I received an advanced copy of this book for review. This is my opinion.

Content warnings: underage drug and alcohol use, abuse, adult drunkenness, violence, statutory rape, manipulation, stalking, dangerous situations, suicide.

Holy Veronica Mars, Batman.

Okay, actually, it kind of feels like a mix of Veronica Mars and Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, and maybe Pretty Little Liars (though I’m not super familiar with that one, but the vibe is there) with some ghost ones thrown in. I read most of The Thrashers in one sitting, and it was RIVETING. Riveting is not a word I use lightly, either.

Emily was a sort of tagalong to the friend group The Thrashers. She often inserted herself into their conversations and parties. When she commits suicide, it seems as though she’s been Thrashed, or ostracized by the Thrashers. What follows in the aftermath is a year of weird coincidences and suspicion and secrets.

This really hit me in my nostalgic 2000’s/2010’s teen mystery drama feels, and it almost feels like it was written with that intention? I think this will appeal to a really broad audience, from teens looking for drama and mystery, and those of us who are…a bit older than teens who miss shows like Veronica Mars and Pretty Little Liars.

6/5 stars, definitely recommend. I hope there’s more!

Huge thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the arc!

The Thrashers, led by the popular Zack Thrasher, is the perfect representation of HS cliques - those who want to be on the inside and those who are that kick the others out. Zack has the habit of discarding people once he grows bored of them.

Jodi Dillon is a Thrasher but doesn’t exactly fit into the group. She’s not wealthy, athletic, or stunningly beautiful like the others. But she’s best friends with Zack, so that’s why she hasn’t been “thrashed” or kicked out of the group.

The story starts following the suicide of a classmate, Emily Mills, whose diary points to The Thrashers’ psychological bullying that broke Emily. But did they really do anything that brutal?

This story was quite the ride. Reminiscent of Dear Evan Hansen and Thirteen Reasons Why, this YA thriller kept me wondering until the very end. It was very much a “just one more chapter” at 1am kind of book. It did take a few chapters to get in the swing of this book - so many characters to keep up with right away. But as the pieces of the puzzle were unraveled, the hint of an unreliable narrator, and the drama of an investigation, I was hooked. Oh, and the epilogue… just brilliant, chef’s kiss.

This was my first Julie Soto read, but I’ve heard such love for her romance books, so I was excited to read a thriller by her.

I switched between both the digital read and the audiobook as I experienced this story. The audiobook was very well produced.

3.5 stars !!

julie soto releasing her first ya book this year wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card. i’ve yet to read her other books but on this one we got a group of friends known as “the thrashers” and they had a crazy year. somebody that was constantly in their lives just committed to suicide and weeks later the cops want to talk to the five teenagers.

this was my first julie soto book and i thought i was going to enjoy it more than i did… but it’s probably because of the whole “emily wants us dead” aspect but either way THIS BOOK WAS A ROLLERCOASTER !!!!!! i didn’t know what to believe to be true or not and it was fun to see jodi going on detective mode ! this is a high school settling so you can expect lots of drama.

when they asked jodi if she was afraid of getting thrashed i started wondering how she was still in the group but all i’ve to say is fuck you zack ! what do you mean he gets to walk free from everything that he has done????

i like to believe that paige and lucy learned their lesson and started being better people but… paige should have suffered a bit more… the whole hannah plot, it was a bit predictable but i would never guess about prom night .

JULIAN WHAT HAPPENED??? i was all in for his supremacy im sorry okay this boy on the epilogue my god somebody rescue him !!!!!!

jodi… i like you but you could have told everybody everything…. and that’s my opinion ! the thrashers was a good and fun book to read <3

thank you netgalley, st martin press and julie soto for the arc in exchange for an honest review !

Firstly, I wanted to say THANK YOU for approving me for an advanced reader’s copy. I’ve been a fan of Julie since discovering her fanfiction in early 2020 and watching her transition into publishing has been incredibly inspiring. The Thrashers might be her best novel yet. I’m beyond excited for its release—and even more excited for readers to experience it.

Julie Soto’s The Thrashers is more than just a thriller—it’s an exploration of power, privilege, and the desperate need to belong. From the opening chapter, which details Emily Mills’ tragic suicide on prom night, the novel grips you with its eerie and unsettling atmosphere. But beneath the mystery lies something even more chilling: the toxic dynamics of the Thrashers, the elite social circle that both fascinates and destroys those who get too close.

Told through the eyes of Jodi Dillon, a girl who knows she doesn’t quite fit in with her wealthy, glamorous friends but is terrified of losing her place among them, the novel perfectly captures the suffocating pressure of high school hierarchy. Jodi’s love for Zack Thrasher, the group’s charismatic yet dangerous leader is both painful and painfully real. She wants to believe she’s different—that she’s not just another disposable pawn in his game. But as the investigation into Emily’s death intensifies, Jodi is forced to question everything she thought she knew.

