First, thank you so much to NetGalley, Julie Soto, and St. Martins Publishing for an eARC of The Thrashers!

Now, let’s get into it!

I LOVED this! I wouldn’t normally reach for this type of book - thriller with a hint of paranormal moments as paranormal will freak me out so I can’t sleep 🫠 BUT Julie Soto did this wonderfully!!

The Thrashers follows 5 high schoolers in their senior year in the wake of one girl’s, Emily Mills, suicide via Jodi Dillon’s (FMC) pov. As a result of her death the “Thrashers”, Jodi, Paige, Lucy, Julian, and Zack Thrasher, get thrown into a web of truths, lies, secrets, and legal trouble. Jodi has to navigate everything and determine what’s the truth, where she stands, and who she stands with.

All of the characters were morally ambiguous as none were either purely “good” or purely “evil.” Watching all of their secrets and truths spill out through Jodi’s realizations was SO FUN!!! And I didn’t put everything together immediately which was so refreshing.

Julie Soto’s writing kept me on the edge of my seat and staying up way later than I should’ve to keep reading! It was gripping and fascinating and I may have fallen in love with some of these characters. AND, based on that nifty epilogue, I’m hoping we may get to revisit a few of them?? 👀👀

Taking off a minute fraction of a star because the middle part felt a tad slow but otherwise, perfect perfect!! No notes!

Thank you Julie Soto, Wednesday Books, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book read like a CW (aka ABC family) book from when I was a teenager and I absolutely ate it up.

The book follows this friend group, aptly called The Trashers by their classmates, and the whole thing gave me Pretty Little Liars vibes. I loved how unsettled I felt the whole time - you really never knew where anyone stood with each other and who was lying at any given point and I LOVED that.

I will say I’m not usually into the paranormal necessarily but I liked the way it was done in this book even if I didn’t expect it from reading the synopsis.

Overall I loved how much it made me think and how much still remained up for interpretation by the end. It definitely had grit, especially for a YA novel.

My main critique was that they needed a member of Gen Z to proof this. Even as an older Gen Z some of this stuff was cringey and totally unrealistic to the times (I’m looking at you wedge highheeled converse). It wasn’t unbearable but I think a younger proofreader could have caught it to make sure it resonated with the youth of 2025.

Overall it was a great read and I’m excited for more of Julie’s work (specifically her 2025 fantasy release!)

TLDR: 4 stars, I enjoyed the book but it left me with a lot of unanswered questions.
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Most times when I choose books to read, I go based off peer suggestion, the genre, or the author. I often don't read the blurb because I like to learn the details of the story as I read. I knew this book was YA and I've read previous books from Julie Soto so when I saw this book was being released, it instantly went on my TBR. I didn't know this was a thriller/mystery until I started reading it so that was a pleasant surprise.

The book follows high school senior Jodi Dillon and her friend group coined "The Thrashers" as they're being criminally charged with the suicide of fellow classmate, Emily Mills. Jodi was a relatively fleshed out character. She feels like she's the outcast of her friend group - the "fifth wheel" as she personally feels she's the least attractive and is objectively less wealthy. I could relate to her feelings of being an outsider and a people pleaser, letting her friends' perception of her dictate her decisions. The other Thrashers - Julian, Paige, Lucy, and Zack - all sort of meld into one person just pulled apart. The two other girls are pretty much the same; they don't have many distinct characteristics. They're willfully ignorant to the happenings around them and seem to only care about things that happen to them or their friend group directly. Zack is more outgoing than Julian, being described as the guy who is "nice to everyone" to the point of it being a farce. He unintentionally makes other people believe they're good friends with him even when they aren't. Julian is a bit more reserved as he seems to care only about the people in the friend group, and couldn't be bothered by anyone else.

The twists and turns of this book were not what I had expected at all. There were a lot of details regarding the Thrashers' friendship with Emily that were grey and unclear, making the reader wonder what really happened to her and why she ultimately decided to take her own life. The story was a classic YA thriller that felt like it could easily be adapted for a TV series or movie.

My critiques of this book mostly fall under some plot details I wish were addressed further. The pacing of the story is a bit slow for the first half-ish. I was never bored while reading but there were no plot points that stood out to me in particular. Around the 50% mark, things started to shift gears and get a bit paranormal which I didn't expect. I don't think this book was meant to be a ghost story necessarily. I think it was meant to be somewhat realistic, but this pulled the realism away from the story and made me feel a little disconnected. Don't get me wrong, it made the story more interesting, but it was never really explored or explained other than "a good haunting" which made me a little confused.

