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4.25 stars, this book was incredible!

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder/Heathers/13 Reasons Why vibes mixed into one addictive fast paced read.

The Thrashers follows Jodi and her group of fellow high schoolers (known infamously as "the Thrashers" at their school) who are reeling after being accused of bullying a classmate (Emily) to her death. Jodi is the only one of the Thrashers who was somewhat close to Emily and it falls on her to discover the truth of what happened between Emily and the rest of the group.
Are Jodi's closest friends really who she thinks they are?

The Thrashers started off with a bang and never dropped pace. The characters, the drama, the mystery, the intrigue, the plot twists, and the betrayals kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time!

After that truly insane epilogue I am dying hoping there will be a sequel from "someone else's" point of view please!!!

Thank you very much to NetGalley for the ARC!!!

Good book! Keep me wanting to keep reading! My first by this author and i will read more !! Highly recommend this author !!

From page one I was hooked. I couldn’t put it down. Hope that there is more books with these characters.

I devoured this!! This was so good!! I’m so impressed by the writing and the details of the characters!

I really liked the friend group dynamic, and each character’s personality! I was on the edge of my seat(bed) most of the time because I had to know what happened next! I’m not going to lie, I did not predict the ending and the epilogue has me wondering if there’s another book coming (I hope so).

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

"The Thrashers" is an exciting and unputdownable YA mystery/thriller. I've had a great streak with YA novels recently, and this book did not disappoint. This was my first Julie Soto novel, and I will definitely be reading more. I was actually surprised to see that this was her debut YA thriller, so I hope she writes another. From the very first chapter I was hooked, and I was turning pages late into the night to find out what happened next. The story is fast-paced and compelling, and you will either love-to-hate or hate-to-love the main characters, a group of popular high schoolers known as "the Thrashers." It reminded me of some of my favorite teen dramas growing up. I'm not typically a fan of books with paranormal elements, but I thought this was really well done. Overall, a fun read, and as I said, I really hope Soto writes more YA thrillers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

omg is my first thought of many

I had no expectations going into this book and I am not disappointed! This is a YA book, so it reads like a YA book, which is a good thing.

This book follows Jodi, who is in a five-person friend group that people call The Trashers. Everyone wants to be them or be with them. While you read the book, you discover why they’re called that and why they’re so well-known.

After the unexpected death of a girl, they’re now the suspects in an investigation. We then get thrown into a journey of secrets, lies, unknown text messages, strange occurrences, and the possible downfall of the mighty.

I loved everything about this story! Especially how we watch Jodi realize she is the exact thing she thought she wasn’t and how she tries to correct it at the end.

I think Jodi is a character who will always have a special place in my heart. Her and I are one in the same in many ways.

The one thing I was I could change is how quick the book is but I say this out of pure selfishness. I wish it was spread out into more than one book so we could go into more depth with some of the events that take place.

Also I want to be delusional and hope we get some type of second book or novella with Julian and Jodi.

Jodi Dillon is not super smart, extremely pretty, or wealthy. It is only her childhood friendship with Zach Thrasher that has made her part of the ‘Thrasher’ group at their high school. A group of high school kids who are envied by most of the school.
When Emily Mills, a girl who desperately wants to be part of this group dies, guess who is blamed. Yup, Zach and the others for not only bullying her, but also for sexual abuse. Jodi was the only one who spent any time with Emily, though grudgingly. Now she is someone who has to decide if her friends were responsible for Emily’s tragic end.
Senior year was not supposed to be like this. With the student body now anti-Thrasher and looming court cases, the group is advised to sever ties with each other. This seems to hurt Jodi the most, oh and the fact that Emily is haunting them from the grave.
I didn’t love how it ended, but the epilogue changed my feelings. Holy high school angst! I can’t say more without spoilers, but I did not expect what happened.

The Thrashers is so wildly different from Soto’s prior works, and I’m now ready to say she is another author who can easily jump genres and succeed in each!

A group of five high schoolers are referred to as The Thrashers at their school, and when a fellow student dies and her diary implicates their group, the friends are forced to circle up and attempt to defend themselves. Jodi has always felt like an outsider in the group, and this occurrence only cements that feeling, as she learns that she may not know all of the secrets her friends are hiding.

