3.5 stars

Generally, every time I've read a thriller I've been left disappointed. But The Thrashers had this weird charm about that kept me hooked onto the story. The story feels like something you may have read before and has elements that feel familiar - girl dies in mysterious circumstances, a group of popular kids (The Thrashers) are at the centre, and then there's our main character (Jodie) who is a part of the group, but feels like an outlier. Throw in something paranormal, and you are very easily hooked.

Each member of the Thrashers represents a specific character archetype and while that might seem cliched, this book gives them a unique spin of its own. With some sharply contrasting personalities, you wonder how come these people are in a group together, but the fractures soon appear.

The story starts off quite interesting, and the pacing is also nicely done however, it kind of tapers off in the middle and the ending becomes a mix of cliches, but not in a good way. I felt like it all abruptly came to a stop. There easily could have been a couple of more pages, just to give the story that depth and keep us readers guessing as to what's really happening. Plus, at least towards the end, the paranormal elements made the story a little confusing.

All in all, while The Thrashers isn't something I would usually pick up, this is definitely a pretty easy read, and addictive thriller, and is perfectly suited for the younger side of YA.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto is a gripping and thought-provoking YA novel that explores the dark undercurrents of high school life. It looks at the challenges of fitting in, the cost of toxic friendships, and tough topics like suicide, stalking, obsession, self-harm, and body shaming.
The story begins with the tragic suicide of 17-year-old Emily Mills on prom night. She is found drowned in a bathtub, still wearing her prom dress. This chilling opening scene sets perfectly dark and emotional tone for the rest of the novel.
We are then introduced to the Thrashers, a group of privileged, wildly popular students who rule the school’s social scene. Led by Zack Thrasher, whose last name gives the group its identity, they draw others in like moths to a flame. Everyone either wants to be them or be friends with them. But Zack has a reputation for tossing people aside once they become boring or no longer serve his interests, often ghosting or humiliating them. At least, that’s what people say from the outside looking in. On the inside, however, we see what appears to be a tight-knit group of friends who genuinely enjoy spending time together.

The story is told from Jodi’s perspective, a genuinely relatable character. Throughout the book, she struggles with imposter syndrome, constantly questioning whether she truly belongs in this elite group of wealthy, popular kids. She’s secretly in love with her best friend Zack, but then again, so is pretty much everyone else. Julian comes across as a bully at first, and you’ll probably dislike him right away, but as the story unfolds, he becomes more complex and oddly endearing. Paige and Lucy are your typical queen bees, and Jodi often finds herself wondering why they ever chose to include her. She feels like she has to earn their friendship, constantly proving her worth to stay in their inner circle.
But this isn’t just your average teenage drama. The group soon gets pulled into the investigation of Emily’s suicide, a former “friend” who was obsessed with Zack and desperate to be part of the Thrashers. The problem? The Thrashers never truly let her in, and now the consequences of that rejection are impossible to ignore.

When Emily’s old diary is discovered, new information comes to light and the group starts being blamed. The mystery unfolds slowly, and we start to question everything, not knowing who to trust.

It’s been a long time since a book kept me on the edge of my seat from the very first to the very last page! The story (and the crumbs of romance) is a slow burn but I couldn’t stop turning the pages. If I weren’t such a slow reader by nature, I would’ve finished it in one sitting! It has that perfect “fanfiction” quality! Every paragraph is entertaining and engaging, and you have to keep reading.
I loved all the plot twists and the subtle supernatural elements that keep you wondering what’s real and what’s not. But if I’m being totally honest, while the book was overall very enjoyable, something felt like it was missing. The plot twists weren’t super mind blowing, and I guessed the ending pretty early on. I wanted MORE! More drama, more mystery, more romance. It left me feeling a bit hungry...
But if there’s even a tiny chance of a sequel?! I will be first in line to read it! I need to know what happens to Jodi and to the person who shall not be named (because, spoilers!). I’m rooting for them!

This isn’t my first Julie Soto book, and it definitely won’t be my last. The Thrashers have earned her a permanent spot on my author auto-buy list. I can’t wait to read Rose in Chains next!

🩵🎭 The Thrashers 🎭🩵

- Julie Soto @juliesotowrites

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: YA thrillers really are That Girl. Time and time again, they deliver. And Julie Soto’s first venture into the land of YA thriller was no different.

Everyone at New Helvetia High knows The Thrashers. Everyone wants to be them. Think of the Plastics - then embroil them in a murder investigation - and you’ve got this book. When Emily Mills, an unpopular girl who desperately wanted to be a Thrasher, commits suicide, all eyes are turned on the surviving Thrashers - Jodi, Julian, Paige, Lucy and, their infamous namesake, Zack Thrasher.

