An enjoyable read with interesting characters & storyline. I will be looking for more from this author! Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.

I really enjoyed Aftertaste! It is such an interesting concept and I liked how it was more dark than cozy. It made me really contemplate my life, morality, and lingering conversations and relationships.

I am curious about the author’s choice with the ending but I thought it was satisfying. I would definitely recommend this one!

This book had such a great premise and as a foodie I was loving the food descriptions, it kept making me hungry.

I loved the "I love you like salt", salt can be such an underrated ingredient but if used properly can elevate even the simplest dish. I loved the way Kostya explained to Maura about salt, it made it very visual to me and transported me to the book.

The book lost me a bit on the built up reunion, as I wanted more, so I felt like it lacked a bit but other than that my only other complaint was the price paid, which I understand and was very well done but I just did not love it.

Overall, this was a great book the author did a fantastic job incorporating food and tastes.

I give this book 3.5 stars, rounded as there are no half stars here.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Konstantin Duhovny has been haunted since childhood - not by the usual flickering lights or ghostly whispers, but by tastes. Out of nowhere, he can taste the flavors of the dead: meals he’s never eaten but instantly recognizes as someone else’s favorite. When he finally decides to act on this strange gift, he discovers he can give people a fleeting reunion with their lost loved ones, one meal at a time. It’s haunting, it’s beautiful, and it’s just weird enough to feel completely original.

What I loved most was how the story balanced its layers. The food writing is so good you’ll probably end up hungry (maybe even inspired to cook something new), but beneath all that, this isn’t really a book about food. It’s about grief and love, about what we hold on to and what we have to let go.

For a debut, Aftertaste is surprising, emotional, and unlike anything else I’ve read in a long time. But trust me - don’t start it on an empty stomach.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle in exchange for an honest review. The book is out now so you can - and should - run to snap it up. It’s fabulous!

If a Stephen King ghost story and a Ruth Reichl food memoir had a baby, it would be this book. Exceptionally written, wildly inventive and completely unique, the novel follows Konstantin Duhovny, a budding NY chef who, since the death of his father when he was a boy, has experienced what he calls “aftertastes” - the taste in his mouth of a food that has meaning for a dead person’s loved one that is so strong, it breaks through from the other side. When Kostya meets a beautiful medium, he decides to try making things happen, rather than having them happen randomly. After all, wouldn’t it be wonderful if a shared meal could bring back your loved one from the dead, if only for a few minutes? What could go wrong?

Great storytelling, terrific food writing, compelling love story. Five enthusiastic stars and I’ll be looking for more from this writer.

Oh this was a wonderful speculative fiction book that begs the question of whether or not you would see your loved one one last time after they pass. I was not expecting the message of this book but truly appreciated the deeper levels of this story and the character growth.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had such a unique concept, and while it carried plenty of sadness, it was also incredibly entertaining and kept me intrigued until the very end!

Konstantin Duhovny has carried the weight of losing his father since he was 10—and the ghosts of that loss show up in the strangest way: through the lingering flavors of international cuisines that haunt his taste buds. When he finally decides to figure out why, he ends up on an adventure he never saw coming.Gifted with the ability to reunite people with their loved ones through food, Konstantin steps into the NYC culinary scene with a talent that transforms dining into something extraordinary. Yet while his gift brings closure to so many, it also stirs up wounds—old and new—that threaten to unravel his world and maybe even cost him his life.

👻I thought this was an absolutely fantastic debut novel from Daria Lavelle and is holding a spot as one of my most favorite books of 2025! It had such an interesting premise and I loved how the story was primarily told through food. I’ve worked within the confines of the NYC restaurant scene for 15 years and I thought Lavelle wrote a great depiction of how cutthroat it can actually be. I also got incredibly hungry every time I picked up this book!

👻 I loved all of the different “ghosts” and how their backstories were like mini stories within the story. The magical realism quality to the book really evoked a haunting feel and, while there were moments of happiness in the book, overall, it dealt with grief, loss, love and how food can have the power to tie all of that together.

This book is more touching and sentimental that I anticipated. The beginning was a bit slow for me, but it avalanched into an emotionally beautiful ending. Completely worth trudging through any perceived grievances just to experience Konstantine's story to completion.

