THE THRASHERS review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🤫This book hasn’t even been released yet and it already seems to be getting a lot of buzz. 👀 This was my first Julie Soto book and I really enjoyed it! The beginning had me hooked and I highly recommend the audiobook!

🤫Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
The Thrashers are an elite friend group and everyone at their high school wants to be a part of it. Emily, who wanted more than anything to be a Thrasher, dies and all of the Thrashers are under investigation. How far would you go to fit in with the in crowd?

🤫This book gave slight Pretty Little Liars vibes and I had no idea how it would end. The epilogue had me shook. 🤯 I definitely need to check out Julie’s other works because I really enjoyed this one!

🤫Thanks to @macmillan.audio for my advanced copy!

The Thrashers incorporates teen drama in a sophisticated, mysterious, sometimes paranormal way. The popular clique of high school seniors, The Thrashers, is coming under scrutiny in the wake of a classmate’s suicide. Things are not as they seem, and strange, unexplainable things are happening to the members of the group. With their futures threatened, our protagonist Jodi begins examining each friendship more closely as she searches for the truth. Fans of Pretty Little Liars and 13 Reasons Why will find this book hard to put down.

Thank you, Julie Soto, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this audiobook! The sound quality was excellent. The narrators, Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky, did a great job bringing the characters to life.

Julie Soto’s Thrashers is the kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with YA thrillers in the first place. It’s fast-paced, character-driven, and unafraid to dive headfirst into the messiness of secrets, ambition, and identity. And the cast? Absolute perfection.

Jodie is the definition of magnetic chaos—brilliant, reckless, and always five moves ahead (or so she thinks). Zach brings the brooding mystery, hiding heartbreak behind charm and sharp edges. Emily is the quiet storm of the group—observant, underestimated, and ultimately the most dangerous player in the game. Harrison is too clean-cut to be clean, with just enough charm to make you forget how calculated he really is. And Lucy? She might just be the smartest one of them all, threading truths through every lie like it’s second nature. Featuring suicide, bullying, dark secrets and not your normal high school drama.

Together, these five form a tension-filled, high-stakes ecosystem where every relationship is a potential weapon. Soto writes with whip-smart prose and a killer sense of timing, keeping readers on edge while exploring the fragile balance between power, fear, and survival.

Thrashers is bold, brilliant, and refuses to be predictable. It’s the YA thriller we didn’t know we needed—and one you won’t forget.

Posting review on May 5th on my bookstagram and on Amazon at May 6th at : https://www.instagram.com/seductivespellbindingsagass

Ｔｈｅ Ｔｈｒａｓｈｅｒｓ

@juliesotowrites really said “here ya go” when she decided to whip up a YA thriller for us. Boy is it a treat!

The Thrashers are the high school clique of all cliques. But when Emily dies after being kind of in the clique kind of not… the clique is at risk of disbanding.

The secrets. The lies. The coverups. This book is everything I’d hoped it would be!

Julie, don’t give up contemporary romance but I wouldn’t hate more of The Thrashers, k?

Special thanks to @macmillianusa for an advanced copy of the Audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

As someone who doesn’t read a lot of thrillers, I have to say that I had a great time with this book. YA thrillers may officially be my favorite type of thriller read in large part to Soto’s The Thrashers. I do want to point out some trigger warnings, though, before you start reading which include, but aren’t limited to, underage drinking, drug use, suicidal ideation, suicide, and abuse. This book was the perfect mix of I Know What You Did Last Summer and Pretty Little Liars. I enjoyed the mix of secrets and look backs to slowly unravel the story all with the mix of something not being quite right in present time. Additionally, I really appreciated the look into the friendship dynamic as well, and for me, that added a lot to the overall reading experience. I’m also a sucker for well written morally grey characters which this book was full of. I also loved how Soto had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next throughout the entire book. I also found in fascinating how she guided our reading and shifted our viewpoints of certain characters as more information was revealed. I had both the ebook and audiobook for this one. While both were enjoyable, I loved the audiobook. It gave me more of the TV/movie vibe feels that this book was perfect for. The narration was done by Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky. Both did well in their role, but with the bulk of the narration being done by Kaminsky, she was more of the stand out for me. Kaminsky captured Jodi’s character so well from her disbelief, to her anxiety, to her pain. It was easy to get swept away by Kaminsky’s narration and lose track of everything around you except the audiobook. I couldn’t stop listening to the narration until I finished. With how the book ended, I’m hoping there will be a sequel where we get to spend more time with these characters.

