Whoa, that ending left me utterly speechless!! I'm hopelessly addicted to this book and I need my next fix pronto. It reeled me in from the very start, I just couldn't stop devouring it. I'm excitedly looking forward to devouring more of Julie Soto's masterpieces!

The Thrashers takes place over the next year after the suicide of a girl named Emily. Emily was a hanger-on to a group called the Thrashers, the "in-crowd" at the local high school. After Emily dies, her diary entries lead to charges of bullying by the Thrashers. Jodi, one of the Thrashers, struggles with balancing the upheaval of her friend group and her search for answers.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and got hooked on the story. However, there were some things about it that I found confusing at first. I struggled to figure out how Jodi fit into the group. Was she really part of it or was she somewhat on the outside like Emily? I eventually realized that that was the point, but it made getting into the novel a little difficult. I also spent a large portion of the book confused if it was meant to be a ghost story or not.

Many of the scenarios faced by the Thrashers are very adult, and the writing did an excellent job reminding us that our characters are just teens, with plenty of high school emotions mixed into the plot.

I have mixed feelings about many of the Thrashers. Besides Jodi, only one character (who I will not name because spoilers) has any sort of development. But I did really enjoy watching the exploration of this character and the change in group dynamics and relationships that became of it.

The way everything came together in the end was very well done and the final few lines are fantastic.

I got an audio version of this novel from NetGalley, and really enjoyed the audiobook. The narrator is one I've listened to before, and she does a great job portraying the emotions in the novel and voicing the different characters. While her voice does not sound like she is in high school, it lends itself well to that setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

This is without a doubt the best YA book I have read in a long time.

This book hooked me from the very start! Although Jodi is a Thrasher, she constantly feels like she’s the odd one out of the five. And as more things are revealed from Emily’s journal, Jodi is left questioning if her friends are really her friends.

I kept coming up with different theories, but the ending still surprised me! There is a paranormal aspect throughout the book, along with a romantic subplot. I was interested and invested in every single chapter! Oh, I wish I could read more about these characters.

Here is my review from the ebook -- I swapped around between audio and ebook when reading! In many ways the audio was too scary for me, but I think that may be the ultimate compliment? Incredible story and narrator and spooky effects.

INCREDIBLE! Also very spooky. I absolutely could not put this down and was thrilled to get the eARC. I was on the edge of my seat so many times and couldn't believe how things turned out. Don't want to say much more for fear of spoilers! I'd recommend to mature readers in my class & adults too!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the audiobook arc. I have only read romance books by Julie Soto so I was blown away with the suspense and story of this YA book. I was drawn in at the beginning and binged the whole book in one day.
This book should have a TW for suicide or suicidal thoughts is the only negative this that I have
A so call friend commits suicide the night of prom leaving a journal stating how her group of friends bullied her into suicide. They end up all posting bail and not understanding why they were being blamed when they never hung out with the girl.

The Thrashers is solid evidence that Julie Soto’s captivating writing easily transcends genres. Her writing is so compelling that I spent this entire book unaware of where I stood with the main characters. I found myself simultaneously mistrusting but also liking the main cast of characters (yet feeling conflicted for liking them because they’re also portrayed in a way setting you up to not like them). This complexity added another layer to this heart-pounding paranormal thriller. I was hooked from the epilogue through the last page (and finished it in a day because I HAD to know how it ended!).

I personally think this is one that’s better if you jump into it without reading a summary. Just trust that it’s a page-turner and sit back and enjoy the ride!

Huge thank you to Julie Soto, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

This was definitely a little spooky, but I could not put it down! The Thrashers explores high school hierarchy at its worst, and explores the worst consequences! I kept trying to guess what the outcome was, but never could truly guess the truth. The end haunts me still!

Thanks to NetGalley, Julie Soto, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

Wow! This was such a super solid YA mystery/thriller and I was hooked from the very beginning.

The social commentary about popularity, social hierarchies, and our innate sense of belonging was done so well. Who would have thought there would be tugs at my heartstrings with this one.

I’m always a fan of multiple POV sources, so the court transcripts/diary entries were a great touch.

This is my first book by this author, but if she has more thrillers I’m all in!

