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.

🕵️‍♀️ Just finished The Thrashers by Julie Soto and WOW. Obsession, secrets, lies—and a twist I did not see coming 🔥. Think One of Us Is Lying meets Pretty Little Liars but darker 🖤. Bingeable, addictive, and that epilogue?? Don’t. Skip. It. ⚠️

Content warnings: suicide, bullying, drug use, alcoholic parent — take care of you first ❤️‍🩹

Picture yourself curled up on a rainy night, a fire flickering, a warm beverage and a thrilling book. This is that book you read,

I simply have no words on how perfect this book was for me. A six star read, no questions asked.

First up, we meet the Trashers. A group of popular teens thrust into a world of lies, deceit, and peril post the suicide of fellow classmate Emily Mills. As the story progresses, our storyteller and fellow Thrasher, Jodi Dillon, slowly begins to realize her friends, fellow students, family, and even Emily’s death is not what is exactly on the surface (even on the surface of life and death)

Something I love about Julie Soto’s writing is how complex each character is. For example, start out believing that Zack is a lovable and charismatic kid just swept up in false accusations. Then the story shifts that makes you question everything, including the entire history of the Thrasher group. Every person has flaws that can change everything you thought was right.

I have to say, the ending was possibly the best part of me. That dang epilogue will consume my thoughts for weeks, I can just feel it.

If you are a lover of YA, thrillers, semi-supernatural and even dark academia, please pick up this book when it released. It is thought provoking and honestly, even with the supernatural aspect, very realistic to me. Also, audio book readers, I was gifted the audio book and Eva Kaminsky & Jesse Vilinsky do a completely fabulous job.

I do want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio/Wednesday Books for the audio book. All these thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my first Julie Soto book, and I picked it out solely from the title and vibes. I don't think I even read what it was about. I like to go into books blindly... and I'm glad I did! It took me a few minutes to get into the story, and at times the pacing felt a little off to me but I never wanted to stop.

If you liked 13 Reasons Why, PLL, Elite, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder -- this might be a book that interests you.

The death of Emily Mills is being investigated, what at first was thought to be a suicide is now being treated as a murder case. What does this have to do with New Helvetia Highschool's most powerful clique 'The Thrashers'?

I guess that's the question everyone has.

Emily's found diary puts the group under a microscope, making them the main suspects - Will 'The Thrashers' survive the scrutiny or will they unravel under the accusations?

Drama, mystery, secrets, lies and.... the paranormal?!?

You're in for a wild ride, with one of the best epilogues that will have you wishing for a sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I will probably listen to this book multiple times. Praying we hear more from these characters. So good, but also so creepy. I know I really liked a book if I still loved it even with paranormal aspects--because those are not my fave. If Julie Soto writes it, I will read it....multiple times.

5/5 ⭐️ ! Omg, I had a great time reading this book! I honestly didn’t want it to end! It’s been a while since I’ve read something that had be obsessed! I loved it! I can’t wait to read another book by this author! I really liked all the characters and the plot! There were so many times where it was intense and suspenseful! I am definitely buying a physical copy when this book releases!

Whoa that ending, I usually don’t read Ya thriller but this one had me glued to the seat. Did not expect to see all the twists! Netflix go ahead and make this a movie. The narrator did an amazing job

Thank you @wednesdaybooks for an eARC and @macmillan.audio for an ALC.

Julie Soto is the queen of… ya thrillers?? And romance?? And also fantasy?? Like queen what can’t you do!!?

I ended up listening to this one and I’m so glad I did. The narrators did a fantastic job and it felt like a movie in my brain!

I’m not going to try and say this is the most inventive or mind-boggling thriller but it was incredibly entertaining and I was pretty invested from the very beginning. I enjoyed the characters and unraveling the web of what happened. The epilogue was honestly kind of insane?

Truly, I will read anything Julie writes from now on and forevermore!!! 🫶🏼

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ARC!
As someone who reads a TON of thrillers this was pretty good for a YA thriller!
I've never read a book by Julie Soto and I fully enjoyed this one. A narrator can make or break a book and this one was super well done.
If you watched the first season of 13 Reasons Why, you will get the feel of this book but WAY less graphic.
The Thrashers are a tight knit group pf friends. Emily wants in, she's been obsessed with Zach since she saw him. The group has been doing everything they can to keep her away. On prom night she ends up dead and now the group is being questioned after her diary pops up incriminating them. This was full of twists and turns and I did not want to stop listening to it for a sec!

The epilogue had me gasping. Very well done!

The audio was phenomenal I loved the narrator she was fantastic and so easy to follow along. Clear and understandable.

Thrashers is a darkly compelling dive into the seductive and sinister world of high school popularity, privilege, and secrets. Set against the backdrop of New Helvetia High, the story is about the Thrashers, a glittering, toxic clique of power players who are as feared as they are admired. Jodi Dillon, an outsider on the inside, tethered to the group only by her childhood bond with Zack Thrasher, the golden boy with a shadowy edge.

The story captures the anxiety and thrill of teetering on the edge of belonging, especially when belonging comes with a cost. Emily Mills’ death becomes a chilling catalyst that peels back the shiny exterior of the Thrashers, exposing a darker truth beneath their curated image.

Part Gossip Girl, part Pretty Little Liars, and tinged with thriller background , Thrashers is a biting commentary on power, complicity, and the haunting consequences of silence. It’s not just about who did it, it’s about who allowed it, and why.

4.5 read for me. Thank you NetGalley and Julie for the early access to read and review this story

Are you an adult who likes Young Adult books especially one with drama, mystery, and surprises?! The Thrashers has it all. And the audiobook was amazing to listen to. I couldn’t stop listening - while I cleaned, drove, cooked, all the time. The Thrashers are a group of high school rich kids who everyone wants to be friends with. Jodi is the only odd person to be included. I guess when the leader is your best friend, then you’re automatically in the popular group. Then there’s Emily - wants to be in the group so bad but no one wants her there. Well maybe Jodi does. Sadly, Emily dies and there are so many questions around it. Did the Thrashers have something to do with it? Did Emily’s journal give the police answers? Jodi wants to know, especially if one of her supposed friends is involved. Check it out on May 6th! Thank you MacMillan Audio for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

🎧I enjoyed this audiobook. Reminded of a mix of Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars. {Mostly} rich popular teens called the Thrashers, centered around Zack Thrasher, whom everyone wants to befriend. Emily is obsessed with Zack and will do anything to become part of this elusive group. But she ends up dead in her bathtub on prom night.

We get an inside look into these friends, their secrets and how they are each responding to Emily’s death. And some feel they are being haunted by her. From bad dreams, flickering lights and even seances leading to possession. What really happened to Emily and who is telling the truth?

The epilogue was so revealing!

The narrators is a great job bringing each character to life and engaging the whole audible experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audiobook copy.

4.5⭐️

Lots of teen drama. Great narration. I couldn't put thus fiwn. Ghankd to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook

this book was really fun but I hated all the characters! I was eating it up and then they started to show their true colors... which I suppose was the point of the book and I started to dislike it! the book really does intrigue and suck in the reader to continue reading it. the ending left it open to continue to be in this world... would definitely read any sequel!