With the dramatic high school setting of One Of Us Is Lying and the stakes of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, this was everything I love in a thriller. There was even a sprinkling of romance in there too (Ms. Soto, I’m begging you to give us a Jodulian - can that be a ship name? - novella or SOMETHING! The paint prom scene lives rent free in my head).

And, of course, evvvvvvverybody is talking about that epilogue! I’ll keep it vague, don’t worry. Me personally, I don’t mind ambiguous endings and it paved the way for a potential? sequel, so I’m not complaining too much. Just be aware that you’ll be screaming at your book/Kindle/audiobook.

Overall, I’d highly recommend for a fun, pacy thriller to fly through this summer. This was my first work by Julie Soto but now consider me officially A Fan.

Have you read anything by Julie Soto? And are you as big a fan as YA thrillers as me?

4.5 ⭐️ this was so good!!!! i love a fun thriller and julie soto killed it. i swear this woman can write bangers in every single genre? i didn’t want to put this book down, i was so captivated. when she marketed this as veronica mars vibes i knew i was going to love it and she 1000000% delivered! please let us have more stories in the world of the thrashers!

i honestly wasn’t sure where this was going at any given point. i kept switching back and forth between thinking emily was crazy and the thrashers were villains (my final opinion is that emily IS crazy + at least zack and paige ARE villains). i loved reading this through jodi’s POV and, like her, feeling pushed and pulled in so many different directions. the guessing game was so fun for me, but i can’t imagine it when it’s your LIFE.

julian hollister?! i’m so sorry yall i LOOOOVE him. that is one fine morally gray man and i am so here for it. i had such a switch up on feelings for him. i hated him so bad at the beginning but by 50% in i was locked in. that man deserves LOVE! and to surely nobody’s surprise, i am a julian+jodi endgame supporter. GIVE US THE HAPPY COUPLE! but yeah i loved that in reality julian cared so much for jodi and repeatedly did everything for her. he just wanted to protect her! free that man!

Did I expect to cry at this book? Absolutely not but boy did I SOB. I fear I am the main character and I just did not prepare for an emotional ride

First of I binged this book, like literally could not put down my kindle. Little thing to know about me I love Miss Julie soto’s fanfiction but I ain’t one much for YA especially thriller/mystery so I wasn’t expecting to absolutely devour this but I did. If you love “one of us is lying” and the movie “heathers” then this my friends is the book for you. From start to finish you will be wondering what’s actually going on and honestly the writing is so easy to feel like you are the “sixth” thrasher in this story. The only reason this isn’t a 5 star is because I found the ending a little underwhelming in the sense of it being so open that I don’t know if I felt completely satisfied. However I loved the characters, the plot was great and the subplot of romance and friendships was also entertaining. I would highly recommend this to anyone who looking for an enjoyable read with a good mystery (maybe a bit supernatural).

Thank you very much to netgalley and the publishers and author for the early copy.

3.75 ⭐

This was my first Julie Soto book but will not be my last. I really enjoyed how this book built the tension and suspense, the book was well-paced and made me just want to keep reading. I devoured this, I am not normally a big reader of this genre. I have read a couple of this genre but not too many so, I went into this book hopeful and boy did it pay off. The high school made me feel nostalgic. I really enjoyed the twists and turns, some which were a tad predictable, But the ending was not, I was left so shocked and speechless. This did also give me mean girls vibes which was perfect. I really enjoyed this so thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Read this in a day and I kept me hooked the entire time. Twisty and full of clues, that only clicked in the end, this was a really YA Thriller.. Kept me guessing until the end and I will be thinking about that ending for a while 👀

This was such a fun and addictive read! The mystery kept me guessing with every chapter, and I loved how all the little clues finally clicked into place. The characters had me rooting for them (and side-eyeing a few), and that last twist? Absolutely chef's kiss. Definitely recommend if you want something twisty but easy to devour.

I read this book within a day. I’m not going to pretend I put off reading this even though I love Julie Soto’s work but I have not read YA in years and I was apprehensive.

But Julie helped me remember why I loved YA as a teen. Why I ferociously read mystery books, dystopian book or pretty much any YA books during my teen years.
The Thrashers had me hooked a few chapters in. The book follows a group of friends, ‘the cool kids’ aka ‘The Thrashers’’ and it explores their dynamics and relationships when a class mate commits suicide and they are questioned by police. Everytime I thought I know where the book was going, it went the opposite direction. I was obsessed and very much neglected my librarian duties to read the book. Don’t tell anyone.

