What I'd Do For A Livable Income

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Imagine starting a new job and discovering all your coworkers are monsters disguised as humans.

After being protected most of her life, failingunlikeher siblings, and not having a single accomplishment to treasure, Lynette is desperate to prove she's not as useless as she feels.

So the moment she receives an invitation to join a Pizzeria bya stranger with questionable motivesand gets offered a ridiculous sum of money if she stays the year, enough to secure a comfortable future, Lynette can't wait to start climbing.

But, without knowing a single thing about magic or monsters, Lynette stumbles to navigate a year of devious, self-motivated coworkers out to get her, the pursuit of an obsessive stalker, the danger that accompanies a psychopathic trafficker, and the sheer bewilderment of trying to comprehend and function in her new reality of drama-filled chaos.

Held up bythe strength ofsheer hope and determination, Lynette will do whatever she can to see it through and trust she'll make friends along the way.

What To Expect:[+] Slice of Life/Soap Opera-eque fantasy[+] Slow Burn with plenty of foreshadowed twists and turns.[+] Gradual World Building and Magic.(Don't worry, no heavy expositions dumps here).[+] Spurts of Action[+] And a gaggle ofsometimescompetent idiots.

New Chapter Every Monday and Friday!

Side note:This will contain experimental writing, first person (Lynette's view) will be implemented alongside third person for the two other essential characters, (mostly) Alexander and (occasionally) Drake. There will be other third person views throughout the story as well. The narrative reason for this will be explained at the end. Thank you and enjoy!

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: TheCoolerLucky

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.9/ 5.0
Followers: 24
Views: 3,148

Chapters(9 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(3)

CKJ5Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Disclaimer: This review is based on the first chapter and may not reflect the story as a whole.
Happy Pizzeria opens with a charming and engaging premise, effortlessly blending humor with mystery. The protagonist, Lynette, is introduced with a delightful mix of relatability and curiosity, making her an easy character to root for. Her internal monologue adds depth, allowing readers to connect with her as she navigates the strange job offer with both caution and intrigue.
The writing is effective and flows smoothly, drawing readers into the world without overwhelming them. The pacing maintains a good balance of tension and humor throughout the chapter. The surreal nature of the job offer and the eerie hints surrounding the pizzeria are expertly woven into the narrative, piquing the reader's curiosity and encouraging them to read further.
Edgar, who effectively stole the first chapter, is intriguing and enigmatic, leaving just enough unanswered to keep readers hooked. His interactions with Lynette are filled with subtle tension and curiosity, making me look forward to their future exchanges.
Overall:
Happy Pizzeria makes a strong impression with its mix of humor, suspense, and a captivating protagonist. The first chapter is well-written, engaging, and full of promise. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to seeing how the mysteries unfold. The unique premise and intriguing characters make this an interesting story to follow.
O. B. WilderRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story had me hooked from the beginning. It asks the question "What's the weirdest place you'd work if it meant making MAD MONEY."
The protagonist is takes on a crazy new job that, if she can survive it, pretty much means she'll be set for life. It's hard not to get excited by that. Then, as you come to realize just what makes this such a weird place to work, the stakes only go higher. To balance things out, we see Lynette, the protagonist, go from her crazy work life, back to a pretty mundane and relatable life outside of work. This helps us see her human side, get to know the people in her life, etc. I hope we'll get more of this down the line, as the focus in these early chapters has mainly been around the coworkers (which I get).
The humor is my favorite aspect so far. The author dives into the absurdity and the story is made all the better for it. And now that Lynette is starting to figure out just how she can make this new arrangement work, it's great to see the funny ways she's trying to combat working alongside literal human-eating monsters.
Give this one a read, you'll really enjoy where it's headed.
Aetherchasm ExplorerRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
The writing is vivid, blending modern conversational tones with occasional introspective moments. The dialogue feels authentic and helps bring the characters to life. However, certain transitions, particularly between internal thoughts and external actions, feel abrupt and could benefit from smoother integration. For example, Alexander's struggle with his hunger and his subsequent dialogue could be more tightly woven to enhance the tension. Descriptions, such as the inviting ambiance of the pizzeria, are immersive and well-crafted, though some scenes include slightly redundant details that slow the pacing.
The story introduces intriguing elements, including Lynette's relatable struggles and Alexander's mysterious hunger-driven conflict. The narrative effectively balances slice-of-life humor with hints of supernatural tension, creating a compelling blend of genres. However, the pacing fluctuates—Lynette’s workplace interactions feel grounded and engaging, while Alexander's scenes occasionally feel rushed. The juxtaposition of their perspectives builds intrigue, but the link between their stories could be foreshadowed more explicitly to create a stronger hook.
Grammar and punctuation are mostly flawless, with only minor issues such as slightly awkward phrasing in a few instances (e.g., "My aches were so bad I slept most of that week" could be rephrased for clarity). The dialogue tags and formatting are clean and contribute to an easy reading experience.
Lynette is relatable, her anxieties and humor making her an engaging protagonist. Her interactions, especially with Charletta and Alexander, feel natural and establish her personality. Alexander’s mysterious nature is compelling, though his motivations and internal struggle could use more clarity to avoid confusing the reader. The secondary characters, such as Edgar and Charletta, add depth and serve the story well, but some, like Wicks, feel underutilized in this opening chapter.
"Day '0'" is a promising start that de