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.

Metal Blonde Books and NetGalley - you guys are awesome! Thanks for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book deserves more than 5 stars! If you don’t have triggers, go in completely blind. If you do have triggers, only read the trigger list and if you feel comfortable, skip the synopsis and go in blind as well!

Want spicy scenes? It has the perfect amount of them, with the perfect amount of details!

Want some horror? Yep, it has that too!

Want a book you simply can’t put down? This is it!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-book copy of this book for review.

If you’re in the mood for a spicy romance wrapped up in a dark, haunting mystery-thriller, Grave Matter by Karina Halle is the book you want to pick up. It’s got a little bit of everything: forbidden passion, eerie supernatural vibes, and twists that’ll have you staring at the wall trying to piece it all together. Plus, it gives off The Last of Us vibes.

The book kicks off with a ton of info being thrown at you. There’s tragedy, trauma, and lots of character backstory that feels messy at first—like you’re trying to connect the dots without all the pieces of the puzzle. It’s intentional, though. Did it throw me off and set a weird tone for me for most of the book, yes, but the ending helped alleviate that.

Overall, I enjoyed it. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. The twist saved it for me.

3.75⭐️

I'm having a hard time rating this book...I was so intrigued by the book cover and then the description on NetGalley and immediately requested an arc. I was approved and began reading, I was enthralled...and then I wasn't...it was like so much of nothing was happening and I was getting drilled over and over about fungi and her obsession with her teacher. I got about half way and I just couldn't do it anymore. I had to take a break. Since this was an arc, I felt compelled to finish and write a review. I skim read a vast majority of the middle and then at chapter 27 everything got crazy and amazingly good and I read it word for word to the end from that point on!! I was blown away with how it ended and that's why I'm sitting here confused on how to rate it 🤔 I loved Mexican Gothic and this had similar vibes, but Mexican Gothic had me in a chokehold the whole time while this book fell flat in parts.

I honestly don't know if I would refer this book to a friend because it was so slow in the middle and I understand there was some build up needed for the twist at the end, but it was just too much filler in the middle for me to tell a friend to read it. I think if the intrigue at the beginning would have held through into the middle and then continued to the end I would have given this a 5 star because it knocked it out of the park with the ending, but I just can't do that because I got so bored in the middle.

The ending absolutely makes this book, so read at your own risk of possibly being bored in the middle. I will be checking out other books by the author because the ending was *chef's kiss* so I have hope for other books by her.

Thanks to NetGalley, Karina Halle, and Metal Blonde Books for a copy to review.

The setting and atmosphere were on point for this mysterious read. I've been reading Karina Halle since her Experiment in Terror series and I'm so glad she's gotten back to her spooky roots. She is able to blend romance with suspense seamlessly. What a great October read!

Sydney Denik is looking for a second chance. When she gets a dream opportunity, she jumps at the chance. Once there, things begin to unravel. people disappear, ghosts are walking the halls, and so much more. This was a great book and it made me want to read more from this author!

Dark dark and darker romance yes please! The plot is immaculate and the characters are so hot and relatable

Grave Matter was an absolute rollercoaster of a read and I haven't been able to stop thinking about! Karina always manages to take you on an adventure and this didn't disappoints!!!

For a solid portion of this book, I was mentally preparing to slap it with a pretty low rating. Why, you ask? Oh, because it kicked things off with one of my least favorite tropes—insta-love. Like, seriously, can we stop pretending strangers can fall madly in love after making eye contact in .05 seconds? And don't even get me started on a few plotlines that were doing cartwheels off the logic cliff. I was confused, babes.

But just as I was ready to write it off, Halle pulled a full-blown Houdini move. Out of nowhere, she dropped a MASSIVE plot twist near the end that made me stop, reread, and go, "Hold up, WHAT?!" Suddenly, all those messy little breadcrumbs made sense, and I found myself grudgingly giving her a mental standing ovation. I was shocked, I was impressed, and yes, I was eating crow for doubting her.

And can we talk about the spice? Halle, girl, you delivered. My metaphorical hat is off to you because those scenes were 🔥 fire without being cringe.

