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Fireflies
A Sidhe warrior in exile. A young man with powers he's only beginning to understand. In their hands, the fate of two worlds. A childhood encounter with one of the Sidhe sets Joseph Vines' life on a fateful course. Unable to forget the beautiful creature who promised to one day return for him, Joey spends the next twenty years learning, dreaming and waiting. Braeden Shay, a warrior of the Sidhe, has spent those same twenty years watching Joey from a distance, waiting for Joey's heritage to make itself known. When the time is ripe, Braeden steps in to protect Joey from those trying to kill him, and to help him deal with the changes turning his life inside out. During the days that follow, as Braeden teaches Joey to harness and control his newfound power over the natural world, Joey finds himself falling for the gentle, patient Braeden. Braeden, who has watched over Joey for most of his life, is already deeply in love with him. When the forces targeting Joey for death catch up with them, it will take all their magic-and the power of their love for each other-to survive, and to save both their worlds. Warning, this title contains the explicit male/male sex, graphic language, violence, and inappropriate use of plants.
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First published July 17, 2007
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About the author
Ally Blue
90 books449 followersAlly Blue penned her first tale at age eight, relating the breathless terror of her little sister’s not-quite-fatal encounter with a bee in the backyard. That was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with storytelling. She now writes gay romance of all flavors, and has recently branched into writing her first love: horror. She continues her neverending quest to scare herself. She is not a hippie or a brain surgeon, no matter what her kids’ friends say.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
July 25, 2009
I have to admit that I have a love of fairies. Not only do I love to collect books about them, but I also love to collect knickknacks that are fairy. I was hoping this book would be a good one and I was not disappointed.
A fae visits our hero Joey when he was just five years old. He wouldn't see him again for another twenty years. He learns from Braeden the fairy that his real father was an evil fairy and wishes to kill him and take his powers. His biological father wishes to rule over both the human and fairy world. It is up to the two to stop him.
Blue does a very good job making the characters seem very believable. The story and sex scenes are very imaginative.
A fae visits our hero Joey when he was just five years old. He wouldn't see him again for another twenty years. He learns from Braeden the fairy that his real father was an evil fairy and wishes to kill him and take his powers. His biological father wishes to rule over both the human and fairy world. It is up to the two to stop him.
Blue does a very good job making the characters seem very believable. The story and sex scenes are very imaginative.
August 13, 2017
This was a lovely tale of faeries and love. And I swear this has the most gorgeous cover art I've seen so far this year.
February 19, 2013
First off, I really liked the whole theme of fireflies in this book. Well, it wasn't actually a recurring theme, or some deep and meaningful concept, but the appearance of fireflies was endearing (especially at the end) and introduced this 'awww' factor at some parts.That really was an unnecessary comment... but I felt it was important to mention because bugs, seeing as most are born as wriggling, slimy hell beasts, are all on my kill-on-sight-and-at-all-costs list.
Anyway going to the actual book, I actually liked this quite a lot, despite some of the flaws I found in it. The biggest problem for me in this book, I think, was the fact that overall it was quite lacklustre. It had some great new ideas to introduce into the already-expansive world of the fae, but it was just not an amazing sorry. Plain as that. However, in that same respect, none of the things I found to be flaws were that amazingly jarring and obvious too.
The storyline was quite follow-the-typical-template, with there bring an evil man trying to take over the world (who, in some cases, is a relative of the hero), then it ends with the obvious HEA. (The fact that I didn't tag that as a spoiler should make it pretty obvious that it's mot much of a spoiler...).
The characters are also quite likeable, but sadly, not amazingly so. But they were pretty cute together! Braeden was a bit of an iffy character for me. You see, I've not been reading much lately (for various reasons) so I did drop this book for a week or bit less, and so, when I got back to reading it, it suddenly hit me all over again how goddamn formal and stiff he sounds when he talks. It's okay during sex, because if he's saying this long ass flowery sentences, something obviously ain't right, but when he wasn't participating in some man on man action it was noticeable. I don't think it's that much if a problem because you get used to it quickly, it just hits you in the face at first. Well, at least, for me it did.
Joey was quite a lovely character, and realistic as well. When taking up his hero mantle, he didn't go from college student (I think) to badass warrior-assassin-mage in the span of 2 pages-- which is good. And he did have his occasional breakdowns and tantrums which I found even better, though they still irritated me haha.
The bad guy was.. Typically evil. But that's ok. I won't fuss.
TL;DR: (sorry I rambled) It's a solid and ok read. No huge flaws, likeable characters and a so and so plot. Not great, but ok.
