Lots of teen drama. Great narration. I couldn't put thus fiwn. Ghankd to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook

this book was really fun but I hated all the characters! I was eating it up and then they started to show their true colors... which I suppose was the point of the book and I started to dislike it! the book really does intrigue and suck in the reader to continue reading it. the ending left it open to continue to be in this world... would definitely read any sequel!

I know I am the outlier here, but I couldn't get into this. It didn't feel like anything new. I just thought it was ok.

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

Emily has committed suicide and her group of “friends” are investigated for bullying her. This story follows those friends, particularly Jodi, and what led to Emily’s death. This story gives MAJOR 13 Reasons Why vibes, so if that book wasn’t for you then this won’t be either.

Was Emily bullied? Were the entries in her journal true? Did Emily even really kill herself? There were a lot of questions through the book and the end wraps them all up in a nice bow. It was a good story, but not as memorable as 13RW.

Thank you to Julie Soto, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the listening review copy!

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! The narrators really did a fantastic job

Fun page turning
A group with teens a elite friend group hiding secrets and one girl Emily committed sucide on prom night
But why? Is she hunting them ? Or who
her journal was found and it unravels did she do it or was she murdered and why
What happened to Emily

Wanting to fit in is something everyone goes through but when someone takes it to a whole new level people can become mean or threatened. And when your friends are accused of bullying you also start to question your friendship and how do you fit in the group, secrets start to uncover.
I enjoyed reading the Trashers, one moment I thought I knew who was behind the accidents but there was more to it.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

In case anyone is wondering, I will read anything Julie Soto writes. This is also a fantastic audiobook that will hold your attention and keep you driving, doing chores, or whatever hobby you choose to keep your hands busy. It’s fantastic, thrilling, juicy, and a little bit heartbreaking.

Synopsis:

“Welcome to the Thrashers, the elite friend group at New Helvetia High.They’re everything everyone wants to be.Jodi Dillon was never meant to be one of them. Julian, Lucy, Paige, and the infamous Zack Thrasher are rich, sophisticated, and love attention. Jodi feels out of place, but Zack’s her childhood best friend, so she’s in.Then Emily Mills, who desperately wanted to be a Thrasher, dies—and the whispers about the Thrashers begin. As Emily’s journal surfaces, detectives close in, and Jodi faces an impossible choice: betray her friends or protect herself.But as eerie messages and strange occurrences escalate, it becomes clear—Emily isn’t done with them yet.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Stakes—As someone who was in high school during the height of the OG Gossip Girl mania, I will forever be attracted to books about elitism in high school, friend group dynamics, and adolescents facing real world consequences for the first time.

The Mystery/Thriller elements—I was on the edge of my seat and didn’t see the twist coming at the end.

What Didn’t Work:

I think this was due to me listening to the audiobook vs reading with my eyes, but some of the flashbacks were hard for me to follow and I needed to backtrack. Like I said, mainly a me problem but something to be aware of!

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

Content Warnings:

suicide, alcoholism, bullying, death of a parent, fire/fire injury, toxic parent, grief

I am used to reading Julie's romance books and was excited to see her release a YA thriller. This felt like an homage to 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' and '13 Reasons Why' with some supernatural elements, which I enjoyed. This is a great release for the summer as its a quick read and very compelling right from the start.

A delightful YA mystery thriller, with just a touch of the paranormal! This book was wildly entertaining and has all the teen drama and social hierarchy of high schools. It starts with the suicide of Emily. As the investigation gets underway, fingers are pointed at the school's elite group called "The Thrashers", led by the devilishly handsome and popular Zach Thrasher. Our main character is Jodi, the only one in the group who Emily's family don't seem to blame. Following a journal Emily kept, it seems the group may not be all Jodi thought they were. Can the friend group survive this scrutiny, or will it tear them apart? There are tons of twists in this one and it was super fun to follow along! It's like Pretty Little Liars meets 13 Reasons Why. I highly recommend it for a YA mystery thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for providing me the opportunity to listen to an ARC of the audiobook. Narrator did a great job! Book releases May 6th, 2025.

DNF at 35%

I really just had a hard time getting into this read and that may be on Netgalley itself. The audiobook doesn't load without wifi, trying to listen to this book outside of being home is practically impossible but the story itself just didn't grab me in and I didn't feel the urge or pull to pick this book up. I usually LOVE ya mysteries but this just felt like it was lacking something- I'm just not sure what. Sad to put it down but I just don't have the time or availability to finish this before my borrowed time is up.

Appreciate letting me read this before publication and just because it's not for me, doesn't mean YOU won't love it.

I am pretty sure Julie Soto is actually incapable of writing bad books. I almost never read thrillers - ya or adult - but I was very eager to check this out! I was pleasantly surprised by how engaging and twisty this story was! For adults who followed Pretty Little Liars religiously, you're going to want to check this out.

