A really weird but intriguing book!!! I couldn't put this book down! It centers around a girl who shows up at a foundation that does research on how to treat Alzheimer's. The lodge she arrives at is very secluded and the students there are not allowed phones, TV's, or any communication outside of the foundation due to the research they are doing. She finds herself drawn to her professor/therapist and doesn't know why and things start to happen at the foundation making her feel like she may be going crazy. Things are not what they seem and the Madrona foundation has many secrets that unfold throughout the story. This is a perfect gothic phycological thriller!!

Thank you for letting me read this early Netgalley

This book is a wild ride packed with horror, romance, and psychological twists, all set in an isolated research facility on Vancouver Island. The story follows Sydney Denik, an aspiring mycologist (mushrooms) trying to leave her messy past behind. But things get creepy fast—think missing students, zombie animals, and a lodge full of secrets.

The vibe is super gothic, with foggy forests and an eerie atmosphere that pulls you right in. Plus, the spicy romance between Sydney and the broody resident psychologist adds some forbidden spice to the mix. It’s moody, intense, and keeps you guessing.

While the pacing might feel a bit uneven sometimes, the SHOCKING twists and dark vibes make it totally worth it.

If you’re into chilling mysteries with a side of romance, Grave Matter will definitely keep you hooked until the last page! I can't tell you more without spoiling it as I thing it's best to go into this book blind!!

Spooky weird vibes to die for.
I love the book so much.
One of my best reads of the year.
Couldn't put it done.
It was so unique.

I really enjoy Karina Halle's writing! This was a really good book and was something unexpected! I really enjoyed this.

Just wow! This one was a bit of a slow starter and I had to power through because even with the slow start I could tell it was gonna be interesting. Little bits and pieces at the start peaked my curiosity and gave the push to continue on and HOLY PLOT TWISTS am I glad I did!!
As soon as I felt like I knew what was going on this book basically told me "sit the F down , I'm not done yet"
I literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor numerous times. The whole storyline was amazing and by the end had me up all night reading because I needed all the answers.

This book had potential but didn’t quite deliver for me. While the premise was intriguing, the characters felt underdeveloped, making it difficult to fully connect with them. Unfortunately, I also predicted the big reveal fairly early, which diminished the impact of the story’s twists.

The inclusion of the spice felt out of place, as it didn’t contribute much to the narrative outside of its occurrence in dream-like sequences. Additionally, the conclusion felt rushed, leaving me wanting more depth and resolution.

That said, I can see how this book might appeal to readers looking for lighter, surface-level storytelling with a bit of mystery and fantasy. It just wasn’t a match for me personally.

Dark, unsettling, and unexpectedly spicy, Grave Matter is a wild ride that had me questioning everything—right along with the protagonist, Sydney Denik. Karina Halle blends gothic horror, psychological thriller, and a dash of sci-fi into a twisted tale set in the fog-drenched forests of Vancouver Island.

The atmosphere is hands-down one of the best parts of this book. From the moment Sydney arrives at the secluded Madrona Foundation, you can feel the tension in the air—the cold, damp lodge, the eerie forest, and the strange happenings that make you wonder if it’s all in her head. The setting practically breathes, and Halle’s descriptive writing makes it easy to picture every unsettling moment, from the snow falling in summer to the disconcerting movement of dead animals.

Sydney is a compelling protagonist—flawed, vulnerable, and caught between her ambition as an aspiring mycologist and the creeping sense that something is very, very wrong. Her descent into paranoia (or is it reality?) mirrors the reader’s journey perfectly. And let’s talk about Wes, the enigmatic psychologist. Their relationship is as intoxicating as it is questionable, with a power dynamic that toes the line between seductive and dangerous. If you like your romance dark and a little messy, Wes will have you drooling.

The horror elements are deliciously creepy, especially if you’re into body horror and fungi taking on a life of their own. Halle does an excellent job weaving the scientific with the supernatural, leaving you constantly guessing whether the Foundation’s research is groundbreaking or something far more sinister.