The Thrashers is as thought-provoking as it is haunting. It’s not just about who pushed Emily over the edge—it’s about the systems that let it happen in the first place.

Being in my 30's I'm not a big YA reader but I adore Julie Soto so I took full advantage of this being a 'read now' book. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would! Julie is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me!!

This was a thought provoking YA book that covers the depth of friendship in groups. It was so different from what I expected from other Soto books but I was hooked on the drama. It was just right and the pacing was perfect. Thank you!

Wow! I was blown away by this book. Instantly hooked and finished it almost in one sitting. Absolutely loved all the characters and drama. A 5 star read for me!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Thrashers by Julie Soto
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: YA Thriller
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: May 6, 2025

High-School Clique
Supernatural Thriller
Obsessive Friendship

This young adult thriller centers on a high school clique accused of driving a fellow student to suicide. The group fights to prove their innocence and dark secrets come to light.

Though The Thrashers is a YA thriller, I think it is a great thriller for readers of all ages! The multiple twists, the nuanced portrayal of flawed characters, and the excellent pacing made this thriller unputdownable. The realistic depiction of media bias and its damaging consequences for those wrongly accused added significant depth.

Thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy!

⚠️: overdose, suicide, alcohol abuse, child abuse

I couldn't put this book down it was so good! A group of friends who the school calls The Thrashers are the IT group. When a classmate who desperately wants to join the group commits suicide they get blamed. And strange things start happening. Is what their classmates are saying true? Is someone to blame and if so who?

Keeps you guessing....

Outside of my normal genre tastes, this read like a suspenseful YA Netflix show. Pretty Little Liars mixed with 13 Reasons Why. I binged it in 12 hours. A true page turner thriller with a side of spooky paranormal.

I need more!

If you're into twisty, turny shows like 13 Reasons Why or Pretty Little Liars, you're gonna eat this book up. It's got that same addictive quality.

Basically, we dive right into a town reeling from the suicide of Emily, a 17 year old who dies on prom night. Right from the get go, you're like, "What happened?" Then, we meet the Thrashers – think super rich, popular kids, the kind everyone's obsessed with. And let me tell you, they're definitely hiding something.

This book grabbed me from page one. It's a real rollercoaster, with all these unexpected twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. As a YA book, it totally nails that mix of drama, suspense, and teenage angst that the target audience will love.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for an ARC of this book. I voluntarily read and gave an honest review.

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

The Thrashers by Julie Soto is about an elite friend group in high school that consists of Jodi, Paige, Lucy, and Julian, who all revolve around their fifth friend, Zach as they get caught up in the death of their classmate Emily.

I binged this entire book and was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I couldn’t decide throughout the book who I could trust, or if I could trust any of the characters at all!! I thought the pacing was so well done for a young adult thriller, and it really kept and maintained my attention.

I don’t really know if I liked any of the characters?? But that was kind of interesting because then my loyalties as the reader kept flip flopping. I also liked that the book was in one POV, because we got a little bit of an unreliable narrator and I think it unfolded better getting the pieces of the story along the way.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

The Thrashers is a gripping, drama-filled YA thriller that dives into the toxic glamor of elite high school cliques with a dark, twisty edge. Julie Soto crafts a compelling story with Jodi Dillon at the center—a relatable outsider who gets swept into the whirlwind of the Thrashers, a group as alluring as they are dangerous.

The story kicks into high gear when Emily Mills, an outsider desperate for acceptance, dies under mysterious circumstances, and suddenly Jodi is caught between loyalty, self-preservation, and a haunting truth that refuses to stay buried. The journal clues, creepy messages, and escalating suspense kept me hooked, and the emotional layers added surprising depth.

Soto does a fantastic job showcasing the vulnerability of teens navigating high-stakes social politics while grappling with real danger. The writing is punchy, the characters are morally gray (in the best way), and the pacing makes it hard to put down.

Why not five stars? A few twists were predictable, and at times the drama leaned slightly over the top—but it never took away from the thrill. this is a solid, binge-worthy read that delivers chills and heart in equal measure.

Highly recommended for anyone craving suspense, secrets, and high school intrigue.

The fact that I sat down and devoured this in one sitting says nearly everything. The writing is accessible and pulls you forward through the plot. Even though it's written in third person you feel close to the main character as though you're seeing things through her eyes. The mystery portion was very well executed with interesting twists and turns. And I enjoyed watching the way the layers were peeled back on all of the characters showing us who they really were.

