In the Garden of Weeia

by Elle Boca

When the Unelmoija and her sister dropped Ernie off at Harry’s house near Portland, Maine before vanishing into time, they hoped to give him a fresh start. Unfortunately, Ernie, a lanky shy man with a natural gift for technology and gadgets enhanced by his superhuman Weeia abilities, fell in with the wrong crowd. Left holding the bag for a crime he did not commit, Ernie is sentenced to the Weeia equivalent of public service, doing grub duty at the Marshals Academy, where the Weeia super cops are trained to keep the superhuman race hidden. Breaking the rules there is not a good idea, but Ernie cannot resist a good challenge, never realizing he will be swept up in the middle of a sinister plot that could cost him his life.

Genres: Paranormal

112 pages, Paperback

First published June 21, 2015

About the author

Elle is the author of two urban fantasy series about superhumans called Weeia, the Unelmoija Series in Miami and the Marshals Series in Paris. Growing up the only child of a monkey mother and a rabbit father she learned to keep herself entertained and spend time reading. Elle makes her home with her king cat husband in South Florida.


Published ebooks and print books include

Weeia books

Unelmoija Series

Unelmoija: The Dreamshifter
Unelmoija: The Mindshifter
Unelmoija: The Spiritshifter
Unelmoija: The Timeshifter
Unelmoija: Paradox

Novella - In the Garden of Weeia

Marshals Series

Gypsies, Tramps and Weeia
Weeia on My Mind
Smells Like Weeia Spirit
An American Weeia in Paris

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

It takes a special talent to pull off carrying on a series minus the main character, especially when that character was written to be an amazing person. Elle Boca has done it with In the Garden of Weeia. A techno geek gets a second chance at a good life, but his abilities make him fair game for trouble and the wrong choices lead Ernie on a downhill slide to the wrong side of the law. Ernie is always up for a good challenge, but this may be one challenge he should pass on. Re-enter the world of the Weeia, through another portal, and be welcomed back by Elle Boca’s amazing creative skills!

We all get that gut flutter when an author ventures in a new direction to a series. Elle Boca not only took the fork on the left, she executed it flawlessly! When an author can shift focus away from the heart of a series and its amazing characters, she has done her work well! Her style is flows, locks on to her readers easily and she deserves a gold star for sharing the spotlight with Ernie, all thanks to Amy, of course!...And to put it down in a novella? brilliant, the perfect sample of things to come!

I received this copy from Elle Boca in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: June 21, 2015
Publisher: Poyeen Publishing
Genre: Urban Fantasy - YA
Print Length: 102 pages
Available from: Amazon
For reviews and more: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Kirsty (Amethyst Bookwyrm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Elle Boca for giving me this book to review.

Ernie has been given a fresh start but he has fallen in with a wrong crowd. When he has been charged with a crime he didn’t commit, Ernie is sentenced to do grub duty at the Marshals academy for a year. He tries to keep his head down but he cannot resist a challenge and gets swept up in a sinister plot which could cost him his life.

In the Garden of Weeia is the enjoyable spin-off novella set after the events of the Weeia series. It is fast paced and interesting to see the Weeia world without Amy and her family and how much impact they have had on this world. That being said the action in this novella didn’t really happen until late in the story.

Ernie is a likeable character and I felt closer to him than Amy because we are similar as he is geeky, shy, rebellious and quick. However, I was not fully invested in the secondary characters but that is not surprising as it is a novella, and hopefully if Elle decides to continue this story we will get to know more about Amanda, Harry and the Marshals.

In the Garden of Weeia is an enjoyable novella and I hope we will get to see more of Ernie in the future. I would recommend this novella to fans of the Weeia series.

This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm

[Richard Bunning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a light weight novella, which I think is aimed primarily at secondary school level. That doesn’t mean that adults that enjoy Hogwarts and Narnia won’t enjoy reading about Weeia. The lively little story kept me well entertained, though this sort of fantasy is no longer exactly my thing. I would have been a very enthusiastic reader it my early teens.
There is certainly some originality in Boca’s characters and at least in this book their superpowers are kept almost in the bounds of the possible. That was perhaps why Boca suggested that if I really was going to get off my backside to buy and read any of her already well reviewed books I might be best starting with this one. By the end, I was left wanting to know a great deal more about the only stone-cold character. Perhaps in a next in series the minerals of that magnetic personality softens. We seem to be in an almost contemporary fantasy world, as is Harry Potter, Ernie could pop around to see you the reader. However, Boca has developed her own mythology to weave her stories into rather than merely reinterpreting well-worn fantasy ‘lore’.
The book is well enough written, into a quickly paced short read. There are editing errors, as there nearly always are, but not enough to agitate even my glacially slow reading rhythm, which is inclined to pause on every other word. What a relief to find a real series that isn’t fixated on the ‘undead’ of some sort or other.
I won’t ever be in the Boca fan club, but I do like her parallel race idea, which though certainly not original is developed in an original way. For some strange reason I was reminder of a 1968 TV series about ‘humans’ given superpowers: The Champions. Um- there is no real connection to Boca’s urban fantasy- unless the Champions were helped from their crashing plane by Unelmoija (Dreamer). Except that perhaps there is, because both that half-forgotten TV series and this book worked by keeping a close contact with real, every day, life. It is the very ordinariness of the characters that make some fantasies work.

