The Slums: Episode One

by KuTura B.

The Slums- Episode One

Three women. One hood. No easy way out.

In the Slums, love comes with conditions. Loyalty will cost you everything. And the same ones smilin’ in your face might be plotting your downfall.

Ain’t no grace in the streets, and nobody’s exempt from betrayal.

One woman’s stuck chasing the thrill of what she lost. Another’s knee-deep in the hustle—until the game flips and swallows her whole. And the third? She’s holdin’ it down alone, drowning in pain while life crumbles around her.

They all claim to stand ten toes down…

But when it’s time to really stand, only one will make it out. The question is—at what cost?

Because in the Slums, pain is currency, and the truth will break you before it frees you. And if you’re lucky enough to escape, count your blessings and never back.

The Slums is a raw, unfiltered urban tale about pain, power, and what it really takes to get it out the mud.

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 8, 2025

Reviews

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely what I would call a page turner and I loved every messy minute. I was emotionally invested in these characters very early on, and I instantly knew that I would lose sleep trying to finish this story. The Jenkins sisters Tasha and Michelle’s (AKA Mikki) journey through their young adulthood will make you empathize with these ladies during the troubled times, and shake them at the same time when they are not using their heads. Prepare to laugh at the banter, scream at the infuriating moments, love on some of the characters, and completely despise some of the other ones. This story was simply a well written, raw, gritty and addictive read. The ending will leave you speechless & pressing on a remote like you’ve literally watched an episode and trying to press play on episode 2! Whatever Kutura B. is doing right now, I just hope she knows that sleep, eating and all other things are overrated until we get episode 2 🤣.. And hopefully 3…. 4…. and 5 to infinity and beyond!

[Demetrius · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES SIRRRRRRRRR!!!!! This is my first read by KuTura B and I must say, fuck naming these books episodes, this shit read like a MOVIE! This was urban fiction at its FINEST! I can’t wait to start the next book. I’m calling it right now, this series is going to go down as one of the top 3 urban fiction series in history. Mark my words! Go read this ghetto ass shit! 🤣

[Melise · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was one that def should’ve been DNF’d by me it was hectic af and there wasn’t a rhyme or reason to nothing. Like this was bottom of the barrel scenarios and molestation that was treated like a forbidden affair. I don’t even understand what the goal of this tale was

[⌞giselle⌝ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoy a messy book, I mean really, really enjoy them, but there were aspects of this story that gave me the biggest ick. jokes about ICE, calling Black poor kids “nappyheaded” & “roaches,” transphobic rhetoric, an adult having sex with teens… like??? I understand that the perspective is from that of the 3 main characters, who are dickmatized gutterbuckets, but it still wasn’t enjoyable to read. I only finished this story out of spite. I do not get the hype AT ALL! sorry Miss KuTura.

[C S M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a good ghetto book but got damn these women were deplorable. Bad decision after bad decision with barely any damn hope in darkness… Nobody had real hopes and dreams to make it just hunching brokey after brokey for the hell of it.

[TheTBRWhisperer · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHEW!

This book is GHETTO!


(The author’s words not mine).


However, I can concur that it is indeed ghetto😩


Someone said that it was mess every chapter…


Baby, it was mess every scene😳


If it wasn’t roaches two-stepping in the kitchen; it was fluid swapping and betrayal😣😫🤯


My nerves couldn’t take it and my drama meter was off the chart…


It was a fun ride😏🤣🤣
————--
Spice: spicy scenes were indeed 🥵🥵🥵
Pacing: fast 🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️
Drama: ranging from “a lot” to “too much at one time” 🤔😳
———--


Now, let’s code switch the review tone:


Putting on my glasses for a more professional approach 🤓🤓🤓
⬇️


I’ll be the first (or second) to say that this book was messy with a whole lot going on.


However, the author’s writing style kept me from feeling overwhelmed with all this movement.


I just felt “shocked” at the events themselves.




——--


“pen game 🔏✅” moment:


There were a lot of characters and a lot of moving parts but it worked for me.


This may sound strange but the author’s use of humor really helped me to coordinate through a lot of this movement.

I don’t think I’ve run across that before but it was a welcomed surprise.





———--


Thoroughly enjoyed and would definitely recommend this book.


DISCLAIMER to that recommendation- you have to either come from the hood or be hood adjacent like me😉​


If you weren’t sent to your grandma’s house with the rest of your cousins for the summer and watched your aunties and her friends act a fool- this isn’t the read for you.l🤣🤣🤣




I will be diving into this author’s catalog soon because this was a well written good time!



