3.5/5

The Thrashers by Julie Soto is a gripping psychological thriller that blends high school drama with eerie supernatural elements. The story follows Jodi, an outsider in her high school clique, “The Thrashers,” begin to uncover dark secrets after their classmate Emily takes her own life. As Jodi grapples with the group's involvement, she faces unsettling truths about Emily’s death.

Soto’s writing draws you in with its emotional depth, particularly in Jodi’s portrayal—her feelings of isolation and guilt are vividly written. The mix of suspense and paranormal elements adds intrigue, though I felt the mystery of the group’s actions could have stood stronger on its own without the supernatural twists. Still, the ghostly presence of Emily keeps the tension high, adding a chilling layer to the narrative.

The relationships in the story feel authentic, and Soto does an excellent job of exploring the complexities of high school dynamics. However, I was disappointed with the ending, especially the fate of Julian, which felt unresolved after his emotional growth.

Overall, The Thrashers is an engaging read that balances psychological drama with supernatural suspense. While the ending left me wanting more, Soto’s compelling storytelling makes me excited to read more of her work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC!

Well Julie, you got me.

The Thrashers is a story about a popular group of friends who end up in the center of an investigation about the death of a classmate. People say that the Thrashers thrash people; use them up and drop them. Is this what drove Emily to take her own life? What actually happened? Where is all this evidence from? Why does it seem like the universe is after this group of friends?

The Thrashers is Julie Soto's entry into the YA thriller space, and, man, did she do the dang thing. I had to take several breaks in the first quarter because it was making me feel anxious! Exactly what you want a thriller to accomplish. You never really know what's going on, like the characters. I can not say enough good things about this book. That ending? Oh my gosh. I got goosebumps reading it and again while thinking about it now.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️

No way this ends like this!? Are you kidding me!! Do we know if there’s gonna be another book?
I went into it blindly, not knowing absolutely anything about it. I love Julie Soto so freaking much so I didn’t need to know what this book was about- I just knew I had to read it and yup, it was really good. It was also super fun reading a different genre by an author whose contemporary romance novels I LOVE. It felt like seeing a different side of her and it was amazing. I enjoyed reading this thriller with some paranormal elements. I actually didn’t see that coming at all and really liked it.
I was really intrigued by the characters and as the story progressed I kept trying to read everyone’s intentions and trying to decipher who was lying and/or were they all making stuff up? So fun haha. I wanted to slap them all at some point! The last couple of chapters made me a bit sad, but the ending!? Hello!?
I need answers. I want more.


Big thanks to NetGalley for my ARC 🩵

Jodi Dillon nunca estuvo destinada a ser una de ellos. Julian, Lucy, Paige y el infame Zack Thrasher son ricos, sofisticados y aman la atención. Jodi se siente fuera de lugar, pero Zack es su mejor amigo de la infancia, así que ella está dentro del grupo. Entonces Emily Mills, que deseaba desesperadamente ser una de ellos muere, y comienzan los rumores sobre los Thrashers. Cuando sale a la luz el diario de Emily, los detectives se acercan y Jodi se enfrenta a una elección imposible: traicionar a sus amigos o protegerse.

Este no es usualmente el tipo de libros que leo pero me gusta mucho la autora así que decidí darle un chance y la verdad es que no decepcionó, fue atrapante y muy entretenido, tremendo thriller. Lo recomiendo mucho.

This was awesome!!!!!!! I was already a fan of Julie Soto previous works but she definitely outdid herself with this one! I honestly could not put this down until I finished it…the tension and the pace of the book were awesome, and the characters kept me in my toes all the time, I could not trust any of them 😂

4 stars for this one! Thank you so much for the ARC!

4.5 stars !!!!!

No but like….what was that ending????? Julie?? Julie??? Give us more???

This was such a fun read. I’ve never really been one for thrillers/mysteries but as a Julie Soto fan girl, I knew I’d love this.

I loved Jodi, and watching her navigate the very real complexities of high school as well as her own complicated family dynamics and trauma.

I am honestly shocked that I didn’t fall in love with Julian like…immediately? He was giving major Jess Mariano vibes (albeit while also popular and rich) and I’m always here for that.

I knew the sister knew more than she was letting on the entire time, but was glad she came clean to Jodi and was met with so much sympathy.

Also like….all of Jodi’s friends literally kinda suck? Except Julien? In a way that just makes them real, flawed, complex characters but our girl Jodi deserved better!!!

I’m dying (no pun intended) to know more about what Julien’s haunting experience has been! And to see his and Jodi’s relationship grow - although I guess being haunted by her ‘stalker’ practically isn’t really an ideal basis to kick start a relationship?

This was so good and I’m so thankful to Forever and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion!

UN.PUT.DOWN.ABLE !!!
A perfect blend of mystery, drama, supernatural, and pull at your heartstrings relationships that makes addicted to anything Julie Soto. As soon as I finished I wanted to start it back over again! What a perfect YA thriller! Julian and Jodi and Zach pulled at my heartstrings. Seeing Paige also struggle with feeling accepted (and Jodi not noticing, being too absorbed in her own otherness) was so captivating. Watching how others saw or didn’t see the mental health issues of Emily and Hannah through their own self absorbed lenses was CAPTIVATING. 10/10 !

Julie has never failed me!

The Thrashers had me on the edge of my seat from the first chapter. This book seems to be an interesting combination of mystery, paranormal, and a tiny bit of romance, that blended together just right to create a truly addictive book.