Now, let’s address the big questions: Would I read her work again? Heck yes, I would! Would I recommend this book? That’s another yes—but with a side of, “You gotta be patient with this one.”

Big thanks to NetGalley and Metal Blonde Books for the ARC. It’s a solid 3 stars for me, but Halle, you definitely left me intrigued for the next one!

This book was so unpredictable, and I genuinely had no idea on the twist the book took. It’s a good story, but I think this falls into just not for me category. That being said, I really enjoyed the atmosphere and setting of this novel.


Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of the book!

This was a total WTF book! It was slow yet addictive.
I loved the twists this book had. The evolution of Sydney was brilliant, I really liked her.
This book had it all, academia, sci-fi, romance, bit of spice, mystery and fungus!

I don't know what I was expecting for this book, but it definitely exceed my expectations! It was so sexy and thrilling, I would definitely recommend this for any dark romance reader.

4.5 stars - rounded up to 5. karina halle is amazing in every aspect. i love the different facets to her, but truly i think this might be one of my favorite books of hers.

this book was spooky in the best ways and also creepy at times, but i was literally hooked from beginning to end. there were so many points within this novel that had me saying "what?!" or "what is going to happen next!!! i need to know". truthfully, i screamed at my kindle multiple times reading this (not in bad ways!).

Sydney was a truly interesting fmc to me, i mean who specializes in fungi? but i found myself very interested and intrigued by her character. now take that fungi obsession to a secluded island where you have no connection to the outside world? very isolated? what does that do to someone's mental health? READ AND FIND OUT. i loved seeing her begin to not trust herself and then of course, go to the very same man she has been crushing on .. professor/psychologist, Dr Kincaid.. lets see where this leads ;)

& oh my.. he was stunning and i can see why Sydney was crushing. DELICIOUSLY SPICY y'all.

seriously, i thoroughly enjoyed this book. it was creepy and gave all the spooky vibes, you started to question your own mind just as Sydney's did to her. every time i thought i knew something, i was surprised in some other way.. the ending was SHOCKING, but truly i loved this book and i dont think i can say that enough.

what a wild ride this was! i went into this book blind, and it didn’t disappoint!

i didn’t see that plot twist coming at all, it completely blew my mind! the whole time reading this book, i had no idea what was coming.

amazing spice, loved the characters - including side characters! also the fungi pun shirts made me giggle 🤭🍄

the only thing for me was i found the beginning a little too slow for my liking, but the last half of the book was amazing!

thank you karina & netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

what to expect:
- gothic romance
- psychological thriller
- dark academia
- forced proximity
- doctor x patient
- teacher x student

This book was such a roller coaster. I did not know what to expect at times. The writing, the intrigue, the plot twists, they all made this book addictive.

Wow. Karina Halle is a master of diversity in her writing. She can span the scope of contemporary romance, erotica, romantasy, horror, and paranormal romance and her voice stays consistent throughout, easily identifiable and unique!

I really enjoyed this book, which surprised me just a little because I normally don’t prefer a standalone. In this case, I thought a standalone was a perfect fit for Sydney’s story. I got to meet her, find out who she is as a character and what motivates her, and ultimately sit enraptured as I devoured chapter after chapter of scary sexy horror! And I learned a lot about mycology and mushroom puns 😅

The spice was spicing, some restraint and rope play, but the thing I really enjoyed was the after care aspect. It’s amazing how often authors forget that crucial piece.

This was a 5 ⭐️ read for me.
3 🌶️ out of 4 for spice (on my scale).

I LOVED this book! Karina Halle is one of my favourite authors, so I was excited to see a new release from her. As with all of her previous books I've read, this was a fantastic read.
I was drawn in immediately, and I devoured it in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down.

I enjoyed the blend of genres: Sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, horror, and romance.
Sydney and Wes were great main characters, they were interesting, intense, and complex. Their chemistry was insane.

I love how diverse Karina is with her writing. She blends genres so seamlessly.
I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

I very highly recommend.

5 stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley, Metal Blonde Books, and Karina Halle for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.