I did a mix of audio and physical.
I loved this book. I think it opens up a lot of conversations and topics.
And on top of that was a really well written mystery.
It was such a fun but sad read!

A girl named Emily was found dead on her prom night. Seemed like a suicide… but was it? An elite friend group of 5 called the Thrashers got carried into this case, because she’s supposed to be in a limo with them. But they all swore they never invited her in the first place. That summer, not only they had to deal with police investigation, each of them also started to get weird creepy messages…. And more.

I was enthralled, felt like I didn’t want to put the book down until my curiosity was sated. It wouldn’t be this interesting if Emily was just an innocent victim but as the story went, the more I get a glimpse of her journal, the more I was afraid of her. Thanks to the voice narrator of Emily’s journal entries, she sounded so obsessed and borderline unhinged, it’s lowkey scary. Jodi’s narrator was good too, she managed to deliver depth & emotions really well.

Apparently there’s some supernatural aspects to the story, which add a different layer but I personally didn’t like it much? Like suddenly all the freak accidents could be linked to this supernatural force, not some sorts of elaborate planned revenge. But it’s okay. Also I didn’t see the romance coming but surprisingly it was a nice addition.

The ending was vile, though. I hope a sequel is guaranteed because leaving the story like that was criminal

3.5 stars, raised to a 4!

For Julie Soto's first published YA book, she hit it out of the park! She packed a punch with The Thrashers--it absolutely is a book that will make you keep saying "just one more chapter", and rightly so! The basis for this plot is a popular group of students (known as "The Thrashers") is suspect in a girl's suicide from prom night; despite this being a suicide, there's definitely foul play. From chapter one this story flies, and in no time at all you're sucked into the unraveling of the characters who make up the "Thrashers", who our victim was, and what secrets everyone are hiding.

I listened to the audiobook of The Thrashers, and loved the way that the story was read by two narrators--they both did a fantastic job of separating character voices and heightening the suspenseful plot with their reading. I found myself wanting to keep listening to the audiobook, despite needing to focus on other "life" things, but kept going because the suspense was too good!

I will say that the only thing I didn't like about this book is that the ending came together too quickly--it seemed like things got tied together a little too nicely. (Although the epilogue left some things up for interpretation!) However, this was a solid YA mystery, and I will be recommending it to my students who love A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a digital copy of this book, and the chance to read and review it! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

FAB!!!! When a friend group decides they are done with you, but you aren't done with them. Who is the bully? Who is culpable? Who gets away with everything? Who will be the last Thrasher standing? This book will be on many reading lists!!!

I had a lot of fun with this one! Your classic teen thriller but with an unexpected paranormal twist.

The Thrashers was one of those thriller/mysterious element books that I high fived myself after listening because I guessed some details correctly. I was IMMERSED in the story with the quick pacing and witty one liners. I'd love to see a sequel....the door is open for it. Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky brought in just the right amount of mystery roughness in their voices that made the audio one I listened to in just a few short time spans. I loved that one focused on the characters and the other on the diary entries.


There are some unsettling themes (the book starts off with a female committing suicide in her bath tub) that should have been included at the beginning before reading.

this was an engaging, fascinating, hilarious (darkly), and shocking good time of a story!!!! I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what was going to happen next! and now that it’s over I STILL NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!! I don’t know how to review more than this without spoiling, just know I loved it and I need more!!!!

and the narration & production was amazing here, it kept me fully engaged in the story!

thank you for the alc!!!!

High school group of friends that becomes the center of attention when a girl dies leaving an incriminating journal behind.

This was written extremely well. There was palpable tension, romance and a supernatural element that wove together to create an intense story that I couldn’t put it down!! Julie Soto can write romance, YA and fantasy without missing a beat. Her talents are limitless!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

5 ⭐️

HO.
LY.
S#!T.
I need more NOW. Pronto. That's the entirety of my review. Julie Soto, please publish more now. Or just sit down and tell me what happens next. Msg me, I'll clear my schedule.

