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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
Favorite quote: “Food could do that. It could tell stories. Not just cuisines or component parts, but histories—of the people who’d prepared the dishes, the way they evolved them over time, the way they made them theirs. Leaving behind a recipe was a way to be remembered and savored and loved even after you were gone. A way to live forever.”
Notes:
- I thought this was a really interesting concept. Part food/restaurant scene, part romance, part ghost story, part musings on grief. but...it left me wanting more, more parts fleshed out, more about the ghosts, more details in all the parts.
- I think I will appreciate this book more in a reread, all of the pieces and the uniqueness of it because everything felt like it went by so quickly during this first read through.
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really wanted to love this book. In fact, up until page 118 I was absolutely loving this book. The ghost that the main character was manifesting through his aftertaste were epic. But then the author kind of did a 180 and took this story into a way different direction, absolutely away from the epic ghost ghosts that Kostya was manifesting And I just started to struggle with it. I thought this was going to be a five-star for me, but it just ended up being a bit of a disappointment.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
DNF 42%
4:21/10:23 hours
I liked that it was about cooking and the connection between food and ghosts, but I dislike the gritty New York setting and the writing style is not for me, neither was the romance story😕
4:21/10:23 hours
I liked that it was about cooking and the connection between food and ghosts, but I dislike the gritty New York setting and the writing style is not for me, neither was the romance story😕
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book is not an easy read if you’ve experienced loss and are still working through grief. The first part of the book is nothing like the last part, as the deeper into the book you get the deeper into the Hungry Ghosts you get. It has some beautiful messages built into it and if you can stay on the roller coaster of “where is this book going” I think you’ll enjoy the book as a whole.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A reflective journey through grief and food, with plenty of modern plot and and a love interest thrown in the mix
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was so interesting! It’s super different than anything I’ve ever read before. The main male character, Konstantin, has an ability to taste important food memories of the deceased. The story is set in New York City. He spends this story fighting through his guilt about the circumstances surrounding his father’s death, his relationships with others (or lack there of), his life’s purpose in relationship to these food memories, mental health and love. This story is full of unforeseen twists and turns, action, mystery, romance and food. The story is a fantasy at heart with magical realism throughout, but seamlessly weaves the other This book was so interesting! It’s super different than anything I’ve ever read before. The main male character, Konstantin, has an ability to taste important food memories of the deceased. The story is set in New York City. He spends this story fighting through his guilt about the circumstances surrounding his father’s death, his relationships with others (or lack there of), his life’s purpose in relationship to these food memories, mental health and love. This story is full of unforeseen twists and turns, action, mystery, romance and food. The story is a fantasy at heart with magical realism throughout, but seamlessly weaves the other genres into the book. The book is medium paced and keeps the reader’s attention. There is representation of mental health, specifically depression, grief, disordered eating, suicide etc. So please check trigger warnings. I appreciated how these things were represented thoughtfully and not in a gratuitous manner! I recommend this book to any avid fiction reader! Thank you Daria Lavelle and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC and leave an honest review!genres into the book. The book is medium paced and keeps the reader’s attention. There is representation of mental health, specifically depression, grief, disordered eating, suicide etc. So please check trigger warnings. I appreciated how these things were represented thoughtfully and not in a gratuitous manner! I recommend this book to any avid fiction reader! Thank you Daria Lavelle and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC and leave an honest review!