Morbid Curiosities

by S. Hati

An ambitious teen enrolls at an elite science institute in Morbid Curiosities, a young adult thriller from author S. Hati.

When the Institute’s invitation arrived at my doorstep, it felt like it had been inked in my blood, sweat, and tears.

Aarya’s life plan has been set for as long as she can remember: finish high school with a bang, attend the best college she can get into, then land a prestigious biology research job. Her ticket to this dream is a one-year program at the Elizabethan Institute, the preeminent organization for life sciences in the United States, currently on the cusp of revealing a major project that could transform the worlds of biology and medicine.

But as Aarya tries to settle in to a school with sky-high academic expectations and research cloaked in mystery, it becomes clear that someone doesn’t want her there. As the scholarship student surrounded by rich, cutthroat peers who seem all too willing to torment her, she never expected to make friends, but the notes warning her to run rattle her to her core. She finds an ally in Sofia, a mysterious girl who claims to be the subject of closed-door experiments at the Institute and begs for Aarya’s help in figuring out what the Institute is really working on.

As rumors of mutated flora and fauna in the nearby city circulate and a murder investigation rocks the Institute, Aarya will have to navigate Sofia’s growing paranoia and her own increasingly unreliable memory to determine which classmates she can trust―and which would rather see her dead.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Audiobook, Dark Academia, Mystery Thriller

368 pages, Hardcover

Published April 21, 2026

About the author

S. Hati is a speculative fiction writer, currently residing in the Bay Area. She holds a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from UCLA and a master’s degree in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University, and pretends to use them both while working in health tech. She writes about brown girls in strange worlds that straddle the line between magic and science.

Reviews

[Hades ( Disney's version ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley & Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an advanced copy of this title 


50 First Dates meets a science experiment gone wrong! 


This was just SO.. OMG!.. I honestly don't even know where to begin.. Here we have a dark academia that's set in the real world. Which for ME is an exciting change. A lot of the dark academia I have personally read usually has magic, or other worldly lands, which I do love. But I found the switch up to reality rather refreshing. We have , not exactly enemies to lovers but more rivals to lovers. I loved the San Francisco backdrop with the ever so soft gothy undertones 


This is another sound example of why I will absolutely never understand adults who think they're too good for YA books.. And if I was at a debate to argue such topics, this is one of the first examples I would whip out.. Now don't get me wrong, YA isn't a favorite genre of mine but again, books such as this are why I could never completely write them off.. I personally think YA is the PERFECT choice for the adult looking for an "easy" & fun time. And that's exactly what I had here! It kept me on my toes from start to finish .


I don't even like reading my science, ok!?.. Ive always been a visual learner. Not to mention ADHD doesn't just run in my family, it practically gallops. So normally once my brain starts hearing certain things ( such as math & science) it just starts going to sleep.. noooot here though! Not even for a second! I devoured every single inch of this book! I felt like Matilda. We could have had a zombie apocalypse going on while I was reading this book and I would have been none the wiser 🫠

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with things I love. It is set in a super selective school, and our protagonist is there with only a few other teenagers to study biology and genetics. Weird things are happening in the vicinity of the school, mutations of animals and plants mainly, so it's all very strange and the scientists are cagey.
I loved the atmosphere, it was so immersive and I had that feeling I was missing something during the entire book(the sign of a good mystery!!). The characters were really well written, and the research talk was so interesting, it kept me focused even when biology is not something I'm crazy about. The mystery is so good, I loved trying to figure out what the hell was happening.
It technically can be called a dark academia book, but in a way I haven't seen before. Morbid Curiosities is a great book, it feels like a thriller in the way you can't stop reading, I finished it in a day and there's no better compliment.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan's Children Publishing Group for the ARC!

[Mira · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5✨
This book was truly entertaining! The main character is nuanced and relatable. The book has an atmosphere of mystery that is very engaging for the reader. Even though chemistry and biology are not my forte, the explanations of science are easy to understand. The plot? GREAT! It sucked me in and I was genuinely excited to see what happens next. All the details were thought out with much precision.
*small spoiler*
However, I do have some problems with the actual conclusion - it happened way to fast. The pacing in the last two chapters differed from the rest of the book. It seemed like the author had a deadline she needed to fill. In my opinion this book needed AT LEAST three more chapters.

Overall, this book was very enjoyable and I would recommend it to every dark academia lover, especially the ones wanting more science in this genre.