Wow! If you’re looking for a dark vibes read, this one is it! This book took me on a rollercoaster ride full of drama and deception! It’s full of mystery, twists, very toxic friendships and had paranormal elements. I read the audio version of this book and I thought the narrator did a great job! I really wish this book came with sound effects, that would have been great! This was fast paced, memorable and addictive. I could not stop listening to this audiobook! This is very suspenseful and haunting! I give this book a high 5 out of 5 stars rating! I really enjoyed the depth and darkness of this book!

The Thrashers is about an elite friends group at a High School. Everyone wants to be them. This book was written months before a girl named Emily Mills commits suicide. Emily’s journal comes out and everything between all of them changes. As the story unravels, you will learn all of the betrayals between these group of friends!

Even though this is considered a young adult read, I recommend it to 18 years or older.

Content Warnings include abuse, death, self harm and substance abuse.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Julie Soto, Narrators Eva Kaminsky; Jesse Vilinsky, Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners, and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is set to be published on May 6, 2025!

Special thank you to St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely loved this book at devoured it in a day. It’s got real life situations that a mixed with a little paranormal. It definitely has some heavy topics with it and some trigger warnings but it teaches a lesson that words matter and speaking bad about people behind their backs can ruin lives and hurt more people than you could ever intend,

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/100080422?shelf=read&sort=date_read&order=d

WAAAAAAAAIT WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

That was so twisty and exciting!!! JULIE SOTO WTF!!!! I am obsessed. I had so much fun reading this book and trying to figure out where the truth was among all of the lies and misdirection. The hints of <spoiler>PARANORMAL ACTIVITY</spoiler> were always just *right there* to make you wonder.

I thought Jodi was a great MC and I often found myself relating to her as the odd one out in a friend group, feeling left out, and often nice to others out of obligation rather than sincerity (sorrryyyyy). I enjoyed how even though this is fully a teen thriller/mystery....there was a lot of personal growth that happened in the 5 mc's lives as well.

I am so impressed with Julie Soto's genre hop and I cannot wait to see what she is up to next!!! LOVED THIS!!!!!!!!!!

Thrashers

Following a tragic death at prom, a group of teens tries to move on without answers and knowing who to trust. Jodi and Zack have been BFF for 10 years, but Jodi is finding it harder and harder to hide her feelings for him. Julian has made that even harder as Zack’s new bad influence friend that Jodi can’t stand.

Their group of friends is called “the Trashers” and also includes Paige, the preppy cheerleader and Lucy, the BA carefree girl. As Emily’s journal is revealed, it’s discovered that she wanted to be a Trasher but was left out and bullied by the Trashers, commonly known as being “thrashed.”

The journal contents get more and more confusing as they involve Thrasher members, but don’t tell the truth, or do they?? What is really going on?! Will Jodi remain committed to Zack and the Thrashers or help get justice for Emily?

A strong YA that dabbles into young kids engaging in adult behavior but not having the skills and development to really handle it!

Narration was excellent ! Loved this genre switch up from one of my favorites authors !

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 5/6/25.

I can’t be the only one who didn’t understand the ending. I wanted to love this book and there were some parts that I did, but it lost me at the end. It bounced around too much for me to be able to follow.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook. I don't read much YA/teen but I decided this one sounded pretty good and was in the mood for a quick, easy read. An elite group of teens called the Thrashers, named after Zack Thrasher, their leader, is the main clique at Helvetia High. Jodi isn't like them, but she's been best friends with Zack since second grade so she's part of the group even though she feels like she shouldn't be, but she has her own relationships with each person in the group. Emily is an outsider that has a crush on Zack and is desperate to be a thrasher. Will they let her in or will she be "thrashed"? This book really drew me in and kept me wanting more. Self-doubt, lies, and a dash or paranormal. I typically don't read books with paranormal, but this had enough thrown in that it totally fit the teen vibe of the book. The narration was great and it was very engaging.

The audio to this was so good that I had to listen to it in one go! I highly recommend the audiobook over a physical book because the narrator is so good! This is a ya mystery thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I am a big Julie Soto romance fan so I was excited to read a new genre from her. She can literally do no wrong in my mind!