The Thrashers, the coolest group in school and if you are lucky enough to be seen and known by them, you might do whatever it takes to stay in that line of sight.

A group of friends reluctantly welcome a new student into their fold. But Emily isn’t really a good fit, she is nice enough but there is definitely something off about her. She invites herself to all their hang outs, pokes and prys to get personal and intimate information about their lives, and is just like trying too hard to be a Thrasher. The whole group wishes she would just go away. So when news reaches the school that Emily has died, suspicions arise around the Thrashers and the truth hidden inside Emily’s journal.

I devoured this book. I’m usually not a huge thriller person but this was the perfect mix of high school drama and coming of age desperation to make the story really entertaining. This being Soto’s first YA book is mystifying. She has the ability to write characters as if your best friend is telling you the story.
The narrator gave every character their own individual voice and personality, like putting on a mask. That is such an important detail in any audiobook with a larger cast so being able to do that well is a feat.

Pick this one up if you want some senior year nostalgia this summer. Complete with drive in movies, ritualistic seances, high school crushes, school plays, dramatic best friends and obviously, prom.

This was a fantastic audiobook! The narrators had me hooked from the very beginning, and they brought so much energy and emotion to the story. They literally highlighted the thrills with their performances, capturing the intensity, suspense, and heart of every moment. The pacing was perfect, and each voice felt distinct and engaging. If you're looking for a gripping listen that pulls you in and doesn’t let go, The Thrashers is a must. Highly recommend the audio version!

This was such a good YA debut! This is great for fans of Mean Girls and Pretty Little Liars. Expect an inside look at the popular kids’ group while they are undergoing an investigation for bullying a classmate/ possibly murder. This was high stakes and just a tiny bit spooky. Is there a ghost? Are the Thrashers being harassed by someone familiar with the deceased? Did one (or more) of them really bully a girl into committing suicide?

What to expect:
-lots of secrets
-main characters experiencing personal growth
-maybe some ghost encounters
-definitely discussion of bullying/Suicidal ideation/Suicide/cyber bullying

Thank you to Netgalley, Julie Soto & Macmillan Audio for providing me with the ALC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received an ALC in of the audio from MacMillan Audio via NetGalley. Julie Soto does not disappoint! This was my first Thriller and will not be my last! The Thrashers is a YA thriller and is in Jodi Dillon’s POV. Jodi and her tight knit friend AKA The Thrashers are about to go into their senior year of highschool but not without a little drama. Emily Mills had transferred to their school and instantly gravitated towards Jodi and her friends. Unfortunately she dies and that’s where the trouble begins. This book truly captured the essence of what it’s like to be in high school and the center of attention especially when that attention is negative. I loved the Narrators Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky. They did an excellent job of voicing the characters.

Read this if you like:
•13 reasons why
•drama
•suspense

I flew through this one. When a girl dies on prom night, this elite friend group is in the spotlight for bullying. Jodie is the only one in the group not rich and entitled and she’s also the only one not suspected of bullying Emily leading to her suicide. Pretty little liar & 13 reasons why vibes! Thank you Macmillan for the audio!

I thought this was very fun! I did like how it wraps up and I feel like it’s definitely going to be a fun thriller for YA thriller readers. All that to say, the only thing I was not expecting and therefore maybe couldn’t suspend my disbelief on was the slight paranormal bent to this one. Like I will always find Julie Soto’s writing addicting, her characters to be interesting, and her plots to go fast.

<Spoilers>
However, I wanted there to be explanations for everything and there just weren’t by the end.

I am not the target audience for this book, but I found myself really enjoying it. The narration was well done, and I truly didn't know how things would play out. It was much less of a thriller than I expected, I don't know why, since it is more of a "whodunnit" type of story. The end wasn't shocking, but I did like the little twist at the end and the setup for future books.

I liked that there were two narrators, one for Jodie and one for Emily, in flashbacks.

There was something about the story that felt a little unfinished, but I think it was meant to be that way. It was well done and kept me wanting me.

If you were a fan of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, I would 100% recommend it.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an Advanced Listener Copy of this book!