While I don’t typically gravitate towards fantasy or speculative fiction, both the high early praise and the SWEETBITTER comps pulled me towards this one. And damn—it’s one of the most unique things I’ve read in a loooooong time. For decades, Kostya has been haunted by his father’s death in a unique way. Instead of seeing ghosts, he can taste their favorite meal. As this power launches him to culinary fame in New York’s food scene, he’s blinded by his success in ways that could prove detrimental. WHEW! This was so unique and honestly, just a really special book. It’s packed with the NYC foodie details I’m always craving, but has an added layer of emotional depth with the afterlife/ghost premise. It’s smart, emotional, and incredibly well-written. Honestly, begging to become a TV show, IMO.

Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle is such a unique and memorable read. It combines two things I absolutely love, food and ghosts, into a story that feels fresh and heartfelt. The main character, Konstantin, is an immigrant who discovers after his father’s death that he has a strange gift. He can taste the “aftertastes” of the dead, the favorite foods that linger with their spirits.

This discovery leads him to open a restaurant in New York City where people can reconnect with their lost loved ones over a final meal. I loved this idea so much. The food descriptions are rich and vivid, and the way Lavelle ties flavors to memory and grief is both beautiful and emotional.

There is also a love story between Kostya and Maura, a psychic with a troubled past. Their relationship adds heart and hope to a book that already balances the supernatural with the deeply human experience of loss.

Aftertaste is moving, creative, and unlike anything I have read before. It stayed with me long after I finished. If you enjoy stories that blend food, love, and the supernatural, this is one I highly recommend.

obsessed with this one!!!

captivating in every way: spooky, suspenseful, and spicy… in a very appetizing, food-forward sort of way. also enjoyed the side romance. this book had everything! and it was so beautifully written. love, love, love!

(Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

I went into this completely blind but was hooked by the end of the second chapter. Very unique story. Emotional and layered. Wasn't expecting the turn with the ending, but it felt complete.

This book needs to become a movie or a series like now!!! I absolutely loved the crossover of epicurean desires with the paranormal, swirled together with the heavy theme of grief. This book was like food for my soul!

In Aftertaste, food and remembered tastes are what link people to emotions and loved ones--even after death. Since childhood, Konstantin is blessed and cursed with the ability to sense ghosts' most meaningful meals, in the form of a taste in his mouth when the ghosts are near. As he gets older, he learns to cook and how to help people connect to their dearly departed.

This story by Daria Lavelle is superbly written. So many cultures and their foods are woven into this culinary masterpiece, as is only fitting for a book that takes place in NYC. The story adeptly depicts grief and loss, and how the way we process it can change so much. There's also a romance plot which I found sweet (or rather, salty) and beautiful. The climax is the perfect balance of high stakes and emotions. Overall, a delicious read. I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley (apologies for the late review).

One year after his father’s unexpected death, 11-year-old Konstantin “Kostya” Duhovny mysteriously gets the taste of his father’s favorite food, pechonka, in his mouth. As an adult, wracked with guilt because he and his father quarreled at their last meeting. Kostya is tortured by memories of being a social outcast in school. His mother stopped coping after losing her husband. Kostya gets by with menial jobs and binge-eating. He is confused by the mysterious ability whose purpose he doesn’t know. Until one night, mistaken for the bartender in a speakeasy where he washes dishes, he gets the taste of a drink in his mouth—the favorite drink of a drunken customer’s dead wife. He mixes it, and the wife’s ghost appears. Both spirit and widower seem to get closure from this final meeting.
Maura Struk, the psychic Kostya consults about his gift, warns him, to not make their food again…you’re no match for the Afterlife. Kostya ignores her advice when a sinister Russian businessman/gangster, Viktor Musizchka offers him the chance to become a very special kind of restaurateur, making dishes to summon their ghosts for grieving survivors—for a hefty price. Even Maura, who re-enters the novel to become the love of his life, encourages him, and Kostya seems bound for success. Though things are not as they appeared. Lavelle writes a twisty plot filled with mouthwatering descriptions of food and some very hungry ghosts. Both Maura and Viktor have dark hidden motives. What are these hidden motives? The disastrous opening night of Kostya’s restaurant provides a devastating climax, followed by a poignant final twist.

