Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I’ve observed recently that the Teen & YA space, especially mysteries and thrillers, has seen some incredibly strong writing that rivals the adult space. With The Thrashers it has absolutely overtaken it with a stunning story that will be a hit across all ages. This mystery is fascinating, the writing is exemplary, and the story goes from strength to strength, ending with the most absolutely shiver inducing, ‘I can’t wait to discuss this’ reveal.

I can understand the appeal to younger adults with our main character Jodi, who has always felt her in to the tight knit, exclusive popular group has been her friendship with Zack Thrasher. And while the others are close and kind with her (with the exception of Julian, Zack’s first ‘other’ best friend), they all orbit around Zack and feel it necessary to ‘thrash’, or isolate, other teens who fall for Zack’s charismatic personality, not realizing he’s like a butterfly in a field of flowers. When Emily, a younger girl who has an obsessive personality, doesn’t get the hint, rumors abound that her suicide must be related to the group finally drumming it home.

Following Jodi as she feels more and more like she may as well be Emily, not getting the hint or understanding why she’s friends with the other teens, and the mystery of a diary Emily left behind that points fairly damningly at the group, we get to live in Jodi’s head and try to figure out exactly what happened… and in fact is happening, as it seems like the group is being haunted.

It’s hard to describe how this book just balances all of that so well, but it does, throwing in little curve balls to keep readers engaged while also giving just so much new information about the group and Emily to fuel the tension and deepen the mystery. I’m not sure how Julie Soto could make the possibly paranormal element feel so natural to a story but she did it masterfully. And again, the ending, after everything that came before, was absolutely amazing - as is the fact that this will elicit the same reaction from a host of readers across generations.

3 stars for me, an adult, 4 stars for a YA, averaged out to 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 stars. Math.

The five Thrashers are the most important clique at New Helvetia High. Zack Thrasher is the de facto leader, Jodi Dillon has been his best friend since second grade, so she’s included, even though she doesn’t believe she has anything particularly special to offer the group (we see the action via her) and Lucy Reed, Paige Montgomery and Julian Hollister, an outstanding athlete, a beautiful girl and a former child model, make up the rest of the group.

Lots of people would like to be Thrashers, including a girl named Emily Mills. She died on prom night last spring, a suicide. Police seem to suspect the Thrashers may have played a role. And there’s other weirdness…text messages, flickering lights….what is going on?

So, I liked this, but I did have some questions about the bullying. I saw it clearly in a few instances, but didn’t in others…to paraphrase one of the characters, it’s not bullying not to like someone. But I have no children and may not be clear enough…and, again, there was clear bullying in some instances. So, I liked it fine, and I think the intended audience will enjoy.

Julie Soto is an auto buy author for me and this book solidified my choice! This book definitely gave "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" vibes but I enjoyed this way more. The book had me hooked from the beginning and I couldn't put it down! I finished it in one day and I haven't done that with a book in a very long time. The intrigue and the mystery were so good it had me on the edge of my seat. I loved all the characters and the story really made me question them throughout the whole thing. I could not recommend this book enough!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC! Julie Soto is one of my “instant read” authors and this was no different. Julie is so incredible in her writing and I could not put this down!!

I was so invested in what was happening with the group and things that I thought would be predictable just kept me guessing. This has such a good balance of keeping you hooked but not drawing things out too long.

I cannot wait for more from Julie!!

4.75 ⭐️ This was so GOOD! The epilogue was crazy!!!
Im a sucker for ya mysteries, and I‘ll keep repeating myself but found family trope is the absolute best!
Loved the friend group, the family drama, the secrets and mystery, the tiny bits of romance???!!!!! YUP! I ate this up!!! I also didn‘t expect this to be so emotional. I felt for the mcs, the history of certain things were just tragic!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher that I got an arc for one of my most anticipated releases of 2025!!! I laughed and cried and was giddy while devouring this book! Couldn’t put it down and I highly recommend reading Julie Sotos next banger!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this masterpiece of a book 🥹

I knew Julie Soto’s writing was perfection but going out of her comfort zone (adult romance) and writing the perfect YA thriller wasn’t something I expected!!!!

I need more of it 🤭

This book had me hooked since page 1.
So so good!!! I haven't read a thriller as good as this one in quite a long time. I am impressed.
Great job Julie Soto!!
And that ending!?!? There better be another book soon!
Thank you to NetGalley, and the publishing company for getting me this ARC!!

