this book is giving 13 reasons why and i’m here for it! it was my jam back in my teen years. i really enjoyed reading this ya thriller (especially since it’s not my normal type of genre read). julie stays making me want to turn pages to find out what happens next. it’s SO REAL. everyone crushing on the hottest guy in high school, the bullies, the gossip. it warped me back to 10+ years ago (even though some memories were unwarranted).

i would recommend this to a friend who wanted a book that resembled 13 reasons. although i could live without the paranormal/seances vibe - i think the haunting message from emily would have come across better without it.

Julie Soto’s YA debut is a quick tempo paranormal thrill-ride that keeps you on your toes.

Jodi has always felt like an outsider to her friend group, The Thrashers. But when a want-to-be member of the group dies… things get even more complicated. Strange things start happening to the Thrashers that no one can explain.

My favorite aspect of the novel was the balance of supernatural events and teenage drama. Both of these played a huge role in pushing the plot forward and keeping the reader engaged. I would definitely be interested in reading more YA novels from Julie Soto!

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC for review consideration!

The Thrashers was an absolute banger from the very first line to the very last line. I picked up this book because Julie wrote it - I can’t remember the last time I read any YA that wasn’t a fantasy book. The Thrashers had everything: the characters, the plot, the build up, the tension, the mystery.
So this is me formally begging. Please can we have some more Thrashers. I know this could be a standalone and it would be complete, but the door is cracked for more so let’s kick it open. #teamjolian

Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Soto, and Wednesday Books for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t use these words a lot, but this was worth the hype. I’ve seen so many 4 and 5-star reviews for it and for my first Julie Soto book and Julie Soto’s YA debut—and a YA thriller no less—this was so much fun to read. I've been looking for another thriller that's made me lose track of time and made me feel fully immersed in the plot and characters, and this was the one. Like, I'm talking "I went to bed at 2 AM even though I was fully aware that I had to wake up early to get ready and go to work the next morning" good. I'm calling it right now- BookTok, Bookstagram, etc. is going to hype this book up like crazy, and while I try not to follow bookish social media trends all the time (considering my poor track record with liking most of the books recommended online), I think this is one of the very few books that deserves all the praise.

The story takes place over a year at New Helvetia High, following a group of five friends--Jodi, Paige, Lucy, Julian, and their "ringleader," Zack,--AKA The Thrashers. They're the "it" group at school. Everyone wants to be in their friend group, and some people do, for a time...until they get "Thrashed," AKA kicked out in a humiliating way, or flat out dropped from the friend group once their purpose has been served. They're rich and pretty, but most importantly, they're best friends with Zack Thrasher, and being friends with Zack Thrasher can get you far in the social hierarchy at New Helvetia. When a girl named Emily Mills commits suicide the night of prom, the Thrashers are the prime suspects in the investigation; officials say that their bullying led to Emily's suicide, since Emily wanted to become a Thrasher herself but never made it into the inner circle. They claim they did nothing wrong and never bullied Emily, but how much truth is behind those claims?

I think Julie Soto did a great job creating a complex and morally gray cast of characters. I usually hesitate on reading anything that's even remotely related to the YA contemporary space because I feel like, as an (almost) twenty-five-year-old, I've grown out of the genre, and I haven't been a teenager for quite some time now. I always get worried that the writing will feel too juvenile and the characters too immature, even though the characters in The Thrashers are high school seniors (17/18). I had none of these concerns while reading. The book goes into a lot of heavy topics such as suicide, bullying, and mean high school cliques (all trigger/content warnings will be listed at the bottom of my review), and I think Julie Soto perfectly encaptured all of the feelings that I feel most, if not all, high schoolers have felt at least once or twice throughout their high school experience. The story is told from Jodi's perspective, and the way that Jodi is the "odd one out," considering she doesn't come from a ton of money like her friends do, tries not to drink or do drugs, and tries to be kind to everyone she can, provides a fresh and interesting perspective on the story since she always feels like she's the next person to get "Thrashed." I loved The Thrashers' friendship with each other; it was super wholesome and they felt like a true friend group, especially Jodi's friendship with Paige.

It's been a long, long time since a book has kept me engaged like this. It was giving me Pretty Little Liars vibes the entire way through. Like, the mysterious text messages from an anonymous person? The freak accidents? The way the mystery and entire story runs so much deeper than you think, and you never know who's telling the truth at any time? The way you could never trust anyone who was saying anything? I loved it all. I would've finished it in one sitting if I didn't have to go to bed. I also thought the paranormal aspect of the story was pretty cool to read about as well; it almost turned a thriller into a horror story a few times, if I'm being quite honest! With that being said, do I think the plot twist was mind-blowing? No, and I predicted the ending pretty early on. However, I still think this was enjoyable to read and the writing and plot sucked me into the story from the very first chapter.

