Konstantin Kostya Duhovny has clairgustance, a paranormal ability to taste favorite or key meals of those who have died and are looking for closure. He first discovers this as a young boy and no one believes him. Years later, he attempts to recreate a cocktail from an aftertaste like this and brings the spirit temporarily into the land of the living while the drink is being consumed. What does it mean to bring the Dead, even temporarily, back?

While less information is better headed into this read, please mind the content warnings as there are significant themes of grief, suicidal ideation, and suicide.This novel surprised me, or at least it felt like it shifted part way into a different novel in terms of plot and tone. Maybe I should have seen that coming as I feel like I usually do. The ending was bittersweet and I'm a bit conflicted on how the whole thing will sit with me. That said, I couldn't put it down once I really got into it

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will be published on 5/20/25. I will post to Instagram closer to publication.

This was a heartwarming story that is great for lovers of all things culinary and for those who enjoyed <i>Before the Coffee gets Cold</i>. To put it into simple terms, the book is like the icebreaker question “If you could have a meal with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?”

I found it to be extremely sentimental, and drawing on the idea that something simple such a food can provide context to unlocking memories and connecting with others. Overall, I the concept and the heartfelt moments shared between Kostya and the rest of the characters.

The ending had me emo. It was an easy read, but I did have some trouble with the writing style in the beginning.

This is a story about grief and the emotional connection we have with food. There are a lot of detailed descriptions of dishes and ingredients so if that appeals to you then you'll love this story. I found the plot compelling and the characters were well crafted. It did lose me a bit in the latter half but I did enjoy my time!

Thank you to NetGalley, Daria Lavelle, and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Please check the triggers, there are many things mentioned may be too difficult for some.

I did not like the ending lol everything was going great I hit the 85% mark and got a pit in my stomach. I felt Kostya’s pain from the beginning a flawed, struggling, lost character I related to him a bit. It was easy for me to get emotionally attached I wanted him to be happy and successful. Getting the closure he needed from his father, there were so many time I just wanted to hug him.

The author was amazing in painting such a vivid picture of the restaurant scene and the cooking details. It felt as if I was in the kitchen with a person chef having them explain everything. I’ve read a couple of books with characters connecting with the dead but this concept was a first for me. It was creative to see how he dealt with it his whole life and wanting to help others who was dealing with loss. The biggest lesson I got from the story was letting go. Keeping yourself in a state of grief for so long can be unhealthy. Leading you to bad habits and dangerous behaviors. It took me so long to write this review the story made me pretty emotional. I didn’t know how to put everything into words. I hope I’ve given enough for you to pick this book up and give it a chance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster publishing I received a ARC for an honest review !

Under The Whispering Door is my forever favourite book, so the second I saw it referenced in the description, this was instantly added to my TBR. After reading this, I do understand the reference to an extent but unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me.

I definitely think there’s an audience out there for this book, and I hope that it finds it. For me, the biggest miss was the author’s writing style but that is a very personal thing that of course many others won’t feel the same as me about. There’s a lot going on with the story, and some side stories don’t really seem to add much. I personally was not a fan of Maura at all, and she becomes a very prominent character. Konstantin / Kostya / Stan / Bones (there was so many names for this man, and all used regularly) was fine.

I did not expect for this story to go the way it did later in the book, and it did keep me intrigued as to what was going to happen next. I think foodies have a better chance at loving this - there is a whole lot of food in this, like specific ingredients and dishes, that personally meant very little to me as that’s not an interest of mine but I can see foodies being so into it. So overall, this just wasn’t for me but I am glad to have at least read it since it is a unique story and that’s always fun.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

A beautiful story about grief and the way that food connects us to our memories and to each other. I found myself tearing up at several points in the first half of the book as the author described the flavors of the meals and how each component linked to an aspect of the person's connection with their loved one. The third act of the book was where it started to fall flat for me; some of the characters began to feel very "caricature-y" and unrealistic, and a number of the plot points felt contrived and forced in an attempt to hurry up and move the story along. The third act seemed to lose a good amount of the emotional impact that had drawn me in at the start of the book, and at times was almost silly.

Overall I enjoyed the book and found parts of it very touching and impactful, but the third act felt like it slipped into a different category of story altogether, and didn't seem to fit the tone of the rest of the book leading up to that point.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC

When I read the description of this book, I knew I had to read it. Being a huge fan of the supernatural and also a long time service industry worker, this book had my attention from the get-go. It's beautifully written, the premise is one of the most interesting I've encountered in a long time, and it was incredibly hard to put down.

What I loved: The poetic writing, the well-formulated characters, the absolute barrage of adjectives (I felt like I could taste the food too sometimes!)

