My Young Adult Reading Blog October 13, 2025
This book has everything every other Young Adult Thriller has in it. And that’s its problem.
Rich kids. Goody-girls. A strange girl. A hot guy who’s normal. A hot guy who is on the fringe. California. Cardboard parents and teachers.
So Thrashers reads like so many YA books out there. Senor Emily Mills has committed suicide. She wanted to be part of the in-crowd, a Thrasher. Who’s responsible for her death? Some characters are hiding a little; some, a lot.
Julian Hollister, however, kept my interest. I could never tell if he was good or evil. In that respect, he was like a real person. He did plenty that was nasty and plenty that was nice. He was a fully developed character and caught my eye, Jodi Dillion, the protag, didn’t.
Had I know this mystery/thriller would delve into the paranormal, I wouldn’t have bothered reading it. I like a good story about teens who can be frightening, unexplainable, and capable of terrible deeds all by themselves. The silly things Emily’s ghost did, like when she fiddled with the mortal’s electricity made me cringe. So, what’s Julie Soto’s stance on the afterlife? Were certain feats done by Californian eighteen-year-olds? Or by those from the beyond? Despite the ending, Julie Soto doesn’t really say, in an effort to alienate no readers. I guess the paranormal was just a device.
As you move toward the midpoint of the article, this paragraph provides an opportunity to connect earlier ideas with new insights. Use this space to present alternative perspectives or address potential questions readers might have. Strike a balance between depth and readability, ensuring the information remains digestible. This section can also serve as a transition to the closing points, maintaining momentum as you steer the discussion to its final stages.
Bottom Line: The Thrashers 3/4 stars
This book creates suspense, more so in the second half than in the first. I enjoyed some of the scenes, usually due to Julian’s antics. But I saw no statement made. It’s got the typical girls, the goofs, and a ghost. What else does YA need these days?