What do you think?
Rate this book
Shadowed States #1
Slaughtered Firefly
SUMMER:
I was supposed to be the mafia princess, but instead he groomed me to be torn down, broken, used and abused by those he allowed. It all led to training for my proper role, my father’s favorite plaything. But now, something has changed within me.
In a bold move, I lashed out
COLE:
The bastard son of a politician meant a condoned life for me. Sold into Midas’ hands at the early age of twelve was beginning the hard lessons of life.
Training for takeover of the Syndicate was a gift, or so my father told me.
I didn’t care if he was right.
I’ve always worn contempt like a badge of honor … until her.
DUSTIN:
As a lead detective who specializes in criminal behavior, I knew a few things about the organizations that ruled the crumbled United States, including my late father’s organization. I wanted nothing in life except revenge for my mother and brother.
I had it all worked out until she came along.
SCOTT:
Normal. That’s what I thought my life would be. Just a boring normal life. I had no intention of claiming a birthright as one head to the Obsidian mafia, but to pay for my dying mother’s surgeries, that’s what I did. I secured my fate as the crooked defense lawyer passed between our allies. Not normal by any means, but simple. While on vacation, with my soon to be wife, things changed.
Chaos came riding a K-bar dripped in the blood of her victims.
Author’s Note: Slaughtered Firefly is a pitch black steamy RH romance, with detailed graphic content that may be disturbing for some readers
I was supposed to be the mafia princess, but instead he groomed me to be torn down, broken, used and abused by those he allowed. It all led to training for my proper role, my father’s favorite plaything. But now, something has changed within me.
In a bold move, I lashed out
COLE:
The bastard son of a politician meant a condoned life for me. Sold into Midas’ hands at the early age of twelve was beginning the hard lessons of life.
Training for takeover of the Syndicate was a gift, or so my father told me.
I didn’t care if he was right.
I’ve always worn contempt like a badge of honor … until her.
DUSTIN:
As a lead detective who specializes in criminal behavior, I knew a few things about the organizations that ruled the crumbled United States, including my late father’s organization. I wanted nothing in life except revenge for my mother and brother.
I had it all worked out until she came along.
SCOTT:
Normal. That’s what I thought my life would be. Just a boring normal life. I had no intention of claiming a birthright as one head to the Obsidian mafia, but to pay for my dying mother’s surgeries, that’s what I did. I secured my fate as the crooked defense lawyer passed between our allies. Not normal by any means, but simple. While on vacation, with my soon to be wife, things changed.
Chaos came riding a K-bar dripped in the blood of her victims.
Author’s Note: Slaughtered Firefly is a pitch black steamy RH romance, with detailed graphic content that may be disturbing for some readers
450 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 7, 2025
77 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
About the author
F. King Hayes
3 books36 followersI am a writer, I write dark romance that sometimes ends up as horror er0tic whooops
Reader of basically everything fiction might see some wild things come out of me.
Reader of basically everything fiction might see some wild things come out of me.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
December 6, 2025
UNHINGED!!! 🫣
I’m going to be honest, this is a lot. Many POV’s, many timelines and I honestly didn’t catch up till midway. There was so much to wrap my brain around. But when we get there we get there! 🔪
This is very dark and is trigger heavy! So please check them all. Your mental health is important‼️
So basically we have Summer (from Saving the angel of death by Sky Blu) aka Mia who is a mafia daughter and grows up under horrific circumstances, her father letting her get abused (SA’d) by himself and the people abound him. She been through so much since childhood.
She has three men I her life.
The childhood friend now mafia guy.
The other childhood friend, now lawyer for the mob.
And the detective she had a one night stand with who’s now trying to solve the very thing she’s part of 🔪
It’s all very confusing in the behind but slowly it starts to make sense.
These men each want to save her, but fail her and she saves herself. She’s a bad ass FMC 💪🏼 In this book our FMC is the unhinged one 💯
It was a lot. So much to take in. Somewhat left confused and with so many questions that we won’t get any answers to until book two. So there’s that to look forward to.
For now I’ll just say: what in the mafia world was that? 👀
I’m going to be honest, this is a lot. Many POV’s, many timelines and I honestly didn’t catch up till midway. There was so much to wrap my brain around. But when we get there we get there! 🔪
This is very dark and is trigger heavy! So please check them all. Your mental health is important‼️
So basically we have Summer (from Saving the angel of death by Sky Blu) aka Mia who is a mafia daughter and grows up under horrific circumstances, her father letting her get abused (SA’d) by himself and the people abound him. She been through so much since childhood.
She has three men I her life.
The childhood friend now mafia guy.
The other childhood friend, now lawyer for the mob.
And the detective she had a one night stand with who’s now trying to solve the very thing she’s part of 🔪
It’s all very confusing in the behind but slowly it starts to make sense.
