I loooooooooved this book. An exploration of the soul's insatiable appetite, love that is consuming, and the afterlife. It was such a unique concept, part romance, part culinary tale, part ghost story, but the writing did such a good job at wrapping it all together. Konstatin was a beautiful main character that brought the story to life!

I enojoyed Aftertaste much more than I initially thought I would. Daria Lavelle’s prose is so elegant and deliberate. I found the story to have balanced lyricism with clarity in a way that makes even the most ordinary moments feel textured and intimate. This book has the kind of writing you want to underline, sit with, and return to (so I'm definitely thinking of getting the book after listening to this very well done audiobook).
What stood out to me most is Lavelle’s attention to detail and emotional nuance.
I think the novel is well paced and offers space for reflection . Lavelle captures emotional ambivalence with clarity and doesn't rush her characters (or her readers) into resolution.
A very compelling debut from this author.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Daria Lavelle's Aftertaste arrives with a truly delicious premise, one that immediately piqued my interest and had me eager to dive in. The core concept of a culinary journey extending beyond life into the afterlife is nothing short of brilliant, offering a fresh and intriguing take on how food brings communities together and preserves memories. For this imaginative foundation alone, Lavelle deserves commendation, and it's what initially drew me so strongly to the book.

I truly wanted to love this book and would have been quite happy if the premise was Kostantin connecting his patrons with their loved ones on the other side. However, I didn’t really enjoy the spirit side of this book and the ‘food tour’. I found it really jarring in comparison to the rest of the novel.

Overall, very interesting concept. 3/5 stars

This was a surprising book for me. Rather quirky, heartfelt, and combines magical realism, food writing, and grief in a truly original way. It follows Kostya, a Ukrainian-American with the supernatural ability to taste the favorite foods of the dead—an affliction triggered by the loss of his father. Lavelle’s writing and the audiobook's narrator reading brings every character anf dish vividly to life, while the story dives deep into themes of identity, family, and emotional hunger. I'll admit that in some parts the pacing and romantic subplot occasionally felt rushed, but the novel shines in its inventive premise, layered characters, and emotional resonance. A good read for fans of food writing with a surreal twist.

Aftertaste - Daria Lavelle

I was first drawn to Aftertaste by its striking cover and intriguing title. Once I read the synopsis, I knew I had to dive in. The premise immediately stood out. Kostya, a gifted chef, has a rare ability: he can taste food prepared for spirits and create one final shared meal between the living and the dead. Through his unique restaurant, he offers guests the chance to reconnect with lost loved ones, whether to grieve, find closure, or simply say goodbye.

What I expected to be more of a supernatural thriller turned out to be a beautifully crafted story about grief, memory, and healing. The emotional depth surprised me in the best way. At its heart, Aftertaste is a meditation on loss, longing, and the human need for connection. It also quietly unfolds a tender love story of Kostya meeting the love of his life. From this love story came my favorite quote of the book.

"I love you like Salt, you bring out the best of everything. The sweet, the sour, the bitter, the reason to savor everything. The beginning and the end"

If you are asking me if you should read this book, the answer is YES!!!

Wow - what an audiobook. Unlike anything I've read/heard before and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Well developed multi-layered and flawed characters in a supernatural setting and endless foodie flavours and references.

Kostyia can detect after tastes of the dead's most memorable foods (initially his father) and invoke ghosts to appear by recreating the dishes. This leads him along an unexpected path.

A good story, well developed throughout the book building to some shock outcomes and to an ending I hadn't anticipated, but was none the less satisfying.

Struggled with the audiobook narrator and took me a bit of time to get into the story but a decent plot

When I started Aftertaste, I thought it was one of the most bizarre stories I’d come across. At one point, I wasn’t sure it was for me but I’m so glad I kept going. The writing is incredibly vivid and immersive; I could practically taste the memories with Kostya. What begins as strange slowly transforms into something truly beautiful and clever. It’s a unique, sensory, and unforgettable read that leaves a lasting impression.

The audiobook version made it even better, it brought the story to life in such a powerful and atmospheric way.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury UK Audio for the ARC of the audiobook for Aftertaste.

4 ⭐️
‘I love you like salt’
Grief, love, ghosts, food. A really enjoyable and intriguing book about how food can hold such strong meaning, memories and ties to loved ones.
Our man Kostya has the ability to taste the ‘aftertaste’ of the favourite/most meaningful meals of ghosts. He explores this to try bring closure to the living and the dead with unknowing consequences, facing his own grief along the way.
The audiobook was so well narrated, I loved the changing POV’s.

The ending URGH

I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. I thought it would be clever and maybe a little odd. What I got was something bold, layered, and more adventurous than I gave it credit for.

The narrators were incredible. They didn’t just read the story, they embodied it. Their energy carried everything. I could hear the tension in their voices, the grief, the hunger. They gave life to the characters in a way that made me feel like I was standing right beside them.

I was there tasting the food, mourning each soul, soaking in every vivid, weirdly tender moment. It felt rich and raw and a little dangerous in the best way.

If you’re looking for something immersive with teeth, this is it. Just don’t listen on an empty stomach.