[Sanja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do I know anything about science beyond a tenth grade biology level? No. Did this book rock me in the best way? YES

This book was not only an incredible foray into dark academia/page turning thriller-adjacent fiction, but a journey into self discovery, exploration of identity, found family, and an overall critique of academic elitism. The nuances weaved throughout the story are incredible and speak to so many different, important topics. Aarya’s character development is fraught with twists, turns, questions, and an ultimate discovery that leaves the reader with their jaw halfway through the earths core. Additionally, Hati does an incredible job of writing each character in such an individual way that they are very clear in their diverse characterizations. If you’re going to read any dark academia in 2026, do yourself a favor and let it be this one!

[Rebekah Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I really enjoyed this! I don’t even know what to say.
Halfway through I had a theory that was really close but I didn’t quite get it.
I will be reading more from this author.

Truly a YA thriller done right. It felts just suspenseful enough without being terrifying. I like the way the author plays with timelines. At first I was confused by it but it all comes together nicely in the end.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

[Erin Mendoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. I read it all in one day.
This is a Dark Academia book, but without the magic that usually comes along with that genre.
A group of 6 high achieving students make up this years cohort at a super selective science academy. Things seem off to Aarya right from the start. Then, she meets a young girl, Sophia, who claims to be the subject of an experiment. As things continue to get stranger, Arya doesn't know if she can trust her classmates, Sophia, or even her own memories.

The pacing kept me hooked, the characters were interesting, and it has just the right amount of unpredictability.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing for an early copy for review.

[Me, My Shelf, & I · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable Dark Academia that I think had a good mix of both academia (particularly around chemistry and biology) but also mystery and corruption.

I appreciated that fairly early on it did give mention to Henrietta Lacks and Tuskegee, but I think that if this is being aimed at a Young Adult audience it would have been good to explore and explain those topics further. Especially since I felt they were trying to echo it in the theme and reveals, but did little to build upon it.

Though the book is in first person so it feels like the main character is well developed, I could've used a little more from the side characters. But overall I enjoyed myself and was invested in finding out how it ended.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an audio ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the early access copy!

This was an intense and quick YA read. I haven’t read a lot of dark academia, but Morbid Curiosities was a great blend of youthful determination and scientific exploration with the undertones of “holy cow what on earth is going on!”. I thought the character arcs were nicely done and the setting was perfect. Some parts felt a bit rambling and I found myself skimming through them, even outside of the intention of the book, which is why I’m giving this 4 instead of 5 stars. I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys science, dystopic/corrupt styled villains, and main female leads determined to get shit done.

[Kelsey Daughtry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Format: ebook/ARC via NetGalley

The older I get the more I feel like Ariel’s dad sometimes 🫠
At the start of our book, Aarya, has run away despite her parents feeling to an exclusive academy to fight for a spot in a prestigious program. I was like “girl what are you doing?!”

This dark academia book is actually an academic book! These young kids are working on projects, in the lab and discovering the secrets of this mysterious school.

The secrets? You will have to read to find out. 😏

This book was a little slow for me in the beginning and is filled with a lot of science some just going clear over my head 😂 although it did not take away from understand the plot of the story.
But once it hit the 40% mark I read the rest in just a couple hours and stayed up late past my bedtime to finish!

Over all I found this book a fun read! Some twist I figured out but the main one I did not! The kids decisions were very 🤦🏻‍♀️ at times but it all makes sense in the end. The characters were likable and enjoyed getting to know them better throughout the book!

Recommend picking this up and enjoying this morbid read.

[Chelsea]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Morbid Curiosities by S. Hati is a first person-POV YA suspense with a strong scientific element. Aarya has been invited to the Elizabethan Institute for a short session with other promising young scientists. At the Institute, they've created a special chemical called zenedine that could change the world and it captures Aarya’s attention. But so does Sophie, the mysterious girl who only appears when Aarya is alone.

I would not call this a thriller due to the pacing. Perhaps my understanding of thrillers is incorrect, but I've always associated thrillers with breakneck pacing that is always delivering twist after twist after twist. This falls more into my understanding of suspense as a genre with the twists that are expected, but at several points rather than showing up every other chapter. The chapters were also a bit on the longer side and there was room to linger on interiority in ways I associate more with suspense. The cover is a bit more horror-leaning, in my opinion, and I'd say it can be argued it has horror elements, but it's not a horror.

The STEM elements take two different paths: first in asking the age-old question of how far can science go and what is the cost of doing so and tackling discrimination within the field. Aarya, Tassaminee, and Jaden are all people of color within a very white field and we get peaks into how that makes their place in STEM precarious as well as how deep all of that goes. Young readers are also introduced to the Tuskegee experiments are other human rights violations that people justified at the time as being ‘in the name of science,’ which will help young readers understand that science as a practice is neutral, but not everyone uses it for good.

