Title: Ghosts and Baklava
Author: Vik Azeem
Publisher: Kindle
ASIN: B0FRZPYGW1
Pages: 374
Genre: Horror Comedy / Romantasy eBooks
Reviewer: Christina Avina
Pacific Book Review
Often in life, there is that one crush, that one aspiring romance, which leaves an indelible mark on a person’s soul and will always remain until some sort of cathartic experience releases them from that person. Whether it is a high-school crush or a chance encounter which becomes something so much more, there are those who experience the flights of love and yearn to find a way of recapturing that moment, even if it’s with the very person who created it to begin with.
Love and the journey it takes a person on forms the foundation for author Vik Azeem’s <em>Ghosts and Baklava</em>. The romantasy story follows Rehan, a young man who fell for a girl named Wava as a teenager and tried to prove his worth by venturing into a local haunted house that left a distinct mark on him. Years later, facing the loss of a job and returning to work at his uncle’s restaurant, the return of Wava seems to correlate with an uprising of weird events, from mystery men claiming evil is coming to their small town, to spectral visions and the emergence of a cult who warns of a growing threat. Soon Rehan must navigate the dangers plaguing his small town and his growing feelings for Wava once more.
Two standout things which really captured my attention early in the book were the way both humor, and of all things food, were integrated into the dialogue and narrative of this book. The protagonist especially embodied both with ease, quickly retorting to each ridiculous thing that happened to him with the efficiency of a corporate comedian. The food which came into play was both culturally significant and a great way of directing readers to the current emotional and mood spectrum the characters found themselves on, with healthy dieting for a successful career in one breath and pizza lunches in the wake of job loss in the next. The imagery in the author’s writing style and the compelling character dynamics at play really work well, and exploring the culture of the Desi community in the melting pot of America, both rural and corporate America, helped make this story of ghosts and cults feel more grounded and hilariously relatable at times.
Readers who enjoy romantasy stories, especially those with a horror and comedic twist in a New Adult setting, will absolutely fall in love with this story. The witty dialogue and charm of the characters elevated the haunting imagery of the ghouls and monsters that came out of the woodwork as the story progressed, and the balance of this humor with action and horror was great to see come to life on the page. The exploration of the highs and lows of corporate America and family dynamics, as well as what living life in regret can do to a person, made the entire narrative feel whole and completed, and worthy of delving into time and time again.
