Julie Soto is a great writer and I love how she can genre hop, that being said, I feel like this is the weakest thing I’ve read from her. I may be too old for this so people who are in the YA age range will have more luck with this! I definitely think it’s enjoyable but just not for me.

You don’t want to get thrashed.

In this book, the Thrashers are an infamous clique. It’s all through the eyes of Jodi Dillon an outsider/insider in the group and she is haunted over the circumstances of Emily Mills’ death.

Emily wanted to be a Thrasher.

Emily died much like her own mother.

Emily is reaching out from the grave.

A thriller worth reading with morally gray characters. Everyone has secrets and, of course, you may be a bit surprised by how it all plays out.

A five star read for me.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday books for letting me read an e-arc of this book.

#netgalley #thethrashers #arc #stmartinspress #wednesdaybooks #juliesoto

Thank you to St. Martins Press/ Wednesday Books for this early copy!

I know I say this a lot, but this book was so FREAKING good. This book is going to live rent-free in my mind for the foreseeable future.

This story immediately transported me back to high school. Between the cliques, drama, and a little bit of unrequited love thrown in there, it was exactly like high school. And adding in the mystery and psychological thriller aspect surrounding Emily Mills was amazing.

One thing i love about a mystery is when you cannot pinpoint exactly what happened and you have to follow the breadcrumbs alongside the characters, and JS did such a good job keeping the intrigue up.

and finally, the last thing i want to bring up is the found family trope. I absolutely love a found family trope and this friend group is no exception. I won't go into it too much because I don't want to spoil anything but the friendships were tested, secrets were revealed, and it seems like the whole world is trying to tear them apart (full dramatics because come on, its high school) ;)


If you love a good mystery, with some drama, and unrequited teenage love, read this book.

Releases May 6th!

interesting mix of pretty little liars meets how to get away with murder!

this book had me hooked the whole time! i could not put it down at all, i planned to slowly read this but i just needed to know what was happening so i kept going! julian and jodi were so so good, romance isn't the focus here but i loved how he saw her and showed up for her every time. big big fan of them. i

i initially planned to give this a 4 or 4.5 depending on how i felt at the end but the more i think about the end, the more i want to adjust my rating. it really fell apart at the end for me because it was so rushed and not everything was actually addressed. i don't know if it's because a second book is possibly coming but the ending didn't feel complete. too many unanswered questions and too many things were just put down as coincidences? one of the main "plot twists" was a little too predictable for me, i really wish i had been wrong. i was expecting a lot more from the ending because of how much was going on with the plot and characters. i can't get this story out of my head and now i just feel incomplete bc it was not very satisfying.

Good Lordy can Julie Soto write the heck out of a book!

I don’t typically read thrillers. I don’t typically read YA that isn’t fantasy. Initially I was going to skip this book. I am SO glad I didn’t. Thrashers was incredible. I couldn’t put it down. I would have finished it in one sitting if work didn’t get in the way of my life, so I just stayed up to the wee hours of the morning reading it. The problem with finishing a book at 2:30am is that there is no one for you to text to debrief:

This third person POV story follows Jodi Dillon, a high school senior that is a part of the most popular clique at school. A girl from the school, Emily Mills, committed suicide Prom night of Junior year. Throughout Thrashers we are shown the complexities of high school. It is thought provoking on what bullying is. It brings up the insecurities that everyone in friend groups have. We are shown that it doesn’t matter how much money you have, how beautiful and talented you are, you still constantly worry about your place in the social hierarchy. Jodi is constantly worried that her friends don’t really like her, that there is a separate group chat, that they are hanging out is the out her. We see this paranoia going through her mind. Julie Soto did an incredible job bringing back those high school insecurities.

Thrashers made me think about how guilty people are when it comes to how we treat others that eventually leads to suicide. Should these kids be punished because they didn’t like a girl who desperately wanted to be in their friend group but couldn’t take a hint? These are the thoughts that run through Jodi’s head. We don’t see how the other 4 friends feel or what they did to bully Emily. Jodi doesn’t feel like any bullying happened. She didn’t flat out tell Emily she didn’t want to hang out because she didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

And then there is Emily. The mystery of Emily. Who is she? Where did she come from? What really happened?

Just, an excellent read. I didn’t feel like there were any big twists, but man. I was definitely left wanting more. That epilogue was great. Please Julie, can I have some more?

