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Mushrooms, ghosts, and mad scientists - oh my! I am the furthest thing from a horror girlie, but “Grave Matter” by Karina Halle immediately pulled me in and wouldn’t let me go until I finished it. Maybe it was because I was incredibly creeped out and needed to know how it ended. Maybe it was because the spice level was off the charts. Maybe it was because Halle’s storytelling was so smooth and addicting. Either way, this was the perfect read for October for my mycology loving heart!
Readers follow along with Sydney, a self-proclaimed mad scientist who is searching for a fungal Alzheimer's cure. There’s an immediate sense of unease while Sydney navigates her new research space located on a secluded island. Questions arise as new discoveries and strange situations appear. The pacing simply enhanced the uncomfortable tension. I needed to know why Sydney was so “special,” what was going on with visions of missing girls, and if there was anyone at the lodge she could actually trust.
Thank you so much, Karina Halle, NetGalley, and Metal Blonde Books for sharing an advanced copy of this creepy and unsettling (in the best way) read in exchange for an honest review.

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This is my first Karina, and it won't be the last. What I loved most about this book is how well she mixed smut, mystery and horror.
I'm a sucker for horror and I was in the mood for something spooky, but like, please scare me spooky. Having this book in my hands was the answer to my prayers!
The characters are so well-written, each one with their own secrets and story, a mixture of cultures and personalities. You can never know who to trust, not even when everything is coming to an end.
The fact that at some point during the buddy reading with my club, I send a voice message with a theory and it was 70% correct, send me reeling.
All in all, the plot twists and the horror kept me at the edge, waiting to read what would happen next and I found myself saying "sleep is for the weak", way too often 😅
Also, a huge thank you to Mrs Hale for creating Wes Kincaid 🫠

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Oh. My. GOODNESS.
This was the PERFECT spooky season read and that twist? Mwah. Chefs kiss.

This book has the greatest balance of mystery, thriller, spice and romance and I honestly have not found a Karina Halle book I didn't like and this was no exception.

I do think it felt a bit slow paced in the beginning but once the action began I could not put this down...overall this is a perfect 5 stars for me! 😍

Thank you to Netgalley and Karina Halle for this ARC in return for my honest review *full in depth review to come!*

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The haunting setting, where ghosts lurk in the woods and mutilated animals creep into view like something out of The Last of Us, had me hooked right from the premise.
The story follows Sydney Denik, a budding mycologist who’s just lost her scholarship at Stanford after a situation spiraled beyond her control. With no financial support or stability left, she finds herself heading to the Madrona Foundation on Vancouver Island. The foundation’s mission is to cure Alzheimer’s and other terminal illnesses using unique fungi cultivated on leased indigenous land.
With her options running out, Sydney throws herself into her research at Madrona, where she becomes captivated by Everly, a brilliant researcher who mentors her, and is inexplicably drawn to Wes Kincaid, a brooding psychologist and professor who starts invading her dreams in very erotic ways. Meanwhile, tensions rise between her and Clayton, another student who never misses a chance to be snarky. As Sydney starts experiencing disturbing visions, including eerie appearances from Amina—a student who was recently dismissed—she begins to suspect something is terribly off. Is it the place itself or her own mind unraveling? Her undeniable attraction to Wes only complicates things further, especially as her instincts warn her not to fully trust him.
I have to admit, the first half had me questioning whether to continue. The pacing felt sluggish, with too many loose threads and not enough clarity. I found myself rolling my eyes at the smug banter between Wes and Sydney, and when Everly kept insisting Sydney was "special" without providing any real proof, it only added to my frustration. For a while, I wasn’t sure if the payoff would be worth the slow build.
But I’m so glad I stuck with it! The final third of the book was like a firework display—intense and full of surprises. Just when I thought I had things figured out, Halle threw in twists that completely blindsided me. Sure, some of the reveals stretched the boundaries of believability, but they tied up all the odd behavior and unanswered questions from earlier on. My initial 2 or 2.5-star rating for the beginning soared to 4 stars by the end. I even toyed with giving it 5 stars, but the slow start did dampen my excitement a bit. That said, I might just be too impatient—I was desperate for the story to pick up faster, and the wait definitely tested me.
In the end, this is an incredible mix of sci-fi fantasy, romance, and gothic horror. If you’re looking for something spooky to get lost in this Halloween, this is the perfect read. Be patient with the pacing—the payoff is absolutely worth it!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Metal Blonde Books for providing me with a digital review copy of this mind-bending fantasy romance in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Grave matter - Karina Halle
I read an arc and I needed to share my thoughts because it was so so good!
This was such a good psychological horror with dark romance.
It’s eerie & creepy and you’ll be trying to link the pieces and dark secrets together. I will say check the trigger warnings because some parts are pretty messed up but it fit well into this story. Also dark romance which means dark spice so yes check triggers. It was insanely spicy, adhd rep which I loved & could also relate to the FMC with that.
Our book follows our girl Sydney, syd is riddled with adhd and her dream is to be a mycologist. When an opportunity To work with a research foundation arises she knows she can’t pass it up. Sydney arrives at the madrona foundation and can feel the creepy vibes, a lot is weird & she sees a lot of ghosts & weird things. I can’t say to much because I’ll give it away. Anyone she also starts falling for her professor but but but when I tell you the secrets, twists and turns will have your jaw dropping on the ground I mean it! This book is wild in the best way, it is a roller coaster that will have you edging your chair and I can’t recommend it enough!
This book is available on KU right now, if you read it I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