Anyway going to the actual book, I actually liked this quite a lot, despite some of the flaws I found in it. The biggest problem for me in this book, I think, was the fact that overall it was quite lacklustre. It had some great new ideas to introduce into the already-expansive world of the fae, but it was just not an amazing sorry. Plain as that. However, in that same respect, none of the things I found to be flaws were that amazingly jarring and obvious too.
The storyline was quite follow-the-typical-template, with there bring an evil man trying to take over the world (who, in some cases, is a relative of the hero), then it ends with the obvious HEA. (The fact that I didn't tag that as a spoiler should make it pretty obvious that it's mot much of a spoiler...).
The characters are also quite likeable, but sadly, not amazingly so. But they were pretty cute together! Braeden was a bit of an iffy character for me. You see, I've not been reading much lately (for various reasons) so I did drop this book for a week or bit less, and so, when I got back to reading it, it suddenly hit me all over again how goddamn formal and stiff he sounds when he talks. It's okay during sex, because if he's saying this long ass flowery sentences, something obviously ain't right, but when he wasn't participating in some man on man action it was noticeable. I don't think it's that much if a problem because you get used to it quickly, it just hits you in the face at first. Well, at least, for me it did.
Joey was quite a lovely character, and realistic as well. When taking up his hero mantle, he didn't go from college student (I think) to badass warrior-assassin-mage in the span of 2 pages-- which is good. And he did have his occasional breakdowns and tantrums which I found even better, though they still irritated me haha.
The bad guy was.. Typically evil. But that's ok. I won't fuss.
TL;DR: (sorry I rambled) It's a solid and ok read. No huge flaws, likeable characters and a so and so plot. Not great, but ok.
July 31, 2017
Aside from the banal cover art and strange fetish of "faeries", Fireflies has got awful writing and a confusing story with no character development whatsoever.
March 10, 2013
SlashReaders LJ: I read a book of short stories/novella's a while back that included one of Ally Blue's works and to be honest I was not impressed with anything in the book. However I am a sucker for anything that contains fearies. So when I caught sight of this book and it's beautiful cover, well I gave into the temptation despite my previous disappointment.
This book is an improvement from any of the works contained in the book of short stories. There was some obvious research done--though not quite enough. So instead of going on and on in detail I'm going to list the obvious problems with this work. I also think that in the future Ally Blue might be worth another try, there is potential in her work to be much better.
So here are the problems that I had with her novel:
Alright those are the problems that I noticed within this work, some of them are very easy to fix and some of them I suppose it depends on how you view the lore of the fae and what you know about the Tuatha De Danann. I could go into that Pandora's box as well however I'm not going to because it doesn't really pertain. I disagree with certain portrayal's however since it is all folklore and mythos it's really up to the author to twist it and use it as they see fit.
So I pointed out a fair number of problems, but that said. I felt that compared to her last work I think Ally Blue did much better with this one. There was better development and most of the issues I have are things that will be fixed as this author grows and matures.
This book is an improvement from any of the works contained in the book of short stories. There was some obvious research done--though not quite enough. So instead of going on and on in detail I'm going to list the obvious problems with this work. I also think that in the future Ally Blue might be worth another try, there is potential in her work to be much better.
So here are the problems that I had with her novel:
Alright those are the problems that I noticed within this work, some of them are very easy to fix and some of them I suppose it depends on how you view the lore of the fae and what you know about the Tuatha De Danann. I could go into that Pandora's box as well however I'm not going to because it doesn't really pertain. I disagree with certain portrayal's however since it is all folklore and mythos it's really up to the author to twist it and use it as they see fit.
So I pointed out a fair number of problems, but that said. I felt that compared to her last work I think Ally Blue did much better with this one. There was better development and most of the issues I have are things that will be fixed as this author grows and matures.
April 13, 2010
Once again I must thank Ally for graciously sending me a copy of Fireflies. This was one of her works that just called my name. I knew I had to read it, and I knew I would love it.
Where shall I begin? This was truly a wonderful blend of reality and fantasy. Aside from the faery aspect, the story is believable. A couple destined to be together even tho they had not a slightest clue. The fact that Joseph's father issues. A mother's intuition, which cut deep into my heart- especially towards the end. Another great thing was the location of the story- Asheville, North Carolina. Ally has set the novel here and describes various locations that I have seen. Although I may have only seen them briefly in my time here, it was a cool feeling to know an author has set her story in a place you actually live in. It gives it an almost surreal feeling. However most importantly to me, was the fact of the characters being a gay couple. Ally loves to break stereotypes and I can tell by her use of an interracial couple. So what if it's an interracial-"mythical" couple. I believe in non-discrimination, even in fiction, and she has made this happen.
