This book was honestly a blast to read. I couldn’t stop once I started. The suspense had me hooked, and the supernatural twist added a really cool layer to the whole thing. The plot was gripping right from the prologue, and it just kept building. The writing style made everything flow so well, and the pacing felt just right. It was fast enough to keep me hooked but not overwhelming.

One thing I loved the most was the way high school life and friendship drama were portrayed. It felt super real, and I appreciated how all the characters had that morally gray edge. They kept hiding things from each other, which was frustrating, but in a way that actually made the story even more compelling. One detail that stood out was the use of the term “thrashed”. It hit hard, especially for Jodi’s character, and felt surprisingly relatable. I feel like so many people can relate to that fear of being “thrashed”.

Also, the subtle romance between Jodi and Julian was a nice touch. It didn’t overpower the main story but added just enough emotional depth. I genuinely hope there’s a sequel because that ending left me wanting more. If you’re into fast-paced reads with mystery, supernatural elements, and complex characters, this one’s totally worth checking out.

4.5 stars

I don't read a lot of YA anymore, but I will literally read Julie Soto's grocery list because I'm that confident she's gonna write something I will love.

Part thriller/part ghost story/part CW high school drama, The Thrashers kept me riveted! The pacing was perfect, the characters more than their exteriors, and Thrasher turned amateur sleuth, Jodi Dillon, is determined to figure out the mysterious death of Emily Mills and if she and her friends were the cause of it, whether it loses her her friends or not.

I was never bored, always ready to read more, and I have to be honest, some scenes were really kind of creepy as the reader tries to figure out if there is a paranormal aspect at play or just wild coincidence. There is a lot of high school social hierarchy discussions. The Thrashers are the popular kids, everyone wants to be them, but no one wants to get Thrashed, which is the term the school comes up with for the kids who get dropped from the group, used and abused for entertainment. I think the author did well by the story, having important conversations, but also showing that these are kids, kids who maybe are playing by rules with consequences they aren't prepared to deal with. There was some light romance even (which she knows, people are going to jump on and want more of, haha, and I have to agree!)

Overall, really enjoyable. Highly recommend for those fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson.

Absolutely phenomenal read! Couldn’t put it down…Julie Soto perfectly captures the dynamics of high school friend groups in this YA thriller. She has us alternatively rooting for these teens and then hating them. Kept me guessing until the totally satisfying epilogue..

Now, I need more! Please tell me there’s a sequel coming!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Netgalley, and Julie Soto for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this “13 Reasons Why” meets paranormal novel, Soto makes you fall in love with the characters so you cannot put it down! Perspective is everything, and Soto has you questioning until the very end. The main character was extremely relatable and I found myself thinking about my own friend group and some of the same questions that came up. Quick read, great pace, never bored, finished in a day!

Was hooked by 30%. Twists and turns. Lies and secrets. Who are your real friends? Take a dive into this paranormal, high school mystery and hopefully you don’t get thrashed.
Thanks netgalley for the opportunity to read this!!

Somewhere between a 4 and a 5

Insert new personality MY THRILLER ERA IS HERE

Thank you to Julie Sotos team for always giving me ARCs

The Thrashers is about a cliquey high school where the cool kids don’t let anyone get too close before they get rid of them. Those thrashed have revenge on the mind but it’s not until Emily Mills commits suicide that things escalate to a new level. What stood out to me about this book was that almost all the characters were unlikeable, keeping secrets, and dealing with immense trauma. While at times unbelievable and frustrating, as a reader I couldn’t put the book down or stop thinking about it because every time I thought I knew what was happening, Julie Soto tried to lead me astray.

Overall, a very harsh realistic view of high school. The only thing I wish was spelled out a bit more was how unwell these students were and the potential to be labeled crazy instead of diagnosed with a mental health disorder.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Rating: 3 Stars
Spice Rating: 0
Publish Date: May 6th 2025
Will I purchase a physical copy? Undecided

Julie Soto is such a good author, I feel like moving from romance to thriller so seamlessly is so talented.