What I could have done without: While I understand that culture is a huge part of this book, sometimes it was hard to read with all the information about ingredients and dishes thrown at you at once. Maybe a glossary for the less-known food items/dishes? Also, the ending felt a little rushed. With the way the rest of the book was written so beautifully, it felt very anti-climatic at the end.

Overall, it was a super enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Aftertaste is a veritable feast. It will leave you feeling full, having devoured an expertly crafted story about love, grief, and the choices we have to make. But it will also haunt you, subsequent fare feeling paltry and meager by comparison.

This isn’t just a novel that you read and put back on the shelf. The characters, the spirits, the food - they will all become part of the fabric of you. They will haunt you in the best way possible.

When we first meet Konstantin he is a young man, a boy really, spending the summer reflecting on the loss of his father and the impacts it has had on his short life. Suddenly, he can sense his father’s favorite dish on his tongue - Pechonka prepared specifically by Kostya’s mother. As his journey through adulthood continues on, he finds himself washing dishes at a cocktail lounge and, in a moment of uncertainty, crafts a cocktail based on flavors he can taste in the moment. A cocktail that comes accompanied by a spirit! His patron, recognizing the spirit, is able to find closure after one last conversation with his late wife. It dawns on Konstantin that he may be able to replicate this! Clairgustance, this connection is called. Clairgustance is a physic ability in which a medium can taste flavors from beyond the veil. Could Kostya summon his father? Perhaps he could apologize for his outburst before he died? In his pursuit to find out he puts it all on the line: His name, his livelihood, the woman he loves. All of his accomplishments thus far, everything we have silently witnessed, celebrated or mourned, all of it could be lost when we learn that the spirits he has been able to summon back for diners are stuck and unable to move on.

Very rarely will a book leave me speechless but I was utterly broken by the end of Aftertaste. It will ruin you, but you won’t want to put it down.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review a copy of Aftertaste. All opinions are my own and have been shared voluntarily.

Daria Lavelle takes us from the culinary world to the afterlife in a mouthwatering and extraordinarily inventive tale about finding one's path through loss and grief. Food connects us with loved ones, marks momentous occasions and can summon those memories long after we're gone. Konstantin Duhovny harnesses this power of food to reunite grieving people with the ghosts of their deceased loved ones, for one final meal and closure. But when dealing with supernatural forces, what could go wrong? 

Aftertaste is a well-written page turner, with both gut-punching and laugh-out-loud moments. I really enjoyed it and recommend you add it to your TBRs, it's one of the most unique and creative stories you'll ever read.

Wow. What a cool story. Short, easy, synopsis. No spoilers.

Ever since he was a little child, Kostya can taste the favorite foods of the ghosts that are around him. He then takes on the trial of trying to create this dish. Maybe it's a little bit burnt, maybe is rich with peanut butter, etc. As he creates these ghosts favorite dishes, things start to change.

Okay, I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this book, and I have to say that I ended it and was reminded why I love to read! What a cool story. The love of food and flavors, a dark comedy, and even the meaning of life were all explored in this book.

I think readers are really going to fall for this unique book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the gifted e-ARC of this book.

Warning: you will be hungry while reading this book!

I really enjoyed the concept of this one! Konstantin (Kostya, Stan) is able to connect with the dead by recreating their favorite meal for a loved one (Aftertaste). He helps to help settle unfinished business or questions about their death while also searching for answers of his own.

The book left me wanting more from the characters. They just weren’t easy to connect with and lacked some depth. The entire middle of the book felt like the same thing being relived over and over.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley & Simon & Schuster for the arc!

**3.75 stars** This was quite an interesting combination of grief and magical realism–I loved it!

We follow Konstantin Duhovny (Kotsya) who is haunted by many ghosts–both family and strangers– and has a unique ability to taste the ghosts’ favorite food. After one particular haunting and experiencing the ghost’s aftertaste, he decides to cook what he’s tasting and discovers he’s able to see the ghosts as long as he’s continuously eating the food. Thus begins his journey of becoming a renowned chef that reunites people with their deceased loved ones. But of course, dealing with the afterlife doesn’t come without its list of challenges. What do these many reunions cost–at whose expense?

I absolutely loved the premise. As a visual reader, I can literally taste this book. It was incredibly immersive. I loved how the author weaves in the grueling restaurant industry and ties it seamlessly with Kostya’s ability. It just works so well. The responsibility of holding such a powerful gift—being able to reunite the living with the dead—comes with the need to be mindful of its consequences. There’s a delicate balance between life and death, and the story explores that in such a deep and thought-provoking way. It offered a different, fresh perspective on grief, and it was beautifully written.

