The Thrashers was an addicting YA thriller, perfect for readers who love a little mystery and intrigue but nothing too scary. It kept me guessing and engaged the whole book, and I’m very hopeful for a sequel. Even though there were a lot of characters, they didn’t blend together as can be the case with some ensemble casts, which I think speaks to Soto’s writing ability. I’d recommend this book to fans of Karen McManus or 13 Reasons Why.

I really really enjoyed this read! The author nailed this Young Adult thriller, I couldn’t put it down! All the characters were well written and I enjoyed watching their growth, as well as the lack of growth for some! I particularly liked Jodi and Julien as characters. Jodi especially had great development throughout the book with learning to confront her problems.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. Due to be published May 6, 2025.

Julie Soto's The Thrashers isn't just a glimpse into the gilded lives of high school elites; it's a plunge into a vortex of dark secrets, twisted loyalties, and a chilling mystery that will leave you breathless. Soto masterfully crafts a narrative where the line between privilege and peril blurs with every pulse-pounding page.

Welcome to New Helvetia High, where the Thrashers reign supreme. Julian, Lucy, Paige, and the magnetic and menacing, Zack Thrasher are the epitome of wealth, beauty, and untouchable power. Jodi Dillon, Zack's childhood best friend, finds herself unexpectedly pulled into their orbit, a world where she's both an insider and an outsider.

But Soto doesn't let us linger in this intoxicating world for long. The sudden death of Emily Mills, a desperate wannabe, cracks the Thrashers' flawless facade. What starts as whispers soon escalates into a full-blown investigation, fueled by the haunting revelations within Emily's journal.

The Thrashers is a symphony of suspense, each note escalating the dread:

Soto expertly weaves a web of interconnected secrets, where every character has something to hide and every relationship is built on a foundation of shifting sands.

As detectives close in, the past refuses to stay buried. The Thrashers' seemingly perfect lives are revealed to be stained by events that have repercussions far beyond the present.

Emily Mills may be gone, but her presence lingers, growing stronger with each eerie message and strange occurrence. Soto infuses the narrative with a chilling supernatural edge that will make your skin crawl.

Torn between loyalty to her friends and the need to protect herself, Jodi is thrust into a moral crucible. Her desperate struggle to navigate this treacherous landscape forms the emotional core of the novel.

Soto's writing is sharp, evocative, and utterly addictive. She captures the intoxicating allure of power and the vulnerability that lies beneath the Thrashers' polished surfaces. The Thrashers is more than just a thriller; it's an exploration of the dark side of adolescence, where the games people play have deadly consequences. This book will keep you up all night, desperate to unravel its mysteries, and leave you reeling long after you've turned the final page.

I don’t usually reach for suspense or thrillers, but The Thrashers completely hooked me. From the first chapter, I was pulled into the tension, the secrets, and the small-town unease that never lets up.

This book gave me major Pretty Little Liars meets Gone Girl vibes, and in the best possible way. It’s twisty, atmospheric, and full of “wait, WHAT?” moments.

And that epilogue? I did not see that coming. It absolutely shook me.

One of the standout elements for me was Jodi. I really liked how her character was written. She’s layered, flawed, and compelling in a way that kept me invested.

Even as someone who doesn’t typically read this genre, I was fully along for the ride. Julie Soto nailed the suspense while still giving us strong character work, and now I need more like this on my shelf.

This was unputdownable! From the very beginning, I was hooked. The story pulled me in with this eerie, small-town vibe that felt like something was always just out of reach. I kept thinking I’d listen to a few chapters and come back to it later. Instead, I finished the whole thing in two sittings because I had to know what was really going on.

Read if you enjoy:
✨ YA mystery / thriller
✨ Paranormal
✨ Highschool drama
✨ Slow burn / low spice
✨ Flashback timeline
✨ Betrayal & Revenge

The story was exceptional. The suspense and atmospheric tension were so well done that they really heightened the whole experience. It gave me all the spooky vibes I was hoping for and made it almost impossible to put down. I devoured this book. The pacing and the suspense were everything I could hope for in a thriller.

