Food to Die For

5 stars

This is one of the best and most fun cookbooks/history books I’ve ever encountered.

Right up my alley with the haunted history, and the recipes were amazing. You had my heart with croissant bread pudding…like wth??? Hello, YES!
I dont eat seafood, but even those recipes looked and sounded delicious.

This is an absolute must own. The photos, the history, the easy recipes. I absolutely love this book.

#NetGalley #FoodtoDiefor
A perfect combination or haunted history and recipes within the local geographic and time period. This book is great for anyone who loves haunted history/ true crime and loves cooking. I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest review.

The cover of this book drew me in and I am ever so glad it did!

A paranormal investigator, Amy Bruni, travels across the country to find the most haunted, notorious, locations and then gives us a history lesson and a recipe! Two of my favorite things!

The photos and the information is great and the recipes are sometimes interesting, but tie in with the location.

What a great idea this was!


NetGalley/ Harper Celebrate July 30,2024

Thanks NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for this arc!

5/5 stars

This is such an interesting concept! I love how there was so much history on each haunted location, it really brought everything together. The photographs were really stunning, however some of them are SO VERY DARK and like I get it for the aesthetic of this book, but I hope they'll be lightened up at least a bit for print as the content is quite hard to see. Some of these recipes sound super good and some I don't think I'd make, but that's more of a me thing than the recipe itself. The extensive bibliography in the back really shows how much work Ami Bruni put into this! I love how it was categorized by location type, and at the back the recipes are organized by course, AND there's a suggested meal planning section too!? How fun! This will be great to have during spoopy season, and for any paranormal investigator lover!

Oh my goodness, I had no idea that I needed a cookbook like this in my life! I love all things haunted and paranormal so to follow these stories up with a dish from that time/location is amazing! I can't wait to try out some of these amazing recipes!

A collection of recipes based around supposedly haunted places like Lizzie Borden's house and the Stanley Estes Park Hotel (the inspiration for The Shining). The write ups of the locations are very interesting, and the food photographs are gorgeous. Some of the recipes probably won't get many takers (hardtack?!) but there are a few delicious-looking ones! A perfect gift for the spooky cook in your life.

The recipe for this book is 3/4ths haunted happenings and 1/4th cookbook.

While I am admittedly a tad skeptical of the paranormal, I found the framework of mainly focusing on the places

The titling of this book might mislead a lot of potential readers. Those just looking for the recipes will be sifting through haunting accounts and historical information to get to the food!

I do think it's a tad silly that some included recipes aren't even reccomended to eat.

My favorite section being the Hotels and the photographs of the buildings, menus, and other documents.

As someone who really like gothic horror, this cookbook is a must to have in my collection. I like that there are lots of featured haunted places, plus a dish to associate it with. Very interesting indeed!

I think it is such a good idea to mix haunting tales with food, it follows my macabre interests and love of food, amazing.

What a gorgeous collection of locations, stories, and recipes! The photography was gorgeous, the layout was easy to read even on an ereader, and each recipe was clearly explained. That said, i probably won't be making most of these recipes either because they include items I can't ingest (alcohol and shellfish) or because they don't sound very good at all without major adjustments (sorry Lizzie, don't ax me, but your meatloaf is boring). Its still a great book to add to your recipe shelf or coffee table for conversations!

Thank you to NetGalley Food to Die For.

I loved this book! It combines two of my favorite things in the world; scary stories and food!

I don't watch reality shows, even supernatural based ones so I wasn't familiar with the author or knew she's a former ghost hunter.

In Food to Die For (I love puns), the author takes us on a paranormal journey through spooky hotels (aren't they all in some way), ghost towns, and haunted homes and bars in this great collection of ghost stories (with recipes!)

I loved the vintage photographs and the historical background behind each of the haunted place and why a particular recipe was chosen. Some recipes are old timey fun timey which adds to the eerie ambiance to a particular spooky story.

I might make a few of these recipes nor are they to die for, but this was a fun, fascinating read.

It has sparked my interest in traveling locally again and visit one (or more) of these haunted locations.

Listen, there is a specific audience for this and I am it! A perfect history / cookbook for lovers of the paranormal and macabre, full of both beautiful and historic photos, creepy haunted stories, and yes, recipes. The recipes are not, to me, the main highlights of this book, but rather a fun concept to deliver the rest of the spooky information. Like the Grand Pecan Balls from the haunted by ghosts Grand Hotel (which are simple to make and delicious. The pecan balls, not the ghosts.) None of the recipes are overly complicated, and you get everything from appetizers to mains to drinks, so you can plan a full menu using this book. In fact, the ending section includes just that, menus based on themes and time periods. Absolutely recommend this for history buffs and Halloween lovers.

What a fantastic cover! If you love spooky things, you will love this book about real places and recipes associated with them. There are hotels, historical houses, old prisons, even entire ghost towns. The recipes are perfect for the book, and every recipe has a gorgeous full-color illustration showing what the completed dish will look like. The recipes are simple but tied to the locations, using traditional ingredients and styles. I don't really cook but I think I could make most of these. Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me read this!

A fun and spooky cookbook filled with haunted locations and even more amazing recipes. This book combines eerie hotels, haunted homes, hellish hospitals, and spooky ghost towns with recipes related to each place and fun back ground history too. I had so much fun reading this and looking at the stunning food photos as well as the charmingly creepy stories. This book is a must have for anyone who enjoys spooky things and fun cooking/baking!

*Thanks Netgalley and Harper Celebrate for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Food to Die For by Amy Bruni is aesthetically stunning, highly interesting and utterly intriguing!

