Firstly, how is this the first book I've read by Julie Soto?? I'm hoping to read all of her backlist now - although there is the small matter of Mount Doom (ie. my TBR)... Well, I'm sure I can fit some in ;)

I don't usually go for thrillers, but, really, I don't know why because I actually really enjoy them! But it's more than just a thriller; it's a coming-of-age novel, a novel about not fitting in, a real YA that you can feel you're in (or remember being in, and be grateful you're not there anymore!), and I just wanted to devour it. SUCH a page-turner - make sure you have some dedicated reading time set aside before you start!

Jodi Dillon, our MC, is a member of the so-called 'Thrashers', named that because of the way they 'thrash' other students at high school. Led by Zak Thrasher, they are the 'in crowd' in a massive way; their charisma is matched only by their potential for completely destroying, obliterating, other students in the way they can casually 'take on' a student and then ghost or humiliate them in some way.

The book is introduced by the suicide of Emily Mills, who commits suicide tragically on prom night. This beginning sets up the premise for the novel; was she 'thrashed?' Whose fault is her suicide? And what part, crucially, does Jodi play in this? She is unlike the others in the group; she doesn't come from a rich family, she isn't conventionally beautiful, and doesn't have that gold star touch that the others have, such as academic prowess, or extreme sporting talent. As the novel progresses, Jodi starts to wonder what she - the daughter of a thoughtless, alcoholic man, and a dead mother - has to offer the group? Is she about to be cast out? Or was she ever really 'in' to begin with?

Just when you think the book has revealed all its secrets to you, another twist comes around, right until the last page. Some of the twists were, perhaps, a little predictable, but certainly not all of them, and I think this is, perhaps, the perfect thriller.

Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley for the arc - and there's not long to wait; this is out in the wild on 6th May, and I think I'll get myself a physical copy to reread; it's really that good. It's the kind of book that makes the next book you read seem 'less' in comparison, so be prepared with a totally different genre to save making unfavourable comparisons.

Spectacular. 4.75 stars.

Thank you to Harper Fire and Netgalley for the eARC.

The book was so out of the realm of what I would usually read but I LOVED it! I couldn’t put it down and it had truly solidified Julie Soto as an auto buy author for me! Her writing is so versatile and utterly addicting!

The Thrashers is a YA thriller novel which investigates “The Thrashers’” the popular clique’s involvement in the suicide of one of their fellow classmates. It is incredibly thought provoking and had me questioning everything.

Also, THE ENDING?!?! I need a sequel!! It cannot end like that!

This is a must read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the UK publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a paranormal thriller and it's an easy quick read. It does read very YA, so do bear that in mind too.

I felt like it wanted to deal with a deep topic like bullying but for much of the book it was very surface level. I didn't feel the plot progressed quick enough and there was a lot of drag and then a random big thing would happen out the blue which felt out of place.

wo there readers. stop immediately what your doing and pen this book into your dairy for the foreseeable and actually a lot longer after this. for this one a a doozy and it aint gonna leave you even after youve finished it.
what a corker of a read. young adults will love this. adults will love this. i loved it. there is too much to say about this book. im going to go into that oversharing of my thoughts in that fan-girl way if im not careful though as this book has me in that position. totally fan-girling a book.yes, yes, apparently its thing.
the story follows the suicide one of the members of the most popular group in school. this group is the one. the only. but inside it the different member arent what they appear to be. are they? this is what Jodi cant figure out. and isnt sure she will want to when things start to come to light.
because when the dead girls diary is found it put the group under scrutiny for causing the poor girl to end her life. just before prom no less. what have they put her through to make her feel this is her only option?
the group called the thrasher run the school. led by Zack who has the worst way of "trashing" people when he deems they surplus. and he does it in the most belittling of ways.
although Jodie is part of the group she lives in constant fear she wont be. not least because she doesnt exactly fit with the rest of them. she isnt gorgeous like the other two girls Lucy and Paige. shes not wealthy or have the high school driven talents like the others do. she also has an extremely complex home life. what she does have is a solid love for Zack and so is in constant fear and loyalty to him for fear of being left behind by him or worse tossed aside.
but what happened to Emily brings wful things to light and has Jodie questioning everything, even herself.
Im also not going to go into the other person in this book otherwise i will be here talking about them all night long. but watch for that...
WHAT COMES NEXT IS A RIDE. READ THIS!

