THE THRASHERS, By Julie Soto, Wednesday Books, May 6, 2025, Hardcover, $20 (young adult, ages 14 and up)
A popular friend group is targeted as the reason for another student’s death in The Thrashers, a young adult novel by Julie Soto.
Either you’re in or you’re out.
Welcome to the Thrashers, the elite friend group at New Helvetia High.
They’re everything everyone wants to be.
Jodi Dillon was never meant to be one of them. Julian, Lucy, Paige, and the infamous Zack Thrasher are rich, sophisticated, and love attention. Jodi feels out of place, but Zack’s her childhood best friend, so she’s in.
Then Emily Mills, who desperately wanted to be a Thrasher, dies―and the whispers about the Thrashers begin. As Emily’s journal surfaces, detectives close in, and Jodi faces an impossible choice: betray her friends or protect herself.
But as eerie messages and strange occurrences escalate, it becomes clear―Emily isn’t done with them yet. —Synopsis provided by Wednesday Books
The Thrashers is a mystery/thriller that catches your attention and holds it through the end.
At the center of the story is Jodi, a “regular” girl who is somehow part of the popular group, the so-called Thrashers. The Thrashers are a group of morally grey characters that you kind of hate but understand the intrigue, especially as you get to know them.
Author Julie Soto does an excellent job creating tension. Her settings are dynamic, and she balances creepy with a touch of hope.
Although it’s not the fastest read, The Thrashers is a book that holds interest — you want to know what happens. There are a lot of more mature themes throughout the book, and there’s lots of drinking and drug use. It’s not appropriate for readers under 14.
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