Julie Soto can do it all!! After absolutely devouring both Forget Me Not and Not Another Love Song, I was both elated and intrigued to see that she was pivoting to a thriller. I had no doubts that I'd love the writing, but with it being such a change of pace I wasn't sure what I'd think of the rest of it - but I realize now I shouldn't have worried, she killed it! (no pun intended)

Jodi Dillon knows in her heart she doesn't really fit in with her friends - they're gorgeous, refined, and loaded - still, ever since second grade she's held a spot at Zack Thrasher's side, and she's determined to stay there. Yet Jodi's plans for senior year start to crumble when the body of Emily Mills is discovered on prom night, sparking whispers blaming the Thrashers for her death. Sure, Jodi remembers being friendly to Emily, but they weren't *friends* like people seem to think, and there's absolutely no way Zack, or any of them, were responsible for Emily's death. None. But when Emily's journal is found, and strange texts start to appear, Jodi realizes her friends might have been keeping secrets after all, and that Emily isn't ready to say goodbye.

Going into this I was convinced it was going to be another Clique / Gossip Girl situation, with the Thrashers as the clear villains and therefore deserving of the criticism and accusations. And while that can certainly be an entertaining concept, especially for a thriller like this, I was delighted to see that wasn't the case! I think what I loved the most was that Emily, Jodi, and the rest of the Thrashers all add something to the story, bringing their own messes and flaws, which I gave the book a delicious level of complexity. Perfectly paced, eerie, and heartwarming in its own way, I highly recommend The Thrashers for fans of Julie Soto's other works, but also for those who just love a little mystery and excitement in their reads!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.