I am not into paranormal investigation techniques, or ghost hunting, but I am absolutely here for the history and stories behind them, the locations and now, the recipes! Very well written, Bruni explores the location, the history of the location, the ghosts and stories behind them and caps the section with a recipe related to the location

The book has prep guides for ghost hunting and vintage cooking and this was a really nice touch imho

When I say this book is gorgeous, I mean absolutey, deliciously gorgeous. A dark gothic aesthetic for the photography, bright vivid pictures of the locations and beautiful typesetting and borders for the recipes. This book is an absolute keeper for any kitchen (the recipes are pretty awesome too)

Thank you to netgalley, Harper Celebrate and the author Amy Bruni for this gorgeous ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

This was such an interesting book. I found it awesome, the recipes were great as well. Each recipes story was well written and wonderfully researched. I enjoyed it immensely. Recommend this to any slightly macabre friend.

Love, love, love! This recipe book is spectacularly spooky! I love the idea of this and it's fabulously well-executed, and just a beautiful piece to have in any kitchen or home! I especially like the intro of Lizzie Borden's meatloaf. True crime, horror, and paranormal fans will eat this right up!

Each section contains stories detailing famous scenes/buildings of notorious hauntings, along with stunning photos, and accompanying recipes that are from chef's who worked in these places, popular dishes at the location, or meals inspired by. Where has this been all my life? I adore the backstory along with the recipe, and I'm more inclined to want to try them, I'll be honest!

An absolute must have! I'll be grabbing up a physical copy to have of my own. Such a beautiful and fun read regardless of your cooking expertise!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Food to Die for has different locations and stories of paranormal or eerie places paired with different recipes. There are beautiful photos throughout.

The cookbooks sections are eerie hotels, horrifying homes, otherworldly watering holes, hair-raising historic landmarks, hellish institutions, ghoulish ghost towns, and meals to die for.

There is a wide array of different recipes from seafood chowder to lady fingers. It is very interesting the pairing of history with related recipes.

I loved the historical facts in this and the recipes were all interesting.
I enjoyed the menus at the back. Perfect for someone planning a themed party.
The pictures were great, I would have liked each food-related one to be of the actual recipe, but it was still good.
This would make a great gift for foodies who like macabre history.
I received a copy from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

I came for the ghost stories and the recipes were an added bonus. Plan to indulge in stories and fill up on recipes. The photos alone will make you drool! This is a great book to gift!

Creepy and delicious - the best words I can think of to describe this highly unusual and well-written book. Amy Bruni brings years of experience exploring the paranormal together with historic recipes that represent some of the most haunted locations in the country to produce one of the most entertaining cookbooks I’ve read.

Bruni is a born storyteller and communicates the ghost stories associated with the chosen locations in a way that induces shivers and delight at the unusual details, such as Marilyn Monroe appearing in mirrors at the Hollywood Roosevelt in Los Angeles. The accompanying recipes are carefully chosen to complement the ghost story and include some really delicious offerings.

Fans of the paranormal will thoroughly enjoy this as will cooks and bakers who enjoy a little scare with their culinary experiences.

💀🍽️ Food To Die For 🍽️💀

This book is a deep dive into ghostly history with a splash of recipes - old and new. Written by Amy Bruni, known for her work on SyFy's Ghost Hunters and the TLC docu-series Kindred Spirits, Bruni weaves her personal experience visiting haunted locales with historical information on the locations.

I expected the cookbook parts of the book to be recipes inspired by the locations but most were modern recipes from the actively open haunted hotels and restaurants. We get more unique recipes in the section of the book on haunted houses - like Lizzie Borden's meatloaf, taken from a handwritten recipe card by Borden herself.

The majority of the recipes are simple enough to produce at home and the history of haunted places make for a fascinating read. If you know a lot about haunted history, you might already recognize quite a few of the locations described in the book but if you're looking to dip your toe into ghostly territory then this would be a fun read or a great gift for the budding supernaturalist.

I can definitely say I'd like a sequel especially living in a state known for it's many ghost towns and it's haunted history. There's so much out there to explore for future books!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Celebrate, and Amy Bruni for allowing me to read this book as an eARC.

As someone who enjoys history, travel, paranormal, and food, this one checks all those boxes! Organized by type of building/place, it exposes hotels, homes, former institutions, ghost towns, and more throughout America, Some of the recipes have absolutely been added to my to be tried list. The history and stories attached to each location are fascinating and I learned quite a bit from this book.

This is easily my favorite book of 2024. I love Amy Bruni's storytelling style. From her work as a ghost hunter to her podcast, she tells spooky stories with a side of history. The pictures are beautiful, and the recipes were interesting. I highly recommend the book for fans of ghost stories.

This is a great book. Delicious recipes for your new favourite seafood chowder or your next best Bloody Mary - Hemingway style (which is essentially, just add the whole bottle of vodka, you know you want to!)

Also full to the brim with interesting locations, historical facts and true crime stories. I loved the old buildings section the most.

A really great read for any true crime or creepy cooks you may know. 4.5/5

This cook book was incredibly unique and unlike anything I've ever seen before! The recipes were easy to follow and the art in here was so absolutely stunning.

Want to scratch a travel itch while spooking yourself making dinner? This right here is what you need.

This book is just as much a history book as it is a cookbook but with a flare.

The photographer for this killlllled - pub intended. I love food and an easily influenced by good pictures but this has me wanting to try everything (even though I suck at cooking and don’t love all the ingredients used)

My personal favorites were Alcatraz and Williamsburg VA (not far from where I live so always is interesting to me)

Have you ever read a book and thought— this would be perfect for insertnamehere? I had that thought for multiple people throughout.

This book is perfect for your all things spooky loving person in your life. The haunted history placed throughout the book was a lot of fun to read alongside the recipes.

The recipes for both drinks and food are approachable and require everyday ingredients. The directions are easy to follow. I would put this at an intermediate level as some recipies - such as Lizzie Bordens Meatloaf - does not have fully clear ingredients or measurements for all items needed for the recipe.

While this is billed as a cookbook, it's definately so much more. The spooky stories of historical sites and buildings really make this a fun read with treats to make sprinkled throughout.

I requested this book mainly because it was written by Amy Bruni, who I've been watching since her days on Ghost Hunters. I was interested to hear about the places she's investigated and this book scratched that itch. The recipes were interesting but the stories Bruni shared along with the history of the numerous haunted locations were fascinating.

