The Thrashers is a teenage thriller where a suicide places the popular clique in the spotlight but in a bad light. Emily Mills moved in the fringes of the Thrasher social group until her suicide brings to light the clique’s tendency to discard people. Jodi is not rich and is only in the group because Zack Thrasher is her best friend and the boy she’s always secretly been in love with. As everyone’s secrets come to light Jodi is forced to open her eyes to the truth about all of her friends. The story is twisted and a little dark as it keeps throwing curveballs at the reader but it’s definitely a page turning thrill ride until the very end. I found myself changing my opinions on the characters multiple times and I am still a little torn on if I liked most of the main characters. The story is full of enough surprises to keep you reading! This is my first read from this author but it won’t be my last. My voluntary, unbiased, and non-mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

Julie Soto killed it with her debut YA thriller! Such a fun, bingeable read! I loved Jodi’s character and her friendships with the other Thrashers. You never know who to believe and some of the twists got me–that ending?! 🤯 There’s some paranormal activity, not my favorite in a thriller 🫣, but the book was so good I didn't mind! Ummm can we get a second book?? We need to know what happens with Julian!

Julie knocked it out of the part with this YA thriller. It kept me on my toes the entire time. That ending???? PLEASE let there be another book in our future!!

This was such a roller coaster book to read, but in the best way! There were so many twist and turns and honestly gave me thirteen reasons why vibes, because it follows a group of teenagers who bullied a girl into taking her own life. But not everyone is ready to admit their actions and deal with the consequences, however Jodi is the only one determined to find the truth. This was such a fast read that gave non stop drama, a little romance, a whole lot obsession, and a little sprinkle of paranormal. Highly recommend this one!

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5⭐️
THE THRASHERS
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: mystery
📖 352 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀: 🚔 📔😱💬🛁⛓️‍💥🕵🏼‍♀️👻💡🎭🔥💊
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 5/6/2025

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ single POV
◽️ diary entries
◽️ mediums & seances
◽️ mysterious texts

💜𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲💜

Thank you @juliesoto @wednesdaybooks @netgalley @macmillianaudio for the #gifted copy!

I absolutely devoured this!! It was everything I love in a gripping YA mystery. It had the addictive energy of a high school drama series, blending the emotional pull of ONE TREE HILL with the dark, twisty mystery vibes of 13 REASONS WHY. From the very first page, I was hooked & genuinely didn’t want it to end. The teenage angst, tangled friendships, & slow burn romance gave it the perfect mix of heart & suspense.

Told mostly through Jodi’s single POV, with a few diary entries & past memories layered in, the story felt intimate & emotionally charged. Secrets, lies, & hidden motives are scattered throughout, keeping the tension high & the pace snappy. Even though it’s a YA novel, it never felt juvenile—the writing was sharp & the stakes felt real. I will read anything Soto writes!!

⚠️ physical abuse, bullying

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: Jodi Dillon finds herself in the elite friend group known as the Thrashers, thanks to her childhood bond with Zack Thrasher. The group—Zack, Lucy, Paige, & Julian—are wealthy, glamorous, & used to getting what they want. When Emily Mills, a girl desperate to join their circle, dies under suspicious circumstances, rumors begin to swirl. As Emily’s journal emerges & creepy messages appear, Jodi must choose between loyalty to her friends & saving herself. With the investigation closing in, it seems Emily’s story—& her revenge—is far from over.

I absolutely did not start this book with the impression that it would end up being amongst my favorite reads of the year so far — but julie soto has never disappointed me, so this truly comes as no surprise.

this was SUCH a blast in every single way. it took me back to all of the YA thrillers and murder mysteries I grew up on.

the mystery was incredibly fun and suspenseful, the paranormal elements were genuinely spooky at times, and with a little dash of enemies to lovers romance that had me giggling & kicking my feet?! this had it ALL.

the perfect read for fans of pretty little liars, 13 reasons why & a good girls guide to murder. I wasn’t even finished with the book before I was contemplating how excited I am to read this over and over again. genuinely can’t wait to make this my new personality and bully everyone I love into reading it.

thank you to st. martin’s press for the e-arc!