SIDENOTE:


There a couple of scenes with an older male teenager “hunching” an older woman. I know some readers are particular about those types of situations (respectfully).


IMO- I don’t think it was used as a filler or wastefully placed- It has greater significance later on in the story.

[Reteika · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE DRAMA!

I’m gonna need Tasha to knock Dreka’s trifling right back to where she came from before she was birthed! A group of females never ticked me off so much 🤦🏽‍♀️. They were all weak for the wrong 🥷🏽 and Dreka should’ve been on somebody’s list, if not everybody’s. I hope Tasha life turn around for her. Can’t say the same for them other heffas 🙄

[Dana Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fire!!

First time reading a book by this author and it was straight fire from beginning to end! I’m looking forward to more!

[Kenna McNair · Rating 4 out of 5]

The slums don’t love nobody — and this story proves it!

This was a wild, gripping hood tale that had me feeling like I was right there in the streets with the characters. The drama, the tension, the raw emotion—it all felt so real. I’m seriously hooked and counting down the days for Episode 2 because I need to know what’s going to happen with Tasha, Mikki, and Dreka. And of course, no good hood story is complete without a little thug lovin’ 😜🌶️

[Micah Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so messy and ghetto but I could not put it down 😆👏🏾 I’m ready for the next book

[Lyshanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Messy Good Time

What Sza say, " my man is my man, your man, heard that's her man too." That's all I could think about reading this. Like, were there only 2 or 3 eligible men in the slums that fifty-leven women passed around? lol. I definitely enjoyed this first episode and can't wait for the next.

[Dannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You want that real ghetto mess this book right here got a lil bit of EVERYTHING! I never wanted to fight 3 fmc’s so much in my life. When they say you get how you live they talking bout Tasha, Mikki and Dreka … they was tryna survive by any means necessary. It was MESS and toxic on every single page (my type of carrying on). I couldn’t put the book down cause I had to know what was next. One things for sure and two things for certain they all live in the land of delusion in different ways. Every time they got two steps forward they were knocked two steps back…. I never said WTF so much while reading a book 😭😭😭, you wanna book that gon keep you on your toes THIS THE ONE …. chile I know if part one this messy I KNOW part two gon have me clutching my pearls 🫣.

[Lexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was SO good I ate it up in one day!! Ms. Kutura brought us the MESS, straight out the Orange County projects. Tasha, Mikki, and Dreka were some hood girls fr, just trying to make a way.

Between them & they men, they stressed me OUTTTTTT. ESPECIALLY BUTTA & SHAD’S DUSTY BEHINDS! I couldn’t stand either man and I hope they get what they deserve!

Tasha by far was the realest out the 3. Everything she did was for her kids, even keeping that no good man around 🙄 Now Mikki…girl you just DON’T LISTEN. But a hard head makes a soft 🤷🏽‍♀️ and Dreka should’ve been doing better, idc. She was complacent and they came and got ha place LMAOOO

I can’t wait for Volume 2 to see what happens to everybody

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

It was a good read and well written! But wheww, the women were beyond pathetic! It was hard to read sometimes because it indeed touched on some real-life stuff. Good read!

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

OHHH WOOOOWWW. Man I was hooked from the very beginning! This was some authentic street-lit and I ate it up 👏🏾

Tasha was truly stuck on stupid for a lil minute behind Shad 🥴 That man had no redeeming qualities but she constantly let him play in her face! Mikki & Dreka was both stuck on stupid behind the same man. I understand that all of them were just trying to survive, but the way they went about doing things was wild to me. Like Dreka had no business doing what she did with Jah & Rico! & Mikki should not have been making no type of drops! Whew chile I have so many questions & I can’t wait for episode 2 😅

[Tee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The slums was crazy🤪

Like, I don't even know the words. Everybody was interconnected and KuTura B named it right - episode one because it was like a soap opera and I can't wait to see what happens in episode two.

[kadijia Sanders-Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need more!!!!!!!

I loved every bit of this… please drop both episodes at the same time. If you are wondering shld you read it or not….DO IT!!!!
Download and get ready

[Mz_MELLO YELLO from the BAY · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Slums Love NO ONE!!