Following five friends called the Thrashers and only having one perspective is an interesting take. I do feel like of was slightly slow for me and I felt like a lot of things happened that probably weren’t needed ie. the paranormal aspect. I felt like I was annoyed and mad at Emily more than I felt any other emotion towards her. And I felt conflicted the whole time on literally everything instead of being able to decide which parts should or shouldn’t be conflicting,

5⭐️ *crazed laughing while also crying* IM SORRY WHAT??????

this book is a banger. plain and simple. julie soto did her BIG one with this YA thriller debut and WOW. i need to collect myself. go commune with nature.

i fear that the teenage romance b plot in this YA thriller meant more to me than the majority of actual full-length romance novels i’ve read and idk what to make of that

julian hollister 🤭🥰😇😛🙂‍↔️💘😻💌 i actually need to be taken out back and put down like a dog bc why am i in love with this fictional teenage boy 🌝 julian hollister just awoke in me a part of myself that hasn’t existed since i was down bad horrendously for chuck bass at the age of 12

this book was, honestly, a masterpiece. it’s a YA thriller with a dash of romance (and a will-they-won’t-they supernatural aura) but it also has a painfully real message about the consequences of how we treat people and the lengths we’ll go to to feel like we “belong” and yeah i sobbed my eyes out at the end so what??

wow, this book was excellent! every time i thought i reached the final twist, i was wrong! i was a little nervous about some of the paranormal storylines turning into a cop-out ending, but that didn’t happen either. this proved to me that julie soto can span across genres and excel at anything!

Jodi is part of a popular social group called the Thrashers, but she’s never felt like she belongs. When a girl, Emily, is ousted by the group and ends her own life, The Thrashers are now under police scrutiny. Everyone says they bullied Emily and Emily’s journal proves all the terrible things they’ve done. However, they didn’t happen. How can Jodi and her friends prove their innocence? Are they all even innocent?

There was a lot going on in this one, however the story was easily to follow and kept me engaged. The characters weren’t incredibly likable, however that was pretty much the point. This touched on bullying and the effects of it, so a little bit of a trigger warning in that.

Overall, this was fast paced and interesting!

That ending! I cannot stop thinking about that ending.

STORY
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

SPICE
🌶️ --

RECOMMEND
💳 yes

If you’ve enjoyed Julie Soto’s "Forget Me Not" and "Not Another Love Song," and you’re thinking about picking up "The Thrashers," brace yourself for something completely different - it’s a whole different vibe, both in concept and tone.

I have to admit, the beginning started a bit slow for me, but once the pacing picked up, I was hooked. I was completely engaged and I got so wrapped up in it that I stayed up until 2 a.m. on a work night—I couldn't put it down!

As for the ending—after everything was revealed—WHOA. I honestly don’t know if I would describe "The Thrashers" as having a happy ending, but I loved it anyway! I devoured it. I wish I could read it again for the first time. I enjoyed it so much that I preordered the audiobook for an audio reread later.

I’m looking forward to reading Julie Soto's "Rose in Chains" next, and fingers crossed for more from "The Thrashers" world too!

Just a heads-up: while I thought "The Thrashers" was fantastic, I know it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. The characters can be pretty unlikable at times, and they definitely act like typical teens (17 and 18), which might rub some readers the wrong way.

Also, it’s worth mentioning that although the eARC didn’t come with any trigger warnings, some readers who are sensitive might find certain parts of the story a bit tough. A lot happens off-page, especially a key moment that really drives the plot.

If you do decide to dive into "The Thrashers," I genuinely hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

A huge thank you to St. Martin's Press for the chance to read Julie Soto's "The Thrashers" in advance.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press for an ARC of Julie Soto's YA debut, ' The Thrashers". Emily kills herself the night of prom after being bullied by a popular group of students called, "The Thrashers". When they start being investigated for the harassment, weird things start happening. Is Emily haunting them? Does the defense have a case? I really REALLY wanted to get into this one, but it really fell flat for me.

