Ella is an Edwardian Cinderella with an undead problem…The flu pandemic of 1918 took millions of souls within a few short weeks. Except it wasn’t flu, and death gave them back.Seventeen-year-old Ella copes the best she can; caring for her war-injured father, scrubbing the floors, and slaying the undead that attack the locals. Vermin they’re called, like rats they spread pestilence with their … pestilence with their bite. Ella’s world collides with another when she nearly decapitates a handsome stranger, who is very much alive.
Seth deMage, the new Duke of Leithfield, has returned to his ancestral home with a mission from the War Office — to control the plague of vermin in rural Somerset. He needs help; he just didn’t expect to find it in a katana-wielding scullery maid.
Working alongside Seth blurs the line between their positions, and Ella glimpses a future she never dreamed was possible. But in overstepping society’s boundaries, Ella could lose everything – home, head and her heart…
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All the elements of a classic cinderella story, but with one major twist. Cinderella is a sword wielding zombie killer. Highly recommended for teen and adult.
Cinderella takes on Zombies with class.
The author takes the Cinderella story and transports it into post WWI Britain with a twist – the Influenza plague actually caused zombies. The modernization of the base story was interesting enough, but the twist with the zombies creates a world where the social problems of the time have been turned inside out. Fascinating world.
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 haven’t read a lot of stories based in Europe, but that said I think it was well done. I love fairytales and the fact that it’s set after I believe it was WW1 was interesting (if historical fairytale retellings are your thing try Nora and Kettle as well, it’s Peter Pan set in America post WW2).
I did not want to put the book down and can’t wait to find the next one. The main story ends with the fairytale, but it has a setup afterwards for the next book, which I didn’t expect to work out the way it did. Zombies are I believe the most unrealistic part of the story, but they tie in very well to the fairytale and I strongly recommend trying it out if you have any interest! I don’t recall any scenes being extremely gory if that’s any concern, and I think I tend to be more squeamish than others.
A great dark Cinderella story.
A wonderful, fun book. Loved the premise, very different. Liked it so much I quickly grabbed the rest of the series.
Oh wow. There is so much to say about this book. I loved it! It’s part zompoc, part fairy tale, part historical fantasy. That may sound like a tall order, but the author completely pulled it off.
I’m not even a huge fan of Cinderella stories, as I find the wickedness of the stepmother and step sisters to be exhausting. But the author didn’t go overboard with it. She included just enough scenes to make me hate those characters, but not enough to make me hate reading the story.
The romance between Ella and her prince (Seth the Duke) was very refreshing. They are as much strategic partners in battling the zombie epidemic as they are romantic interests. The supposed “lie” between them wasn’t overblown into exhaustive YA drama, another pet peeve of mine. And even though Ella falls in love with Seth, she isn’t obsessed with marrying him.
I think this would be a great read for anyone who enjoyed Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies. I recommend this to anyone who likes historical fantasy with katana-wielding heroines!
Taking a chance on a self-published novel can be like weeding through the world’s largest slush pile, but every once in a while you run into the hidden gem that makes wading through the slush worth while. This is just such a hidden gem. The writing is head and shoulders above most of what you will find out there, and the character building (while obviously based on the Cinderella story) is individual enough to actually give the characters realism and depth. Similar in concept to Seth Grahame-Smith’s “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” (see the movie, it’s a hoot!), Ella the Slayer is actually a fully realized and totally different novel.
I started the book not expecting too much, but found I couldn’t put it down! I definitely will be spending my hard-earned cash to buy more of this series! Definitely two thumbs up and 5 stars for this one.
This was a great book to read if you have a spare minute or two!
Enjoyable read!
I loved the characters in this book. They talk like real people, and say the funniest things.
I like the new twist to “zombies” as I am very over the Walking Dead version!!!
I couldn’t put it down!!! Zombies and Cinderella – Ella killing zombies. Evil Step-mother, evil Step-sisters plus good looking Duke!!! Totally entertaining!!!
Interesting twist on the Cinderella story. Left me anticipating Book 2!
A grim story, but well told. I pretty much read this book straight through.
Great book
A different take on the familiar.
cinderella & zombies
The description sent out in the BookBub email was not the full description. I’m not a fan of zombies/living dead/etc. I wish this part would have been mentioned in the description because I would not have downloaded the book to read.