Thank you for this ARC read I truly enjoyed this book. The overall story was a cool concept and interesting with each chapter. The characters really did develop a lot in this going from a broken boy to an exquisite man who kept going after a lot of fall backs. The pov is cool to feel as though you’re on tour. I would recommend but also have tissues ready as it does hit a nerve throughout.

Events in our lives are marked with food

Cakes for birthdays, turkeys at Thanksgiving, chocolates at Valentine's...while the specifics may vary from person to person and culture to culture, food and memories are often intertwined. For Konstantin (Kostya) Duhovny, the connection between food and memory is quite vivid, and personal...although he does not at first have a name for it, he has a talent for clairgustance. Most people (whether they believe in it or not) know what clairvoyance is, in which people with a certain kind of sensitivity can "see' information from another realm; clairgustance is a variation on that in which a person like Kostya who possesses it can "taste" things from the other realm. Kostya may not be able to see dead people, but he can taste something, a lingering memory these spirits have of a particular food or drink. For a man who lost his father as a boy (an event about which he still has unresolved issues) and has yet to find a meaningful role in life, he isn't sure that this "talent" is of any use. Until the night that he creates the exact drink that he can "taste" and, once the man to whom he has served it drinks it, the spirit who has been tethered to the man by this memory can appear, and converse and relieve the living man of his guilt and sadness. Can Kostya do the same thing and summon his father's spirit and hopefully put his own sadness behind him? He begins to experiment, taking a job as a dishwasher in one of NYC's hottest restaurants in order to learn as much as he can about food and ingredients and cooking. After more than a few ups and downs, he will open his own restaurant and continue to bring comfort to those left behind through his food. But what Kostya thinks is a wonderful service to the living is having the complete opposite effect in the Great Food Hall in the sky....he is preventing those spirits who are tethered to an intermediate plain by memories that connect them to those they left behind from moving on as they should. Kostya has given everything to his cooking, he thought....but to undo the damage he has unwittingly created, he must be willing to truly give himself up. Completely.
Aftertaste is a novel rich in its descriptions of food (don't read it on an empty stomach!), but also in the loves and losses of the people within its covers. Kostya and his larger than life best friend Freddie are fully fleshed out, flawed but endearing as they try to make their mark on life. As I read I began thinking of some of my own memories that tie in to food in some way....a gazpacho in Santorini, a Boston Cream Pie while watching a favorite show as a young girl, and more....and found myself delighting in the mix of humor, supernatural twists, painful losses and the hope that bubbles up when all seems lost. Foodies, those who love a good (but not too scary) ghost story, and anyone who has romance in their soul will find much to like in this clever tale. Readers of Laura Esquivel, Erin Morgenstern and Joanne Harris in particular should rush this title to the top of their nightstand. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me access to this engaging and enchanting read (4.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 5) in exchange for my honest review.

It took me about 50 pages to get into this book, but once I did, I was hooked. It was the perfect marriage of magical realism and foodie lore and I loved it. While the characters are deeply flawed, they all admit to their own issues and if they weren’t flawed the story wouldn’t work. This is one of my favorite books so far this year and I can’t wait to recommend it to people!

Aftertaste by Daria lavelle is such a unique read. Kostya is a culinary wizard in New Yorks culinary scene who also has had a secret he’s carried with him he’s whole life-he can sense ghosts. More than sensing ghosts-he can taste the flavors of the meals that the spirits enjoyed in life-foods and flavors he’s never tasted. He finds that his culinary skills and connection to the other world blend together to allow him to help the living reunite with their dead loved ones while they are enjoying his meal. Believing this to be his life’s purpose, kostya dreams bigger and better for his culinary dreams and is heading for disaster. Kostya must reconcile with his own grief and loss in this spiritual plane if he is to help anyone else and to avoid the major catastrophes an awaiting him.

While this is a weird premise, I did enjoy it! this is a unique blend of culinary, love, loss, grief, and ghost story all in one package. This will also tug on your heart and make you think about lost loved ones and what you would do if you had the gift that would allow you to see them again for one last meal. I do recommend this one and would seek out more ;from the author!