I understand that not all books can be sent to Kindle, but there's got to be a better way to share heavily illustrated books. I'm unable to download the NetGalley app and it's extremely difficult to read these books on my phone.

A very fun and unique cookbook. It is evident that a lot of time, research and dedication has been put into this book. The recipes are simple and there are some really delicious looking ones. There are even some cocktail recipes which I am excited to try.

I love history and cookbooks, so this may be the perfect book for me! Food to die for has recipes from and inspired by haunted houses, hospitals, asylums, and ghost towns across the United States, with lots of cool photos from the sites as well as the dishes.

Belief in the supernatural isn't required in order to enjoy the stories and photos from sites considered haunted, or at least, super creepy. The dishes are plated and photographed with a spooky, gothic aesthetic, which adds to the macabre tales contained within. Most of the recipes are not complicated and easy to follow, so readers of all skill levels should find something to suit them.

I really liked the concept of this book! How unique and fun.

I received a free ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

I thought this was a fun theme for a cookbook. The photography was really nice. Each of the featured places has its own blurb about the history behind it and photography of the site. Some of the recipes related more to the place than others. A wide variety of recipes are included. The inclusion of a nutraloaf amused me. All of the recipes looked accessible, and I appreciated the stylized photos of the food alongside each. I'm not a big fan of cocktails being included as recipes, since that's not much of a recipe at all, but there aren't too many of those.

The story behind each place was great (and gave me a good list of vacation spots)! The recipes were also very straightforward and I can't wait to try them out.

Amy Bruni's Food to Die For is the perfect balance of a cookbook and collection of paranormal tales from the United States. I have loved the shows she has appeared on throughout her career, so I feel like I was a bit predisposed to enjoy this book as well. Even without any previous knowledge or interest in ghost stories, the historical information Bruni provides is a fantastic introduction to the stories of each location. I bookmarked several of them as places to look into when planning future trips with my friends. The recipes are written in a manner that is simple and straightforward. I appreciate the inclusion of the information about where the recipe is adapted from as a description on the recipe page. I also enjoyed the very last section where Bruni includes suggestions on how to pair up recipes for gatherings. It was very fun! I highly recommend this cookbook to anyone interested in the paranormal or general history that is off the beaten path.

I love cookbooks and food histories that allow for multi-layered interaction with them, and this is an excellent example of that concept being executed adeptly by the author.

The recipes here are paired with the haunted history of a location they have a connection to, and I was delighted by the idea of making some of these and then sharing the related haunted history from the book with my husband while we eat.

I thought the photography was beautiful and evocative, and the haunted histories intriguing and well-researched. I prefer the inclusion of recipes with a real connection to the original purpose of the place rather than, say, something currently being served in the restaurant of the location in its current iteration as a tourist attraction. I’m also not sure about the recipe section from jails. Sure, the haunted histories of these are just as interesting as the rest, but is anyone really going to make these? They are, in most cases, foods meant to keep inmates alive, not things to be enjoyed.

In all, it’s a really solid collection of tales and recipes and a great concept that was well-executed by the author. My favorite section was that on Haunted Hotels, but there’s loads of good stuff in almost every section of the book.

The history in this book was amazing! I'm not one for it but I'm down for spooky places. I tried a few of the recipes and they were really good. I cannot wait for this to publish so I can have a physical copy

Cooking is something I struggle with. I am a super picky eater and most of the time cookbooks are filled with recipes that I either can't make or don't sound appetizing. But Food to Die For not only has a few recipes that I would like to try out, but it also is filled with super interesting histories of the places those recipes are inspired by. I can't wait to make Mary Todd Lincoln's cake.

5 stars

This is so very up my alley. An intersection of some of my favourite things - food and spooky things. I loved the photography in the book I loved flipping through it and the written sections were also interesting. So pleased to have been granted this ARC!

What a unique and creative cookbook. I really enjoyed this book. While sharing history and stories from some of America’s most legendary and well known haunted places the author includes a recipe for each place. The illustrations are amazing. With vintage photos and vibrant pictures of the food you are drawn into the book. Packed full of those haunted stories we all love. This is perfect for those history buffs, paranormal seekers and anyone looking for a new kind of cooking adventure. You're going to want this book for your library, to share with family and friends and just to sit and enjoy all the great stories and history. I have found my favorites and some places I have been, like Tombstone, the Stanley Hotel and the Mark Twain house. We loved this little adventure and you will too.
I would give a thousand stars

Spooky collection of haunted places and food! Perfect for fans of the paranormal but also like to cook/bake. Would make a great bday or Christmas gift. I love that the pictures weren’t just pretty versions of the food. They each have a dark element.

Highly recommend checking out Food to Die For by Amy Bruni. And check out her show, Kindred Spirits and her book, Life with the Afterlife.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Bruni, Julie Tremaine, and Harper Celebrate books for the opportunity to read Food to Die For. I have written this review voluntarily.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Harper Celebrate for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE this cookbook. It was informative, beautifully done, well well-researched, and the recipes are fun.

Amy Brunei's "Food to Die For" is a gastronomic journey though the weird and creepy. The recipes look delicious, and the stories and photos are really interesting. I really like this book, it's genius.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

OMG! This book is so cool. Part travel guide, part cookbook, part ghost hunters guide. It is filled with interesting information. The recipes look yummy and seem easy to do and in no way scary. The places the recipes come from though give off some definite spooky vibes. It makes me want to visit some of these places.

I was drooling by the time I finished this book!!
There are some fantastic recipes in here, and great stories to go along with it. I highly recommend giving some of them a try. It will make for a spookily perfect meal!

Amy Bruni has created a masterpiece here, and I look forward to seeing a copy in print, as there are many more recipes I would like to put on the table.

