I thought this book started out a little slowly but was very intriguing. Pretty soon I was sucked in and was loving it and appreciated the unique structure and narration. However, I did find the last quarter to change tone and pace rather sharply and it became a bit more of an adventure novel. I think audiences will absolutely love this book but I was hoping for something a bit quieter and more literary based on the first half of the book. Still, I couldn't put it down so it gets 4 stars from me.

This book packed more of an emotional punch than I expected. I thought this would be a lighthearted magical realism story but within the first few chapters, my eyes were watering from a past scene involving the main character and his father. This book deals with the emotions of grief through the heartfelt love language of food. Different dishes can evoke such powerful memories in each and every one of us, and I loved that this book decided to make that the center of this story. A very unique premise and a touching read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me advanced access to a copy of this ebook!

loved this book. The author's writing was so descriptive that I could taste every bite of food, see every item through the characters eyes and hated when the book ended.

If you've lost a loved one and could and speak with them just one more time, would you do it? I would do/give pretty much anything to see/speak with my husband again.

This is without a doubt the best book of 2025. Grab a box of kleenex and buy this book.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this book about connecting with our lost loved ones. When Konstantin discovers as a boy that he has a way to connect with his dead father thru food, it opens the door to a question...should he share this power with others, to soothe their sadness? How will he use it? This book packs alot of emotional punch, and I loved how it tells little stories of loss and connections that Konstantin makes with others. It is a beautiful story.

This book is absolutely brilliant! It is her debut novel?! Whattt?! Aftertaste is a culinary carpet ride, spinning readers through a world of flavors, ghosts, loss, and love. It’s atmospheric and masterfully crafted—a true love letter to the NYC food scene, as well as a poignant exploration of grief, memory, and the longing to share just one more meal with those we’ve lost.

It made me reflect on the people I’ve lost and what their aftertaste might be, lingering like a cherished recipe passed down through generations. The story embodies the idea that time shared over food forms palatable, profound connections between us and those we love. The characters are deeply relatable, and the narrative is woven together with such skill, every element simmering to perfection until the last, satisfying bite.

I loved everything about it!

A flavorful ghost story with a unique palate. Impacted by the deaths and afterlife of loved ones, the hungry characters seek unworldly connections. Remembered foods stir up a blend of this world and that to feed the ravenous. This fantastical novel urges the reader forward with tidbits of suspense blended with gastronomic details that make the readers' mouths water while serving them a gourmet literary style. For those with an appetite for cookbooks and mysteries, this is the perfect read.

This book was intriguing, and made me hungry for more.

I enjoyed the story telling and concept. Dealt with grief in a way that was emotional but I felt it was healing.

Check this book out when it is released.

Loved this one! The descriptions of food are absolutely gorgeous, and the worldbuilding is so fun and textured.

Daria Lavelle’s *Aftertaste* is a poignant novel that intertwines grief, love, and the connection between memory and food in the high-stakes world of New York cuisine. The story centers around Konstantin “Kostya” Duhovny, who can taste the favorite meals of the deceased, allowing him to connect with those who have passed. This unique ability leads him into the intense realm of professional kitchens, presenting both blessings and burdens.

Lavelle’s evocative writing creates a synesthetic experience, where each dish evokes deep emotions. The novel explores themes of grief and the longing for one last moment with lost loved ones, culminating in a climax that is both inevitable and heartbreaking. The romance subplot adds tension, as the person who understands Kostya the best may also be the one to stop him.

*Aftertaste* is a bittersweet tale that resonates long after the last page, perfect for fans of lyrical, high-concept fiction.

Aftertaste is a darkly comedic exploration of family, food, and life’s messy moments. Lavelle’s sharp, witty writing makes this an insightful and enjoyable read.

Thank you Net Galley for this arc!
I started reading this book, and then it got too personal for me, and I sadly had to take a step back and DNF.

TL;DR: maybe one of the biggest surprises of the year, a really entertaining and surprisingly emotional paranormal thriller about a chef who is able to connect the living with the dead thru his ability to taste and recreate the dead's favorite dishes. It's a HUGE swing for the fences that starts off a little shaky, but finds its footing by the halfway mark and ends on a huge emotional note. I loved it.

Aftertaste is a unique blend of fantasy and culinary fiction. While this book wasn't for me, I can absolutely see the appeal to someone looking for a unique blend of culinary, humor and a little bit is magic realism/supernatural. If nothing else, you must appreciate the sheer range of dishes/cultures that were cooked!