These men each want to save her, but fail her and she saves herself. She’s a bad ass FMC 💪🏼 In this book our FMC is the unhinged one 💯
It was a lot. So much to take in. Somewhat left confused and with so many questions that we won’t get any answers to until book two. So there’s that to look forward to.
For now I’ll just say: what in the mafia world was that? 👀
October 22, 2025
ARC Review:
This was an ARC read, and I can honestly say I took my time with it. The story moves between multiple POVs and shifts from past to present quite a bit, but it all comes together beautifully. There’s so much to unpack, and I’m genuinely impressed with how deep and layered the story is.
I’m not usually a fan of reverse harem, but the MMCs here are all distinct, each with their own complicated and strangely compelling connection to the FMC.
Summer also known as Mia is deeply broken and clearly struggling with her mental health. The trauma she’s endured at the hands of nearly everyone in her life is gut-wrenching to read. The men are just as damaged in their own ways, and the one thing she truly wanted gets ripped away from her in the cruelest way.
For a debut novel, this was a home run. I can’t wait to dive into Starving Butterfly and see what new horrors Summer has to face next.
This was an ARC read, and I can honestly say I took my time with it. The story moves between multiple POVs and shifts from past to present quite a bit, but it all comes together beautifully. There’s so much to unpack, and I’m genuinely impressed with how deep and layered the story is.
I’m not usually a fan of reverse harem, but the MMCs here are all distinct, each with their own complicated and strangely compelling connection to the FMC.
Summer also known as Mia is deeply broken and clearly struggling with her mental health. The trauma she’s endured at the hands of nearly everyone in her life is gut-wrenching to read. The men are just as damaged in their own ways, and the one thing she truly wanted gets ripped away from her in the cruelest way.
For a debut novel, this was a home run. I can’t wait to dive into Starving Butterfly and see what new horrors Summer has to face next.
November 10, 2025
Lost....Torn....Soooo Dark
5🌟 4.5🌶
F. King Hayes, thank you so much for allowing me to receive an early copy of this intense, heartbreaking piece of work. I can not wait for Starving Butterfly!
Sooooo dark, dare I say pitch black! Love, love, love that you throw in ILWTD by Sky Blu! Cole, Dustin, Scott and Summer....... WOW! Shaw, F that guy even more than Midas! I squealed so much during this book, cringed and even got teary eyed in some scenes. When I say thid was intense, it was INTENSE!
Readers, be mindful if you have triggers and please read the trigger warnings. I'm not saying this to bash the book, but to make sure you are aware.
5🌟 4.5🌶
F. King Hayes, thank you so much for allowing me to receive an early copy of this intense, heartbreaking piece of work. I can not wait for Starving Butterfly!
Sooooo dark, dare I say pitch black! Love, love, love that you throw in ILWTD by Sky Blu! Cole, Dustin, Scott and Summer....... WOW! Shaw, F that guy even more than Midas! I squealed so much during this book, cringed and even got teary eyed in some scenes. When I say thid was intense, it was INTENSE!
Readers, be mindful if you have triggers and please read the trigger warnings. I'm not saying this to bash the book, but to make sure you are aware.
November 7, 2025
F. King Hayes writes brilliantly. Her prose is sharp, disturbing, and utterly thrilling. The story unfolds in fragments, fractured in the most intriguing way. Pulling you straight into the cracks of Summer’s mind and making you feel every jagged edge.
While Slaughtered Firefly contains incredibly heavy and triggering content, it’s handled with purpose. Every painful moment matters. It’s written in a way that makes the world feel painfully lived in, traumatic, raw, and real.
This book captures the lasting agony of a shattered childhood and the way those fractures ripple through the years that follow. It’s pitch black, haunting, and brilliant, the kind of story that lodges itself under your skin and refuses to let go.
The characters are complex, dark, and dangerous, each carrying their own scars and mysteries. The way F. King Hayes weaves the timelines and character arcs together is flawless, creating an experience that’s both chaotic and breathtakingly precise.
Slaughtered Firefly isn’t just a book. It’s an experience... Disturbing, beautiful, and unforgettable. Infinite reread quality.
I can’t wait for book two, Starving Butterfly. 🖤
*as always, check the triggers*
While Slaughtered Firefly contains incredibly heavy and triggering content, it’s handled with purpose. Every painful moment matters. It’s written in a way that makes the world feel painfully lived in, traumatic, raw, and real.
This book captures the lasting agony of a shattered childhood and the way those fractures ripple through the years that follow. It’s pitch black, haunting, and brilliant, the kind of story that lodges itself under your skin and refuses to let go.
The characters are complex, dark, and dangerous, each carrying their own scars and mysteries. The way F. King Hayes weaves the timelines and character arcs together is flawless, creating an experience that’s both chaotic and breathtakingly precise.