I will read anything Julie Soto writes. Will I love everything she writes? Maybe not.

I’m usually not into thrillers and suspense, but I had to give this one a shot. It’s giving 13 Reasons Why meets I Know What You Did Last Summer. I can’t say that’s a good thing. It got a little weird with all the paranormal themes that seemed to come out left field. I go back and forth over whether or not I even liked any of the characters. I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting, but I did really enjoy Julie’s writing as always. Curious to know if the ending means there might be a sequel or if we’re just left to wonder…

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (Wednesday Books) for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What is there to say? Julie Soto's first YA novel and she really knocked it out of the park for me. I wasn't sure what to expect - it's been a long time since I've read YA and a story about rich kids isn't usually my thing. However, I love Julie's other writing so I wanted to give this a shot. This was much better than I anticipated, and I already had high hopes! I didn't know there would be paranormal elements to the story but I was very into it, and my only wish was that it would be longer.

I do hope Julie continues with YA stories!

Julie Soto the woman that you are!! Ahhhh this everything I love in a young adult thriller! I read it in one sitting. Long term friendship/group dynamics, slowly unfurling a mystery, and a perfectly plotted story. I loved that this was a little spookier than a usual thriller so it had a little extra something that I ended up really enjoying. I thought the story was interesting, faced paced, and kept you hooked the whole time. I was satisfied with the twist and actually really loved the surprise epilogue at the end. Overall, loved it. So much fun!

Thank you to St. martins press and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I'm not sure how I feel about this one! I really enjoyed the writing style, and the conclusion felt satisfying once I fully understood what was going on. However, the lack of explanation or elaboration around the paranormal elements just felt a little weird. I kept trying to figure out "whodunnit" as I didn't fully understand what was happening, and I feel like it just couldn't quite decide whether it was a thriller, mystery, or ghost story. But all that aside, this may just not be the book for me! Julie Soto is a very talented writer, and I am genuinely looking forward to trying more of her work. I encourage others to give The Thrashers a try if they enjoy YA thriller/paranormal stories.

A suspenseful, hard to put down, compelling book about the desire to find belonging and how far a person will go to achieve and keep it. Soto writes a honest depiction of a teenage girl overcoming her own insecurity with plot twists that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats. PS, the one page epilogue?? We need more please!

I loved this!!!! A fun YA thriller. This gave me pretty little liars/final destination vibes and I was spooked while reading. But it was so fun 😂 when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. I feel like the characters and story will stick with me!! 5 stars!

Wow! So not expecting to love this as much as I did as Im not much of a YA or Thriller reader. BUT! I love me some Julie Soto, and was thrilled to receive this arc from netgalley (much thanks!)

I felt like I was taken back in time High School where my insecurities were high and everything felt dramatic, including the infatuation I had with boys. I had some cringeworthy relatablity to some of the things said/done by these girls. The characters felt real, especially the yearning Jodi and her unrequited/untold crush on Erick. Granted,  there is plenty of actual drama in this story which kept me hooked on this book and read it within 48 hours. I enjoyed the at home scenes of Jodi and her father that played out and found that portion quite gripping.

All of the characters intrigued me and stakes felt high! I love love loved the supernatural aspects of the book and the epilogue had me giddy. I thought the bits of romance that were sprinkled were soooooo fun and left me wanting more!

There were a few things that had me scratching my head, like the (in my opinion) dated pop culture references like Hey Yah by Outkast and some girl wearing Fantasy perfume. I was so confused by that but it was just contained to a small portion of the book and I didn't feel anything out of place past that. Also, there were some things that resurface later on as mysteries unravel and just didn't seem realistic for our main character not to already know. However, it didn't take me out of the story, maybe just a little scoff of disbelief and then onward I went. The story telling is so fun/good I couldn't look away even with those little blips.

Would love to see these characters expanded on! So much more to say with this group and I am here for it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub. Date: 5.6.25

Julie Soto never disappoints, and her debut YA thriller is no exception!

This book was a rollercoaster of emotions, twists, and turns. I’m still thinking about that epilogue!! 😱

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

First of all, thank you for the ARC!

📌Pub Date May 06 2025

And thanks to my friend who sent me the link, which made me want to read the book.