Thanks to the publisher for providing the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

6 stars. FANTASTIC! Surprising. Emotional. Nostalgic. These are just a few of the words I would use to describe Daria Lavelle’s new book, Aftertaste. The book poses a question; “What if you could have one last meal with someone you lost?” Before even cracking the book open, I thought long and hard about my answer. Who would I want to see at that dinner table? What would we eat? As most of you may know, food is a big part of my life and so when I thought about thsi question I reflected on all the meals I’ve eaten and made and the people I’ve shared them with. And then it hit me, I would make my son’s favorite snack. Chocolate Chip Banana muffins. And I’d share them with the grandparents I lost way too soon. Too soon to meet Dion. Too soon to feed him. Too soon to love him in this life. Just us, and the muffins my son demands every week.

Then I read the book. Kostya reminded me so much of myself. And then there was Frankie and Maura and the way New York City blossomed on my tongue. In my psyche. Salty and earthy and sweet and bitter. Home. This is a love story. So many kinds of love told chapter after chapter. Familial. Romantic. Self. All of those things combined with the culinary world as it’s backdrop. I cried. CRIED. I laughed. I remembered. I remebered why I cook and why we eat. Thank you for writing such an amazing book Daria. You smashed it.

I'm very grateful I was able to receive an ARC of this deliciously unique story. Going into the book I thought it sounded unlike anything I had ever read before, and that was very true. This beautifully written book discusses grief, how humans are bonded together with food, the dangers of holding on too tightly, and love. Just be warned that you will get hungry as you read the book.

Aftertaste is an intriguing novel that will appeal to fans of foodie literary fiction and dark fantasy. If it were a restaurant it would be a mysterious fusion place which merges dishes in unique and delightful, but challenging ways.

The story focuses on Konstantin Duhovny, whose childhood was defined by his family's immigration to the United States from Soviet Ukraine and his father's early death. Duhovny has a unique ability, clairgustance, which allows him to taste the foods that are most emblematic of unseen spirits. He is warned against interacting with these "Hungry Ghosts" by a beautiful young psychic, Maura, who he meets at a rave event, but Duhovny is spurred on by his desire to have closure with his father and works his way up the line at Micheline star restaurant in order to learn to recreate the dishes that linger on his tongue. Maura is also working through her own loss, her sister who committed suicide.

There are many twists and turns and the story will keep you guessing till the very end. The books conclusion is satisfying and hopeful, if not a completely happy ending.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the free copy for review.

Loved some parts - the premise drew me in immediately! As a foodie, the vivid descriptions of meals and pro chef life were so fun and a joy to read. Also enjoyed the MMCs Ukrainian heritage, written so profoundly from the author’s real life. Other parts didn’t quite land - the mix of genres (romance, litfic, paranormal, speculative), the ending, the connection to characters wasn’t there for me, and the pacing felt a bit disjointed.

Overall, I think some would enjoy this, and it went a little middle of the road for me.

The best kind of book is one that leaves you sobbing into your pillow just before midnight on a Tuesday.
This book was gorgeous. It truly captures the feelings and the gravity of grief in a way that really touched me. Each story told through the novel, like each recipe made, hit me in different ways that I wasn't expecting.
I started reading this a little more than a month after I lost my grandpa, someone very dear to me, and throughout the story of Kostya, I kept being reminded of him in weird (and beautiful) ways. Food has a way of touching us through many emotions, but especially grief. That's why funerals are often followed by a feast and fellowship. I know I personally think/will think of him every time I drink a Pepsi or certain German delicacies.
As I sit here writing this review, I'm also reminded that I currently have my grandmother's favorite candy bar in my fridge and now I'm crying even harder. It's been nearly sixteen years since I lost her and still, all of these years later, every bite tastes like my love for her.
This book captivated me from the moment I started reading it and I found it very hard to put down, I simply had to know what dish Kostya would make next, where his unique gift would lead him (hence me crying at nearly midnight.)
I think anyone affected by grief, no matter how far removed, should read this book and follow Kostya's journey.