Although the writing is absolutely stunning, some parts of the story dragged slightly but that didn’t take away the emotional impact or the heartfelt connection between Kostya and his love interest. Reading Kostya’s journey of grief and resilience is so inspiring, if you loved watching “The Bear”, you will absolutely love this book!

How do I describe this book? For someone who works with words for a living, I’m almost at a loss. By the end of this book, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. This one is not the type I would normally pick up, but it was incredible. I’ve never read a book that made me feel so much. One that utilized all five senses in such an ineffable way. I could taste the food, hear the sizzle of it cooking, I could smell it, I could feel it, I could picture every little nuance like a movie in my head. For all of you MFA professors out there, this is the book you want your students to read when you’re trying to teach them how to use setting and world building and emotion to create a fully immersive reading experience.

This story is about grief and how we deal with it, but it also incorporates something a little different. It explores the question of how grief affects the ones we’ve lost too. There are some really heavy themes in this one, but they aren’t overused or some caricature of stock emotions. It’s real and it’s beautiful and it’s sad and it’s happy and it rips your insides out so you can see them. And yes, this story did give me an aftertaste. Mine isn’t for someone who has passed on, but they may as well have. Macaroni and cheese with shredded cheese flamed on top, fresh crawfish, minimally spicy, mint chip ice cream pizookie.

There was only one thing that really bothered me, and that was the scene in the tattoo studio. As the owner of a studio that has been around for 26 years, I can tell you that everything about it was wrong. First, we don’t tell our clients to use Vaseline. Please, for the love of god, don’t use petroleum products on your tattoos! It keeps air from getting to the tattoo, which keeps it from healing. It also harbors bacteria. Also, we don’t say, “Lots of lube.” No, no, no. Never. Use an unscented, non-greasy lotion and rub it in all the way. If it’s shiny, you have too much on. Also, ink reactions don’t happen like that. They’re incredibly rare, especially with the new ink formulations, which most studios use. On the rare occasion that a person does have a reaction, it doesn’t happen instantly, and NEVER like what was described. I’ve literally never seen anything like what happened in that scene. I hope that part gets edited before publication!

Other than the tattoo studio scene, this is truly one of the best novels I’ve ever read. I’m genuinely shocked that this is a debut novel. I chose it originally because I thought it might be a good comp, but now, I’m a little embarrassed at my own audacity. To compare my work to this would be like placing myself in a pedestal that I didn’t earn. I hope to write as beautifully as this one day. Daria, you have a lifetime fan in me.

Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

WOW! I have never read anything like this ever before! This was such an interesting book. I loved the descriptions of food and cooking. I would have liked a little more meat to some of the characters. I know I will be thinking about this book for awhile.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with the ARC!

This is such a different book, I’m sure you’ll hear a lot about it. The main premise is that a young chef, Kostya, can taste ghosts — well, when the spirits are nearby, he can sense them via the aftertaste of a favorite or meaningful meal. And if he replicates that meal for a surviving loved one, the undead person will manifest while the meal is being consumed to possibly give closure. It’s not a horror story — the ghosts are mild-mannered and sentimental ghosts.

Kostya actually learns a name for his supernatural taste, clairgustance. The book is also a vivid look at the kitchens of the New York City restaurant scene, a foodie’s delight of multicultural dishes and spices, as well as foodie extremism: blowfish, ambergris and ortolan (all Google-worthy).

The plot stumbles a bit when Kostya tries too hard to make money off his ability with a ghost kitchen and when, as in many fantasies, the various world-building “rules” of summoning the undead are revealed. What triggers his aftertaste; what memories do the living have; was it a shared meal or the best experience? Once the meal,is shared, does the ghost move on?

Two first person POVs interrupt the narrative: There’s an initial tour-guide type narrator (“The Konstantin Duhovny Culinary Experience”) whose geographic NYC itinerary informs us that Kostya must have become some sort of famous. There’s also another italicized POV from the “Food Hall” who explains “the rules” — why some spirits linger through hunger and how appropriate the portmanteau “hangry” is. As much as Kostya is trying to find ghosts, the ghosts are also trying to find their version of an aftertaste.

I wanted to love this Flavors of the Dead story more, but Kostya is always a vert sad character who feels he must choose between exploring his talent or eventually pursuing a lover who wants him to stop. And, with most ghost stories, a lot of grief is written across the pages. I just felt unbalanced at times and couldn’t decide if I should finish or not (I did eventually). Anyway, for originality and the emotional mastery, 4 stars.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO No green eyes, but some greenish ghosts (also lilac and scarlet ones).
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Smell is also an exaggerated sense in this novel and the scent of flowers is also deeply experienced.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

This was one of my most anticipated books and I fear I built it up too much. I loved all the descriptions of food, the themes of grief, and the supernatural element but it seemed like the author was trying to do too much. The first 30% was awesome, the middle started to lose my interest, and the last 10% was just silly. I’m glad I read it but I was also glad to finish it.

