UGH. THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. I cant believe this is Soto’s first thriller. It’s catchy, well-written, and edgy. The narrator for the audiobook was great, and Soto dives into some heavier topics in a way that subverts the typical high school thriller. Still and auto-buy author for me, and I hope we get more from her like this.

Thank you @NetGalley and @Macmillan.Audio. I have been sitting on Julie Soto duology and now I have to read them ASAP. The Thrashers was so good. Jodi is part of The Thrashers, named after Zach Thrasher, and is in love with Zach. Emily wants to be long with the group, but can not get fully integrated. Than Emily dies and everyone in the Thrashers group is a suspect, except for Jodi. Jodi has to find out what happened to Emily and why was she not a suspect. Great YA thriller.

Ａｕｄｉｏｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
For this to be a YA thriller, this book was written so well and literally had me on the edge of my seat. If I didn't have to work the next day, I would have devoured this book in one day. It was that good.

The Thrashers are the elite five-friend group at New Helvetia High. They're everything everyone wants to be. Then Emily Mills, who desperately wanted to be a Thrasher, dies—and the whispers about the Thrashers begin.

The audiobook was good. The narrator did a great job, telling the story and also bringing it to life. She brought so much emotion and suspense to the story. I didn't want to stop listening. I listened at 2x speed.

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
•YA Thrillers
•Paranormal Elements
•Lies & Deceits

Thank you, NetGalley, and MacmillanAudio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

ARC Audiobook Review: The Thrashers by Julie Soto

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

This book is rich with atmosphere and tension. Think secret societies, dark secrets, and danger that feels just a little too close for comfort. Julie Soto creates a layered, immersive world full of eerie moments and slow-building suspense that pulls you in and doesn’t let go.

The audiobook narration takes it to another level. The performances were spot-on—bringing out the intensity, the mystery, and all the creeping unease. The pacing felt tight, the tone matched the story perfectly, and I was completely absorbed from beginning to end.

It’s the kind of story that keeps you on edge in the best way, with twists you don’t see coming and a lingering sense of dread that builds until the final chapters. Absolutely worth a listen if you like your stories a little dark, a little strange, and totally gripping.

Omgoshhhh the Thrashers by Julie Soto was amazing!! The audio had me listening all night to finish. Finished in one day. This is how you do a thriller! I know it’s YA but my 32 year old self was enamored.

I found this to be a fast-paced, fun YA novel. I really liked the paranormal aspect and thought both narrators did a fantastic job. I really enjoyed it and will recommend!

The Trashers was reminiscent to Holly Jackson's work which si to be said: good and a lot of fun! I really enjoyed seeing the relations between the characters and friend group, and the novel did a good job as tackling the class differences between the main character and her friends who are rich.

I would definitely pick this up again! What a thrilling story from start to finish with lots of intrigue that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Pub Date: 5/6
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The Thrashers was a great YA thriller following a group of 5 students after the death of a classmate. The death was ruled a suicide however the group is facing implications of bullying which led to the suicide.
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I was immediately drawn into this story. The investigation, the teen drama, the diary, the eerie paranormal occurrences, even the budding romance; all of it just made for such a fun YA thriller. I loved the friend group and how they were doing what they could to protect one another.
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I listened to this while reading my ebook and this was narrated by Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky. I loved the two of them, they were great! If you are thinking of picking this one up definitely check out the audiobook.
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Overall, this was a win for me. I am always a fan of good YA thrillers!! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Julie Soto, MacMillan Audio and St. Martins Press for the ALC and eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4 ⭐: Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC! This was such a unique take on a mystery/thriller novel! This was very much so 13 Reasons Why meets Riverdale meets PLL, a very teen-esque high school friend group clique undergoes investigation kinda book. I have never read anything by Soto, which surprised me because I need to read more! Since this was Y/A, I felt like 4 stars made sense, but if it were a regular thriller, it may be lower in my eyes. As a thriller lover, this had gaps in the pacing that lost my interest, and the 3rd person POV also was a factor I didn't love, but the story was well done. Highly recommend you listen to this one on audio, too!