Anne Cain has done the illustration for the cover of Ally's book, and I have to say it's just beautiful. The way that Ally has described Joey's tattoo is just dead on to the cover that shows Joey's back tattoo. I want it myself! It goes into even more depth with how in one section Ally is describing a scene. You can read that section and look at the cover pose of Joey & Braeden, and you just know it is straight off the page. I sincerely hope Ally at some point takes Joey's story and expands it into a second book. Tir-Na-Nog is a magical place and who wouldn't want to know what happens in Faery land?
There are a few quotes that I read and just had to save for my review. This first one I believe rings so true and could even be used as an empowerment statement, as well as the mantra it is used for in the story. "It's okay to be afraid. Do not try to deny it, but do not let it rule you. Acknowledge it, allow yourself to feel it, and let it go. Only then will you be able to do what must be done." I loved that saying and feel I can use it in my own personal life, as well as anyone else who may be afraid of something or someone.
The other two stood out as well to the same extent as the one above, but in different contexts. "The future is not predestined, though those who attempt to change its course often bring about their own downfall." "Because you are indeed a virgin in matters of the heart. Because for all the men you've bedded, you've loved none until now." Ally's beautiful ability to turn words into things that are a magical wonder is just wonderful in all that it is. This is a must read and I encourage my friends and readers to look out for this book because you too will fall in love with Joseph's journey and self-discovery.
xoxo
Steven
Where shall I begin? This was truly a wonderful blend of reality and fantasy. Aside from the faery aspect, the story is believable. A couple destined to be together even tho they had not a slightest clue. The fact that Joseph's father issues. A mother's intuition, which cut deep into my heart- especially towards the end. Another great thing was the location of the story- Asheville, North Carolina. Ally has set the novel here and describes various locations that I have seen. Although I may have only seen them briefly in my time here, it was a cool feeling to know an author has set her story in a place you actually live in. It gives it an almost surreal feeling. However most importantly to me, was the fact of the characters being a gay couple. Ally loves to break stereotypes and I can tell by her use of an interracial couple. So what if it's an interracial-"mythical" couple. I believe in non-discrimination, even in fiction, and she has made this happen.
Anne Cain has done the illustration for the cover of Ally's book, and I have to say it's just beautiful. The way that Ally has described Joey's tattoo is just dead on to the cover that shows Joey's back tattoo. I want it myself! It goes into even more depth with how in one section Ally is describing a scene. You can read that section and look at the cover pose of Joey & Braeden, and you just know it is straight off the page. I sincerely hope Ally at some point takes Joey's story and expands it into a second book. Tir-Na-Nog is a magical place and who wouldn't want to know what happens in Faery land?
There are a few quotes that I read and just had to save for my review. This first one I believe rings so true and could even be used as an empowerment statement, as well as the mantra it is used for in the story. "It's okay to be afraid. Do not try to deny it, but do not let it rule you. Acknowledge it, allow yourself to feel it, and let it go. Only then will you be able to do what must be done." I loved that saying and feel I can use it in my own personal life, as well as anyone else who may be afraid of something or someone.
The other two stood out as well to the same extent as the one above, but in different contexts. "The future is not predestined, though those who attempt to change its course often bring about their own downfall." "Because you are indeed a virgin in matters of the heart. Because for all the men you've bedded, you've loved none until now." Ally's beautiful ability to turn words into things that are a magical wonder is just wonderful in all that it is. This is a must read and I encourage my friends and readers to look out for this book because you too will fall in love with Joseph's journey and self-discovery.
xoxo
Steven
December 30, 2010
I picked up this book because I loved the cover. Also it goes towards my GLBT challenges so that is a bonus. Overall this is a sweet little book with a simple story line. It does contain explicit M/M sex, so this is just a head up for people who are uncomfortable with that.
Braeden is a Sidhe warrior exiled from fairy; he has spent his whole life watching over Joey. Joey thinks he's human but soon finds out he is a half-sidhe that has powerful plant magic; he saw Braeden when he was younger and has been obsessed with the Sidhe ever since then. When Joey finds out his parentage he also discovers that he is being hunted by a powerful evil Sidhe.
Initially I will say that this book started out as a book with a loose plot that was basically a vehicle to explicit sex scenes between the two male characters. As the book continued this improved. Blue's characters (mainly Braeden, Joey, and Joey's mother) are all likable, caring characters, that are easy to read about. Blue did an excellent job of keeping the language styles of Braeden and Joey separate and this helps distinguish their very different backgrounds (Braeden centuries old and Joey modern and young). The plot is predictable and simple, but overall well done.
In general this book was a quick read. It was a sweet book, nothing was ever too dire for the characters, and all of the characters were loving and understanding. The world Blue creates is realistic but not incredibly well filled out. I did like that all of the characters were so open about their sexuality and that the supporting characters were also understanding. The setting is also well described and the book takes place in a variety of beautiful and lush settings; Blue does an excellent job describing her settings.
