Julie Soto, queen of all genres, does NOT MISS! The Thrashers was an electrifying, edge-of-your-seat read that had me hooked from page one. The perfect blend of mystery, suspense, supernatural chills, and just the right touch of romance—this book delivered everything!

Jodi Dillon never truly fit in with the Thrashers—Julian, Lucy, Paige, and, of course, Zack Thrasher. They’re rich, magnetic, and the center of attention. But Zack’s been her best friend forever, so she’s in… until Emily Mills dies, and the whispers start. When Emily’s journal surfaces and the police start circling, Jodi has to make an impossible choice: stay loyal or save herself. But the deeper she digs, the more terrifying the truth becomes. But the real question is... is Emily truly gone?

I was obsessed with this story. The mystery around Emily’s death kept me second-guessing everything, and the supernatural touches gave me actual chills. I thought I had things figured out, but then the twists kept coming. And that epilogue?! I’m still thinking about it.

Jodi’s character growth was one of my favorite parts. Watching her relationships shift as she started seeing the Thrashers—and herself—more clearly was so satisfying. Julie Soto has a way of making every scene feel so alive, and her storytelling is just chef’s kiss.

This book kept me second-guessing everything and left me thinking about it long after I turned the last page. If you love thrillers that are smart, atmospheric, and completely unputdownable—The Thrashers is a MUST-READ.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was excited for this book because everyone is saying great things. The writing and narrator are incredible, but I didn't read the trigger warnings before I started and this one won't be for me.

I absolutely LOVED this. I think I'd have to say 4.75 stars.
My biggest negative would be that there is no content warnings. On a book that is marketed YA which such heavy topics I feel those warnings are so important for parents picking books for their kids and for the kids themselves. The main plot is suicide and bullying which is such a hard topic at that age. It gave very much 13 reasons why vibes.
The story had me on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE time Wondering what would happen next. Absolutely one of my favorite Julie Soto books I will recommend to many.

Had I realized there was a supernatural component to this book, I probably would have skipped it, but I'm glad I didn't, because I really enjoyed it. While I did not understand Zach's appeal and hold over literally everyone in this book, I did find the relationship between Jodi and Julian super cute in a Veronica Mars / Logan Echolls kind of way. The character development was well done and the author did a good job portraying the messy, complicated, lives of teenagers. She also did a commendable job in exploring some pretty heavy themes - suicide, alcoholism, bullying, neglect, to name a few.

The grave yard scene was super creepy and the epilogue was chef's kiss.

Both veteran narrators did a commendable job.

The Thrashers is a dark and gripping YA thriller about a privileged high school clique unraveling after a classmate’s shocking suicide. With eerie supernatural elements and sharp social commentary, the story follows outsider Jodi as secrets, guilt, and ghostly warnings surface. Fast-paced, chilling, and twisty.

I love Julie Soto so decided to give this genre change a try. I really had trouble getting into the high school-ness of the story.

Full of twists and turns that will have you hooked from the start. Full of surprise, Suspense, mystery and games they are playing.

The plot was great. The narrator was great. Definitely recommend this one.

This was a very entertaining young adult mystery! Jodi is part of an exclusive group of seniors at New Helvetia High, one that is centered around Zach Thrasher. Everyone wants to be a part of “The Thrashers.” When Emily Mills, another student who was determined to be a Thrasher, commits suicide though, the cracks in group start to show. Weird things start happening to Lucy, Paige, Julian, Zach and Jodi and they realize that maybe they aren’t as invincible as they originally thought.

I thought this was a super entertaining YA book. I really enjoyed the group dynamics, though I personally wanted a bit more characterization of The Thrashers. I did like that there were some paranormal aspects, and the epilogue was pitch perfect. I hope that Julie Soto makes this into a series, because the ending sort of lent it to be the beginning of one. Overall, this was a fast read that kept me wanting to figure out all the twists. The narrator did a fantastic job of differentiating between the different characters and really brought the story to life. Definitely recommend it if you enjoy a little bit of a popcorn thriller with a high school setting.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Overall this wasn’t my favourite, I think I’m just aging out of YA books though. I liked the premise and I really enjoyed the mean girls meets thriller vibe of the book. I was just getting annoyed at some parts with the immaturity of the characters, but it’s YA so that’s to be expected. I think it was a well done book, and many people will enjoy it, I’m just not the target audience at this point. However, it is one that I would reread if a YA mood strikes me!

I couldn't get into this book. I don't think I am the target audience. I think is would be popular with a fan of "one of Us is Lying" which was also not my style.

I really enjoyed this young adult thriller by Julie Soto! Fast paced, good character writing, suspenseful, and keeps you hooked! A great debut... Just wait for the epilogue.

I DNFed this book at 33%, I skipped to the end to find out "who dun it" and I easily guessed the overall plot line and where the story was going within that first 33%. I was not entertained, and I did not enjoy the narration of this book. I will not be continuing and I do not think now that I know the end, that I will pick this one back up again.

This was the Mean Girls/Final Destination mash-up I didn't know I needed. I was so conflicted because I knew the Thrashers were terrible, but at the same time, I was rooting for them. I couldn't stop listening to this. Soto sucks you right into the story and doesn't let go. And that ending? I did not see that coming. This was the perfect summer YA thriller.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

This is THE BEST book of the year. I LOVED everything about this book. The characters, the drama, the slow burn, the setting! It was perfection! Julie Soto is top tier! Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for a review!

THE THRASHERS totally delivers on the YA thriller vibes - fast paced, twisty, and full of tension, making you want more. The story explores themes of guilt, complicity, and the destructive nature of exclusionary social groups. I found most of the story riveting!

I just wanted a liiiiiiiitle more clarity around some of the reveals, but overall I enjoyed it!

YES Julie Soto. I love to see her breadth of work and this one was so much fun. So into it and highly recommend, especially if you love Gossip Girl and suspense/thriller/mysteries. YES.

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of this Audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review. I appreciate it!

Think Mean Girls meets Pretty Little Liars! For this being Julie Soto’s debut into the thriller genre she absolutely nailed it!

The reveal around the messages being sent and the strange occurrences happening was a bit predictable but this was still full of twists and turns - that ending 😳 The pacing was so good - so much was packed into these 352 pages and I couldn’t put it down!

I highly recommend to those looking for a quick, fast paced YA Thriller!

“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-consciousness, 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.

I did enjoy the narration - it was quick, just like the action in this novel - and allowed me to easy follow along. 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

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!