4.5⭐, 0.5🌶️

This was so different than Julie's other books and I was HERE for it! Think 13 Reasons Why vibe. This book definitely reads as a teen mystery/ drama. I loved the mystery of what-the-heck happened to Emily Mills and the drama within the Thrasher's group! I enjoyed the dash of teenage love we got within the story and it was rather unexpected. Overall I really liked this book and audiobook and definitely recommend if the TW aren't too heavy for you.

Tis book should definitely have some major Content Warnings as its a HEAVY YA topic (suicide, bullying, parent with substance abuse).

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/ Macmillian Audio for an eARC/ ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I love Julie Soto. She writes such great books. I just finished listening to The Thrashers and I loved every minute of it.

I was instantly hooked by The Thrashers—Julie Soto perfectly captures the pressure, insecurity, and intensity of high school, especially when you're on the outside trying to fit in. Jodi felt like such a real, relatable character. She's suddenly part of this ultra-popular, exclusive group thanks to her childhood best friend, but she never quite feels like she belongs. That tension alone was enough to keep me turning pages, but what really made this book stand out was how layered it was. The friendships are complicated, the social hierarchy is brutal, and every character has something to hide.

The death of Emily Mills adds this dark cloud over everything, and I loved how the book slowly unraveled the truth without rushing. It wasn’t about shocking twists—it was about atmosphere, secrets, and how far people will go to protect their image. The eerie messages and growing sense of paranoia were just the right amount of creepy to keep things tense without overdoing it.

This book seriously nailed the messy, emotional chaos of teenage life, and I could not stop reading. If you love stories about toxic friendships, blurred lines, and the cost of fitting in, The Thrashers is a must-read.

Thank you Julie Soto, St. Martins Press, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

My interest in The Thrashers waned as the story progressed, but I do think it would have appealed to me in my more YA-focused days. An interesting enough thriller for YA audiences.

I read the ebook ARC for this and now got to listen to the audiobook and it did not disappoint!! The narrators were phenomenal and truly brought the story to life.

I did not know what to expect when I picked this up. Young Adult, teen mysteries tends to not be my most popular genre. However, WOW. I was absolutely riveted the entire time. So intriguing, captivating and attention-grabbing. The thrill and the mystery combined with the teen drama and those twists! Julie Soto has done an outstanding job.

This is catered towards teens but I’m nowhere near my teen years and I thoroughly enjoyed this read. So I think people of all ages would love this one! Definitely a hit!

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an early review!

Title: The Thrashers
Author: Julie Soto
Format: 🎧
Narrators: Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky
Publisher: Macmillan Audio- Macmillan Young Listeners for
Genre: Teen/YA, Mystery
Pub Date: May 6, 2025
My Rating: 4.4 Stars
Pages: 352

Story is told from the POV of Jodi Dillon Then and Now

The story starts on prom night when Emily Mills, a sophomore at New Helvetia High School is found drowned in a bathtub, wearing her prom gown, ~ Her final two words – The Thrashers was etched at the scene. Emily desperately wanted to be a Thrasher a group of privileged students on campus who dominated the school’s social scene.

Jodi Dillon is out of her league and far from being a typical member of the ‘Thrashers’. Members included the rich sophisticated Julian Hollinger, Lucy Reed, Paige, and the most popular Zack Thrasher -. Thus the name.
Jodi lives with her father who is often depressed and turns to alcohol and Jodi usually has to take of everything herself. However, has known Zack Thrasher since they were in Second Grade she looked out for him. He has never forgotten and their friendship and perhaps love continues.

Emily had approached Jodi perhaps because she was the most approachable of the Thrashers. Jodi wasn’t all that friendly to Emily but wasn’t rude to her.
After her death Emily’s mother told Jodi how much she and her husband appreciated her friendship to Emily. They are aware that Emily considered suicide before and Jodi talked her out of it.
Jodi is surprised and tells Mrs. Mills that Emily never confessed possible suicide as she would have told an adult. Mrs. Mills states but she wrote it in her journal that the police have. Jodi immediately wonders how many other things in the journal are not true.