[ The way they handled Emily's mental health through the eyes of the Thrashers was sensitive and balanced. It would have been easy to swing into making her some evil mastermind, or removing the harm that she'd done, but the author found a balance that worked beautifully within the book. And the tiny epilogue really was the cherry on top of the supernatural aspects.

What a ride!? Julie Soto does a great YA book. A close nit group of 4 friends known as the "Trashers" have a reputation of "thrashing" anyone who they befriend and unfriend. All of theirs lives change when they befriend Emily Mills and she kills herself on prom night. I truly enjoyed this story and it's twists and turns.

Stayed up past midnight for this book, so addicting!!!!

Emily Mills, 17, commits suicide. But it’s not long until everyone’s pointing fingers at the Thrashers for murdering her.

The Trashers is a highschool group of friends - Zack Thrasher, Paige, Lucy, Julian and Jodi. They’re the popular rich ones, apart from Jodi but she fits in. No one stays a friend of the Trashers for long before they get ‘Thrased’

Full of twists and turns an addicting narrative. Jodi tries to uncover what really happened to Emily, why all of the Thrashers about from Jodi have been arrested and accused.

I LOVED this book! I’ll probably have to do a re-read soon. Absolute page turning mystery.

Thank you to Wednesday Books & Macmillan Audio for the review copies! I devoured this one, even though I am not usually a thriller or YA reader. It gave me Veronica Mars vibes, and was just so juicy!

I’m a Julie Soto stan at this point, I’ll follow her to whatever genre she wants to write next. Check your TWs with this one, it opens with a teenager, Emily Mills, dying by suicide. A popular clique nicknamed “The Thrashers” are blamed for her death because of how they treated her. We see the rest of the book through Jodi’s POV - the one Thrasher who isn’t under investigation. But when the group becomes plagued by accidents and near-death experiences they wonder, is Emily really gone?

Veronica Mars was one of my favorite shows, and I loved that there was a focus on the friendships and romantic drama as much as the mystery elements, which is also what I loved about The Thrashers. And one of the characters gave me Logan Echolls vibes - probably where my love for misunderstood “bad boys” came from.

If you follow me because you love gossip and thinking about complicated human behavior, you’ll love this. It’s fast paced and full of twists. The paranormal aspects were just creepy enough that I had to pause the book when it got too late at night.

🎧Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky bring this audiobook to life. Listening to the audiobook made me feel truly immersed in the story.

While the story feels complete, there’s more to explore, and it looks like the book was sold in a two book deal, so I expect the sequel to be just as bingeable!

The Thrashers by Julie Soto is a good YA thriller that has a solid plot that kept me hooked. Soto’s writing really brought the action and characters to life. The twists were clever and surprised me. I also thought the portrayal of toxic friendships felt spot on for the YA genre. The added drama and tension made the story even more compelling.
The friendship dynamics were messy, but that’s what made them feel so real, especially in the context of a thriller. The Epilogue was exceptional and it provided a satisfying conclusion for the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and Julie Soto for the gifted ARC.

First, let me just say that I fully believe Julie can write in any genre and I would eat it up! This is Julie’s YA thriller debut (with a romance subplot) and I sure hope we get more in this world!

Julie hooked me from the prologue with her addictive writing and never let go. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this one and it absolutely delivered everything I hoped for and more! The Thrashers perfectly explored the intricacies of high school friendships and cliques. It’s full of twists and not everything is as it seems. I had major trust issues with every character while reading this book and to be honest, I still do. Their intentions and motives are never 100% clear and it had me guessing the WHOLE time. And that epilogue gave me actual goosebumps! This would be the perfect choice for fans of Pretty Little Liars! (Wednesday books, if you’re reading this please let Julie give another book or 3 in this world 😍)

3.5 stars, rounded up because this completely sucked me in from the very first line, "The night I died was supposed to be my prom night." (Hooked yet?)

I must have said, "just one more chapter" a dozen times, and before I knew it, it was 3 am. 🤣 If this was Julie Soto's first thriller, I can't wait to read the next one!

I have to mention that this book is firmly in the YA camp, so set your expectations accordingly. The characters are predominantly spoiled and rather morally grey high schoolers who have never had to take responsibility for their actions, and they act and make decisions as such. The story was a bit of a slow-burn, and the twists were rather predictable, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the ride, especially the unexpected romance sub-plot that developed - I. Ate. It. Up.

I don't often say this, but I honestly think this book could be even better as a Netflix series, and I found myself fan-casting the series as I was reading (Joy Sunday from Wednesday would make the perfect Lucy!). It's like Pretty Little Liars, Thirteen Reasons Why, One of Us is Lying, Riverdale, and Euphoria all wrapped into one...and I would absolutely devour this on the screen!

If you enjoy other YA thrillers by Karen McManus and Holly Jackson, you'll probably love The Thrashers!