A unique ghost story, Aftertaste pulled me in. I wasn't sure where it was going. The twists and turns were unexpected, and the lavish foodie concoctions, flavors, and sensations ratcheted up the whole experience. The descriptions were so rich that I could smell the smoke, taste the grains of salt, swirl the cocktail. Yum.

Kostya has a gift for taste and is a talented chef. He may also have a connection with the dead. Putting those skills to work in the food mecca that is New York City, we have Aftertaste. Saying anything more will give too much away. Just trust me that you'll be delighted with the mouthwatering dishes, charmed by Kostya, and surprised along the way.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the Advance Reader Copy. (pub date 5/20/2025)

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC.

I have never read anything even close to being like Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle and I don't think I ever will again. The portrayal of grief in this novel was so raw it stopped me in my tracks a few times. And don't even get me started on the food descriptions - do not read this while hungry.

What a unique story. Will be one that is loved for years to come.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for providing me an advanced copy of this book. I want to start off by saying that this book is out of the norm for me. That may explain why I didn't enjoy it as much as other reviewers. I found the book to be overly wordy and hard to follow at times. It did not reel me in.

The pacing of the story is a bit slow for me. My favorite parts are the ghost tour because of the way that character spoke. It really pulled me in. It does pick up in the second half of the book, but not enough to grip me. 

I liked the main character's conflict with this gift. I find this gift unique and never really written about, which I found refreshing. O also really liked the "Food Hall" perspective and how spirits move on.

There is romance in it, but to me, that is not the main component in the book. I liked their banter and how they met. 

Overall, it's an interesting read and I think anyone who likes stories about mediums, ghosts, and character journeys would like this.

This book was unlike any other I've read. It was great for any foodie for sure and for fans of tales involving the afterlife it will be a one of a kind read. The meals and 'aftertastes' were highly detailed and it really made me want to try some new things!
There were a few times when I felt like I lost the storyline, as if detailing the food was almost too much and it overshadowed the plot. But the food itself takes center stage many times in the book so it balanced a fair bit.
There are several moments when a reader can truly connect to the characters and what they've experienced. I think almost any reader could identify with at least one of the types of loss this book covers. That being said, trigger warnings may be suggested for suicide/ideation.
Overall, this was a unique idea that developed into a deeply detailed novel.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the food aspect of this book. I was hoping for more with the part of the story with eating meals with dead people but in less of a ghost way. I was hoping for more depth there but it was still a beautiful story.

When you read a lot of books, finding the unusual is refreshing. The memory of a meal and being able to share it with the ghost of someone you love is a beautiful concept. But does holding onto grief tightly prohibit loved ones from moving on? Can food breach the veil between life and death? Two haunted people,Kostya and Maura, each have their own ghosts and gifts. Kostya can taste the favorite meals of a deceased and Maura has crossed between life and death. Inevitably this is their love story and an emotional one at that.
Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this eARC

A phenomenal read! The attention to detail was unlike anything I have read. Daria Lavelle clearly did research on food and you can tell there is a passion for cooking. I couldn't put this book down. It was so emotional and really makes you think about the potential of your loved ones who have passed on needing you to feel as if you have closure. Although the consequences of messing with the dead must be extreme, I believe Konstantin had the best intentions in helping people and hoping for his own closure. This book found me at a good time as I am grieving the loss of someone and looking for the closure myself. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this.

After a jarring moment of losing his dad, Konstantin has been haunted by flavors. They overwhelm his senses and make him look around, searching for the source. But after a chance meeting one night while being a bartender, he makes a drink for a grieving man and gives him closure with a loved one, tied specifically to a drink and a memory. He realizes that the tastes he gets, those hits of overwhelming flavor, are actually those spirits that have passed trying to connect with their left behind loved ones.

This story was odd at first and took me a moment to get into. It didn't dive too deep into grief, which I appreciated, but it meant that it kept the last meals and the loss of loved ones a little light. Konstantin makes a lot of mistakes, as he bumbles around in the underworld of spirits he knows nothing about. As his flavors spiral out of control and his constant cooking burns him out, he has to work out what he's doing this all for.