I loved this! With creepy moments and hints of the paranormal, this book was such a fun read and would make an incredible thriller film. There are scenes that are incredibly cinematic, and they are described so well that I felt like I was already watching them on a screen.

The five friends in the Thrashers have their good and bad attributes, just like anyone else, and all five were interesting characters. They were well written YA characters who clearly lack impulse control and get stuck in feelings of insecurity and anxiety, and it all felt very authentic for high school. The dynamics between the characters were incredibly well done.

The audio narration had me absolutely hooked, with just the right intensity and tone.

Thanks to Wednesday books for the arc and Macmillan Audio for the alc. All opinions are my own.

The Thrashers are a popular clique centred around their "leader", Zack Thrasher. The story is told primarily from the POV of Jodi, Zack's best friend since 2nd grade. Not only does this book focus on the dynamics of this clique, but also surrounding the alleged bullying that led to the suicide of a classmate, Emily.

We follow how Jodi is coping with allegations that she and her friends could be responsible for what Emily did. Along with this, she is also dealing with her continuous struggle of feeling like she is the outsider of the group and doesn't quite belong. They are all rich and beautiful, while she is poor and average. Throw in one more wrench, she also has a father who is gone for long stretches as a a truck driver, and when he's home, he imbibes more than he probably should.

There are some supernatural elements in this book, but it is done in a way that you're never fully sure if it could just be a series of coincidences.

I really enjoyed this. Despite being far removed from high school, I still enjoyed the dynamics between the characters. I could relate to Jodi's feelings of being an imposter. The guilt she felt over Emily also helped give her character a lot more depth over her friends.

The mystery of the book unfolded at a good pace, and I never felt like there were too many things being dragged out or misdirected.

This was a strong YA book, and I'd definitely reach for more books by Soto in the future.

Julie Soto is a must buy author for me. I was absolutely thrilled to receive this ARC for her debut YA thriller.

She absolutely nailed this. What a fun, fast read that kept me entertained from start to finish.

This story is told from the POV of Jodi who is in, but not really in, a group pf popular kids called The Thrashers. Unfortunately a death at the school, places a spotlight on the group and examines what kind of people they are. I really loved reading from Jodi's POV, from her thoughts around being casted out and trying to remain in the group to her own personal struggles. This book does touch on some triggering/senstive topics like sucide and domestic violence so please look up content warnings.

I absolutely recommend this book to readers that enjoy a book that highlights flawed characters, examines friendships and is just a really good YA thriller.

This book isn't something I would normally pick up, but when you're loving everything else Julie Soto writes, you try it. And When I tell you this did not disappoint- DANG. This book had me on the edge of my seat from the start. I loved Jodi as a narrator and felt her perspective was especially interesting. This book was creepy in the right ways. I've already recommended this book to multiple people!

TW: suicide

Imagine I Know What You Did Last Summer with a spiritual twist. Now, make it more harrowing. Julie Soto adds the grief and anxiety-inducing subplots for free.

That’s the Powerpuff recipe for The Thrashers.

We follow a group of five friends at an elite high school. You've heard it all before: they're cool, they're hot, they're rich — they’re who everyone wants to be. But all of that begins to unravel the day Emily Mills sets her sights on them.

Our narrator, Jodi Dillon, is technically an “underdog,” but one occupying one of the most coveted roles a high-schooler can dream of: she’s part of the popular crowd. The thematic tension of being in the group but not of it was an immediate hook for me. As everyone looked at her, she looked at her friends, constantly wondering where she fit in — discardable, not rich, not model-skinny. She questioned her own appeal and why they kept her around.

With a delicious will-they-won’t-they side plot and a narrator who left me scratching my head, wondering if she was spiraling or simply perceptive, The Thrashers gave me more than I bargained for. I went in expecting a fun, lighthearted high school drama. What I got instead was a dark and poignant coming-of-age story. Still fun but definitely not light.

While I liked many things about this book, I’ll focus on the pacing, the plot, and the characters — so you can decide if it’s your kind of read.

This was my first true page-turner of the year. I read it in two days. The pacing was electric, and the characters vivid. There were twists and turns galore, and just when you thought these teenagers had hit rock bottom, Julie Soto handed them another misfortune (I'll let you decide whether they deserved it). You keep flipping pages, half out of curiosity, half out of sheer worry for their emotional and physical well-being.