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Thank you Net Galley and Metal Blonde Books for this amazing ARC!

This was just an immaculate experience. I was immediately hooked and my heart was in my throat the whole way through. The vibes were just perfect for this spooky season.

The writing, tension, build up, characters, climax and plot twists - everything was crafted so ingeniously. The mystery kept unraveling and I literally gasped a couple of times. I never read another book like this and my jaw is still on the ground. I need at least 5 business days to process everything. I typically don't react strongly to any of my previous reads but this book ticked all the boxes (including ones I didn't know existed).

I particularly loved how atmospheric and rich the writing was. The descriptions and imagery was so vividly palpable - I could see and feel this world based on what was on page. The book made me feel like I was crazy too but in a good way???

I would recommend to go into this blind as I did, however please check the trigger warnings. It is a wild ride and so, so worth it.

I can't say enough great things about it without spoiling the book but trust me when I say my mind was blown. I'm already thinking of a re-read just so I can spot and appreciate the easter eggs thrown throughout the story.

Would read again, as well as anything else Karina Halle writes!

Overall rating: 5/5

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I was hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down. Loved all the twists and the main characters were really thought out. Loved it!

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If you're looking for a spooky, fall book with Pacific Northwest foggy forest vibes, look no further! Grave Matter delivers on the perfect atmospheric setting along with sinister undertones.

Sydney arrives at the Madrona Foundation on Vancouver Island to further her studies in mycology. Her hopes of using a rare fungi only found on this island to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease are high and this is a personal mission for her due to losing her grandmother to this horrible illness. Things are not what they seem and it's evident before she even gets off the plane with the disappearance of a fellow passenger. She made a friend on the flight over and all of sudden Sydney cannot find her and she's told that her friend already got off the plane which was impossible. And so begins Karina Halle's efforts in creating a sinister, suspicious and not quite welcoming atmosphere and she does it so well! We're next introduced to a creepy house where Sydney will be staying and we find out she's not allowed her phone or contact with the outside world and oh, the power goes out occasionally since sometimes the labs need all available energy and you just know this is setting up something crazy to come!

The twist is insane and a little too farfetched and I only wish that had been more fleshed out and explained. You can tell Halle did a lot of research on fungi and mycology and I found that fascinating to read! She keeps you guessing all the way til the end and I enjoyed the ride!

Thank you to NetGalley and Metal Blonde Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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A perfect spooky season read; this incredibly suspenseful, psychological, gothic romance will have you reading from late evening, until way too early in the morning.
I personally stayed up the majority of the night to read this, I needed answers… and like a great gothic romance the last 25% of the book will absolutely shake you. It had a phenomenal storyline, but I was truly not expecting all the twists and turns. While I was reading along, it felt like I was being transported into an M. Night Shyamalan screenplay. (All the good spooky ones)

Sydney is an enjoyable, fierce, woman trying to navigate her life. Wes is a bit of a mystery and I’ll leave it at that; I do not want to say too much about the characters, so you can form your own opinions.