Slaughtered Firefly isn’t just a book. It’s an experience... Disturbing, beautiful, and unforgettable. Infinite reread quality.
I can’t wait for book two, Starving Butterfly. 🖤
*as always, check the triggers*
October 27, 2025
Wow! Read in less than 24 hours. 4.5 ⭐️
Summer is an absolute badass which I was totally not expecting. I absolutely loved her! She has been through a shit tonne of stuff in her life and the book does go through that in detail, especially if you read the hard version.
The book is 100% pitch black RH so please check your triggers as I’m pretty sure there’s like 3 pages of them, or as I’d like to call, the ✨menu✨
I was lucky enough to receive this an ARC copy and I’m incredibly grateful I got to read this story early.
Don’t want to say too much without spoiling it but definitely give it a read, it’s a WILD ride!!
Fantastic debut novel! 🩶
Summer is an absolute badass which I was totally not expecting. I absolutely loved her! She has been through a shit tonne of stuff in her life and the book does go through that in detail, especially if you read the hard version.
The book is 100% pitch black RH so please check your triggers as I’m pretty sure there’s like 3 pages of them, or as I’d like to call, the ✨menu✨
I was lucky enough to receive this an ARC copy and I’m incredibly grateful I got to read this story early.
Don’t want to say too much without spoiling it but definitely give it a read, it’s a WILD ride!!
Fantastic debut novel! 🩶
October 29, 2025
I was unsure of the pacing in this one, but once I paid closer attention to the chapter descriptions it was easier. I received this as an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Every character in this was amazing, the FMC was a strong woman even after her trauma.
Looking forward to finding more from this author.
Every character in this was amazing, the FMC was a strong woman even after her trauma.
Looking forward to finding more from this author.
November 1, 2025
I absolutely love it when authors share their sunshine, and this book is the perfect example of that! It takes an important secondary character from one of my favourite duets — Saving the Angel of Death by Sky Blu — and gives her the spotlight she deserves.
You don’t need to have read the duet to enjoy this story, as the character connections are well explained, but if you have read it, you’ll appreciate how this book adds a whole new layer to the FMC.
At first, the multiple POVs were a bit to follow, but as the story unfolds, everything falls beautifully into place. By the end, you’re left hanging on a cliffhanger that promises the follow-up will be absolute chef’s kiss!
As a debut, this was an impressive page-turner — emotional, intriguing, and full of heart. I can’t wait to see what this author creates next!
You don’t need to have read the duet to enjoy this story, as the character connections are well explained, but if you have read it, you’ll appreciate how this book adds a whole new layer to the FMC.
At first, the multiple POVs were a bit to follow, but as the story unfolds, everything falls beautifully into place. By the end, you’re left hanging on a cliffhanger that promises the follow-up will be absolute chef’s kiss!
As a debut, this was an impressive page-turner — emotional, intriguing, and full of heart. I can’t wait to see what this author creates next!
October 24, 2025
Girl what the hell. How are you going to leave me hanging on by a thread like that?! Fantastic book.. I do love how it intertwined with Saving the Angel of Death.
Summer/Mia is a multileveled character. The trauma she endured.. unbelievable. But her fight to keep going was even more enthralling. I can’t decide which MMC I want to kill and which I want to love because they’re all just as ruined as her.
There is so much going on, so many different POVs and so much chaos but I really enjoyed it. I ate this book up and I can’t wait to read Starving Butterfly.
Summer/Mia is a multileveled character. The trauma she endured.. unbelievable. But her fight to keep going was even more enthralling. I can’t decide which MMC I want to kill and which I want to love because they’re all just as ruined as her.
There is so much going on, so many different POVs and so much chaos but I really enjoyed it. I ate this book up and I can’t wait to read Starving Butterfly.
November 6, 2025
Dark Unhinged MMC check!! yes please! this was such a dark and twisted read and I have never experienced something like this one before!!!! I wanted more and needed this darkness. I can't wait to read more from this amazing author!!!!
October 27, 2025
ARC Review
This took me a week to read which with this genre of books is unusual for me. Typically I'm reading these in 2 days. There were times I had to get to a stopping point and take a mental break - but for the best reasons. Especially after a very dark scene/chapter.
I absolutely love Summer/Mia's story which is interwoven with other stories. This story sees her in the most absolute brutal positions and she rises through somehow. With multiple POVs and switching time lines, you get a feel for Summer/Mia from other male characters. At some points I wanted to give her a hug but also knew if I did I may end up with a bullet or knive in me.
I can't wait for the continuation of this deliciously dark horror romance story and see if she gets revenge.
This took me a week to read which with this genre of books is unusual for me. Typically I'm reading these in 2 days. There were times I had to get to a stopping point and take a mental break - but for the best reasons. Especially after a very dark scene/chapter.
