What a beautiful concept, Connecting with one in the afterlife through a culinary experience. In someway, it’s actually something we do when we pass down recipes and share meals that were inspired by loved ones who have passed on. Which is why it made this book sound so intriguing. Although I’m not a huge fan of stories that pertain elements of the supernatural , I thought this was one I could possibly enjoy. And I did. But I also thought I would find it more of an emotional read, and was literally prepared with a box of tissues at hand just in case. However they were never needed. Which with a story like this I would have loved to have a little more intensity It did make me quite hungry though. 😊

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I took my sweet time with Aftertaste, or should I say savory?

This was a fascinating novel for me both on a content and a craft level. Some interesting deviations in form and POV. Sentence level writing is beautiful and funny.

Deeply situated in the New York food scene (of which I am willfully ignorant), Ukrainian culture? (also ignorant), and the sense of taste (have not had mine returned to me post 2019 COVID…RIP right?) this is a sensory experience…with ghosts.

I genuinely enjoyed myself. There are a few things I could be nit picky about I think (what are “intelligent features”…what does that mean? Be specific,) this was a spooky and fun and also surprisingly poignant read.

The ghost aspect of this book was also immaculate. An imaginative take on an over(well?)done trope. The ending? Woof. Brought this from a solid 4 star read to a 4.5 for me easily. Really just, incredible.

Okay no more puns. This was a fun read. An author with a great voice. Someone give this book the cover it deserves….

“Aftertaste” blends coming-of-age, grief, horror, magical realism, romance, and culinary drama, creating a unique but genre-spanning story. The novel explores intriguing themes—how our inability to move on might hold others back, and how food serves as a bridge to memory rather than just sustenance. While the concept is compelling, I found myself wishing for a deeper dive into some of its themes, particularly the emotional weight of sharing one last meal with a loved one. The opening, however, is undeniably powerful and deeply affecting.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC and the opportunity to review the book before being published on 5/20/25.

This is a love story. Plain and simple. Presented in a unique way but with a concept we all know - food, tastes, flavors have the ability to transport us back to another time and place. Making and serving food to someone is an act of love (even if the food itself may not be a gourmet meal).

If you’re a foodie, like ghosts stories and maybe a bit of love, this is your book. Toward the end there is a page where Konanstain has a list of the 5 flavors: savory, sour, sweet, bitter, salty and the things that he classifies into each one. And it’s beautiful because while sweet may be sugar, it’s also “your name in my mouth”. Come on!

The writing is beautiful, lyrical and well thought out. This is a novel I think I’ll have to read more than once because aside from the main story, I’m certain I missed some of the nuanced culinary writing.

I loved this book! It’s hard to believe it’s a debut novel and I want everyone to read it. Aftertaste touches on so many facets - grief and letting go, love and death, memories and their connections to loved ones, and a lot of food! At its heart, I would categorize it as fantasy/magical realism with a bit of horror, romance, and dark humor. Such a unique premise, so much imagination, and like nothing I’ve read before.

Rapid-fire notes:
- Characters were well-developed and discernible.
- We have one main POV with a couple others sprinkled in.
- I liked the ending. The ending can make or break a book for me and I think this one was done well.
- So fun to read a book with NYC as the setting, as someone who lives close and often makes trips in.
- It made me think about the aftertastes in my life - which foods or meals hold special meaning or memory because of who I shared them with? What would my aftertaste be?
- Every time I thought I knew what we were dealing with, things took another turn (in a good way!).
- Minor nitpick: the tattoo shop scene didn’t seem realistic. Both the timing and the reaction.

I think readers who like speculative fiction, the supernatural, and the culinary scene, and who don’t mind a bit of romance and a whole lot of food descriptions, will enjoy this book.

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

I’m an outlier on this one. I loved the premise and potential but the story, as it evolved, just wasn’t to my taste. ;)

4.25/5 Stars

I could have predicted that I would cry while reading this book, but I didn't realize how much I would bawl. This story took me by surprise along with the twists and turns. This story is filled with love, sadness, grief, and above all how we make connections to others.

We meet Konstantin Duhovny, who has not had an easy life reflecting on his childhood and his father's untimely death. Short on luck he does have a solid best friend, Frankie, who encourages him to pursue his connections to ghosts and spirits and his desire to help others get the closure he has never had.

This story was poignant, easy to engage with and left me feeling all my feelings. I won't go into depth because I want to avoid spoilers but it was such a heartfelt exploration of what it means to lose loved ones and how we connect with them when they are gone. As I was reading I felt myself remembering what it was like to share my favorite foods with family members no longer here and I think that is a beautiful feeling to capture in a book.

I would highly recommend this book for those who are ready to read it, those that like exploring the supernatural and those that love to think. Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced readers copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author Darie Lavelle has giving readers a unique tour de force in her book Aftertaste. She has somehow blended love, friendship, ghosts and the New York culinary scene into a literary entry so tasty you can’t put the book down.

