This was very entertaining! I started out a bit confused in the first chapter, but after that it kept me engaged. I just needed to know what was going to happen. And while i had some “ideas” of what was going to happen, i really had no idea.

But the ending was a bit unsatisfying. It was a little open-ended and i just have so many questions that are left unanswered😩 this wouldn’t be so disappointing if perhaps there will be a sequel? I think the way she left it, there is definitely potential for that.

The story revolves around a group of friends in a California high school. It's considered an elite group that is centered around their charismatic friend Zack Thrasher.. Many people, mostly girls enthralled with Zack, want to be members of The Thrashers, but things change when they are accused of contributing to the death of another student - a Thrasher wannabe. Backlash and paranormal events seem to take over their lives and puts their own lives at risk as they try to figure out what really happened. Told through the narrative of one of the Thrashers, Jody, who became friends with Zack in the fourth grade, and now shares him with the other members., and her thoughts of not feeling good enough for the group, as well as dealing with a frequently drunk father.

Part paranormal, part mystery, and completely engrossing and entertaining read. Julie Soto has done it again, only this time with an intriguing YA story.

This book was so unexpected in the best way! I would describe it as a YA Thriller (though more teen due to content and age of characters).

I could not put this book down, it completely grabbed my attention and I was flipping pages long after I should be sleeping.

If you’re a fan of ‘who done it’, creepy ghost vibes and BIG secrets, definitely pick this book up!

Thrillers aren't my normal genre so I was a little skeptical starting this but I ATE IT UP. I honestly didn't want to stop reading at times because I just had to know what was going to happen. The story felt a little predictable at times but there were also other moments where stuff was happening that I wasn't expecting. Some crazy twists and turns.

I loved Jodi, and for me, she was really easy to relate to. I have also felt like the afterthought friend and it's not the best feeling in the world. Also having a parent with an addiction is not easy and so I really felt for her there and I did have something in my eye I think. Zack was giving basic teenage boy, so at times I felt like "why are they so obsessed with him?" I liked Paige and Lucy and how even sometimes they felt like Jodi did. I think my favorite character other than Jodi would probably be Julian. Chapter 26 spoilers--I do understand that he was the one who made the google drive, gave it to Emily AND said that fucked up shit in the text, but he should not have been the one to talk the fall for everything. I think that was Emily's intent though based off the epilogue

There was some internalized fatphobia in the beginning that felt really random and not really necessary, and it kind of threw me off. Zack possibly going to trial for r*pe and then still trying to be with a 16 year old was kinda wild. Also, the author mentioning Lucy's skin tone randomly when her and Jodi held hands was also weird, because she didn't do that for any other character. I'm also not a fan of tons of pop-culture references in a book, and there were so many in this it was frustrating me.

4.5 Stars

When they said YA thriller written by Julie Soto I said Bet; what I did not expect was for it to cause me heartbreak and shatter me and enrage me and creep me the fuck out all at once. Imma need to talk to my physician about this. This book was giving part 2000s teen movies and part CW show (think Veronica Mars meets Riverdale early seasons but PG), and I. ATE. IT. UP.

Apart from being a fast paced page turner, this book carries many depths. The exploration of issues that afflict the teenage experience directly and without kid gloves, combined with a heavy dose of yearning and angst makes for a well rounded story. Romantic angst of course, but primarily the angst of wanting to belong, and the insecurity that you don’t, that permeates so many of our youthful years and to see it from our FMC Jodi’s POV is poignant and relatable. Heck some of her musings are so on point that you realize no matter what changes or how old you get, some things remain the same.

Of course, you’ll spend the whole time wondering if Jodi is a reliable narrator. Is anyone reliable? Is everyone lying or are they all just sharing what they believe to be their truth. I’m trying to be vague to keep this spoiler free. One thing is for sure, they’re all flawed, sometimes callous and even cruel, but ultimately human, just kids (or barely adult) with mistakes under their belt. Of course I yelled at them a lot about their choices, but I do realize they’re teens and I’m just a crotchety old lady. And whatever their shortcomings, I kinda fell in love with their imperfect lil group anyway. I did hate a bitch (gender neutral) though. I’ll let you figure out who. Another thing that remains unchanging is my eternal suspicion of a “nice guy” and my eternal love for a toxic bad boy. I shall not elaborate. Alas, my love for a toxic bickering couple also continues and I was really shipping one of those hard here.

