I’m a fan of Julie Soto and this is no exception. This was a departure from her usual books. She writes romance books typically. This is her first thriller. This book pulled me in immediately and I finished it in one day. It is a darker subject matter that includes domestic violence, substance abuse, suicide and bullying. The book follows the aftermath of a suicide. A group of kids names the Thrashers are investigated by the police for bullying. Strange things start to happen to them while they are waiting to go to court. There is no one to really root for in this book. All the characters are morally gray and unlikable. I keep thinking about the rating because I loved it til I came to the end. I had to lower my rating but still feel like most people will love this book. It’s definitely worth reading. I’d love to see more thrillers from her.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this book completely blind, and wasn’t expecting a YA thriller, but it was great! Well written, twists and turns you don’t see coming; overall a great read!

This was so entertaining!! I love reading thrillers that are less mystery and more slowly more and more is unraveled. There’s not a huge twist at the end that has you shocked/putting the pieces together (other than the epilogue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but there’s enough tension, betrayal, secrets, and good ole teenage drama to have you turning page after page after page. The dynamic of Thrashers and Jodi compared to the others just draws you in - especially since the reader learns things as Jodi does. I think going from romance to a YA thriller of this caliber shows just how talented Julie Soto is.

Is it bad I want a sequel just so we can get more of [redacted] and [redacted]!!!!

Thanks Netgalley and SMP for the arc in exchange for a honest review!

Loved it
The characters were developed well and we could really get into the story.
Would have been 5 stars if it was not a slow burn book but everything else was perfect.

It ended very well.

Thank you to Netgalley + and the publisher for letting me read the ARC of this book!

The Thrashers is Julie Soto's debut YA novel, and I was super excited to be given the opportunity to read and review this arc! Julie Soto's first two novels have made her one of my favorite authors, so seeing her dip her toes into a different genre was super exciting. As an adult reader, I am aware that I may not 100% be the intended audience for this novel, but I am a firm believer that adults and young adults alike can enjoy YA books, especially upper YA books. This book did fall a bit flat for me, but not because of the YA elements or even Julie's writing style. Instead, most of my complaints had to do with the story itself.

The premise of The Thrashers seemed super promising. In fact, it immediately brought me back to when I was of prime YA entertainment enjoying age, where I devoured things like 13 Reasons Why, Pretty Little Liars, and Mean Girls. Emily could be added to a long line of characters who are beautifully tragic, wanting nothing more than to fit in, find a date for the prom, and survive the perils of high school. However, even with the cruel treatment from "The Thrashers", I was unsure if I was supposed to be rooting for her death to be avenged or glad that the main 5 had been spared from her obsessive behavior.

I was also thrown for a loop with the inclusion of paranormal themes. It was hard to determine at times if the events in the book were being caused by someone, something, or even just pure coincidence. The book was fast paced, but at times it felt like problems came, went, and were solved with little effort or long-lasting impact on the characters (despite multiple hospital visits and injuries along the way). The characters themselves were mostly unlikable, and at times, it made it hard to root for the (mostly) rich popular kids who learned very little of the implications of their actions by the end of the novel.

I ended up rating this book 3 stars. This is certainly the type of book that is best enjoyed with your brain turned off and enjoying it for what it is - a YA thriller. Overall, it was a fun read, but I wish that it had committed a bit more to ONE thing instead of trying to be so many things at once. I was certainly left wishing for a bit more emotional depth and complexity.

Wow, I could not put this down! It kept me entertained right from the beginning and I loved seeing how the story slowly unfolded. I enjoyed FMN and NALS by Julie and this is her first YA thriller, which was also done very well. I love that she’s branching out into other genres.

The story starts off with the suicide of Emily Mills on the night of prom. Eventually, Emily’s journal is discovered and brings forth evidence of the Thrashers being responsible for her death. This kicks off the investigation plot as we go through new reveals, betrayals and twists about the suspects.

The Thrashers, “led by” Zack Thrasher, is a hierarchical friend group of the high school’s elite and privileged students. Zack is the center of this group and has a habit of befriending new people into their circle and kicking them out (“thrashing” them) once he’s tired of them or realizes they don’t serve a benefit. The friends also go along with this. Jodi is childhood best friends with Zack and has been part of this friend circle for a long time. However, she is very unlike her friends because she doesn’t come from a wealthy family with the same privileges as them.

I really liked Jodi’s character and seeing how she dealt with all the new revelations and made her own decisions regarding Emily’s case. It was interesting to see her relationship with everyone within her friend group. This is also why Emily’s role in the group was significant, as Jodi uncovers the truths and realizes who is truly at fault.

I wasn’t actually expecting any romance but that light subplot was pleasantly surprising. I don’t want to spoil it, but all I’ll say is that I wanted so much more of that potential slow-burn ship from the start!

The book has a good balance of tension, complex friendships and family dynamics, and mystery with slight paranormal themes. I feel like it could have done without the paranormal themes because it didn’t make sense at first, but it was still fun to read. The plot itself was very engaging, though it did feel a bit rushed at the end because I wanted more from it. That epilogue also shocked me.

I devoured this book. This chilling Veronica Mars and Pretty Little Liars coded story kept me on the edge of my seat. I literally could not put it down. I don't want to say much more because you really need to read this, but Julie Soto has written a book that I immediately want to reread the second I finished it. Let that sink in.