I wanna thank Julie Soto, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in advance.
The synopsis intrigued me but I honestly didn't think the story would grab me as much as it did. It's a YA Mystery Thriller but, instead of trying to find out who killed the person, we need to figure out if what the dead person claimed against the main characters is true or not. Enter The Thrashers (the main characters): they're a group that, at first sight, seems they are very similar teens except for Jodi, but as the book progresses we can see the role of each of them in this story, how unique each of them are and how different they really are from each other. Specially Jodi who doesn't come from the same upbringing but is best friends with Zack Trasher (the glue of the group) since 2nd grade. I really like the group and their dynamics even tho their not perfect (their people and their teens after all).
I like how the story progressed, there were some slow moments but those serve to make you think on what happened before. Because there were evidence appearing that didn't make sense, that made the characters doubt, that made you doubt, that made you think and try to fit the puzzle pieces Julie Soto was giving you. There was something relating to Hannah Mills that I saw coming but was well done and made sense. Zack was someone that was kind of a golden retriever friend and you think tried to make everyone feel good, but towards the end I felt really disappointed in him.
The epilogue left me jaw dropped. I wasn't expecting it at all honestly.
This was my first Julie Soto book but, her writing is really good and really grabbed alongside with the story, I have my eyes set on 2 more books from her. One is already out, the other one is Rose in Chains and, if they're as good as this one even tho they're different genres, Julie has the potential to become one of my new autobuy authors.

I’m sorry but Julie really said “let me blow your mind”.

Actually in awe of what she did with this one. Having read her contemporary romances I was already a fan but who knew she had a YA thriller of this calibre in her?! Not this gal right here. But I shouldn’t be surprised because her other writing also had me enamoured.

From the moment I started reading I was HOOKED. I was suspicious of everyone - even Jodi herself at some points.

This was such a raw read too - who hasn’t experienced those moments where you feel even a little left out of your friendship groups or a bit forgotten in high school and beyond. Even if most of the time you feel connected to those same people, doubt sometimes creeps in. Especially with wealth disparity. Books like these are a good reminder that you should champion your own happiness and never prioritise someone else’s contentment over your own.

Totally clocked Julian’s interest in a certain character (no spoilers here). The friendship group was obviously a mess but they did show up for each other when it mattered. I liked the angle Julie wrote this in too, Jodi uncovering truths and Emily’s input from beyond the grave. I was happy with the ending…will there be more? I vote yes.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author - you rock Julie - for the rush of reading this ARC!

'The Thrashers' are the elite friend group of New Helvetia High comprising of, Jodi, Paige, Julian, Lucy and Zack, that everyone wants to be a part of. Until Emily Mills a girl who desperately wanted to be a thrasher dies and the whispers and rumours start. When Emily's journal surfaces the group comes under investigation and strange, creepy things occur Jodi needs to decide whether to help her friends or herself.

If you're picking this up I recommend blocking put your whole day and making sure you have your snacks and drinks beside you because once you start this you won't be able to put it down. I was hooked from the beginning this was fast paced and thrilling filled with twists and turns and making it hard for you to know who to trust. This had supernatural elements throughout and I thought that really added to the story. I had no idea how this was going to end and the twist in the epilogue was amazing. This is a thought provoking read and I feel some of this will really resonate with readers especially if you've ever struggled fitting in or finding your place. This deals with really heavy topics in such a good way too I really liked Jodi as a character and I'm team Julian over Zack for her all the way. I highly recommend this one of my new favourites of the year.

Thank you to the author and publishers for allowing me an e-ARC via NetGalley!!

