IThe vibe was vibing. It was moody dark and mysterious. It was like watching a horror movie. If you like T Kingfisher’s What Mices the Dead, you might like this!

I really loved this. I was hooked on the atmosphere from the beginning, the main characters had a lot of chemistry and the setting was impeccable. I loved the fungi focus and just wait until that ending…..

Definitely a great one if you’re into spicy contemporary romance with thriller/horror vibes and an isolated forest setting.

Grave Matter by Karina Halle is haunting, emotional, and completely unputdownable. It’s got that signature Karina mix of dark romance and supernatural vibes, with just enough heartbreak to keep you feeling it long after the last page. The chemistry? Off the charts. The grief and healing arc? So well done. If you like your romance a little eerie and a lot intense, this one’s for you.

Grave Matter is a moody, atmospheric read with some really compelling ideas. I liked the dark, almost gothic vibe throughout, and Bram is definitely a broody, haunted character—which totally fits the tone. The premise had me hooked: grief, magic, and a desperate attempt to bring someone back from the dead? Yes, please.

That said, the novella length made it feel a bit rushed. I wanted more time to connect with the characters and let the emotions breathe. There were moments that hit hard, but others felt like they skimmed the surface. Also, I think I would've appreciated this more if I had read Veiled first—there were a few references that went over my head.

Overall, it’s a solid, dark paranormal read with a unique twist, but I wish it had been a little longer to really dig into the characters and world. If you’re a Karina Halle fan or into emotionally heavy, supernatural stories, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

Sydney doesn't mean to be an unreliable narrator. She can't help it. Her first-person voice imparts a closeness to this title that really works. Readers who love mycological horror will do well with this one if they appreciate uneven power dynamics and don't mind explicit sex scenes. Corporate greed, colonialism, and a critical ecosystem form the basis for Grave Matter: Sydney's running from her past toward an exciting scientific opportunity. But not everything at the Madrona Foundation is as it seems, and neither is Sydney. Best suited for those who love thrillers.

The way I devoured this book! I have had the attention span of a fruit fly as of late and this is the first book I have read in a very long time that had me SAT. I went into this blind but a fan of the author and this did not disappoint. I would recommend this book if you enjoyed Ninth House. Very VERY wild ride.

I enjoyed this dark and twisted stoey that centers around Sydney, who is studying mycology. It was darker and heavier than anything I’d read lately, which was actually a good change up.

*many thanks to Metal Blonde Books and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

_Grave Matter_ by Karina Halle is a steamy dark romance with disturbing elements. Sydney Denik is studying mycology when she is offered an opportunity to be a part of ground-breaking Alzheimer’s research with the Madrona Foundation on a remote Vancouver Island. Strange occurrences begin from the moment of Sydney’s arrival, including the disappearance of one of her fellow grad students. As she spends more time on the island, she is also drawn to the older and mysterious resident psychologist. Readers of dark romance will appreciate this spicy read.

I really enjoyed this book. It was dark and twisty and full of amazing suspense. Karina doesn’t disappoint. The characters were well done too.

This book was outside of my comfort zone but I thoroughly enjoyed it! This book was dark, twisted, suspenseful and a total mindfuck. It really kept me on my toes the entire way through. I highly recommend checking it out.

Thank you NetGalley, Metal Blonde Books, and Karina Halle for the gifted copy!

Uhhh this book was definitely a change from my normal reading. The premise sounded interesting - a mix of nature/science horror and romance - but it ended up being heavy on the romance for most of it. Not to mention that this was a very very weird romance where I didn't care for either character at all.

The plot itself was pretty predictable and the mc was sooo oblivious like girl I wanted to yell at her through the page! However the end did surprise me and it was a fast paced read overall.

Fan of Yellowjackest this is for you! Is a mysterious,dark and easy read that i devoured! I loved every work of the author and Karina have yet disappointed me !

This book fell a little short for me. I enjoyed the story at first. The concept was good and there was definite suspense and some scary stuff going on. But after a while I wanted more stuff explained. I like the main character and the live interest. The spice was spicing. But the characters were supposed to be super smart to be there for an internship but I felt like a lot could have been done with that. The big mystery about what was going on I felt was super rushed at the end. Which fell flat for me.

3.5⭐'s rounded up to four. I don't know what I was expecting with Grave Matter, but it was entertaining. Halle knows how to create a setting and build suspense in this romantic horror/thriller, I'll give her that. The pacing at the beginning is a tad choppy & the writing could've been more polished. I was not a fan of the therapist/client relationship, it wasn't really necessary for the story & it made the main couple hard to stomach at first. Honestly, Kincaid being both a neurosurgeon and psychologist at age 37 was less believable than the horror elements of the book. Those two specialties require so much school, the dude would realistically be 60 before finishing both areas of study. But I digress. Grave Matter is a good read if you're looking for something a little different than your average erotic horror/thriller. There's a lot of genre blending that was fun for me and I'll definitely keep this one in my collection.

A compelling and eerie novel that masterfully blends mystery and horror. The story is gripping, with well-paced suspense that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The characters are well-developed, adding depth and emotional resonance to the narrative. While some plot twists might be anticipated, the overall experience is highly engaging. The atmospheric writing and chilling setting make "Grave Matter" a standout read for fans of the genre.

This book was sooo good! Was absolutely addicted to finishing this book! I wasn’t a big fan of the ending and how predictable it was but it was a great refresher!

Loved this. Karina Halle is always a win for me. Great FMC and intriguing storyline. If you like her other books, chances are high you will like this one, too.

Love love love this book! The story line was original and I was hooked from the very beginning! Will definitely recommend!

I love this one! I couldn’t put it down. The characters were amazing. And i had so much fun reading this one

This was by far one of my favorite reads for the year already! It’s the perfect mix of horror, thriller, and dark romance rolled into one book.

Readers also get the perfect blend of body horror and nature horror in this book. It’s subtle and slow moving at first but I promise it gets good fast. I enjoyed that this wasn’t the most generic type of horror, and in doing so stretched the bounds of creativity. The plot twists are some of the best that I have read, and was nothing that I could have saw coming from a mile away. The writing and slight fragmented timeline takes a little getting used to but it’s not a make or break to the story.

I really loved the characters, both primary and secondary. Some of them take longer to love and all of them are complex in their own way. It makes for an absolutely stunning development of emotions and characters, one that I found as shocking as the plot itself.