The Thrashers by Julie Soto is a fun YA thriller for fans of Pretty Little Liars

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2025 finds Julie Soto, an acclaimed romance author who penned USA Today bestsellers like “Forget Me Not” and “Not Another Love Song,” expanding her literary horizons. Fans of Dramione and fantasy genres should keep an eye out for “Rose in Chains,” the opening installment of a trilogy rooted in Soto’s popular fan fiction, “The Auction.” However, this year also marks her debut into young adult fiction.

This year’s debut by Soto, titled “The Thrashers“, is a gripping young adult thriller that unfolds around a close-knit group of friends, who are left reeling after one of their peers, Emily, tragically took her own life the previous academic year. Her diary appears to incriminate them as the catalyst for her demise. As Jodi and her companions navigate through their final years in high school, they start encountering strange occurrences such as street lights flickering and mysterious text messages. Matters take a turn for the worse when the authorities begin probing into their lives and eventually bring charges against them.

Being a keen enthusiast for teenage-focused thrillers, especially Julie Soto’s work dating back to her fan fiction era, I couldn’t wait to read this novel.

The Thrashers combines the best of Pretty Little Liars and Unfriended for a fun read. 

As a fan raised on horror stories and Stephen King’s works, I find myself constantly predicting plot twists before they occur because these genres often follow a familiar pattern. It’s not about guessing the twist, but rather, it’s when I feel assured of my prediction that matters to me. In the case of the novel “The Thrashers“, I had a good idea of the twist around the halfway point (50%). This strategy worked effectively because some crucial details were only revealed later in the story, allowing me to see how it would all unfold.

As a devoted fan of “Pretty Little Liars,” I found myself drawn into the world of The Thrashers, a group not unlike our beloved Liars in terms of their complex dynamics and leadership roles. However, while Soto successfully added a unique twist to Emily’s demise, it felt like this revelation came somewhat late in the game, diminishing its potential impact on the overall narrative arc. But fear not, for this unexpected turn still manages to tug at your heartstrings, making you feel every ounce of the emotional turmoil that the characters endure.

In the narrative, there’s a eerie, almost otherworldly feel that echoes the chilling style of the movie ‘Unfriended’. The characters in this tale share striking similarities with the group from that film, namely the Thrashers – a secretive bunch, plagued by mysterious events that leave everyone on edge, questioning Emily’s intentions towards them. I found the subtle hints of this plot twist particularly gripping and wished for more such scenes to unfold in the latter part of the book.

Speaking of it, “The Thrashers” is an engaging read. However, will it be the top young adult thriller of 2025? Probably not, but its unique blend of supernatural elements, cryptic messages, and fabricated data makes for a captivating mystery that leaves you guessing who’s telling the truth and why, keeping you hooked to unravel the secrets.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this book through an eARC on NetGalley.

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2025-05-10 15:14