The author writes conjuring scenes behind the swinging doors, where head chefs hassle, sous chefs hustle and sweating waitstaff barrel in and out of the kitchen. It is a satisfying and thought-provoking novel that uses its imaginative supernatural premise to explore the very human landscape of memory and identity. It’s a story that affirms the power of food to connect us to our pasts, our loved ones, and ourselves. I ended up being aware of a question I asked myself “ If I could have one last moment with a dead loved one, would I?” My answer is I don’t know. The novel is a a food story, a ghost story, a love story and a .supernatural thriller. This is my favorite novel so far for the year 2025.

4.5 out of 5. This book is a trip, a little Ghostbusters meets Michelin restaurants. The premise is absolutely bizarre but somehow really appetizing? This book is weird and should not have worked but it absolutely does. You end this book not really sure what ride you just went on but willing to go on it again whenever Lavelle publishes another book. As a foodie, I really appreciated the food descriptions, and how intricate the recipes and the food memories were, i think i needed a sampler whilst reading. Definitely go in knowing its going to be wild and you'll have a great time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the advanced copy. There are plenty of unforeseen twists and turns on the menu. In addition to creative and moving ghost encounters, there are gangsters, otherworldly food courts, and even a pure embodiment of evil– a food critic. The narrative poses two compelling questions: Will Konstantin find resolution with his father, and will there be a price to be paid for disturbing the balance between the living and the dead?

👨🏻‍🍳 DINE WITH GHOSTS 🍽️
Have you lost someone? Recently bereaved, and reliving the past? Mourning for the long haul, unable to let go? Wish you had one more chance to tell them how you feel? We can help. Have a last meal together at the Hell’s Kitchen Supper Club. You bring the memories; we’ll bring up your ghosts. (Seriously.)
RSVP required. One diner per night.
Seating at 8 PM. Pay what you can.
Serious inquiries only.

This book. What a unique concept!
It’s the story of a young man who has always been “effected” by uninvited tastes.
The catch?
The tastes are from deceased individuals, of their favorite food. Konstantin realizes the souls from the afterlife can be brought back for a brief time to share a few precious minutes with a loved one, with his help.
His method?
Cooking their favorite food.

This is a love story, a dark comedy and an unheard of synesthesia experience. I really enjoyed it, and it’s unexpectedly emotional and touched my heart ♥️
I can’t believe this is a debut novel!

Thank you to @simonbooks and @netgalley

This book blew me away with it's unique and trippy concept. Kostya has the ability to experience a powerful taste of a meal/drink that is significant to a person who has passed away but whose spirit is still lingering nearby tethered to a still living human. When he recreates the taste perfectly and the living being consumed it the deceased is visible and can have a conversation for the duration of the meal. Kostya is obsessed with the idea of bringing back his father to make up for their ill fated last conversation. Focusing his entire life around food Kostya eventually creates a dining experience for others to have one final meal with their dearly departed. What Kostya doesn't consider is what is happening behind the veil, why these spirits are still present., and what effects his aftertaste meals have on the dead. This book was riveting and visceral. I wanted to eat everything Kostya cooked, was entranced by his love story with Maura, and was moved by the ending. This book isn't perfect, some parts were really bizarre, even more magical realism, and sometimes it went on a bit too much., But overall this was unlike anything I had ever read and I enjoyed it.

Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle is a hauntingly beautiful novel centered on Konstantin, a man grappling with the immense loss of his father and a most unusual gift: the ability to taste the meals of ghosts. The core of this story is a poignant exploration of grief, weaving through its different stages—from denial to anger and, ultimately, a search for meaning.

The book excels at using food as a powerful metaphor for human connection. The meals Konstantin tastes are not just flavors; they are echoes of the people and memories attached to them, highlighting how our relationships are built and sustained through shared moments, often around a table. This unique premise offers a genuinely thoughtful look at how unresolved grief can impact both the living and the dead, and the necessity of finding closure in the face of loss.

The novel is a truly original and a deeply thoughtful read. It's a mystery that is less about what happened and more about how we process the things that happen to us. Aftertaste is a rewarding experience for anyone who appreciates a story with a quiet, emotional depth.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Shuster for this thoughtful read.