There is a romantic subplot between Aarya and Jaden, another student at the program, who she initially butts heads with. Their relationship does not go beyond a kiss and is on the sweeter side, making this appropriate for young readers who do not want spice in their books. It's a slowburn that takes a while for it to really flourish, but the pair have respect for each other as people and scientists, which is important to show young people who are still figuring out what they want from a romantic relationship.

Content warning for mentions of racism and human experimentation

I would recommend this to young readers who really liked the more grounded parts of Stranger Things and readers who love suspense books that grapple with complex themes

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book’s description absolutely screamed my name—YA thriller, science elements, and a main character with a chronic illness? I was all in. And honestly, I think that level of excitement made the disappointment hit even harder when it didn’t live up to what I was expecting.

Let’s start with the positives. The narration by Isuri Wijesundara was fantastic. Her pacing, tone, and inflection felt perfectly suited for a YA thriller, and it’s truly what kept me engaged enough to see this through. The production quality was also crisp and polished, exactly what I’ve come to expect from Macmillan Audio.

There was also a solid attempt at a twist. It was set up well and did follow through, and the unreliable narrator had a clear purpose with an actual payoff. However, that same element also caused the story to feel like it was spinning its wheels at times, going in circles instead of building momentum or deeper connection.

Where this really struggled for me was in the prose and execution. The constant repetition of “Zenadine” became incredibly distracting. I understand it was central to the plot, but the frequency of its use made the story feel hyper-fixated to the point of redundancy. It started to feel like the narrative was talking in circles rather than expanding the world or deepening the tension. Because of that, the overall payoff just didn’t land the way it should have. This easily could have been a much shorter story and delivered the same impact.

Lastly, there were some genuinely strong and important points about racism, particularly through the perspective of the sole Black character and how it manifests within academia. It could have been a powerful and impactful thread, but instead it felt underdeveloped and, at times, opportunistic—used more as a tool to highlight the instability of the FMC rather than something given the care and depth it deserved. There was no meaningful payoff, and the conversation, both within the story and thematically, was left hanging in a way that felt more frustrating than thought-provoking.

It also didn’t fully deliver on the atmosphere it promised. I went in expecting dark academia vibes and cutthroat competition, but aside from the university setting, those elements never really materialized. The story could have taken place almost anywhere without changing much, which made it feel like a missed opportunity.

Maybe this just wasn’t the right fit for me, but I do think younger readers might finish this feeling a bit lost, like they’re searching for something more to hold onto.

I am thankful to have received a complimentary ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another YA Thriller set at a mysterious and elite school, though the pacing of this is anything but thrilling.

I generally don’t mind slow reads, but I do think it’s misleading to call this a Thriller, and I think it misses on most of the qualities that make for a good slower read.

The atmosphere here is really disappointing in that it’s almost nonexistent. The school has no real sense of place and we hear very little of interest about San Francisco. Because the book is slow but lacking in this kind of detail, the story never feels immersive and it feels long despite the length of the book being fairly average.

There is probably a reason why most books like this focus on either the liberal arts or general curriculum. The techie stuff here isn’t appealing and feels at odds with the tone, and the pretend science is a good idea in theory, but fails in execution as the basis for the central plot of the story. It’s not impossible to take this approach and write a good novel in this subgenre (Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas comes to mind), it just didn’t happen here.

The story has a few intriguing moments and the characters are likable enough (if disappointingly one dimensional), but in all it’s a slog to get through this for little payoff in the end.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Danielle Walker Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a different read for me. It combined a lot of elements that I enjoy, like creepy, dark, thriller, and academia. The science part was hard for me because that wasn’t my best subject in school. BUT I absolutely loved researching things further that I had read about in the book! It didn’t make me feel like I wasn’t smart enough to understand things. I just like knowing everything. My career and education are heavily research-based, so that’s just me.

The beginning was a little slow, but it definitely pays off to stick it through. I enjoyed the twists and turns and the overall continuation of creepiness throughout the story.

Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and S. Haiti for an opportunity to read and review in advance.

[Viktor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this audiobook!

As many hypotheses as I came up with about where this book was going, the twist was one I didn't really anticipate, which is refreshing! The pacing, character development, and complexity of the characters were all features of this book that really drove home the effects of this sci-fi murder mystery. The tried-and-true YA trope of young people fighting back against systems the adults in their lives have created to maintain control over them is apparent, but the mystery about motivations and who does and does not have pieces of the puzzle to put the full picture together at the end kept me on the edge of my seat through the epilogue. I can't wait for this book to reach its audience!

