Aftertaste is such an original story! It’s far different from my normal reads, but I loved this one. Our main character was enjoyable, the food made me hungry and the idea of bringing someone back for just one more meal together was so exciting. I wish it was a real thing! Love, humor, grief, ghosts and the magic of food brought this all together in a way that worked so well. The ending though… 😭 I can’t believe that this is a debut! Thanks so much to Simon and Schuster for my ARC.

ARC Review ✨️

♡Unforgettable♡

This story is truly remarkable and one that will stick with me for a while to come. This author created such a unique storyline and delivered it excellently.

Kostya is able to connect with the dead, but the weird thing is that he can't actually see them. Instead, he connects with them through taste. Meaning he can taste their favorite food, and that's how he knows a spirit is present.

I don't want to give anything away, but just know this book is absolutely incredible. Forewarning, it deals with some very heavy topics, so just be cautious while reading.

The ending was remarkable, and I'm really happy to say that I ended up loving this author's writing. Overall, I highly recommend this book, and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did!

A huge thankyou to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the ARC!

Kostya has always had random episodes of tasting foods that he has never eaten. The tastes are really strong and he can determine the ingredients, leading him to consider becoming a chef. One night, he experiences a strong aftertaste of a cocktail which leads him to realize what these aftertastes really mean. This opens up a whole new world to him and he pursues his dream, using his gift of aftertastes. This was SO GOOD! I could not put it down. The writing is so descriptive that I wanted to taste the foods. Don't let the description of ghosts in the story scare you away--this is a book about love and loss and using food to conjure up memories of the past. What a concept and the execution was ...I have to do it... chef's kiss!

Aftertaste is one of the most original books I’ve ever read. A true reminder of why magical realism is one of my favorite genres! It was poignant and creative and reflective, with the whimsy of Pushing Daisies and the raw emotion of The Bear. I love books that examine the nuances of grief and this one did it so artfully. The way the author wrote about the connection between food and memories was so creative and made for a book that felt like nothing I’ve ever read before.

For me, food and memories are inextricably linked. A freshly toasted piece of bread slathered with butter and doused in cinnamon sugar calls to memory weekends spent on the recliner at my grandparents’ house, binging Disney Channel original movies and feeling like a queen. Crunchy homemade Chex mix blanketed in a salty seasoning blend brings me back to the annual neighborhood Christmas parties of my childhood that I still feel nostalgic for every year. A perfectly salted French fry with a dollop of ketchup can transport me to the annual fry tour my college best friends and I did for several years a decade ago. A thick slice of homemade chocolate cake topped with decadent buttercream frosting makes me fondly recall my childhood birthday parties. And the smell of Andes mints alone always brings a wistful smile to my face and makes me think of my Nana. There are countless foods that bring back a rush of memories for me, and Aftertaste gave me that feeling in book form.

As quirky as the concept for this book may be, it’s also full of heart and depth. The food descriptions were incredible - do not read this while hungry! But ultimately it was the thoughtful exploration of complex grief, loss, and moving on made this a truly unforgettable read. Konstantine’s story was simultaneously heartbreaking and healing. This is a book that will make you reflect on the role food has played in the biggest moments of your life. It will surprise you, it’ll make you smile, and it might even make you shed a tear or two. You’ll definitely want to add this to your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Such a cool concept and very well executed. Magical realism done in a different way, makes you wonder if you were in the position how would you handle this type of power, who would you want to share a meal with?

I think I liked Aftertaste conceptually more than I did in reality. It is a really strong premise - using food (which we know ties HEAVILY to memory in humans) as a sort of tether for the dead to the living. I really like that idea in theory, but in execution, I do feel like Aftertaste left me wanting something more.

Although I loved the way that Kostya's life fit into the story (his strained relationship with his mother, and the fact that he deeply regrets the last words he spoke to his late father, which kind of drives the whole narrative), I didn't love him as a character. Or any of the characters, really. And I didn't love the way he fit with the rest of them. His relationship with Maura seemed really over-the-top to me. Like, they met once and now they're soulmates. But only on Kostya's end - at least at the beginning. You know how that one goes.

Kostya felt to me like every action he took was in service of a performance of himself, rather than any real characterization. He didn't feel authentic, know what I mean? Like, it feels like he hopped directly from living for Frankie to living for Maura. I know some people are like that, but...I don't want to read about them particularly...

I appreciate that he was doing what he was doing ostensibly to help people (while also working up the courage/practice to try to bring back his dad successfully), but it wasn't enough to keep me fully in the story.

Otherwise, the premise was pretty entertaining. Although I do feel the story failed to capture the horrors of working in a professional kitchen (especially one in a high-end restaurant), it did at least focus heavily on food. Although the line "I love you like salt" is going to haunt me - and not in a good way.

Rating:

★★★

Ultimately, I don't think I'm this book's target audience. I went out on a limb selecting it, because I am interested in both spec-fic and food, but it just didn't hit for me. However, if you like your speculative to be heavy on the contemporary fiction, this might be just the thing for you. I can see where other people would really dig on it. I'm just not those people.

