Such a fast paced YA thriller with so many twists and turns! I stayed up so late, not being able to put it down. The friendships, betrayals, plot twists, and revelations, I was kept on my toes through and through. I definitely recommend this one if you want a ya HS thriller with paranormal elements and hidden twists!

I loved this book. It had all the questions to keep me reading and engaged. Who did it? Why? What happened the night of the prom? Who are "The Thrashers?" I think not only YA readers will enjoy, but also adults who are looking for a good book to curl up with! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for.the ARC! I definitely recommend this one!!!

The Thrashers is a gritty, intense tale of loyalty, survival, and the bonds that hold us together. Julie Soto delivers raw emotion and unflinching honesty, making this a powerful read you won’t forget anytime soon.

In her YA debut, Julie Soto hit all the right notes. A group of friends called the Thrashers, after their popular leader, Zack Thrasher, are accused of leading a wannabe member, Emily, to end her life. It appears the group is being haunted by Emily, as some strange and dangerous things keep happening to them. Jodie is our main character, and the story is told from her perspective. She is the most likable of the group, which made me want to root for her. But as the story went on, it was difficult to cheer for any of the Thrashers. I flew through this audiobook. The narration was suburb and I couldn't wait to see how the story resolved. The epilogue, ya'll 🤯.

This was a fast paced book that I couldn't put down. I was invested in the Thrashers, and who killed Emily. The ending had a nice little twist that I didn't see coming.

Okay, I can’t even begin to describe how much I LOVED this book! Being a YA thriller, I thought this would make a great pallet cleanser from all the romances I’ve been reading. And since it’s YA, I wasn’t really expecting any romance but OH My GOSH! I was hooked from start to finish! I LOVE the slowly growing school crush sub plot! I LOVE how you were kept guessing if there was really any paranormal activity or if it was all just coincidence until the very end! This was so good, so dramatic so angsty and with just enough romantic intrigue to make my feet kick! Julie Soto can officially write anything, and I’ll pick it up!

“They drew attention to themselves no matter what. The Thrashers.” 📓

I’ve seen nothing but glowing reviews for Julie Soto’s newest YA novel, THE THRASHERS...and I couldn’t help but cringe the whole time I was reading. It follows a high school clique - The Thrashers - in the aftermath a classmate’s apparent suicide on prom night. However, when evidence surfaces that the group had severely harassed and bullied that classmate, mistrust, blame and a bit of paranormal activity ensues.

This book just made me feel gross; every character was reprehensible and I feel like so many of their actions get written off as they are immature, developing teenagers - but they are truly all terrible people (even the victim is incredibly manipulative). There is a paranormal aspect to the plot - which, to me, felt random, out of place and not fully developed (although that epilogue was so well executed!). While the book does a good job at capturing the messiness that is high school social circles - the self-conciousness, the strong desire to be accepted and admired, the burgeoning romantic feelings - I truly felt like no character learned their lesson or grew from this ordeal, so...to me...it truly read like a bit of a trauma dump for others enjoyment.

Overall, while it was a quick read...it was anything but easy - be sure to review the trigger warnings carefully, as it is incredibly dark. And, unfortunately, I don’t think many of the potentially triggering topics are treated with much care.

CW // bullying; suicide; alcohol and drug use; car accident; assault; death of loved one; drowning

Julie Soto delivers a deliciously twisted high school drama meets murder mystery in The Thrashers. Think Gossip Girl with a touch of Pretty Little Liars darkness, where secrets fester under the glossy surface of an elite friend group, and loyalty has a deadly price.

Jodi Dillon is our relatable outsider on the inside—dragged into the orbit of the Thrashers thanks to her lifelong friendship with golden boy Zack. The cast is messy, privileged, and addictive to watch unravel. When Emily Mills, a wannabe Thrasher, turns up dead, the story shifts from glitzy teen drama to edge-of-your-seat thriller.

What I loved:

The suspense! This had me flipping pages well past bedtime.

Soto’s signature voice—sharp, witty, and emotionally raw.

The way Emily’s presence lingers even after death, creating a chilling vibe that builds perfectly.

Why not 5 stars? Some of the pacing dragged in the middle, and a few characters felt more like archetypes than fully fleshed-out people. Still, it all came together with a satisfying punch in the final act.