Julie did an excellent job of navigating the subtleties of bullying and its consequences as well as the darker side of things and mental health. I truly felt the emotions of Jodi (FMC) throughout the book and despite the mystery and tension of the story, I didn’t want it to end.

The ending was amazing and I definitely didn’t see it coming. I’m anxiously anticipating the next one, if there is a sequel, and I don’t think I will stop thinking about this book for a while.

4-5 stars, I legit cannot decide ೃ⁀➷ Are murder mystery books supposed to leave you as broken as I am right now?


The Thrashers follows Jodi, who is part of this elite friendship group at her school. It's her, Zack, Lucy, Paige and Julian. Everybody wants to be part of them but everyone knows what happens to someone who tries to- they get thrashed. But now one of their recent victims- Emily- have committed suicide and as things are uncovered about the suicide Jodi and her friends are all brought into questioning, suspected in being the reason for her suicide. As the investigation continues, weird things are happening and their 'elite' friendship group is put to the test- will they keep the secrets they share or confess?

What to expect:
🩸 Creepy/Haunting vibes
🩸 A flawed cast of characters
🩸 Found family


My Thoughts~

When I finished it, I think I was in awe. Thinking about it now, I feel like my words can't do it justice. I love the route Julie Soto took in approaching this story because I didn't see it coming, even though it wasn't at all grand. Like any mystery/thriller, I was just sat in perpetual agony waiting for answers (I'm so impatient istg) which was done torturously slow.

It all started at the root of this friendhip group- who the characters were truly and their dynamics before it expanded any where else. They were flawed, messy, insecure yet hiding it with confidence, claws and bravado. These characters were so beautifully crafted, I can't fully hate any of them (not even Zack as much as I hate myself for it), and the way their insecurities all got picked out one by one out near the end was breath taking. Emily's presence in the novel was amazing- I love how her perspectives were placed (as much as that last one hurt) and how she was actually hard to decipher at first and still hard to decipher at the end, yet still having most of the pieces, was perfect. How she haunted everyone, the accidents, it made my anxiety sky rocket, at one point I thought at least one person would die. Even though the addition of spirituality etc was like a surprise, I also think the positioning of it in the story wasn't random and was still well introduced and continued.

Jodi's her story broke my heart and my eyes more than teared up at times. She went through so, so, so much in this- from her own self esteem within the friendship group to the investigation to things happening at home. Honestly, she was handled so cruelly by the police, I hate it :( Her struggles were portrayed in such a simple yet effective way and I feel like the author really has a talent for portraying teen struggles in the YA genre. Zack at the end... honestly, I felt everything that Jodie did towards him. And the last line about Zack... Just was everything. While he is still reaaaallly sus and questionable, seeing him at the end confused like that got me thinking things but like Jodi, I was happy- what she said about him last encapsulated everything in my head. He was such a well written character, ugh, how can I not like him?

The friend group was complex, the dynamics were clear and there was this indiscernible push and pull between all of them. They had issues but... they made it work. I think I'm just projecting my own experiences now lol. Julian and Jodi... I was so determined to like him as a love interest for Jodi, but how their relationship blossomed was so heart-wrenching and the fact that Julie Soto ended the book like THAT just hurts. Julie I thought you wrote mainly romance!!!!! Like what do you mean you wrote that paint scene and then slapped me across the face?

Going back to how everything unravelled at the end- I couldn't stop reading. Just when I thought it was over there was more. They weren't grand reveals but because of how invested I was in these characters, these tidbits of information just meant so much to me. I also like how the justice was handled and written too? Although full justice wasn't served (which feels very representative of real life) I admired how the issue of Jodi 'confessing' about her friends was appraoched and written out.

The epilogue- hah. Did you know happier endings are legal Julie Soto?

I have a few minorrrr criticisms: spoiler warning!
I was so determined that Oliver played a bigger role. Zack's father, Greg, fully disappeared after the first part of the book, I swear. It did feel like at times nothing substantial to the plot was going on, but the vibes remained. Jodi's questions etc about her mother's death were just left unanswered kinda. Wasn't an investigation done on how a fake journal came to be?

I loved this book and these characters so much. I'm too attached to let go. I want another book of them like 5+ years in the future leading their own lives but then something pulls them back together and they need to work together to solve something yada yada but it would fix the found family shaped gap in my heart so nicely right now.