I absolutely love Summer/Mia's story which is interwoven with other stories. This story sees her in the most absolute brutal positions and she rises through somehow. With multiple POVs and switching time lines, you get a feel for Summer/Mia from other male characters. At some points I wanted to give her a hug but also knew if I did I may end up with a bullet or knive in me.
I can't wait for the continuation of this deliciously dark horror romance story and see if she gets revenge.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2025
4.5 ⭐️This delivered everything you want in a pitch black RH.
F.K. Hayes’ prose is sharp and intense, pulling you straight into the fractured pieces of Summer’s mind. The level of detail on her trauma is unflinching, especially in the hard version. The author doesn’t shy away from showing exactly what this woman has survived: betrayed by every man in her life, groomed, broken, used. Watching her claw her way back and reclaim her power? That’s my kind of FMC. The steel is there even when she’s at her lowest.
Full transparency though, the multiple POVs took me some time to adjust to. It required patience at first (maybe a bit too much for me, hence the 4.5 ⭐️). But once I found my rhythm with it, 👌🏻
The MMCs each bring something different to the story and to Summer. The way the RH unfolds feels natural, not forced. And the dark content hits exactly where I need it to 🔥
Fair warning: check your triggers. The book is 100% pitch black RH, and there’s like a whole menu of trigger warnings to choose from💀.
What made this even better for me: it’s set in Sky Blu’s Saving the Angel of Death universe. Getting backstory on one of her characters from a different author’s perspective? That worked really well. I usually hate when books stretch out in shared universes, but this one did it!!!
Give yourself time to adjust to the POV switches. It’s a wild ride and worth it.
F.K. Hayes’ prose is sharp and intense, pulling you straight into the fractured pieces of Summer’s mind. The level of detail on her trauma is unflinching, especially in the hard version. The author doesn’t shy away from showing exactly what this woman has survived: betrayed by every man in her life, groomed, broken, used. Watching her claw her way back and reclaim her power? That’s my kind of FMC. The steel is there even when she’s at her lowest.
Full transparency though, the multiple POVs took me some time to adjust to. It required patience at first (maybe a bit too much for me, hence the 4.5 ⭐️). But once I found my rhythm with it, 👌🏻
The MMCs each bring something different to the story and to Summer. The way the RH unfolds feels natural, not forced. And the dark content hits exactly where I need it to 🔥
Fair warning: check your triggers. The book is 100% pitch black RH, and there’s like a whole menu of trigger warnings to choose from💀.
What made this even better for me: it’s set in Sky Blu’s Saving the Angel of Death universe. Getting backstory on one of her characters from a different author’s perspective? That worked really well. I usually hate when books stretch out in shared universes, but this one did it!!!
Give yourself time to adjust to the POV switches. It’s a wild ride and worth it.
October 30, 2025
I went into this book with high hopes and it shattered every expectation in the most breathtaking way. I first met Summer in STAOD, and while you don’t need to read it to understand her, knowing her roots made this journey even more profound. I knew she’d be a spitfire, but I wasn’t prepared for the inferno she carries inside.
This wasn’t just a story. It was a war cry. A survival anthem. Summer’s life is a relentless fight from the moment she was born, the world tried to break her. And yet, she rises. Again and again. The pain she endures, the pieces she’s forced to gather, the strength she finds in the wreckage it’s devastating and awe-inspiring.
I had to put the book down more than once. Not because it faltered, but because it mirrored parts of me I wasn’t ready to face. Sharing more than just a name with the FMC made this feel personal in ways I can’t explain. It was like reading my own scars raw, unfiltered, and achingly real.
The author didn’t just write a character. She sculpted a soul. Every detail, every emotion, every heartbreak was woven with such care that I felt it in my bones. To make a reader feel this deeply to make them cry, rage, hope, and heal that’s not just talent. That’s magic.
This book didn’t just move me. It wrecked me.
This wasn’t just a story. It was a war cry. A survival anthem. Summer’s life is a relentless fight from the moment she was born, the world tried to break her. And yet, she rises. Again and again. The pain she endures, the pieces she’s forced to gather, the strength she finds in the wreckage it’s devastating and awe-inspiring.
I had to put the book down more than once. Not because it faltered, but because it mirrored parts of me I wasn’t ready to face. Sharing more than just a name with the FMC made this feel personal in ways I can’t explain. It was like reading my own scars raw, unfiltered, and achingly real.
The author didn’t just write a character. She sculpted a soul. Every detail, every emotion, every heartbreak was woven with such care that I felt it in my bones. To make a reader feel this deeply to make them cry, rage, hope, and heal that’s not just talent. That’s magic.
This book didn’t just move me. It wrecked me.
October 26, 2025
Slaughtered Firefly by F. King Hayes is not a story for the faint of heart. It’s raw, brutal, and pitch black in every sense RH romance—please, check your trigger warnings before stepping into this darkness.