Daria Lavelle's "Aftertaste" serves up a literary experience that defies conventional categorization—a ghost story told through taste buds, where the dead communicate not through whispers but through flavors. The prose lingers on your palate long after you've turned the final page, a sensory haunting that perfectly mirrors the novel's premise.

Lavelle's genius lies in her ability to transform taste into a narrative bridge between worlds. When Kostya tastes foods he's never eaten—signaling a spirit's presence—the descriptions are so vivid you'll swear your own mouth fills with phantom flavors. This synesthetic approach turns reading into a full-bodied experience, making the supernatural feel tantalizingly possible.

The novel's exploration of grief feels both achingly familiar and startlingly fresh. That universal yearning for one more conversation, one chance to set things right—Lavelle distills these emotions into something you can almost taste, bitter and sweet simultaneously. The narrative simmers with unexpected depth as it examines how we process loss and what true closure might actually require.

Kostya himself emerges as a beautifully flawed protagonist. His culinary gift—allowing the bereaved to commune with their dead while sharing a meal he's prepared—becomes a perfect metaphor for his emotional evolution. His desire to help others despite his own unresolved grief creates a character I couldn't help but root for, even as his actions verge on self-destruction.

What makes "Aftertaste" so distinctive is how it transforms the ghost story into something profoundly human. It's not about fear but connection—how the dead linger in our senses, memories, and the meals we share. Be warned: don't read this hungry, but do read it with your heart wide open.

I recommend the audiobook narrated by Ari Fliakos, Tessa Albertson, Andre Santana, and Kristen Sieh. Their full-cast performance breathes life into Lavelle's characters—particularly how Fliakos captures Kostya's emotional complexity through subtle vocal shifts. The narrators' delivery of the taste descriptions is so vivid you can almost sense the flavors yourself, making the listening experience utterly immersive from start to finish

Thank you, Simon & Schuster, Simon Audio, and NetGalley, for my free books for review.

My thanks to the NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

I am not sure how I feel about this book. Kostya brings people back from the dead, usually only once, so that those left behind can have closure for things left unsaid. But many of the dead become uneasy and want more from the here and now. Can he fix that? Possibly, with the help of his girlfriend, and his dead best friend.

I loved the story, but it just became a bit too unbelievable for me. That is the point of this book, though, to suspend belief. So, the fault is with me, not the book.

The descriptions of food and spices and cooking were beautiful and I could taste them all.

i loved this story! it was so unique and fun. What if you could have another meal with a passed loved one? I read this quick and enjoyed every second of it. Thank you NetGalley and Simon Schuster for this ARC!

I don’t really know how to properly write a review for a book like this, because anything I write pales in comparison to the skill used in this book to convey its message. This was honestly some of the best writing I have come across in a long time. The way in which Lavelle describes the food, not just the taste but the full sensation, it brings it to life in a way that is unbelievable. Truly, the food descriptions alone made this a 5 star read for me because they were THAT GOOD.

On top of that, though, we have a cast of relatable, fun and lovable characters. We get to see Kostya as a child whose family has immigrated from Ukraine, who then loses his father and cannot reconcile himself with the grief and guilt around that. Having lost a parent at a young age myself, all of this felt very true to life and struck home.

As Kostya tries to become an adult and find himself, he builds relationships, first with Frankie, who is incredibly charismatic and full of humor, and then with Maura, with whom Kostya experiences a deep love. The banter between Kostya and Maura in particular was witty and entertaining, and the depth of their relationship was beautiful.

Again, I would have been happy just reading endless descriptions of delicious food, but Lavelle skillfully delves into how our relationships with foods is tied to our relationships to people. As she states, “Food could do that. It could tell stories. Not just cuisines or component parts, but histories—of the people who’d prepared the dishes, the way they evolved them over time, the way they made them theirs. Leaving behind a recipe was a way to be remembered and savored and loved even after you were gone. A way to live forever.” This truly sums up the premise of the book and strikes so true to the human experience, especially when it comes to the loss of a loved one.

Without giving spoilers, I gotta say that the ending wrecked me. I understand why Lavelle did it this way, but man, I also resent it just a bit. Alas, it was a fitting end, if not the most satisfying for a hopeless romantic like me that always longs for a simple happy ending.

I have to end with one last quote that really rang true: “The Living, after all, ate mostly to remember. They marked their lives in food… To eat was to celebrate. Food was living, after all; food was love. It was how the Living coped. How they kept going. Shorthand for their entire lives.”

Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Daria Lavelle for the advanced copy for review.