I wasn’t sure I’d like this one (teen books are hit or miss for me), but… I did! Super fast-paced, creepy, and a touch of teenage angst. Could do without the mean girl energy.

That ending though??? There has to be a sequel, right??? I’m so conflicted!!!!

(Thank you, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley, for the ARC and audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

One big suspenseful mystery surrounded by drama, secret and lies. High school cliques and truths told in such a way that will keep you up at night finishing because you “need to know”…what really happened to Emily, who the Thrashers really are and what they are capable of doing. And can I take a moment for the epilogue?! Kudos to the author for leaving me both in awe and with chills. This was a bingable, gripping YA thriller with exceptionally well written characters and an equally impressive, immersive and dynamic plot.

"It wasn’t that they didn’t want one, it’s that they didn’t think of it. She was an afterthought. She wondered how long she’d been an afterthought."

What the fuck just happened?

What the fuck am I supposed to do with my life after this book? ESPECIALLY after that epilogue!? That was just rude, I need more. How dare this book.

“That’s your problem, Jodi. You’ve always thought there’s someone more special, more deserving. Zack Thrasher’s life, his comfort, his happiness— it’s always been more important to you than anyone else’s.”

I did not finish this book. It finished me. I am changed. Found the light. Etc, etc. Okay, I'm done lmao

"She felt so foolish. What would she even say if anyone asked why she was crying? My friends’ lives don’t revolve around me? I got sad, and getting sad got me sadder?"

I was so hesitant going into this because I do not like thrillers but for some unknown reason the last few books I've read have had a thriller component and I've loved them so who am I am?

“Jodi, I knew what I was doing when I gave you that USB.”

This exceeded my expectations. I was confused the entire time. I was livid. I was living the little romance that was happening. I was hating Emily. I was feeling bad for Emily. I was hating the Thrashers. Loving the Thrashers. Everything. Jodi was such a raw character. I've had so many thoughts like she did throughout the book that I had to stop and not cry because I was like, I know what you're feeling and it hurts.

“The only person you’d take the fall for. Who we’d all take the fall for.”

Pretty sure I never liked Zach tho, that guy…wow.

I'm not sure what to even say? I don't want to spoil anything for you guys since it is mYsTeRiOuS but we have Emily, the girl who didn't fit. We have the unattainable Thrashers, the ones everyone wants to fit in with. And then, we have questions.

Emily kills herself, and her journal surfaces, blaming the Thrashers for bullying her.

What's real?

What's fake?

Is there a paranormal aspect??

You'll just have to read to find out *winky wink*

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and the author for this eARC! Please write a sequel. I am begging you. I want to reread this already.

"One of them couldn’t breathe, one of them couldn’t think, and one of them couldn’t swim."

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Julie Soto is a new found author for me. I read Not Another Love Song and liked it so much I immediately requested this title without even reading the blurb! I can say, I was not disappointed at all. It may be my favorite by her so far. Usually YA is hit or miss with me, depending on the topic. This one was a hit. I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to call out sick from work just so I could finish it!
Jodi Dillion is part of The Thrashers, an elite group of teens who everyone would love to be "in" with. She was never meant to be part of their group but since Zack Thrasher is her best childhood friend, she was automatically in with them. But their group has been tainted by the suicide of a Emily Mills, who tried hard to befriend them and become a part of their group. When the group becomes the center of an investigation to see if their actions lead to Emily's death, Jodi begins to find out she may not be as privy to the inner goings of her group as she thinks she is.
I love a good mystery/thriller. Add in some paranormal elements, which I was not expecting, and it makes it even more fun. Soto kept me intrigued the entire time. She slowly leaked snippets of what truly happened and Jodi was collecting those clues to figure it all out. The pacing was fast and the plot was unusual. I loved the idea of there potentially being a ghost or spirit haunting the group and how they dealt with it.
The book is narrated from Jodi's POV. She definitely doesn't fit with her group of friends. She's the outsider who has infiltrated due to her association with their "leader". Her family is broke, she lives on the wrong side of town, and she isn't sophisticated. And she knows it. She's also been in love with her best friend Zack for as long as she can remember. But everyone wants a piece of him, including the two other girls that make up The Thrashers: Lucy and Paige. Plus she doesn't get along with Julian, Zack's best friend. I liked learning about all the characters from Jodi's POV and it was interesting to see how her idea of each of them changed as the story unfolded. There was so much toxicity with the friendships being portrayed, and a look into bullying that will make your head spin. And the romance was unexpected but I loved it. It is not the center of the book but it definitely has it's place and made for more interesting interactions with the characters. It's a slow burn that involves chemistry and banter with small gestures that build on each other.
I will say this, that ending leaves a ton of room for another book! I literally had goosebumps when I read the epilogue! Will there be another book? I cannot see that Julie won't write it. In any case, I really hope so because I need more. I need a conclusion that is satisfying for one particular character's plot line!
If you're looking for a YA mystery with Heather's/Pretty Little Liar's (think high school hierarchy) vibes, tons of secrets, light romance, and a bit of the paranormal (did someone say ghosts/spirits?), do yourself a favor and pick this one up. You will not be disappointed.