[Tai · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost I want to thank Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Now to the real heart of it. This is dark academia at its peak. Aarya is a flawed character but she’s realistic. Shes prickly and untrusting in an environment where trusting people is privilege she cannot afford.

The world building is slow but worth the wait. As the pieces start forming together to form the complete picture, the rush is satisfying.

This was a book definitely worth reading. Thank you again to Macmillan and NetGalley.

[Bang Bang Books]

30%
First of all, it’s in first person-yuck!
Second, this girl survived a horrible disease yet her parents haven’t contacted her. Are they dead? IDK, I DNFed.
Third, all the secondary characters have the same voice
Fourth, I don’t know what the plot is.
Fifth, it was boring.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 really. This book was very good with lots of twists and turns. At times it was confusing and hard to keep up with, but overall, worth the read!

[Cristy (Quinnbook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I saw this cover I knew I had to read it. This book brought so many things to the table that I enjoy. Dark academia check, rivalry check and atmosphere double check. This book is a young adult thriller, we meet our protagonist Aarya and she has had her life almost all planned.

She’ll finish high school, will be attending a very prestigious college to study biology, unfortunately for her, things are not what they seem. As she tries to get a custom to her new surroundings, she feels like someone doesn’t want her there. She definitely feels the pressure surrounded by rich and the elite. Out of the blue she befriends Sofia, but there’s more than meets the eye and their friendship will endure scrutiny. This story was just so atmospheric and full of suspense. It kept me so engrossed until the very end, definitely recommend for YA lovers.

[Kara Sabbagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morbid Curiosities is a GREAT beginner YA thriller! This book kept me consistently propelled throughout motivated by the simple fact that it was mysterious. The characters were not too deep, but I appreciated the fact that we were thrown right in with them and didn’t spend too much time fretting over backstory because it wasn’t really relevant. Readers are plunged into the school year immediately, and the intrigue really pays off at the end with an exciting last minute reveal. I personally, didn’t see what was coming, so I don’t think this should be too predictable for young readers. It’s simply FUN! With the characters not having TOO deep of personalities the last second ~romance~ seemed a bit random, irrelevant, and unearned, but it’s a minor blip so really not a tick against the book as a whole. Something of note is that there is NOTHING too scary, really not much that an adult could consider inappropriate, and that makes it a safe bet to hand out to younger readers interested in getting started in the genre. Thanks for the advanced copy! Will be recommending to library teens and preteens :)

[Laura (crofteereader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was kind of a hot mess. It felt like it didn’t know where to draw the audience’s focus so it ended up feeling half-baked. The MC has an immediate and inexplicable hatred for the only Black character in the room (and not the white boys who are actually assholes?) - was it just for an “enemies to lovers” tagline?? So much of the first 2/3 of the book is wasted on this forced hatred when we could have been seeding more intrigue for the big reveal at the end. The same Black character has a handful of really poignant lines about racism in scientific research and the history of scientific discovery but they’re always shown in a moment when the MC is directly at odds with him and they’re either argued against (!!) or brushed off.

Our characters are not introduced as FirstName LastName so when the last names randomly dropped throughout the book one had to rely pretty heavily on context clues. Also Aarya (our MC) never gets a last name in the text or in the synopsis or anywhere so that was kind of weird. Aarya in general is not very anchored

We only meet like 3 adults in the whole book and there’s no way Prof Clarke is teaching all their super intensive classes. So what are all the other adults like? What sort of influence do they have?

And then when we finally get answers it was kind of a jumbled mess. Who exactly was leading Aarya around? How did any of those conversations with the younger girl actually happen, given those half-baked explanations? And also how the heck can the one year later epilogue work? What about identity documents and various government requirements for personhood??

{Thank you FierceReads for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}

[rach:)]

5/5 stars 🫶🏻

This was so insane! The beginning is a bit dense, but things start to pick up and then everything starts to rapidly come apart at the seams. This is clearly intentional though, as it perfectly mirrors Aarya's perspective. Aarya has that same slow start to the program but then slowly descends into the insanity that is her experience at the institute, until everything comes crashing down at once.

You get completely engrossed in her character, getting confused and making realizations along side her. Nothing is clear to you until it's clear to her. Even though you might not know what's going on, the atmosphere is so well developed that you can feel the shifts before they explicitly happen on the page.

