When the memory of a food brings back a ghost, any chef would strive to create that perfect meal. Especially one who has lost their father.

As you can see from the very high average review, this book is very much for a LOT of people. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of them.
There is a very distinct writing style in this book, one that places as much emphasis on visual descriptions of the scene as the tastes of the food. While I thought the tasting portions really elevated this story, the languorous pace of the scene-setting struggled to hold my attention. I also didn't feel overly connected to the characters, despite following some of them for years.

Regardless, it would be difficult to argue that this is not one of the most unique fantasy stories of the year. The interplay between food and memory, already such a strong element of cultural appreciation and family history, translated into the summoning of those spirits was presented very powerfully. This is a strongly emotional book, as much about the consequences that follow us into the future as the events of the past.

I really loved the idea behind Aftertaste a chef who can taste the favorite meals of the dead and uses food to reconnect people with lost loved ones? That’s an incredible premise. There’s a lot of emotional potential here, and the food writing is mouthwatering and vivid. The combination of grief, romance, and culinary magic had me intrigued from the start.

But as much as I wanted to love this, it didn’t quite deliver the depth I was hoping for. The themes of loss and healing felt a little rushed, and the romance didn’t fully convince me. Some moments were touching, but others leaned too hard into quirk without grounding the characters. I also felt the “fiery ring of Hell” part was underdeveloped it felt more like a setup than a real challenge.

Still, it’s a unique and creative story, and readers who enjoy sensory writing and unconventional plots might find more to savor. I just wish it had gone a bit deeper beneath the surface.

Aftertaste is the debut novel from Ukrainian-American writer Daria Lavelle. It tells the story of Konstantin “Kostya” Duhovny, who discovers he has an uncanny gift: clairgustance, the ability to taste foods loved by departed souls. That sensory ability propels him from dishwasher to visionary chef, opening a restaurant to help the grieving reconnect with lost loved ones through their favorite meals from beyond the grave.

The mix here of magical realism, supernatural romance, dark comedy, and speculative fiction makes for an inventive debut that feels so original. At its core this book is a touching meditation on grief, closure, and finding purpose. Kostya’s journey, haunted by his father’s death yet driven to help others, is both heartbreaking and empowering. Characters like Kostya’s roommate Frankie bring warmth and comic relief. Meanwhile, the complex psychic Maura adds romance and tension, though I felt their relationship developed too quickly

Aftertaste is a bold, flavorful, and imaginative debut. Its rich sensory detail and inventive premise make it a fascinating read. It’s a novel that lingers, like an aftertaste, with emotion and unforgettable flavor. If you are a fan of magical realism, food writing, and bittersweet storytelling; this one’s for you.

I was excited by the premise of this story, but unfortunately, the excitement quickly left. I would read and read and think, there is going to come a point where everything comes together and sets this story ablaze. Sadly I felt like I was eating an endless bowl of porridge that never got any smaller. The story stagnated for me and I would put it down, read something else and come back to it, Still the same.. About 60% in I gave up. This is so rare for me, but I have so many other books waiting for my time.

You want my honest review, this was not for me. I know it will hit the sweet spot for others.

My Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a breath of fresh air. Very unique story and deeply touching. Loved the idea of connecting to lost loved ones via a special meal.
Suicide trigger warning.

SUCH a clever premise and so well written. A beautiful story of loss and grief and tells the story of Konstantin, a Ukrainian immigrant who learns, after his father's passing, that he can taste the favorite foods of the ghosts around him, meals he's never eaten but can taste with clarity. A chef in New York City, he learns he can connect people with their lost loved ones through food, all while trying the perfect his own father's favorite meal, the first ghost taste Konstantin ever tasted. This is one of the best books of the year and should be on everyone's must read list.

Even though this got rave reviews, I didn’t love it. I liked the concept with the magical realism, but it became too much for me and not as realistic.

This was so unique and had the potential to be a 5 star for me. I enjoyed the first half of this book way more than the second. It got a bit too crazy for me but the story is still different to anything I‘ve read before which I loved! I loved the way it was told, with the different parts, the tour guide in between (iykyk), loved Kostya and his connection to his father and Frankie. The way food was used to build a connection between living and dead was so interesting and I loved that he was able to let people see their loved ones one more time. It got crazy and weird in the end but it was still a great story! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

I could not get into this book. I tired to approach it at different times but I found the subject matter just hard if you have been grieving a death recently. It felt like it had a hopeful message but it was hard to keep picking up. It was written well but the subject matter wasn’t for me.

I loved the organization of the book… telling the story through food and organizing the chapters by dishes of a meal. I am newer to fantasy/ghost type books so I might be a bit picky, but the story itself wasn’t my favorite. I also really didn’t like the main character.

I would totally check out something else by this author though, she is a talented writer.