ARC/ALC REVIEW

The Thrashers by Julio Soto

Thank you Wednesday Books St Martin’s Press for the free eARC of this book and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook!

SYNOPSIS: “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.”

REVIEW: I LOVE Julie Soto’s writing, and I LOVED this book. What a stellar YA debut! The characters, the plot, the ending…it all worked very well. I think I’ve officially entered my “if Julie writes it I’ll read it” era.

I was absolutely hooked from the beginning of this one and barreled through it. While I’m not usually a thriller lover, I enjoyed this book immensely. Overall, it was a great ride!

Audiobook narrators Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky did a tremendous job, and the overall production of the audiobook was great! It was such a great listen!

The Thrashers is provocative, exciting, and perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl. This is a fun, fast read, just perfect for summers by the pool or on the beach!

Publisher: Wednesday Books, SMP, Macmillan Audio
Pub date: 5/6/25

4.75/5 Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a digital ARC of The Thrashers! I really enjoyed this book! The fact that this is Julie Soto's first YA Thriller is impressive! She does so well with this book that it feels as if she has been writing in the genre for years. The mystery throughout the book was so interesting and the characters were so well developed.

Pros:
Interesting and well developed characters- Jodi was such a relatable character with her struggles to feel as if she was important and fit in with her friends. Emily was such a fascinating character to get to know. All of the characters were such realistic teenagers with all their own faults which made reading this book so easy. <spoiler> Zack Thrasher being less innocent that he originally comes across and being careless and manipulative with others was such a phenomenal choice and I hated his lack of consequences but it made so much sense for the rich and manipulative boy to get out of things. Julian was a pleasant surprise as well. I love a jerk with a heart of gold. <spoiler>
Fast paced plot- The pacing was great for me. I really enjoyed how fast things went. Made it very easy to read in basically one sitting.
<spoiler>The twist- Emily being obsessive was a twist I really enjoyed and the epilogue had me gasping <spoiler>

Cons:
I wish I had more of this book! It felt like it ended a little too quick and I wanted a bit more resolution.
<spoiler>I wanted a bit more with Julian and Jodi but hopefully after the epilogue we are getting more of them together.<spoiler>

Overall, FANTASTIC book and I would read more of this!

Jodi, Julian, Lucy, Paige, and Zack - collectively known as the Thrashers - find themselves in the middle of dramatic tragedy where nothing is as it seems after their classmate's suicide. Jodi finds herself questioning everything in her frustrating search for answers.

Read if you like:
-YA/Teen Dramas (Veronica Mars, Pretty Little Liars, etc.)
-Secrets and Lies
-Mystery
-Can Anyone/Anything be Trusted?

I picked up The Thrashers hoping for some nostalgic vibes but wasn't counting on how this perfectly paced mystery would suck me in. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire second half of the book. Did I hate all of the Thrashers except for Jodi (and occasionally Julian)? Yes. But did I love to hate them? Also yes. I did not see the twist coming and it left me breathless. This book probably won't be for everyone, but it intrigues you at all, it's probably worth picking up.

When I first started the book, it was giving thirteen reasons why vibes (iykyk) and I couldn’t get that out of my brain as I was reading and it initially made me uninterested in the story. As I kept reading, it started to remind me of final destination but also unfriended (2014) and I was begging for an original thought to be had.
The story follows a group of high school seniors haunted by their past when one of their classmates dies by suicide, leaving behind a cryptic journal detailing the ways in which this friend group, known as the Thrashers, led her to her death. However, things are not always as they seem and it’s up to the friends to work together to uncover exactly what happened. In some ways, there are also elements of pretty little liars in this story and it’s pretty obvious from the beginning who is terrorizing this group of people over the death of Emily Mills but I will say that it was clever and there are still some paranormal aspects. All in all, this isn’t a bad thriller if thrillers aren’t really your vibe and you want a fun mystery. If you’re an avid thriller fan and critical of the genre, I recommend skipping this one.

Thank you to netgalley for an arc in return for my honest review

This was if Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars had a baby in Sacramento.

Trigger warnings of suicide, bullying and a case of statutory rape (nothing on page but insinuated).

I’m not the most reliable person to trust when it comes to thriller and mystery books but this was had me obsessed. While I kind of figured out the who pretty early on and had most of my theories proven right, I still ate this up so much. It’s very YA but I really enjoyed it.

