✨ Recipes for an unexpected afterlife by Deston J Munden✨

Firstly a big thank you to Netgalley and the author Deston J Munden for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Recipes for an unexpected afterlife is one of the most wholesome stories I've read in a long time. Its current release date is October 14 2025.

The story follows Rottgor; an undead orc knight who is forced into retirement and therefore a second chance at living. Whilst initially uncertain with what he wishes to do, he can't help but be drawn to the possibility of sharing his gift of cooking with the community.

A tale of found family and letting go of the past, Recipes for an Unexpected Afterlife is a cozy story that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

I give this one 5/5⭐s

Re-readability: 90%, it's just so dang wholesome!

If you loved legend and lattes you will love this cozy fantasy! I couldn’t put it down it was so good! It’s one of the most unique cozy fantasies I’ve ever read! I loved the tie in with the food and the world building was easy to follow which I loved! I was blowed away by the writing ✍️ descriptions of food, made you feel like you were eating and along with a character! I loved the character development! I will definitely be writing this book again and can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy this fall! Thank you net galley! And
Destin munden for giving me early access to this cozy fantasy masterpiece! This book proves that just because it’s a cozy fantasy doesn’t mean it’s not deep or surface level! This book has so much heart and depth ❤️

Can’t wait to share with my followers this book! I will copy and paste this review everywhere when it is published!

Once I started reading Recipes for an Unexpected Afterlife, I simply couldn’t put it down. The prologue immediately grabbed my attention, and from that moment on, I was fully invested in Rottgor’s journey. I genuinely cared about the characters and found myself rooting for their happiness.

The worldbuilding was well done, particularly the political tension between the undead and the living, which added depth to the story. As a fan of Legends & Lattes, I absolutely loved the cozy food and restaurant elements. They blended seamlessly into the narrative without overshadowing the stakes of the plot.

The character development was another highlight for me. However, I do wish there had been more detailed descriptions of the various creatures, as I sometimes found it difficult to visualize them. That said, this book was truly tailored to my tastes, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was an easy 5 star read for me.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the author, Deston J. Munden, for the opportunity to read this wonderful story!