHH damn!
i was so locked in trying to figure this mess out like omg i needed the TEA.
ALSO I KNEW THE TEA AAHH THE “LOVE” TRIANGLE

but im sobbing in the klerb rn
miss julie what was that ending!? i need more i need julian!

What I loved about this book was that it reminded me of Pretty Little Liars and I was obsessed with that show. Things are happening to this tight group of friends - spooky things - that might not be coincidental - and the mystery around why and what happened to Emily Mills that led her to kill herself. What was the truth and what was the lies as her diary enters evidence?

Set in high school, The Thrashers, the name other students have given to a group of five, don’t let anyone come in to their group, and if they try, they get thrashed out. Emily is new to school and wants to be in this group so bad. Our FMC Jodie doesn’t necessarily like Emily, but sort of befriends her anyway. Prom night is here and Emily committed suicide. From there, the Thrashers are under scrutiny for the cause of her death.

This book oh had such a satisfying conclusion. The drama and events unfolded so nicely throughout the course of the story. A perfect YA mystery!

Thank you NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of this book!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the bits of spookiness. I wish there had been a little bit more of it though.
I think it was too obvious who was behind the text messages. I was not expecting who was there when she died though (so that was an unexpected surprise!).
I think that the father's abuse was overlooked/minimized and needed to be handled better. Especially if teens want to read this book.
Also, there needed to be more of a conversation about what happened between Zach and Emily. It just sat there and was glossed over.
It was mentioned in like a paragraph that Emily had stalked another girl in a prior school and then the conversation never really started. Felt to rushed. Wouldn't the police have known about this? Seen a pattern?
There were too many injuries occuring in the timeline. One second they were harmed, the next they were healed, then they were hurt/almost killed again.
That last page was great though! I'd be interested to see if the author continues with these characters.

“but he would never make it”

I have been thinking about this book for DAYS. Yall know that if @juliesotowrites writes it then I am first in line to read it- so much so that I didn’t even read what this book was about before starting it. and it blew my MIND. the drama, the romance, the SUSPENSE- I couldn’t put this book down.

a group of 5 friends know as the Thrashers are suspects in the suicide of fellow student and wannabe Thrasher, Emily. When Emily’s journal points all signs back to this group of friends, Jodi, who has always felt like the outsider of the group, has to figure out who has been lying and who has been telling the truth- all while trying to figure out who is out to get the Thrashers.

the characters, the storyline, the suspense had me hooked in from the very first page. Julie Soto’s writing is always incredible, and this book is no different.

you simply MUST pick this book up when it comes out in May- it truly has it all. thank you thank you thank you to @netgalley and @wednesdaybooks for the arc!!!!

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.