Emily Mille killed herself on prom night and who is to blame? The Thrashers of course. So it’s no surprise that after her death weird things start happening to the group of friends. Emily also left behind an incriminating journal.

The Thrashers are an elite group of friends all circled around one guy named Zack Thrasher who is kind to everyone until he isn’t leading to them being “thrashed.”

Jodi Dillon (MC) isn’t as well off as the rest of the group but has been friends and in love with Zack the longest. When Emily moved to their school she started seeking Jodi out and asking really personal questions. She also kept inserting herself into the Thrasher friend group which doesn’t go well.

The main thing I didn’t love about this book was the way it was wrapped up pretty quickly, but I Will enjoyed the read.

The story really highlights how oblivious some people can be and/or how much some people care so little about other people. Some people are so entitled they forget or don’t care to acknowledge their actions.

So I may have or have not have requested this book on NetGalley because I thought it was going to be horror teen slasher. Even though I was wrong about that part, it was still a good read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this arc in exchange for a review.

I loved this!! If you are a fan of YA thrillers, place your preorders/request at your library now because this book is IT! I was SAT from the second I hit play!

A group of 5 friends (known collectively as the Thrashers), a girl that has died, and a journal that is pointing fingers from beyond the grave… are the Thrashers to blame for Emily’s death?? With stellar narration, one narrator voicing Jodi (our MC) and the rest of her friends (Zack, Paige, Lucy, and Julian) and another narrator voicing Emily through her diaries, I flew through this audiobook and cannot recommend the format enough! I loved these characters, despite (or maybe because of??) their moral grayness and couldn’t help but root for them as the story went on.

The Thrashers gave me similar vibes to Pretty Little Liars and 13 Reasons Why (two favorites of mine when I was in high school), yet was still uniquely its own. With twists that had my jaw hanging open, eeriness that gave me chills, AND THAT ENDING?!? The Thrashers was truly everything I could have asked for and more. In fact, I may or may not have already listened to it twice!

The biggest thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for access to an ALC!

I don’t always love YA mysteries or thrillers, so I went in with low expectations, but I ended up enjoying this one. It gave off Pretty Little Liars energy, and the audiobook narrators were great.

The story kept me guessing and wanting answers, even though some parts pulled me out of it, especially the heavy use of modern pop culture references (and some odd ones, like Sketchers and heeled Converse). Emily was pretty annoying, and Zach was even worse. I didn’t love the ending, it felt a bit predictable, but overall, it was a fun read.

I was completely hooked from the start, and I’m desperately hoping this will be a series (or at least have a sequel), because I NEED MORE! 😍

I’m also convinced Julie Soto could write absolutely anything and it would be fantastic 👌🏼

📖 The Thrashers by Julie Soto
☠️: YA thriller

📝 mini blurb:
The book starts with the suicide of Emily Mills, a teen desperate to be a part of the infamous “Thrashers” - an elite friend group at New Helvetia High.

We then follow Jodi Dillon, a member of this group who’s always felt like she’s on the outside. She feels like she’s only included since she’s Zack Thrashers’ childhood best friend, since she isn’t rich like the rest of them.

The story unfolds are the group is being investigating for bullying, and their involvement in Emily’s death.
Strange & dangerous things begin to happen, and it feels like she isn’t quite done with them.

⭐️: 5/5
📱🎧 tandem read audio + ebook
🎙 narrated by: Eva Kaminsky & Jesse Vilinsky

💭 what I loved about this one:
- this was incredibly addictive & fast-paced
- Jodi is such a compelling character, and I love how we learned more and more about her as the book went on
- a few little things I won’t spoil here 😉
- the romance subplot OF COURSE

🙃 what didn’t quite work for me:
- Literally nothing, this book was a perfect YA thriller!

🎧 audiobook thoughts:
The audio was fantastic, and chilling at times. Both narrators were great at portraying teenagers.

✦ tropes & stuff:
🔪 YA thriller - high school drama
👻 paranormal elements
👑 elite friend group
💬 mystery texts
🤫 secrets & lies
💜 romance subplot
🦋 single 3rd person POV

✨ books with similar vibes:
♡ So I haven’t read the books, but it gave me vibes from the TV shows of 13 Reasons Why (I was totally obsessed with this one!) & Riverdale.