I think this depicted your typical high school hierarchy and how bullying can lead to something fatal. The ending kind of made me mad because I wanted a little bit more of justice. The paranormal aspect surprised me too. And the epilogue has me questioning the after of everything. I so wish we could get a novella or something checking in with everyone.

Overall a great read! Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Julie Soto for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto is an absolute must-read for fans of Pretty Little Liars or One of Us is Lying. This book had me hooked from the very first page! It’s full of suspense, jaw-dropping twists, and a touch of paranormal that adds a unique layer to the story. The dynamic between the group was so well done, with Jodi as the perfect narrator, pulling you right into the drama and secrets. The twists were incredible, and just when I thought I knew what was coming, bam—another surprise! And that ending? Absolutely amazing. It’s one of those books you won’t be able to put down until you’ve finished it. If you’re looking for a thrilling, fast-paced read with tons of mystery, drama, and unexpected turns, this one is definitely for you. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good twisty thriller!

Thank you Net Galley, St. Martin’s press (Wednesday) and Juile Soto for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

My pretty little liars loving heart ATE this up! The Thrashers was so good. I loved all the twist, the changes in friendship dynamics and how much the characters grew. The growth from both Jodi and Julian was truly amazing I was expecting their character arcs to go in the path they did but I loved it for both of them.

Also how do I love the whole friend group despite them all also being unlovable? Like I want to give them a hug but I also want to yell at them to stop being so dumb!

I would love to see this play out on a TV screen! it has great potential to be an amazing drama! I could also read a whole series about these friends and what happens next for them!

Having read Julie Soto's previous work, I was super excited for what she could bring to a whole new genre. And, friends...she nailed it! She captured the hierarchy of high school with the characters as well as touching on very relevant subject matter including suicide. And all with a dash of the paranormal. I was thoroughly addicted and couldn't put the book nor the audiobook down.
The Thrashers was exciting, intriguing and had all the vibes to keep people of all ages drawn in.

The prologue begins with the death of Emily Mills. She was new to the school and dying to be a part of the "cool crowd". But when she winds up dead, all fingers begin to point to the group she so desperately wanted to be a part of. The Thrashers.

Jodi is a part of THE clique. The one everyone looks up to. The "cool kids". The "rich kids". The elite. The Thrashers. But she feels as if she's only part of the group because of her association with Zack. She does not come from money. She lost her mother at a young age and her dad is nothing like what a dad should be. Zack, along with Julian, Paige and Lucy form the rest of the group. But this is Jodi's story and she brings us along on the wild and crazy ride of uncovering the actions that lead to Emily's death. Are the Thrasher truly to blame? When Emily's diary shows up, secrets will be revealed and friendships will be questioned.

"It's you versus them now. It's going to be carnage."

Soto did a great job bringing us immediately in with the death and then kept the pacing very steady throughout. I liked the way the story was laid out month by month and we got to follow Jodi with the group when different things were uncovered. I really enjoyed getting into the minds of The Thrashers and how they all reacted differently. You could feel Jodi pulling away the more she uncovered things and began to realize her place within the group. It wasn't until a certain passage toward the end, that you got to see that perhaps all teens feel a certain way and it kind of hit close to home. And then the ending? Chilling rockstar move, Ms Soto!

Overall, I really liked this book from beginning to end. I don't always connect to YA books, but I liked the clique of friends and the mystery behind the death of Emily along with little side things that kept happening. It kept me glued to the book. And the audiobook? The performances were wonderful. Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky did a wonderful job portraying Jodi and Emily. If this is Julie Soto's first book into the YA thriller genre, I'm super excited for what she will write next. And with an epilogue like that? Tell me this is not the last of this group of characters!!

Sometimes all you need is a good old YA thriller, and this one fits the bill perfectly. This is full of backstabbing, cliquishness and DRAMA. The writing is really well done and there was a twist I did not see coming. I really liked the protagonist, Jodi. She was real, flawed, but ultimately complex and likable.

Jodi is a very ordinary high school student. Due to a childhood friendship, however, she finds herself as one of the Thrashers, an elite group of wealthy high school students. When wannabe Thrasher Emily dies, and her journal resurfaces, members of the Thrashers are under suspicion and Jodi has choices to make.