The Trashers by Julie Soto is absolute thrilling fun!

As her first YA thriller, I gotta say that Julie Soto nailed it and created an absolutely fun and riveting book that will have you turning page after page. An absolute fun ride that will have you wondering who you can trust, binge reading at 2 am because you must find out what's going on and it was so fun trying to guess what was happening. it felt like such a classic 90s film that just made me smile and a bit nostalgic but I absolutely loved it! There's plot twists, turns, complex characters, someones hiding something and full of tension but you will devour it. It is a must read for fans of thrillers with a more fun and lighter-ish? spin.

holy shit. Julie Soto- loml (don’t tell my husband or kid) I’ll read anything you write honestly. You say that you’re writing a trucker romance turned self help and I’ll still be the first in line. The fact that I got an arc of this is great in itself but the book?? It’s 13 Reasons Why x Saltburn x 90210 and it’s gold.

It’s been too long since I’ve read a good YA and this one checks all the boxes. Literally kept me guessing until the last page and the twists and turns were so fun. I would have devoured it in a day if I didn’t have annoying life responsibilities- I genuinely didn’t want to put it down.

The pacing felt right on and there was never a moment where I got bored or felt like unnecessary plot points were happening. A+ like always

5/5⭐️

This book was so good!!!! For a YA mystery/thriller, this book slaps. It had a Pretty Little Liars meets 13 Reasons Why vibe to it, and a bit of a spooky element? I mean that ending! I've been told Julie Soto can do no wrong, but now I 100% believe it. I inhaled this book - SO good.

Wow, I could not put this book down! It made me glad to not be in High School anymore, and made me sad for what kids endure. I know this was dramatized, but it still rings a bit true. It was like a modern day Heather’s. Check your triggers, as it touches on topics such as bullying and suicide.

I really liked the depth of the characters, and the depiction of high school hierarchy. The mix of mystery, thriller, and a touch of horror was a great mix.

Thank you to Wednesday books and NetGalley for the chance to read this YA thriller in exchange for my honest opinion!

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.

Jodi Dillon was never meant to be one of them. Julian, Lucy, Paige, and the infamous Zack Thrasher are rich, sophisticated, and love attention. Jodi feels out of place, but Zack’s her childhood best friend, so she’s in.

Then Emily Mills, who desperately wanted to be a Thrasher, dies—and the whispers about the Thrashers begin. As Emily’s journal surfaces, detectives close in, and Jodi faces an impossible choice: betray her friends or protect herself.

But as eerie messages and strange occurrences escalate, it becomes clear—Emily isn’t done with them yet.


This was the first book I have read by this author and she had me hooked from the very first sentance. It was absolutely wonderful.

Take a deep dive into the social dynamics of the high school social elite group “The Thrashers” in this YA thriller. Jodi, Zack, Julian, Paige, and Lucy navigate their senior year after losing a classmate. The drama, suspense, heartbreak, and paranormal activity that accompanies them will keep you on the edge of your seat and questioning what the real truth is.

This was another excellent work of Julie Soto! I believe she can write about anything and make it interesting, engaging, and unputdownable. She drew me in with her characters, the drama, and twists. The plot kept me glued to every page. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. It’s not spicy, and I liked the spookiness of it. I highly recommend this one. Also, I had the privilege of also receiving an audio recording of this, and the narrating was excellent! Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky were a perfect fit for this novel. They both deserve a 5-star rating with Julie Soto for this one. Happy reading or listening.
Thanks, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy for a honest review. This gave me pretty little liars vibes and I loved it. Completely different than Julie Soto other two books I've read. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it because of the YA aspect but was totally surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Super quick read that kept me hooked until the end. PS I would love a sequel that tells more of Julian's story.

MY GOODNESS!!!

This is my introduction to Julie Soto and what a place to start! I was hooked from beginning to end and was waiting on bated breath for the twists and turns and they did not disappoint!!

Can't wait to see what comes next.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press & Julie Soto for the opportunity to read this masterpiece of an ARC!

HOLY FUCK-A-MOLY

First and foremost I went into reading this book not really knowing what tf to expect and let me tell you Julie Soto did NOT disappoint.

I typically don’t reach for YA books but I really really love Julie’s writing, and I gave it a shot! I’m soo glad I did because The Trashers is unlike any other book I’ve read this year so far.

This book had me guessing and shocked at every twist and turn. It had me loving the characters I originally hated, and questioning every single persons intentions!

Who will be Thrashed next ??

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ♾️ Infinite Stars

Thank you NetGalley , St. Martin’s Press & Julie Soto for letting me read this masterpiece of an ARC!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC. Five friends are the popular kids in school but after a girl dies they are being looked at differently. Did they bully this girl and more or is something else going on? Is she haunting them or is it guilt? A thriller that pulls you in and keeps you reading until that shocking ending that makes you want more. It was slow at times in the middle but overall a good thriller that I am hoping for more of.

I couldn’t put it down. This definitely gave me Veronica Mars and Pretty Little Liar vibes, and I loved it. There was so much going on (in a good way) and it left me wanting more!

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.

Holy mother of books this was an absolute masterpiece!

I’m so glad that I listened to my fellow book lovers and snatched this when it was a read now. This was absolutely fantastic and I’m not sure I will recover.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eARC.