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I absolutely love the atmosphere Karina created for us at Madrona. I had hundreds of questions going through my head while reading because she did such a brilliant job at slowly leading you where she wanted you to go without revealing anything too quickly. It created such a suspenseful and spooky atmosphere for the book. The way she describes the island is so detailed it adds to the creepy atmosphere in the best way. My heartbeat picked up a couple times wondering what was going to happen!

Syndey and Wes together were explosive. I mean that seriously. There was a delicious buildup and when they finally got together it happened so fast and in the best way. I loved Wes before he admitted his feelings for Sydney, and I was head over heels after. He opened into the sweetest man with the filthiest mouth. I couldn’t get enough of him. Every time he was away, I missed him.

The use of mycology in this book and how it tied into the spooky plot sent this book into the 5 star stratosphere for me. I thought it was such a unique plot and now I think I’m sort of fascinated with fungi like Syndey is.

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Prepare yourself for a spine-tingling journey into the heart of darkness with Karina Halle's "Grave Matter"! This electrifying novel is a must-read for thrill-seekers and lovers of spooky season. From the very first page, you'll find yourself ensnared in a web of unnerving mysteries, addictive plot twists, and heart-pounding suspense that will keep you glued to your seat until the very last word.

Imagine a cocktail of horror, romance, and gothic psychological thriller, shaken (not stirred) to perfection. If you devoured "Gothikana" or found yourself lost in the mist of "Mexican Gothic", then "Grave Matter" is your next literary obsession. It is atmospheric and the plot is so engrossing.

Meet Sydney Denik, our intrepid protagonist with a passion for fungi and a past shrouded in chaos. When she lands a coveted spot at the prestigious Madrona Foundation to research Alzheimer's, it seems like a dream come true. But as she joins her fellow (special) grad students in a secluded lodge on misty Vancouver Island, she's about to discover that nightmares can masquerade as dreams.

The Madrona Foundation? Oh, it's not your average research facility. It's a veritable treasure trove of secrets, each more chilling than the last. Imagine walking down a hallway and bumping into a ghost (literally!). Picture dead animals suddenly springing to life, their glassy eyes fixed on you. Feel the impossible chill of snowflakes on your skin as you stroll along a midsummer beach. And don't even get me started on Sydney's belongings playing an eerie game of hide-and-seek!

As the days unfold like petals of a poisonous flower, Sydney finds herself trapped in a whirlwind of increasingly bizarre occurrences. The line between reality and madness blurs, leaving her - and you, dear reader - questioning everything. Is it all in her head, or is there something far more sinister at play?

By the time you turn the last page of "Grave Matter", you'll be left breathless, your mind reeling from the rollercoaster of emotions and revelations. This isn't just a book; it's an experience that will haunt you long after you've finished it. So, dim the lights, curl up in your favourite reading nook, and prepare to be utterly captivated by this masterpiece of suspense. Just don't blame me if you find yourself checking under the bed before you go to sleep tonight!

In summary, "Grave Matter" by Karina Halle is a captivating blend of horror, romance, and scientific intrigue. Set against the eerie backdrop of Vancouver Island, the story follows Sydney Denik, a fungi enthusiast, as she unravels the mysteries of the Madrona Foundation. Halle's meticulous research into mycology adds depth to the narrative, seamlessly weaving scientific facts with spine-tingling suspense. This novel offers readers not just a thrilling ride, but also an educational journey into the fascinating world of fungi. Perfect for the spooky season, "Grave Matter" combines an atmospheric setting with intriguing scientific elements, making it a standout in the genre and a must-read for those seeking a unique, intellectually stimulating thriller.

TROPES FOR THIS BOOK:

🧬Women in STEM

🍂Professor x Student

🍄Fun with Fungi

🌊Isolated PNW setting

⛓️BDSM elements

🚬Slow burn

🫦Degradation kink

👀Obsessed hero

🫠WTF did I just read

😱Massive Dynamic vibes (iykyk)

🖤He falls first

👁️Stalker

🌲Haunted forest

🍄‍🟫Dark cottage core

🪵Forced proximity

🏕️Only one tent

🪦Morally grey characters

Thank You to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book!!! And Thank You Karina Halle for writing this book!!!

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Grave Matter by Karina Halle is a gothic psychological romantic thriller with dark academia vibes and it’s perfect for spooky season.
 