The only two things I took half a star off for were the ending and the romance. I might be on Unpopular/Hot Take Island here, but I didn't feel the chemistry between Jodi and person-who-shall-not-be-named-for-the-sake-of-not-spoiling-anything. There was one really cute scene that made a thriller feel like a wholesome, cutesy YA rom-com for a few pages, but other than that, I didn't feel the chemistry between the two. As for the ending, it kind of felt...incomplete? I'm not sure how else to describe it, but I felt like there wasn't a whole ton of closure at the end of the story and I feel like more justice needed to be served, all things considered. Maybe this means there's an avenue open for Julie Soto in the future to write more from this New Helvetia High universe later on down the line? I'm sure this is supposed to be a standalone, but who knows? (I REALLY hope there's more down the line in this universe.)

There was also one specific element/part from the story that was brought up twice during the plot and provided what I thought was good, important information about Emily, but was never brought up again after those instances, or contributed to the entire plot. I honestly don't think that it contributed anything overall to the plot and how everything ultimately unraveled. If it were removed, I don't think it would've impacted the story greatly. I think it provided some good context and characterization of Emily before she passed, but that was about it.

If you're looking for a thriller to get you turning the pages, lose track of time, and become enthralled in the plot, this is the book for you! I'm so glad this was my first Julie Soto book, and I've already put her on my auto-buy list of authors after reading The Thrashers. I look forward to reading more from her in the near future--I preordered Rose in Chains a few months ago--and I'll be reading some of her romance novels at some point to pass the time between finishing this and waiting for my copy of Rose in Chains to come in the mail. Julie Soto, you just gained a new fan.

I enjoyed this book! This was my first Julie Soto book. I look forward to reading more Julie Soto books in the future.

Jodi’s been best friends with Zack Thrasher since they were seven even though they were opposites. He was rich, handsome, and friendly, while she was poor, average, and quiet. They hit it off but, once in middle school, he and Julian became fast friends. Julian spirited Zack away every chance he got and made sure to exclude Jodi from get togethers, especially when popular, pretty, and rich girls Paige and Lucy joined their group. Jodi always felt as if she was the extra wheel in their group.

Junior year ended horribly when Emily, a younger student who had been in love with Zach, started hanging out with them. Though she resisted their many hints to leave, she committed suicide two weeks before summer vacation. The police, her mother, and fellow students blamed them. They were now known as The Thrashers, a group of bullies. After almost being arrested for causing her to commit suicide they were cautioned to split up in public, leaving Jodi on the outside again.

Things got weird very soon as all of them started to get strange text messages, and Emily started to appear in their dreams and in person. It seemed as if she planned to get revenge on them from beyond the grave. Emily was going to make sure The Thrashers would never get to thrash anyone else again.

I was very interested in what was going to happen next, as the suspense kept building. However, I will have to go on record that I was NOT a fan of the ending. I can’t say anything else, as that’s for readers to read for themselves, but I was NOT a fan. Other than that, it was a very good read.

Recommended for ages 15 and older.

On the edge of my seat!

I went into this novel blind, not really knowing what it was about.

It hooked me easily enough.
The paranormal aspect surprised me, but they were well done.

I really enjoyed reading it!

Love Julie Soto

While the setting for this book is high school & the main characters you’re following are teenagers, this doesn’t read like a YA novel at all. Jodi at times felt to me like Veronica in the movie Heathers, part of the in crowd but always nervous of being ousted. Thankfully her friends are not the Heathers. We get to follow Jodi & you feel for her, anyone who’s ever felt like the outcast in their group, can easily relate to her. With inserts of Emily’s “diary” I found myself reading faster & faster. What exactly happened to her, she wasn’t all she appeared to be. There also a teeny hint at something supernatural without being over the top. This felt like a more grown up version of an R.L. Stine book, with richer characters & plot. I went in with no real expectations & I enjoyed it so much more that I thought I would. It’s a perfect summer read!

📓

Read if you like:
* What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena
* Remember Me by Christopher Pike
* Fear Street books

I love Julie Soto’s contemporary romance so I was excited to read her first YA thriller. I was not expecting to get sucked in from the first chapter!
The Thrashers is about a popular group of high school students. Zach Thrasher is the leader of the group and he is the All American boy that all the girls want to be with. He gets bored of people quickly and his group of friends, known as the Thrashers, have to clean up his mess. Jodi is part of the group but she still feels like an outsider. She has always had feelings for Zach but also doesn’t want to the “thrashed” as well.
The Thrashers are under investigation their senior year after a fellow student commits suicide after being excluded from their group. The group has to navigate their own friendships and the secrets they keep from each other.
I couldn’t put this one down! There were plot twists that had me second guessing everyone! The characters were so relatable as we all just wanted to felt like we belonged when we were in high school. This book kept me sucked in the whole time and the epilogue had my jaw on the floor! I really hope Julie writes a sequel because I need more!