The plot explores themes of identity in a way that feels surprisingly real. I usually cringe at portrayals of teen girls that try too hard to fit the author’s idea of what teenage girls are like — perfectly imperfect, quirky but lovable. Not here. Jodi is a compelling character: mercurial in the way only teenagers can be. She captures the doom of not being invited to a party, the existential devastation of social rejection. Her doubts — about herself, about others — aren’t written to teach us to “love ourselves.” They’re raw, discomforting, and honest.

There’s real character growth, too. We don’t just get to know Jodi — we get brief, intimate glimpses into her friends’ inner lives. These moments are essential in reframing how we judge their actions and pain.

The ending? Judged and found wanting (by me)! Maybe it was rushed, or maybe I rushed through it — same difference. I wish I’d had more time to savor it, to understand where each character ended up. While all the questions were answered, it felt a bit like a cop-out — or maybe a setup for another book? We don’t fully grasp how everything unraveled and came together again. The tone shifts too quickly from "fighting for my life" to "we’re off to college and everything’s fine." That said, I hope the final pages don’t turn you off. If anything, they invite reflection on how things could have ended.

Overall, this book is about many things: high school, friendship, loss, uncertainty, love, and fear. But what stayed with me most was its exploration of identity — and how it shifts and reforms under pressure. This is a story about people who lusted, loved, broke down, and grew. It’s about what it means to want something so badly that you lose yourself.

And at the center of it all is Emily Mills, the newest addition to the New Helvetia High ecosystem. You could’ve seen her and forgotten her — but she wouldn’t let you. After her suicide on Prom night, the five friends find themselves in the eye of the storm. Accused of bullying, stripped of their status, they tumble through senior year, college admissions, a public fall from grace, a trial, and a suspicious number of freak accidents. Is Emily haunting them? Is it guilt? Karma? Something else? I hope you have fun figuring it out.

Thank you NetGalley, Julie Soto, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of The Thrashers!

The Thrashers. An elite friends group made up of five members who everyone wants to be apart of. Their leader Zack Thrasher lures you in and once he's tired of you- you get Thrashed. When Emily Mills is found dead by suicide, her family and other students believe she was "thrashed" which led to her suicide. A dairy is found detailing her time with the Thrashers, but things aren't adding up for Jodi Dillion who seemed to be the only nice person in the friend group to Emily. Jodi must unravel the secrets of her friends and what lead up to Emily's death and determining who to trust in her friend group becomes that much harder.

I LOVED this book! I was quickly pulled back into high school and trying to uncover the events leading up to Emily's death right alongside Jodi. You could really feel Jodi's conflicting feelings about her friends and how it feels to sometimes been an outsider in your friend group. I also liked the paranormal aspect of the book and made it unique! This book left me feeling like I wasn't exactly sure who was the "good/bad" characters in the story. The epilogue was crazy!!!!

ARC Review

The Thrashers
By Julie Soto
Publish date: May 6, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you so much @stmartinspress for sending me a copy to review ❤️ I might have screamed when I saw my email for this one!

Make sure to read the triggers as the book does talk about suicide.

This was the perfect YA thriller, full of twists and turns and an ending I was not expecting at all. It was so fast paced I couldn’t put it down.

Jodie was the perfect FMC while also feeling like an unreliable narrator at times which I loved. I never knew what to be true or a lie and left me guessing. Her vulnerability throughout and everything she was going through broke my heart.

Julie continues to amaze me with her captivating writing and in depth character development. She makes you feel for all the characters whether hate, love, pitty or fear.

With that epilogue ending there better be a second book coming!!! Can’t just throw that little information at us and leave us in suspense picking our jaws up from the ground.

My Thoughts: This book was addictive. I could have devoured this book in one sitting if real life didn't get in the way. I quickly became invested in figuring out the truth behind the lies and secrets. But it was the paranormal touch that often gave me chills and had me occasionally glancing over my shoulder too. Jodi and her friends took different approaches to find themselves outside their identity in the "Thrashers" group, and it was interesting to see how that affected them as friends. Such a fun and thrilling read, and I am so excited to know there's a second one. Whether you loved high school or hated it, you're not going to want to put this one down!


