• Ella, the Slayer

  • Serenity House, Book 1
  • By: A. W. Exley
  • Narrated by: Gabrielle de Cuir
  • Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (595 ratings)

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Ella, the Slayer  By  cover art

Ella, the Slayer

By: A. W. Exley
Narrated by: Gabrielle de Cuir
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Publisher's summary

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 by caring for her war-injured father, scrubbing the floors, and slaying the undead that attack the locals. Like rats, these vermin spread pestilence with every bite. Ella's world collides with another when she nearly decapitates a handsome stranger - one 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: 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 - her home, her head, and her heart.

©2016 A. W. Exley (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc., and Skyboat Media, Inc.

What listeners say about Ella, the Slayer

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Needed More Zombies

What I liked about the book:

1. The descriptions of the vermin are pretty rocking. They are gross and not meant to be pretty in the slightest.

2. The prose was good. The descriptions were eloquently put.

3. I enjoyed how this Cinderella story was based during the Great War. I enjoyed the specific timeframe and the trauma that came with engaging in the war both for the men/women who helped fight and for those who stayed home. I liked that no one came back the same. War is scary and it leaves it scars, some internal and some external.

What I didn’t like about the book:

1. I know I said that I liked the zombies, but I really don’t think we needed them. The fact that this story is based after the Great War is enough of a spin-off of Cinderella that the zombies themselves felt like they were just thrown in for a spin-off good measure.

2. Speaking of spin-offs—in this story, Snow White is clearly still a fairy tale that they relate to. Does that mean Cinderella is also a story they know about? If so, why haven’t they realized the similarities? If not, why is Snow White hogging the fairy tale spot light?

3. I didn’t like Seth. I would have enjoyed a good story with Frank instead.

4. I didn’t like Ella, nor did I like her insta-love obsession with Seth.

5. How can one learn to wield a sword/katana just by reading about it?

6. Why are we still having parties and social get-togethers after ZOMBIES become a thing? Maybe this is my hindsight after still living through the COVID-19 pandemic, but heck. Whole countries shut down because of an airborne virus. Think about what we would have done if ZOMBIES became a reality. Certainly not lollygagging around town trying to figure out which vegetable is the best.

7. Okay. Sure. Let’s forget the COVID thing. Let’s say these characters are still going out as per usual. At least upgrade their gear! Have them wear the guns they kept from war. Have Ella make padded dresses so that the zombies don’t bite the villagers. Do something to show that ANYONE is reacting to ZOMBIES trundling around!

8. I don’t like Gabrielle de Cuir’s narration in the audiobook whenever it came to Seth. He does not sound…good, and that may have something to do with my liking the character. He sounds very pompous and above everyone even though that’s the opposite of his character.

9. I highly dislike the whole this-is-a-secret-I-can’t-talk-about-or-else-He’ll-hate-me-forever trope. Just…just tell the stinking truth. This is unnecessary drama that could be spent on more world building, like bite-proof shoulder pads.

All in all, I say this book is coasting in the middle. I won’t get the next book in the series, but I won’t say that I wasted my time. Just a little disappointed.

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22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

As ridiculous as adverised

I got this book because the summary sounded absurd and silly, and Ella the Slayer did not disappoint. There's very little plot, gaping logic holes, and an ending that only makes sense if the author desperately wanted a sequel.

But that wasn't what I was looking for. The characters are likeable enough. There are katana battles and magic butlers and zombies making a nuisance of themselves. It was an entertaining enough book so long as I was willing to overlook... well, anything that required logic.

The narrator was not the best. She switched characters' accents between scenes, tried to give male characters deep, booming voices, emphasized very odd words, and over-acted quite a bit.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Audible doesn't carry full series

This was a good story and I enjoyed the book. Nice twist on the typical Cinderella story and a good narrator. Only problem is this is a series that audible only carries part of and I wish I had known that before listening to the first two.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

weak story. weak characters

Don't spend money on this. Weak atory. Weak characters. I did not particularly like or dislike anyone. I certainly didn't feel much for the main character. Meh is the best description

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

fun

fun little experiment, why shouldn't cinderella be a katana wielding zombie hunter in a pandemic. nice retelling.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Potential

This story had potential. I found the main character to be interesting, the concept creative, the writing and narration pleasant. But omg, she made and released a queen into the world to literally KILL A BUNCH OF PEOPLE when she could have EASILY killed her!!!! Not heroic of the heroine and ruined the whole book

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Cinderella!

If I wanted Cinderella, I would have listened to Cinderella! I wasn’t really in to the storyline!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great book

loved the story. the story made me think of pride and prejudice and zombies but in a different time period. loved the name vermin for zombies, made then just a little bit more gross. cant wait to see what happens to the rest of cartors.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great Retelling! Cinderella with a zombie twist

The step mother in this story was truly a masterpiece, but I felt that Ella's character lacked depth. The story could have used a bit more action; however, the descriptions and ealry 20th century references were superb. I truly felt like i could see the setting of the story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very good story. Couldn’t stop reading

i really liked this version of Cinderella. It shows her as a strong heroin, yet, submissive to her step mother. The author wrote a clean romance that I can recommend to any age. Except, note that there is blood and gore.

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