On top of enjoying the actually text, I found the narration to be sooooo good. Sometimes YA audiobooks make the characters feel too old or too young, but I didn't feel this way at all. I can't wait to recommend this to friends!

The fact that this is Julie Soto's debut into the YA space is incredible. I genuinely really enjoyed this book and the plot. What I like about thrillers is that they keep me guessing, and I can't easily guess the twists and turns in the story. I was engaged the entire time and wanted to know more about what was going on with the characters and how their plot would unfold. I would recommend this if you are looking for a YA thriller. It gives Pretty Little Liars, The Weight of Blood, and is a little spooky but not too scary. I would recommend the audiobook as well; it makes the story feel more immersive..

I am typically not a big YA thriller reader, but when I saw 1. this cover and 2. that this upcoming release was written by Julie Soto I just knew I had to read it. And ya’ll, let me tell you, I devoured this book in like 4 or 5 hours. The narrators did a fantastic job bring the story to life and keeping me entertained. Julie Soto did a fantastic job blending high school cliques, mystery, suspense, along with some romance and paranormal aspects.

It really does give off Thirteen Reasons Why and Pretty Little Liars vibes so if that’s your jam pick this up asap.

✨𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 you NetGalley, SMP, and Macmillan Audio for the immersive reading experience✨
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𐙚 - 🅣🅗🅞🅤🅖🅗🅣🅢: What a ride✨
The Thrashers is a wild ride YA thriller that that left me questioning everything until the very end. This book explores toxic friendships, high school hierarchies, and the weight of guilt. Jodi is caught between loyalty and the truth as she unravels the mystery of Emily’s death. The pacing is gripping, the twists unpredictable, with a haunting setup. Absolutely worth the listen. The narration was fantastic.

Thank you to Wednesday Books & Macmillan Audio for the review copies! I devoured this one, even though I am not usually a thriller or YA reader. It gave me Veronica Mars vibes, and was just so juicy!

I’m a Julie Soto stan at this point, I’ll follow her to whatever genre she wants to write next. Check your TWs with this one, it opens with a teenager, Emily Mills, dying by suicide. A popular clique nicknamed “The Thrashers” are blamed for her death because of how they treated her. We see the rest of the book through Jodi’s POV - the one Thrasher who isn’t under investigation. But when the group becomes plagued by accidents and near-death experiences they wonder, is Emily really gone?

Veronica Mars was one of my favorite shows, and I loved that there was a focus on the friendships and romantic drama as much as the mystery elements, which is also what I loved about The Thrashers. And one of the characters gave me Logan Echolls vibes - probably where my love for misunderstood “bad boys” came from.

If you follow me because you love gossip and thinking about complicated human behavior, you’ll love this. It’s fast paced and full of twists. The paranormal aspects were just creepy enough that I had to pause the book when it got too late at night.

🎧Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky bring this audiobook to life. Listening to the audiobook made me feel truly immersed in the story.

Jodi, the main protagonist of this novel, offers readers a compelling lens through which to experience a story of growth, guilt, and subtle supernatural intrigue. The book follows her evolution as she grapples with the suicide of someone she tentatively calls a friend—an event that casts a long, emotional shadow over her and her close-knit group of best friends. The premise is both sad and captivating, hinting at the possibility that Jodi and her companions may have played a role in the tragedy, whether intentionally or not. This moral ambiguity, paired with a potential supernatural thread woven into the narrative, kept me turning the pages.
While the story held my attention through to the end, it didn’t quite ignite a passionate love or visceral dislike. Instead, it settled comfortably into the realm of “like”—a decent read that I appreciated for its intriguing setup and Jodi’s development, even if it didn’t leave a lasting mark. For a book to achieve a solid “like” is no small feat, and this one delivers a quietly engaging experience worth exploring.

This one tells the story about the Thrashers and what someone would do to become one.

Reading about what happened as Emily was trying to become a Thrasher and Jodi trying to solve just went on had me hooked.

The journal entries and mysterious messages made me keep reading. I actually thought the ending was kind of heartbreaking for one of the relationships.

A good YA read!

The narration was spot-on, bringing the characters to life with so much depth and emotion that I felt completely immersed in the story. Every voice felt distinct, the pacing was perfect, and the intensity of the plot was amplified by the performance. It’s the kind of audiobook that makes you want to keep listening long after you should have stopped. If you’re looking for a gripping, emotional YA story with stellar narration, this is absolutely worth the listen!

The phrase "If she writes it, I'm going to read it" has never been more true. Julie Soto is without a doubt one of my favorite romance authors. I saw she had a YA thriller book in the works and, honestly, was planning on skipping it. I was skeptical, but I'm so glad I gave it a chance. Delving into a new genre can be tricky, but Julie Soto killed it (no pun intended). This book was so good. Addicting from start to finish, just like a thriller should be.

I would like to make it known that I am forever a Julian apologist. And that ending?? Did not see it coming. I absolutely LOVE a thriller ending that keeps you thinking long after the book is done.

4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.