What you will find:
📔Drama, Drama, Drama
📔YA Thriller
📔Paranormal Activity
📔One of Us is Lying Vibes

Man, that prologue really hooks you in…and the epilogue? Wow!

The Thrashers was a really good and really quick read with great pacing.
It made me glad to be well out of High School and the age where being dropped by friends literally felt like you were dying. Also I am grateful to never had to deal with school and have everything caught on cellphones and posted online. It seems so much easier to hurt people now.

Soto really nails that anxious feeling of trying to fit in and worrying about being left out, as well as putting your friends first (even before yourself) just to continue fitting in. The characters are pretty well fleshed out, and although somewhat stereotypical at times, it’s the cliques that high school kids generally are in.

I honestly don’t want to give too much away because I think it’s best to go in not knowing too much and to just enjoy the wild ride that Soto masterfully takes you on.

There were a few minor issues (like a scar being 4 inches long at the start of a chapter and by the end it’s 6 inches long), but there weren’t massive plot holes or anything. That being said, this is still a 5 star read for me.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, however this review is completely my own unbiased personal opinion, left of my own volition.

Sleep? Who needs her?! I’m usually not one to pick up a mystery/thriller book, but I’ve loved everything Julie Soto has written and I knew she wouldn’t steer me wrong! ‘The Thrashers’ had me in a chokehold from the first chapter and the fact that I binged this in about 2 days is very telling that I had the hardest time putting it down. The main characters had some good arcs and development overall. I completely ate up the ‘animosity’ between Julian and Jodi - nearly all of the highlights on my kindle are to do with them. A creepy and twisty roller coaster that will have you reeling and second-guessing everything you’ve read. I got literal GOOSEBUMPS for so many scenes.

Thank you so much for advanced access to a reader’s copy of this book!

Man, that prologue really hooks you in…and the epilogue? Wow!

The Thrashers was a really good and really quick read with great pacing.
It made me glad to be well out of High School and the age where being dropped by friends literally felt like you were dying. Also I am grateful to never had to deal with school and have everything caught on cellphones and posted online. It seems so much easier to hurt people now.

Soto really nails that anxious feeling of trying to fit in and worrying about being left out, as well as putting your friends first (even before yourself) just to continue fitting in. The characters are pretty well fleshed out, and although somewhat stereotypical at times, it’s the cliques that high school kids generally are in.

I honestly don’t want to give too much away because I think it’s best to go in not knowing too much and to just enjoy the wild ride that Soto masterfully takes you on.

There were a few minor issues (like a scar being 4 inches long at the start of a chapter and by the end it’s 6 inches long), but there weren’t massive plot holes or anything. That being said, this is still a 5 star read for me.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, however this review is completely my own unbiased personal opinion, left of my own volition.

This YA book was a nice change of pace for me. It’s a contemporary thriller with mystery and a little romance. It delves into the complexities of high school, friendship and social hierarchy.

The story starts with a student (Emily) that tragically committed suicide on prom night. Then we are introduced to the high school royalty, a group of 5 kids called The Thrashers. Up until her death, Emily is desperate to be part of the Thrashers. Upon her demise, the police find a journal which can implicate the Thrashers as bullies which led to her alleged suicide. The FMC, Jodi, is one of the Thrashers who also feels she may only be in this group because of her childhood friendship with Zack Thrasher, as the other kids come from affluent backgrounds. Jodi struggles with her own family life and sees how her friends can be cruel. She grapples with the dilemma of protecting her friends or uncovering the truth.

The Thrashers was thrilling with all its twists and turns. It is a compelling read that combines suspense, emotion and mystery.

The Trashers is a YA thriller set around a group of friends called, unsurprisingly, The Thrashers and the suicide of a girl close to the group. This book gave me that early Pretty Little Liars vibe and I love that.

There's a big cast of characters, but we're following Jodi, who is often considered the odd one out of the group, navigating life after Emily's suicide. I thought she was a compelling character and I was rooting for her the entire time. Some of the other characters weren't fleshed out as much, so I would have liked to see more development there.

The pacing does slow down towards the middle, but it really kicks into high gear towards the end of the book. There is a LOT that happens and I could not put this down. Plus that epilogue??? I need more.

Overall, really enjoyed this one!

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts are my own.