"Either you're in or you're out. Welcome to the Thrashers, the elite friend group at New Helvetia High. They're everything everyone wants to be."

WOW. Just—WOW. I’m not surprised, and yet, I’m still completely stunned. Julie Soto has once again proven there is nothing—and I mean nothing—she can’t write. Her YA thriller debut is nothing short of electric. What a pulse soaring, compelling, and yet, beautiful, story. The Thrashers are a group of deeply flawed High School students, who you truly can't help but root for. I was hooked from the very first line of the story and completely unable to pull my Air Pod from my ear.

This gave Pretty Little Liars meets 13 Reasons Why in the best way. I am forever changed.

Oh this book was a creepy one, I dove into this book and forgot COMPLETELY that this is a Julie Soto book. I love this author, and this book did not disappoint. The Thrashers are a group of kids, who are popular at school, and Emily, being the new girl in school wanted in, and what she ends up dead, that group is public enemy number 1. Secrets get revealed, and Emily left behind a journal, and its WILD. This YA read was a huge win.

(Did I forget to mention that this book is a little creepy?)

I kept wanting to know what was happening and how we got to where we were in the prologue. Every chapter kept me enthralled because the secrets that kept unraveling as we went on had me shook. I definitely recommend this to anyone that likes a typical YA Thriller/Mystery.

Different for Julie Soto, but I enjoyed it! I really enjoy her as a fanfic writer, and now I enjoy her as a thriller writer too! I won’t give anything away, but I will definitely be buying this book and recommending it.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Julie Soto for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Woooo eee! What a RIDE! I did not know what to expect with this genre pivot of Julie's from romance to YA Thriller.. I LOVED the use of paranormal activity (Seance, visiting a medium, the vibes, the dreams..) in this book. Loved it. And one of the major settings is a major setting from a previous romance title- LOVED that connection.

I would say as an adult reading this YA novel- the heavy themes and actions were.... accurate to the teenage experience? But also- you might not want your teen to read this and feel numb to/normalize these themes, activities and choices. Does that make sense?

This book will leave you with questions- which is GREAT for a book club pick! Grab your besties- read the book- and THRASH it out!!

Julie Soto’s thriller debut was absolutely perfect. The twists were everything I needed and more! I never once expected what would be coming next. The ending had me completely shocked! I’m excited for Julie to write more mystery/thrillers!!

This was a fast moving YA thriller. I really enjoyed it and found it hard to put down. I just HAD to know what was happening next. I liked all the drama and all the lies. Hoping for a sequel!!

4.25-4.5 ⭐

Following a group of friends, the Thrashers (though they insist that they do not like being called this), the popular clique in school, finds themselves in the middle of a murder investigation when a student, Emily, has committed su!cide and a diary comes out chronicling their bullying toward her. We follow the story through Jodi's POV, as secrets continue to get unraveled, on what really caused Emily's downfall.

This book was a WILD ride! I always find Julie's writing style to be so much fun and for her YA thriller debut, it was a great read. With the combination of potentially supernatural elements, coupled with a Pretty Little Liars/Gossip Girl-esque drama, this book is addictive. Being a bit removed now from high school and the drama that comes with it, Soto does a great job of highlighting the insecurities of all the Thrashers, trying to find their place in new age where most things are just taken at surface level.

The only thing I wish we had was chapter POVs from the other Thrashers, not just Jodi. While I could not put the book down, to me, Jodi's perspective was especially skewed as more of an outsider in the group, despite her being friends longest with Zack Thrasher.

This book- I didn’t not think I was going to love it as much as I did! I’ve loved Julie Soto’s other works and this was fantastic - especially since apparently it’s her first YA?! Would never have known that by reading it. Excited to read more of her work in the future!

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I am a sucker for paranormal mysteries and I have adored anything written by Julie. I loved all of the characters and was absolutely giggling like a school girl for Julian. I cannot wait to see if anything else is written in this universe. Regardless, I would love to see more like this in the future!

“Welcome to the Thrashers, the elite friend group at New Helvetia High. They’re everything everyone wants to be.”

Whew, what a ride! It was worth every minute. This was a great YA read and am very grateful to have been given access to it. Thank you NetGalley, author, and publisher for this copy!