I really enjoyed this book! It was very suspenseful and I enjoyed the teenage school aspect. I will definitely recommend to friends and read more from this author!

While I love Julie Soto, I'm a little torn. I knew The Thrashers wasn't going to be NALS or FMN. It's not quite what I expected. It gave me Goosebumps (by R.L. Stine) vibes but with a little adult content thrown in, and I mean that in the most complementary way. She kept it actually YA and not an adult fiction/romance/thriller masquerading as YA. The story follows Jodi Dillion, so we really only get to see her side of things, with the exception of Emily Mills' journal entries. I would have liked to see more of the other's POV. That ending. I wish the ending had happened in the middle or that there would be a second book that includes more of that. I do recommend, slightly spooky, a little bit of a romance sub-plot, some family coming to terms with their demons, friendships rekindled, most things nicely resolved, and an epilogue that will leave you questioning the whole book.

I was not a huge fan of this book. It felt very unoriginal and overall sad. The classic story of Teen suicide and bullying. If you’re a fan of those stories and of YA high school drama then you may enjoy this book. I would not recommend it.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

4.5 stars

This is such a quick and easy read, and with being YA the paranormal aspect gets spooky but not scary. I loved Siri’s writing in her adult romance novels and wasn’t sure how it would translate to YA Thriller but I am very pleasantly surprised.

I will continue to read anything this author writes!

This is not my regular genre/plot/read. Julie Soto could write anything and I'd read it and love it.

A unique coming of age novel mixed with a thriller/suspense that had me questing everyone's intentions. The Thrashers are an elite group of friends navigating high school when a mysterious death rocks their community and their friendship group. This novel is told from a single POV, Jodi a young female who feels as though she is an outsider looking in to this friend group.

Told with Julie's snarky voice and with well developed characters, this novel captured my attention from the very first chapter. I really enjoyed the mix of drama from the high school friend group and the thriller aspect of "The Thrashers", the pace was quick and the twists and turns were unexpected.

Thank you Wednesday Books for the ARC.

This will easily make my list of the best books for 2025. I could not get enough of this book and only stopped reading because I had to go to work. Then I promptly came home and finished it.

This story is told largely from Jodi's POV; she's in high school, and while she's in the popular group, The Thrashers, she never is sure they want her there. When Emily Mills' journal ends up at the police department, and the investigation heats up, Jodi starts to wonder how much she doesn't really belong. Her recollection is very different from the incidents that Emily details, and suddenly, we have several shaky characters. Jodi isn't sure if she really knows her "friends" at all.

This book is classified as YA, but as an adult, I thought it was spectacular. For a book targeted at a younger group, this story has a lot of depth. The characters all undergo some level of growth, and it's meaningful growth. The characters are not only examining what happened with Emily, but they also have to confront truths about themselves and others.

If Julie Soto writes an adult thriller, I pray for my soul because, for a YA thriller debut, this was so good. These characters have substance, while still remaining teenagers. The story itself weaves its twisted tale, but everything remains cohesive. Even up until the very last page, you are still finding out more and it's making you wonder who was right and who was wrong. I cannot recommend this one enough; whether you are a teen or an adult, this is one you should take time for.

First--Julie is an autobuy author for me. I love her. And I love that this book is set in Sacramento, our hometown. Sac gets very little representation in modern literature, so it's heartwarming to see us in a book that's not about the Golden State Killer.

Second--thank you to Netgalley for this ARC. I am even more excited to see Julie on tour in May and get my signed copy.

The first few chapters took me a bit to read, but once I hit about 20%, it was nonstop. I stayed up until 2 AM to finish the whole thing. That ending left my jaw on the floor, and if I didn't have sleeping people in my house, I would've screamed. I don't want to spoil anything, so I shan't say more.

Julie can write romance like it's nobody's business, and with this book, she proves that she can write a YA thriller as well.