Seriously the strings between what is real, what is manipulated, what is covered up, are woven so tightly it's hard to know what's what. And I'm a reader that can usually sniff out the twists and turns pretty easily. Simplified breakdown: The IT crowd and what they can do to the "outsiders" but with dangerous consequences for all of them.

I haven't been loving YA books lately but this on hooked me right from the start. It was so smart and entertaining and the characters were great. the mystery was very compelling and I really like how it ended. The narrator was excellent as well.

I must have been living under a rock to only discover Julie Soto now—because wow, this book was a nail-biting, spooky masterpiece.

The story centers on the Trashers, a glittering group of five students at New Helvetia High. They’re rich, gorgeous, and popular—and they’re known for “trashing” anyone they’re done with. But things take a dark turn when another New Helvetia High student, Emily Mills is found dead, and her recovered journal points to one surprising ally: Jodi Dillon.

Jodi is different—nicer, quieter, and a longtime friend of Zack Thrasher. She never really considered Emily a friend, just someone she couldn’t say no to. But now Jodi’s caught in a web of suspicion as her friends are accused of chilling crimes tied to Emily’s death. Cue the anonymous texts, flickering lights, creepy accidents… and the eerie possibility that Emily is still around.

The high school drama is deliciously tense, with the added bonus of some genuinely scary moments. I even found myself a little spooked listening to the audiobook at night! And that epilogue? Absolutely jaw-dropping.

I loved every minute of this ride and will definitely be picking up Julie Soto’s next book.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy.

🙌🏻 I loved this 🙌🏻

Ahh this was SO SO good! I came into this one almost blind and really did not know what to expect, and I totally devoured it. It gave I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes, and I was totally there for it. I’ve been meaning to read Julie Soto (both her published romances before this look so good!) so I was even more excited to see her write a YA thriller!

This was a thriller I absolutely did not want to put down, and I didn’t quite see the ending coming either. The paranormal aspect was just so fun, too! Add in some of the nostalgia of being an older teen, and it just put icing on the cake.

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Anyone looking for a thrill! While it’s technically YA, it didn’t feel that way to me, and I think would appeal to even non-YA readers.

𝑨 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
The narration for this was absolutely perfect. Both the narrators fit their roles perfectly! It made for an excellent audiobook.

(4.5⭐️) woah, this is definitely as good as everyone says! I really enjoyed the question of whether there were supernatural elements or not within the mystery or if it was guilt driven paranoia! This was such a good mystery with lots of deception, twists, and turns! I am definitely looking forward to any future mysteries by Julie Soto!!

This book absolutely should not be dismissed because of being a YA thriller!

A group of friends is haunted by the memory of Emily Mills, a classmate that took her own life months prior. Not only will they be haunted by her memory, but of the consequences of their actions as a high school clique - are the accusations true, and should they have to pay for them?

This story hit much deeper than I expected - some YA thrillers can be a little shallow and one dimensional, but this dives deep into some dark life events through the eyes of a teen.

Paranormal twists and turns will have you second guessing everything right along with the characters without feeling too fantastical, and the epilogue? Please give us a sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance audiobook!

That ending…loved it!

Yes, it’s YA, but “The Thrashers” can hold its own against any adult suspense novel. While others fizzle out with an eye roll ending, this book hits you with one final pop.

The gist: Months after new student Emily Mills killed herself on prom night, the police suspect the popular clique “The Thrashers” of bullying her into it. Are they being falsely accused or is one or more of them responsible?

When odd things start happening, is Emily’s ghost back for revenge or to reveal what really happened? Or are they haunted by a guilty conscience?

Told from the perspective of Jodi, who considers herself the 5th wheel of the 5 member in-crowd. Soto crafts her teen characters with respect while keeping them relatable for adult readers.

I went back-and-forth between the audiobook and the e-book and both are excellent.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmilllan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

At first I thought this book would be a slog and too long, but I ended up zipping through it. It was a balance of creepy, suspenseful, and poignant. The end was satisfying, even if it wasn’t wrapped up with a bow, and leaves the reader questioning if everything is as it seems.