Really there are so many parts of this story that make it worth reading, but what stuck out to me the most is the bond that develops between Aarya and her classmates. It's honestly one of my new favorite friendship trios I've read. It feels so human and natural, and seeing the progression of it over time as they find loyalty in each other is so heartwarming in a novel that is otherwise anything but.

Also, the commentary on STEM research and how it constantly pushes you to overperform at all times or else you risk disappointment and falling behind was greatly appreciated as someone who's been involved in that world. There are also some other very good insights but I don't want to get more specific and risk spoiling!

I do think that this could be controversial in that people will either love or hate it, but I really loved this & have a feeling I'm going to be thinking about this one for a while.

Thank you so much to netgalley for the arc!!

[Samantha Zimmermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC from netgalley

this cover caught my attention and I wanted to give this book a try. I was able to get a arc copy.
this book was strange in a good way. I loved the science and the spooky elements in this one. This book will be great for teens and young adult who enjoy science and little thrill. I totally would have been reading this at a young age!

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need you to understand that this starts as “gifted kid goes to fancy science school” and within what feels like five minutes becomes “no one here should have access to a microscope or basic human rights.”

Aarya is our girl, our stressed, overachieving queen, running purely on ambition and unresolved parental pressure. She gets into the Elizabethan Institute, which is basically if LinkedIn and a villain origin story had a baby, and she is READY. This is her moment. Her future. Her whole personality.

And immediately… the vibes are rancid. Not bad. Not off. RANCID.

There are weird notes telling her to leave. The other students are giving “we’ve never known struggle and it shows.” There’s a child, Sofia, just casually existing where she absolutely should not be, saying things like “I’m part of an experiment” like that’s normal conversation. And Aarya’s like, “hmm concerning… anyway back to my academic validation.”

Girl. GIRL. And here’s where the book got me, because it lulls you into thinking this is going to be a typical YA academic rivalry situation. You’re ready for test scores, tension, maybe a little enemies-to-lovers moment with Jaden, who starts off annoying and then slowly reveals he has layers like an onion with feelings.

But no. The book said, “What if instead we ruin your sense of reality?” Because things escalate in that slow, creeping way where you’re like… am I confused or is the book confusing me on purpose? Aarya’s memory starts glitching. Her health is acting up. The environment itself feels like it’s watching her. There are mutated animals, which is never a sentence that leads anywhere good.

And the whole time I’m sitting there like I’ve cracked the code, like I’m Sherlock Holmes with a podcast, and then the book just gently pats me on the head and says, “you are wrong, but I love your confidence.” The paranoia? Incredible. Truly top tier “I trust no one, including myself” energy.

Also, can we talk about how Aarya is kind of… difficult? Not in a bad way, but in a very real, very “I am stressed and projecting” way. She pushes people away, especially Tassinee who is literally trying so hard to be her friend, and I was like, “please accept love, it’s free.” But it makes sense. By the time her relationships with Tassinee and Jaden start to soften, it actually feels earned instead of like a personality switch flipped.

And the friendships?? Why did this thriller about unethical science experiments sneak in emotional found family moments. I did not consent to caring this much.

Now the audiobook. Let’s chat. Isuri Wijesundara is VERY clear. Like, every word is pronounced with intention. You will not miss a single syllable. If words had posture, this narration is standing up straight with excellent posture.

But I was listening at 2x like my life depended on it. It’s a little slow. Not bad, just… deliberate. And sometimes that works for the eerie tone, but other times I was like, “we can hustle slightly, the conspiracy is waiting.” Still, the character voices were distinct, and she carried the tension well, especially as things got more unhinged.

And yes, this is YA. You will be reminded. There is a lot of internal dialogue about parents, expectations, proving yourself. If that’s not your thing, you might feel it. But honestly, it fits the story. This is about pressure and identity and how far people will go to be “exceptional,” and teenagers are basically pressure cookers with homework.

The pacing is a slow burn that suddenly chugs an energy drink near the end and sprints. I wanted like… two more chapters just to emotionally process what was happening, but I was still fully locked in. By the end, I felt like I had been gaslit by a lab experiment, and I mean that in the best way.

Four stars. Smart, creepy, a little chaotic, and just self-aware enough to know exactly what it’s doing to you.

Whodunity Award: For Making Me Question Every Science Kid’s Group Project Like It Could End in a Government Investigation

And thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC, I will now be side-eyeing all academic institutions indefinitely.

[Hone · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Review copy courtesy of Macmillan Audio, S. Hati, and NetGalley, as well as the Libro.fm Audiobook Listening Copy Program.)