I loved this! It kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end, Julie Soto's first YA novel held my attention the same as her adult books. Jodi is a complex main character who constantly questions her environment and the people around her, but maybe she's questioning the wrong things? I love a high school story where there's no 'good' character. If you like high school mysteries/thrillers this is a must read

What a ride! I was soooo into this when I was reading! There were so many twists and turns I was not expecting! It’s giving teen drama (think Pretty Little Liars vibes) with a sprinkle of paranormal! Truly gripping and so fun!

3.5 stars. The Thrashers is a gripping YA thriller that kept me guessing until the very end! I thought it was such a fun and twisty read. I was constantly questioning who to trust and where to point the finger! It felt very reminiscent of 13 Reasons Why.

That said, the pacing of the book was a bit off for me. I was immediately intrigued by the premise, but I wasn’t as gripped throughout the middle of the book as I wanted to be. There were a few plot holes and some details that felt either unnecessary or never fully tied back into the story. But once I hit the last 20% of the book, I was completely hooked and couldn’t stop reading!

Overall, this was a fun read that kept me on my toes!

4⭐️

wow, “the thrashers” was such a fun and twisty read! i really enjoyed myself and found the story to be so addicting that i couldn’t put the book down.

we follow the thrashers, a group of five popular high school students who are accused of potentially being involved in a student’s (who had recently entered their circle) death. we meet jodi, zack, lucy, paige, and julian - but the narrative is mostly focused on jodi. ironically enough - and i absolutely thought it was clever writing - the character who died, emily, also had a main focus on this particular group. through the investigation, it’s jodi who really tries to find out what’s really happened.

nothing is more entertaining than YA drama and this was so juicy and addicting to read! it felt like a mix of euphoria and pretty little liars wrapped into one with the friend dynamics and the impending drama coming at you left and right. i really enjoyed “the thrashers.” i also loved the fact that this book was based in sacramento! it’s not often you see a book set there and with it being so close to home, i appreciated the references and thought that was neat.

thank you to wednesday books for the e-ARC, all opinions are my own.

Whoa the teens are gonna love this one!

This is part murder mystery, part psychological spiral. Atmospheric and emotionally taut, this novel explores how far people will go to protect their image and how haunting secrets can be, especially when they come wrapped in friendship and fame. Jodi is a compelling narrator, vulnerable, perceptive, and stuck in a moral maze where every turn is dangerous.

Think One of Us Is Lying meets Pretty Little Liars. Would highly recommend. This cuts to heart of the metaphor and showcases drama in a compelling way that the teens will love.

You’re either in or you’re out.

Wanting to be a part of the elite friend group is all too common. To keep it simple, I didn’t expect this from Julie Soto. I’ve loved her romance novels and this was different for me. However, different in a GOOD way. She made the twists and turns in this book enjoyable. I had a great time reading this and look forward to buying a physical copy.

I’ve loved Julie Soto since her fanfiction days, so seeing her step into the thriller genre with The Thrashers is an absolute thrill. This book has everything—supernatural elements, high school glamour, heart-pounding drama, and the kind of magnetic characters that make you wish you could be part of their world. Jodi is a standout protagonist because she’s not perfect—she’s messy, emotional, and achingly real as she tries to find her place among her dazzling friends Paige, Lucy, Julian, and Zack. Her desire to be seen and accepted is so relatable, especially for anyone who’s ever felt on the outside looking in. Soto’s writing is bold, sharp, and filled with emotional depth. I would read this again and again and again.

First and foremost I received an e-arc from NetGalley.

Now…. I think my brain is still processing this story. So much happened with so much detail. I could literally see it in my head like it was a movie. The Thrashers is a suspenseful and somewhat spooky thriller that I could not put down. I needed to know what happened to who and why….
Read it and find out for yourself because I’m not telling you. Just know that it’s worth it.

Can’t say much other than MAY 6TH GET THIS BOOK! My mind is blown. Julie you clever clever woman. I seriously am so shocked by this entire thing. There was never a dull moment! I am pretty sure she just wrote a memoir or something of Jodi because this felt so real. Maybe it’s my age but I relate to these characters so closely. The realness of being nice to someone no matter what, keep it off media. It’s such a dangerous place to let out harsh words towards others because it can easily be pinned back. Also the epilogue had me SHOOOOOOOOOOK!!!! I loved all of the characters. I could not guess the ending AT ALL and it just kept spinning and spinning with what seemed like no end for these poor kids. They couldn’t catch a break and it made for such a thrilling read. So good, one of my favorite thrillers ever.