For this book, being what it is, there must be some discussion of the sex scenes. In general they were decent, pretty creative, and touching (both physically and emotionally). They are very explicit, all sex was consensual, and there is some creativity there (Joey controls plant life and this gets involved in some of the scenes...we will leave that at that).
This is a very short book and the story matches this length. Overall a good read. A sweet simple story with lovable characters. The plot was a bit thin in the beginning of the book and predictable throughout the book. I predicted if/how Joey would deal with the evil Sidhe pretty much at the beginning of the story. A good read if you want a simple and sweet fairy tale story with some explicit M/M sex scenes.
Braeden is a Sidhe warrior exiled from fairy; he has spent his whole life watching over Joey. Joey thinks he's human but soon finds out he is a half-sidhe that has powerful plant magic; he saw Braeden when he was younger and has been obsessed with the Sidhe ever since then. When Joey finds out his parentage he also discovers that he is being hunted by a powerful evil Sidhe.
Initially I will say that this book started out as a book with a loose plot that was basically a vehicle to explicit sex scenes between the two male characters. As the book continued this improved. Blue's characters (mainly Braeden, Joey, and Joey's mother) are all likable, caring characters, that are easy to read about. Blue did an excellent job of keeping the language styles of Braeden and Joey separate and this helps distinguish their very different backgrounds (Braeden centuries old and Joey modern and young). The plot is predictable and simple, but overall well done.
In general this book was a quick read. It was a sweet book, nothing was ever too dire for the characters, and all of the characters were loving and understanding. The world Blue creates is realistic but not incredibly well filled out. I did like that all of the characters were so open about their sexuality and that the supporting characters were also understanding. The setting is also well described and the book takes place in a variety of beautiful and lush settings; Blue does an excellent job describing her settings.
For this book, being what it is, there must be some discussion of the sex scenes. In general they were decent, pretty creative, and touching (both physically and emotionally). They are very explicit, all sex was consensual, and there is some creativity there (Joey controls plant life and this gets involved in some of the scenes...we will leave that at that).
This is a very short book and the story matches this length. Overall a good read. A sweet simple story with lovable characters. The plot was a bit thin in the beginning of the book and predictable throughout the book. I predicted if/how Joey would deal with the evil Sidhe pretty much at the beginning of the story. A good read if you want a simple and sweet fairy tale story with some explicit M/M sex scenes.
Read
April 1, 2009When I read about sex between faery (of the original genre, with faery wings...) I always ask to myself: how can they lay back? the wings are not uncomfortable? Sooo, a lit of magic goes away when I think so, but Ally Blue has found a really interesting alternative to the problems... but you have to read the book to know what.
Joey is an halfling fae. His father is an evil unselie, and he is fated to kill him. He doens't know nothing except that, when he was 5 years old a beautiful fae man, Braeden, has visited him and kiss him on the forehead and say "I'll come back for you, when you're ready". All right, if a beautiful man, even if he has wings, says to me he will come back, I will sure wait for him. And so does Joey. And when this gorgeous man came back, you see, Joey has to make sex with him as first thing... twenty years is a long time...
All right, tonight I'm a bit silly, but really, this is not a funny tale, au contraire, it is also a bit sad. But I like very much Joey's character, he is so naivee and he has this passion for the Braeden's wings. The rest of the book is a fight between good and evil, between love and hate, generosity and avarice. Braeden has no doubt he is fated to love Joey as Joye is fated to rescue the faery world from his evil father.
And Matt, from Love's Evolution, made a little cameo appereance... and the cover by Anne Cain is gorgeous and give you an exact idea of the two characters.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1599987864/?...
Joey is an halfling fae. His father is an evil unselie, and he is fated to kill him. He doens't know nothing except that, when he was 5 years old a beautiful fae man, Braeden, has visited him and kiss him on the forehead and say "I'll come back for you, when you're ready". All right, if a beautiful man, even if he has wings, says to me he will come back, I will sure wait for him. And so does Joey. And when this gorgeous man came back, you see, Joey has to make sex with him as first thing... twenty years is a long time...
All right, tonight I'm a bit silly, but really, this is not a funny tale, au contraire, it is also a bit sad. But I like very much Joey's character, he is so naivee and he has this passion for the Braeden's wings. The rest of the book is a fight between good and evil, between love and hate, generosity and avarice. Braeden has no doubt he is fated to love Joey as Joye is fated to rescue the faery world from his evil father.
And Matt, from Love's Evolution, made a little cameo appereance... and the cover by Anne Cain is gorgeous and give you an exact idea of the two characters.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1599987864/?...
