I couldn’t put this one down! This YA thriller reminds me of 13 reasons why in the fact of Emily talking to them beyond the grave, but had so much mystery on what truly happened. I loved the eerie “could this be a ghost” vibes as chilling things kept happening, but it couldn’t be ruled out it was just coincidence either.
I would check the trigger warnings before reading, because it does have some heavy topics.
Not so patiently waiting for Soto’s next book - might have a new favorite psych thriller author to add to the list.

I am not the biggest YA fan or paranormal but this one did keep my interest! There were a few parts that dragged out a bit but I did like the suspense it kept. The characters were written well! The paranormal piece took me a minute to buy into but I did end up liking that it went that route.

Either you’re in or you’re out.

Emily Mills, a student at New Helvetia High, is found dead prom night and all eyes are on her recent friend group “The Thrashers”

Everyone wants to be them; they’re the popular rich kids. Known to use people only to discard them as trash later aka Thrashing, you must enter this group at your own risk.

You are emersed into their world and the web of lies, deceit, secrets, and drama that surround them. This YA thriller hooks you from the start and is filled with so many twists and turns. From police interrogations, secret conversations, and the dead girl’s journal, it was hard to put this one down. The supernatural vibes brought an extra flare that made things even more interesting. The ending… loved it!

I listened to the audiobook and it was awesome. Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky did an outstanding job bringing these characters and this story to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this title early!

I went into this one blind, unknowing of the fact that this is very YA. My 14 year old self is screaming because she would have loved this book. However, as a 31 year old mother, now, it just did not land for me. While I got some depth into a few of the characters, some others I forgot who they were and what their importance was. This was definitely a sweet YA, that would be enjoyable for the target audience. Just not for me. The audio version of this book was well done!

WOW! What. A. Ride. What I loved most about The Thrashers, other than the character development, is that it is a layered, complex read which addresses multiple issues that are timely and important. On the surface, it appears to be a book in the vein of Mean Girls, Cruel Intentions, and One of Us is Lying. But the longer you read, the more you realize it’s also a book about family, friendship, loyalty, integrity, empathy, self-discovery, and even the paranormal.

Jodi is a compelling FMC who goes on a journey of self-discovery that is triggered by events that, at first glance, appear out of her control. But the more you join her on her journey, the more you realize not everything is at it seems, especially our supporting cast of characters. The Thrashers will etch themselves into your heart and leave you wanting more of their journey.

Eva Kaminsky does an absolutely phenomenal job bringing Jodi and every other character to life. The emotion that she brings to the story is genuine and palpable, and keeps the reader engaged every step of the way.

I sincerely hope that Julie will revisit The Thrashers as I was left desperately wanting more.

Okay I just have to say that I wasn't a huge fan of Julie Soto's romances... I don't know what it was for me. I wasn't a fan. But the land of the thrillers is 100% where she belongs and thrives!! Narration was top notch and kept me super invested and coming back for more.

julie soto i am blown away by this YA debut! thank you to macmillan audio for the audio ARC.

The Thrashers is a YA thriller centered around a well known (aka infamous) group of teens, more so referred to as “The Thrashers,” a name given to them by their surrounding peers. The name comes from Zac Thrasher, one of the most popular boys in the Sacramento area.

The book starts off with the teens at a summer party, where Jodi, our main character, gets an ominous text from an unknown number, asking if she’d had a good summer. We soon find out that a teenage girl named Emily had previously committed suicide last year, and the investigation starts to turn towards The Thrashers, who are accused of bullying Emily to the point of suicide.

I’m not a huge thriller girl, but honestly I think this book changed that for me! I was hooked from the beginning, and it kept my attention the whole time. I felt like although some parts could be seen as predictable, it was written in a way that still shocked me and was entertaining. The paranormal elements intrigued me, and I hope to see more of that explored in the second book (if there is one please say there is one)

The narration is amazing - all characters have their own distinct voice that matches with their personality, and even though there were a good amount of characters in this book, I had no problem distinguishing who was speaking as I listened.

On my end, there are no notes other than PLEASE RELEASE BOOK 2 SOON OMG

if you’re a fan of gossip girl, pretty little liars, or elite, i would 100% recommend picking this book up!

⭐️ 5/5

THIS BOOK!! Oh my goodness! It had me in a chokehold and then doubled down with that epilogue! I sincerely hope it DOESN’T get a sequel because that ending was just utter perfection! I AM STILL SCREEEAMING! Dammit Julie Soto! 😍 Why is every book a total banger!?

I don’t know what else to say because I am flabbergasted and just plain in awe! What a story! 10/10!

And the narration! Perfect. I loved how the storytelling was interspersed with readings from Emily’s journal. With everything that was revealed as the mystery unfolded, I was at the edge of my seat, wanting to turn up the speed to get to the reveal faster! Just so so good! Highly recommend!

Thank you again to MacMillan Audio for the ALC and Wednesday Books for the ARC!

This is our April Booked with Babes Book Club pick and I am so excited to chat about this one because OH MY GOD!