Told in past and present, Slaughtered Firefly traces Summer’s journey alongside the men who haunt her story—Dustin, Cole, and Scott. What she endures is cruel, heartbreaking, and horrifyingly real. Things no one should ever have to survive… and yet, she does.
“No, you don’t get to call me that. You slaughtered Firefly. She’s dead now.”
That line shattered me. It’s the moment you feel the old Summer die—and something fierce, unyielding, and unstoppable rise from her ashes.
From broken innocence to brave warrior, Summer’s transformation is as devastating as it is beautiful. She becomes the weapon forged from her own pain, the light that refuses to go out no matter how deep the darkness gets.
Slaughtered Firefly isn’t just a story—it’s a reckoning. Love twisted by trauma, innocence burned to ash, and strength rising from the wreckage.
Told in past and present, Slaughtered Firefly traces Summer’s journey alongside the men who haunt her story—Dustin, Cole, and Scott. What she endures is cruel, heartbreaking, and horrifyingly real. Things no one should ever have to survive… and yet, she does.
“No, you don’t get to call me that. You slaughtered Firefly. She’s dead now.”
That line shattered me. It’s the moment you feel the old Summer die—and something fierce, unyielding, and unstoppable rise from her ashes.
From broken innocence to brave warrior, Summer’s transformation is as devastating as it is beautiful. She becomes the weapon forged from her own pain, the light that refuses to go out no matter how deep the darkness gets.
Slaughtered Firefly isn’t just a story—it’s a reckoning. Love twisted by trauma, innocence burned to ash, and strength rising from the wreckage.
October 27, 2025
Oof this is definitely a dark one & tells the story of Summer and three men whose lives are intertwined with hers.
Summer's past is extremely traumatic & dark and she has been betrayed and abused time & time again by the people who should be protecting her the most. There is a strong sense of stockholm & there are very pitch black moments (in the hard version). They are difficult to stomach but really show how much Summer has been through.
The story is told in multiple povs and different timelines and I did find it abit confusing at times when each pov would jump back into the past but to different timelines & ages. Then when it came back to present day, sometimes it would say 'Present Day' and sometimes it would say Present Day with a date next to it.
I loved the chapters when it connected to Saving the Angel of Death and Summer & Magdalena's friendship was everything. Some context was added to certain lines from Saving the Angel of Death that gave more to Summer's story and it was genuinely heartbreaking. Looking forward to book 2 and seeing where this goes next.
Summer's past is extremely traumatic & dark and she has been betrayed and abused time & time again by the people who should be protecting her the most. There is a strong sense of stockholm & there are very pitch black moments (in the hard version). They are difficult to stomach but really show how much Summer has been through.
The story is told in multiple povs and different timelines and I did find it abit confusing at times when each pov would jump back into the past but to different timelines & ages. Then when it came back to present day, sometimes it would say 'Present Day' and sometimes it would say Present Day with a date next to it.
I loved the chapters when it connected to Saving the Angel of Death and Summer & Magdalena's friendship was everything. Some context was added to certain lines from Saving the Angel of Death that gave more to Summer's story and it was genuinely heartbreaking. Looking forward to book 2 and seeing where this goes next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2025
Holy Pitch Black!! There is no exaggeration to give this book a pitch black horror trope, I loved it of course! F. King Hayes is unhinged and doesn't sugar coat for the readers.
Multiple POV's, a FMC, Summer aka Mia who is a victim of her father's demented mind, abuse, actions and lifestyle but she is a kick ass woman in the end despite all she is put through. Mia the same woman of the FMC in the book, Saving the Angel of Death by Sky Blu. The horrible things done to her are enough to put anyone into an early grave to be honest.
Mia has three MMC's in this story, each is in love with her, each has been part of the darkness that has made her who she is. Two are men she has known since being young and the other comes into her life much later but he also ties to the life and to one the men. As I said, the story is dark as well as twisted, tragic and filled with traumatic events and actions mostly at the hands of others.
If you enjoy being so far into the void where it's truly filled with depravity in pitch black darkness while reading, this is one you don't want to pass up!
Multiple POV's, a FMC, Summer aka Mia who is a victim of her father's demented mind, abuse, actions and lifestyle but she is a kick ass woman in the end despite all she is put through. Mia the same woman of the FMC in the book, Saving the Angel of Death by Sky Blu. The horrible things done to her are enough to put anyone into an early grave to be honest.
Mia has three MMC's in this story, each is in love with her, each has been part of the darkness that has made her who she is. Two are men she has known since being young and the other comes into her life much later but he also ties to the life and to one the men. As I said, the story is dark as well as twisted, tragic and filled with traumatic events and actions mostly at the hands of others.
If you enjoy being so far into the void where it's truly filled with depravity in pitch black darkness while reading, this is one you don't want to pass up!
