Julie Soto has not disappointed me yet. I really enjoy her writing style and the atmosphere she creates. THE THRASHERS WAS OUT OF BOUNDS! The character and world-building, the plot, and the mental strain the twists and turns in this story put you through were genius! Poor Jodi Dillion. What is a girl to do when trying to remain loyal to your popular friend group?

Emily Mills commits suicide, and because of carefully placed information, “the thrashers” are the prime suspects. During the investigation, Jodi finds that people around her are not as honest and innocent as she thought, leaving her with a hard choice.

I could not put this book down; it was that good. At the end of each chapter, you wanted more!

I read the ARC, and after I finished, I was given the ALC of The Thrashers and enjoyed myself all over again! This has to be a series, Julie, please make this a series.

Thank you, Netgalley, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, and Julie Soto for this nail-biting ARC of The Thrashers. I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

Thank you to Wednesday Books, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ARCs. Here are my thoughts.

The Thrashers are the cool kids at New Helvetia High, and everyone wants to be friends with them. They are wealthy, beautiful and talented, and Jodi feels like she’s only in the group because of her friendship with Zack. Emily desperately wants to be one of The Thrashers, and after a series of events she dies, and the Thrashers are being blamed. Can Jodi figure out what happened to Emily, and did her friends have something to do with it?

I love reading thrillers in the summer, and this was an amazing one to start with. I absolutely loved it. I stayed up way too late two nights in a row finishing it with no regrets. I could not put it down. The characterization was spot on. I had strong opinions on all of the characters and loved sitting in as the mystery was unraveled. It was paced out flawlessly with an ending that still has me screaming internally.

There is a paranormal piece that I was a little worried might come off as a little silly, but it was woven into the story so seamlessly, and it ended up being one of my favourite parts of the book! There is also drama, romance, teenage angst and shenanigans and of course a whole lot of suspense.

There are some heavy themes in the book, but I thought it all wrapped together so nicely. I hope Julie Soto writes more thrillers because I am so here for it!

✨ ARC REVIEW ✨

The Thrashers by Julie Soto (OUT NOW)

4.5⭐️

Wow, wow, wow! 😍 This one is an absolute must read for all lovers of YA mysteries!!

Jodi feels like she wasn’t meant to be cool or popular and was absolutely never supposed to be considered as part of the “elite” but thanks to her childhood best friend Zack, that’s exactly what she became… a Thrasher. The spotlight is even more focused on Jodi and her group of friends when Emily Mills tragically dies - and everyone is convinced that The Thrashers had something to do with it.

One of my favourite series of all time is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. I read them almost three years ago and have been desperately searching for a YA mystery to fill the void ever since! Happy to report, I just found her! 😍 This mystery was EVERYTHING - edge of my seat grippy, with complex characters and relationships that had me second guessing their morality and intentions from one page to the next!

The audiobook was extremely well done with dual narration that really helped bring these characters and story to life! Totally bingeable.

I will say, there is some dark content here that I struggled with a bit and I most definitely would have struggled with as a young adult. Reading the synopsis and checking content warnings prior to starting really helped me to enjoy the story while also being mindful of my own feelings! Highly recommend that everyone do this as well, I promise it won’t take away from the story one bit!

I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to read AND listen to this book prior to release date! Julie Soto is an auto-buy author for me and I absolutely LOVED this genre jump from her! Thanks to @macmillan.audio @stmartinspress and @wednesdaybooks ❤️

Let me introduce you to a book that kept me glued to its pages until the very end—a book that gave me chills, made my head spin, and hasn’t left my mind since I finished it. And that ending? No freaking words.
This is the book. 🤯

I don’t even know where to start, because of course I want to write a decent review, but I don’t want to give anything away.

Jodi is the lead protagonist, and I love her character. She’s not rich, she’s insecure, and yet she’s part of the most popular group of friends in school—Julian, Lucy, Paige, and Zack—even though, more often than not, she doesn’t feel like she belongs there.
Her character is very well written and so damn relatable.

When Emily Mills dies, The Thrashers receive a different type of never-ending spotlight. And the moment Emily’s journal is discovered, these people’s lives are no longer the same.

