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

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mannnnnnnn this was a good ol ghetto time. And it’s only book one. I know book two is about to be some shit. Kutura can write her ass off fr. This felt like OG URBAN FICTION AND I LOVED IT

[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! 🤣

[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!

[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

[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.

[Kiara Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed every minute of this ghetto fabulous shit 🤣

This book was like eating your favorite bag of chips on auto pilot. Then, when the bag is empty you wondering, “How the hell is it already over?”. 😭

One thing that slightly pulled me out of the story was when the characters were nodding to say no and shaking their head to say yes.

I loved the suspense, the fast pace, the way the narrator brought the characters to life, and the shit talking lol!

I can’t wait to jump into book two. I just know it’s about to be even messier.

[⌞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.

[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 🙄

[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.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fast-paced. The story came out swinging as soon as I started reading. It didn't let up. Each POV had me locked in. All 3 ladies, Tasha, Mikki, and Dreka, had me ready to throw my Kindle. Ain't no way they kept themselves in the same cycles over and over again. The one that really worked my nerves was Mikki.

I can't wait to see what happens in book 2. Like is Coogi legit? Is my girl Tasha and the kids good? Shad keeps threatening folks, so will he be in book 2?

Let me get to reading!!!

[Keeping.Volumes.Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay read. It had plenty of drama, messy relationships, and that hood-soap/Baddies-type energy 😂, but it just didn’t hit the same for me as Selfish. I enjoyed the story for what it was, but I wasn’t nearly as invested. Still entertaining enough to finish, just not a favorite.3.5 stars

[Breeee Ranae⚜️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

😕Bye. Will not be continuing this series.

[Booked.Shaye BWRT · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, kinda rounded up to a 4. I am invested in the story. It did keep me wanting to know what will actually happen. & the writing is pretty good. — it’s not a high 4 or 5 for ME , only because Im still baby stepping into urban lit.
But that don’t mean it’s not a good book 📣
I am just personally still getting used to certain tropes , themes & settings.

Okayyyy so when the author said this was going to be a ghetto ass read… BABYYYY, she meant that. 😂😭

The Slums is MESSY. Like everybody has secrets, everybody is in somebody’s business, nobody knows how to make a good decision😂

This story follows three women trying to survive in a world where love can turn toxic, & loyalty can change in a second, Tasha, Mikki, and Dreka are all dealing with their own situations, but the one thing they have in common is that the Slums got some shit going on. Money, men, family drama, violence, secrets, betrayal… baby, EVERYTHING is happening.

What I really liked about the book is that it doesn’t try to make the streets look pretty. It’s gritty, chaotic, toxic, and sometimes downright unbelievable, but that’s also what kept me turning the pages.

And let me just say… these wonen are DELUSIONAL. Grown women making teenage-level decisions and then being shocked when everything blows up in their faces. 😭 m

KuTura B. definitely knows how to write a story that feels like you’re watching the whole thing play out in front of you.

if you’re somebody who loves raw, unfiltered street lit with messy characters, drama on top of drama, and absolutely ZERO peace… this might be your kind of book.

[Asia T'keyah ♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

》》 DNF, Smh I really tried! A little TO GHETTO AND RATCHET for me 🤣🤣🤣

[PrincezzBookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh the GHETTO shenanigans I tell ya lol. There were so many times I was like ikyl. I been updating my coworker all day on the foolery I was listening to. This book has all the messy drama you could look for. Everybody sleeping with somebody else man, every man full of crap, and the poor babies just stuck witnessing the foolery. On to book 2 so see what's going happen now that the mess hit the fan.

[Crayreadz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This here was exactly what the folks said, messy & drama filled. I laughed a whole lot, was mad and talking crap a whole lot and shook my head a lot. These characters were disrespectful, selfish and straight up hood! This kept me entertained. Just started book two.

[Kiki Taylor]

This really was some ghetto ass shit. I love ghetto shit but whew this was GHETTO 😭 Jah didn’t deserve none of that. Mikki? A mess. Needs her ass whooped and some sense shook into her. Dreika? OFF WITH HER HEADDDDD. Will give proper review after next book 🙃

[Tiyonna Shearard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I DEVOURED this book in less than 24 hours. It was everything I needed, I quite literally couldn’t put it down.
Now I’m picking episode 2 up IMMEDIATELY !

[CourtneyRenee · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I don't know if I will continue this series but it was entertaining that's for sure.

[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’ 😜🌶️

[Jay DaBibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m Hooked! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Slums: Episode One reminded me exactly why I fell in love with street lit in the first place! Brought me back to when street lit was really RAW!

KuTura B. wastes no time throwing you into the lives of Tasha, Mikki, and Dreka. Three women. Three different struggles. One hood where survival comes before everything else. From toxic relationships and betrayal to trying to keep your kids safe while life keeps knocking you down, their stories felt raw and real.

What I loved most is that nothing felt watered down. The dialogue, the setting, and the emotions all felt authentic. These women aren’t perfect. They’re doing the best they can with the cards they’ve been dealt, but Dreka… ✌🏾

By the time I finished, I was feenin’ for Episode Two. That’s how you know the author did her job.

If you’ve been looking for street lit that gives you that old-school feeling without feeling outdated, start here. KuTura B. understood the assignment!

[Eros Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Slums don’t love nobody.”

If you are looking for a fast paced, gritty urban fiction romance trilogy to get into then this may be your next read.

-multiple POVs
-“getting it out the mud” narrative
-late 20s to early 30s FMCs
-Black motherhood
-heavy spice
-descriptive visuals
-sisterhood & friendship
-funny, realistic banter
-relatable storyline
-sex, violence, & drugs
-getting your lick back
-based in Orlando, FL

The author prefaces this book with it being raw & unfiltered. I expected the explicit & harsh but real storyline. The characters were written in a way that felt like you were watching a tv show; like Snowfall or The Wire. So much was happening back to back it’s hard to predict what’s going to happen next. You just have to go along for the ride until the very end.

I couldn’t put this book down except for the consistent & blatant transphobia and the underage smut between a FMC in her late 20s & 17 y/o’s. Hood narratives don’t have to mean those TWs come with the plot. I wasn’t feeling that at all.

Overall though, it’s a series that I can see why people love.

[Pauly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg, this was a ratchet ass book and I loved every single bit of it! Tasha, Mikki, and Dreka had so much going on. The secrets, lies, and nonstop drama kept me hooked, especially since they were all interconnected. Shad is a bum, and Butta is foul. I found it to be an entertaining read, and I'm ready for the slums episode 2.

[Goddess’ Smut Library 🩷 · Rating 2 out of 5]

what the hell was that? I literally have so many words for this novella but I don’t think any of them are correct. First off it’s truly sad that people actually live their life like the people that were depicted in this story and I am grateful that I can’t even relate The main issue I had was the underage activity that happened between one of the main characters in the 17-year-old.

[MG · 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

[Monica B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew chile!!!! This book was good and Messy 😂😂😂 Let me run to book 2 right now!

[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 🫣.

[Brittany Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very messy messy good timeeee. Was not expecting all of what happened but on to episode 2.