This book isn't even out yet! But my palms are itching to get ahold of the sequel. T__T

4.5 stars! I am a huge Julie Soto fan, so I was so excited to get an ARC of "The Thrashers." This was sooo different from her other books, but I loved it just the same! The storyline was very unique in my opinion, and I could not put this book down! In addition to the main story that revolved around Emily, there were so many other side stories that kept you wanting to learn more and made me want to figure it all out! There were quite a few heavy topics included, so be sure to read the TW before jumping into this book! I love how the book ended with the reader still asking a few questions!

A close knit group of friends dubbed “the Thrashers” by classmates are the center of a police investigation involving a sophomore who passed away.

THE THRASHERS is a fast paced, twisty YA thriller filled with unraveling secrets, unreliable narrators, and shifting loyalties. There’s PRETTY LITTLE LIARS vibes: an unseen presence threatening the group and picking at the seams of “the Thrashers” friendships. The pressure builds with every chapter as Jodi is pinned against her friends by the detectives, heightening her long held insecurities of not being enough, of being the one on the outside looking in. It’s a gut punch portrayal of what it feels like to be a teen and to question your place with the people you love most. I binged this book in 24 hours, and just sat in silence processing the epilogue.

I read this book in an immersive way, pairing the ARC with the ALC. The audiobook performance is exceptional. Eva Kaminsky voices Jodi, channeling a blend of teenage vulnerability, confusion, and self doubt. She also captures Jodi’s quiet strength as she learns to stand firmly on her own. Jessie Vilinsky embodies Emily’s journal entries, nailing the immature, tumultuous inner musings of a young teenage girl. Her slightly unhinged tone provides a counterbalance Jodi’s more grounded present day narrative. This dual performance elevates the entire story and I highly recommend the this book in all formats!

Thank you Macmillan Audio & Wednesday Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Thrashers is a thrilling young adult book by Julie Soto. It is such a bingeable read! This book has mystery, drama, and twist and turns that will leave you guessing until the very last page.

You will love and hate these characters all at the same time. Soto writes characters that you will become so invested in, by the end of the book, if you are like me, you’ll be hoping for a follow up to this book to see what these characters are up to next.

It’s overall, so well written. It will keep you entertained until the very end. A YA thriller done right!

Julie Soto can honestly write any genre. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Thrashers follows Jodi whose best friend Zack is one of the most popular kids in school. Zack has a click known has the Thrashers. One day a girl named Emily wants to join but she dies. At first it is ruled a suicide, but then her journal comes out. Which changes everything and makes it seem like the Thrashers are responsible for her death.

I will say this was a great YA thriller attempt from an author who hasn’t written a YA thriller before. I am a Julie Soto fan but this was my least favorite book I have read by her. I have read so many YA thrillers like this so I was left a little bored. The just seemed like a very run-of-the-mill book. If you have never read a YA thriller before I think you would find this a five star read. But for someone like me who loves YA thrillers it was just fine. I felt like there was a little too much drama in this one for me. But I did not think this was bad. I just have come to expect more from the thrillers I read. Also I will still read Julie Soto’s books because most of them I love.

Thank you so much Julie Soto and Wednesday Books, this comes out May 6!

As someone who is a fan of Julie’s adult romance novels, I knew I would like whatever she writes. But hooooly smokes. I didn’t expect to DEVOUR this book the way I did.
Im not a big thriller reader but I feel like this is a great introduction into the genre that a lot of people across a great span of ages could enjoy.
I really liked Jodi as our main character, and I think a lot of people can relate to her feelings around her friends. If you don’t keep reaching out to them, will they even bother to reach out to you? That feeling of being included but also excluded by the people that are YOU’RE best friends but maybe you’re not their best friend.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book early. I’ll be first in line to buy my physical copy on May 5.


Ps. Justice for Julian Hollister. I’m obsessed with him

Julie Soto is trying something new with a delve into YA and suspense. It was entertaining enough to keep me reading, but the character development was lacking. YA does not mean the book needs to be simplified and basic. Although the premise was interesting enough to keep me reading the characters just did not feel authentic. Julie Soto is a great writer, and if she wants to go into Y a I would suggest using the same guide and true methods she uses for adult novels and just making characters teenagers.