Konstantin Duhovny has the gift of taste. From a game he played with his father to what is called “clairgustance” after his father has passed. He has the psychic sense of being able to taste the other side. He’s (sometimes) able to construct a recipe from the flavors that come to him when he’s talking to a person who needs closure with someone who has died. It turns out that the departed on the other side also hungers for the ability to move along.

Kostya a likeable character. He’s the kid who was bullied on the playground but still keeps his soul and integrity and desire to please. His journey through the book, his frustration and need to get the messages he’s receiving on his taste buds on to a plate lead him from washing dishes in a high end restaurant to opening a one table concierge service in his own apartment that gets closed down by the board of health. But he continues to “figure it out” and move along. The author has truly made her protagonist endearing.

I loved every page of this book. Just in case there is someone with the gift of clairgustance who can summon the dead I’d like to order tomato soup, a grilled cheese sandwich cut into soldiers and a Yoo-hoo. Then I’ll wait for that special someone to appear.

Reading this book gave me conflicting emotions. There are parts that read like one big food critics review, which just didn’t interest me or keep my attention. I appreciate some of the food descriptions. I can see how they are intended to set the mood and give introduction to the ghosts being called. But I do feel they were too lengthy and some were even revolting when flavors of foods were described that I personally don’t like. For example, I can’t stand liver. When it’s described at length in a dish it’s more of a turnoff than a narrative that engages my attention. That said, I thought the idea of this book was brilliant and uniquely clever! I adore the stories and interactions of the characters with their departed loved ones. I found myself cheering for Kostya. The book was well written and very descriptive with attention to detail and character development. It will appeal to many, especially foodies. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

*Aftertaste* is a unique and emotional story about Konstantin Duhovny, who has the ability to taste the last meal someone ate before they died. By recreating that meal, their loved ones are given one final chance to see them. What begins as a personal gift expands when Konstantin opens a restaurant where people can reconnect with the deceased.

I was hooked from the beginning. The book combines literary fiction and supernatural mystery, delving into themes of grief, memory, and the bond between food and loss. It’s darker and more emotional than I anticipated, but in a really good way. As a foodie, I loved the focus on food, though it might not appeal to everyone. The writing was captivating and kept me turning pages.

Overall, *Aftertaste* is a thought-provoking and unique exploration of grief. If you enjoy stories that make you think, this one is definitely worth checking out. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

My first though when I finished this book was, that was not fun. This is a dark read, it’s sad. The main character Konstantine, is reaching out through the whole book for a connection to his dead father, or others that need to connect to persons that passed. He is driven to be needed, to the point of bleakness. His mother is a shadow, his friends/coworkers, a mob boss, just a wisp of smoke. He is the center focus of the story and I found him a pitiful lost man and couldn’t find any care about him. As a character driven reader this blew the whole book for me, I didn’t enjoy it at all. The story was fascinating in it’s concept. Meeting the dead through their favorite meals, there were so many possibilities there. I asked to read it based on the blurb, I love ghost stories and am a foodie but it didn’t hold up for me.

My expectations were initially a bit low, but then a plot twist happened about 1/3 of the way through and I was more or less hooked. A little tropey in places, but refreshingly new in others.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.

A really unique read that is unlike anything I have read in recent memory. Excellent writing and characters. I admit that I found some of the earlier parts a little confusing but that could have just been my attention while reading -- five stars for the utter uniqueness of the concept and the execution by the end.

I UGLY cried. Not cutesy. Not demure. Cried with every ounce of my body. Needed a Liquid IV (should they sponsor heart-wrenching book reviews 👀) This book took me on a journey of love, grief, life, and closure. I’m speechless. It just might be my favorite book of the month.

Swipe the pic for the GoodReads blurb!

What I loved:
Even with the paranormal aspect, the characters felt human and raw. I felt their grief and their struggles. I wanted them to win and I wanted them to feel the closure they needed to move on.

I have no complaints. ✨Spectacular give me fourteen of them✨

I know this is her debut and she will forever be on my auto-buy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Aftertaste by Daria LaVelle.
After reading the synopsis, I was very excited to read this book. Sadly, this one was not for me. I struggled through this one, and although it had promise, the writing style is not one that I enjoy.

This book was so unexpectedly sweet, endearing, funny and thought provoking. Konstantin loses his dad at a young age and realizes that he has these strange tastes that come to him, of very specific flavors and meals. They turn out to be memories basically of important foods from ghosts. He goes on a wild adventure of helping the ghosts connect with loved ones, finding love and closure himself and becoming a chef. He’s such a sweet well meaning character that you can’t help but root for him. The overall concept was so different and enjoyable. Some of the food descriptions felt a little much sometimes but I watch a lot of food shows so it was nice and gave you a good feel for the meal & the ghosts. Really wonderful book overall!

Thank you to NetGalley & Simon & Schuster for letting me read and review this!!

Aftertaste is a unique read. Kostya’s gift of tasting ghosts’ favorite meals is such a clever idea, and the way he uses it to help others is both touching and bittersweet. The vibrant New York culinary scene adds excitement,totally worth reading!

