Wow that ending!! Loved this just like every book and fanfic I have read from this author. The mystery was so well done, the twists were good and I did not even see them coming and the friendships and slight romantic plot were so engaging. I could not put this book down I read it in 2 days, it was like watching Elite during the first season it was that bingeable.

I received an eARC thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books, all opinions are my own.

How does it feel to be the poor Thrasher? The girl who doesn't fit with the rich beautiful highschool crew centered around Zack Thrasher? That's what Jodi deals with everyday - from the school and the group themself. Except, it's not so bad since she's been best friends with Zack since 2nd grade, in love with him just as long.

But then Emily came along, and tried to get into the group. That did NOT end well for Emily. And then the cops came sniffing and Emily has to wonder if her so-called friend group is really being honest with her, DID they have something to do with Emily's death?

Could. Not. Put. It. Down.

YA Thriller
Popular group
Mystery
Spirits/Paranormal

Thank you to NetGalley for eARC.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF (did not finish) for me. I was very intrigued by the premise and was excited for a mystery / thriller! I just cannot get into the story and I don’t particularly like the MCs (which I think might be part of the point, but I digress). The popular kid clique trope just really fell flat (I think I’m just done with that trope) and after reading a few other reviews, I don’t feel that my opinion on them will change with further reading. I don’t particularly want to read about the immature dealings of awful teenagers.

That being said, the writing is great and the concept is exciting! This particular book just isn’t for me.

Julie Soto, the woman that you are.

The Thrashers blew my expectations out of the water. I read: Julie Soto and YA thriller in the same sentence and signed up so fast that I think I pulled a muscle.

Jodi is our main character, part of the Thrashers, a group of rich, attractive, and maybe a little snobby teens. She’s ordinary, not in the same league as them, but she’s been Zack Thrasher’s best friend since second grade, so she’s basically grandfathered in.

But not everything is as simple as Jodi thinks. When someone who had spent time with them the year prior commits suicide, weird things start to happen and Jodie realizes everyone’s kind of been lying to her. Keeping her on the outs. And suddenly, Jodi has a mystery solve if she wants her friends - and herself - to live.

This was an easy 5 stars. The characters are interesting, flawed, messy, and downright irritating at times. You question everyone’s intentions, even Jodi’s at times. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and it captures teens (and the paranormal) perfectly.

Also, that epilogue?! That alone deserves five stars.

Big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 stars

This is Julie Soto’s first YA thriller book and I was surprised to have really enjoyed it. I found myself bingeing this book within a day because I couldn’t put it down. It had drama, mystery and twists that left me guessing until the very end. The book very much gave me Pretty Little Liars vibes — a very close group of friends, something terrible happens, everyone has secrets, and things begin to spiral. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before, but for Soto’s first thriller, it definitely works.

My only critique is that the character development felt a bit lacking. I wanted more depth to them especially when it came to Jodi and the rest of The Thrashers. Their personalities and relationships felt very surface-level, and I wish Soto had explored more of Jodi’s relationship with her family, Paige, Lucy and Oliver.

With the way the book ended, I’m hoping there will be a sequel because I definitely will be reading it. And I need more of Jodi and Julian!!!

Overall, this was an addictive book and I would recommend it if you are looking for a fast-paced YA thriller or if you are just a fan of Julie Soto in general.

Thanks Netgalley and Wednesday Books for a gifted copy of Thrashers! This review is my own opinion after reading The Thrashers.

A lot of my book friends said this book was one of the best reads this year. And it definitely lived up to the hype.

I loved the entire story. I was invested about what happened to Emily from the very beginning. It felt like a mix of I Know What You Did Last Summer and Pretty Little Liars!

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes YA Thrillers. It’s 100 a thrill-ride the entire book!

Dark, twisty, and totally addictive. The Thrashers hooked me from the first chapter and never let go. Think A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder meets We Were Liars, with a haunting edge that lingers long after the last page. Jodi is the kind of messy, unforgettable protagonist you root for (even when you’re not sure you should). And that ending? I’m still spiraling.

The Thrashers
By: Julie Soto

Thank you to Wednesday Books and SMP Romance for free e-book #smppartner All opinions are my own.

I don’t read many thrillers but a YA thriller by Julie Soto is something that I absolutely could not pass up! As expected, the writing is fantastic. The Thrashers is filled with suspense, dark secrets and amazing storytelling. I kept swiping through page after page desperate to find out what was going to happen next.

The Thrashers are a popular group at New Helvetia High and Emily would give anything to be a member so when she is found dead and a journal detailing her last few months is discovered the group is thrust into the spotlight. Did the Thrashers cause Emily’s death? Did the other members want her to end her own life? Jodi is the only one in the group not under suspicion in part because she has never quite fit in herself but does that mean she’s prepared to turn her back on her friends in order to keep it that way?

Deep down this story is about the lengths people will go to in order to feel connected. It is a dark and twisted tale that seeks to answer questions such as: How do you know if someone is really your friend? And can you ever really know what people are thinking about you?