“Food to Die for,” by Amy Bruni

This was a fun cookbook/ travel book/ ghosts’ book. I loved the mix of black and white photos and the colored moody photos with the pretty set ups. The slightly spooky photos of the food gave me gothic Halloween vibes. It’s a fun recipe book that is not just useful for recipes, and history of haunted places but a cute book to have at home as a conversation starter and quirky coffee table book, but it still has some traditional recipes to try out. Definitely worth having at home, 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

As an OG Ghost Hunters fan (started watching Season 1, Episode 1), I was immediately intrigued when I saw that Amy Bruni was coming out with a haunted recipe book.

Part memoir, part coffee-table book, part photography book, part ghost story collection, part history book, and part cookbook - this is the best of all worlds. I cannot speak enough to how beautiful the photography is and how well it is integrated into the stories and recipes.

I am not the type to follow a recipe, I am more of a "dash of this, scoop of that" type of person in the kitchen, but these recipes had me intrigued. Everything from cocktails to muffins to cottage cheese Nutraloaf, it has recipes for every taste or occasion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for an advanced digital reader copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The photos were good, and the recipes tied in nicely with the stories. I enjoyed the variety of locations a d recipes, it was easy to read and interesting. I think this would be great to promote around Halloween and will. E perfect to include in displays. Definitely a little more niche, but this type of subject is more popular now. Overall a solid book I enjoyed it.

Definitely more paranormal history book than cookbook. I can't say that there was a single recipe included that I needed to try. Beautifully photographed and great layout.

I loved this unique cookbook! Each recipe is inspired by a haunted place the recipes are accompanied by the history and lore sounding that location. Such a fun read with delicious recipes to boot!

Whether you are interested in the paranormal or not, I’ll bet every one of you will admit to loving a good ghost story. I know that I do, and have many fond memories of sitting around a campfire with my fellow Girl Scouts, listening to them. A couple of my own rather strange experiences have pushed me in the direction of believing in the paranormal, if only slightly, versus scoffing at it previously.

Those of you interested in the paranormal may be familiar with Ami Bruni, co-star and Executive Producer of the widely successful paranormal series, “Kindred Spirits” wherein she helps frightened people reclaim their homes from the mysteries of the unknown. Bruni, who admits that she grew up in a haunted house, was also one of the stars of the program “Ghost Hunters,” with which everyone is no doubt familiar.

Her combined love of vintage regional recipes and the paranormal shine through in this unique and fabulous cookbook, Food to Die For, Recipes and Stories from America’s Most Legendary Haunted Places, a book dedicated to Lizbeth “Lizzie” Borden, “…whose killer meatloaf recipe inspired the idea for this book.” I don’t think I have ever enjoyed reading a cookbook as much as I did this one. It combines haunted sights across the country — mysterious hotels, eerie ghost towns, and possessed pubs (one of which was visited by “Ghosthunters” in my town) — pairing these with recipes reflecting happenings on those sites. Case in point, there is a recipe for Lizzie Borden’s meatloaf. What a perfect dish to serve at a Halloween party, proffering slices on the blade of an axe.

Bruni is not wrong when she says, “Food can bring the dead back to life.” A rather frightening sentiment, but accurate considering that I can’t make fried chicken without thinking about my grandmother. I could really relate to Bruni when she talked about her late mother, her signature dish being a Caesar salad recipe that the family loved, but for which there was no physical recipe. When her mother passed away, the recipe went with her. This caused her to associate food and recipes with the dead and paranormal experiences. She was delighted when she found a Caesar salad recipe from Sheboygan Asylum, that reminded her so much of her mother’s. I’m just going to leave that there.

The recipes are largely gleaned from other sources, many of which are now out of print. Imagine serving cinnamon sugar cookies from Alcatraz. What a great way to give your kids a tasty dessert and teach them some history at the same time. Many of these recipes do come from penitentiaries, all of which have a haunted past.

If you are looking for a new way to host a dinner party, you need this book. Nothing, I guarantee, will make you as popular in your neighborhood, at family gatherings, or as a member of your gourmet club, but to follow one of the menus and recipes in this book, pairing them with creepy music and a complementary story.

The book is full of wonderful vintage photographs as well as fabulous full color photos, along with recipes from the corresponding haunted places. I was pleased to see two places from Missouri listed in this book, but at the same time, surprised that one of the most haunted places in Missouri, namely the Lemp Mansion in St. Louis was not.

If you enjoy entertaining guests in a unique and memorable way, this is the guidebook on how to do it. The book is divided into the following sections:

Eerie Hotels
Horrifying Homes
Otherworldly Watering Holes
Hair-Raising Historic Landmarks
Hellish Institutions
Ghoulish Ghost Towns

It was so much fun learning the creepy history of so many places, as well as seeing the interiors the way these places looked back in the day, and even, in some cases, seeing a photo of their menu. I have to tell you that this book is the best cookbook that I have read all year. This book will appeal to those who love cookbooks as well as those who love the paranormal. It is a must have for either one of these personal libraries.

Gracious thanks to NetGalley, Harper Celebrate, and Ami Bruni for a complementary digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my very first non-fiction selection and I absolutely loved it! What I usually do with my physical copies us cut up my favorite recipes (*gasp* Outrageous!) and paste them on my junk journal to scan for future cooking endeavors. It's such a shame that I can't do it to this copy of mine

I love listening to podcasts and watch paranormal YouTube videos and I think this book would be a terrific source for one! The way it was written is definitely both fun and informative. Plus, a visual step-by-step would be helpful too!

A fabulous book that borders between a paranormal history book and cookbook.
On one part, you get a macabre insight to haunted US buildings with pictures and lengthy description, and on the other part you get a recipe connected to each place.
I have yet to cook anything from it so i cannot vouch for the recipes, but i have my eye on a few.

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for providing me an advance copy of Amy Bruni’s #cookbook, Food to Die For: Recipes and Stories from America’s Most Legendary Haunted Places, in exchange for an honest review.

#FoodtoDieFor is not your traditional cookbook. Comprised of centuries-old recipes that are more likely found buried in an abandoned mineshaft or levitating in the arms of an otherworldly inmate-cum-prison chef than while riffling through your mother’s collection. In other words, these recipes are better suited for hosting a macabre-themed dinner party as opposed to a #ThanksgivingDay banquet. That is, unless you loathe your relatives.