My only negative is the ending. I was really hoping for that big shocking twist, and while it wrapped up fine, I was left a little underwhelmed. I had a bunch of wild theories and was waiting for something that would blow me away. That didn’t quite happen, but the buildup and overall vibe of the book were 5 star experience for me.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the chance to read and review this book.

I'm typically not a big fan of YA novels but Julie Soto wrote an exceptional supernatural, dramatic YA thriller with The Thrashers.

The friend group was both fantastic and terrible. There was so much going on and it was absolutely wild but I enjoyed this book so much!

This was very Pretty Little Liars but I was here for it.

Thanks to NetGalley & St Martin's Press for an advance copy!

I loved this! A modern day Pretty Little Liars meets Gone Girl that had me captivated right away and kept me wondering what was going to happen the whole time.

A gripping read that kept me guessing. I didn't want to put it down because there was always something new and intriguing.
Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

This book was a wild ride. I was not expecting it to be so dark and twisty. I find most YAs fluffy, not this one, I was on the edge of my seat for most of it. There were so many major things going on. I did have some of the bigger points figured out fairly early on, but that was ok, it was still such an intriguing story. I want to know where it goes from here!
Very Pretty Little Liars esc, in the best way.

This was my first Julie Soto read, and honestly I wish I
would've read her worked sooner! This YA thriller kept me
hooked from start to finish! I loved every second! The twists and turns in this book were perfectly executed and kept me guessing the entire time! Will definitely be recommending this book to everyone!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for approving me for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this book really drew me in. I love thrillers and was excited to read a book by this author for the first time. However, the story did not live up to my expectations. The characters were somewhat hollow, and the delivery throughout the book felt very dry. This made it hard for me to focus, and I found myself rereading the same sentences multiple times. I didn't feel any thrill or real suspense while reading this book, which is quite disappointing considering the premise.

The book has supernatural elements and a side romance, all thrown into a thriller plot, but they felt as though they did not complement each other well. And don't get me started on the ending. I saw it coming from a mile away, leaving the story on a lackluster note.

Overall, it's not a bad first thriller book, but it's also not for me.
3.5/5⭐️

The one genre I'm not a fan of is thrillers/mysteries. I've read a couple in my life and am usually underwhelmed. But goddamn did I love this book. It's part thriller, part mystery, part suspense, and MAYBE part paranormal? I devoured this. Could not put it down. I have read Julie Soto's fanfics online but this was my first trad published book of hers. I just love the way she writes. This book constantly had me second guessing every character's intentions. Did they do this horrible thing? Is it all being fabricated? Who can you actually trust? I absolutely recommend this book. Extra bonus: Can be read by a wide range of ages. This is a YA book. I'd feel comfortable with my 12 year old reading it. But as a 41 year old, I loved it as well.

Full disclosure, Julie Soto is my top 5 favorite authors, and this book did not disappoint! Julie can do no wrong, and I’ll read anything she writes.
The plot, characters and writing were all absolutely phenomenal 10/10!!

I was SO BEYOND excited to get this early and it did not let me down. It was so fun to see Julie switch gears and write a teen slasher and I loved it SO MUCH.
If you are a thriller lover like me and grew up loving Heathers. friday the 13th, or carrie…
This is your next read

4 stars what an fantastic thriller by Soto and had a really fun engaging mystery that was also a car crash i couldn't look away from.

4.5 stars for The Thrashers! It kept me on the edge of my seat the WHOLE TIME!!!!!! The relationships, the supernatural, the nostalgia of high school?!!?? Julie Soto you have written a masterpiece!

Now, into the good stuff! The plot: INSANE. I was absolutely riveted and my attention was HELD. I don't think I've read a thriller quite like this one. The atmosphere was completely different when you work with teens as opposed to adults and I found it intriguing. The way that teenagers perceive relationships and friendships is so much different than adults, so seeing this tragedy and how it got to that point was a fast change of pace from 'normal' thrillers.

I LOVED how unreliable our narrator, Jodi, was throughout the book. Julie Soto, this was a brush of genius! The more you read the more you find out and it is absolutely brilliant. I'm in awe of the way that Julian was written. He was so dynamic and you never knew what was going to come out of his mouth next....heheheh. Every single one of the Thrashers was so complex and we got so much from the characters, even with limited 1 on 1 interactions.

This book had so many layers that it's just a true testament to Julie Soto's writing. She's brilliant! It was so fast paced, filled with drama, and girlllllll, the things that happen. I absolutely need more from the romance that happened in this book....like hello? Can we get more?! The ending had my jaw dropped. The Thrashers is definitely up there on my list of Julie Soto's books....dare I say a new favorite?

I feel like this might be better suited as a New Adult thriller than a Young Adult thriller because of the themes that it carries. Regardless, it was a dang good book!

Big thank you to St. Martins Press and Wednesday Books for the e-arc!

This book was a time.

I mean this in the best way. It kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time. From the texts to the hauntings and the near deaths. OMG. Who is it?? What is it?? What is happening??

This group of friends went through it and hopefully learned some lessons. Like seriously Zack, looking at you.

I have the biggest love/hate for Julian because yes everything he did was awful BUT I feel like of everyone he grew the most from it. His future has the most potential to have change and make better for himself.

BUT THE ENDING! WHAT?! I need follow up 😭😭😭

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

I couldn’t stop reading this one! And now I can’t stop thinking about it. I wish I had read it with a book club because I want to dive in and discuss all the characters and the plot. Each twist. And that ending! Definitely a book that with stick with me.

The five friends, Jodi, Zack, Julian, Paige, and Lucy are the alphas of their high school. They’ve been nicknamed The Thrashers. Everyone wants to be their friend. And a lucky few get the chance to hang out. But those others never last. They get cut off or “thrashed.” Jodi knows they’re not mean people though. They aren’t trying to hurt anyone. When Emily gets thrashed and commits suicide, her diary blames the Thrashers. And her parents press charges. But Jodi is sure they were nothing but kind to Emily, weren’t they? Who is lying? Emily? Or her friends? And why do creepy things keep happening to them all?

The mystery in this one kept me reading. And I was never sure from page to page if I liked or believed any of the characters. The more I got to know them, the less sure I was of anything! All the teens were fascinating and compelling and complex. And I couldn’t look away. There was tension and some paranormal activity. It’s high school drama times 10!

I’m very excited to add a copy of this one to my shelf. When you read it, let’s discuss!

Thank you to @Netgalley @macmillanusa and @wednesdaybooks for the chance to review this ARC.

Stories are told, but what’s the truth? Social status is written in stone—but does everyone really belong? Unrequited love and the inability to see past your own perspective. The Thrashers follows a tight-knit, inseparable group that also happens to be drowning—without even realizing it.

I’m not surprised—Julie Soto has completely enthralled me again. I received this book as an ARC and kept putting off reading it, only to finally pick it up and read it in one session. I couldn’t put it down.

I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but this book had me nervous. I’m a baby when it comes to scary stuff, and I just know I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight.

This friend group was like a shining trophy—perfect on the outside, the kind of group everyone wanted to be part of—but they were actually rotting from the inside out. Beneath the surface was toxicity, obsession, and the kind of quiet harm that spreads before anyone notices.

I went in blind and had no idea where this story was headed. This book explores themes of tragedy, obsession, lies and deceit, human nature, insecurity, and so much more. It’s haunting, emotional, and completely consuming.

Can I please get a Jodi and Julian novella, I’m begging??

I devoured this in 48 hours because let’s be real, if Julie Soto writes it, I’m canceling all plans and diving in. I’ve read her other two books (both romances), so I knew she had game… but 3 for 3?? Keep it up, Julie. Seriously.

While it started out a tad bit slow, once it picked up, I was hooked and couldn't stop reading. I was throwing out theories left and right, convinced I had it all figured out, and then that ending hit. I did not see it coming. And don’t even get me started on that epilogue. WHAT THE FREAK. My jaw dropped. I’m still spiraling. It’s one of those stories where not everything is spelled out for you, which I actually loved. It makes it such a good book to buddy read or talk about after, there’s so much to unpack.

Also… Julian and Jodi. I caught the rivals-to-lovers vibe early and was so here for it. The banter? Adorable. The way he showed up for her? Swoon. I need more of their story like yesterday.

10/10 would recommend. Especially if you need a twisty, binge-y YA thriller with a side of swoon.

Thank you Julie, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for the eARC via Netgalley!