If you are looking for a book that makes your mind's gears turn, makes you confused, and makes you say "what the fuck" more times than you can count, this is the book for you🤣. I loved how different this was, and I mean DIFFERENT, and I was definitely not expecting the way this book turned out!

"I can't tell if that's creepy or romantic."
"It can be both."

I finished it over a week ago, but needed some time to mull over how a book managed to vascillate between creepy and spicy. I definitely needed time to process this before even attempting to review it. This book had my emotions and thoughts all over the place (for a multitude of reasons) in a way I thoroughly enjoyed.

Looking for a 'WTF did I just read' book? Look no further! It's here in this spicy, creepy, contemporary horror romance.

Grave Matter takes you on bewitching adventure with aspiring mycologist, Syndey, as she starts a prestigious summer internship at the clandestine Madrona Foundation, tucked away on a secluded, isolated peninsula in the Pacific Northwest - and it's 100% unplugged for the college-aged interns (no phones, no internet, no TV, etc). Madrona harvests rare fungi from leased indigenous land to potentially cure Alzheimer's disease and other terrible and/or terminal diseases.

Syndey just lost her scholarship to Stanford (and her housing) and is afraid if the foundation finds out they'll kick her out. Upon arrival, she meets a brilliant and sophisticated woman, Everly, who will become like a mentor to her. Due to the isolated, unplugged nature of this internship, Madrona requires regular meetings with their staff psychologist, Dr. Wes Kincaid, who is also to be one of Syd's professors. Syd, who has ADHD, starts to question her own sanity when she starts having highly erotic dreams featuring Wes, whom she finds herself intensely attracted to and repeatedly running into Amina, an intern Wes told her went home immediately upon her arrival.

Wanting to fit in and have friendships with her fellow interns, Syd tries to put herself out there. One sarcastic intern, Clayton, makes that difficult with his creepy, antagonistic ways. He insists that something isn't right, that nothing is as it seems, muddling Syd's already muddled mind.

Figuring out what is real and what isn't is enhanced by the near-constant fog, the maybe-sentient forest with Syd seeing and hearing things that may or may not be real - I loved not knowing what was going on anymore than the Syd.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️

📖 I found the plot wholly intriguing and loved learning some mycology. The juxtaposition of horror and romance really works for me.

Clues/hints were well placed and timed, and worded in ways that had me fully immersed. Well executed twists and turns and oh so plot twisty!

It's split roughly equally between thriller/horror/suspense and romance.

*if you know nothing about mushrooms and worried that you won't understand, I wouldn't let that hold you back from reading. What you need to know and understand about 🍄 is clealy, succinctly explained (without crossing into hand holding). I went into this knowing essentially nothing about 🍄 and don't feel like it was to my detriment.

✍️🏼 Beautifully written with rich descriptions enticing all of your senses and meticulous word choices that had me hanging on for dear life.

Dialogue read as natural and fit the characters. I appreciate the little bits of appropriate humorous dialogue, taking the edge off my nerves at times. I find timing and placing humor (and being humorous, for that matter) are works of art in and of themselves. Halle is a masterful writer with a gold certificate in using humorous dialogue [awarded by me, not a real award afaik 😆].

⏳️It starts out intriguing and moving along fairly quickly, but then felt like the pace slowed a just a tiny bit for maybe 10% of the book. Lots of pertinent info and character development going on to keep me glued to the pages. While the info contained in that small section was important and necessary, I was impatient to get it rolling again. This is why it wasn't quite a 5 for me.

👥 I found the characters to be well developed with dimension and nuance. I freaking love with authors give us a character we love one page and love to hate the next, never knowing how we're supposed to feel about them. Halle did that beautifully in this book.

I love that we get a diverse cast. 🙌🏼

💞 I love that Halle had me waivering on their relationship up until the last minute.

🌶 The spice is well timed, placed, written, realistic, with some light ➰️. The focus isn't on the spice, nor is the romance the sole focus of the book.

⚠️ Please check the author's page for CW/TW.

📚 If you like: Ninth House (Leigh Bardugo), Gothikana (RuNyx), Echo (Chani Lynn Feener), The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern),
or Sins & Needles (Katina Hale) then I think you would enjoy Grave Matters.