That said, the pacing was a little uneven. The story kicks off with Sydney’s suspicions almost immediately, which makes it feel like it skips over some of the slow-burn buildup typical of thrillers. And while the twists are chef’s kiss—seriously, I didn’t see a few of them coming—the climax felt a bit rushed. I would have loved more time to sit with the reveals and explore the fallout in greater depth. It was like being on a rollercoaster that suddenly ends just when you’re fully strapped in for the ride.

Despite the rushed ending, Grave Matter kept me hooked from start to finish. If you’re a fan of thrillers with a heavy dose of gothic vibes, psychological mind games, and steamy romance, this one’s for you. Just be prepared to lose sleep—and maybe look at mushrooms a little differently.

Holy Moly!! What an adventure this was! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time wondering what the hell was going on and what was going to happen next. It was intriguing and creepy and believe it or not, super spicy. Completely addicting! The jaw-dropping twists had me saying OMG and WTF. I’ll be honest, the sci-fi aspect had me second guessing whether I even wanted to pick this up. But it was so unique and interesting. Nothing like what I was expecting. I’m sooo glad I ignored myself and gave this a chance! This was my first Karina Halle experience and will definitely not be my last!!

🍄‍🟫Dark Psychological Romance
🍄‍🟫Gothic Academia
🍄‍🟫Thriller/Horror
🍄‍🟫Sci-fi/Paranormal
🍄‍🟫Professor/Student
🍄‍🟫ADHD Rep
🍄‍🟫Spicyyy
🍄‍🟫WTF Twists

I highly recommend if you are looking for a wild ride! Be sure to check content warnings!

Thank you Karina Halle and NetGalley for the opportunity to devour this amazing story!

Before reading Grave Matter, I had never read a psychological thriller before. I don‘t like the genre when it comes to films or series, but I figured I’d give it a shot. And it surprised me a bit how much I enjoyed it.

Some things in Grave Matter felt rushed. In the very first few pages, Sydney, our main character, is suspicious about certain things happening. It makes sense in the story later on, but her being suspicious right away kind of ruins the slow building of tension that you usually get in this genre. It felt a bit like the book screamed ‘hello I’m a thriller!’ in my face.

That being said, from that part on, the tension was building slowly. The descriptive way the author wrote really helped me imagine both the beauty and the horror Sydney encountered in the book. And I very much enjoyed the plot twists throughout and at the ending of the book.

Also, fungi are frikkin’ awesome.

I devoured this book. It was spooky, woodsy, dark academia engrossed in the world of science and fungi. I was NOT expecting a few of the twists that happen near the end and it made all the little things I was questioning that didn’t really make sense, make sense. I think the author did an amazing job keeping you guessing about who to trust and what’s the truth behind the entire operation at Madrona, just as Sydney had been confused and questioning everything, too.

My only critique is that once the climax begun, everything was unfolding so quickly that it felt like the dialogue was going quickly too. I wish there was a bit more depth once everything started falling apart and Sydney started revealing the truth of it all. As the reader, I would’ve loved to be able to sit and simmer with the twists and learned more about it all. It seemed a tad rushed near the end.

All in all I loved the book and Wes, all I have to say is “Yes Doctor.” 😊

Most readers are going to go into this expecting the very nonserious blurb for a good time and but will also be subjected to lectures and discourse about mental illness and ADHD.

The exposition here is remarkably unatural for a book apparently filled with a main cast of biologist and biologist-adjacent fields. We're never really shown how the main character is in the situations presented in the narrative, instead we have these asides where it seems like the character pauses the story to fill us in on background information that could have been delivered to the reader in a non-interruptive way.

After that rough first quarter though it does open up to a more entertaining reading experience. It's twisty and it's got the general ambiance that I would expect from a read. It stands out against the realistic fiction dark romances so readers will likely appreciate having something new to look at that isn't mafia men or masked serial killers.

I know readers who are definitely going to enjoy this and the avid Booktok readers at my branch are always clamoring for more so I'll be purchase requesting this one for sure.