4⭐

This book is a smart, dark, mindfuck of a story. More creepy than outright horror, I still found myself looking over my shoulder one night while reading. It left me feeling distinctly unsettled and disoriented. I tried, at first, to form theories as I went, but other than I think this all revolves around the MC somehow…, I could never quite get a bead on it. Which is actually my favorite kind of mystery. I love being pulled along for the ride.

I enjoy the heck out of STEM girlies, and this book is super science-heavy. It’s fearless in its intelligence and never dumbs things down for the reader. The only catch is that the science is SO complex and SO above my knowledge base that I have no idea if it’s accurate. Obviously, the speculative elements are speculative, but is the underlying science sound? No clue. It could honestly be complete gibberish and I wouldn’t know—but it feels beautifully constructed.

Aarya was kind of exhausting as an MC. She’s sharp and often outright mean to Tassinee and Jaden. Tassinee is nothing but kind to her, and the intense ennnnnemmmmies-to-lovers with Jaden is just… so. much. (When it finally turns into romance, it’s sweet, but not quite worth the emotional grind.) As she starts to soften, it’s one step forward, two steps back. The fact that she takes forever to bring them in on what’s happening at the academy feels earned and realistic, but it was still frustrating. JUST TRUST THEM ALREADY! That said, the pacing of that tension is very well handled.

Professor Clarke was… just the worst. Not quite a comic book villain, which is good—it would’ve been easy to slip into caricature. Instead, he’s a bastard. An asshole who treats his students like shit and who, well… is committing crimes against both ethics and nature. So there's that.

I had a full double-take moment in chapter 14 when Aarya goes to Professor Clarke’s office and finds him with Maccauley:

[...] I find Maccauley hunched over Professor Clarke’s desk. I’m sure I don’t look great right now, but he looks downright awful. His dark green shirt is untucked and rumpled, his navy tie is loose around his neck, and there are suspicious stains on his charcoal pants. His cheeks are flushed, his hair is mussed, and I swear he’s vibrating on the spot.

I deadass thought the professor had assaulted his student. Which. Fucking hell. But I was relieved when the narrative quickly makes it clear that is NOT what happened. Clarke may be a villain, but he’s not violating his students… in this way at least.

Things really pick up in the last 25%, and the big reveal is harrowing and well done. The ending? Is an ending. A little too neat, a little too tidy—like the kind you get when the stakes aren’t cranked up to a 13. And these were absolutely level 13 stakes. Still, I liked the path Aarya ultimately chooses for her life.

Despite being a fascinating, well-written story with a brilliant narrator, I did stop frequently. I’m not sure if that’s because everything was so heavy or because the other books I was reading at the same time kept pulling me out.

Audio-Specific 🎧: 10 hr 24 min. 1.0x was way too slow for my ADHD brain, but you can easily run it at 1.5x with no distortion. 1.3x felt like the sweet spot. Isuri Wijesundara handles a large cast really well, with clear character differentiation and strong emotional delivery. Her diction is razor sharp—sometimes noticeably precise on certain words, but it works for the tone and who Aarya is.

📌 TL;DR: Smart and unsettling, with an MC that will grow on you (eventually). Recommended for all you dark academia and speculative science enjoyers!

[Red Bianchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

morbid curiosities is dark academia meets murder mystery meets science fiction. i honestly loved this book. it took a while to get into it, but once i got to 50% i flew through the rest. to call this dark academia is not exactly a stretch, but don't go into this expecting the depth of the secret history or the magic of babel. it's set in the real world, the cohort of students is incredibly small, and the focus is science rather than the arts or classic literature.

and the MYSTERY, oh my goodness. i could not have predicted where the narrative was going. you may think the narrative focus is leading you one direction, but oh brother are you going to be wrong. i felt like the author did a fantastic job at keeping you interested without revealing too much. it's difficult to write about morbid curiosities without giving any spoilers, but i'll try: a group of students are accepted into an incredibly exclusive school called The Institute, where they are meant to use their brilliant scientific minds to work with a new biological building block called zenedine. the scientists at the institute created the substance and realize that with its shape-shifting potential, they can do almost anything - it's like magic. but the longer aarya is at the institute, and the more she wanders around san fransisco, she begins to notice that something is... off. and someone does not want her there, pushing deeper into the mystery to find the truth.