JULIE SOTO. Thank you for writing a YA mystery/thriller that I LOVE. I wouldn’t say I’ve been searching for a book in this genre, but I have not had any luck with what I have read UNTIL NOW.

A group of friends, who the students of their school have dubbed The Thrashers (named after their “leader”, Zach Thrasher), find themselves at the center of an investigation. Emily Mills, who was desperate to be part of the group, died by suicide, but her journal entries and statements from fellow students lead the detectives to believe The Thrashers played a hand in her death. Jodi Dillon, a friend in the group who most of the time felt she didn’t belong, is forced to make impossible decisions regarding her and her friends as events occur that can only be attributed to the supernatural.

Like I said, I haven’t had great luck with YA mysteries/thrillers, but this one had me hooked from the beginning! It was so well written (which, let’s be honest, Julie Soto is one of my favorite authors at this point), but I think what really solidified this as a great novel for the genre is that any reveals were not chalked up to some insane twist that didn’t fit the narrative (that’s an issue I tend to have with the genre). My heart also broke on more than one occasion for various characters. I really want this to see this on screen!

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advance copy!!

The Thrashers follows a close-knit friend group after one of their acquaintances commits suicide on their prom night. But now strange things are happening, and the police are very interested in the events surrounding the death.

I was extremely excited about this book when Julie Soto announced it as I loved her previous writings. But I did struggle a bit with this one. The beginning was strong; I was instantly hooked and needed to know what happened to Emily and if Jodi/her friends had anything to do with it. Some of the secrets were interesting, but I was expecting something more. Overall, I enjoyed it and would still recommend this book to young adult thriller readers. I believe I just may not have been the target audience for this book.

I loved this! I was intrigued the whole time and a little freaked out reading it in the dark at times (not like, scary or consistently throughout) and it was the perfect balance of paranormal and not.

YA thrillers can be hit or miss for me but this one was a hit.

The Thrashers
3.5 ⭐️

YA thrillers are kind of hit or miss for me and I feel like this one was in the middle there. I enjoyed the first half, but the second half slowly fell as more of the plot came out.

The Thrashers are a group of high schoolers who have been accused of a lot, following the suicide of a girl they had recently cut out of their circle.

I think the friend dynamics were done really well, but I didn’t love the supernatural elements to this story. That epilogue honestly took away from the story for me.

Thanks to @netgalley for this arc

Jodi Dillon is in a group of rich friends who people call the Thrashers. Emily Mills is a poor, troubled teen who badly wants to be in the group. Emily dies and the group is blamed. They begin receiving eerie messages and paranormal things start happening.
This is a great book that I couldn’t hardly put down. I really enjoyed the characters and the twists and turns. Thanks NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

What an ending! It took me some time to get into this, maybe about halfway through I started feeling less uneasy and enjoying the story. It was very final destination. So different from Julie Soto’s other books, but I will definitely recommend it.

Oh I loved this book so much! This was a great suspense read and kept me on my toes the entire time!

“Either you’re in or you’re out.”