4-5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley & The Publishers for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own :)

This follows Jodi and her friend group The Thrashers, after a girl at school commits suicide. It’s haunting and slightly frightening seeing how everything unfolds. It highlights mental health, toxic friendship groups and just lives of teenagers in a technological world.

The epilogue…….wow!

I loved the writing style & felt like all the characters were slightly relatable. We all knew people like that at high school or we were like that.

Great read and I enjoyed all the twists and creepiness!

Pretty little liars meets final destination! A gripping YA thriller that Holly Jackson fans will love! The Thrashers are a group of high school teens haunted by the suicide of a fellow pupil. The group find themselves in the middle of the investigation into her death. Are the gang to blame or is it all a misunderstanding?

I'm not usually a thriller reader but I'm a fan of Julie Soto's writing, so decided to give it a go. And I loved it! The book was an easy quick read but kept me hanging on because I HAD to find out what happened.

The story is told through Jodi's perspective, and she is such a relatable character. She's struggling with imposter syndrome, does she really fit with this group of rich kids? She's impossibly in love with her best friend, Zack, but who isn't? He's the school hottie with a soft heart. Julian is the jock who likes to mock! You start by hating him but i guarantee you'll end up warming up to him. Page and Lucy are your typical rich high school girls - everyone wants to be them. Jodi doesn't really understand how she's friends with these people. Her only real connection is Zack. Are they really her friends or do they just tolerate her to get close to Zack? On top of the usual teenage angst, the 5 of them are thrown into the middle of an investigation surrounding the suicide of a fellow pupil, Emily. Emily was obsessed with Zack and wanted in on their friend group. But the gang weren't too keen on letting her in.

The story was so gripping I couldn't wait to find out what had happened to Emily and what the Thrasher's involvement in it all really was. Jodi has to learn to step away from her safety net of Zack and try and find herself. In doing so she helps to uncover some truths around Emily's case.

Let's talk about that end... without spoilers, let's just say it will keep you thinking about it for a while after you've finished!!

I really enjoy Julie's style of writing. It's easy to follow, perfectly paced, an all round fun read.

Would i recommend this book? Absolutely! I'm not usually a thriller reader and I loved it. It's nostalgic (for us oldies), it's gripping and has an amazing plot. Highly recommend.

Jodi Dillon has been friends with Zack Thrasher since second grade, meaning she was pulled into his friend group in high school almost by accident. Julian, Lucy, Paige, & of course Zack Thrasher, they're rich, sophisticated, & gorgeous - everything Jodi isn't. The group occasionally let an outsider in for a short while for kicks but it isn't long before they are iced out, rejected, 'thrashed'. No wonder she feels out of place, as if she's a tag-along to the hottest friend clique in town, & always wonders if she is about to be the next one 'thrashed'?

When Emily Mills (a girl who wanted to be part of the group) dies, the group are interviewed by the police. Rumours abound that Emily was bullied by the others into committing suicide, rumours confirmed by Emily's journal. As everyone turns on the group, & the others start to distance themselves from Jodi, she sees her friends through new eyes. Did Emily make it all up because she was rejected by the group or do the other 'Thrashers' have secrets even from Jodi?

Wow, I loved this one! You know when you start reading a book & you get that feeling that you just know it's going to be a 5 star read? From the first page this was a cracker. None of group are angels (even Jodi has her secrets) & sometimes aren't even that nice to each other, but they also have their good qualities. It makes for a tense read which grabs your attention & doesn't let go for a minute. If you like twisty YA thrillers with morally grey characters, then check this one out.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK, Children's/Harper Fire, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

The Thrashers is a fun YA thriller following a high school clique. With unlikable characters (in a good way!), Julie Soto crafted a believable dynamic within the friendship group that transported me into the story. I had a great time with this, and I couldn't put it down for the last half. The inclusion of supernatural themes made reading all the more enjoyable.

I also think Julie Soto perfectly captured the feeling of being on the outskirts. The setting felt truly realistic, so I was able to empathise with the main character as she struggled to fit in. By shining a light on these problems, as well as taking accountability for one's own actions, this story is much more than a thriller.

This is Gossip Girl meets Pretty Little Liars with a deadly twist. The Thrashers is chaotic, addictive, and absolutely impossible to put down. I devoured it in 24 hours and would 100% sell my soul to read it again for the first time.

Jodi is a regular girl with a golden ticket: access to the Thrashers, her school’s untouchable friend group. They’re rich, beautiful and ruthless. Jodi’s only in thanks to her childhood best friend, Zack. But when wannabe Thrasher Emily turns up dead and her diary full of secrets gets leaked, the group’s carefully curated image starts to unravel fast. Creepy anonymous messages start popping up, friendships fracture and Jodi’s stuck , stay loyal or save herself? Either way, someone’s going down and everyone has something to hide.