i absolutely loved this book. the characters had depth and dynamo, and their complex relationships with one another were, for the most part, quite satisfying and true to form. (there's a bit of an academic rivals to lovers sub-plot, too, which had me kicking my feet a bit. all clean though btw!) i also found myself quite enjoying the science-based story line. as someone who (obviously) enjoys the arts of literature and music more than anything else, it was pretty easy for me to follow along with the scientific discoveries and analytical ramblings of the characters. sofia's presence, or lack thereof, was an incredibly powerful plot point as well, advancing the story at all points.

one downside to this book was the pacing. aarya didn't trust her classmates in one chapter, then has fond memories with them in the next. i understand there was a time jump there, but it was rather jarring to the reader. the pacing at the end of the book was also poor. i loved the found family vibes of the last chapter, but the conclusions of the mystery with clarke and the institute and how the public reacted to what aarya, tassinee and jaden revealed were lacking, for lack of a better term. one of my favorite things about the ending, though, was visiting the beach and the snow on the same day... got a little emo for a min!!! anyways, 4 stars, easy.

[Nicole Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

S. Hati’s “Morbid Curiosities” is a dark academia thriller unlike most in the genre; there are no spells, no secret societies of magic, but a chillingly realistic focus on science, ambition, and obsession. Set in a highly selective research academy in San Francisco, the story follows Aarya, one of six brilliant students chosen to study biology and genetics. From the start, strange things surround the institute: mutated animals, inexplicable plant life, and faculty members who seem to be hiding far more than they’re revealing. When Aarya meets Sophia, a mysterious girl who claims to be the subject of a dangerous experiment, the line between reality and paranoia begins to blur.

The atmosphere is electric—claustrophobic, immersive, and dripping with unease. Hati excels at pulling readers into Aarya’s perspective: the slow, methodical beginning mirrors her entry into the program, and as the plot accelerates, the pacing fractures into a whirlwind descent into chaos. You don’t just read Aarya’s confusion; you feel it. The story is peppered with clever scientific discussions, written in a way that’s accessible even for those who usually shy away from STEM-heavy books. Rather than dragging the story down, the biology and genetics elements heighten the tension, grounding the unsettling events in unnervingly plausible science.

The book thrives on relationships, too. The dynamics between Aarya and her classmates evolve beautifully, forming bonds of loyalty and friendship that feel authentic and heartwarming in a narrative otherwise filled with darkness. There are even hints of rivalry-to-romance threads, adding emotional texture against the eerie backdrop.

If there’s one flaw, it’s the rushed conclusion. After such a carefully layered buildup, the final chapters unfold a bit too quickly, which left me wanting more space for the unraveling. Still, the abruptness mirrors the crash of Aarya’s world collapsing, and the lingering questions may be part of the point.

Overall, “Morbid Curiosities” is dark academia reimagined for the real world: unsettling, intelligent, and compulsively readable. With its gothic undertones, gripping mystery, and incisive commentary on the pressures of high-performance STEM research, it’s the kind of YA book that proves the genre’s ability to captivate readers of any age. Whether you’re here for the suspense, the science, or the friendships, this book will keep you hooked—and leave you haunted long after you close it.

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed in this one.

Let's start with some positives. I guess the main idea is that we should be questioning science. Science unfettered to scrutiny of the general populace is grounds for corruption and misuse.

I think that's about it.

Everything with zenedine is a red herring. It is a Macguffin that plays no real role in the story, but we spend forever talking about it. To the point where we should be questioning it. This has the ability to mess with DNA, but can also be used in soil? It's interchangeable between humans, animals, the brain, and continues to work when species are dead?

Everything with the science in this is just plain boring. The author has these advanced degrees from some university, but if she loves her research, it does not come out here. All of it is jargon and boring as the day is long. The kids do nothing but spend their time in the library and then the lab doing "research" that is never anything because there is too much teenage drama.

No prestigious science lab would ever put high school students in their front lines to actually do real research. There simply is no call for it. There is no need to have any of the students there except for Aarady. In fact, if they don't have the other students there, the bad guys win. No reason for it at all.

I was so bored. We had so much going on, and none of it was related. The boy disappears, there is this mysterious Sophia, our protagonist forgets stuff, there is this mysterious external stuff going on, the kids are drugged, time is jumping back and forth.

I knew we were doing a Shutter Island. I knew that's where we were headed, I was not disappointed, but none of it made any sense. Random kid one was killed because he quote, "never had what it took." Aarady never got a welcome packet, never signed the NDA. Everything with the environment is just written off as evolution and climate change (two of the most fraudulent "sciences" to ever exist). Our enemies become lovers, and everything is wrapped up during a sixteen week semester.