Julian Hollister, you sneaky little heart-thief

Tropes & Vibes:
• Third Person POV
• Paranormal
• Sensitive topics
• Morally Grey Characters
• Secrets Destroy Friendships

Okay, full honesty- I was on the fence at first. Jodi was tough to like in the beginning. Maybe because I saw a little too much of myself in her: guarded, messy, prickly in ways that hit way too close to home. But the second she started unraveling the mystery? I was locked in. Couldn’t look away. Couldn’t stop flipping pages like my life depended on it.

And then there was Julian...

The man. The myth. The absolute scene-stealing legend. He just started showing up… and never stopped. No grand gestures, no dramatic declarations. Just steady, subtle, unshakeable support. He didn’t need to shout his love from rooftops; he whispered it in the way he was always there. I wanted to give this two.5 stars at first, I really did, but Julian Hollister pushed it to three.

Their chemistry? Off the charts. The banter? Too good. The drive thru scene?? I needed to be sedated. I was screaming. Flailing. Considering calling someone just to say “DID YOU READ THAT???”

And that ending. EXCUSE ME. Julie Soto, you can’t just leave me like that. BOOK TWO NOW PLEASE. I am emotionally unstable and it is your fault.

This book might’ve started slow for me, but by the end, I was fully feral. Julian and Jodi have me in a chokehold. RIP me.


If you’re into:
• Veronica and Logan on Veronica Mars
• YA / high school hierarchies
• Ghosts/Spirits

this book was MADE for you!


Thank you to Forever Pub and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

2⭐️

Thank you to Wednesday books and Netgalley for this ARC.

When I tell you guys that my hopes were in the CEILING for this book? It came crashing down on me so quickly, and no one’s sadder about it than me 😭

Listen, I love me a YA thriller and I love Julie Soto. I will forever stan her and pretend this does not exist ok? But this was just… TOO MUCH. There’s the clique-y, rich, popular group, a thriller/mystery, a paranormal aspect AND a possible love triangle?? Sometimes less is more 😭 (Although I did enjoy the surprise relationship, I do feel like that their scenes were the ONLY reason why I finished this).

Zack was… annoying. He was going through a possible r*pe charge and he’s still dating a similar girl? Dude read the room, now’s not the time! You got court in 5 mins!! Julian was my fav and his ending?? I can’t believe he got the heat like wtf 😭✋🏼 Lucy was actually cool, although I will say this about all of the characters- I think with the exception of Zack, they felt underdeveloped to me, that they were just indifferent.

Finally, the story felt disconnected to me overall. But I think that just goes back got me feeling like there were too many components in this. ANYWAYS, JUSTICE FOR JULIAN

ok, that was FUN. i've read julie soto books before and enjoyed them, but this one hadn't been on my radar until recently since i don't read many thrillers. but then i saw several folks raving about it and decided i had to read it.

i made that decision at 10pm last night. it's now 4pm the next day and i'm already done. 😂

this book was ADDICTIVE. i'm so so impressed that this was julie's first YA thriller, because i literally couldn't put it down. i fell for the characters pretty quickly and was hooked by the storyline almost immediately. i was like, ok this is going to be a RIDE and i am buckled in. and the book absolutely delivered. the twists, turns, and revelations had me eager to turn each page.

🎧 if you're an audiobook girlie or want a more immersive experience, i HIGHLY recommend the audiobook. eva kaminsky was fantastic and her narration (along with the book itself) gave me goosebumps at times! imagine me with my headphones on and my comforter pulled up to my eyeballs. that was me last night. 😂

to me, the ending wasn't perfect but that's because of my personal feelings about one of the characters. ha. but i did appreciate that there was closure even if i felt some of it was unfair. the epilogue though?! IT GAVE ME CHILLS. honestly, it made me really want a sequel so that maybe a certain someone else will pay their dues and i reallyyyyy want more of jodi and a certain someone. 😍 i'm team him (trying not to spoil. hahaha) all the WAY. also, i'm just like EEK intrigued!

read if you love:
-thrillers/ya thrillers
-paranormal experiences
-toxic friendships
-twists and turns
-high school drama
-secretssss
-pretty little liars
-a little bit of romance
-books you cannot put down

thank you so much to st. martin's press for the arc and macmillan audio for the alc. highly recommend!