I love Julie's writing style, so I assumed I'd like this book even with the genre/audience switch. What I didn't expected is to absolutely love it just as much. The characters are all so well fleshed out, flaws and all. And she just nails the high school dynamics. The suspense was great and I was completely freaked out at times. The supernatural aspect was such a treat. I'm hoping we get more of this story because I need more Jodi and Julian and THAT ENDING. Just wow.

This book ate and left zero crumbs

it’s got the perfect mix of drama, tension, and that slow creepy vibe that sneaks up on you
the friend group dynamics?? wild. i never knew who to trust and it kept me guessing the whole time
super readable but also kinda hits you emotionally out of nowhere

def one of those books you finish and immediately wanna talk about. you’d love it

The Thrashers is probably my favorite book so far this year. I've been in such a slump (and busy) so this was much needed. I struggled to put it down.

It's really hard to like anyone from this book. Jodi was probably the best person. I thought this would just be a murder mystery, but it ended up with a lot of haunting/spooky moments. I loved that part because it made it feel more unique compared to the typical ya thriller. The characters were interesting even the ones I didn't like. Julie Soto pulls me into her characters a lot. I wasn't sure if that would happen with her ya, but it did. I found myself caring and wanting good things for them. Please watch for trigger warnings though. Especially talk of statutory rape, bullying, drugs, and suicide.

I gave this book 5 stars. Julie Soto is quickly becoming an auto buy author for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for my earc.

I was really excited to read a new book by Julie Soto, especially one that was in a different genre! I absolutely loved both of her romance books so I was really excited to see what she could do with a thriller, and it didn't disappoint! Her writing style sucked me in immediately and I couldn't put it down, very similar to her romances. I did think overall the story was a little young, but that's expected with a YA thriller and I think it was done really well. It kept me guessing and entertained throughout the whole thing, and this just solidified that I'll read anything she writes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this eARC!

Julie Soto’s first YA thriller, and she knocked it out of the park!

This book was such a roller coaster of making you suspect, each person in the friend group, but then still feeling like something is missing. This “suicide” is not all that it seems and the police dig deeper into the group of friends to uncover the real truth.

Definitely worth a read! Team Julian all the way! 😍

Alright, I'm definitely going to need a sequel for this one.

I was hooked by the prologue and ended up reading this book entirely in one sitting! I'd been feeling a little burned out by thrillers and I feel like this one really renewed my interest in them. Julie Soto can apparently just pick any genre she wants and write a great story.

The writing was great and the pacing was fast for the most part. It did start to drag a bit in the middle before picking up steam again at the end. I almost felt like the pacing at the end was a little too quick, which kept me from giving it 5 stars. There were a couple plot points at the end that kind of took me out of the story a bit, but the epilogue really made me want to read more!

I would for sure recommend this to anyone who loves thrillers or wants to try out the genre.

this one was fun!

i did find Jodi a bit insufferable, but she is seventeen and i am twenty seven so...older and wiser i suppose. i also did hate the ending and think with the current state of the world (i picked this specific read as a form of escapism) it would have been better to just skip the last chapter. but alas, sometimes we need books to point out exactly what is wrong with the world and the justice system. i don't think it necessarily did that well, but it was a bit of a plot twist that i think others would find enjoyable and out of left field.

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

Emily has committed suicide and her group of “friends” are investigated for bullying her. This story follows those friends, particularly Jodi, and what led to Emily’s death. This story gives MAJOR 13 Reasons Why vibes, so if that book wasn’t for you then this won’t be either.

Was Emily bullied? Were the entries in her journal true? Did Emily even really kill herself? There were a lot of questions through the book and the end wraps them all up in a nice bow. It was a good story, but not as memorable as 13RW.