As more info from the journal is revealed the detectives suspect the Thrashers are seriously involved in Emily’s death. Jodi is faced with being true to herself and being honest or will it appear she is protecting herself and throwing friends under the bus.


Although I am not the target audience for this story, but as a High School Guidance Counselor I love to read YA books as I not only enjoy a good YA story but it pleases me when I can recommend a book to my students.
I do get discourage when so many books in this genre are formula driven ~ with excessive profanity, bulling, drugs, sex, underage drinking, and suicide. True this had most of that in it but it really was NOT the typical formula. Plus I loved the paranormal twist to it!
I could NOT put it down and What an epilogue!
– That Emily is one scary stalker.


True I also want more Jodi /Julian.

Audiobook narrators Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky certainly added to this story with their performance of the characters,

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio- Macmillan Young Listeners for granted me this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 6, 2025.

Absolutely captivated by this book from start to finish. I was at the edge of my seat, and wasn't quite sure if this was going to be a paranormal thriller or a psychological one but wanted to stay and see it through. I really enjoyed the audiobook version as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Young Listeners for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Jodi Dillon has been friends with Zack Thrasher for a long time. In high school their group of Zack, Jodi, Lucy, Paige and Julian are the cool kids. All aside from Jodi are wealthy. Last year a girl a year behind them, Emily, wanted desperately to join their group. When Emily commits suicide, everyone blames the Thrashers. Jodi tries to figure out if her friends are the caring people she knows or horrible bullies.

I enjoyed Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky narration.

Very bingeable as this is my first Soto novel. I’m rating this four stars for a young adult thriller, and I would’ve rated it three stars if it was just a regular adult thriller. This follows a hierarchy of high schoolers in a group with a tragic ending to one of their classmates. Even though there’s multiple characters, I feel like the reader can follow the storyline easily. I’m curious to see how I like photos other novels since they are romances. Thank you, NetGalley for my audiobook arc!

Looking for some YA Thriller action and seeing The Cheerleaders as a comp, I gave The Thrashers a try. While I did enjoy the plot with the feel of 13 Reasons Why meets I Know What You Did Last Summer and non-fatal Final Destination vibes and anticipated what would happen next to our teen friend group, The Thrashers, some of the elements were a swing and a miss with much of it feeling forgettable.

Heads up, this book has a lot of messed up stuff, including suicide and some horror and supernatural elements, so it’s not for everyone.

After Emily was found dead by suicide on prom night, Jodi Dillon and The Thrashers are under a microscope and are the prime suspects in her death. Jodi was an easy protagonist to root for, being the poor one in the friend group, and her story was the most solid of the whole book, with a lot of surprises about her background lurking just under the surface. I did like Emily’s words being occasionally in the story, giving us an idea of who she was. However, I felt I couldn’t get a read on most of the rest of the cast, I was barely able to keep track of most of them. Maybe this book was suffering from cast bloat to where most of them didn’t get enough time to shine beyond a surface level. And I think Jodi was the only character I really cared about.

I think the narrative tried to cram so much in with a lot of hard hitting and darker topics, but didn’t flesh them out, feeling almost distracting from the main storyline of what happened to Emily and what’s gong on with the Thrashers now. I couldn’t get a read on the mysteries, but it wasn’t because of some clever twists, but because it felt like there wasn’t enough to work with. I did like the thriller aspects, and it kept me on my toes to see what absurd thing might happen to Jodi and her friends next. The horror elements were interesting, but I felt like it should have been fleshed out a little more. The ending was interesting and a bit shocking, but it didn’t hit as hard because of how scattered the rest of the story was.

The narration by Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky was interesting enough and kept my attention throughout.

Overall, I felt it tried to do too much in one story that a lot of it felt watered down.

Rating: 5 stars!

This was my first Julie Soto book, so I'm not sure what her typical writing style is, but I absolutely loved this! I will say, one of my first thoughts was: Was a sheltered as a high schooler? Or do 16-17 year olds typically get black out drunk on the regular? There was a lot of emphasis on the cliques of high school, drinking, and wanting to be "one of the cool kids". The subject was talked about with the level of chaos I would expect from a YA book.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.