This one’s for readers who love high-stakes drama, layered friendships, and a good "WHAAAT?!" twist. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more thrillers from Julie Soto.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto starts off slow, but once it finds its rhythm, the tension builds fast, and I was hooked. While I initially found it a bit hard to follow, I couldn’t stop reading. There’s something about the way Soto unravels the mystery that kept me invested, even when I wasn’t sure where it was going. And that ending? Totally unexpected, I’m still not sure how I feel about it, but it definitely left an impression.

What I love most about this book is how perfectly it captures everything I crave in a YA thriller: morally gray characters, high-stakes friendships, slow-burning suspense, and just enough romance to keep things interesting. Soto knows exactly how to balance eerie atmosphere with emotional depth, and the ghostly, symbolic touches like the street lamps and supernatural elements gave the story an almost dreamlike edge.

If you're into YA thrillers with supernatural twists, slow-burning tension, and messy friendship dynamics, The Thrashers belongs on your TBR. It’s sharp, haunting, and lingers long after the last page.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for the copy of this e-ARC!

What a great YA thriller! I had a hard time putting this one down between the high school drama, creepy visits from a ghost and figuring out what really happened to Emily.

The Thrashers are a group of friends that rule their high school, everyone wants to be one of them. Zack Thrasher leads the crew, and Julian, Lucy, Paige and Jodi all have one thing in common: they'd do anything for Zack. The girls all have crushes on him, as does the rest of the school. Emily tries to infiltrate the group, but right before junior prom she takes her own life. The Thrashers seem to be involved in her demise, and they all face possible charges. Jodi is the main POV in this novel, and reveals her own insecurities about being outed from the group while trying to discover why Emily is gone, and seemingly still haunting them from the grave.

Jodi was a great main character, and I loved how she developed over the course of the book. At first she just wanted to be cool, but then realized that her actions could have hurt Emily and some of her old friends. I loved that this was set in Sacramento, I recognized so many of the streets and landmarks mentioned so it was a fun element for me. The high school drama was very realistic, especially the rich kids behaving badly. The will-they-or-won't-they potential romance between Jodi and Julian was perfectly done! All around this was an entertaining thriller!

I'm a sucker for thrillers—this one delivered nonstop suspense and sharp twists. Loved it all! Four stars!

I enjoyed this book a lot! YA thrillers are one of my favorite genres and Dark Academia ... Yes please! It had elements of Pretty Little Liars, which is a guilty pleasure of mine, and only made me like this more!

I saw a lot of buzz about this title so I requested it on NetGalley, not sure if it could live up to the hype. I'm thrilled to say it exceeded my expectations, which is hard to do, especially when a title has been so hyped. The Thrashers is about a group of friends who revolve around Zachary Thrasher and Zach is very friendly and outgoing but doesn't understand how he affects people--or maybe doesn't care--and his friends are left to explain that Zach has moved on to the next person who adores him. Students soon start calling it "being thrashed" and then the latest "thrashing victim" ends up dying by suicide and suddenly there's a spotlight on all of them.

There were SO MANY things I love about this story, but one that will always stand out to me is how nuanced every character is. No character is one-dimensional. No one is innocent. Everyone has a secret, something they shouldn't have done -- even the bystanders, the ones who meant well, the victims, etc. This made it a truly compelling read for me. We watched every single character grapple with their choices--past, present, and future--who they were and who they wanted to be. The characters were flawed but in a realistic way. You watched each of them shift and change and be culpable. There was also romance that I think would appeal to any romance reader--and then there was, what was for me was a surprise, paranormal elements that really intensified the story.

My singular critique of the book is that it doesn't have content warnings at the beginning and I think it should. The very first page includes suicide. There's a strong inclusion of alcoholism and parental neglect and abuse, and domestic violence. There's bullying and harassment. There are mentions of sexual assault, though it is not described. While I think each of these topics is absolutely done well and with care, I do think readers should know what they're getting into.

Otherwise, this is one of the best books I've read in a long time and will be at the top of my list for recommendations when my high schoolers return in the fall. I finished this in three sittings and if life hadn't gotten in the way I happily would've read it in one. Five stars and beyond. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

JULIE SOTO !! I am speechless with this YA mystery thriller HEAVY on the thriller WOW WOW WOW 🤯…

This book took me completely by surprise and I would highly recommend it to anybody who loves a good thriller. It held relevance to today’s society and what teenagers deal with as well as the mystery from the crime to be solved.

The characters were really great and I loved the plot that revolved around “ THRASHER “ I thought that was unique and something that really added to the story line. The 5 friends with one feeling like an outsider and her being the narrator was honest and again made the plot more interesting and leaving you wanting more / investing as a reader !