I had really high hopes for this book, not really knowing what I was getting myself into. The synopsis was very intriguing, but overall slower than I anticipated.

The last 30-35% of the book really had me sitting on the edge of my seat, making me skip precious hours of sleep to finish the book :D

There were definitely a few things that sticked, but more that just sadly didn’t - also I couldn’t connect to any of the characters, which is normally really important for y reading experience.

Forget romantasy, I need more horrormance in my life 🍄♥️

(4.5/5⭐️)

What do you get if you cross mushroom horror in an isolated setting with a suspenseful romance? A deliciously dark and compulsively unputdownable mindfuck of a book that will play on your thoughts until the final pages.

It’s so easy to get pulled in to this story and Karina Halle’s writing is definitely a part of this! With rich, wild imagery that alternately masks and amplifies the buildup of tension, as well as a unique method for drip feeding information that constantly leaves you feeling on the back foot, it’s so hard to put this book down!

The atmosphere, the plot twists, the writing *chefs kiss*

This is my first novel by Karina Halle and it won’t be my list. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was a wild ride and I enjoyed the heck out of it.

I don’t want to tell you too much about this because the big reveal is the whole point of this psychological thriller, so I’ll just say this: it’s dark, it’s eerie, it’s creepy, it messes with your mind, you’re constantly questioning the narrator, and everything that’s going on. It’s got fantastic reveals. You’re constantly guessing. It’s also got incredible spice.

This is the perfect novel for readers who love thrillers, but wish it also included a heavy dose of romance.
This is my first novel by Karina Halle and it won’t be my list. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was a wild ride and I enjoyed the heck out of it.

I don’t want to tell you too much about this because the big reveal is the whole point of this psychological thriller, so I’ll just say this: it’s dark, it’s eerie, it’s creepy, it messes with your mind, you’re constantly questioning the narrator, and everything that’s going on. It’s got fantastic reveals. You’re constantly guessing. It’s also got incredible spice.

This is the perfect novel for readers who love thrillers, but wish it also included a heavy dose of romance.

I’ve been wanting to read a Karina Halle book for some time now and I’m extremely grateful to have received an ARC of Grace Matter.

This book was an amazing introduction to Karina’s books. Grave matter had such a dark and uncanny vibe to it and I absolutely loved it! I loved Kincaid and Sydney so much. Their relationship is so passionate but dark in the best way possible. my jaw was dropped the entire time while reading, it was so twisted and sexy.

I cannot wait to get my hands on some more of Karina’s books. She did her big one with Grave Matters.

I wanted to become so singularly obsessed with something that nothing else around me mattered.

Grave Matter is a thrilling new release from the brilliant mind of Karina Halle. Truly, I didn’t know what to expect from one page to the next. In fact, I sent a text to a friend while reading that said: “I feel like I’m drugs.” Book Friends, I mean that in the best possible way.

Let’s get into it.


creepy forest gif via giphy
Set in the PNW, Grave Matter begins as we meet Sydney as she embarks on a new opportunity to spend the summer on an isolated island on the Canadian coast. The island is home to the Madrona Foundation whose cutting-edge discoveries with fungi has led to stunning developments in the research of a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

"Men lie," she says simply. "Especially men with power. They gaslight you."

Nothing is as it seems though. While Sydney is the epitome of an unreliable narrator, there is not one other character whom I found myself able to trust either. Dreams feel real, Trees give visions, and dead animals walk like the living. Grave Matter is atmospheric, creepy, and all-together thrilling. I did love the realness to Sydney's character. Her struggles with grief, with her ADHD, and her love/hate relationship with her medication made her tangibly real as a character. I sympathized with her and therefore wanted her to survive whatever the cost.


forest blackk gif via giphy
There is a forbidden romance aspect to Grave Matter as well. Sydney falls for her broody and stoic psychologist, Wes Kincaid. Her gravitation towards him grows. Not only is he enigmatic, but the rest of the professors on the island act as oddly as Sydney feels the longer she stays on the island. As Sydney attempts to navigate her reality on the island, Wes becomes a refuge for her. I admire his willingness to keep her safe regardless of his position.