This story is about Sydney who is an aspiring mycologist, and she gets the opportunity to work for the Madrona Foundation. The foundation is isolated and located in the woods on Vancouver Island and nothing there is as it seems. Sydney is very hardworking and determined and her reasons for her studies were very honorable. She is neurodivergent and I really liked seeing this representation and it made me connect to Sydney even more.
 
There is also a forbidden romance and Sydney is attracted to one of the professors and Wes Kincaid is on a whole new level. And I was so intrigued to learn more about him. He is a psychologist, and it was so interesting to get to know these characters on a deeper level and his obsession with Sydney was great to follow.
 
My favorite part of this book was the atmosphere that was truly eerie and dark, and the descriptions were so vivid. I’ve never read a book with fungus, and it was so interesting. The plot was also very thrilling, and I didn’t see a lot of the things coming and was truly invested. The twists and turns were insane and especially the end was just crazy in the best way. It’s best to go into this story as blind as possible and I’m sure it’ll blow you away as well. I couldn’t put this book down and the vibes were on point.
 
Grave Matter is a new favorite Karina Halle book and it’s such a unique and amazing story that’s also perfect for spooky season. 5 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

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Overall, this is a fantastic blend of sci-fi fantasy romance and gothic horror. Be patient with the pacing because the mind-blowing payoff is absolutely worth it.

Sydney is a outgoing, fiesty, woman trying to navigate her life. Wes is a bit of a mystery ?!

This is perfect for spooky season

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This book was definitely full of surprises and definitely not my usual read. While I do love this author, I did forget how incredibly steamy some (if not most) of her reads can be. And while I did appreciate all the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book, I don't think I quite appreciated them all until I started reading.

This book moved a little slow in the first half but definitely picked up by the middle and then, it just took off. With one new revelation after another. I loved Sydney being an unreliable narrator throughout most of the story as not only the mysteries of the island progressed, but Sydney's and the other's as well.

This story kept me on my toes and completely fascinated about what would happen next, what would be revealed next, and what other twists and turns the author would throw at all the characters next.

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“Grave matter” is a mystery, horror, thriller romance with scientific and paranormal components. If you are looking for a spooky paranormal type read for the fall season then you may enjoy this one!

The plot follows Sydney our FMC who embarks on a journey to a remote island after being offered an exclusive and prestigious summer internship at a research facility which specializes in looking for Alzheimer’s treatments.

Sydney is extremely ambitious and excited to participate in this one in a life time opportunity after watching her grandmother deteriorate from Alzheimer’s, she wants to be a part of something important that will help countless lives.

However when she arrived things aren’t as they appear and she can’t shake the sensation that something is off with this island and the people running the place:

What I liked about it:
I liked the general premise to the book, the research components that where giving STEM vibes, the mysterious isolated island in the middle of no where cut off from the world, the creep zombie animals, the apparent ghost sitings, the evil undertones to the people staying there.

I liked Sydney’s friend group they seemed like genuinely nice people. For the most part I liked Sydney’s love interest - her professor turned psychologist / therapist, he seemed to be intelligent and well spoken and was giving off good guy vibes for the majority of the book, despite his stalking tendencies.

What didn’t work for me:
I just found the smutty component to the book just wasn’t my vibe and I ended up skipping those chapters, potentially from the dialogue (out loud verbal and inner mind). I’m sure other people will enjoy it and I’m just an outlier.

Overall: I would have loved the book to be solely focused on the spooky, haunting paranormal as those where my favourite parts!

Thank you to Metal Blonde Books and Karina Halle for the EARC.

Publish date: October 23rd 2024

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Wow. Just wow.

I can’t even describe this book adequately without giving spoilers except the vibes! Omg this was eerie, and creepy, and the slow burn of the horror aspects of this were bang on. I absolutely had no clue what on earth was going on the entire time and when that REVEAL happened!! Literal chills. No way would I ever have suspected what was actually happening.

Read this. Now. If you love a horror/scifi-ish/dark/borderline taboo romance that just keeps on packing punches, get on this!!!! I am reading every single book from this author no questions asked, her books have been on my tbr way too long and I’m mad I haven’t read them.

Thank you SO much NetGalley and the author and publisher for this review copy!

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Karina Halle is one of my favorite authors! I love that she writes such a wide variety of books that never feel repetitive. I was so excited when this book was announced. It’s seriously the perfect spooky read and the covers are absolutely gorgeous 😍. Thank you to NetGalley and Karina Halle for the opportunity to read this book early!