Teenage me would have absolutely loved this book! It is smart, edgy, and full of angst with a touch of the paranormal to keep you guessing. I read the whole thing in almost one sitting, it was that bingeable!

Read if you like:

YA Thrillers
Paranormal Happenings
Lots of drama
Teenage angst
Suspenseful stories

This book had me confused the whole time in the best way! I am still not sure who I trust or what I believe hahah
Had me hooked the whole time

Thanks for NetGalley and her team letting me receive this ARC. This is the first Julie Soto book I read. i would consider it YA and also set it high school vibes.This whole book was giving Pretty Little Liars vibes throughout the whole book. It was giving me the same vibes. This was a group of friends the said "The Thrashers" similar towards A and group of friends. Their friend Emma Killed herself by suicide by bullying so called Thrashed.
Basically wanted to fit in and be more popular with the in crowd. Overall it it mystery/thriller vibes it. I liked it.

This mystery hooked me from the beginning. It alternates from past and present and you hear from a couple different perspectives. You get a glimpse into the “popular” group. The kids are called the “thrashers”. At first, you don’t know for sure who they are or what that actually means but as the story progresses, you figure it out. Yet, you still don’t know what actually happened. This is a combination of mystery and I guess, horror or ghost story. Throughout the story you find out little pieces of information and you find out who is bad and who is not. The ending leaves you almost satisfied but also leaves you wondering if there will be a sequel.

5⭐️

"Zach was Jodi's best friend. But she was only one of Zack's many best friends."

I loved this! From the very first chapter Jodi felt extremely relatable to me. With her being the one of the group from a different socioeconomic background as well as being the one who was 'less attractive' than everyone else, it was easy to understand her hesitation and paranoia over if her friends liked her as much as she liked them. Her questioning if her shared relationship with Zack was enough to keep her in the friend group really drove the story, especially when she started comparing Emily's actions to her own. The way everyone's attitude changed once Jodi was subpoenaed to testify against them was really telling regarding who really cared about who.

All of the characters were chaotically unreliable and I loved the mess that brought to the story. Emily truly haunted the narrative in every way and as more was revealed about Emily's true intentions I was surprised. Her sister finally revealing the truth about what actually happened the day Emily died made my jaw drop and I ended up questioning everything I believed up to that point. The fine line between the paranormal and coincidence throughout this made everything that much more tense. The way that Zack morphed from a golden retriever himbo to a real problem was so eye-opening.

Look, I unironically love the bully turns out to like the girl/she thinks he hates her/ or whatever trope you would classify the relationship between Julian and Jodi as. Watching the way they were at each other's throats transition to gentle joking to Julian saving Jodi's life on multiple occasions to made me borderline giddy. I can understand the suspicion that he was using Jodi due to the timing, but I truly believe that Julian had had a change of heart regarding Jodi prior to Emily's death. While Zack slid into a villain role, Julian really stepped up as a good guy. Also, that epilogue? I need more!

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing this ARC to me!

I received a digital review copy of *The Thrashers* from NetGalley, and I am absolutely blown away, Julie Soto! I have read and loved her two romance novels, and I am very excited for *Rose in Chains* this summer. And now she writes this! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It reminded me a lot of *We Were Liars*.

The story follows a group of high school friends nicknamed "The Thrashers," a title sought after by those wanting to join. The concept is that someone will be "thrashed," or exiled from the group, if the friends decide they no longer want them. When the group is accused of bullying that led to the death of a former member, things start to get complicated.

The main character, Jodi, tries to uncover the mystery surrounding Emily Mills and her obsession with Zach Thrasher, as well as her complicated relationship with Jodi herself. This book was so good that I can only hope Julie Soto doesn't completely leave this genre when her romantasy series takes off in July!

The Thrashers are a group of five friends: Zack, Julian, Paige, Lucy, and Jodi. The first four are wealthy and popular, while Jodi feels a bit out of place. Zack Thrasher is the link that connects the group and also where they get their name, but we experience the story through Jodi's POV.

When the novel begins, Emily Mills has died by suicide on prom night of the Thrashers' junior year. Emily had desperately wanted to be a Thrasher and soon after her death, rumors start flying. The police find Emily's journal, which leads them to believe that the Thrashers were responsible for her death. One by one the Thrashers are indicted...except Jodi. To make matters worse, the Thrashers start receiving creepy messages from an unknown contact and are constantly getting into dangerous situations when the five of them are together.

I don't want to spoil the story, because it really is a wild ride, but The Thrashers had me hooked and kept me guessing! To be honest, I am STILL reeling after the ending. I am convinced that Julie Soto can write anything, and I am obsessed with her YA and mystery/thriller debut!

Jodi is such a relatable character. She is kind and creative and trying to figure out where she fits in. She is also balancing loyalty to her friends (and the boy she has loved forever) with doing the right thing. I really enjoyed how Julie resolved the story but left potential for more. I really hope we get a sequel (and a lot more Jolian, PLEASE)!