Read if you love:
✨thriller
✨rich clique drama
✨paranormal twists
*Check TW since this deals with some heavy topics such as suicide and bullying

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Wednesday books for the arc!

I ate this up and yet???

I was in the mood for a fast paced YA thriller and this was just what I was looking for! The book hooked me right from the prologue and I didn’t see the twists coming but *yet* there was something about the ending (that I won’t share bc spoilers) that left me feeling so unsatisfied??? in fact I’m in the processing of rewriting the ending just so I can pretend it didn’t happen 😛

This was my first Julie Soto and it was really well written and super fun so I’d definitely recommend it. The issue at the end is probably not going to be a common annoyance!

i must compile my thoughts because i’m conflicted. not in a bad way necessarily but im sitting here almost disappointed and not completely satisfied!?

first of all, i really enjoyed this, i was flying through it and didn’t want to put it down. the drama, the secrets, the chills, the lies, EVERYTHING. I did get a little creeped out a few times. I truly felt like I was in a high school slasher film (but nobody is getting slashed, instead they are getting thrashed).

this book gives a little bit of “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” and “One of Us is Lying” and then take those together and add some paranormal activity. which by the way i really thought the paranormal activity was a fun addition and contributed to the story.

somewhere along the way i started rooting for this romance subplot that was hinted at and sprinkled in in places. i think that’s also part of the reason i was hooked. I was really able to relate to Jodie in certain ways. I’ve done friend groups, i’ve realized they aren’t for me in more ways than one and being able to relate to Jodie and feel some of her insecurities and doubts (while having to relive a little bit of past trauma😅) made me feel seen and for that, i liked this book a little more.

i felt a lot while reading this one, i was rooting for characters, against some of the characters, i felt some tension and angst, i got the chills on numerous occasions when reading, and i even got a little creeped out here and there.

However, while reading this my goal was to enjoy the book and avoid getting caught up in playing detective, so i was not trying to predict the ending, but i did have my suspicions about certain things. with that said i do think in a sense it is a bit predictable, but it didn’t take anything away from me or the story. I still very much enjoyed this, so much so that i’m actually disappointed it’s over. i do feel a little unsatisfied, the story was wrapped up, but i also feel like it wasn’t wrapped up perfectly in a bow. and then the epilogue? makes me suspect there will be more? and if there’s not I will be so disappointed because i just feel like something is missing and the ending wasn’t entirely satisfying as it really has left me wanting more, as if something is missing still.

soooo, while i was thinking a 4.5…i think it’s going to be a solid 4 star for me because i simply just don’t feel like this story is done.

Thank you to Netgalley & St. Martins Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own :)

(this review will be posted to instagram in the future to @raysreadss)

One of the best YA thrillers I’ve read as of late - suspenseful & fast paced, this releases May 6th and I highly recommend it whether you are a YA reader or not - this has mass appeal to thriller readers across the spectrum.

4.5 stars

this is one of the best young adult books i’ve read in a long, long time. i think (and this is a bold claim) that it’s renewed my love for the genre. the thrashers is fast paced and gripping, features realistic, three dimensional characters, and explores (with much needed grace) important, pervasive themes like bullying, suicide, and social hierarchy.

we follow a tight knit friend group of five, known by most as the thrashers, after the death of their fellow classmate, emily mills. they are considered suspects in the case, their behavior and treatment of emily both as a group and individually believed to have been the instigating factor of her suicide. they deny any involvement, but is anyone really innocent?

i do want to say that if you’re expecting some mind blowing plot twist at the end, you’re likely not going to get it. it’s not predictable (at least in my opinion), but it isn’t entirely unpredictable either. and i think that’s what i enjoyed so much about it. this story feels so real. it’s about teenagers making questionable decisions and having to deal with the fallout—legal, social, and personal. it’s about the prevalence of elitism even in a supposedly tame setting like high school and how damaging it can be (for both the worshippers and the worshipped) to place people on a pedestal. it’s about the changing nature of friendship and learning to find each other, and yourself, all over again.

i loved jodi as our protagonist. i thought her perspective as part of this clique, but as someone who feels her position in it is precarious, was so interesting. she’s in, but for how long? her chemistry with julian was everything, and her relationship with lucy and paige was just so precious 🥹 julian is probably my favorite character, though. he’s so layered and complex, and his actions throughout the book reveal that his motivations aren’t entirely what they seem. the last chapter and the epilogue in particular show just how much emily’s death affected him, and how much he cares for his friends.

i hope desperately that julie soto will let us revisit these characters and their stories, but even if she decides this is it, i am so so grateful to have read this. i will absolutely be rereading it <3

For starters, if you love any teen thriller shows like Pretty Little Liars, let's be serious we all loved PLL, you will absolutely love The Thrashers!