Otherwise, banish this #recipebook from your kitchen and instead reserve space on your coffee table where it rightfully belongs as a fascinating conversation piece and to showcase the gorgeous, glossy photos, even if some depict eerie state penitentiaries and morbid sanitariums. Pro tip: stick to the chapter on hotels and order takeout to ensure your guests enjoy the meal.

All kidding aside, the work was witty and creative. The table of contents is menu-inspired and the final section contains recommendations for assembling full-course meals from the recipes. The photos capture the mood and time period of each of the six sections that the book is divided into, which include hotels, homes, watering holes, historical landmarks, institutions, and ghost towns.

Finally, don’t skip the intro! The introduction is dedicated to explaining paranormal activities and tools, which help set the ambiance. As someone unfamiliar this type of research and such technologies, I found the explanation interesting and informative. Though readers with a keen interest in the subject might find the brief descriptions of paranormal tools elementary.

Overall, #RecipestoDieFor was a unique and entertaining read. I learned facts about American history and about myself, such as if time travel ever exists, stay away from the food in the 1800s. It is clear the author has so much passion for the subject, and I enjoyed hearing her journey from project manager at a healthcare company to a professional paranormal researcher whose work is featured in essentially every mass communication medium. While I certainly cannot recommend cooking any of these ghastly recipes, I can and do highly recommend reading this horror-filled piece of #historicalnonfiction.

Wow. What a very interesting, fun and tasty book this is. This is like no other cookbook I have ever bought or read and I love it. The stories, the history, the food, the fun. I will be putting this one on my coffee table so everyone can read it.

I'm off to try some recipes now so I can share the stories and the makings with my friends and family. Love it.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Macabre vibes and cozy food - what a beautiful combination! Amy Bruni does a knock-out job with Food to Die For. As a professional paranormal researcher, she has been to the places she writes about and can really capture what it would have been to live in the era with the recipes she shares. I love that there is a collection of historic recipes that also have something spooky about them.

Bruni writes about her mom's caesar salad recipe that was never written down and was lost when she passed away. That little bit in the introduction really solidified the effort I have been putting into creating a physical memory of recipes I use with my own family. Living in a time when home cooked foods are becoming less and less common, I found so much pleasure in reading the history as well as the recipes found in this cookbook. Some of the recipes are hundreds of years old! Also, thank you Amy for teaching me where the word 'salary' comes from... I had no idea!

Food to Die For is separated into 6 chapters, including eerie hotels, horrifying homes, other-worldly watering holes, hair-raising historic landmarks, hellish institutions, and ghoulish ghost towns. Each entry has a photo of the location and the recipe - with a dark twist (LOL to the 'Lumpy Dicks' recipe - I also learned that dick is an old-fashioned name for pudding)! This is one of the most unique cookbooks I've read and I'm looking forward to adding both some of the spooky locations to my list of future destinations as well as adding the recipes to try!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Celebrate, and the author Amy Bruni for an ARC of this delightfully dark cookbook!

This cook book is an exceptionally inventive and captivating work designed specifically for avid readers of the horror genre. Its pages are filled with a diverse array of elements, from fantastical creatures to sorcerers, and even enchanted fortresses. Furthermore, it boasts a tempting selection of recipes, and the notion of imprisonment or haunted locations may not be entirely unappealing. One's final indulgences would be exquisitely satiated, particularly if they were to sample Lizzie Borden's meatloaf - a dish that requires no implement other than the cook's own preference---maybe an axe!

Food to Die For explores infamously haunted locales and the meals that were common in those places. It has a nice variety of delicious sounding (blueberry maple breakfast sausage) and historically accurate but not quite delicious sounding (prison Nutraloaf) recipes, and contains a menu of different combinations. I really enjoyed the pictures of the meals and locations. I will be cooking my way through this one, starting with the Villisca Cornbread and Conjuring House Pot Roast.

This was a treat to enjoy. I am deff gonna buy this when it comes out. thank you netgalley, Thank you Amy Bruni as well for the chance to get an arc of this.

I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect mixture of facts, recipes and photos. I'm not really interested in ghost hunting but after reading this I would love to visit some of the locations.

“Food to Die For" is a very clever concept for a cookbook. The illustrations are dark and beautiful. Every recipe included is from a different haunted location. I appreciate that ghost stories are included for each location. This book is a fun intersection of horror, true crime, and cooking! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper celebrate for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun cookbook. I enjoyed the stories that went along with the recipes. The food photography was fun and themed which I appreciated. Recipes were straightforward and pretty easy to execute. I know this book will definitely not be for everyone, especially if they don't like true crime (even in older instances people are sensitive to these topics which is totally valid), but for the right person this book is a total hit - the author knows her audience for this! The layout was also gorgeous and well-themed.

Amy Bruni is my favorite lady in the paranormal world, so when she announced she was coming out with a new book that included food and ghost I knew it was going to be good! This book exceeded my expectations, reading about haunted places and getting a recipe along with that place is just such a fun idea and it works. I can’t wait to get a physical copy of this book so I can display it in my kitchen. If you love food and ghost get this book!

I LOVE this! It's combines my two greats loves, hauntings and cookbooks. The stories, history, photographs are amazing and the recipes are to DIE for. I'm so excited to try them out!! The world needs more cool cookbooks like this!

This is a beautiful book. Dark photos, spooky props, classic side by side columns of text.
The recipes are all intriguing. From breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner to cocktails and desserts, this book covers the gamut of recipes from haunted locations across the country.
The stories of each location and what haunts them are very brief yet informative. Entertaining and spooky with a perfect balance between them.
I enjoyed this ebook so much that I pre-ordered the hardcover as soon as I became aware of it.
If you love horror and love to cook, or even just like it a little, this is a fantastic book for you!

A wonderful collection!

If you like the spooky side of life (or more so death), and have a passion for food or cooking - this one is for you.

The images and recipes are well balanced with informative text, it certainly goes beyond a typical cookbook.