3.75 ⭐️

I’m not much of a thriller/mystery reader but this book had me hooked from the very beginning. It gave off Final Destination x 13 Reasons Why and I ate it up. This book had me glued to my seat until I got around to 80% and I just felt like the book dragged on. I didn’t like the ending much but that epilogue?? go on ahead get to typing book 2 Ms. Soto.


Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the arc

You know how you hate those taglines on books that say that this book is like another book? Why can't someone just explain it originally? Now I find myself doing it. This book was like Final Destination, One of Us is Lying, The Cheerleaders, and that one episode where Denny keeps saying "I'm here for you." IYKYK.
I thought the best thing I can say about this book is that I decided to give it a go for a few minutes before I went to sleep. Then it was 4 AM. I was fifty percent in. And I didn't want to quit. But then the other thing happened. As I'm nearing the end of the book, the weather is perfectly fine, and my lamp flickers on and off. My soul almost left my body. I kid you not. You won't understand the importance of that unless you read it, of course. But maybe don't be under lamp lights.

I'm not normally a mystery/suspense reader, however I love Julie Soto's romance and romantasy novels, so I thought I'd give this a try and I actually loved it! Reading it right after Rose in Chains was definitely an experience, but that just emphasizes how well-rounded and diverse of a writer Julie Soto is. The Thrashers definitely reminded me of other YA mystery stories such as "One of Us is Lying" and "A Girl's Guide to Murder" but it simultaneously felt new and original, with a supernatural twist.

Jodi, the FMC, is a very relatable character and the experience of needing to consider if your friends really are your friends is something that I feel that everyone can relate to at least a bit. And with the mystery of the death of a 'friend', Jodi's POV is so intriguing and compelling. Jodi isn't the perfect character, but then again she's a high school student, so I felt as though her thoughts and actions were quite realistic based on that. All of the side characters had depth and were intriguing in their own rights. No one was perfect, but in a good way, as that allowed for realistic conflict.

As a casual mystery reader, I thought that the plot was very well thought out and had me hooked from the start. There were enough variables to the circumstances that nothing felt quite certain, even at the very end. The supernatural element was very interesting and I thought it definitely allowed for an increase in the mysterious vibes.

The ending has stayed with me since I finished reading and, even though the mystery was solved, the reader is still left with some questions in the best way.

I am so glad to have been invited to view this ARC! The worst part about getting an ARC this good is how I want a sequel already and the book isn’t even out yet! I loved that it became a little bit supernatural/horror. I truly could not put it down- I needed to know what was going to happen next. The epilogue was incredible work. I really liked Jodi and I think shes a great “chaotic good” character. I felt for her in having to learn that not everyone will just protect her. I will say that I had a FEW questions that I thought were left unanswered, but I am wondering if there could be a possible sequel that would answer some of them. Regardless, 5 stars fully based on how glued I was to this book!

If you loved Holly Jackson’s ‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’, you’ll love Julie Soto’s newest release, ‘The Thrashers’! If that’s you, I cannot recommend Julie’s writing enough! Highly recommend picking this up when it releases on May 6th!

I absolutely love Julie Soto’s writing, and was so excited for an opportunity to read her newest release early, but YA mystery/thriller just isn’t for me. And that’s okay! I will continuously read (and absolutely devour) Julie’s romance novels.

Thank you so much, Julie and St Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books, for providing me with an ARC of ‘The Thrashers’!

Xx,
Kortni

This was more mystery than thriller but I was still hooked. A paranormal activity following 5 friends in high school who are struggling with the death of someone who commuted suicide. It was a wild ride to watch as the reasons fell into Jodi's (fmc) lap. I felt for Jodi. The feeling like you don't belong and others are hanging out without you. Zack, the character every one seems to love, I did not love. I didn't like him at all. Jodi sticking it to him at the end was it for me. Paige and Lucy were interchangeable characters and all I was thinking as an adult woman was "where are these kids parents and why aren't they interacting more". It was a healthy mix of paranormal, ya, mystery. Especially for a debut, well done. She left us with a bit of a cliffy in the epilogue so naturally, I gotta know more.