So far, I am 3 for 3 in terms of reading and loving Julie Soto's writing. The first 2 were her first forays into more adult writing. I've not read her young adult works until this one and while I truly disliked every single character for the most part, I also could relate to them as well-their fears, their disappointment, their need to feel seen, heard and wanted. I call this Mean Girls meets Final Destination "light". it certainly has a paranormal vibe that truly intrigued me. Did I love how these characters acted? Not at all, but I saw some growing up from a few that made me happy in the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy.

I am a big fan of Julie Soto, so even though this not a genre I tend to gravitate to (sometimes YA stories feel too YA, y'know, and let's not talk about how thrillers/suspense aren't good for my blood pressure lol), I knew I had to grab a chance to check this book out. The description really sold me.

This was a rollercoaster of a book and I was here for every minute of it. I enjoyed it tremendously, staying up well into the night to read just a little more and ultimately devouring the whole thing in less than twenty-four hours because I couldn't put it down for long.

We follow Jodi Dillon, best friend to the leader of the Thrashers (Zack Thrashers) since the second grade. Zack is the type of person that everyone would do anything to be in his orbit--he's got that level of charisma and power in a sorta effortless way. He's a bit oblivious to the control he wields at times even. The story starts months after Emily Mills, one of Zack's adoring fans, takes her own life on prom night. The Thrashers, Jodi, Zack, pretty pretty Paige, strong and fierce Lucy, and kinda a douche Julian (who's model gorgeous but an a-hole), are the center of an investigation surrounding her death. Strange things start happening and secrets start to become uncovered.

I spent my time reading waffling between trying to puzzle it all out (because you just know everything isn't as it seems) and going along for the ride.

I got a touch of <i>Final Destination</i>, <i>I Know What You Did Last Summer</i>, <i>Cruel Intentions</i>, and a dash of <i>Single White Female</i>. Rich kids behaving badly and the level of toxicity that comes with cliques in high school.

There were some intense moments and definitely parts I'd love to see continued in the future. It was very well done as the mystery unraveled and secrets and lies didn't stay buried.

JULIE SOTO!!! I loved this book!! It was definitely had its twists and turns and I absolutely loved it!! Thank you for writing The Thrashers!! Time to go buy a physical copy 🤭

The novel follows a police investigation into whether bullying from “The Thrashers” (aka Zach Thrasher, Julian Hollister, Lucy Reed, Paige Montgomery and Jodi Dillon) caused Emily Mills to commit suicide on prom night.

The book tackles high school hierarchies and complex relationships. Throughout the story, protagonist Jodi Dillon questions her place within the group as she is not as pretty or rich as her friends and struggles to meet new people. There is also a supernatural element to the story.

While the thriller aspect of the book isn’t groundbreaking per se, the writing kept me engaged to the point where I didn’t want to put the book down and I stayed up late to finish it. However, I do feel like there were some unresolved plot lines that could’ve been wrapped up better. Overall, I think this was really solid for her first YA mystery!


4/5 stars

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

Oh man, this one had me on the edge of my seat.
I’ve recently discovered that I have much better luck with YA thrillers vs adult thrillers, I think it’s ultimately because they have all the thrilling elements while often being a lot of fun too, and that’s exactly what The Thrashers is. I loved how this felt like a suspense and thriller, but also kind of fun and with a little romance.
The friend group in this is so fun to read about and I really appreciated that even though not all of these characters were “good”, I ate everything about them up.
As far as the pacing, my only critique is that it dragged a bit in the middle, but did ramp back up.
The ending felt a bit jarring. I can’t tell if having a sequel would add to or subtract from the story, but I almost want more just to further explain and expound upon the ending.

I absolutely devoured this. It gave me a mix of 13 Reasons Why and Pretty Little Liars vibes.
I was so invested in the mystery of Emily's death and her obsession with the group of friends known as The Thrashers. The characters are all flawed, but you can't help but fall in love with them too, just like Emily did. Reading this brings a sense of nostalgia (and slight PTSD) of high school experiences, especially dealing with different friendship dynamics. It was thrilling when bad luck seemed to follow The Thrashers with no explanation to the cause. You'll find yourself trying to sniff out the case and wonder if you have an unreliable narrator on your hands, a feeling I love when reading.
It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through the end.

Overall, I had a blast being stressed. It was fast paced and addicting. And the epilogue? I need more!