I’m proud to say I was right about most of my gut feelings about characters and the suspense, but also admit I did not see the final few twists coming at all. I was gobsmacked and legit screaming at some points. This would’ve been a perfect read but I did take off a star (okay half a star) for something that isn’t really a critique but personal preference and because ~trauma~. I wouldn’t say the ending was entirely hopeless but I don’t like when things are left unresolved or uneasy. I am, first and foremost, a romance reader after all. So unless there’s a sequel in the works, how very dare you Julie? 😭 I will be thinking about this book and these characters for a long time. Justice for…never mind.

If Julie Soto wrote it, odds are, I will read it. So when I saw she had written a YA Thriller/Mystery, I was sold. This story was twisty and thrilling with an ending that seems to imply a sequel. (That I would definitely read.) The story centers around a group of five teens who are called the Thrashers. Names for the "leader" of the group, Zachary Thrasher. The group seems to be the elites of the school, letting no one in and excluding the rest of the student population. It is told from the perspective of Jody, who became friends with Zachary in 2nd grade. The other three kids joining later. The opening chapter begins with an unnamed character committing suicide, seemingly because of the Thrashers. What unfolds from there is a teenage drama that makes you questions who is keeping secrets and what is the real truth. Overall I liked the story and will be recommending it. The mystery wraps up fairly well, though there was one plot hole concerning Jody's mother that I think could have been better resolved. (Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday books for the ARC)

for once, I’m keeping this review short and simple. to be completely honest, I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did, but it turned out to be such a fun ride—especially as my first Jolie Soto book. I’ve heard a lot about her popular romance books, so I went into this one 100% blind, expecting something similar… only to realize it was actually a thriller. and let me tell you, that was a surprise in the best way possible.

this is her first YA thriller, and honestly? She nailed it. the writing was so addictive that I physically couldn’t put the book down. the just one more chapter, and suddenly it’s 2 am type of book. 😭 as for the plot, was it the most mind-blowing thriller I’ve ever read? no. but was it fun, gripping, and worth the ride? absolutely. If you’re looking for something that keeps you entertained from start to finish, this one delivers. and lastly—with no further explanation—I am team Julian all the way. Screw Zach!

I’m hungry and famished for more jodijulian.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an advanced readers copy of The Thrashers by Julie Soto. This book publishes on May 6, 2025.

I’m not usually a thriller girlie, but this was a quick, twisty and fun read. I pretty much binged the entire book on a flight home earlier this month, and it kept me engaged and entertained. I didn’t guess the twists…and in my eyes that makes it a good thriller 😂.

#netgalley #thethrashers #arc #stmartinspress

I will read anything Julie Soto writes. This is not usually the genre I read it but I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I didn’t know what actually happened until right at the end. It was very reminiscent of late 90s early 2000s teen thriller movies and I loved that.

Julie Soto is an auto buy author for me! I was lucky enough to receive an advance readers copy. Yay! I’m usually not a thriller girly but this being a YA thriller was different! I enjoyed this book so much! The plot twists, the betrayals! Please add this to the top of your TBR!

This was such a fun and twisty YA paranormal thriller. It keeps you guessing until the end!

What to expect:
- Elite/Affluent Friend Group
- The “outsider”
- Mysterious Death
- Paranormal Elements
- Morally Gray MCs
- High School Drama

Thank you Wednesday Books for granting me an ARC! All opinions are my own and not influenced by the publisher.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

this one was rough. i was hopeful going in..i love a good ya thriller and julie soto’s writing has been solid before, but the thrashers just did not land for me. it felt like a mashup of too many tropes (popular clique/dead girl/paranormal twist/a sprinkle of romance) and not enough payoff. the characters never felt real to me..more like vague outlines of who they were supposed to be. and i’m sorry, but if i never hear the word “thrasher” again, it’ll be too soon.

lucy “slow motion” had me stuck. not emotionally, just confused. i still don’t understand how being emotionally reserved with friends earns that nickname. all i could think of was the juvenile song. (also, i’m 85% sure lucy’s coded as black, which made the nickname feel weirdly loaded, whether intentional or not.) the character dynamics didn’t feel authentic, and i had a hard time keeping interest when i didn’t care who was hurting or haunting whom. but why did they have that boy locked up in the end? aha.

look, i know i’m not the target demo, but i can get into ya thrillers if they’re compelling. this just wasn’t. like another review said, i’ll pretend this one doesn’t exist and keep showing up for whatever soto does next, because the talent is there…this just wasn’t it.

BEYONDDDDDDDD incredible. my god julie can do NO wrong?!?!! (does she sleep? bc tbh it doesnt seem like she does)

i didnt know how her romance/romantasy backround would translate to thriller suspense but holy moly she proved me wrong and now i need MORE>

So far, I really like Julie Soto as an author. Her romance has worked well for me so far, and this YA thriller was entertaining and fun. Is it something that turns the genre on its head? No. But it's well executed for its intended audience and it's a solid entry into the genre.