May 17, 2009
3.5 stars
This book kind of reads like an erotic children's book.
This is the story of Joey, who met a fairy as a child and couldn't ever forget about it, and Braeden, said fairy, who stayed in the human world to watch over Joey until he was old enough to know the truth.
Joey is half fairy, and has amazing powers to talk to and control plants. But all is not well for Joey and Braeden, 'cause there's a bad guy after Joey.
The story is very, very simple. Joey and Braeden hook up at the very beginning, and the rest of the story is pretty predictable. It's told in a very simplistic manner, hence my comparing it to a children's book. There was no internal conflict for Joey and Braeden - it was all external. Everything was sunshine and roses as far as their relationship. It was basically just a very sweet little fairy tale where the good guys win in the end.
The sex scenes were very hot, though. I would not actually encourage anyone to give this book to a child. ;) If you enjoy m/m romance, you'll like this story, but I think it was just a little too sweet and simple for me to get totally wrapped up in it.
Note: Samhain Publishing likes to give humorous disclaimers about their books. One of the ones for this book was "inappropriate use of plants." Now, I assumed this would involve some smoking of mind altering substances. Oh silly, silly me. I should have had more imagination than that! I encourage any m/m fans to read this book for that scene alone. :)
This book kind of reads like an erotic children's book.
This is the story of Joey, who met a fairy as a child and couldn't ever forget about it, and Braeden, said fairy, who stayed in the human world to watch over Joey until he was old enough to know the truth.
Joey is half fairy, and has amazing powers to talk to and control plants. But all is not well for Joey and Braeden, 'cause there's a bad guy after Joey.
The story is very, very simple. Joey and Braeden hook up at the very beginning, and the rest of the story is pretty predictable. It's told in a very simplistic manner, hence my comparing it to a children's book. There was no internal conflict for Joey and Braeden - it was all external. Everything was sunshine and roses as far as their relationship. It was basically just a very sweet little fairy tale where the good guys win in the end.
The sex scenes were very hot, though. I would not actually encourage anyone to give this book to a child. ;) If you enjoy m/m romance, you'll like this story, but I think it was just a little too sweet and simple for me to get totally wrapped up in it.
Note: Samhain Publishing likes to give humorous disclaimers about their books. One of the ones for this book was "inappropriate use of plants." Now, I assumed this would involve some smoking of mind altering substances. Oh silly, silly me. I should have had more imagination than that! I encourage any m/m fans to read this book for that scene alone. :)
June 24, 2010
Beautiful story with a gorgeous cover. The story inside is wonderful and kept me hooked the entire time. The very end of the story was both heartbreaking and happy at the same time, and I'll admit that I did sob for quite awhile. The imagery was just so powerful and beautiful it touched me very deeply.
April 26, 2012
This was a truly wonderful book to read. True enough, it was bitter sweet, but over all it left me with a really happy feeling. The writing is simplistic, but not so much so that it detracts from the story. I think for having never read a title by this author, it was a good book to be introduced to her with.
February 5, 2012
I really enjoyed this book, the magic of the land and energies and stuff, sometimes I think I can feel something similar and it spoke to me in volumes.
Loved the natural magic, his powers and how it responded to just a thought.
really great book
Loved the natural magic, his powers and how it responded to just a thought.
really great book
dnf
June 30, 2013Insta-love and not really much of interest. A cliched "action" plot.
It is not really bad, so I will not rate it, but I am not fascinated enough to read on.
The long, raven tresses that hang to Joe's waist gave me a bad Laurell-K-Hamilton-Moment.
It is not really bad, so I will not rate it, but I am not fascinated enough to read on.
The long, raven tresses that hang to Joe's waist gave me a bad Laurell-K-Hamilton-Moment.
December 8, 2008
Besides the fact the cover art for this is gorgeous!! the book was a fast, sexy read with lovely bishi characters who are easy to root for, and clearly perfect for eachother.
April 13, 2020
I reviewed/read this book for Ally back in 2010. I loved this book so much. The story line was great and I just connected so deep with the characters. This is one of my favorite books of all time. I really need to reread it.
February 4, 2024
Aww this made me cry, what a painful decision to have to make.
February 5, 2016
I'll start this review by stating that this book was neither good nor entirely bad. It simply failed to capture me emotionally, and thus was missing a lot. There was potential... but everything just fell flat and left a lot to be desired.