The Slums will either make you or break you, the choice is yours! Every hood 🥷🏽 is claimed by 2-3 woman! Loyalty really doesn’t exist in the Slums. One thing about the Slums is everyone knows everyone business! Let’s chat!

First I’m not trying to write a long review as there’s so much to chat about but first let’s chat about Shad! IF there’s a word worst then trifling, that him! There’s no way I wouldn’t tolerate his actions regardless if I was doing it for my kids. There’s no way. The way Tasha ignored them red flags has me hot😡. Like girl you can’t be that blind. Then to learn his secret left me speechless🫣! Not only that why he treated his daughter and Jah had me wishing I was there 🤣. Like really, you attacking kids. Can’t wait to find out what happens with him!

Tasha, my girl just got the short end of the stick! She was a good mother her kids and did whatever needed to be done to provide them🥰. She wanted the best life for them especially her son Jah. Living the life his father lived was not an option in her book. The only thing that had me looking at her side way was what she allowed Shad to get away with. Like girl if you don’t let go. Then there Mikki her sister. I love their relationship at first but then greed and BDE changed everything🙄. See Tasha may have seem soft but she really wasn’t. When she needed to get active she did just that 🫣! When enough was enough she did what was best for her and her kids, but the betrayal of her sister and Shad only pushed my girl closer to Coogi and I loved that for her 🥰! The energy this man was giving gave life. Just hope he says solid.

Mikki, just slow🤣! She never learned and did what she thought was best for her and her only. I will not say she wasn’t a good mom because she was when she wanted to be. Now I get drastic life changes are not good and hard to accept, but becoming some mule was not it. Then to be told to cut it off but the warning is ignored, she honestly got what she deserved. As for her and Tasha, I feel that could’ve been discussed and addressed but hopefully time apart will bring them back together😔. They honestly need each other in my opinion. My girl allowed greedy and glamour hinder her thought process cause at the end she wasn’t ready the outcome. I need to know the update on her.

Dreka, was the product of her environment. She was the slums mascot in my opinion 🫣! She left greedy, jealousy and envy dictate her every move. Now I get it, what woman want to be played and used by a man until the next best comes around 🤔 no one but don’t be silly about it. Then to hate on women is diabolical. Karma didn’t waste any time to get at her and honestly she deserved all that was handed to her. Sad part is she honestly still hasn’t learned and wait for the update!

There is truly much more I could talk about from this read but I’ll tap into that with book 2! Cause baby I need all the update I can get. I enjoyed read to the fullest! The Slums is just that - the Slums! They not build to save many but there are some that do survive!

[Kauna C · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sometimes it takes pain to push us to peace"

As a reader who gave up on Ghetto Urban Fiction a long time ago (If you read one, you read them all mentality). I thoroughly enjoyed this ghetto mess. The characters were well rounded, and the storyline was believable. It wasn't far fetch from real life. Especially the situation with Shad. Ole nasty behind. I'm patiently waiting on Daf and Pink to spill all that tea. I have a feeling it's not just Shad on their roster. Mikki tried to play the game , but she forgot this is chess, not checkers. Ziggy was holding her down however, her pain from the position he put her in made her think otherwise. Tasha is trying her hardest to do the right thing but the world is turning her every which way but loose. Will Coogie truly be her savior? Or is he just another Butta in disguise? Dreka deserves whatever comes her way. Had the nerve to send off a letter with zero confirmation as to "who did it?" Needless to say I'm waiting on the next episode of all the ghetto mess. lol

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sisters in this book are so delusional & lost omg lol. Mind you they are in their late 20s & 30s, so that was the part that was really throwing me lol. This book was so messy & toxic but definitely a page turner. Two sisters that live in a bad area they call the slums which has violence, drugs, scandals, crime etc happening every day. They both pick the most terrible men they could find I guess because these men are the main reason they can’t get out a bad situation. This author definitely has a way with words and can write like you can see every single thing that’s happening from page to page. I don’t mind a messy book at all, but it lost me when a 30 something year old woman was having sex & threesomes with 17 year old kids. I skipped over those detailed scenes that all this was going on bc I’m just not a fan of that at all, I don’t plan to check out the story after this one but I plan on checking out other books by this author where everyone is over 18 at least.

