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maria_vermisoglou's review against another edition
4.0
Zombie Cinderella
To tell the truth I didn't expect much of that book. I'm glad it turned out much better. It was my first "zombie" book and it was interesting. Ella is a maid at her own house while her step-mother rules like a queen.
Her salvation comes when a duke returns from the war. Together they face the zombies and a new adventure begins...
To tell the truth I didn't expect much of that book. I'm glad it turned out much better. It was my first "zombie" book and it was interesting. Ella is a maid at her own house while her step-mother rules like a queen.
Her salvation comes when a duke returns from the war. Together they face the zombies and a new adventure begins...
linzthebookworm's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, I thought this was decently done. I was nervous about how Cinderella was going to work with Zombies. I was really concerned it might get lame and unveil a Fairy Godzombie. Luckily, it was entertaining to the end. I felt like there was a decent balance between sappy romance and zombie slaying. I really enjoyed that Ella was a girl who jumped into the fight and held her own. I didn't have to worry about being annoyed that she couldn't defend herself. I wasn't overly impressed with Seth, but I didn't hate him. He was just there and a necessary character to read. I thought Alice and Frank were adorable.
The thing that really held this story back for me was the setting. Everything in the book tells me it takes place in the early 1900s, but I couldn't get over that it didn't FEEL like it was that time frame. I felt like it may have been previously written in the early 1800s and at some point and time went through a change to be 1900s. I don't really have a rhyme or reason as to why I feel this way, but it really did bring the book down a notch for me.
Check here for my full review: http://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-of-ella-slayer-by-aw-exley.html
The thing that really held this story back for me was the setting. Everything in the book tells me it takes place in the early 1900s, but I couldn't get over that it didn't FEEL like it was that time frame. I felt like it may have been previously written in the early 1800s and at some point and time went through a change to be 1900s. I don't really have a rhyme or reason as to why I feel this way, but it really did bring the book down a notch for me.
Check here for my full review: http://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-of-ella-slayer-by-aw-exley.html
cexleybooks's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book and I hope you do a sequel at some point. I will love to read more about Ella and Seth.
I loved how her dad moved and Henry talked on the same day. Also how Seth and Ella work side by side to kill the Vermins and how the are in love.
I loved how her dad moved and Henry talked on the same day. Also how Seth and Ella work side by side to kill the Vermins and how the are in love.
tonyriver's review against another edition
3.0
Quite liked this re mix of Cinderella. The combination of mixing a fairy story, the great flu epidemic after WW1 and a form of zombies is inspired.
Added to this of course is romance with a seriously talented Ella and a fine male lead. What is not to like.
Generally well written and paced with as much believability as you need in a revised fairy story!
Added to this of course is romance with a seriously talented Ella and a fine male lead. What is not to like.
Generally well written and paced with as much believability as you need in a revised fairy story!
cyee44's review against another edition
4.0
A Cinderella story meets zombies. This was a fun take on an old tale and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
thepaperreels's review against another edition
3.0
"To escape from reality, I dream of a time when there was only one type of death."
Well, that's something you don't read everyday. Imagine Cinderella, but more badass, like killing-zombies-kind-of-badass and living in a Downton Abbey world. Can't visualize it? Well then you have to read this novel because surprisingly, Zombie killer Cinderella and Historical Fiction are a fit. And A.W Exley made it work.
Ella, The Slayer is made of lovely writing, a slow burn romance and a well thought plot. I admit that I found it's pacing slow at the beginning but it picks up right at the middle and I found myself lost at Ella's world and I enjoyed her everyday adventures. Whether she's slaying zombies or just bringing tea to her wicked step mom. I was such a big fan of Exley's flawless writing.
I really like how appropriate the romance was. I mean, this is YA and Ella wasn't even 18. I enjoyed the slow burn romance between her and Seth. Although Seth have his own POV, I feel like there's still a lot to learn about him. I know that some readers are looking for a sequel and I'm one of those readers. I think that there's still a lot of loose ends that needs to be tackled.
Overall, I enjoyed this new take of Cinderella and like I mentioned above, I'm a big fan of the writing!
tmleblanc's review against another edition
4.0
No simpering princesses here. Ella, the Slayer by A.W. Exley was a refreshing twist on the traditional Cinderella fairy tale and the zombie craze set in the time of Downton Abbey.
Ella is the long suffering savior of her small town once those that have died start rising from the dead. She takes her role in stride and doesn’t expect anything more than what she has been given. I admired her attitude and ability to take on this dark role. I certainly don’t know if I would have been quite so willing to take on what she did.
The Duke is no slouch either. Rather than being a two-dimensional dude just looking to get married, Exley fleshed out Seth and gave him his own demons to wrestle with. Not only did he have to take over the family estate after the death of his father, he’s expected to marry a highborn bachelorette and he’s still reeling from having served in WWI. Like Ella, his struggle to balance the simpering dull ladies being thrown at him and the threats to their town seem real.
The romance that blossoms between Seth and Ella is borne from shared goals and a genuine appreciation for each other. It was a slow discovery. It was refreshing that it wasn’t necessarily a love-at-first-sight, head-over-heels kind of love.
Ella, the Slayer definitely gets my seal of approval for its fresh take a well-known fairy tale and the well-worn zombie trope. The characters, both primary and secondary, were well-developed. Their motivations were clear and helped move the story forward at a good clip. Fans of fairy tales, true love and zombies (without a lot of gore) will enjoy this tromp through the English countryside.