I really liked learning about his friends and loved ones. I liked the side stories and I loved the little breaks in the story with the tour guide and the Hunger. This is the second book I've recently read with hungry spirits and I love the idea of tying a memory to a flavor, a memory with food. A fast, fascinating read. I liked it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. I was engaged from the start. This book is sharp, irreverent, and unexpectedly tender. Lavelle’s dark humor and eccentric characters reminded me of Christopher Moore’s work—think Lamb or A Dirty Job—where the absurd somehow feels deeply human. If you like your fiction with a twist of satire, a sprinkle of the macabre, and a whole lot of voice, this one’s for you.

✨ 𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 ✨
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Daria Lavelle
Format: tandem audio and physical copy

“sᥱᥱ, ᥕһᥱᥒ ᥕᥱ ძіᥱძ? 𝗍һᥱіr grіᥱ𝖿 ᥕᥲs ᑲ᥆𝗍𝗍᥆mᥣᥱss. s᥆ ᥎ᥲs𝗍 ᥲᥒძ ძᥱᥱ⍴ і𝗍 sᥕᥲᥣᥣ᥆ᥕᥱძ 𝗍һᥱm ᥕһ᥆ᥣᥱ. 𝗍һᥱᥡ ᥴ᥆ᥙᥣძᥒ’𝗍 ⍴r᥆ᥴᥱss ᥆ᥙr ᥣ᥆ss; 𝗍һᥱᥡ ᥴ᥆ᥙᥣძᥒ’𝗍 ᥣᥱ𝗍 ᥙs g᥆. 𝗍һᥱᥡ һᥱᥣძ ᥆ᥒ s᥆ 𝗍іgһ𝗍 𝗍һᥲ𝗍 і𝗍 һᥱᥣძ ᥙs ᑲᥲᥴk. kᥱ⍴𝗍 ᥙs һᥱrᥱ. mᥲძᥱ ᥙs һᥙᥒgrᥡ….. і𝖿 ᥆ᥙr ᥣі᥎іᥒg ძ᥆ᥒ’𝗍 m᥆᥎ᥱ ᥆ᥒ, 𝗍һᥱᥒ ᥒᥱі𝗍һᥱr ᥴᥲᥒ ᥕᥱ.”

This book is unlike anything I have ever read. It’s joy and sadness. Love and loss. Grief and longing. You name an emotion, this book’s got it. I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to ruin the experience for anyone else but just know that it’s going to take you on an emotional journey like no other. Just picture enjoying one last meal with someone you’ve loved and lost and what implications could come from that. And I’ll never look at Reese’s peanut butter cup the same.

“іᥒ 𝗍һᥱ ᥱᥒძ, һᥱ ძ᥆ᥱsᥒ’𝗍 kᥒ᥆ᥕ һᥱr ᑲᥡ sіgһ𝗍, ᥆r 𝗍᥆ᥙᥴһ, ᥆r s᥆ᥙᥒძ. ᥆ᥒᥣᥡ ᑲᥡ 𝗍ᥲs𝗍ᥱ.”
“𝗍һᥱ 𝖿ᥣᥲ᥎᥆r ᥆𝖿 һᥱr kіss ᥲ ᥴrᥲ᥎іᥒg, і𝗍s 𝗊ᥙᥲᥣі𝗍ᥡ ᥣіkᥱ ᥴ᥆mіᥒg һ᥆mᥱ.”
“𝗍һᥱ ᑲᥱs𝗍 𝗍һіᥒg һᥱ һᥲs ᥱ᥎ᥱr 𝗍rіᥱძ. ᥕіᥣᥣ ᥱ᥎ᥱr. ᥱ᥎ᥱr ᥴ᥆ᥙᥣძ.”
“ᥲ s⍴ᥱᥴіᥲᥣ kіᥒძ ᥆𝖿 sᥲᥣ𝗍.”

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster for the e-arc as well as physical copy arc. This book was incredible.