I could not put this book down. From the very beginning, Sydney (and the reader) realize that something isn’t quite right with the foundation she’ll be working at over the summer. I honestly had no idea what was going on or who could be trusted. I spent so much time coming up with theories of what could be happening (all my guesses were wrong 😂). I said WTF at least 20 times and pretty sure I spent half the book looking like this emoji 😳.

Grave Matter is addicting and is the perfect blend of romance, mystery, horror, and science fiction. I stayed up way too late finishing this book because I just had to know what was going to happen next. If you’re looking for a creepy, fall read with the perfect amount of romance, I highly recommend this book!

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This book was fun! I love when spooky, weird mushrooms are used in horror stories pretty much always, and this was no different. Although the characters were adults, they did come off a bit immature and teen-like here and there with somewhat comically evil villains, but I could understand their motivations and still enjoyed them all for the most part. There were some big twists and turns I really enjoyed. The atmosphere of the lodge and island were equally spooky and cozy in ways that were perfect for an early fall read.

I didn't expect the book to be quite as "spicy" as it was. Though that didn't personally bother me, I would say it is something to consider going in if you do have any sensitivities to that kind of thing. Also some very questionable consent going on in some of those spicy scenes that I didn't love and struggled with a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley and Metal Blonde Books for providing me with this arc to review.

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When I say I couldn’t put this book down, I mean I was hooked from the first chapter all the way until the very end (which blew my mind, by the way). I’ve read some of Karina’s other books in the past but this was my first horror/thriller by her and I absolutely DEVOURED it! All the mind games and twists and turns had me questioning everything the entire time, it was thrilling!

What a wild ride. Everything from the characters to the scenery and even the vibes are all so captivating, and the writing is done so beautifully that you become fully engulfed. The story was so spooky and creepy that it had me constantly biting my nails and audibly gasping. Trust me when I say that you will be on the edge of your seat the entire time and will be sleeping with the lights on at night!

I have absolutely no criticism for this book, and I would HIGHLY recommend to anybody looking for an amazing gothic horror/thriller that also has some steamy romance and amazing spice! I would also highly recommend checking trigger warnings first lol. 5 stars all the way, thank you Karina for this amazing piece of work!!

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𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝑴𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝑮𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒄, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑼𝒔, & 𝒀𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝑱𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒔! 🌿🍄

I dove into this book 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑—I had only seen a few tropes on social media, and the second I saw them, I 𝑟𝑢𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 to NetGalley to apply! 😍 Lately, those 𝑾𝑻𝑭 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 have been sneaking their way to the top of my list, and I think I found a new fave. 👀✨

First of all, shoutout to the author for all the 𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 research and the attention to detail. The way she created such an 𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄 world surrounding fungi was unreal. 🍄🌲 I’ve always been anti-mushrooms (I mean, 𝒆𝒘 in food), but now I’m equally fascinated 𝑎𝑛𝑑 terrified by what fungi can do to the human mind and body. 😱 Let’s just say I’m not looking at mushrooms the same way ever again! 🍄🧠

This book had me hooked from the very first chapter—so 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒚 and 𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆 in the best way possible. The tension was 𝑖𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 throughout, and the writing just pulled me into this world of mystery and madness. It’s definitely one of those reads that’ll keep you up at night, and I’m already so excited to see what the author does next. 😍🖤

The story follows Sydney Denik, an aspiring mycologist (𝒚𝒂𝒚, 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑴!) who gets a second chance when a dream opportunity comes her way—joining a prestigious foundation doing Alzheimer’s research. 💼🌿 She leaves her past behind to join a group of grad students at an isolated lodge on Vancouver Island, which sounds idyllic, right? 𝑾𝑹𝑶𝑵𝑮. 😨

The Madrona Foundation has secrets—big, scary secrets—and Sydney soon realizes that not everything (or everyone) is as it seems. From ghosts walking the halls to dead animals that move like they’re still alive, the weirdness just keeps building. 🪦👁️ And then there’s the psychologist she’s falling for (yep, 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐 forbidden romance with ALL the tension 😏). But as Sydney uncovers more about the foundation, she starts questioning her own sanity—𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒅 or are the horrors around her 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑳? And, OMG, the 𝑾𝑻𝑯 moments just don’t stop. 🫣💀

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for this ARC! It releases on 𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟑 and trust me, you do 𝐍𝐎𝐓 want to miss this one! 💫

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