Thank you to @authorhalle and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

A thrilling and atmospheric tale that expertly blends mystery and the supernatural. With compelling characters and a gripping plot, 'Grave Matter' is a page-turner that will keep readers hooked until the very end.

This book was a total MINDFUCK!! I loved it. I’ve never read a book before that merged so many genres at once. The suspense, the spice, the body horror, the romance, the overall eeriness of this book, etc! It was all brought together so well. I was on the edge of my seat for at least the last 60% of the book. The twists shocked me and I audibly gasped more times than I could count while reading this. So unique and well tied together. I had a terrifying, wild time!! 4.25 stars.

Beautifully written. Very psychological and I really loved the setting, it added to the eerie-ness. I definitely didn't see the ending coming but overall, one of my favorite books I've read this year so far! Will be checking out Karina's upcoming books ♡ Really love her writing style.

I really enjoyed this book. Lots of twists and turns with a dash of spice. I had no idea that was how the book would end but I loved how it took me by surprise. Such a captivating and suspenseful read

This book is perfect for fans of the gothic inspired mystery, with a haunting, romantic storyline.
This is set in an eerie, small town where Wren returns after her own personal tragedy.
Once there, she meets a man with secrets of his own.
The author does an excellent job at building the relationship and tension throughout the book, with a mystery that will keep you interested and engaged from beginning to end.
Would recommend.

Grave Matter by Karina Halle is a haunting, atmospheric romance that perfectly blends gothic mystery with sizzling chemistry. Set in a small town with an eerie past, the story follows Wren, who returns home after tragedy strikes, only to find herself drawn to a brooding, enigmatic man with secrets of his own. As their connection deepens, so does the sense of danger, making for a suspenseful and emotional read.

Halle’s signature writing shines—moody, immersive, and full of tension. The romance is intense, the mystery keeps you hooked, and the setting adds a beautifully eerie touch. If you love dark, slow-burn romances with a hint of the supernatural

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Grave Matter by Karina Halle is a dark and gripping paranormal romance that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows a young woman, Eden, who becomes entangled in a world of mystery and danger after a chance encounter with a brooding, otherworldly man. Halle masterfully blends suspense, romance, and the supernatural, creating a chilling atmosphere that complements the book's intense emotional undercurrents. With its well-crafted characters and atmospheric setting, Grave Matter offers a compelling read for fans of paranormal thrillers with a touch of romance.

I absolutely enjoyed every minute of this book. This was a perfect spooky season read with the paranormal suspense and spice! I will say that I couldn't put it down. It was amazing from the beginning. I can't wait to read more from this author. I highly recommend this one. It was amazing.

Thank you Net Galley, Metal Blonde Books, and Karina Halle

Grave Matter by Karina Halle is a great contribution to the thriller category. This is a book that will keep you guessing for sure! I could see it being made into a movie!

This is a very intriguing story full of mysteries, unusual unexplained events, and above all, a story about the search for truth and justice. Throughout the book, the reader is kept on edge, eager to discover what is true and what is not. The characters in the book are interesting and well-developed, and they create a story that is enjoyable to read.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
🔥🔥

I basically read this in 2. The first half would have been 3 star, it was just a little slow. I paused for some Christmas books and when I went back to it, the second half was fantastic!
I bloody loved Kincaid.
It could have been a duet for sure.
I’ll certainly read more by this author and enjoyed the writing style, even if I thought what the fuck, until I got to 80%!

-Horror
-Psychological
-Teacher / Student
-Set on an island
-Fungi

This is the 2nd book I have read this year that has dealt with mycology and I loved it. Lots of twists that I didn't see coming. I had a lot of WTF moments and who's should I trust 😱. Very well written and I can tell a lot went in to writing this book. The attention paid to the world building is very appreciated. It was so realistic.

DNF - It's not the book, it's me. I thought that the horror elements and body horror would distract me from the "dark romance" of it all, but I was wrong.

This will be enjoyed by dark romance readers who also enjoy body horror.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest.