November 7, 2025
I'm so obsessed with this book!! Actually I'm obsessed with the entire world that Summer (Mia) & her good friend Magdalena (from Saving the Angel of Death by Sky Blu) are part of!! I was honestly hooked from the 1st chapter & pretty much HAD to read it nonstop or else I would have had a meltdown not knowing what was going to happen next! This book is dark, it's depraved, it will have you questioning WTF did I just read??? But I loved every word of it & it will definitely be one of those books that will stay with me forever in my mind & my little black heart 🖤.
I couldn't get enough of what a badass Summer was despite some of the terrible things she had survived through! I don't quite know which one of Summer's guys I was rooting for the most. They each definitely played a critical role in her life, whether good or bad. I do feel that Cole, Scott & Dustin truly love her. But I personally was thought Cole was the best for her despite some of the not so great things he did to her. I think the one main thing anyone who reads this book can agree on, that Midas is pure EVIL!!!
I couldn't get enough of what a badass Summer was despite some of the terrible things she had survived through! I don't quite know which one of Summer's guys I was rooting for the most. They each definitely played a critical role in her life, whether good or bad. I do feel that Cole, Scott & Dustin truly love her. But I personally was thought Cole was the best for her despite some of the not so great things he did to her. I think the one main thing anyone who reads this book can agree on, that Midas is pure EVIL!!!
November 7, 2025
Okay omg guys this book. Getting to read as Summer? 🥹 absolutely loved it! And I feel like the character being written by another author really gave her, her own story. Her own voice. But it is dark so please read. The. Trigger warnings! Please?
Summer as you may remember is a character we’ve met before if you read saving the angel of death by sky blu. Her story was dark too but the reverse harem? I WAS NOT PREPARED! Okay yes I was but let a girl scream of joy. This book absolutely broke and healed me in the best ways so THANK YOU for letting me ARC read it! I was hooked from the first to last page and the character development, the story, everything just aghhh. 5/5⭐️ and omg Summerrrr😭. I knew from the moment I met her that I wanted her story and damn this managed to get it perfectly.
If you’re looking for a dark book that will both break and heal you? Look no further! Here she is! Meet Summer and the guys!
Summer as you may remember is a character we’ve met before if you read saving the angel of death by sky blu. Her story was dark too but the reverse harem? I WAS NOT PREPARED! Okay yes I was but let a girl scream of joy. This book absolutely broke and healed me in the best ways so THANK YOU for letting me ARC read it! I was hooked from the first to last page and the character development, the story, everything just aghhh. 5/5⭐️ and omg Summerrrr😭. I knew from the moment I met her that I wanted her story and damn this managed to get it perfectly.
If you’re looking for a dark book that will both break and heal you? Look no further! Here she is! Meet Summer and the guys!
October 30, 2025
4/5 🌟
3/5 🌶
×× ARC review ××
** This is a horror erotica. Not a dark romance. **
POV chapters mostly between 4 characters. This story goes back and forth from past to present. It is unrelenting in the violence and depravity and you just feel bad the whole time. The FMC is literally betrayed by every man she loves/knows in this story in ways you couldn't imagine unless you read this book. I gave a 4/5 stars for the plot being one of the most twisted works of fiction I've read yet and I can really appreciate that. I gave 3/5 on the spice, because only a few sexual encounters were done out of consent or love. The rest is very violent assaults administered to the FMC throughout her childhood into adulthood.
Be sure to check your triggers on this one if you have them. There's a loaded list of them provided by the author. There will be a second installment. Enjoy the darkness.
3/5 🌶
×× ARC review ××
** This is a horror erotica. Not a dark romance. **
POV chapters mostly between 4 characters. This story goes back and forth from past to present. It is unrelenting in the violence and depravity and you just feel bad the whole time. The FMC is literally betrayed by every man she loves/knows in this story in ways you couldn't imagine unless you read this book. I gave a 4/5 stars for the plot being one of the most twisted works of fiction I've read yet and I can really appreciate that. I gave 3/5 on the spice, because only a few sexual encounters were done out of consent or love. The rest is very violent assaults administered to the FMC throughout her childhood into adulthood.
Be sure to check your triggers on this one if you have them. There's a loaded list of them provided by the author. There will be a second installment. Enjoy the darkness.
November 2, 2025
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
This book was a heavy read. The subject matter is pitch black. When I was part way through the ARC, the author announced they were switching this book from the dark romance genre to the horror genre and I think that was a really good move. I would describe this book as emotional horror. The FMC went through things that absolutely broke her, but we see glimpses of how she may overcome those things as her story develops. The MMCs are just as layered and messy as the FMC and leave you wondering who is "good" and who is "bad." The author does a great job tying together all the characters stories using both past and present storytelling. Definitely check the trigger warnings on this one, but if you feel okay with proceeding, I highly recommend Slaughtered Firefly to fans of horror/dark thriller/hint of dark romance.