Genius idea! Love the mix of lore and food! Beautiful pictures and great stories! Brings travel, stories and cooking to life in a unique way! Loved this book!

I always struggle to review cookbooks, but I keep requesting to review them regardless because they are just so gosh darn pretty. Food to Die For really takes it to the next level. Not only is it visually appealing to browse through, but it is PACKED with fun history and themed recipes to go with said history. The recipes have a great range - some are overly simple while others are a bit more involved for a regular home cook. But believe me, after you get done reading the background of the recipe, you'll be dying to re-create it yourself. This will make the perfect gift for any cook obsessed with paranormal stories throughout time. I already have my copy pre-ordered!

Like the title says, the recipes in this amazing book are to DIE for! I loved all of the stories that went along with each recipe. Can’t wait to buy a finished copy.

AHHH! What a fun collection! I am so thankful to Harper Celebrate, Netgalley, and Ami Bruni for granting me advanced access to this cookbook before it hits shelves on July 30, 2024. I am an avid ghost believer and haunted house fanatic, so the concept of this book is just mind-boggling to me and excites me for spooky season. I've personally visited the Waverly Hills Sanatorium and the Ohio State Reformatory before, so getting to cook their assigned dishes will be an absolute delight.

I saw the name and cover art for this book and I swear it sang a siren song to me and I HAD to have it! This is the perfect book for those who are spooky at heart and love to cook. When I originally looked at this book I assumed it would be a cookbook with some small snippets of ghost stories in it, but instead I was surprised to find a history on haunted places sprinkled with ghost stories and a partnering recipe, which I LOVE!!

Bruni includes menus at the end of the book to pair the various recipes together. I love the idea of sharing a ghost story with each course.

Bruni, please come out with a Part Two!

Food to Die for is a visually stunning and delightfully unique book that deserves a spot in every library collection (even if staff are uncertain as to whether that spot should be with the cookbooks in 641s or the haunted guides of the 133s). Professional ghost hunter and amateur chef Ami Bruni takes readers on a culinary tour of the haunted kitchens of the United States, blending "how to make this dish" with "how to investigate this haunting" before adding a slice of history and serving with a dash of personal experience.

The photographs of the dishes and locations are stunning, and the diversity of both the historical sites selected and the types of dishes presented is excellent. While there are simple dishes perfect for the new cook there are also more complicated offerings, and even a few "better left untried" recipes that are sure to prompt a few laughs. While the lack of a detailed ingredient index may frustrate serious chefs, the suggested menus and the index of recipes by course should provide sufficient guidance for casual cooks. Readers who are interested more in the haunted history will enjoy the engagingly informative tone and be thrilled to find a well organized bibliography just for them. No matter who picks up this book, it is sure to delight. Thank you to NetGalley for access to this unique arc!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I happened upon this cookbook due to the interesting cover. Imagine my thrill when I read it was from Ami Bruni! Having watched all of the Kindred Spirits episodes, this was such a gem to find! I liked the pictures and recipes. This is a great addition to any collection!

I'm loving this mix between haunted history and food! I'm a fan of Amy Bruni from Kindred Spirits, lover of haunted history, and love to cook so this books is perfect for me!

First, my absolute favorite thing about this book is the pictures. They are so gorgeous and haunting. I wish they were prints because I want to hang them up in my kitchen, especially for Halloween. The recipes are unique and intriguing. Not everything is something I'd make as some of the recipes are a bit out there. But the tie in with haunted or macabre history is so intriguing. I like how with each chapter/recipe we get a look in not only the background and history of it but we get Amy Bruni's unique experience with the location. And the location range from prisons to pubs to homes to hospitals. There's something for every type of haunt.

This book is a perfect addition to my kitchen.

** “Food can bring the dead back to life. … All it takes is a whiff of something nostalgic or the taste of something familiar to send your senses and memories into a time warp. One bite can transport you back to memories and places you hadn’t thought of for years.” **

Amy Bruni, known for her roles on paranormal shows “Ghost Hunters” and “Kindred Spirits,” steps back into the literary world with “Food to Die For: Recipes and Stories from America’s Most Legendary Haunted Places.”

After getting into how she got into the ghost hunting world (she has her father to thank) and explaining different types of paranormal experiences and tools one can use, she goes through six different types of haunted locations and then shares a recipe connected to that location either through its past or current history. She also shares histories of each location, who might be haunting the location, and its reported hot spots.

Featured locations include:

* Eerie Hotels — including a hotel that inspired Steve Spielberg’s “Poltergeist” and the infamous Stanley Hotel that inspired Stephen King’s “The Shining.” One intriguing recipe was Goober Pea (Peanut) Soup from Gettysburg.

* Horrifying Homes — including the Lizzie Borden House, Villisca Axe Murder House and the Conjuring House. A recipe of note is Ernest Hemingway’s Bloody Mary.

Other-Worldly Watering Holes — including restaurants and bars.

Hair-Raising Historic Landmarks — including ships like the Queen Mary, forts and the Donner Pass. A recipe to note: the White House’s Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Almond Cake.

Hellish Institutions — including asylums like Waverly Hills Sanatorium, and jails and prisons, like Alcatraz.

Ghoulish Ghost Towns — both mining and religious communities, including the infamous Tombstone, Arizona.

Bruni wraps up the book with a Meals to Die For section, which includes themed feast ideas like A Civil War Feast and Ghost Town Grub, utilizing the recipes found in the book.

Deeply researched, the books does include an extensive bibliography. She does an incredible job of simply yet interestingly sharing the history of a number of legendary haunted locations, while cleverly adding a culinary addition to its story. “Food to Die For: Recipes and Stories from America’s Most Legendary Haunted Places” is also beautifully designed, with color photos, historical photos, and full pages for both the recipe and a full color photo corresponding to each recipe. My only issue was there were no captions for any of the photos.

Fans of the paranormal, Amy Bruni herself, cookbooks and diving into the history of locations will love this book, which comes out July 30.

Five stars out of five.