I love Julie Sotos adult novels so much, so I was excited to read this. The whole concept of The Thrashers just didn’t work for me. It felt like a forced conceit. I was drawn into the mystery but ultimately it wasn’t a satisfying story.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review early! I've read all of Julie Soto's prior offerings and enjoy the banter and tension she creates - every word feels meaningful. While I wasn't encouraged by the younger characters at the start, it was a satisfying read - truly enjoyed the work put in and the narratives created.

this book !!!! Julie never fails to absolutely smash every single thing she writes and now we're adding YA thriller to the mix?! she can't miss.

The Thrashers is like 13 Reasons Why meets Riverdale in the best way. It's got that nostalgia that we're always searching for in a book, giving you the best high school friend group vibes. There's a fun little romance weaving through these pages as well as (in typical Julie fashion) deep themes, feminine rage, and shock and awe.

Highly highly recommend this one to anyone and everyone!!!

This was so good. I was uncomfortable with the things the kids were doing but it makes for a super interesting story. I was not expecting the ending. I was so sad for the girl's mother. This is a hard read for us older mothers.

First of all, I would like to echo the sentiment of other reviewers that this book needs to come with content warnings upon publication! For being a book marketed as “YA,” this book covers very heavy topics, such as suicide and child abuse. Is these are topics that would be triggering to you, I would proceed with caution.

That being said, I loved this book. I’m not usually a thriller girlie and I’m not usually a YA girlie, but I think mixing the two together is just what I need to enjoy both genres. The mystery, though tragic, felt low stakes enough that my heart wasn’t hammering, and because the book wasn’t a romance, I didn’t have to read about the decisions kids make in the name of “love.” This book follows a group of five high school seniors, called The Thrashers, and the fallout after Emily Mills, who desperately wanted to be a part of their clique, commits suicide on prom night. Investigators believe The Thrashers are responsible, at least in part, for her death and use her journal as evidence to prove it.

The story is mainly told through Jodi’s point of view, with the occasional excerpt from Emily’s journal providing a different perspective. Jodi is childhood best friends with Zack Thrasher and doesn’t really feel like she has fits in with the rest of the clique she’s a part of because they’re all wealthy and she isn’t. I loved this being told through Jodi’s POV because even though she didn’t really like Emily, she was the only Thrasher to show her kindness. All the characters were a bit unhinged, especially Emily, so having a character that showed compassion and seemed to be more understanding because of her own circumstances, was a great way to tell this story. The relationship Jodi shared with each of her friends (or should I say “friends”) was very interesting and the way she felt like she was on the outside, even when she was actually on the inside, was very relatable. Zack’s relationship with everyone, especially Emily, reminded me of why he was the kind of person I avoided in high school. Julie Soto did a wonderful job of making Emily Mills just unlikable enough that you feel sorry for her but also understand why the others weren’t always kind to her, which is a tough line to balance. I’m not sure if I was supposed to, but I loved Julian, even before I got more of his backstory. I couldn’t really relate to him, but he was still someone I really liked. Overall, this book was very gripping. I thought about when I wasn’t reading it and I couldn’t wait to get back to it when I was doing something else. I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next and I really loved Jodi as a character. Her point of view was just reliable enough, but because she’s a high school senior, of course there were times I didn’t always know how much I could believe her, because if there was ever a time my emotions and thoughts couldn’t be trusted, it’s when I was in high school. Overall, this book was such a great experience for me. I think I’ve finally unlocked a sub-thriller genre that I can get down with and I feel unstoppable!

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I read Soto's contemporary romance books and loved them, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read The Thrashers early.

It may be difficult to write a review without giving anything spoiler-y away. Jodi is part of a friend group others call Thrashers, named after Zack, the athlete / popular high school senior. Her other friends Paige and Lucy and Zack's friend Julian round out the group. After junior prom, this hanger on girl Emily takes her life, and then the group is accused of bullying her to death.

What actually happened and intent vs. passive disinterest is part of the mystery, but most of the book reads more like a thriller with bad things happening to various members of the group, with some paranormal theories. Jodi feels on the fringes with the group after being forced to find new friends and interests, so she starts painting backdrops for the theatre club. Jodi has a drunk dad who is mean when he drinks, and her mom died by drowning so her aunt and grandma help her. Everyone else in her group is richer than her.

Let's talk about Emily. The way she's described is through Jodi's eyes, but she seemed like an obsessive person. There are definitely red flags that I saw, that were noticed and then critical to the end of the story. You would have to take the more supernatural or paranormal aspects of the book with a grain of salt. The Thrashers will definitely make you ponder high school and be glad you don't have to relive it. I wish the pace was a little faster for the first part of the book.

Trigger warnings for parent's alcohol abuse, suicide, teenage drinking and drug use, statutory rape.
3.75 stars. rounded up to 4 stars, available May 6, 2025.