This book feels like watching a fun cooking show comedy with some tender moments thrown in, so if that sounds like something you'd like, I'd recommend Aftertaste!

When Kostya was ten, his father died. At eleven, he started to taste entire meals in his mouth. He had no trouble identifying every ingredient but couldn’t figure out why he was tasting flavors from his dead father and others. After he told his mother about it, she institutionalized him, so he learned to keep this strangeness to himself.

Twenty years later, Kostya was a mess. The strange tastes still existed, he couldn’t hold a steady job or relationship and resorted to binge eating when things got rough. Years of blaming himself for the angry words he’d tossed at his father the last day he’d seen him alive, and self-torture had worn him down.

One late night an irate customer demanded a drink at a bar where Kostya had just become the dishwasher. After tasting flavors that suddenly appeared he created a drink and, as the customer drank, his dead wife appeared. Through their reunion the grieving husband was able to let her go, she moved on to her final resting place, and Kostya gained a purpose for his life. Through his mysterious ability for aftertastes he could bring happiness to those in mourning. But first, he had to learn how to cook.

I was hooked from the very beginning. Kostya’s struggles, and the ways he was able to get back up again after falling in so many ways, were very moving. His heart was always in the right place, though things didn’t always turn out the way he had planned.

Recommended for Adults.

I really liked the concept of this novel and was really into the first half. However, the second half (or whenever Konstantin met up with Maura again) got much darker than I anticipated. Don't get me wrong, I like dark, but I guess I was expecting it to go one way and it went another (though you can see it leading up to the darker things, I just think from the synopsis I was expecting it to be a more of a journey focused on grief/loss/closure).

With that said though, this felt like an original and new concept, which I appreciated. I also want to go eat a bunch of food now.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such as amazing, unexpected novel! But be warned, all of the exquisite descriptions of food will make this hard to read while you're hungry! Kostya's story is super engaging and unique—I had trouble putting this book down, and I honestly wanted to spend more time with it once I finished.

Great story from beginning to end, touching on ghosts, food, memories, NYC living, restaurants, and regrets with solid character development with a light, humorous touch.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I think this is one of those books that I will be buying as soon as it's released.

Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle reveals the story of Konstantin who can taste the foods of ghosts, which he calls aftertastes. He discovers if he makes the food and the ghost’s loved one eats the food, the ghost appears for one last conversation. Konstantin opens a restaurant to cater to the ghosts and people who long to connect to their loved ones. While this sounds heartwarming, ghosts sometimes don’t move on into the afterlife.

I recommend this book for readers who enjoy science fiction/ fantasy with elements of a psychological thriller. Passion for food and hunger for closure are mixed in for a story unlike any other. Grief, loss, and love are added in for extra measure. This was a rather dark story but explores the concept of the afterlife in a completely new way.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This book will be released May 20, 2025.

While I love the first half of this book, the second half fell a little flat for me. I'm not sure I ever understood Mara and Konstantin's relationship. Kind of ruined the vibe. Gorgeous writing though, and you can definitely tell the author knows their food.

What if you could have one last meal with someone you’ve loved, someone you’ve lost? Combining the magic of Under the Whispering Door with the high-stakes culinary world of Sweetbitter, Aftertaste is an epic love story, a dark comedy, and a synesthetic adventure through food and grief.

Konstantin “Kostya” Duhhovny lost his beloved father after their family immigrated to Brooklyn from Ukraine. He has been having contact with ghosts since he can’t see them but he can taste their favorite foods. HThis is his sign that a spirit is near when he can taste foods that he has never actually eaten in life. He has kept these aftertastes a secret for most of his life, but one night, he decides to recreate the taste and he brings a loved on back for a final goodbye.

Once he discovers that he can bring a deceased loved one back he feels he has found his calling.They can have one final talk at least for the length of time it takes for them to eat a meal he prepares for them. He hopes he will be able to bring his dad back.

All the descriptions of food will make your mouth water and crave food to eat while you read this.

If you have lost a loved one you can relate so easily to the desire to bring them back one more time to be able to say your final good bye and get closure.

This book captures you on page one and keeps you hooked until the end. This is a beautiful story of love, loss, friendship and how to move forward after loosing someone you love. It is very thought provoking, moving and emotional read. Add this to your TBR you will be so glad you did!

Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC. I really like food so ready descriptions about food is something I enjoy. However, the plot and characters were not interesting.