This book was intense and riveting, I was locked in from the start. The twists kept coming and I never knew exactly what to expect. The epilogue has thoroughly spooked me!

Whoa that ending! This book was great. I was fully into it from the beginning, wondering who they were and what happened and the whole unravelment of how it all went down. Super engaging read and although some things are predictable, I love how Julie Soto interweaved the paranormal elements into it without it taking over the whole thing, the analyzing of each relationship was so good. I was all in!

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for this e-arc.

I can't even begin to express how much I loved this. Normally, I don't read thrillers. From beginning to end, The Thrashers was a thrilling adventure. I had no idea where we were going to end up. The Thrashers is primarily a story about kids who made poor choices and are now facing the consequences of their actions. It's full of creepy vibes, poor choices, and high school drama. This book had a great pace, which I truly enjoyed.

4.25 stars.

What an amazing debut into the ya thriller world from Julie Soto!! I am honestly shocked at how much I enjoyed this. I’m not typically a reader of thrillers, as I get too emotionally invested in my books and genuinely get stressed out. But this was such a treat.

13 Reason’s Why type of energy, but with a hefty dose of mystery and suspense a la Veronica Mars. Jodi, our main character, wasn’t the typical “completely innocent” main character that I feel like I constantly read about when I was in my thriller phase when I was around 14ish. She’s kind, and genuinely is trying to do her best to be a good person, but she’s a 17 year old and is inherently a little bit selfish. Some of those selfish decisions have negative effects on others, and she has to learn how to deal with the consequences. I love a three dimensional character!! I wish some of the other characters were a bit more fleshed out, but it’s a YA thriller & any more of the other characters probably would have distracted from the main storyline lol.

The Thrashers was a roller coaster ride from start to finish. At no point did I know where we would end up. I’m holding onto the hope of us getting a sequel so we can get that. (That ending?!?!? My jaw is still on the floor.)

St. Martin’s Press & Wednesday Books deserve first dibs on my firstborn for giving me an eARC of this one. Thank you!!!

At New Helvetia High, everybody wants to be a Thrasher, but they don’t want to be Thrashed. Jodi Dillon, Zack’s childhood best friend, feels like an outsider among the rich, sophisticated, and attention-seeking Julian, Lucy, Paige, and Zack. And when Emily Mills, who was dying to join the Thrashers, dies, rumors spread. As Emily’s journal emerges, detectives close in, forcing Jodi to choose between betraying her friends and protecting herself. Soon, creepy messages and strange occurrences reveal Emily’s lingering presence and cause the Thrashers to questions everything.

This book was such a great thriller/ paranormal read. I could not put it down. I don’t think it was too predictable, but there were also aspects that were. The author did a great job of showing how difficult high school could be for both the in-crowds and the less popular kids, and that really played a role in the story. I loved the paranormal element that appeared throughout the story, as well.

As far as the characters go, I really felt for Jodi throughout the book because it felt like she was in between a rock and a hard place— but I do think she has some really good growth throughout the book. Zack 10000% served his purpose in the book, and that’s all I can say without ruining things. And Julian— I hated him at first, but by the end, I think I started to see his true self, and his character was executed so well. Can we also talk about that ending… because WHAT WAS THAT!? I need a second book, and I highly recommend this one for my young adult thriller readers out there!

(TW: bullying, suicide, abuse, grief)

Rating: 5/5
Spice: 1/5

Tropes:
Friendships gone wrong
Enemies to lovers?
Social Hierarchy
Paranormal elements

Thank you so much NetGalley, Wednesday Books, St Martins Press and Julie Soto for this gifted eARC. All thoughts are my own.

** spoiler alert ** 3 Stars (I received an e-arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

While I have loved the author's romance novels, The Thrashers felt a bit like a jumbled mess. I liked the main character and her back story but the storyline seems unsure of whether it wants to lean into the supernatural. Some predictable elements like Jodi finding out the many secrets her friends kept from her and the class divide between. We keep switching (in my opinion) between two love interests and I actually prefer Julian to Zack, though not in the beginning . The supernatural elements felt thrown into the mix every so often and do not get me started on the ending. Really a ghost Emily haunting Julian, who had just wanted to have Jodi all to herself. Complete with fake journals and speaking through Zack's underage girlfriend. Paige going to see a psychic all that mess, she and Lucy were very underdeveloped. The writing style was compelling but I struggled to get back into reading the book whenever I paused.