I also wish there was more to the end of the book. The ending was an unfortunate turn of events with a bit of a twist but there were still a lot of things that went unsaid.

Overall, when a book leaves me wanting more I consider it a good sign, and I was thoroughly entertained. I could not stop reading the last 30% without constantly needing to know what happens next. The lack of clarity almost made me rate the book 3 or 3.5 stars but the fact that I was engaged and constantly interested in the details of the book, I gave it 4 stars.

Wooow okay. YA thriller isn’t my usual genre of choice, but whatever Julie Soto writes is, so I obviously gave it a read. And boy, did it hook me. This book is like a mashup of every great teen mystery/drama/thriller. It was engaging and spooky and twisty all the way through.

The story is told in the aftermath of a high school girl committing suicide, and pointing blame at a cliquish group of friends known collectively as “The Thrashers.” Soto had me questioning everything and trusting no one right up until the very end (speaking of that ending 👀😳🫠), which made it so hard to put this one down.

This was a great read. No notes. Just give me more YA thrillers from Julie Soto, I guess.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the ARC of this book!

What an amazing emotional journey!!! I have read Julie Soto’s published and several non published works. While this felt like her writing, the story was entirely unique to her other genres.


This YA novel centers around Jodi, a teenager girl who never really felt like she fit in, regardless of being a “thrasher.” It was easy to resonate with Jodi’s fear of never being good enough.

While dealing with strong themes of bullying, teen suicide, and drugs, Soto handles them with honesty and respect.

I loved the growth Jodi displayed towards the end of the novel. The underlying romance has me chomping at the bit for a sequel (specifically in his POV!)

The epilogue solidified the 5 star rating. This is definitely the type of story to leave you with unanswered questions that you will ponder over for weeks to come while falling asleep.

Thank you to Julie Soto for this masterpiece and to Net Galley and St Martin’s Press for this early copy.

Julie Soto’s The Thrashers is an electrifying, suspenseful read that keeps you questioning every character’s motives until the very last page. The novel plunges you into the world of New Helvetia High’s elite friend group—the Thrashers—where status is everything, secrets run deep, and betrayal lurks just beneath the surface.

Jodi Dillon isn’t like the rest of the Thrashers. She wasn’t meant to be one of them, but childhood ties to Zack Thrasher keep her in the fold. When Emily Mills, a girl desperate for their approval, is found dead, the cracks in their perfect facade begin to show. With Emily’s journal emerging, detectives circling, and cryptic messages appearing, Jodi is left wondering—who can she really trust? And more chillingly, is Emily truly gone?

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its psychological tension. Soto masterfully weaves an atmosphere of unease, making you second-guess every interaction. The dynamics between Jodi and Julian, in particular, are addictively tense, filled with an undercurrent of something deeper that leaves you craving more. The twists are relentless, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story shifts, keeping you hooked until the shocking conclusion.

If you love dark academia vibes, elite cliques with dangerous secrets, and thriller mysteries where no one is truly innocent, The Thrashers is a must-read. And that ending? Absolute perfection—though I wouldn’t say no to a sequel.

Fans of Karen McManus, Good Girls Guide to Murder, and Pretty Little Liars will DEVOUR this book! This friend group feels so authentically high school and I loved their twisty relationships. I felt very much along for the ride with this one. I'm excited to press it into the hands of the teens at the library!

Julie Soto writes a YA mystery thriller. Immediately yes. I started this at 10pm (why???) and read it in one sitting. Not least because I was too scared to go to sleep without resolution from our ghost. Totally recommend!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

SOOOO MANY MIXED EMOTIONS ABOUT THE ENDING
Tropes:
Paranormal
“Found family”
Solving a mystery

It’s definitely a roller coaster the last 60 pages of the book. I solely want a book about Julian Hollister because he needs justice. From start to finish, it truly has you hooked into the story and figuring out what happened to Emily and which one in the friend group is guilty. We learn that there’s little cracks behind every perfect friendship

The amount of times I sat straight up and said “oh my god!” during this book is off the charts. Seriously every time I thought I could guess where the investigation was heading, it swerved in a different direction.

Julie. Soto. Can. Do. No. Wrong.

I mean seriously, Im typing this at 1:20 am because I just couldn’t put it down once the plot started speeding up.