The most important element in a book for me are the characters and the relationship between them. To be honest, the sex came far too early and this destroyed so much more than I expected. It skipped right over the tension and straight into... well, what we assume to be the "good bits". There was a lot of touching prior, but it felt unnatural for supposed strangers to advance that comfortably before learning more about each other. That sort of broke the suspension of disbelief and made me question the bond between the lovers. My favourite part in a m/m story is the building of romance; the first meeting, the development of interest, the realization, the desire to express it, and the need for it to be returned - THEN the unity. Everything after should be a reflection of what the readers craved as the rewarding results. But here the readers are deprived of that development, and it just left me uncaring entirely. There was no time to crave anything, let alone learn who these people are. Why should I care about these strangers? It felt shallow. Their tender moments were boring and the sex was dull (ended up skimming a lot of this book). The only scene that produced any hint of emotion out of me was when they fought. Otherwise, they touch and kiss so often that it sucked the impact out of their actions and crossed over to awkward PDA.
The story did not provide much of a recovery either. The plot was weak, predictable, unoriginal, and resolved far too easily. Almost every fae book starts the same way; kid is special and can see and talk to fairies and grows up wanting to know more, all because they are half human, half (insert fantasy creature here). In this one, his fae father wants to murder him because he was prophesied to defeat him, and thus creates his own fate by trying to avoid it (not really a spoiler because they state and foreshadow this over and over again many times throughout the book). And... well, that is about it as far as the story goes. Unexplained magical solutions jump out of nowhere to conveniently save the day, so there is no need to worry for a moment (sound like fun reading?). The climax came and left uneventfully and I had to reread the paragraph to make sure it was really dealt with and would not return to cause more trouble. I was actually suspicious because it was just that simple.
I was pretty certain there was something redeemable about this book that I could write about (I even waited a while to let my opinions mature into something balanced), but thinking it through, I can only hear all the complaints and how much time I wasted on it. There were times I had hope with the plotline... and that is as close as I could get to a compliment. Actually, the writing style was pretty nice so the author can have another point. I originally put it down to read another book and reluctantly returned... but it should have stayed down. I feel ripped off. I'd only recommend it if it is a person's first time reading fae.
The most important element in a book for me are the characters and the relationship between them. To be honest, the sex came far too early and this destroyed so much more than I expected. It skipped right over the tension and straight into... well, what we assume to be the "good bits". There was a lot of touching prior, but it felt unnatural for supposed strangers to advance that comfortably before learning more about each other. That sort of broke the suspension of disbelief and made me question the bond between the lovers. My favourite part in a m/m story is the building of romance; the first meeting, the development of interest, the realization, the desire to express it, and the need for it to be returned - THEN the unity. Everything after should be a reflection of what the readers craved as the rewarding results. But here the readers are deprived of that development, and it just left me uncaring entirely. There was no time to crave anything, let alone learn who these people are. Why should I care about these strangers? It felt shallow. Their tender moments were boring and the sex was dull (ended up skimming a lot of this book). The only scene that produced any hint of emotion out of me was when they fought. Otherwise, they touch and kiss so often that it sucked the impact out of their actions and crossed over to awkward PDA.
The story did not provide much of a recovery either. The plot was weak, predictable, unoriginal, and resolved far too easily. Almost every fae book starts the same way; kid is special and can see and talk to fairies and grows up wanting to know more, all because they are half human, half (insert fantasy creature here). In this one, his fae father wants to murder him because he was prophesied to defeat him, and thus creates his own fate by trying to avoid it (not really a spoiler because they state and foreshadow this over and over again many times throughout the book). And... well, that is about it as far as the story goes. Unexplained magical solutions jump out of nowhere to conveniently save the day, so there is no need to worry for a moment (sound like fun reading?). The climax came and left uneventfully and I had to reread the paragraph to make sure it was really dealt with and would not return to cause more trouble. I was actually suspicious because it was just that simple.
I was pretty certain there was something redeemable about this book that I could write about (I even waited a while to let my opinions mature into something balanced), but thinking it through, I can only hear all the complaints and how much time I wasted on it. There were times I had hope with the plotline... and that is as close as I could get to a compliment. Actually, the writing style was pretty nice so the author can have another point. I originally put it down to read another book and reluctantly returned... but it should have stayed down. I feel ripped off. I'd only recommend it if it is a person's first time reading fae.
November 17, 2025
Fireflies is a short, sweet m/m fantasy romance that plays with the familiar elements of fae lore but filters them through an earnest, emotionally driven lens. It may not reinvent the wheel, but there’s a comforting charm in how it handles identity, destiny, and queer love.
The story follows Joey, a young man with a natural affinity for plants and a deep childhood memory he’s never been able to shake: the fleeting visit of a beautiful, winged fae named Braeden when he was five years old. Fast forward twenty years, and that childhood encounter returns, quite literally throwing Joey into a world of danger, prophecy, and forbidden magic.