Harper Celebrate provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

I loved this! Not only the fun haunted locations and Amy's experiences with them, but a nice variety of both simple and complicated recipes. Some of these are familiar places that I've either been to or watched episodes about, as well as a few new haunts. It felt like a fun ride around America via hauntings and food.

I'll be trying three recipes in a few days and will report back!

Update: I made three recipes - a porridge called Lumpy D**ks (delicious, A+), muffins (excellent), and cinnamon sugar cookies (super good, will be making again.)

Book Review: Food to Die For: Recipes and Stories from America's Most Legendary Haunted Places

Rating: 5 Stars

If you’re like me and have a penchant for the eerie, the delicious, and the historically rich, then Food to Die For by Amy Bruni and Julie Tremaine is an absolute must-read! This delightful cookbook offers not just tantalizing recipes but an intriguing journey through some of America’s most haunted places.

From the very first glance, I was struck by the cover of this book. It perfectly sets the tone for what lies within—spooky yet inviting. The blend of culinary creativity with ghostly tales is a match made in heaven for anyone who enjoys themed cookbooks. And as a huge fan of Amy Bruni from Kindred Spirits, this book was like a dream come true for me.

The concept is simple yet brilliant: each chapter takes you to a notoriously haunted location, complete with spine-tingling stories and a recipe that ties back to that place. I mean, who wouldn't want to whip up Lizzie Borden's meatloaf while learning about her infamous history? Or bake sugar cookies from Alcatraz while getting goosebumps from ghostly prison stories? It’s a culinary adventure that feeds both your stomach and your curiosity.

One of my favorite aspects of this book has to be the stunning photography. The images are not only gorgeous but hauntingly styled, making them ideal for both inspiring your kitchen endeavors and serving as captivating conversation starters. The book feels like part historical, part ghost stories, and part cookbook! Each recipe is an invitation to experience the history and hauntings that accompany it.

In summary, Food to Die For is perfect for anyone who loves a spooky thrill alongside their culinary adventures. With nearly 60 unique locations, fascinating stories rooted in history, and mouthwatering recipes that are beautifully illustrated, this cookbook is a delightful haunt. Whether you’re a history buff, a thrill-seeker, or just someone who enjoys good food with an eerie twist, this book is sure to bewitch you!

So grab your apron and prepare for an enchanting culinary experience that just might give you shivers! I wholeheartedly give Food to Die For a five-star rating—it's a killer addition to any kitchen!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

This is a really fun book. Ghost stories with historic recipes is a great idea, even If some of the recipes are the true frights, (nutraloaf, hard tack).
I am a fan of anything paranormal and Amy Bruni herself, so I expected to enjoy this book. I was not disappointed. Bruni makes the history interesting, highlighting a bunch of historical, haunted locales. Highly recommend to anyone who likes ghost stories and is adventurous in the kitchen.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

Many of the most famous haunted places are or were hotels, prisons, or asylums and had some kind of food service associated with them, so it does seem logical to package recipes and ghost stories together, as this book does. And one of the things I like best about ghost stories is the different angle on history they often come with; it’s usually the small things that wouldn’t be included in a history book but are still interesting—like the widowed owner of the Mount Washington Hotel marrying a French prince and becoming a princess. So it was really fun to read through the introductions that are in front of each recipe. I actually tried three of the recipes. All of them were from the hotel section (I didn't think hardtack sounded particularly appetizing... or really any of the prison/asylum recipes, so from a practical standpoint, this is less a cookbook and more an 'experience' book), and all of them were pretty good. I particularly liked the potato dijon soup. It was really tasty. Generally, I think this was a fun book. If you like cooking and ghost stories, you could have a fun time making a recipe and eating it while reading the associated ghost story.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book.

To get it out of the way, I'm a fan of Amy Bruni and her show <i>Kindred Spirits</i>. I read her paranormal-themed memoir when it first came out.

Right off the bat, the interior design and food photography were amazing. I loved the style and it complemented the book's contents.

The book was part cookbook and part historical lesson. I'm a sucker for macabre history and I liked that there was a mix of popular and not-so-popular locations.

A side note that I really liked is that when an indigenous tribe was referenced, the tribe's name was given. There was an instance of one time where this didn't happen, but in context it made sense. (I didn't note where or when in the book this happened, but I understood why it was written that way.)

With each new chapter and before the locations are discussed, there's a little "introduction" bit. Within this introduction are really stunning photographs, however, there aren't any captions. I think it would have been great to include captions so the reader knows where certain locations are. For example, a chapter opening showed a beautiful home and Bruni discusses a home. I immediately thought the two were connected; they weren't. Instead, the photograph was Twain's house (memory's fuzzy) which most definitely wasn't the house from the text.

The recipes are pretty basic which is weird for a cookbook but also intriguing. I don't know how many times I've looked at a recipe in a cookbook and wondered why everything had to be so difficult.

I wish there had been a one-page conclusion to wrap up everything because it ended quite abruptly. Thankfully, in the back, there was a themed menu, recipes by course, and an extensive bibliography.

Interesting stories, beautiful pictures, recipes that are related to places and stories.
A book that can be appreciated by those interested in paranormal or want to learn some new recipes
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

🕸️This is an incredibly smooth and engaging read that I particularly loved, being a big fan of the paranormal and related investigations. An exhaustive collection of places the author has explored throughout her life, linked to an unusual element, food. Like Proust's madeleine, historical and unexpectedly delicious recipes are proposed for each case featured. The schematic division of the book helps the reader immediately identify the different locations (hotels, houses, inns, ships, asylums). Among my favourites are literary references, such as Hemingway's house and Mark Twain's, which have unusual legends.
The perfect mix of mystery, geography and cuisine, with a unique dedication: to Lizzie Borden.

🖤 A must-read for all lovers of the genre, and not.
🍁My next spooky recipe is already in the oven!

Loved this whole cookbook!
Of course I knew I would, Ami Bruni! of course this will be unique, interesting and a wonderfully told haunting history.

