VIC'S VIEWPOINTS (Private)

Victim #3 - The Donut Shop

Victor paused in the doorway of his bedroom, watching his younger brother muttering doom and destruction against his adversaries as he played Alien Invaders. Shaking his head, he waited for the outcome. It did not take long. A minute later, the losing sound effects rang from the flat screen, followed by Jason's bellow of disapproval.

Jason hopped up from his seat, eying the control in his hand. "Stupid thing made me lose, Vic!"

Victor sauntered to his desk and sat down, turning on his laptop. "I told you how to beat that level. Don't know why you don't listen." As soon as the screen lit up, he logged into his Wattpad account and gazed at his notifications. "If you're done losing, I need the room for a bit, mate. I think I've got a victim." He grinned. "Absolutely smashing! It looks like I'm going to The Donut Shop."

Jason padded to the door and called over his shoulder, "Get me an apple fritter, 'kay?"

Victor chuckled. "No, mate, I meant..."

But the door had already closed. The teen shook his head and settled down to read.

An hour later, Victor opened his desk drawer and pulled out his recorder.

"Oi, and welcome to another episode of Victor's Views. So glad to have another victim to put up with my ramblings, so let's give it a go, eh?" He paused, running a hand through his shaggy curls. "Got to give a shout out to my mates, Jasper and Noah, hoping wherever they are, they know they're missed."

"First, my compliments to the author as this is one of the most delicious titles I've ever come across. I'm partial to titles that mention food, especially desserts. Per my usual method of reviewing, I'm going to touch on several key elements I think are essential to a story."

"The first is ORIGINALITY, which means how unique the story was. On a side note, the chapters' setup is quite impressive. I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it. Your readers will drown in the sweetness right there, love. This story begins by introducing our protagonists, Ethan and Tweed, adorable names, especially Tweed. It starts as a typical day at school until the blokes discover their personal hangout, Sol Bakery, is closing. Up until this point, it's a familiar scenario..., but you'll eat your words by chapter two. Our author, quite cleverly, treats us to a comedic slice of writing that, I admit, had me chuckling, and at one point, laughing out loud. The camaraderie and antics between our two protagonists give the story a fresh edge and the originality that a story craves."

"Next, we're taking a gander over to the story's SETTING, where we hit upon the locations, landscapes, and does the writer actually put us and the characters there? We start in a hall, and here, the setting is a bit vague as I wasn't sure of the specifics of the place. Was it middle or high school? The question is answered further down as the author supplies us with tidbits as to where we are, doled out nicely bit by bit. Next, we're in a chem lab, then to the bakery, a store, a fair... the author shows us these places with a bit of description and antics by our protagonists."

"Our author has some good writing chops, which is why I'd love to 'see' more of where they are, i.e., descriptions. The author drops some lovely images in places, like the sun-shaped windows as they're being boarded up, which had me craving to 'see' more throughout the book. Our author has a witty way of including what's around the characters as they go through their days, such as dressing in costumes where the cow head smells like gym sock (priceless!) and the scene on the boardwalk. The specifics were written in such a charming manner. I was agog with the amount of detail to Tweed's sign twirling. That humorous tone to your writing made that scene absolutely smashing, in my opinion."

The bedroom door opened, and nine-year-old Rosetta, messy ponytail swaying, popped her head inside. She gave her brother a big toothy grin as she stepped inside the room. The little girl bounced on tiny bare feet, causing more tendrils of hair to escape confinement.