Joey is one of the highlights here. He’s grounded and surprisingly believable for a protagonist . His growth is messy but realistic, he doesn’t immediately accept his fate or transform into some warrior overnight. His confusion, fear, and bursts of anger made him feel human. And while his connection with Braeden progresses quickly, it’s cushioned with enough tenderness that it didn’t feel completely unearned.
Braeden, on the other hand, took more time to warm to. His dialogue often came across as overly formal, especially in quieter moments which could make him feel a bit removed or stilted. It does ease as the book progresses, and once the two characters find more emotional common ground, his stiffness begins to soften.
I appreciated the way Ally Blue wrote their physical intimacy. The sex scenes aren’t just decorative, they carry emotional weight and act as moments of trust and vulnerability. It’s not often I read books that can thread magic, fairy wings, and eroticism without slipping into pure fantasy fluff, but this one manages to walk that line well.
The villain is straightforward textbook evil fairy bent on domination, but it works for the scope and tone of the story. Sometimes, a classic conflict allows the quieter, more nuanced emotional beats to take center stage. That said, I did find myself wishing for a bit more complexity in the antagonist’s motivations or methods.
I did find myself wondering about some underdeveloped threads, particularly concerning Joey’s mother and her backstory. Hints are droppedbut these elements felt like they had real narrative potential that went untapped. A little more exploration could’ve added a layer of emotional resonance, especially since motherhood and legacy are so central to Joey’s journey.
In the end, Fireflies doesn’t try to be epic, it’s more of a compact, character-focused romantic fantasy. And while it doesn’t reach the emotional heights of some slow-burn character-driven stories I tend to favor, it left me with a satisfying, warm feeling. It’s the kind of book you can devour in an afternoon and finish with a soft smile.
The story follows Joey, a young man with a natural affinity for plants and a deep childhood memory he’s never been able to shake: the fleeting visit of a beautiful, winged fae named Braeden when he was five years old. Fast forward twenty years, and that childhood encounter returns, quite literally throwing Joey into a world of danger, prophecy, and forbidden magic.
Joey is one of the highlights here. He’s grounded and surprisingly believable for a protagonist . His growth is messy but realistic, he doesn’t immediately accept his fate or transform into some warrior overnight. His confusion, fear, and bursts of anger made him feel human. And while his connection with Braeden progresses quickly, it’s cushioned with enough tenderness that it didn’t feel completely unearned.
Braeden, on the other hand, took more time to warm to. His dialogue often came across as overly formal, especially in quieter moments which could make him feel a bit removed or stilted. It does ease as the book progresses, and once the two characters find more emotional common ground, his stiffness begins to soften.
I appreciated the way Ally Blue wrote their physical intimacy. The sex scenes aren’t just decorative, they carry emotional weight and act as moments of trust and vulnerability. It’s not often I read books that can thread magic, fairy wings, and eroticism without slipping into pure fantasy fluff, but this one manages to walk that line well.
The villain is straightforward textbook evil fairy bent on domination, but it works for the scope and tone of the story. Sometimes, a classic conflict allows the quieter, more nuanced emotional beats to take center stage. That said, I did find myself wishing for a bit more complexity in the antagonist’s motivations or methods.
I did find myself wondering about some underdeveloped threads, particularly concerning Joey’s mother and her backstory. Hints are droppedbut these elements felt like they had real narrative potential that went untapped. A little more exploration could’ve added a layer of emotional resonance, especially since motherhood and legacy are so central to Joey’s journey.
In the end, Fireflies doesn’t try to be epic, it’s more of a compact, character-focused romantic fantasy. And while it doesn’t reach the emotional heights of some slow-burn character-driven stories I tend to favor, it left me with a satisfying, warm feeling. It’s the kind of book you can devour in an afternoon and finish with a soft smile.
September 24, 2014
This was an ok book but at the end I just didn't have alot of feeling about it and felt vaguely unsatisfied by it. This was an insta=love book but with the fantasy elements it didn't feel rushed or bad and the sidhe mythology was interesting. As I was reading I didn't hate it but I started to realize that the book was just skimming the surface of these characters. We really never get to know Braeden other than his devotion to Joey. He has no real interests, background, family, on only vague references to his past. He is just kind of hollow and empty as a character following Joey around and having sex with him. He just doesn't have a lot of personality and for a MC is pretty forgettable. Joey is a little bit better but still outside of his battle with his father we just don't know much about him.
We don't get to see Joey train alot or Braeden and Joey do anything other than have sex. Then we never get to see what happens in teh Sidhe world in the end which was a disappointment since I would have liked to see that world explored. I'm not sure what the point was of the epilogue with the weird return home. I just left with a weird feeling for the ending.