Grave Matter by Karina Halle is an eerie, atmospheric thriller that fuses academic ambition, psychological terror, and forbidden romance into a story that’s as unsettling as it is addictive. Set against the mist-drenched forests of Vancouver Island, the novel immerses readers in a creeping sense of dread, where reality unravels like a fungal bloom, beautiful on the surface but rotting underneath.

Sydney Denik is a refreshingly complex protagonist. She’s not some naive ingenue walking blindly into danger—she’s sharp, driven, and well aware of her baggage. Her backstory is laden with regret and the fallout of past failures, making her decision to pursue a second chance with the prestigious Madrona Foundation feel both brave and desperate. Halle captures the duality of Sydney’s mindset perfectly: she’s eager to succeed, yet haunted by self-doubt.

The Madrona Foundation itself is practically a character in its own right. The isolated lodge, surrounded by forests that seem alive with secrets, is steeped in an atmosphere that feels both grand and claustrophobic. Halle’s descriptions of the fog-bound inlet, the ominous snow, and the strange, decaying beauty of fungi create an intoxicating, almost hallucinogenic sense of place. The academic setting, combined with creeping supernatural horror, evokes echoes of The Haunting of Hill House and Annihilation.

The romance between Sydney and the enigmatic resident psychologist is as forbidden as it is magnetic. Halle leans hard into the taboo nature of their connection, building a slow-burn tension that simmers beneath the surface. The explicit nature of their relationship, particularly the inclusion of degradation kink and uneven power dynamics, won’t be for everyone—but for readers comfortable with darker, morally complex relationships, it adds an extra layer of intensity. It’s not just physical—it’s about two people clinging to each other in a place that feels like it’s swallowing them whole.

The horror elements are some of Halle’s strongest work. The line between reality and madness is constantly shifting, leaving both Sydney and the reader questioning what’s real. The body horror involving fungal growths, dead animals reanimating, and the living forest is visceral and disturbing without being gratuitous. Halle taps into a primal fear of decay and transformation, using the natural world to craft something both grotesque and beautiful.

However, the pacing occasionally falters. The middle section, where Sydney tries to untangle the mysteries surrounding the foundation, drags slightly compared to the fast-paced unraveling in the final act. The supporting characters—fellow students, faculty members—are intriguing but sometimes feel underdeveloped, especially given how pivotal some of them are to the larger plot.

At 4 stars, Grave Matter is a haunting, thought-provoking read that lingers like spores in the air, leaving you both unsettled and enthralled. Halle masterfully blends psychological horror with romantic tension, making this more than just a spooky tale—it’s a story about ambition, sanity, and how far we’ll go to find connection in the face of isolation. With its lush, terrifying setting and morally gray characters, this is a book for readers who love their horror dark, their romance dangerous, and their mysteries tangled in shadow. Just be sure to check the content warnings—and maybe think twice before wandering into the woods alone.

I loved everything else about the book. The mystery and horror elements were well done. The subtle hints and clues sprinkled throughout the book were really good and the plot was interesting and fun!However, I do think, FOR ME, this would have been a lot better had the romance element been minimal ( or if it had been executed better??
I loved the ADHD rep here and the diverse characters were A HUGE PLUS as well. I actually really liked the side characters too.

Grave Matter was a perfect Karina Halle spooky thriller/horror. It's got spice and was actually a really great thriller. It had some amazing twists. Top book of 2024 from Net Galley, too! Highly recommended!!

My mind has been boggled. A supernatural dark romance set in an academic setting.
Sydney, chosen for further study at renowned Madrona Lodge feels like she’s in academic heaven. For like a minute. Until she starts noticing strange goings-on around her. Is she hallucinating or is there something mysterious happening?
The plot had me guessing right up to the reveal. The supernatural aspects were super intriguing and had me questioning Sydney’s sanity at times.
There of course is a romance bubbling away in the background. Forbidden due to the student/teacher, psychologist/patient relationship. Though for me, I was more invested in the storyline and where that was going.
I enjoyed reading something a little different to my usual books. Karina Halle created an atmospheric spooky setting that felt like its own character.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and this is my honest review.