Julie Soto ALWAYS delivers. This woman can write literally anything and everything. Julie could write a book about a pigeon and I’d read it. I read this in less than 24 hours because I was just addicted.
This book was impeccable. The depth of all of the characters made it so easy to differentiate who is who, and it gave a perfect amount of backstory/context to why people behaved the way they did. The relationships between characters were really well explained and I felt a lot of genuine human emotion and within this book. It was a great thriller in the way that there were good twists and turns that weren’t expected, and we learn that not all characters are as they seem. The writing was really good at making the reader question everything, and it was the perfect amount of suspense. There’s a good mixture of plot line as well as character development, and the pace was consistently good throughout, so it was really easy to read. This may be one of the strongest 5/5 star ratings I’ve ever given purely because I cannot think of any changes that were needed. I will absolutely be buying the physical copy of this. And if Julie needs ARC readers again, I absolutely volunteer as tribute ✋🏻

Rating: 5/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

4.5⭐

This book took me by surprise. In the best (and creepiest) way. I spook pretty easily, I was not expecting a YA from Julie Soto to be this spooky. She usually writes romance, so I went in thinking I was safe... and then suddenly I was up late at night asking myself, “Am I even going to sleep tonight?”. That said, I really liked it. Totally hooked from page one, and I 100% recommend it. Just maybe don’t read it alone in the dark like I did.

It’s one of those stories that’s super hard to talk about without giving away spoilers, so I’ll just give you the basics: a group of five friends (The Thrashers) gets accused of somehow encouraging a classmate’s suicide. From there, things get weird. Our main girl, Jodi, starts digging for the truth and finds herself questioning what’s real and what isn’t. There’s a twist of paranormal, a bunch of secrets, and some really great (and tense) character dynamics.

I wish I could talk more about the characters because they all go through such strong arcs, but I know if I say too much I’ll spoil something. Just know the ending (especially that last epilogue) gave me chills. It’s currently 1am, I just finished, and I still don’t know if I’m going to be able to sleep. I have so many feelings and I wish I could scream about that ending.

Really, really enjoyed this one, but I think I need a cute romcom to recover.

Completely addictive, literally couldn't put it down. So perfect for the YA genre with a little bit of everything - thriller, intrigue, popularity, paranormal, school dynamics and romance. Jodi has an exclusive friendship group, unofficially known as the Thrashers. Everyone wants to be Thrasher until someone dies, and now their own reputations are on the line. They must fight for their innocence but why do their own lives appear to be on the line?

The pace is relentless, and the plot twists and turns, making it quite unpredictable. And I loved how the dialogue emphasized the unique characters. I especially related to Jodi - who would always feel like she doesnt belong in a circle of such affluence. And she has some real demons of her own to battle. There was enough to entertain if only the character dynamics were explored but add in the thrills and mystery and it becomes quite a rollercoaster ride.

I inhaled this book in a matter of hours. It was so addictive and I had to keep reading to find out what was happening and how all these threads were going to come together. There were so many twists and turns and I felt like I didn’t know what was going to happen next. Just when I thought I might have it figured out, something changed. And then that epilogue…I am going to be thinking about this book for some time.

I knew absolutely nothing about this book when I read it so I had no expectations but I am so thoroughly pleased because it made the experience so enjoyable!

The Thrashers is all about a group of friends who, after the death of a classmate, are accused of harassment and assault. The book looks at unreliable narrators, who our friends really are, and how far one would go to be in with the "it" crowds.

It gives me somewhat of a Mean Girls vibe but elevated.

There is a small romance arc which was absolutely delightful to see in a thriller as well.

One for the readers who enjoy something more psychological!

This review is for The Thrashers by Julie Soto which releases in the UK on the 8th May! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Haper Fire for giving me an eArc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this book with no expectations or knowledge of what it was going to be about, and I absolutely loved it. It’s not in my usual genre as it’s more of a thriller but after seeing all the over Bookstagram and Booktok, I needed to read it for myself.

So I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t even be giving a little run down of the plot. Just think, normal teenage school clique drama but with a very dramatic twist.
For literally most of this book I had no idea what was going on or what was coming, and I had the best time. Usually I can predict the next part or who did it, but this time I truly had no idea who did what and you’re kept on your toes the entire time. The pacing was great and really keeps you wanting more.

Jodi was a brilliant main FMC. You see a normal teenage girl with fears and insecurities learn what her personal morals are and what she believes to be right and wrong. You see her become stronger throughout all her adversity, and become more confident in herself and what she believes. The start of the romance between her and Julian was *chefs kiss* - is was one of those times where it didn’t make sense, until it really did and then you were rooting for them the whole time.

To be honest, I could not put this book down and was up till 3am reading one of the nights. It does leave some things unanswered and I will be thinking about this book for a long while. It’s so good, and I can’t wait to read more of Julie’s published works (IFYKYK).