I started this book and finished it in 6 hours. I could not put it down! It was a fast paced build up to an epic and surprising climax. I had a feeling of "That's it?!?! I need more!" It answered every question I had, but I genuinely want more of Jodi's story. I need to know what happens with her and Julian!!!! Jodi 100% gives me Ali vibes from PLL, which again I LOVE. Go buy it, pre-order it, whatever, now!!!! Out May 6th!

4/5 Stars Recommend to everyone!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and Julie Soto for this ARC!

As far as young adult thrillers go, this was a great one. I was hooked from the start and flew through this one. It had the darkness of an episode of Pretty Little Liars, and also felt like a Karen McManus story (which is a great thing). I really liked this one and am glad I read it!

Oh my gosh, this was a wild book. If I Know What You Did Last Summer and Mean Girls had a baby, this would be it.

Jodi is a bit of an outsider in her friend group and that gives her a unique perspective on how the clique operates. Their MO seems to be to befriend someone by drawing them into the group, only to discard them when they get bored. When Emily, one of the discards, dies, the question of the group’s culpability is raised.

But with all that going on, there’s also a supernatural element, which made the plot more engaging in my opinion because I never knew what was going to happen next. What was real? What was happening? It was so much more than the seemingly straightforward question of whether or not the clique was morally and legally responsible for Emily’s death. I don’t want to give too much away, but there’s clearly something that’s not adding up. And even Julie doesn’t know what’s going on or who she can believe or even who she should trust.

I would absolutely recommend The Thrashers. It appears as though this will be immediately available on Kindle Unlimited upon its release, so KU members should definitely consider grabbing it. I really enjoyed the blending of genres and the ambiguity. I don’t read a ton of YA, but this was a great book that kept me engaged throughout the entire reading experience.

I received a digital ARC of this book from St. Martin’s/NetGalley

3.75⭑ - I love Julie’s books so I was excited to see that she debuted her first YA thriller novel. This book is told from Jodi’s point of view, who is one of the members of the elite friend group at New Helvetia High, named “The Thrashers” by outsiders. When Emily Mills, who desperately wanted to be part of the Thrashers, dies, all eyes are on the group of 5 as her journal resurfaces with entries that point signs to them potentially being the cause of her death. I went into reading this pretty blind but I’m glad I did. The story was captivating and it was fast-paced. There were so many twists and turns it kept me on my toes the entire time. The ending was a bit open-ended and it left me wanting more. I believe this is a standalone novel but still hoping for an another book in this world!

I would recommend The Thrashers if you love books like The Naturals series and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder or shows like Pretty Little Liars and Riverdale.

This book comes out on May 6th so make sure to get your copy when this is released! Be sure to read trigger warnings prior to reading.

I received a copy from the St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I could not put this book down. It was so crazy but so good. I better get a second book because Julian and Jodi are endgame. That epilogue oh my God. This is must read one of my favorite thrillers Ive read in a long time. The paranormal aspect was a pleasant surprise.

. I'll be honest, I hadn’t even heard of Julie Soto before (where have I been??) because I usually stick to thrillers, but WOW. I was super shocked to find out "The Thrashers" is her debut YA thriller because it was so sharp and so twisty.

Told from the POV of Jodi, this book dives headfirst into betrayal, revenge, and the kind of juicy high school drama that gives *Mean Girls* energy—but make it darker and way more dangerous. The friendships are messy (in the best way), secrets are everywhere, and just when you think you've figured it out? BAM—a twist.

If you love twisty, teen drama with a side of secrets and betrayal, this one is for you. Super bingeable. Super entertaining. 4 stars from me!
Think: "Mean Girls" meets a thriller with serious bite.

Synopsis: Jodi’s childhood best friend Zack Thrasher comes from a different way of life. He’s popular and has his group of followers, known as the Thrashers. Emily has always wanted to be part of the group, but ends up dead. Her death is investigated and the Thrashers are questioned. Who’s to blame?

Review: I’ll start by saying I read this in a day because I couldn’t put it down. Julie Soto does no wrong! The character development was great and the story was easy to follow. (Side note: I can’t stand too many POVs because it takes away from the story and gets messy) So excited for her next book Rose in Chains!!

Go buy this book on release day May 6th! Thank you Net Galley, Wednesday books, and Julie Soto for the advance reader copy!