This book had such an interesting premise and was PHENOMENAL. @jordys.book.club describes it as The Bear meeting Ghostbusters and I could not agree more!

“But that was the thing about food you ate when you had nothing:the smallest things- warmth, crunch, calories, someone making it for you, taking care of you even if only in some small way, or making it for yourself, proving that you could survive even when the world didn’t want you to-could make it the best thing you ever ate.”

“Grief's like leftovers that way. Like you made this four-course meal out of your love, but they only got to eat one little bite. So now you're stuck with all this food you can't bear to throw away, and all you can do is shove it in the back of the fridge to rot, or make yourself sick trying to binge it on your own."

Read this one. You won’t be disappointed. If you can, I highly suggest reading on audio. Narration is multicast and very much brings the story to life. I will miss these characters and this story will be one I think about for some time.


Tysm @librofm and @simonaudio for the early listening copy and @simonbooks for the early reading copy

5 stars

This will be a top book for me of 2025. It has a little bit of everything: family, friendship, romance, magic, and lots of food! I loved all of the food descriptions and the idea of food being the connection to our loved ones that have passed. It is honestly so relatable- I can still think of what my Gramps would be eating right now: Diet Coke, chicken, AND A BIG BOTTLE OF KETCHUP🥹😭 the idea to have one last meal with a loved one to get closure was so lovely. I also just loved the unique twist of “hungry ghosts” and how that hunger can consume not only the living but the dead as well. Each character in this book: Kostya, Maura, Frankie, and even the ghosts were so well written and completely came to life in my head.

The ending was absolutely heart wrenching and beautiful. I couldn’t keep it together and was left shook but in the best way. Bottom line: read this damn book. You won’t regret it.

What a stunningly unique book that I can’t stop thinking about. A marvelous story about life and death and the things that connect us.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy.

I don't know how to rate this one. I loved the premise and at certain parts of the book I was into it. But... But... I don't know to explain other than this book held me at arms length. Maybe because it never spent that long in a scene, never sunk fully into a characters mindset, their grief, before bouncing onto the next event, I could never feel deeply connected in the way I wanted. I could see the book. I couldn't immerse in the book. I don't know any other way to describe it.

But I still loved this concept. The characters, the setting. I just wanted it to slow down in each scene and for the pacing of the writing to speed up. Also the end is almost too crushingly sad, almost cruel to kostya.

I think this will be a big hit though and loved by people who get their hands on it.

4 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

Very unique storyline! Engaging story. Slow at parts, but i really loved the bookoverall. Will definitely read more from this author!

This is a tough one to review. I really enjoyed the first half, with its mouthwatering descriptions of food, but by the end the woo-woo became TOO woo-woo. I give the first half a four and the second half a three.

I don’t feel like this book resonated with me quite as much as some of the other books I have read about hungry ghost coming out this year. I did enjoy this idea of Konstantin being able to taste food that resonated with a special memory a ghost has with the person whom is keeping them connected with the afterlife. However, I don’t know that the story worked together as a whole. There were a lot of spots where the story dragged. Also, because the story was told from multiple views, that the reader was never quite introduced to until much later in the story I kept feeling like I was being thrown around in the story. I will say that the reveal of these extra points of view made senses once it was revealed what was really happening, but it took a very long time for the reader to get to that point.
Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

OMGGGGGGG I don’t know whether I was dying for food the entire.... Or wanting to cry the entire time.

This book warmed my soul in the best way and I LOVED everything about it.

It was such a gorgeous portrayal of grief and how we incorporate family and love into our food. I already wish I could read this book again for the first time.

IT WAS SO GOOD! If you love food and would love to read a beautifully written novel, read this book immediately!

This speculative fiction tale is a little scary, a little sad, but a lot warm-hearted . I was more interested in the culinary side of things and not as invested in the romance between Maura and Kostya, but I thought overall the good did a good job balancing the different stories it wanted to cover.

Aftertaste is a heartfelt, creative story about food, grief, and second chances. The main character, Kostya, can taste the favorite foods of ghosts—and that strange gift leads him into the wild world of New York’s kitchens, helping people reconnect with lost loved ones. I really had high hopes for this book, but it did fall short on many levels. I do have to state that I did just have a major loss in my life, and it could have affected my ability to enjoy the book fully. So maybe I will try again later.

Aftertaste is a mix of romance, magic, and mouthwatering food writing. Some parts are emotional, others are funny, and the concept is super original. If you like stories that are a little quirky but full of heart, this one’s worth checking out.

Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle is a dazzling debut. This is the perfect read for lovers of magical realism, foodcentric novels, NYC-based tales, and stories that make you feel deeply.

This story follows Konstantin, an immigrant-turned-chef who loses his father at a young age and subsequently develops the ability to taste and replicate The Dead’s favorite meals. What at first appears to be a unique way to meaningfully connect people with their loved ones quickly turns into a cautionary tale about holding on too tightly to the past.

In addition to an extremely unique premise (I had never heard of clairgustance prior to this story and I need more of this in my books!), we get gorgeous descriptions of Michelin star meals, the back of house restaurant experience, and what it means to give, receive, and lose love.