Delicious, captivating story about a mediocre guy with a very unique gift of a ghostly palate. Struck in the mouth by dead stranger's core meal memories like random lightning; Konstantin AKA "Bones" is capable of reuniting the living with their dead loved one for the time it takes to consume the memorial dish. Konstantin's personal loss combined with his gift become his blocker in life. Once he embraces his supernatural potential by diving deep into the top tier of the New York culinary world, things get complicated. There's love, loss, haute cuisine, Russian Gangsters, ghosts and a glimpse at the Afterlife. Highly recommend, this is a great time!

2.5 stars.

I want to be clear about this: I love food and I love ghosts. Normally, a book like this would have worked beautifully for me. And it did have a really cool concept. I love the idea of a chef being able to taste a spirit's most meaningful meal. There were lovely passages throughout the book, and I do think that Lavelle can write nice prose.

Here were my issues:

1. I didn’t like the main character, Konstantine. He was stubborn and surprisingly judgmental of everyone he met. The overall narrative tone confirmed this, as the mere descriptions of strangers often included insulting adjectives and felt negative for seemingly no reason. He was always cranky. I found him difficult to root for, even knowing many useful things about his difficult past. Something about his attitude and behavior just didn’t sit right with me, and I was mostly just annoyed. When confronted with drama involving the other characters, his choices and behavior in those instances only made me dislike him more. (While we're on the topic, I didn't really care for Frankie, either.)

2. The romance was way too sappy for me. Kostya's obsession with Maura came across as creepy and overbearing. She was so beautiful and perfect and flawless that when she finally did show a weakness it was too much for him. I wasn't feeling the magical couple thing. And some of their dialogue was honestly too corny for me. I almost put the book down permanently but I wanted to find out what was going to happen, so I pressed on. This book should have been emphasized more as a Romance in the description so that I knew what I was getting into.

3. The rules of how everything worked with the ghosts and the cooking became a bit too complicated. Things started out pretty straight forward, but then the rules changed and evolved and there was so much more to it that I got confused. I think that Lavelle was building up this world, but I had trouble following at a certain point. (May have just been me.)

There were aspects of this that I enjoyed. I liked the concept of sharing a brief meal with the ghost of someone special to you who has passed away, and how the act of dining as an intimate and meaningful experience plays an important role. It seems as though the idea of “temporary reunion with a spirit” is becoming a common theme in new fiction, because I’ve seen several books on my feed with this concept recently. This story had moments that were profoundly sad and dark, but the tone shifted too far into the realm of cheesy romance for me and kept me from feeling invested.

Minor nitpick, but there was also a scene in a tattoo parlor that was filled with inaccuracies. (Example: It's absolutely possible that I misread/misunderstood some things, but it sounded like the character was getting a full sleeve done in one appointment. That would take literal days. I also think that if you're going to have a bad reaction to the ink it'll happen before a full sleeve has been completed. But I've never had an experience like that when I've been tattooed, so maybe I'm wrong.)

"Aftertaste" WILL make you hungry! That’s the thing: Lavelle clearly knows a lot about the culinary arts, and honestly I could read her vivid descriptions of food all day long. These were the standout passages for me. If she were to release a work of nonfiction in which she talked about the world of cooking or even just critiqued restaurants, I would absolutely check it out.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Biggest TW: Disordered eating, Suicidal ideation/Self-harm, Depression, Substance abuse/Overdose

Daria Lavelle’s debut novel, Aftertaste, presents an intriguing premise: Konstantin “Kostya” Duhovny, haunted by his father’s death at a young age, possesses the unique ability to taste the favorite foods of nearby spirits. This synesthetic experience leads him into New York’s high-stakes culinary scene, where he discovers he can reunite the living with their deceased loved ones through carefully prepared dishes.

As a self-proclaimed foodie with a deep desire to reconnect with lost loved ones, I was initially captivated by this concept. The first half of the book engaged me, blending dark comedy and a heartfelt exploration of grief through the lens of gastronomy. The vivid descriptions of food were mouthwatering, and the emotional depth added a rich flavor to the narrative.

However, after the halfway mark, the story took a turn that left me feeling disconnected. The narrative became increasingly erratic, with an overuse of parentheses that disrupted the flow and made the reading experience feel disjointed. It was reminiscent of a Baz Luhrmann film, with a chaotic and unpredictable circus ringleader interjecting between chapters.

As the plot delved into darker, more macabre territory, it felt misaligned with the book’s initial marketing and my expectations. While I can appreciate this is an avant-garde, artsy novel with a touch of the paranormal and a deep dive into New York City’s cutting-edge foodie scene, this particular blend didn’t resonate with me as I had hoped.

That said, Aftertaste will find an audience. Readers who enjoy unconventional narratives that push boundaries and explore the intersections of food, love, and the supernatural may find this novel to be a delectable treat. While it wasn’t to my personal taste, I can see its appeal to those seeking a unique literary experience.