I love these kinds of mystical stories, a group of teenagers, mysteries.

At times, I found it a bit boring and wanted to shake the heroine, but eventually, she came to her senses and spoke out, which I liked.

This is my first book by the author, and I enjoyed the easy style; I definitely want to read her future works.

In the last chapters, I was a bit nervous, waiting for a huge shocking moment, and there was indeed one, though the epilogue left me somewhat puzzled.

All the characters are different, with their own struggles, secrets, and pain; they are not perfect.

The story is told from the perspective of the FMC, which gives a sense of an unreliable narrator.

The ending left me with a feeling of an open conclusion and several questions.

I enjoyed reading this book with friends who also received the ARC; we noticed more details and explained to each other what we understood.

A group of teenagers, their acquaintance has taken her life, and someone among them is guilty, or not? Who is truly a friend, and how not to feel out of place?

They are called the Thrashers, and they are suspected of bullying that drove their friend, who doesn't want to leave them after her demise.

• Suicide
• Domestic violence
• A popular group of school kids
• Mysteries
• Secret texts
• Unrequited love
• Spirits

📓🛁🚙👗📱

The Thrashers is an electrifying mix of suspense, high school drama, and psychological tension that grips you from the very first page. With razor-sharp writing and an expertly woven mystery, this book keeps you on edge, making you question every character’s motives until the very end.

Jodi Dillon is the perfect protagonist—an outsider thrust into the elite world of New Helvetia High’s most exclusive friend group. The Thrashers are everything: wealthy, untouchable, and dangerously magnetic. But when Emily Mills dies under mysterious circumstances, Jodi finds herself caught in a web of secrets, lies, and eerie messages that suggest Emily’s presence isn’t gone for good.

Soto masterfully builds tension, balancing the glamour and recklessness of adolescence with the chilling reality of deception and betrayal. The characters are flawed, fascinating, and utterly compelling, making it impossible not to get emotionally invested.

“I never wanted her to die. I just wanted her to disappear.” “That’s the same thing to girls like us.”

The Thrashers was my first Julie Soto book and certainly will not be my last!! I absolutely adored this thriller novel. I went outside of my comfort zone and tried another new book genre and it did not disappoint! Also, that quote above hit so hard when I read it! This book was so deep and the message it sent was so powerful.

I loved Jodi and how she stood up to not only one but two important people in her life! I originally thought I’d lean toward loving one of the guys but by the end of the book I was rooting for the other!

The ending left me reeling and now I have so many questions. I always knew something was up but wasn’t quite expecting THAT!! Please tell me we’ll get a sequel because I need answers and to see a certain two characters get a happy ending!!

This book definitely gave me Pretty Little Liars and One of Us is Lying vibes, so if you loved either of those, then be sure to check this one out! Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for an advanced copy! The Thrashers releases on May 6!

P.S. Julian made me cry by the end of the book. I genuinely feel bad for him and hope we get to see more of his story. When he was the only one who showed up to see the play and also when he drove 2 hours to come help Jodi when she got drunk were two scenes that made me smile! I never believed he did any of those things because he wanted to just get on her good side because she was to testify against him.

Everyone wants to be them.

The Thrashers are the most popular group at New Helvetia High. When a girl--who desperately wanted to be a Thrasher--dies, strange and terrifying things begin to happen to the group. And a recovered journal threatens their innocence in her death. This YA debut from Julie Soto is a non-stop thrilling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, desperate to solve the mystery.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It's been a while since a YA book captivated me like The Thrashers. The book gripped me from the first page. I love Julie Soto's writing and especially loved the way she told this story. A must read for young adults and adults who love the mystery/thriller genre.

I absolutely love Julie Soto, so I was excited to receive the ARC for The Thrashers and it did not disappoint! This is a YA (paranormal) Thriller. From the Prologue to the Epilogue, I was completely drawn into the world of The Thrashers with the first sentence. The story begins with Emily Mills, who so desperately wanted to be a Thrasher, committing suicide. The book is told from Jodi Dillon's perspective (third person point of view) as she navigates her life after Emily's death and questions what she knows about her friends/their dynamics as the results of the investigation of Emily's death is revealed to her.

And can I just say THE EPILOGUE. I can't stop thinking about that ending. 10/10 recommend this book.

If Julie writes it, I will read it.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.