The narrative is a masterclass in magical realism. Lavelle seamlessly weaves in and out of several POVs, timelines, and parallel worlds throughout the book, creating a deeply immersive experience for readers.

I knew from the first 3 pages this book was going to be a hit for me and I was not wrong! I laughed, I cried (a lot), and I had my breath taken away. I implore you to check out this very special book. It’s an absolute stunner. Chefs kiss!!!

Daria Lavelle’s “Aftertaste” is a 5-course literary meal that caught me by complete surprise. Venturing into this story with no prior expectations or knowledge of the material, I found myself captivated. It has, without a doubt, become a strong contender for my favorite read of the year so far.

"Aftertaste" introduces us to a protagonist with an extraordinary gift: the ability to reconnect the living with their departed loved ones for one final, shared meal. This “Last Supper” offers a chance for closure for both the living and the dead. First realizing he had this gift when he was a child, he is reluctant to accept, or even explore this gift, until a series of unexpected events leads him down a path of self-exploration of his grief, pain, and pleasure, and that of others as well.

Structurally, the book is crafted to mirror a fine dining menu, an immersive choice that elevates the reading experience. It’s a genius move by Lavelle, which fully helps to bring the reader into the world of the story. Setting this narrative within the vibrant, ever-beating heart of New York City further enriches the tale, grounding the fantastical elements with the city's undeniable, almost mythical, connection to the culinary world.

I consider myself fortunate to have approached "Aftertaste" as a completely blind read. The unexpected twists and originality of the premise contributed significantly to my overall enjoyment, allowing each revelation to unfold with maximum impact. While the narrative takes a little time to cook and draw you in, once it gets going, it becomes a compelling experience, making it incredibly hard to put the book and story down.

Thematically, this book covers a profound exploration of loss, the enduring power of connection, and the unexpected paths to healing. It’s a story that lingers after finishing, much like the aftertaste of a favorite meal.

A million thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own and completely unbiased.

I give this one THREE Michelin stars!

The description sold me on this book. I had to read it. It is a debut novel about a guy with a unique ability and I had to learn more.

Description:
Konstantin “Kostya” Duhhovny is a haunted man. When he was a child, his beloved father died shortly after their family immigrated to Brooklyn from Ukraine, 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 meal he prepares for them. He realizes that perhaps his life’s purpose is offering closure to grieving strangers—and that he might finally be able to find closure himself.

Kostya sets out to learn everything he can by entering a particularly fiery ring of Hell: the New York culinary scene. As his kitchen skills begin to catch up with his ambitions, Kostya is too blind to see the catastrophe that looms. And the one person who knows Kostya must be stopped happens to be falling in love with him.

Set in the bustling world of New York restaurants and teeming with mouthwatering food writing, Aftertaste is a whirlwind romance, a heart-wrenching look at love and loss, and a ghost story about all the ways we hunger—and how far we’d go to find satisfaction. Lavelle’s debut is a multi-course tasting menu of a book that will sate, delight, excite, comfort, and inspire even the pickiest of readers.

My Thoughts:
Inventive and engrossing, this novel kept my attention throughout. It was hard to put it down. The descriptions of various foods are mouth-watering and vivid. Themes of romance, grief, suicide, depression, and supernatural ability. Kostya has a unique supernatural ability to taste a ghost's favorite meal and at one point the author provided a name for it, but can't find anything about it. I did some searching and did find some information on a supernatural ability to taste (but it had nothing to do with ghosts). I liked the creativeness and the plot of the story. I enjoyed the parts about the various restaurants and the interactions in the kitchen atmosphere. Kostya's interaction with the spiritual realm had some very surprising and unexpected effects. I enjoyed the story.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Thank you @simonbooks and @daria.lavelle.author for the free copy💖

🗓️Out 5/20/2025

✨What it is about:
Konstantine Duhovny can’t see ghosts, but he can taste their favorite foods. When he discovers he can help the living reconnect with lost loved ones through cooking, he dives into New York’s cutthroat culinary scene. But as he chases purpose, love, and fame, a reckoning brews in the Afterlife, and someone close to him may be the only one who can stop it.✨

💭My thoughts:
When I saw food was involved, I said yes please!
This was such a unique and solid debut. Konstantin, a ten year old boy, develops the ability to taste the favorite foods of lingering spirits after his father’s death. It’s a heart wrenching story (in more ways than one), about deep grief, the different bittersweet flavors of life and love, and all the unfinished business we carry.
You see, Konstantin’s last words to his father weren’t kind, and he’s regretted them ever since. When he tells his mom about his new ability, she sends him to a mental institution. He’s forced to lie and say he made it all up just to be released. From there, he begins a life journey to master his father’s favorite dish.
Through ups and downs and encounters with questionable characters, the story turns dark, moving, sometimes even funny, but at its heart, it’s a beautiful reflection on life, death, grief, and finding closure. It is well written, with rich culinary descriptions that will absolutely make you hungry.

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
🍽️Paranormal thriller
🍽️Romantic fantasy
🍽️Food and the culinary world
🍽️Heavy and dark reads
🍽️Unique reads
🍽️The spiritual world

⚠️CW: Grief, suicide and suicidal ideation.