Surprisingly this was my first book by Julie Soto and it definitely won't be my last. I definitely can see what all the hype about her writing and stories is about. This book was so much fun. I was entertained and engaged right from the start. It had all the elements I love in a YA thriller: mystery, school setting, and Mean Girls vibes. The FMC was pretty awesome and the whole premise of the Thrashers had me hooked. I couldn't stand Zach and how all the girls wanted him. He was an annoying character. However, it gave something to the story and this is pretty much expected from a story in this type of setting. The narrator was just as good as the book. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I will definitely be recommending this to my subscribers on my channel. I'd say this is meant for upper YA readers.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for sending this to me in return for my honest review.

Loved it! Throughout this book about The Thrashers, four high school friends, I knew there was something amiss. It’s revealed early on in the book. However, the why is not exactly clear.

As we get to know Zach, Jodi and the rest of the characters, details are uncovered one by one to reveal what really happened and why. I couldn’t stop listening, I was hooked right away and flew through the book.

Advanced listener copy provided by Macmillan Audio but all opinions are my own.

3.5 Stars

I was lucky enough to review a copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio and Netgalley. This is my first Julie Soto book and I enjoyed it. It was a quick listen and it kept me engaged through out for the most part. When paranormal things happen I tend to not enjoy it as much because it wasn’t sold as that, I like my paranormal and thrillers separate. It was a bit of a roller coaster but I didn’t find the ending to be as shocking as I wanted it to be, I had a few ideas early on that didn’t happen.
I did enjoy our main character and her story and the stories of the other Thrashers. But I didn’t like how they all worshipped Zach, he sucked hahaha. I really liked Julian. The girls were decent. I could tell from a mile away how Emily really was.
The audiobook was good, I enjoyed the narrator, I did have to have it on 2.0x because they did talk a bit slow for me at a 1.0x speed.
I would recommend this read for older YA readers.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The Thrashers releases May 6, 2025

Zack, Lucy, Paige, Julian, and Jodi make up the friend group that is known as <I>The Thrashers</I>.
When a girl at their school commits suicide, they are the ones held responsible.

It’s typical to characterize the popular, clique friend group as the villains, while painting the outcast they “bullied” and “raped” as the victim, but I don’t think that dynamic was accurate for this story.
Emily clearly had severe behavioural and mental health issues that were unaddressed, and to blame her suicide entirely on those that didn’t accept her was unfair in my opinion.

The plot and underlying supernatural elements were painfully predictable, and despite this being Soto’s genre debut, I found that it didn’t add anything new to the table.
I would have loved if the journal entries made a more prominent appearance in the story, almost taking shape as its own character, as it would’ve added more dimension.

cw: suicide (drug overdose), alcoholic parent, physical abuse

What a fun read! I loved the twists and turns, always leaving me second guessing. This is how a YA thriller is done.
Loved the audio. Really added to the experience.

3.5 I received the audiobook through Netgalley, and I enjoyed the audio because it was dual-narrated, which is my 2nd favorite after a cast, lol. The Thrashers is about a group of teens who all just shouldn't be friends. Their social statuses aren't the same, which leaves room for a lot of lies and manipulation. One girl committed a self-unaliveing, and the Thrashers are now being. tormented by her ghost and investigated as playing a part in her death! Overall, the story was good, but you may come out of it not liking half the characters lol.

I received an advance audio copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley and the publishers.

Wow, just wow.

10/10. 5⭐️ without a doubt.

Absolutely amazing! I was intrigued and engulfed the whole time. I’m sad it’s over but phew. Highly suggest if you like a teen, drama filled murder/thriller

I really enjoyed this audiobook. Had it not been for the paranormal aspects, I would have found this book much more realistic (but that’s just my personal opinion!). This was a solid YA thriller, and even though there were a decent amount of high school aged characters, I did not get confused as to who was who. Each one had their own solid character foundation.

Interesting story, with a lot of twists and turns at the end. I liked all of the characters, especially the main character. The ending was great, fair but hopeful. Although one star off for the supernatural aspect of the book.

This was a freakin good audiobook and has proven without a doubt that I am a fan of YA.. Our main character, Jodi, is beginning her senior year when a pseudo-friend commits suicide and names her friend-group as the (13th) reason why. Julie Soto’s spin on a previously explored idea makes for an absolute page-turner. I could not stop listening to. With a nod to the paranormal interspersed throughout a deeply contemporary story, there’s something for everyone in Thrashers. Major trigger warnings for suicide, abuse, and near-death experiences (final destination lovers like myself will not be disappointed) described in harrowing detail. The range displayed to seamlessly cover sordid family issues to the stressful albeit less series social dynamics of navigating romance, friendship, and popularity in high school was executed flawlessly. Like all of the author’s books, the writing is excellent and the audiobook narrator is fantastic (I switched between reading and listening). It wasn’t a book I personally could read through the night, but only because I’m a scaredy-cat.
Thank you to St. Martin Press/Wednesday Books, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for the eARC and audiobook. I promise I do read many things I don’t like, but haven’t come across a bad Julie Soto book yet.

4/5⭐️

This was a page turning, gripping, exciting YA novel! Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, I received an ARC copy of this audiobook. The narrator was fantastic and I found myself not wanting to put it down. Following the story of Jodie, Emily and the Thrashers was exciting and I found myself constantly asking questions that were later answered!
The epilogue I had to listen to twice as I was a little confused about that piece.
Overall, I would recommend this read to teens or adults who enjoy YA books! ☺️