I devoured this. If you love the messy drama of Gossip Girl or the chaos of Pretty Little Liars, then The Thrashers will be right up your alley. It’s got that addictive, can’t-look-away teenage drama, full of secrets, lies, and the kind of rich-kid toxicity that makes for compulsively readable YA thrillers.

The story centers around Jodi, who’s kind of the outsider on the inside. She’s not really one of them, but her childhood friendship with golden boy Zach keeps her close to the core of the group. When Emily (a girl desperate to be a Thrasher) dies under suspicious circumstances, everything starts to unravel. There’s a journal. There’s a lot of guilt. <spoiler>And yeah… there’s a bit of victim-blaming too, which was honestly the one thing that didn’t sit right with me. I get that it was a twist, but the “she was obsessed and brought it on herself” angle felt a little uncomfortable.</spoiler>

Jodi’s character arc is stronger than in most thrillers (IMO). Watching her come into her own and reckon with what kind of person she wants to be was satisfying. Julian, for all his smug aloofness, had that perfect blend of being a little too smooth and a little too haunted. Zach? Trash. Just pure ego under that nice-guy veneer. Lucy and Paige didn’t leave much of an impression, but honestly, the core dynamic is strong enough to carry it.

And the ending? Wild. I loved how it veered just slightly into horror vibes with that eerie open-ended final twist. It’s unsettling in the best way, and honestly made me grin. Like… of course that’s where it ends. Of course.

<spoiler>Also—tiny spoiler, but that last line? Now he has a friend to hang with. That’s chilling and hilarious. A+ touch. I think it was supposed to be spooky, but I laughed out loud. It's a fun take on being haunted by your mistakes.</spoiler>

Overall, this was a fast, juicy, twisty ride with just enough darkness to keep me on edge. Loved it, even with my minimal reservations. Just a great time!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copy. The audio was A+ + + + + + and REALLY enhanced my enjoyment of this. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

Narration: 5/5
Plot: 4.5/5

4.5 stars rounded down to a 4.

I loved this!!! It's been such a long time since I've absolutely loved a YA mystery. They were all starting to feel similar, but this one definitely had some twists and turns. I also loved that basically everyone is morally grey and has problems that they're dealing with. Oftentimes, in YA books, characters can either be good or bad, but this did a good job of showing how complicated people are. ALSO WHY DID I LOVE JULIEN SO MUCH!!!! I need a sequel so badly. I NEED resolution between Julian and Jodi. I know he's toxic, but I can't help but root for him.

I also love that the rich kids weren't inherently evil and had flaws just like everyone else. Again, this is something a lot of YA books fall into by making rich kids inherently horrible. I loved seeing the real friendship moments between the group and the moments of doubt that each of them had as well.

Basically this was so good and had me unable to put it down. This could eventually be a 5 star IF there is a sequel released.

DNF at around 50%

I was enjoying the book somewhat, but this has just cemented to me that I do not like reading YA mystery thrillers. No fault to the book or the author, this just isn’t the right book for me. The audio narration was great though!

Thank you net galley for the advanced copy !

I wanted to love this because it came so highly recommended by my friends but.....I just couldn't with these characters lol
The mystery part was great! At times intense and I WAS curious enough to keep going as I really want know "who dun it".
But alas, as the story kept going besides wanting that answer I found myself caring less and less what happened to the character.
NONE of them were likable, AT ALL. There was ZERO chemistry in the tad bit of romance forced into the story and I feel after everything nobody got their just dues. The victim was psycho, the suspects were spoiled high school bullies that cared for no one but themsleves, and the FMC was blinded by a crush of all things, and then there was all that messing with spirits stuff.
Also I'll never understand why girls stick with boys that treat them like crap lol
But yeah, a lot of high school jealousy drama that was over the top and it overroad the mystery plot, sadly. This book just wasnt for me.