The plot was thrilling (though not overly so, like, my mind wasn't blown), it was easy to read, it makes you want to keep turning the pages, the characters acted like teenagers but weren't stupid, and the drama was juicy. Overall, I have nothing bad to say about this book, and I recommend it if any of the things I've mentioned here are up your alley.

This is not my typical genre, and I ate it tf up. Jaw-dropping. Could not put it down.

The plot, it was giving Riverdale/13 reasons why meets Carrie, and I can confidently say this is one of the best YA books I have ever read, and its her YA thriller debut? Julie Soto is an absolute auto-buy. And like what an absolute legend for slaying every genre?

THE EPILOGUE. THE EPILOGUE. It's been over a week and I can't cope, its all I can think about.

Also, this is me begging for a Julian and Jodi book because I could not get enough of it. I felt like I was crushing in HS, maam in 36 years old.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the arc!

Easy 5 stars for me!! YA can be kind of hard for me to read, because let's face it...I'm closer to 40 than 20 and I just cannot always relate...but this book had me hooked from the beginning!

A huge thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and Julie Soto for this eARC!

This was so binge able and if I had a day to just read this I would have, although I did read it in a total of maybe 10 hours over 2ish days.

You follow Jodi Dillon and her group of friends who are dealing with the death (suicide) of a "friend." I say that loosely and you will see why! But this group of friends is called The Thrashers and they have been friends since their freshman year. You will get hooked on the drama within the friend group and the secrets each are hiding. With the suicide there are questions because maybe there was bullying and harassments going on so the police are investigating. And there are some paranormal aspects that leave you questioning so much and wanting to keep turning the page.

The story was relatable and I found myself so lost in the story! The growth Jodi also goes on throughout the book is fantastic and I really loved her character. I also found myself loving Julian too! But the ending...ugh. I love to hate it!! It leaves you on a total cliff hanger.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Julie Soto, and St. Martin’s Press: Wednesday Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

WOW, what a fantastic YA debut from Julie Soto!! Even though I have not personally read her adult romance novels, I am familiar with them and have been recommended them. Needless to say, I will be running to read them now! I thoroughly enjoyed The Thrashers, as it managed to surprise me several times throughout. I wasn’t expect a kind of paranormal/horror aspect to the book, and it really worked for me without ever making the story cheesy. Jodi was an interesting character to tell the story through, and I thought the friend group was well-developed as both a group and individual characters. It did fall into some predictable tropes sometimes, like enemies-to-lovers, but for a YA, it was never too annoying or unrealistic. I especially enjoyed the ending, as that provided a bit of a twist that I’m not sure was intentional but definitely left me thinking. I was really hooked the entire time reading in a way I haven’t been in a while, and I recommend if you’re looking for a juicy read that has a cliquey-vibe with mystery and paranormal elements!

I had such a great time with this one! The vibes were a little creepy, the twists weren’t what I thought, and there was a little something extra I wasn’t expecting.
With this story you get characters in high school, a murder mystery, cliques, and teen angst. My opinions about E V E R Y single character changed multiple times throughout the book. And my favorite character from the beginning is different than who was my favorite at the end. I found the pacing good and things kept changing and I didn’t know where the story was going to go. I would absolutely love to see a sequel, especially with the way it ended. And that’s all I’m going to say. Just know that if Julie writes a sequel, I’ll be reading it.

I went into Julie Soto’s The Thrashers with zero expectations. I hadn’t read any of her previous books, but the synopsis sounded interesting enough to give it a go. Well, I ended up finishing it at around 3:30 this morning. White not perfect, it was certainly engaging. Soto knows how to write believable characters, and the story was nicely complex while still feeling plausible. If you enjoy thrillers but YA isn’t typically your thing, fear not. You won’t be disappointed. This a thriller first and foremost, the cast just happens to be on the younger side. I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Thrashers.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto was such a wild ride — easily a 5-star read for me! After loving Forget Me Not, I knew I had to pick this one up, and it absolutely delivered. The pacing is nonstop; I literally could not put it down (I even fell asleep trying to stay up and read “just one more chapter” late into the night).

Some of the twists I saw coming, but others genuinely shocked me in the best way. Even though I didn't finish it in one sitting, I can definitely see this being a book you binge in a day — it’s that addictive. If you love YA thrillers that keep you guessing and flying through the pages, The Thrashers needs to be on your list!