This book was a heavy read. The subject matter is pitch black. When I was part way through the ARC, the author announced they were switching this book from the dark romance genre to the horror genre and I think that was a really good move. I would describe this book as emotional horror. The FMC went through things that absolutely broke her, but we see glimpses of how she may overcome those things as her story develops. The MMCs are just as layered and messy as the FMC and leave you wondering who is "good" and who is "bad." The author does a great job tying together all the characters stories using both past and present storytelling. Definitely check the trigger warnings on this one, but if you feel okay with proceeding, I highly recommend Slaughtered Firefly to fans of horror/dark thriller/hint of dark romance.
October 26, 2025
This book messed with my head in the best way. I went in thinking I was ready for it, but nothing could’ve prepared me for how twisted, emotional, and quietly devastating it turned out to be.
F. King Hayes doesn’t just tell a story, they peel it back layer by layer until you’re sitting in the middle of the wreckage with the characters and realising there’s no easy way out.
I also love the connection with Saving the Angel of Death.
It’s dark, pitch black. At times I had to step away and breathe. But that’s exactly why it worked. It’s the kind of book that lingers, not because it’s pretty, but because it refuses to be.
For a debut, this is bold as hell. I’ll absolutely be reading whatever comes next, even if it ruins me a little bit more 🖤🖤
As always check your TW’s!
F. King Hayes doesn’t just tell a story, they peel it back layer by layer until you’re sitting in the middle of the wreckage with the characters and realising there’s no easy way out.
I also love the connection with Saving the Angel of Death.
It’s dark, pitch black. At times I had to step away and breathe. But that’s exactly why it worked. It’s the kind of book that lingers, not because it’s pretty, but because it refuses to be.
For a debut, this is bold as hell. I’ll absolutely be reading whatever comes next, even if it ruins me a little bit more 🖤🖤
As always check your TW’s!
November 1, 2025
Cheese and Rice wtf did I just read?!?!? Mind f**k at its best. First of all Summer is an absolute baddie!! Second of all check your triggers list!!! It is multiple pages long. This is a RH with multiple POVs and timelines so be prepared to take your time with this. I had to take a few breaks because there were parts that got me. There are 2 versions a dark and light option. I read the dark version because of course I did. It was pitch black at its finest. Caution there is a cliffhanger and I mean it is a big one. You are going to start with a few questions and have 3 times that amount before you are done. You will need to read book 2(not out yet) to get answers. Yes the trauma is worth it or maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment. Either way 5 ⭐️
November 9, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Oh what did I just read?? Unhinged darkness!!!! Slaughtered Firefly was delicious! Thank you, F. King Hayes for this opportunity to read your work as an ARC. As always, do as I say not as I do and read the trigger warnings, I happen to skip right past those wasteful pages and get to the good stuff. 😎😎
Slaughtered Firefly went from past to present quite a bit and I was here for it!! Many authors have a hard time making that seamless transition… definitely not the case here! The pace of this book was outstanding… I gobbled it up on a flight 🤣
I absolutely LOVED that this was tied into Saving the Angel of Death and that the development of characters and darkness was ON POINT!!
What I cannot wait for is Starving Butterfly, because once again, I was SCREAMING at my Kindle at the end!! I do have so many questions 🤣🤣 Summer absolutely is a bad ass and I am here for it!
Oh what did I just read?? Unhinged darkness!!!! Slaughtered Firefly was delicious! Thank you, F. King Hayes for this opportunity to read your work as an ARC. As always, do as I say not as I do and read the trigger warnings, I happen to skip right past those wasteful pages and get to the good stuff. 😎😎
Slaughtered Firefly went from past to present quite a bit and I was here for it!! Many authors have a hard time making that seamless transition… definitely not the case here! The pace of this book was outstanding… I gobbled it up on a flight 🤣
I absolutely LOVED that this was tied into Saving the Angel of Death and that the development of characters and darkness was ON POINT!!
What I cannot wait for is Starving Butterfly, because once again, I was SCREAMING at my Kindle at the end!! I do have so many questions 🤣🤣 Summer absolutely is a bad ass and I am here for it!
October 27, 2025
I had the pleasure of arc reading this and I have to say it was a wild ride.
This book is about the life of girl named Summer and the life she had to live as she got older but it never got better.
She did find love in her best friend Cole that saved her more then once. But she she found it in two other men Dustin and Scott along the way in her life.
But what no one seen was that was that the men that she feel in love with was the ones that she once met when she was six years old at her mom funeral.
But what now ones knows other then her now husband Cole that she has a secret daughter but she is now gone and have to fine her.
Well To Be Continued ?
This book is about the life of girl named Summer and the life she had to live as she got older but it never got better.