First of all. PSYCHO BEHAVIOR. Those are the two words to take away from this book. Absolute psycho behavior.

And the epilogue??????????? I’m slightly worried I’m going to dream about this book, but I’m the most worried about the epilogue being stuck in my head. What does that mean??

Seriously, I might have to update this later with more coherent thoughts, because right now I’m still reeling. But wow. Just wow.

Thank you to NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title.

Thank you to St. Martin's Publishing Group for this ARC!

This book was a steady 4-4.5 stars, then the Epilogue happened & and I had to do 5 stars.

Julie Soto is an instant buy for me and always will be. I've loved her since reading her fanfiction and she's one of my favorite authors of all time. But I won't lie, I was a little nervous when I saw the description of this book and realized it's a similar trope where there is a popular group in a high school setting which is idolized and then something happens. However, I should have trusted in Julie because she delivered.

The paranormal aspect of this book had me instanly hooked. And early on, you start to see instead of the individual who was "victimized" was obsessed with a boy, she was seeming to be obsessed with the FMC, Jodi. I couldn't put this book down, I read it in one night and absolutely plan on re-reading it to make sure I didn't miss anything. I couldn't put this down because each time I tried, something happened and I had to know what was happening next. And honestly, I cried at certain parts. Remebering high school and feeling the same way Jodi did pulled at my heartstrings, along with what she discovered about her mother and finally told people about her home life.

Also..... why do I want Jodi and Julian to still be together even after reading the Epilouge? LOL

The Thrashers by Julie Soto.

"The night I died was supposed to be my prom night." I was hooked from the very first line. Julie Soto is a one-click for me but I typically avoid YA books set in high school. I'm so glad I didn't shy away from this one.

This book follows Jodi who is one of the five teenagers that make up the group, you guessed it, The Thrashers. "They never call themselves that." It throws you in right at the start of a tragedy that sets the tone for the entire novel.

It's easy to connect with Jodi who feels like an outsider even tho she's in the "in" group. As the reader you really get to witness these characters as they show their true colors ad they navigate the event that took place. All the characters felt real, and authentic.

You know what happened but you aren't sure who exactly is to blame. Unreliable narrator? Maybe.

I think The Thrashers really captured how easy it is for high schoolers to get in over their heads. How our actions have consequences. There are quite a few heavy topics in this book that many high schoolers/YA will be able to connect with from personal experience.

The epilogue will have your jaw on the *floor*. I might never recover.

This should be made into a TV series. Immediately. Please.

Thanks to Julie Soto, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book felt like a bad version of 13 Reasons Why... because there was no real reason and because the Trashers themselves were flat, boring and their history with the girl was just not believable.
I did not like a single character and was rooting for them all to go to jail.

This book kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading! The book was so intriguing. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that has had me book throughout the whole thing.

I really enjoy Julie Soto’s writing and this book solidifies how great of a write she is.

I can’t tell you how excited I was when I got to read an ARC of this! This book satisfied my teenage heart so much! It felt like a combination of early Christopher Pike (circa Sleepover and Chain Letter), a little bit of Ann M. Martin’s Slam Book, and just enough of a supernatural element that you’ll be questioning everything.

The basic premise is that a girl named Emily Mills killed herself and everyone is blaming The Thrashers, a group of friends named for the main guy they all seem to revolve around, because they assume she got ‘thrashed’, or shut out by the group. Things get really bad when the police get a hold of her diary and start charging The Thrashers with things like assault and statutory rape that things start spiraling out of control. Our main character, Jodi, who always feels like she’s on the periphery of their friend group, is the only one not accused, because Emily seems to have been obsessed with her.

This book had everything. A tight knit friend group that wasn’t all it seemed, a diary that might not be legit, and the possibility that Emily is haunting them all.

I definitely recommend when this comes out!

4.5 stars!

Dear Julie Soto,

Lawyer up. I'm suing you for emotional distress. The ending of this book left me emotionally, spiritually, and mentally distraught. How dare you? *Countess Luann voice* How could you do this to me, question mark. Demonic. But also, so well-written. Your vision, your mind. I'll read anything you write forever.

This one's for the LoVe lovers. The Veronica Mars fans. The book follows Jodi Dillon, a somewhat average lower-class girl who finds herself one of "The Thrashers," with the rich and popular clique at her school: Zack Thrasher, Lucy Reed, Paige Montgomery, and Julian Hollister. After their junior prom, a classmate, Emily Mills, committed suicide. Two of her final words: "The Thrashers." At the start of their senior year, a detective starts digging into the circumstances surrounding her death. The Thrashers start receiving mysterious text messages. And freak dangerous accidents start happening whenever the clique gathers. As the investigation starts heating up, Jodi struggles to unravel the secrets kept by and among the group and she struggles with her own guilt about Emily Mills' death.

Honestly this book is so good it makes me sick. I'm still distraught. Julian Hollister....*stares out the window forlornly* Like....is there going to be another book? Please? She (me) is begging.

out of context spoilers below...

FREE HIM! HE'S INNOCENT! HE DID NOTHING WRONG!!!!!!

AHHHHH LITERALLY ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2025!!!! I usually don’t read young adult mystery novels but I really ate this up! I didn’t know what to except before reading, but it literally blew my mind.

The suspense, the secrets, the drama and the slow burn…. Perfection!!! Once I started reading this book, I couldn’t stop because I needed to know what happens the next chapter! Everything that kept happening throughout the book, the secrets and the incidents made the storyline juicier.

Ahhhh the end of the book had me screaming😭😭 I really need to read what happens next! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Julie Soto never disappoints. I have read 2 of her books and this one was a little different considering it was YA compared to the romance ones I’ve read but it was a stunning read nonetheless. You’re immersed in this world of being a kid who feels left out and wants to fit in despite the situations that arise. Jodi was a complex character that you can’t help but understand how she’s feeling because we all at some point felt that impostor syndrome (maybe not that exact situation but you get the gist) overall I enjoyed this book

Content Warning: death, accidents, injuries, weed, drinking, suicide, alcoholism, mentions of physical abuse

+ I am loving how Julie Soto (one of my new favorite/must-read authors) has been branching out! I am hooked and ready to read all of it. I could not put this down. In this YA thriller, we meet a group of five friends called The Thrashers. They didn’t name themselves but it’s a reputation people at school gave them. This story is dark! It centers around a suicide and bullying, and brings up some good questions too. There is weed use and lots of underage drinking, plus the issue of alcoholism by an adult and abuse. This story is multi-layered and complicated.

+ Jodi is the only one of the Thrashers who isn’t wealthy or easily popular. She got lucky that she was best friends with Zack Thrasher in the second grade. He is like a beacon to everyone. All the girls want to be with him and all the boys want to be him or hang out with him, but he keeps an exclusive friend group with Jodi, Julian, Lucy, and Paige – Jodi being the most average of them all. This creates insecurities among the friends, mostly we see it in Jodi but later you see it in Julian and Paige. I like how the author explored the feelings one can have of being left out in a friend group – wondering what your place is in the group and if anyone actually cares.

+ A classmate of theirs, a girl named Emily, who latched onto their group and tried to become a Thrasher committed suicide. And now the Thrashers are under a microscope and some people are turning on them. Emily left a journal and what she writes about this friend group implicates them in her suicide. Is the journal real? Did Emily lie or is Jodi’s best friends lying? Who is telling the truth or are they leaving her out?

+ I was reading this late into the night, after midnight, and there were some parts that gave me slight chills. Emily was creepy but was her ghost/spirit really haunting them? Also the characters are all very unique, which I enjoyed. They are all morally gray also which makes my feelings about certain characters so complicated.

~ The ending! What was that? It’s very unexpected, and leaves me questions but also…can we get a book two? Haha, I mean I can see something happening for book two!

~ These friends, were always making their world revolve around Zack and I was questioning like…what makes him SO special besides him being super charming, nice, and drop dead gorgeous? For all of them to either be in love with him, want him, or jealous of him making other friends or dating other girls was wild to me.

Final Thoughts:

I read this in one night so I enjoyed this a lot. I loved the morally gray, complicated characters and their dynamic even though they are close and “best-friends”. Even in a friend group you can feel alone and outcasted and Jodi portrayed those insecurities very well. I was hooked to the drama happening in this friend group and seeing how everything played out. Learning about Emily and the “hauntings” was also creepy so overall, I think this was a great YA thriller and that ending. I don’t know what it means, but I want more! I can’t wait to read her fantasy debut this year also!

Thank you for the ARC copy.

This book is Heather‘s, meets 13 reasons why. Loved the peer dynamics and the characters. The book kept me guessing the whole time. A great YA thriller, perfect length. I will keep reading Julie Soto for sure!