After feeling like I was in a bit of a reading rut, I decided to pop on Aftertaste after securing the Netgalley ARC. I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly I was won over by the premise, the plot is pacey and momentum never really lets up. This is love story (there is quite literally a romantic subplot) but it’s also about grief and letting of the ones we hold dear. The book also feels like a love letter to food. There are some sumptuous descriptions of the most drool worthy Michlelan star meals, simple but comforting homecooked favourites, and each chapter is peppered with metaphors for food. (Would advise you don’t try and read on an empty stomach!) The main ghost plot can got a bit heavy handed towards the end but ultimately the ending felt appropriately bittersweet. And I applaud Lavelle for not pulling their punches here. A perfect book for any fans of The Bear - especially if Carmy’s own journey through grief is your favourite part of the show!

I loved the idea of this book - a really unusual idea that somebody could experience the memories of the dead through the aftertastes of their significant food experiences. I wanted more about the individual "ghosts"and their backgrounds, some of which seemed to be swept over quite quickly, and without enough 'wonder' from the people experiencing the encounters with dead loved ones. The ending was unsatisfying for me and overall the book meandered in places. But it was a solid 3.5 stars and I enjoyed it, would recommend giving it a go! The narration was really good too.

This book reminds me of why I love reading!

The audiobook narration was incredible! The tone, urgent, sometimes desperate.

This is the kind of book you savour (pun intended), you pause to reflect on the last chapter you read. You want to know how it’s gonna end but also, you don’t want it to end!

This was SUCH an interesting way to deal with grief! Very unique

This is one if not my favourite read this year!

"I adore you, I worship you, I like everything about you, every single thing! Even the things you hate, even the one that scare you.
You drive me crazy, not just spring fever raging hormone teenage boy crazy, but out of my mind, concur the world, run away with me crazy."

Chef’s kiss 🤌🏾

I started the audiobook with only knowing the basic plot- Kostya, the main character, being able to summon ghosts with food.
It was such an interesting concept and I ended up really liking the book. Some parts (The whole stuff with the russian gangster ot the tattoo part) not so much, which is why it's a 4 star rating.
But everything else, Kostyas struggle with grieve, the ghosts trying to come back, the cheesy love story, was just right for me. I think many of us connect some food to a loved one and that's what hits so close to home.
What's important is the connection.

It's a sometimes spooky, sometimes very sad and dark book that also made me smile from time to time. Kostya as a character felt real to me, not always sympathetic and not able to let go of his father.

The story also might make you hungry because the author really knows how to describe food in a really beautiful way, no matter how complex the dish.

Daria Lavelle has written a book to delight the brain as well as the senses with a unique type of ghost story but I have to say the audio edition of Aftertaste is superb, with the narrators Ari Fliakos, Tessa Albertson, André Santana, and Kristen Sieh doing a wonderful job at evoking the senses with their culinary descriptions of all the foods that Kostya tastes when spirits are near, I prefered listening to it much more than reading it for this reason,

Aftertaste was such a quirky concept that worked so well. How the idea of food supernatural nostalgia was introduced was brilliant and from there, the plot unfolded in a continuously unexpected way. I don't think I've read anything quite like it nor probably will I.

The narration was excellent, voices, accents and dialogue were well acted.

An incredibly ambitious concept for a debut novel, executed masterfully by Daria Lavelle! I really appreciate how far she took this, not shying away from experimentation in her first literary output. Aftertaste is truly original, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

An excellent examination of the restaurant industry reminiscent of Sweetbitter. A mouth-watering love letter to the joy of food and cooking, similar to books like Butter and Piglet. A speculative tale of magical realism, like The Midnight Library and the work of Haruki Murakami. A tender look at grief in the vein of Thirst Trap, Crying in H Mart and On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous.

The audiobook is incredibly well done, using musical cues to distinguish certain narrators/sections of the novel. The vocal talents of André Santana, Ari Fliakos, Kristen Sieh, Tessa Albertson really embody the characters. Koysta's voice actor is particularly excellent, bringing a vulnerability and determination to the character.

This works brilliantly as an audiobook. The only bit I didn't like about the audio format was the scratching/scraping noise at the beginning of some of the chapters. It wasn't ever clear to me what that noise was supposed to be and it didn't add anything.

Aftertaste is perfect for fans of the When the Coffee Gets Cold series and Lonely Castle in the Sky. The style is very reminiscent of a comforting nostalgia read but then mixes it up towards the end when the action ramps up. I loved that there was an additional layer to spice the plot up a bit towards the end and felt the twist was resolved well, albeit not on a completely happy ending.

Some parts of the first half were a little slow but they helped to build the cosy atmosphere and really solidify the sense that Kostya was a decent person trying to do something nice for others.

Beautiful written with emotional depth and a surprising mix of genres. The narrators worked well too. A lovely story and listening experience.

An unusual, genre-defying novel following the unusual path of Kostya’s life in the New York food scene.

Having lost his father whilst still young after a rare argument between them, Kostya is effectively orphaned, with his mother overset by grief, leaving him to fend for himself whilst haunted by the aftertaste of his father’s favourite dish.

Part love story, part ghost story and part paean to food and gastronomy, this unusual story is peopled with memorable moments, characters and descriptions of food that will make your mouth water.

I was given an arc of the audiobook and I really enjoyed the narration. My only qualm is with the length of the book. I do think that it is too long and that paring back would have made it a tighter narrative and given it better pacing.

Definitely something fresh and different for those happier to digest their food/novels at a slower pace!

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.