This story was chilling and addictive. If you like Pretty Little Liars or 13 Reasons Why. I think many will enjoy the suspense as it keeps you guessing all the way through. I enjoyed weaving the supernatural elements into it — just maybe avoid reading it in the dark! The characters are so flawed too. It really puts into perspective the aspect that even you may not truly know yourself and sometimes you need others to show you a mirror.

The narrator is phenomenal. I always enjoy Eva Kaminsky in her portrayal of various characters, and this was no exception. Well done!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 stars, rounded up ⭐️

The Thrashers was really well written and such an interesting story, I found myself wanting to listen to the audiobook for every possible chore I had around the house! (I finished the audiobook in less than 3 days, haha) The pacing is excellent, the characters are well developed and relatable, the plot was intriguing, and the twists kept me engaged and on my toes. The teenage POV in this book is scarily accurate - it brought me back to my teenage years and made me so grateful that I am almost 30!

In regards to the audiobook specifically - the narrator was great and used different voices so that I could easily tell the different characters apart. A couple times I was confused when the story went from past -> present, but otherwise it was really easy to follow!

This is such a fun YA thriller that keeps you hooked. I think this would be an excellent read for fans of 13 Reasons Why and Cruel Summer.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author Julie Soto for the ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Thrashers releases May 6 2025!

This book blew me away. It was so compulsively-readable that I read this into the early hours of the morning. We follow Jodi who must navigate the aftermath of her classmate's death, and it seems like everyone thinks she and her high school clique "The Thrashers" are responsible for Emily's death. But strange things start to happen around Jodi and The Thrashers, making the reader question what's real. It very quickly felt like a mix of Pretty Little Liars and Thirteen Reasons Why—in all the best ways!

We also get snippets from Emily's journal, which provides some possible insight into her thoughts and motivations as the story unravels.

My heart broke for Jodi and all the trauma she endured throughout the story. Julie Soto does an excellent job at crafting very flawed characters that evoke strong emotions. And as the story unfolds and the characters develop, each of these characters took me on an emotional rollercoaster.

I would love to get more in this world from Julie Soto! Overall, a fantastic, thrilling read.

The narrators did an excellent job as well. Their performance made it feel like I was watching the teen drama unravel before my eyes.

Please check content warnings as this story deals with a LOT of heavy and triggering topics.

OKAY JULIE I SEE YOU!!

I’ll be honest I was hesitant… my thoughts were “I love Julie’s romance books and her ff but how will I like her YA thriller?”

Well y’all I really REALLY liked this one!

Here is what you need to know:
Jodi Dillon is a “thrasher” and she has been best friends with Zack Thrasher since 2nd grade. As Zack has added more friends to their friend group Jodi has gotten more friends but… is that because of her or Zack? 👀

And then… a classmate dies and everyone is looking at “the thrashers” as the reason she is dead. As the investigation ensues and secrets are uncovered what will happen to the thrashers? And it seems as there is more than meets the eye. 👀

I am so grateful to have received an Advanced Listener Copy of the book from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio as well as an Advanced Reader Copy of the ebook from St. Martins and NetGalley.

Audiobook review:
Eva Kaminsky did wonderful job narrating the scenes with multiple characters and I could clearly keep track of which character was which with her inflection and her voices for the male characters were done well and didn’t seem forced like some I’ve heard in the past.

Jesse Vilinsky did a fantastic job with the journal entries in the narration and sounded exactly as I would have pictured Emily.

I feel like the audiobook made the whole experience better for me. If you are debating between the book or audio I would suggest audio!

Book review: (keeping it spoiler free)
I was hooked and didn’t want to put it down. It had all the things I love about a thriller. I couldn’t predict it all, but had some guesses that panned out. I hadn’t read a YA thriller in a minute and now I feel like I need more thrillers in my life. Very excited to see what Julie does next!
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Content warnings: talk of suicide, death of a parent (off page), drugs, alcohol, talk of sex, abuse.

I don't know why but I always want to read books about teen cliques with tragedies. This one is interesting because of the name and because the tragedy that kicks everything off doesn't seem like it will lead to all the things that follow. The narration is great and I liked some of the twists, but it was slow and I didn't think anyone was likeable.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this