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow oh wow. For my first Kutura B book The Slums did not disappoint. It took me back to 1986 times, when the drama was men sleeping around, women sleeping around and all with each other in and out of same sex situations. Age gap, children involved , domestic violence, and roaches in the projects. Kutura you made me laugh at times and made me feel like I was in Florida in the Slums, and I actually am in GA. This book was so good, I need book 2 yesterday. I enjoyed this so much. Read this book to read about Tasha and her drama, kids, and boyfriend, Dreka and Mikki sharing Butta trifling ass and Dreka was just low down as hell and I know she gone get what’s really coming to her, 18months ain’t the end of it either I bet. Read this book.

[Valondra Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost for words

This book is straight drama 🤦🏽‍♀️. Tasha was a real one because Chaz would have been dumped. Now Nikki and Butta was toxic as heck and if I had someone like Ziggy to warn me about him, I’m riding with baby daddy period.. Chadz was a real clown with 2 faces for real. He was a super dead beat in all aspects. Now the real messy Betsy was Dreka, like a true hood rat looking for love in all the wrong places, getting caught up in BS. I hate she let her obsession with Butta get her out of wack and her carelessness to cause her freedom. This book was beyond great and again I’m in love with this Orlando author Kutura B is showing love. Great read

[Chemona Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book full of drama 🎭

This book is a good read a must read. This is my third book reading by this author Kutura B. and I must say her penmanship is definitely awesome💐.I will definitely be looking out for a book to because I need to know what happened with Tasha in a girls and also what happen with her son, and her sister mikki will she ever get her kids back and we should be getting back with her ex? And Dreka what she’s gonna do about the baby she’s about to have and who’s the baby daddy? Can’t wait for Book two to come out. Please don’t take long.👀

[Chemona Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book full of drama 🎭 This book is a good read a must read. This is my third book reading by this author Kutura B. and I must say her penmanship is definitely awesome💐.I will definitely be looking out for a book to because I need to know what happened with Tasha in a girls and also what happen with her son, and her sister mikki will she ever get her kids back and we should be getting back with her ex? And Dreka what she’s gonna do about the baby she’s about to have and who’s the baby daddy? Can’t wait for Book two to come out. Please don’t take long.👀

[Abigail Gluck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love the whole story it's raw real gritty,its heartbreaking its exciting it leaves you hopefu

And cheering for the sisterly love and good female friendships throughout as historically they tend to flow through the dismal and disappointing relationships with there men. Some definatly much better than others.at the end life is life and either your in it or you get lost in it not always up to you. But cards felt ,so what you can choose is up to you and hopefully your good sense.

[Renada Boddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Messy Messy Messy

I was warned from page one that this book was messy and ghetto. No lies were told at all. The amount of messy in this book and I’m here for every moment. Tasha was a single parent with a stay at home dad who did absolutely nothing for the kids or Tasha. Shad lived his best life because he did whatever he wanted to do with whoever he wanted. Mikki wanted everything given to her but that didn’t work out. Dreka just messy!! I’m here for it all and waiting on Episode 2.

[Shan-Queda Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real and Raw

Five stars. This book was beyond real. It was a glass view of the Slums! This is a real hood tale. I could close my eyes and see the characters! I could smell the trash, piss, weed and old food EVERYTIME they were in the slums. Real hood ppl know what it is to have to survive from day to day and feel stuck in an environment that’s a whole different world! Congratulations to the author for getting it right. I’m a new fan for life and will sing this authors praises forever.

[BookTalesTink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girlllllllll

Ma’am first of all I don’t ever wanna experience penis like Butta!!!! He had the girls slumped!!!! Shad swallowing BD Daf? Mikki baby was so lost like she really was just looking for love in all the wrong places. Dreka jealousy got her in trouble but to smash your so called best friend son and may be pregnant by him!!! Listen I’m flabbergasted and this is my very first read from you! I’m locked in. 10/10

[Chicagogirl312 · Rating 5 out of 5]

good and messy

Whewww this book was messy AF but damn it was a page turner that you couldnt put down. This was my first read by this author and her pen game is the truth! The way the story flowed and the drama was top notch! It’s been a while since I read a book this drama filled that i actually liked and Kutura B is that girl! This was episode one and it’s going to be theee parts! If you have not read this pick it up now you won’t be disappointed!

[Betty Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unforgettable

Yes this story is really unforgettable, It sad, make you laugh, make you cry, make you think about things that's happened in your life that's long gone which is a good thing to me. KuTure B. You wrote and unforgettable story. I believe there is more to come at least I hope so. Stories like this I enjoy alot and hate to see them end. I will be checking out more of your work because I think you are a very gifted writer. Lata