The Thrashers had me hooked from the onset all the way through to the end. With a gripping plot and compelling characters, this was an intense, reflective read, that made my eyebrows raise and the hair on my arms stand on end.

What a cast of characters this was! I found it really interesting being in Jodi’s head, the one person in the group known as ‘The Thrashers’ who is generally thought to not be as bad as them, or as their upcoming victim to be thrashed. Jodi while the most likeable wasn’t without her faults and the conflict between who people saw her as (a good friend to the recently deceased Emily) and her own thoughts (while sympathetic to Emily in some occasions, and while there are a few instances where she protects her, largely her thought process is how weird she thinks Emily is and how she hates her).

I also enjoyed the wider cast of characters and I was constantly on edge. We constantly had the wider world telling us that they aren’t good kids, yet from Jodi we see a different side…before she begins to question if there’s any truth.

I loved how this delved in to online messaging and group chats, and how you can say things in private that aren’t for others to hear, or you go along with a joke to fit in — but this book shows how dangerous that can be.

There were a good few twists in here with all of the characters that just made it thrilling. You thought all was known and then bang, you thought! That ending was particularly surprising and now I sort of want a sequel or a spin off to know more…(but I’m not quite sure where it would go).

It's been a long time since I stayed up past my bed time to finish a book. Obsessed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

More like a 3.5
I enjoyed as much I thought I would and it gave me One of us is lying with a hint of thirteen reasons why vibes. I also had a lot of mixed feelings about some of the characters. if looking for a YA high school drama book I would highly recommend.

The trashers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💙 YA thriller
💙 Pretty little liars vibes
💙 morally gray characters

Well well well, this one WAS FUN!!!! If you are looking for a fast paced, kinda creepy story, this is it. This book had me on a chokehold from start to finish.

I do love myself a messy group of friends and the dynamics of this one were far more complex than expected for me. Every single one of the characters were interesting, flawed, and the obvious tension between them all was off the charts. Julie Soto delivered drama, mystery, secrets, complicated family dinamics, lies AND serveral romantic situationships within the group and wow.
The story opens with a tragic event, so yes, there was entertainment but also an eye opening factor over the pressure of fitting certain expectations and the fear of been bullied or cast aside by the ones you consider your friends. Everybody in this book has the potential of doing terrible things given the right motivation and they often do, whether they wanted to admit it or not so it was interesting to see how everything played out.

Now, the ending, OMG, I could do a full review on that epilogue alone. Wtf??? So unexpected, so creepy, so full of potential for a sequel!!! 👀 Amazing!!!!

Julie Soto has written a really engaging and well-paced YA thriller. The main character, Jodi, is so rounded that she feels like a real teenager and Soto writes that universal experience of feeling lonely in a group and never feeling enough convincingly. The narrative around a group of friends who are often oblivious to the negative effect they have on those around them and how they react when they have to face this head on hooks you in quickly. The way the book talks about what may lead a vulnerable person to harm themselves is never sensational but anyone reading it needs to be aware of this topic and how it may affect them.

I love Julie Soto so was excited to read something in a different genre for her. I love that she can write so diversely and still be amazing. This one was just as great as her romance novels. Well written, good pacing and characters you love to hate. This one is perfect for YA fans, or adult fans.

i love julie soto. i love her writing, her storytelling— she blows my mind. i quite literally COULD NOT put this book down. i was hooked from the first page!!!

i adored jodi, and my god did i understand her. i really liked her as an FMC. i truly felt for her with all that emily put her through. i found it hard to empathise much with emily and the more i learned about her (specifically in relation to jodi) the more i disliked her. my jaw DROPPED when her sister revealed more details of the day emily died— it was diabolical, for what it did to both jodi and emily’s sister.

the thrashers were who i struggled with the most— i kept flip flopping with whether i liked them or not. they had the capabilities of being good friends and in some instances they showed but they really did treat jodi as an afterthought (i.e. prom photos & jodi’s events). i can confidently say i do not like zac, we’re team julian over here!!!!

the romance wqs subtle but my god do i NEED a jodijulian endgame confirmation FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASEEEE 🙏🏽🙏🏽 i will say, i was not the biggest fan of the paranormal aspect, it wasn’t really necessary imo.