The betrayals sting, the suspense simmers, and the ending? Perfection. Dark, dramatic and totally unhinged, The Thrashers is mean girls, dead girls and secrets you will lose sleep over. Welcome to the inner circle… but don’t get too comfortable. You might be next.

𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 : mystery thriller, dead girl secrets, friend drama, morally grey characters, secrets & betrayal.

𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 : ★★★★.5

Thank you to Julie Soto, HapperCollins UK & NetGalley for my e-ARC copy.

𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚 : 06 may 2025

Thank you HarperCollins UK for this highly anticipated ARC! I may or may not have cried when I got approved. This is one of my most anticipated releases and the fact that it's Veronica Mars/LoVe coded had me locked in immediately (also Julie Soto is one of my favourite auto-buy authors and this book just reinforces this fact).

This felt like watching a season of Veronica Mars and I am HERE FOR IT! Loved every moment - the setting, the plot, the characters, the mystery, the romance and the vibes were everything. It read like a movie and I could so clearly picture everything happening because it was masterfully crafted. I especially loved the little flashbacks woven throughout the book which truly added so much depth and dimension to the plot as well as provide additional insight into the characters. I gave up a night's sleep to finish this because I literally could not put it down; I had to know what happens next and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I could not predict where the plot was going at all.

I typically don't read much YA or mystery/thriller books but this was just too easy to love. The cast of characters was also so well done. I usually have problems remembering so many characters but each one was quite distinct and their interactions with one another were all unique and memorable. They were also all morally grey and there was no clear answer on who was 'good' or 'bad' which was refreshing to read about - each character was wonderfully flawed and multifaceted humans. Though my heart really bled for our FMC and what she went through too *please check content warnings before reading*

The only thing I personally didn't enjoy that much (but I know many other readers will love) is the supernatural aspect in this story - I just felt the story could have done without it or if it were a bit more light-handed about it. But despite this, I do acknowledge that it did add tension and intrigue to the entire plot. The story did wrap up nicely but there was still a thread of uncertainty which left me feeling unsettled lol so job well done Julie!

Would read again, as well as anything else Julie Soto writes - she can do no wrong! I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend everyone to read this - and pick up another Julie Soto book after cause they're all addictive bangers.

Overall rating: 4.75/5

“they drew attention to themselves no matter what.
the thrashers.”

where should i even start my review? this book was such an UNEXPECTED SURPRISE and in a very positive way and hence for this it’s one of my favourite readings of the year!

when i tell u that this book’s worth it trust me because i just went for it by trusting julie soto’s mind and writing and trust me she didn’t disappoint!!

the story’s placed in high school and it’s about hit group of five friends, jodi, julian, paige, lucy and zack, and guess what? everyone wants to be included in their group and be their friend and sometimes it happens but then u are most likely to get well… trashed! this could be kinda normal in high school right ? but when during the night of prom emily mills commits suicide things won’t be the same for the group that claims to be innocent even though there are some things that just don’t feel right…

i need to say that julie soto did an AMAZING job with this storyline and i need more books of this genre written by her like NOW! bc i truly ATE this one! it was so addicting and my the couple i was rooting for ABSOLUTELY YES! CHEF KISS FOR ME! from the descriptions of these complex and morally gray characters to the details and secrets of the story i was completely gone that i ended up binge reading it and rereading some scenes about my favs… if u know u know and if u don’t well this is your sign to go and read this book like what are u even expecting just drop everything now and do it!

A LOT of thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollinsUk Children’s for the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

I had a lot of fun with this. It was spooky and twisty with a tinge of romance (and an epilogue that made me grin).

Twists are always important in thrillers and I didn't see all of these coming which was super appreciated. I loved seeing it all slowly unfurl and it was overall a great time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC

Only Julie Soto could make me pick up a book in a genre that wouldn't even normally blip on my TBR radar. This book contains some heavy themes that could be triggering for some people. There is a list of triggers on Julie's website.

This Spooky YA Thriller hit all the right notes for me and I found myself procrastinating on finishing it because I JUST DIDN'T WANT IT TO END. It was a perfect balance of YA teen drama, crime, thriller and a dash of the supernatural. Things aren't black and white, everyone has secrets and it leaves you feeling unsettled and unsure to the very last word.

And that Epilogue? Holy heck I did not see that coming.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's for the opportunity to read this ARC