We don't get to see Joey train alot or Braeden and Joey do anything other than have sex. Then we never get to see what happens in teh Sidhe world in the end which was a disappointment since I would have liked to see that world explored. I'm not sure what the point was of the epilogue with the weird return home. I just left with a weird feeling for the ending.
April 10, 2013
This was a nice read. It didn't blow me out of the ballpark. But I thought it was decent and worth reading. I thought it was a good stand alone book. Our characters are introduced with enough background to give them some depth. I personally, did not like the front cover of the book.... It isn't how I imagine them to look like.
Joey meets a pretty fairy(man) when he is 5 years old and can't forget about him. Now twenty years later, he is working with plants. He has a knack with them and taking care of them. Then he gets a horrible headache and passes out. He wakes up to see the fairy from when he was 5, Braeden. They have an instant connection and hook up pretty quickly. He finds out some truths about his life and how he is part of a prophecy. Introduced the villain. Joey has to come to terms that this person wants to kill him and the only way to save his life(and others) he will have to kill him first.
There relationship grows and both have to come to terms what they are willing to sacrifice to be able to stay together forever.
Joey meets a pretty fairy(man) when he is 5 years old and can't forget about him. Now twenty years later, he is working with plants. He has a knack with them and taking care of them. Then he gets a horrible headache and passes out. He wakes up to see the fairy from when he was 5, Braeden. They have an instant connection and hook up pretty quickly. He finds out some truths about his life and how he is part of a prophecy. Introduced the villain. Joey has to come to terms that this person wants to kill him and the only way to save his life(and others) he will have to kill him first.
There relationship grows and both have to come to terms what they are willing to sacrifice to be able to stay together forever.
Read
December 13, 2012I couldn't get into this one like I did for Ally's BCPI series. Part of that was the insta-love dynamic. Sure, the faery has been watching from a far for years, and Joey has been fantasizing about the mysterious fae for just as long, but as soon as they stand face to face it's a done deal. Eh, not my thing. Also, there was so much sex in this story I thought it was an Loose Id publication. Because I wasn't sold on the love, the extra X-rated scenes weren't for me either.
The fae world/storyline was good, and I liked how Joey dealt with the Big Bad Guy in a way I wasn't expecting. I enjoyed the final couple of scenes that occurred once the story was resolved (more than the rest of the story).
The fae world/storyline was good, and I liked how Joey dealt with the Big Bad Guy in a way I wasn't expecting. I enjoyed the final couple of scenes that occurred once the story was resolved (more than the rest of the story).
Read
October 9, 2014It was a great read, I love the space jumps, the spells, the fight, the plant groping. Only thing is I wanted to know more about the mom. when she was kidnapped and how many years went by in our time when she came back here? How did she get a new name? I know that she was stuck in faery world for a couple of years before she came back. How did she coup with the lost of everyone she knew and birth of her first child alone? Did people think she was crazy when she told her story? or did she talk about it all and tryed to live her life in this new world? I am so lost about that, the more I read the end the more I wanted to read about the mothers story.
April 25, 2010
This was a cute story. It was a quick read with fun personification of plants. The happily ever ending was beautiful and struck me more deeply than I thought it would. If there was one thing I wanted Ally Blue to explore more of the interracial aspect and how it impacted Joseph/Joey before and after he learned the truth of his nature.
If you like m/m stories, Celtic mythology, stories of Sidhe, sexuality including wings, and adventure, give this book a go.
If you like m/m stories, Celtic mythology, stories of Sidhe, sexuality including wings, and adventure, give this book a go.
April 9, 2012
Meh. It was okay, but there was zero romantic tension, and the magic in the world was too convenient/lacking in depth for me to really get invested in it. I don't regret reading the story, as it was enjoyable enough and worked for my faerie/fantasy fix, but those looking for something with tension and a more complex story will be disappointed. Also: the sex scenes were fine, but at times pointless.
October 3, 2010
I really enjoyed this story. I'm giving it 4.5 stars, rounded down to 4 because it doesn't have the re-readability (for me) that would get me to round it up to 5. The story is pretty compelling, and I like Ally's writing. This is the first work of hers which I have read.
November 13, 2013
A guy in my GSA suggested I read this. I found it enjoyable. It's about fairies and trouble in fairy land. Plus there's male on male sex. There's a pseudo bondage scene involving plants that was hot.
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October 7, 2008Fireflies by Ally Blue (2008)
November 12, 2008
I'm a big fan of Ally Blue's work, and the blend of fantasy and romance is wonderful. A must read!
July 15, 2010
SLOW...ENDED UP SPEEDING AND SKIMMING IT.
July 18, 2011
Cute book!
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