Konstantin (Kostya) Duhovny lost his father when he was a young boy and shortly afterwards he began tasting foods he had never eaten. He calls these aftertastes. Kostya kept them secret for most of his life but one night he acts on an aftertaste and everything changes. It turns out he can reunite people with their loved ones for as long as the person is eating. To do this, Kostya sets out to learn everything he can in the culinary world, but he doesn't see the repercussions happening in the Afterlife. The one person who knows that Kostya must be stopped is falling in love with him.

This book is part ghost story and part love story that focuses on food and the emotions involved when eating. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest, unbiased review. This book was unique and well-written with characters who were well-developed. I was drawn into this captivating story and kept hooked from beginning to end. This book was both evocative and thought-provoking as it deals with grief and love. It was a beautiful story and one that will stick with you long after you finish reading.

Aftertaste follows Konstantin “Kostya” Duhhovny, a man haunted by tastes of the deceased. Since he was a child, Kostya would get aftertastes, and when he tasted his late father’s favorite dish, he realized what these tastes mean. After recreating one of these aftertastes, he realizes just how connected to the dead they really are. This book captures grief and the things we do to connect with our passed loved ones beautifully. Food is such a powerful tool for memory and connection, and this proves true for the dead as well. The novel interrogates the cycle of life and death and the dangers that can arrive when it is disrupted. Aftertaste is a beautiful debut from Lavelle and I look forward to their future work. Thank you to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Three months, almost to the day! No mas! 63% and out. One last meal with those you loved? Who wouldn’t sign up for that? That chance you missed to say how much you loved them? Think back to what meal epitomizes that feeling. The premise is cool, the writing about food and cooking, exciting, but then comes the slog. And the ghosts. The not as pleasant ones, a la Edvard Munch. Life is short, I have to move on. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I try so hard to make sure I pick books I will definitely like, but I missed it this time, sorry!

I liked this: the world-building was excellent, and the writing was good. The story propelled forward: I always wanted to pick it back up to find out what would happen next.

Four rather than five stars because, while I found the characters compelling, I didn’t find them compelling together. I was rooting for them to solve problems together, but I wasn’t really rooting for them to be together.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster!

This book was everything i hoped it would be, moving, poignant, and amazingly deep in reference to grief.

Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle is a strange book about Constantine who as he grows up he learns he has a very strange psychic connection whatever the ghost ate at their most memorable meal he can taste when they’re nearby. and it was just strange it was just a weird book that in the beginning and in the middle I was all in And despite it getting confusing for the most part I still enjoyed it I just found it very hard to root for Constantine as he wasn’t that likable and he was also very judgmental. I did like the fact that his Constantine story goes on it felt as if you could really be reading about a real person because Lavelle lays Constantin out the good the bad and the ugly but again I just found it hard to like him. I get he lost his dad and all that came after I just wished there was something more redeemable about him. Having said that if you love Food ghost and want a new original story then you definitely should check out After Taste.#NetGalley, #MyHonestReview, #TheBlindReviewer, #DariaLavell, #Aftertaste,

Blurb: “What if you could have one last meal with someone you've loved, someone you've lost? Combining the magic of Under the Whispering Door with the high-stakes culinary world of Sweetbitter, Aftertaste is an epic love story, a dark comedy, and a synesthetic adventure through food and grief. Konstantin Duhovny is a haunted man. His father died when he was ten, and ghosts have been hovering around Kostya ever since. Kostya can't exactly see the ghosts, but he can taste their favorite foods. Flavors of meals he's never eaten will flood his mouth, a sign that a spirit is present. Kostya has kept these aftertastes a secret for most of his life, but one night, he decides to act on what he's tasting. And everything changes. Kostya discovers that he can reunite people with their deceased loved ones-at least for the length of time it takes for them to eat a dish that he's prepared. He thinks his life's purpose might be to offer closure to grieving strangers, and sets out to learn all he can by entering a particularly fiery ring of Hell: the New York culinary scene.“

This is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read. Food and ghosts is something I never thought would come together in a novel but it was done so well. Very beautiful and moving as the novel is focuses on grief of loved ones. The ending truly got me, I was shattered !!

Daria Lavelle's AFTERTASTE plunged me into an entirely fresh and yet eerily familiar story of a man surrounded by ghosts who discovers he may be a channel for closure between the living and the dead through the medium of a meal he has prepared. It's convincing, rollicking fun and a serious straddle between the New York City restaurant scene and the well-developed world of the afterlife. I enjoyed it thoroughly -- the highs and lows, the parallels to other stories about magical restaurants, and how the stakes rise higher as Kostya gains skills and experience. This is a wonderful story, one where I totally ceded my typical cynicism to enjoy a wonderfully told tale. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Aftertaste is a book with a very strong premise that I ultimately very strongly disliked. :( I love food and I love ghosts, but the characters fell flat for me and the magic system/world building was confusing and kind of cheesy. If I had to read one more food idiom like “spill the chai” in a book that’s supposed to be serious? Idk this just was not for me even though on paper it should have been.

I loved this book. It was such a unique premise that really paid off for me. I enjoyed all the characters that we met and thought the execution of the story was very well done. Thank you NetGalley!