I think they picked me because I was broken and alone, and they wanted to see whether I would crumble further or whether I could be saved.

Secrets abound with the Madrona Foundation. With each new chapter of Grave Matter I became more engrossed in finding out the truth behind the secretiveness. Karina’s storytelling works so well with this storyline that I was immediately hooked. I don’t normally read thrillers, but gothic romance is definitely in my wheelhouse. The weird anomalies, the ghosts, walking corpses, and snow in the summer made for an atmospheric and thrilling read.

Karina Halle’s reveal of the twist at the end truly blew my mind. I had no idea where any of this was headed. While I love Karina Halle’s contemporary romances, I believe her darker thrilling romances are her sweet spot. Grave Matter is unique, descriptive, and unputdownable. I loved getting to know Sydney and was perfectly happy with the resolution at the end as well. Do yourself a favor and give this stunning gothic romance/psych thriller a chance. I know you won’t regret it!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to have this book for free in exchange for an honest review!

Thriller meets dark romance and horror (the ultimate trifecta)

- ADHD representation
- Professor & Student
- Gore & science
- Mystery & Twists

This book was DEVOURED in 2 days, where it normally takes me 1-2 weeks to read a book this size.

I was suspicious of everything and everyone in this book... and rightly so.

The smut was 😚🤌🏻 and the breadcrumbs for the plot were constantly making me think one thing, then change my mind only to have my mind blown at the end!

I don't want to give the plot away but this has been one of my favourite books this year hands down!!

I don't usually make notes when I'm reading but this one had me highlighting all over the place!

FMC: 26
MMC: 37

Thank you so much to Karina Mackenzie and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of Grave Matter in exchange for review.

4.25 stars—

Karina used some sort of intense otherworldly magic on me. I saw the cover/title and thought “oh this looks cool” and requested to read it without any digging. Some spiritual connection MUST have been happening because it feels like this book was made for me.

Firstly we start with an FMC who has ADHD (same) who is traveling to the PNW (where I’m from) to study mycology at a “summer camp” of sorts. (I love fungi and have taken all botany/fungi courses at my local college). And one of my top favorite games/media was mentioned by name? (Hello I do have a Last of Us tattoo). These coincidences are WILD.

But enough about me, this book had me in a chokehold. The eerie dark atmosphere of a lonely BC island full of densely foggy forests and old lodges was peak incredible vibes and set up. It had all the spooky creepiness you could want, leaving you wondering “did that really happen or is Sydney losing it?”

Everything is just so mysterious and intriguing! The students, the staff, the location!

This book also is spicy. Which threw me off at times from how abruptly it begins but not in an off putting way. We do have a student/professor trope in this story but it’s not icky. Our FMC Sydney is in her mid twenties (post university) and I think we’re dealing with a ~10 ish year age gap but nothing bordering illegal (yuck) which I SUPER appreciated. The tension between these two was perfection.

I deeply enjoyed this book until about 80% in, and even then I still enjoyed it however it felt like I was on a rollercoaster I couldn’t escape from. Twists and turns coming from every direction! Not to say that’s a con either, I do wish it had been longer but maybe I just didn’t want it to end.

Karina’s writing was so easily digestible and really felt like Sydney and I shared one mind most of the way through. It is difficult to say much else without giving too many spoilers but I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come which in my mind is a good thing.

Thank you so much for letting me read this, it felt like fate for the things I love in a book (and in real life). Go read this if you love ghosts, nature, dark romance, or a mystery everyone its on KU!

I so appreciated the research that went into this book and effort that was clearly poured into it but something was just slightly off for me.
The twist itself was great and unexpected, but certain parts of it just didn’t make the most sense for me.
Similarly there was something missing with the MMC and I just didn’t feel connected to him or Sydney, the FMC.
The concept itself was really interesting but I think I’m just not a mushroom girly!
Thank you to the publishers for this early copy.

I didn't think I could be so scared while reading a book and this proved me wrong. The storyline and the characters were great. Also...the plot twist in this book killed me.