This review was originally posted on Second Run Reviews
Ella is the long suffering savior of her small town once those that have died start rising from the dead. She takes her role in stride and doesn’t expect anything more than what she has been given. I admired her attitude and ability to take on this dark role. I certainly don’t know if I would have been quite so willing to take on what she did.
The Duke is no slouch either. Rather than being a two-dimensional dude just looking to get married, Exley fleshed out Seth and gave him his own demons to wrestle with. Not only did he have to take over the family estate after the death of his father, he’s expected to marry a highborn bachelorette and he’s still reeling from having served in WWI. Like Ella, his struggle to balance the simpering dull ladies being thrown at him and the threats to their town seem real.
The romance that blossoms between Seth and Ella is borne from shared goals and a genuine appreciation for each other. It was a slow discovery. It was refreshing that it wasn’t necessarily a love-at-first-sight, head-over-heels kind of love.
Ella, the Slayer definitely gets my seal of approval for its fresh take a well-known fairy tale and the well-worn zombie trope. The characters, both primary and secondary, were well-developed. Their motivations were clear and helped move the story forward at a good clip. Fans of fairy tales, true love and zombies (without a lot of gore) will enjoy this tromp through the English countryside.
This review was originally posted on Second Run Reviews
toriedawn1's review against another edition
4.0
This book wasn't really for me, that being said it was a good story, think the Ever After film with Drew Barrymore with added Zombies.
z_bookfluencer's review against another edition
5.0
Despite the reviews saying this is an unoriginal story, I got the book anyway. With the fact this is based upon a fairy tale and zombies, I could see similarities. It was still an interesting read with a delightfully twisted plot and well rounded characters. Normally, Cinderella has a quiet strength, in this book her strength is known and asked for, which was a nice change of pace. In danger in both her home and the outside world, she soon catches the attention of a bachelor whom has fought in battle. While men usually protect females during this time, their minds are not with them, or darkened due to the cruelties they saw upon the battlefield. She soon learns why then men do not speak about the war as well as the true reason of the increase of zombie sightings. Overall, very well written.
tartbarbie's review against another edition
4.0
Ella’s life has been rough turned into the scullery maid after her father returned from war brain dead her step-mother took full advantage of her. With her father an invalid it’s fallen on Ella to protect the farm from the vermin known as Zombies. She’s even become the town slayer keeping a log book of all that she’s had to dispatch. After disposing of her most recent kill Ella encounters Seth the Duke who is return from war to run the area. Not wanting to be known as a lowly scullery maid she omit’s who she really is and uses her formal name.
However Ella’s due to have many chance encounters as they both are fighting the war against the undead vermin who are roaming the countryside. Ella’s step sisters and step mother are sure that the Duke will want to marry her sister after all she’s the most beautiful girl. The more time Ella spends with Seth the more she doesn’t want to give him up. What will happen when her step mother finds out about their budding relationship? What about when he finds out the truth about who she really is? What about the zombies who seem to be organized?
I really like Ella she’s not your typical scullery maid after all she carries a katana and slays zombies to protect the town and those she loves. I like the way she and Seth find an unlikely friendship both doing something they are both doing something for the good of humanity. I also liked Henry and Alice in the story they are each unique.
I picked up Ella, The Slayer because it fit my reading challenge this week and I’ve had my eye on the cover. A unique spin on the Cinderella classic I love the idea of Ella as a zombie slayer. I’ve never been a big fan of the Cinderella story it wasn’t my favorite Disney growing which is sad because most kids face something like this every day. I really enjoyed how Ella was this kick-ass- heroine who risked her life to save the town, but she was also really smart and full of compassion. She stayed behind because of her friends and her father even putting up with her step mother’s abuse. This is a fast paced novel it’s easy to get lost in the story and short so just a few short hours I was able to read the whole book. I see a lot of potential for another book in the series and I would really another chance to read about Ella and Seth. Overall it’s a great spin of Cinderella and I bet growing up this would have been one of my favorites.
However Ella’s due to have many chance encounters as they both are fighting the war against the undead vermin who are roaming the countryside. Ella’s step sisters and step mother are sure that the Duke will want to marry her sister after all she’s the most beautiful girl. The more time Ella spends with Seth the more she doesn’t want to give him up. What will happen when her step mother finds out about their budding relationship? What about when he finds out the truth about who she really is? What about the zombies who seem to be organized?
I really like Ella she’s not your typical scullery maid after all she carries a katana and slays zombies to protect the town and those she loves. I like the way she and Seth find an unlikely friendship both doing something they are both doing something for the good of humanity. I also liked Henry and Alice in the story they are each unique.
I picked up Ella, The Slayer because it fit my reading challenge this week and I’ve had my eye on the cover. A unique spin on the Cinderella classic I love the idea of Ella as a zombie slayer. I’ve never been a big fan of the Cinderella story it wasn’t my favorite Disney growing which is sad because most kids face something like this every day. I really enjoyed how Ella was this kick-ass- heroine who risked her life to save the town, but she was also really smart and full of compassion. She stayed behind because of her friends and her father even putting up with her step mother’s abuse. This is a fast paced novel it’s easy to get lost in the story and short so just a few short hours I was able to read the whole book. I see a lot of potential for another book in the series and I would really another chance to read about Ella and Seth. Overall it’s a great spin of Cinderella and I bet growing up this would have been one of my favorites.