I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, and I was possessed by the need to know what the hell happened, and what will happen next. 😭

As the story progresses, it’s inevitable to start building connection with other characters. And let me tell you, the minute a certain someone walked in… 🙂‍↕️😮‍💨 I just knew. I KNEW!!!
I’m not saying who, though. 🤭

The secrets, the mystery and suspense, the paranormal twist, and that beautiful touch of slow-burn romance gave even more life to the story. It's so good I'm not even kidding when I say I felt utterly addicted—and still not over this story!!

This is one of the best ya thrillers I read! Julie's writing is amazing, and these characters will live rent-free in my head for a very, very, very long time. Am I even getting over them at all?

I'm ready to beg Julie on my knees to give us a sequel. A second book. Anything! I need answers. I need more of *them*. I need something! I NEED IT. 😭 PLEASE! 🧎🏻‍♀️

The Thrashers is a change of pace for Julie Soto as she has written adult romance in the past, and this is a young adult thriller. I'm not the target audience for this book, but I didn't want to miss a book by Soto, and there’s definitely a lot to like. The elite high school setting, secretive clique, and sudden death make for a tense and dramatic backdrop. I found Jodi to be a relatable lead as she tried to navigate some seriously toxic relationships and figure out herself. The mystery had some good flow to it, and Soto knows how to build tension, but it all felt a little predictable. The emotional weight and sharp dialogue make it a solid debut in this genre, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me overall.

4.25 stars

I am surprised by my rating of this book because it had 2 things in thrillers that I really dislike. And yet, it was so compulsively readable, and so engrossing, and so fascinating, that these things that I normally really hate didn't effect my enjoyment of as much as they normally do.

Firstly, if a thriller is going to have paranormal themes, I want the author to dive in headfirst, It's either all paranormal or no paranormal, and I need that early confirmation of yes or no. A confirmation that I didn't get. Not going to get more into it because ..spoilers.. but even though I was real skeptic about the things that were happening, I really loved how the story went. The writing was quick and the pacing was just perfect for me. just slow enough to create that tension, but when things were happening, things were happening.

My second issue actually lowered my rating a quarter star, and that was the ending. Not the epilogue which is it's own beast and is still making my mind just kind of explode, but the solution to the main plot made me so mad. I hated it. And here, a couple days after finishing, I still really dislike the conclusion to this story. The character work done in this book was so well done that this ending just made me so upset.

Now, that epilogue though. That was a great way to end this book. Creepy and shocking and so mind-blowing.

I really enjoyed my reading experience with this book, and while there are a few things I disliked, and I feel so let down by the ending, it was a fantastic first attempt at a thriller by this author I really like.

𝟒⭐️

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬: YA thriller, set in HS

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞

I was so intrigued my this book at first because it’s Julie Soto but also the cover. Like she’s absolutely stunning! Thrashers did not disappoint. I love a good suspense or mystery and this was honestly giving me MAJOR Veronica Mars vibes which I LOVE. I wasn’t expecting to connect so much with these characters and setting as I did. Julie did such a great job writing in a way that made you feel as if you were part of the group. This was a story that had me invested from start to finish. We meet all the Thrashers, who are the most popular students in school. Something very sinister happens that revolves around the group, which is where the main portion of our story blooms. This was a wild journey of a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

The epilogue honestly gave me goosebumps. There is still so much that I just think “what the actual fuck.” If you’re looking for a solid thriller I recommend giving this a try!

I just binge read that book in less than 12 hours and now I'm looking around wondering what happened in real life while I was suctioned in this story.

That book was just so freaking good ! I love Julie Soto and was really excited to read her first YA book and it didn't disappoint.

I was riveted to the story. I headed into that book blind and you should do it too.

If you binge watched 13 reasons Why, You will definitely loved that book.

Thank you so much for the ARC Wednesday Books !

First Julie Soto book, will not be my last.

I took a minute to start this book because it’s YA and I feel like that TikTok sound “am I too old to be here?” when I start reading about high school students.

BUT

Holy cow this book is good.

•mystery
•paranormal
•capital D drama

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Highly recommend if you liked Pretty Little Liars and One of Us is Lying.

Jodi is part of an elite friend group known as the Thrashers. Zack, Julien, Lucy, Paige, and Jodi. When you’re out, you aren’t just out, you’re thrashed. When Emily is thrashed and decides to end her life, the friend group finds themselves haunted by a police investigation and maybe even haunted by something more sinister.

Aside from feeling disconnected to the main characters because she refers to a 30-something as older (I did it then, too ok, I know), I ate this book up. The paranormal was sprinkled in so tastefully it felt real and CREEPY.

THE FREAKING EPILOGUE.

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC and happy pub day @juliesotowrites! Will definitely be checking out more from you ASAP.

This is the kind of book that makes me wish that YA books had been a bigger thing when I was a teen. It's heartstoppingly tense, and deals with difficult issues. Jodi is a well realized characters, though some of her friends are a little less well fleshed out, but the plot is very solid, and the ending of this one will resonate with me for awhile.

The Thrashers is Julie Soto’s first YA thriller—and WOW, I devoured every page. I was hooked from the very beginning and literally stayed up until 3AM reading. If it weren’t for pesky adult responsibilities, I would’ve finished it in one sitting! The twists, the pacing, the characters—everything had me completely gripped.

I had the chance to see Julie at the Lovestruck event yesterday, and it blew my mind to learn this was actually the first book she ever wrote (and her third published). How cool is that? Julie is hilarious and so genuine in person, and it made me love this book even more.

I didn’t keep up with my Julie Bingo last night (oops), but The Thrashers more than made up for it. Highly, highly recommend picking it up—you’re in for a wild, addictive ride!

Zack Thrasher along with his close friends Julian, Jodi, Lucy and Paige run New Helvetia High. When Emily Mills forces her way into their group, the friends put up with her but are not amused. When Emily commits suicide the Thrashers become suspects in the investigation into her death after Emily’s journal is discovered. The aftermath of Emily’s death tests the relationships between the Thrashers in different ways, causing their dynamics to change. Jodi gets caught in the middle of the investigation as she was supposedly the closest to Emily, even if Jodi didn’t feel the same. An impending trial and new revelations create an intricate web lies and deceit. But who is truly responsible for Emily’s death?

Having been a fan of Julie Soto’s previous romances I was excited to read something different from her, and this YA thriller did not disappoint. Proving the powerhouse writer she is, readers will not be able to put this book down!

I flew through The Thrashers. I thought the story was fast-paced and bingeable. Like always, Soto's writing was strong and enticing. Although I found the plot predictable, I had fun reading this book. I liked that the main characters were flawed. Zack, Lucy, Paige, Julian, and Jodi, AKA The Thrashers, weren't perfect characters. The story follows Jodi, one of the members who struggles with her place in the friend group. I found Jodi relatable and can see young readers resonating with her character. As the story progressed, we start to learn more about the Thrashers and their relationship with Emily. I thought the Emily storyline was a little perplexing. I wanted more information on her mental health issues and past. I also found the whole ghost stuff out of place within the book. The Thrasher's friend group dynamics was interesting. At times, I struggled understanding why Jodi was still friends with everyone. I found myself getting annoyed with her inability to recognize the school's viewpoint of the Thrashers and the grey behavior of the group. Everyone except for Jodi was underdeveloped. For how much Zack plays a role in the story, his character felt underwhelming. I liked the relationship between Julian and Jodi. As a fan of enemies to lovers, I enjoyed the way Soto set up their relationship. I was disappointed with Julian's ending. Julie, why did you have to do that to him? The Thrasher's covers some serious topics. I thought this book was a thought-provoking read on the complexities of high school. Despite having some flaws, I thought this was a fun and gripping read. Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC.

I am not a YA thriller reader, so I was reluctant about the Thrashers, but I also love Julie Soto, so I gave it a try. A few chapters in, I was hooked, and I read it in a day. Literally could. not. put. it. down. As one reviewer said, this book is full of “flawed, morally gray characters” who are also teens uncertain about their place in the world and who make some really unfortunate choices.

Jodi Dillon, the narrator, has found herself in the most popular, exclusive clique at her high school, The Thrashers. As a close childhood friend of Zack Thrasher, she is in the clique even if she is not wealthy or model-gorgeous like the others. She fights feelings of inadequacy throughout the book, though Soto masterfully leads the reader to see how the others truly care for Jodi.

The golden reign of The Thrashers ends when one of their friends, Emily Mills, commits suicide, and the family, community and law enforcement blame The Thrashers. Emily’s journal is discovered, accusations and rumors fly, and The Thrashers face judgment and blame. While awaiting possible criminal charges, many terrifying paranormal events happen to all of them. After multiple freak accidents put their lives in danger, Jodi and the other Thrashers wonder if Emily is coming back to haunt them and seek her revenge.

The Thrashers are pitted against each other and forced to come clean. By the end of the book, Jodi has learned a great deal about each of her friends, and clearly sees who each of them are. She has to decide between betraying them or lying to the police about what happened with Emily.

This book literally had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Secret after shocking secret about each of the Thrashers are revealed, and I kept thinking that the book was almost over, but then the author would throw in another confession from Jodi or her friends. This book is rich with the angst, drama, loneliness, and love all teenagers experience. Soto slowly builds a beautiful relationship between Jodi and another Thrasher that comes to a head as senior year wraps up and the trial dates get closer. Soto creates in Emily a mysterious, obsessive, chilling, and haunting character whose creepy nature and paranormal role in this novel creeps the reader out until the last word of the epilogue.

Soto has converted me into loving YA thrillers. In the Thrashers, she created incredibly complex young characters caught up in a huge web of deceit. This story has so many shocking twists and turns, and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat until the last word. This novel is a solid 5 star read. The Thrashers was one of my favorite 2025 reads and I highly recommend it!

Ms. Soto, what happens between Jodi and ______? (don’t want to share any spoilers) I NEED A THRASHERS SEQUEL!!

Thanks to Julie Soto, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader’s copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Julie Soto has done it again with an enthralling YA novel! Soto’s debut in this genre is truly worth the read. I was hooked from the first paragraph, and I loved getting to know the characters. Each time I thought I could trust a character, I was thrown for a loop and loved every minute of it. I really enjoy this author’s romance novels and writing style; I can’t wait to see what she releases next!

Thank you so much to Julie Soto, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the opportunity to access and enjoy an eARC of this wonderful book!

First off, I would like to thank St. Martin's Press|Wednesday Books and author Julie Soto for allowing me to read this book via #netgalley. All opinions following are my own.

Before I start the official review, I would like to say a big "Happy Publication Day" to @juliesotowrites!

This novel is not her first, but it is the author's debut #youngadult novel. The story follows a group of five popular high school students nicknamed "The Thrashers" after their ringleader, Zachary Thrasher. The Thrashers run the school.

The Thrashers become embroiled in a huge controversy when a girl from their high school, a year younger than them, Emily Mills, commits suicide on prom night. When a notebook written by Emily is discovered and turned into the police, it appears that The Thrashers bullied Emily so much that she felt suicide was the only option.

The only Thrasher that eventually isn't charged in her death is the female main character, Jodi. Jodi already feels like she doesn't belong: she's not rich or, in her opinion, beautiful. However, she has been Zach's best friend since second grade. Now, though, with Emily seemingly determined to ruin her friends' lives from beyond the grave, Jodi must decide to stand by her friends or save herself.

This book was delightfully twisty, and I certainly hope this isn't the author's last young adult thriller. I felt the beginning was a little slow, but it definitely picked up and didn't stop. However, and maybe this is just a personal opinion, I was not a huge fan of the ending. Therefore, I gave the book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Read it yourself to see if you agree!

#BrenBreathesBooks #BrenReviewsBooks #4starreads #juliesoto #thethrashers #thrillerbooks #ThrillerAddict #bibliophile #reader #readerlife #readingaddict #publicationday #stmartinspress ##wednesdaybooks #debut #netgalleyreviewer #ARC #arcreader #Bookstagramcommunity #booksofinstagram #kindlereads #booknerd #bookworm

The Thrashers | Julie Soto
Slinking back into my thriller-girly era, thank you very much.

Jodi Dillon feels like the outsider of the in-crowd, even more so when her friends are all arrested facing charges in relation to Emily’s tragic death. The tight-knit crew begins to unravel under the pressure of not only the legal concerns, but all the other strange happenings as well. They might be a privileged pack of rich kids (aside form Jodi), but all their careful plans for senior year and beyond are under threat.

The driving theme for me was the quest for belonging and connection which is SO strong when we are young. These students are placed in an impossible position holding the truth I one hand and public perception in the other, and they don’t all have the support they need to face it. Everyone in the group has reasons to feel on the outside or less-than, and it doesn’t always align with the general perception. I loved seeing the faceted personalities and insecurities play out facing the reality that things are not always as they seem. Entwined with the dramatic teenage landscape is an enticing mystical undercurrent that plays my favorite brand of mind games - it kept me turning pages like a madwoman.

The Thrashers wraps up with a handful of unexpected turns (which is exactly what I expect from a thriller) and I couldn’t help but imagine the story playing out on screen. It is written with incredible visuals and characters that come to life (even Emily who is dead to begin with) and that adds to the fast pace and fleshed-out feeling. Don’t be fooled by the YA, this is not a surface-level kid’s story. This left me wanting more in the best possible way.

5/5 stars!
Big thanks to Forever, NetGalley and Julie Soto for the ARC for review!

YA mysteries just get me. This was in the vein of A Good Girls Guide to Murder and One of Us is Lying. It was high school and prom and lies and death and the power of wealth all wrapped together in a very good read.

This was a book I didn’t want to set down and the epilogue 👀

Amazon & Barnes and Noble reviews submitted
Imgur link goes to Instagram graphic scheduled for May 8th
Blog link goes live May 9th
Will be covered in Friday Reads on May 9th


**TL;DR**: A surprisingly fast paced and gripping thriller.
**Source**: NetGalley - thank you so much to the publisher!

**Plot**: One girl’s death rocks the It crowd clique.
**Characters**: No one here was good, but you truly end up enjoying all of them.
**Setting:** Not the strongest but it wasn’t necessarily needed with the strength of everything else.
**Mystery/Thriller:** I genuinely liked this setup and execution.

**Thoughts**:

The Thrashers is not my usual cup of tea. I don’t read a lot of YA, let alone Thrillers. But occasionally I’ll grab one and this one scratched the itch SO well. If more thrillers were this well done, I’d be gobbling them up.

No one here is good, no one here is without blame and as the story progresses we see more of the cracks and broken edges of our characters. Even our primary PoV character, who I deeply cared about by the end has to face some hard truths on her own behavior. The best part for me, the BEST part, was climax and the reveals. I spent a good chunk of this book convinced of one thing, actively disliking and hating a character to somehow end the book feeling empathy for them? Well done.

If I had to complain about something it would be the epilogue, which I think was completely unneeded and actually killed a bit of the mystery in the story. I would recommend perhaps not reading it, but it’s up to you ultimately.

Do I recommend this one? Yes! This is a great thriller with a great subtle message about bullying. I would especially like to see this in the hands of some younger folks as I think it might be a great read for them to explore. Julie Soto should definitely look to write more books like this, it was a fantastic read.

Jodi Dillon, is a Thrasher, an elite high school friend group centering around Zack Thrasher, Jodis childhood best friend..
When a mysterious tragedy shakes their community, Jodi begins to question the loyalties and secrets within her circle.

I felt so bad for Jodi, she was stuck in such a tough situation, and it was hard watching her struggle with who to trust, and what was right.

I don't want to give anything away, so I am having a hard time putting my feelings about this book into words. I don't want to say what I liked or didn't like, because even that would give away crucial parts of this story.
I will say, I stayed up till 2:30am reading this, for reference my bedtime is usually around 10:30pm ... I could. Not. Stop!
So if you are looking for an intense YA thriller with strong characters and lots of twists, then pick this one up.