The cookbook shared a journey through some of America’s most haunted places and the recipes that tie into the story makes this cookbook a darkly inclined cooks dream addition!

The Photography is visually stunning, mixed with well told haunting stories and of course the recipes, make this such a wonderful addition to any spooky kitchen!

Definitely a must have for the collection! I can’t wait to try out some recipes!

Thankyou NetGalley, Harper Celebrate and Ami Bruni for the Arc.

Thank you Harper Celebrate, Netgalley and Amy Bruni for the eArc of Food to Die for.


Oh this recipe book really is to Die For! Being a fan of food and anything paranormal, this book is so well put together, I loved how the book was set out, with details of places of so called paranormal. Some history to the places, whether that would have been recent or back in time, complete with a recipe to try. Whether you are into cooking or not, the recipes were easy to follow ( I did a few of the soup options ) and has little anecdotes. The photography side of the book was very well done. Often having a photo of the place, whether it be a castle, hotel, pubs ( waterholes ) as well as a photo of the finished food product. The little details and props that were used were well done and added to to overall aesthetic to the book itself.
Would make a great fun gift around Halloween for foodies and paranormal lovers no matter the age!

5 stars for Goodreads, Amazon and Waterstones

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amy Bruni for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Food to Die For coming out July 30, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was really excited to receive this book. I love cookbooks and the subject matter is really fun! I love exploring haunted houses and places in America! I loved that two of the places on the list were in my home State. I thought the format of the book was really organized. I loved the 1-2 pages about the backstory of the place and then the recipe. There was a lot of great information and I definitely learned some things. I loved all of the themes of ghost towns and eerie locations. I thought the recipes sounded really delicious and the pictures were great. I loved all of it!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys haunted places and food!

This Cookbook is perfect for lovers of haunted places and ghost legends. There are a variety of different recipes: from drinks to desserts. Every haunted place is linked to a recipe.
The author always dedicates a few pages to the backstory of every recipe and location.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Celebrate and Ami Bruni for this DRC of Food to Die For. All opinions are my own. Ami Bruni is a paranormal investigator and gives her background, the types of paranormal activity and the equipment used to capture evidence. The pictures are beautiful and she tells interesting stories and the history of haunted places. There are several chapters including Eerie Hotels, Horrifying Homes and Hellish Institutions with a recipe for each entry. I loved reading the recipes but for some reason the recipe for Lizzie Borden’s Meatloaf gave me chills.

I love recipes from favorite restaurants, and it’s fun to make them at home. I have never thought, however, to make recipes from “haunted” restaurants and hotels. If you want to pick up a unique cookbook with recipes straight from haunted places, you’ll want to pick up Food to Die For: Recipes and Stories from America's Most Legendary Haunted Places , by Amy Bruni. This cookbook is really fun, and includes stories and facts about haunted places across the country and dishes served at those places.

The book is divided into sections such as Eerie Hotels, Horrifying Homes, Otherworldly Watering Holes, Hair-raising Historic Landmarks, Hellish Institutions, and Ghoulish Ghost Towns. There are beautiful, professional photograph of both the haunted places, and the dishes. It makes for a fascinating read as well as ideas for great, delicious dishes to serve to guests and family.

All told, this is one to curl up in a corner to read cover to cover, then choose some of the mouthwatering dishes to serve to guests at a scary celebration. Although the places the recipes come from are haunted, the dishes themselves aren’t scary; they are just yummy. This excellent cookbook would make a fun gift for friends and those who are fascinated by haunted places.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

**I received and advanced reader's copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Bruni writes a unique combination of hauntings and complementary recipes in this nonfiction travelogue/cookbook. Each recipes ties into a brief history and haunting account of a location in the United States. Along the way, Bruni also shares personal stories of her ghost hunting career.

Bruni's helpfully breaks her book into sections based on the type of building or location for the ghost stories. A few locations also tie into her time on Ghost Hunters and Kindred Spirits. As for the recipes, research was masterfully done to incorporate a recipe either directly tied to the specific location or to the town or the time period. Recipes are also helpfully adapted to contemporary kitchens.

The only drawback from this collection is the lack of locations in the Midwest--most locations appear either on the East or West Coast. However, there are plenty of areas to explore based on the one to one-and-a-half page descriptions of each location provided by Bruni.

This is a good collection of stories and recipes that would be of interest to ghost enthusiasts, those who enjoy niche cookbooks, and those just looking for a unique read.

As a practicing witch and avid ghost hunter fan, Food to Die For by Amy Bruni is an absolute treat. Bruni masterfully weaves together recipes with eerie stories, capturing the spirit of both the paranormal and the culinary arts. The unique blend of ghostly tales and mouth-watering dishes makes it the perfect read for anyone who enjoys a touch of the supernatural in their kitchen. It’s an engaging and spooky exploration that truly resonates with those of us who appreciate both witchcraft and the world of the paranormal.

This is such a fun cookbook! The pages are beautiful, so aesthetically pleasing. I got approved for the digital arc but think I’m going to have to buy the physical book to do it justice. So many good recipes and interesting spooky facts!!

As someone who loves everything creepy and spooky - this cookbook/food journey was to die for! I loved all the information about each haunted location and I super loved that the recipes included tied directly back to each location. I highly recommend this one for any spooky foodie out there!

Thank you to Harper Celebrate Books for the e-ARC of Food to Die For!

I LOVE cooking - it’s one of my absolute favorite things to do outside of reading & making art! And I adore cookbooks with fun themes — like Food to Die For which focuses on haunted places. This cookbook was put together by Amy Bruni, paranormal investigator from Kindred Spirits.

This cookbook was SO good, because not only does it give you tasty recipes from various haunted locations, but it also gives you a bit of background on each of those places, — making it a cookbook you want to read from beginning to end.

I tried two of the recipes — a corn chowder that was served aboard the USS The Sullivans during WWII & cinnamon sugar cookies that were originally from the Alcatraz Women’s Club Cook Book. Both were a solid 10/10 & things I will definitely cook again!