She did find love in her best friend Cole that saved her more then once. But she she found it in two other men Dustin and Scott along the way in her life.
But what no one seen was that was that the men that she feel in love with was the ones that she once met when she was six years old at her mom funeral.
But what now ones knows other then her now husband Cole that she has a secret daughter but she is now gone and have to fine her.
Well To Be Continued ?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2025
Holy shit! This story has altered my brain chemistry a bit. Admittedly I struggled with the multiple POV‘s, and the constant time shifts from present to past and so forth, but midway through the book everything started to click, and then I started to realize that I had read another book with this character and my mind is just blown. This is an impressive first novel and it is super dark, but that is what I love that is what I look for in my books and this is also a reverse harem and it’s tragically beautiful. It’s eloquently written it checks all of the boxes. You definitely want to read this!
October 30, 2025
This book has layers upon layers. The timeline shifts from past to present and present to past. Each chapters will hook you more and more until you’re hanging on the ledge. This is the first book in this series not only is it a great story but it lays a groundwork of a whole world you want to know every part of. You will be left with questions and your mind reeling on how many directions this story can go. I don’t think we are going to be able to pin it down and I am so looking forward to the next book!
November 1, 2025
WOW. This book was so worth the wait. This is a non traditional RH like you’ve never seen before. Summer is BADA$$. She’s so broken and lost so much but she shows no fear. Except with Midas but he doesn’t deserve much in this review 🙄 (he’s GARBAGE). Anywho. This girl went through things you couldn’t imagine. From so many people. And you just feel that pain. It’s like … you just get it? I can’t wait for the next book to hopefully answer soooo many questions and hopefully have an hea-👀 if not I’m still going to devour it anyways. 10/10 recommend.
November 6, 2025
Dark romance, why choose, mafia, a bit of a thriller, and more...
What an emotional roller-coaster. It was dark, twisted, and painful at times.
The things Summer/Mia had to endure, broke my heart.
However, she still proved to be such a great FMC. She is a survivor and a fighter.
I'm not sure I can pick a favorite MMC at this point because I still have mixed feelings.
Overall, I really enjoyed it! It managed to captivate my attention and I loved the FMC.
I'm not gonna lie though, that ending was not my favorite. I'm hoping book 2 comes very soon because I cant accept that!
What an emotional roller-coaster. It was dark, twisted, and painful at times.
The things Summer/Mia had to endure, broke my heart.
However, she still proved to be such a great FMC. She is a survivor and a fighter.
I'm not sure I can pick a favorite MMC at this point because I still have mixed feelings.
Overall, I really enjoyed it! It managed to captivate my attention and I loved the FMC.
I'm not gonna lie though, that ending was not my favorite. I'm hoping book 2 comes very soon because I cant accept that!
November 7, 2025
Slaughtered Fireflys by F. Hayes
ARC review:
❌CLIFFHANGER
This is my first read by this author. This book has a soft version and a hard version. I read the hard version (which means CHECK ALL THE TRIGGER WARNINGS). This story is NOT for everyone. It’s raw, brutal, and pitch black in every sense; check your trigger warnings before stepping into this darkness. The story moves between multiple POVs and shifts from past to present quite a bit. Summer, who goes by the name Mia, is a badass. I loved the connection with Saving the Angel of Death. This ends on a cliffhanger. Can’t wait for book 2!
“No, you don’t get to call me that. You slaughtered Firefly. She’s dead now.”
ARC review:
❌CLIFFHANGER
This is my first read by this author. This book has a soft version and a hard version. I read the hard version (which means CHECK ALL THE TRIGGER WARNINGS). This story is NOT for everyone. It’s raw, brutal, and pitch black in every sense; check your trigger warnings before stepping into this darkness. The story moves between multiple POVs and shifts from past to present quite a bit. Summer, who goes by the name Mia, is a badass. I loved the connection with Saving the Angel of Death. This ends on a cliffhanger. Can’t wait for book 2!
“No, you don’t get to call me that. You slaughtered Firefly. She’s dead now.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2025
Wow, just wow! Summer, who goes by the name Mia, is an incredible and resilient badass. She has endured so much loss and hardship in her life, and after everything she's faced, she truly deserves to find happiness and peace. However, that ending—what in the world just happened??? It completely left me in shock! Now I’m left hanging and anxiously awaiting the release of the second book, craving to see what happens next in her journey.
October 29, 2025
damn!! There's so much happening in this book to Summer and her men! Theres so much trauma each person in this book goes through and as a reader im heartbroken for summer and how it all started by her nasty father locking her in the shed! like really i understand why summer literally lost her mind in this book! I mean..who the heck wouldnt!? I need to read the next book asap!! when I say I need pitch black reads..this is what im talking about!! BTW im routing to little cop lover boy😆😆🤦♀️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews