4/5 stars.

I have read two other works by Julie Soto: Forget Me Not and Nothing Another Love Song and thought they were entertaining enough but nothing mind-blowing. So I was super intrigued to find that she was writing not only a completely different genre, thriller (one of my faves!), but that it was YA. I was pleasantly surprised to find I really enjoyed this tale. I'm actually kind of in awe? This was addictive, I had so much trouble putting it down. The romance subplot was captivating. The ending though OMG!!! I keep going back and forth on the rating but I can't deny I had fun even. This was fast paced and the plot twist was unexpected. I'm impressed! I may like this author writing more in this genre than romance. Thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve always known that Julie Soto is a phenomenal writer but after reading THE THRASHERS, I can say with conviction that she is truly a master at her craft. The way she crosses over to other genres seamlessly and with so much impact is nothing short of impressive. I honestly have not picked up a YA book in a hot minute but this book gripped me from the Prologue, completely sucked me in by the first chapter and did not let me go until the Epilogue, I haven’t been ensnared by a book in a while and I’ve forgotten how thrilling it is. And THE THRASHERS <i>is</i> incredibly thrilling, it’s also intelligent, emotional, dark, heavy, heartbreaking, spooky, and fascinating. Julie Soto delivers a very unique paranormal thriller experience that will draw in readers of all ages.

THE THRASHERS is a book tangled with many secrets and Jodi, the main character, takes us along with her on her pursuit of the truth and unraveling all the snarled threads marring the path to the truth. And when that truth is exposed, the question shifts from <i>what really happened</i> to <i>is Jodi ready to accept this truth?</i>. Because beyond being an exciting paranormal thriller trying to figure out <i>whodunnit</i>, this book is also an uncomfortable but relevant discussion about high school cliques, bullying and its repercussions, the consequences of actions and taking accountability for them, painful family dynamics, and the harm of misguided kindness. Julie Soto tackles these topics with gravity and there were moments it felt like I was reading a think piece about the effects of bullying and suicide, and the different forms of abuse.

Like Jodi, the things happening in this book had me stressed and suspicious of everyone. Between the eerie hauntings and trying to solve the mystery surrounding Emily Mills’s death, there were many things coming to light that were shocking and had Jodi (and me) questioning the legitimacy of people’s testimonies and their friendship. Trust me, this book does not let up and will keep you guessing right until Soto whacks you over the head with the twist and reveal that will have your jaw dropping and heart aching, and then she’ll whack you again with that absolutely bonkers epilogue. And as a small reprieve in between these whackings, she gives us a Veronica Mars-Logan Echolls-esque romance subplot that will have you rooting and crying over and begging for <i>more, please</i>.

THE THRASHERS finished me about a week ago and I still haven’t recovered. I think the only way one can start the path to recovery post-THE THRASHERS is for Soto and her publishers to officially announce the sequel, for all of our well-beings. If you’re looking for a YA thriller that toes the line between <i>it will decimate you</i> and <i>it will destroy you</i> and with varying shades of dark, one with a touch of paranormal to keep things very interesting and a mystery that will keep you guessing, plus a romance that will keep you hoping for more, and an ending that will completely shock you, then look no further beyond THE THRASHERS, this book was meant for you.

I’m 10% through and I’m honestly bored. I really prefer this authors romance books. I understand I’m not the targeted audience for this genre but this isn’t a book for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

This is my first Julie Soto book. I have had her on my TBR list for a long time and so glad I’m finally picking up one of her books! Boy, is this a good one to start with.

This book does not take long to suck you in. It is immediately interesting and you’re wondering what this group of kids have to do with the death of a classmate.

Along with the mystery, there are friendship and romantic elements which I really enjoy. At the core, the group friendship seems so strong. Until secrets begin to be revealed and realizations start happening. Jodi finds out many truths about her friend group. How will Jodi navigate her home life, friendships that may be dissolving in front of her eyes, and potential new feelings, when there is still so much unknown about the case.

I was not expecting the epilogue. I wonder if there’s going to be a second book as that ending leaves lots of detail that could still be touched on…

I think this thriller was so good! It was fun, had me at the edge of my seat, and made me stay up until 2am to finish it.

Has similar vibes to Pretty Little Liars (imo) and Veronica Mars

Wow this was so much fun!!! I absolutely love YA murder mysteries and this one is definitely up there now!!

The story starts with a student named Emily who has died. It then follows Jodi and her small clique of friends, called the Thrashers. Named after Zack Thrasher, the golden boy and center of everyone's universe. They're rich, they're popular, and everyone wants to be friends with them. But when the truth behind Emily’s death starts to unravel, Jodi is forced to face some serious truths about the friends she loves.

It’s the classic YA high school formula—think One of Us Is Lying and Pretty Little Liars. It was so addictive, I couldn’t put it down. The twists were so twisty, THAT ENDING.

I also loved the serious angst with the misunderstood bad boy. Plus, the touch of paranormal added a really fun flair. It reminded me a little of Shari Lapena's What Have You Done, but without the dead girl's direct POV.

This book totally got me out of my reading slump!! I’m so happy to have received this ARC—and I preordered the physical copy because I absolutely need one on my shelf!!

High school drama, toxic friend groups and a dead girl. It sounded like a good time to me! And while I did enjoy the storyline and the drama that came with it, the ending left me a bit disappointed. The whole book I was hoping for some sort of unexpected twist in regards to the mystery, and it just never came. I could’ve told you the outline of the rest of the story around 30%. It even seemed to be hinting at more but nothing happened with those hints.

Besides that, I did have a great time reading this and couldn’t put it down. I would recommend it but go in for the drama, not for the mystery.

This was actually my first Julie Soto book 🤭. I own a few of her romance but when I saw she did a thriller (my fav genre) I knew I had to read it! It follows the story of a group of kids named “the thrashers”. It definitely had you questioning the innocence and the guilt of each of the characters you followed. I kept second guessing myself as if I should trust said characters. In the end, I found it a bit predictable as to what truly happened but it was still quite the rollercoaster of a read.

I am looking forward to starting to read the rest of this authors books!

this was such an addictive read! every time i started this back up, i was constantly telling myself just a few more pages and this was such a fun read! i enjoy soto's romances, so seeing her write another genre was interesting and she killed it!
this is was extremely fast-paced, with a somewhat predictable plot but it was so quick and fun i didn't mind!

As someone who’s loved Julie Soto’s romantic comedies, I wasn’t sure what to expect when she announced a young adult thriller. The Thrashers is a departure from her usual feel-good fare, and I’ll admit—I was hesitant to pick it up. Thrillers aren’t usually my thing. But once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down.

From the jump, the story pulls you in with high stakes, constant questions, and twists that just keep coming. Soto proves she’s just as skilled at building tension and mystery as she is at writing swoon-worthy banter. The characters are morally gray in all the right ways—complex, unpredictable, and deeply human. I found myself loving (and second-guessing) all of them, sometimes in the same chapter.

What really impressed me was how satisfying the resolution was. The ending delivered on all the tension and questions the story built up, and it stuck with me long after I finished the last page. Even though I came for Julie Soto, I stayed for the story—and I’m so glad I did.

If you’re a YA fan, a lover of twisty plots, or just curious to see what happens when one of your favorite rom-com authors goes dark, The Thrasher is absolutely worth the read.

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Overall: 4/5
Romance: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
My introduction to thrillers did not disappoint. This was a fun read. Once I actually started I struggled to step away. It was a fun story that I absolutely needed to see through to the end. Not only was this my introduction to thrillers it was also my introduction to Julie Soto and she lived up to her hype. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this unfamiliar genre. Soto’s storytelling abilities shone and kept me engaged the whole book!
The ending, while only partially satisfying, felt very realistic, and the epilogue makes me want to demand a sequel ASAP. I liked how real the story and characters felt at times. I also want to know everything about the characters now, like I'd be so down for a prequel novella. So, in summary, I am a bit too invested in the lives of a fictional friend group now!
The Thrashers is a YA thriller with (maybe (; )some supernatural elements and all the drama that comes along with high school. It’s a fun and easy, engaging read that will leave you wanting more. I’m also just about to order all the books on Julie Soto’s blacklist that I don't already own.

This was a rollercoaster from start to finish. I was completely and utterly obsessed with this crew of friends. The twists and turns throughout had me on the edge of my seat. It felt so real, and exactly what could happen in highschool… well aside from a few things maybe. Julie has a way with words that makes you completely emerged in the book, the outside world goes away. The ending had me angry only because I needed more! More answers! More of the Thrashers. Just MORE! But overall it was 5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC of The Thrashers by Julie Soto. Once in a while I absolutely love a YA book, and this was the perfect one to binge.

The book followers the elite friend group, The Thrashers, at their local high school. Emily Mills desperately wants to be in the group, but finds herself “thrashed” and when she dies, her journal surfaces. There were a few points in time in which I wasn’t sure where the story was going - There’s definitely a paranormal aspect to it. I enjoyed the audiobook, and felt satisfied at the ending.

I love everything Julie Soto writes. I’m not a big thriller/mystery/suspense reader because I’m a big scaredy cat but I really enjoyed this.

I have no choice but to give this five stars. I dropped everything to read this almost in one sitting. I don’t read a ton of YA, but this one reminded me of shows and movies from my young adult years. And the ending! It had me wanting to immediately re-read the entire book.

This book covers so much. High school cliques, bullying, and sadly suicide to name a few. Emily Mills takes her own life and all eyes are on The Thrashers, a group of five friends. Jodi Dillon has been best friends with Zack Thrasher since the 2nd grade. In high school he brings more and more people into their group, and Jodi starts to feel like she’s being left behind. She is also in love with him, and knows her feelings aren’t reciprocated. She is close with the other girls in her group, Paige and Lucy, but she doesn’t always get along with the fifth person, Julian. And now that they’re under so much scrutiny, secrets will be unearthed.

There was so much to love about this book. All the character dynamics and interactions, the mystery of what happened leading up to Emily’s tragic decision, and a few swoon worthy moments.

I’ve seen comparisons to Pretty Little Liars and Thirteen Reasons Why, and those are spot on, but it also has a bit of Veronica Mars in there, and that’s one of my favorite teen dramas.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, Julie Soto, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC of this book!

I ATE THIS UP. The perfect amount of secrets, the paranormal suspense, the characters with so many layers. And can we talk about THE ENDING?! Cause I would have continued this forever. Julie can switch genres as many times as she wants - I will continue to read

I’ll start off by saying this is not my preferred genre, but I love Julie and her writing so much I was obviously going to read it anyway. Did it feel similar to other things I’ve read in the past? Yes. Would I still recommend it? Also yes, especially if ya thrillers are your thing. I had a good time. I was entertained. I wanted to know how it ended. Also the end is giving “Hi Dad” from Next to Normal (iykyk).

I didn't want to put this down. I haven't been this obsessed with YA/Suspense since One of Us is Lying. I loved it. The characters, the story, the intrigue/suspense, the hint of romance. It was flawless and I really, really, REALLY hope there will be a sequel. (or a movie...or both.)

This book was so addictive and hard to put down from beginning to end. The ending was not super satisfying to me (and almost seemed like this might have a sequel? Honestly it better.) But I still can’t bring myself to rate it anything less than 5 stars even though I’m a bit let down by how it all came together. I liked the suspense, danger, creepy ghost vibes, secrets, and mystery throughout. It felt nuanced and the high school relationships and dynamics were more relatable than what normally is portrayed in YA. It felt like much more than a thriller/mystery and explored the concept of bullying in a way that really highlighted how hard high school can feel when you’re in it and the weight of people’s expectations and wanting to fit in. I really enjoyed it and hope we see more of The Thrashers in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by Julie Suto, and it absolutely blew me away. The writing, storytelling, and characters were all top-notch. I’m definitely grabbing her other books to devour as well! This book was exciting, intriguing, and that last chapter? It had me gasping. I LITERALLY had to find people on Instagram to talk about it because I needed to discuss the ending. LOL. It was such a wild ride, and I loved every second of it.

I believe this is Julie’s first thriller with minimal romance, and it’s completely addicting. It’s the perfect one-day binge read if you're looking for something quick. You can’t go wrong with high school drama, popular kids, secrets, and someone trying to unravel the truth behind a suicide.
The main character was so relatable, she’s part of the popular group, constantly worried about losing her spot if she misses a party or says the wrong thing to her friends. She fears no one actually likes her, and it was refreshing to have a main character with such relatable stress.

I won’t spoil too much, so you can go into the book blind, but PLEASE put this on your TBR.

With that said, fk Zach. I love Julian, and I low-key wish there was a second book coming soon out so I can get a glimpse into his future…...

A huge thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for the ARC!

The Thrashers are (mostly) a group of spoiled, entitled teens who are bored and cause unnecessary pain and drama to people for fun. But then a girl who was desperate to be one of them dies, each of the Thrashers start facing the consequences of their actions.

I love Julie Soto's first two books but this book is a huge departure. I thought I had set my expectations appropriately before reading. Don't get me wrong, I still find Soto's writing brilliant. I enjoyed many of the twists and turns in this book, though it was a bit too long in my opinion, but you aren't leaving it with a warm and fuzzy happily ever after. While the book is in third person perspective, you get to know Jodi the best. She's the classic "wrong side of the tracks" character who isn't really "meant" to be in this group. She is easily to identify with if you were a kid who wasn't accepted in high school, even though she was "accepted-ish". She's easily the best character in the book because she's the only person who isn't 98% shitty. I know I'm not the target audience of this book, but perhaps that's why it's so striking to me that teenagers treat the lives of others with so little care. Especially when they have access to power and privilege. Then again, maybe that explains a lot about why the world is the way it is right now.

I have such mixed feelings about this book because while I hate everything the Thrashers stood for, it got me thinking back to when I was a preteen and teen. Was I that horrible to someone? Was it just because my brain was not fully formed or because I wasn't at all comfortable in my own life? Is that an excuse if I did act horribly?

The romantic in me was hoping for a redemption arc for Julian and maybe he did get that in some form. I won't spoil the ending, but it left me wondering if that redemption happened only because of what was hanging over his head.