I will literally read this authors grocery list.

I love this book!! Julie!! This young adult thriller sucked me right in. The book flowed together so nicely and it was such a nice read! I’m hoping Julie writes more books like this because I absolutely loved it. Also? The ending!!!

This book was SO good! I’m pretty picky about my YA books, and my thrillers, so I was hesitant to pick it up, but when Julie Soto writes it, I will read it - and it’s another slam dunk!

There were a lot of twists and turns in this story. Without giving too much away, it has all the best characteristics - scheming friends, inner circle drama, paranormal activity, and a plot where you never know what’s going to happen next.

Definitely pick this book up!

NetGalley ARC

I don’t usually read thrillers, but I do read Julie Soto, so decided to give The Thrashers a try. I loved it! I read it all in one day.

It was interesting reading through the lens of Jodi’s insecurities, especially later when you realize her interpretation of the world is not 100% accurate.

The epilogue was especially thought provoking. I have so many questions!!

I will definitely buy a physical copy of this book and reread.

This plot was not what I expected. I got a little frustrated thinking it would turn into a sci-fi book, but I feel like I could NOT stop reading once I really got into it. The end made me want more. Julie Soto outdid herself with this one.

The best way to describe this is 13 Reasons Why meets Gone Girl meets Dear Evan Hansen.

I loved the characters purely because I felt like I knew them all. Did they frustrate me? Yes. Were they good friends? Sometimes. Did they make for a great plot? 100%

That ending 😱

YA-mystery-drama—FYI

And it took me almost a month to read it because I couldn’t read it at night because it creeped me out.

Feels like maybe 13 Reasons x Mean Girls x The Skulls if they were all Sytherins. IYKYK

The end though. First time being mad at Julie Soto!

Thank you so much to Julie Soto and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the eARC. This was such an amazing book. I could not put it down. I read it in just 1 sitting. This YA Mystery/ Thriller is a perfect read for any teen or adult. Can't wait to read more from Julie.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/♾️

MY THOUGHTS 💭:
I am a huge fan of some YA lit, ya’ll and this one did not dissapoint. So many jaw dropping moments throughout this one! Even with all the characters and side characters it was easy to keep everyone seperate (which is something I have a hard time with). The plot was so well done. The ending was not expected at all! I was up late Sunday night before having to be at work on Monday reading this one! Could NOT put it down!


⚠️TWs: suicide, alcoholism, alcohol abuse, violence due to alcohol, bullying, absentee parents, physical violence, use of a medium ( some light dabbling in the occult)

Okay firstly I just want to say as someone who once lived in the 209 area. This is something that totally would happen in north cal. I stood up all night reading this because I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know what happened and who did what and why it happened! JULIAN YOU HAVE MY HEART😭

This book is absolutely addictive! Not only did I devour it in one sitting, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it for days. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat and I’m already contemplating a reread to try to find more crumbs that I missed the first time.

Julie did such a fantastic job entering not only into the YA realm, but the mystery / thriller genre as well! The raw emotions of navigating friendships, toxicity, and insecurities was done masterfully. Every single character was so dynamic, complex, and messy and never at any point did I know where the story was going next.

Julie has absolutely out done herself!

Thank you to NetGalley and Julie’s team for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 ⭐️ ok, but is there anything Julie Soto CAN’T write?

What a profound and thrilling debut YA novel. Five teenagers are the prime suspect of bullying that supposedly lead to the suicide of a classmate on prom night.

The haunting feelings, flashes of light in their pictures, and near death experiences had me constantly on the edge of my seat as the investigation unfolded in this story. I even found myself screaming as I tripped over my dog after reading this in the dark. (Sorry, Luna 🐶)

Jodi, the protagonist, was great as self reflection in an age appropriate way that had me cheering her on while my own heart was beating out of my chest.

I can’t say enough thanks you’d to St. Martin’s press, Wednesday books, and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

3.5/5 stars rounded up

Thank you Wednesday Books for the advanced reading copy!

This one started and ended with a bang, but lost me a tiny bit in the middle! Things felt convoluted and it was hard to keep track of all the different things going on during that portion. However, I'm super glad I stuck with it because the ending was really unexpected! The entire book was fast-paced, and kept me hooked. There were some surprising twists, but nothing extremely mind-blowing. Our FMC, Jodie, was annoying at times, but I genuinely liked her and rooted for her the entire time. This was definitely and entertaining story and was great on audio! I'd call this a solid YA thriller with a few creepy elements, and would read more by this author in the future!

this was a really interesting thriller about a group of high school friends who seem to have it all, and the one of them who doesn't. it delves into the social dynamics and the cost of belonging to a friend group, as well as more difficult subjects like suicide, obsession, abuse and social ostracism.

i really liked jodi as a narrator, she was relatable for me - constantly feeling like she's one missed party or social outing from being excluded entirely since she's not as rich, conventionally attractive, or academically inclined, etc. and as the investigation into the death of emily mills unfolds, those feelings become stronger as she realizes she might not know her best friends as well as she thought.

i did think the pacing was a little slow, especially in the middle. in fact, throughout most of the book it was a solid 3-3.5 stars. the ending however, especially the epilogue? completely changed it for me. it was such a perfect, interesting way to wrap up the store that i still think about it sometimes.

overall, this was a really engrossing, mysterious read with a very compelling ending that i would absolutely recommend.