None of this made any sense, and I was so bored by the whole thing. At page 300, I still just wanted to put it down because it was so stupid.

By the end we had shoe-horned in racism and sexism, just for good measure.

This was tedious in the extreme. I think 2-stars is too generous.

[Jesse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Netgalley review, possible plot points mentioned below.

I came into this book excited for a medical academia book and I think it fell short in expectations for me personally. Which isn't to say others wouldn't enjoy it, I think people will, I just didn't as much as I thought I would.

I don't think there was as much academia as I thought there was going to be. The description of the book talks about a prestigious college program and cutthroat peers but it didn't feel like that really happened, yes it took place in a college program but we didn't see too much about it other than a group project that they partly worked on and when they were in the labs testing things at the end. Also the cut throat part felt more from Aarya than the other students as she didn't allow anyone to be friends with her until at least half way through. She felt the most rude out of all the students. Jaden was annoying to start but he came around pretty quickly and Tassinee had been trying so hard to talk to her whether that was her own accord or her mother's.

I didn't get interested in the plot until around the time where Aarya, Tassinee, and Jaden find Maccauley's body in the woods, except how he died which lost me a little because it's pretty anticlimactic. I will say however the twist was very interesting and saved my opinion of this book. I love when a book can follow through with a twist that is truly unexpected. I loved finding out that all along she was a bit of an unreliable narrator, as she had been the true experimentation of the project all along. It's interesting to see that this isn't the first time she lost her memories, that Aarya had multiple tries at being a normal student and how she did different things each time (like if she remembered to take her medication or not).

Overall, I wasn't a fan because I thought with the book being about a prestigious school we would go more into that and it didn't quite hit the mark for me but it had a few spots here and there that kept me reading.

I thank the authors and netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

[Esperanza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really thought I had the mystery all figured out in this book but was pleasantly surprised! We follow our main character Aarya who has gotten into a prestigious science institute for her last year of high school. When she gets there, she meets the five other people in her cohort, all who are rich and have been in similar elite science circles. Immediately, Aarya begins noticing odd things around the school, from mutated animals to odd notes telling her to beware. The story is told in first-person and we get to see Aarya’s deteriorating mental and physical health as she struggles through the odd things happening around and to her, difficult coursework, and feeling like she is out of place.

The author did a great job of setting the scene and tone of the story: very eerie and suspenseful. Fitting in with dark academia, this story really focuses on the study and research being done at the institution. This is heavily science-based, which I had some trouble with mainly because of my unfamiliarity, but this may not be a big issue for other people. I was still able to understand the basic scientific ideas.

Most importantly, I loved the characters (and how diverse they were). This is young adult, so we do get characters who make choices that may not have been fully thought through as adults might. Aarya is an interesting main character that can be a little infuriating at times but, being in head, I found it to be more understandable. I also really liked Tassinee and how kind but firm she is. Even is Aarya continues to push her away Tass continues to try. I liked the bickering with Jaden too and the eventual warming to one another.

If you want a spooky, science-based dark academia mystery, I highly recommend! It was a good time!
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Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[notreallyacat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it science? Or is it magic?

That's the core question our main character explores throughout this book (though not in so many words), and somehow, S. Hati managed to make that work without getting tacky or tedious. Do you know how hard that is?

I love a good "main character questioning reality" (or "main character SHOULD BE questioning reality") book, but recently, so many of the books I've been reading in that mini genre I just made up really haven't been pulling it off. So major props to Hati for making this work! This is a light dark academia book (not an official term, but that's the vibe—trust me on this) that's hard to comment on without spoilers because the mystery is part of the fun, but believe me when I say it has everything I was looking for: Fake science. Deformed animals. Unexplained disappearances. Possible ghosts. Ya know, all the good stuff.

I'll also say...I guessed the end ABSURDLY early in the book, and I still enjoyed the ride. So make of that what you will. Personally, I think that's a heck of an endorsement.

I will say that this book keeps things surface level—at times it seems to start to allude to deeper themes or more interesting philosophical discussions, but it never ends up diving deep into those topics. I would anticipate that for some readers, this will feel frustrating, and I get that. Part of me wonders if the author (or publisher) kept things so light out of a mistaken assumption that YA can't handle more complicated themes or discussions, and I hope that's not the case. But I'm probably reading too much into it! It's also fine to write a fun book just for the sake of it. 😊

Audiobook comments: I read this in audiobook format, and I thought the narrator was perfect! I think this is my first audiobook narrated by Isuri Wijesundara, but I hope it's not my last.

(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy! All opinions are, of course, my own.)