Thank you to Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for advanced copies. All opinions are my own.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto is a compelling young adult thriller infused with supernatural elements that add a unique layer of mystery and suspense. As a long-time fan of Julie Soto’s work, my expectations were high—even though thrillers are not typically my genre of choice. I am happy to say that The Thrashers not only met those expectations but exceeded them, reaffirming that I will eagerly read anything Soto writes. This novel might just be the perfect gateway into thrillers for newcomers, while still satisfying readers who already love the genre.

Told through two distinct perspectives, the story delivers both emotional depth and narrative intrigue:

1. Jodi, the main character, is navigating complex personal struggles, including tension within her friend group known as the Thrashers, a strained relationship with her father, grief over her mother’s passing, and the recent suicide of an acquaintance. Despite carrying her own emotional weight, Jodi remains the grounded voice of reason among her peers, even when that means confronting painful truths about the people closest to her.

2. Emily, the want-to-be Thrasher who dies by suicide, tells her story through poignant diary entries that serve as flashbacks. Her voice adds critical context to the events leading up to her death and deepens the emotional impact of the narrative.

As the legal case against the Thrashers unfolds—centered on accusations of bullying that allegedly contributed to Emily's death—Soto skillfully peels back layers of the story. The novel confronts heavy topics like bullying, grief, and self-harm with sensitivity and care, never sensationalizing the issues but treating them with the seriousness they deserve.

The twists kept me fully engaged, and I especially appreciated the evolving dynamics within the friend group. The character development, particularly in Jodi and Julien, felt authentic and earned. Watching them grow through their experiences was one of the most rewarding parts of the book. This is one of the best epilogues I have read and left a potential opening for a sequel or spinoff, which I sincerely hope is written.

If you are drawn to stories and shows like 13 Reasons Why or Pretty Little Liars, this novel will likely resonate with you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing a copy of The Thrashers in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this amazing ALC!

This book had me hooked from the very beginning! I could not put it down. A very addictive plot and characters kept me guessing the whole time. Definitely worth the listen and can’t wait to read more!

4.75 stars
Thank you Wednesday Books, Netgalley, and Macmillan for the physical ARC, digital ARC, and audiobook ALC respectively!

Julie Soto writes a compelling YA coming-of-age thriller about a clique, “The Thrashers,” under scrutiny as evidence of their supposed bullying surfaces toward a “thrashed” classmate who died by suicide on prom night.

I ate this book up: Julie Soto had me hooked from the first chapter and I read/listened to this quickly in 2 days. 

Soto from the first couple of chapters builds the characters and the suspense. The plot is easy to follow and the tension is held throughout. The story and writing maintains a YA language, but one I think will appeal to both a teenage and an adult audience. Soto’s writing style is versatile and has a range.

The story and reveals were easy enough to guess, but where this book really shines for me was the character studies of our leads. You see this clique in mixed light; one from Jodi’s perspective but also as you get to know them and their relationships with each other. They’ve all done some ambiguous and wrong things, but they also care. I liked Jodi’s perspective and seeing her growth. I connected with the idea of reflecting on your friendships with a more Birds Eye view as I experienced that transition with high school friends post-graduation and now talking to few if any of them. The pacing does reflect this character study and slow-burn, but audiobook wise I was addicted. The court case took a back seat after the beginning 1/3rd, so I was waiting for things to surface more especially when the initial findings gave me manipulated/edited evidence, which I think is an intriguing topic given AI prevalence now: l wanted more of.

I loved the audiobook. Jodi’s narration paired with evidence narrated by Eva Kaminsky and Jesse Vilinsky. It set the tone and story well and the speed and volume were congruent with one another. If you like the story formatting of A Good Girls Guide to Murder, this is similar.

Thank you to SMP and Macmillan Audio for the review copies!
This dark and suspenseful YA thriller draws stylish elements and themes from One of Us Is Lying, 13 Reasons Why, and even A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. It shakes them up and offers a story that explores the post-unaliving reveals from one of the characters. While the premise may not feel completely new, the storytelling is strong; many readers will likely question the ending, but it will definitely get people talking — always a win for this book reviewer!

The plot and pacing are perfectly coordinated, with media drop-ins that add an extra splash to the story and help move it forward. This is a perfect pick for Karen McManus fans or anyone looking for an edgy YA summer read. It especially stands out on audio, thanks to the excellent narration and the creative production of the media elements.