[Nicholas Rossis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of Boca's Weeia series (myself included) will be relieved to learn that the story continues, albeit without Amy - aka the Unlemoija. This new story features Ernie, the wiz-kid who got a second chance at life, courtesy of Amy.

To be honest, when I learned that Boca was continuing her series, I was apprehensive. I could not fathom how the story could go on without Unelmoija. Feels like Star Wars without Yoda.

Thankfully, pull it off Boca did.

As I read, I gradually stopped thinking of Amy. Instead, I focused on Ernie; an unlikely miscreant, with a knack for letting his talent lead him into trouble. And by the end, I wanted to dig deeper still into her Weeia world. I devoured the novella within a single hour. I thought it flowed really well, and that it's a great addition to the Unelmoija universe. Ernie is a fine character, likable despite his flaws, and it was great watching him develop into a well-rounded young man.

I'd love to hear more about Ernie and Amanda, and the Marshals in general, so I hope she keeps that angle going for a few more books. Also, she has a wonderful new baddie in Dak, so I can't wait until he and Ernie cross paths again.

[Reader's Hollow · Rating 4 out of 5]

**We were given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
The Reader's Hollow Book Blog

I liked the idea of an academy and the justice system that was in place for the Weeia. Like our own it's a bit flawed but serves the basic purpose to protect people. I learned a bit more about their weaknesses and it was cool to see it from Ernie's perspective.

It wasn't long ago that I'd read the first in the series "Unelmoija: The Dreamshifter". It was a decent start with an imaginative species of superhumans. With "In the Garden of the Weeia" though, I could tell that the author really improved. Her storytelling was smooth, her characters seamless and the plot was straight forward.

Ernie made this story for me. He was a character that you couldn't help but relate to. His relationship with his mentor and father-figure, Harry was heart-warming and Ernie's constant struggle with his past and nervous twitches made him all the more personable.

The mystery with the garden was intriguing and great for meeting Amanda, a girl looking to become a marshal. The whole idea behind the marshals was something that I found a great addition to the world Elle Boca was creating.

I'll also note that I'm jumping into this without knowing why or how Ernie came to be where he is, and this didn't hinder my reading experience at all.

There's a bit of action leading into the climax and we really got to see Ernie progress from being a betrayed, self-doubting character into something more. I really enjoyed his character arc and how the author wove it together with his punishment. The novella is just the right length and I had this finished in less than a few hours. I feel that a person could jump straight in and it wouldn't be like missing a ton of backstory, at least nothing that you couldn't piece together yourself.

[S.A. Molteni · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Garden of Weeia by Elle Boca is a novella length story centered around Ernie, a secondary character in the previous Weeia Series (Unelmoija).

When the last book of the Weeia Series ended, I was sad that the series was complete and still hungry for more. Thankfully, Ms. Boca delivered with this wonderful offering that makes a lovely addition to the Weeia Series.

I do miss Amy and the rest of the Weeia from the previous books. However, I found myself getting very engrossed in this new story which focuses on Ernie after he is dropped off when Amy, Kat and several other Weeia go back in time in the last book of the series, Unelmoija: Paradox.

As the story opens, Ernie gets blamed for a crime that his friends committed. He had only agreed to do some technical work for his cohorts, but humans and other Weeia were harmed and the council decided that Ernie must be punished with something similar to community service. The Marshal Academy is akin to military service and Ernie is tasked with doing all manner of grunt work for cadets, professors and anyone senior to him. He tries to keep his nose clean, but trouble always seems to find him.

During this time, Ernie becomes smitten with Amanda, a girl studying at the Academy. This adds another dimension to the story and Ernie becomes not just a technical geek, but a young man in love as well.

This novella would not be complete without a crisis for Ernie to get involved with and where his technical expertise might just save the day. Although many new questions arise than answers by the end of the book,fans of the original series will not be disappointed in this latest chapter in the Weeia saga.

I was a beta reader for this novella and was given an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Garden of Weeia by Elle Boca

The Unelmoija and her sister dropped Ernie off at Harry’s house near Portland, Maine hoping to give him a fresh start. But Ernie, a man with a natural gift for technology and gadgets (enhanced by his superhuman Weeia abilities) falls in with the wrong crowd.

Now blamed for a crime he did not commit, Ernie is sentenced to the Weeia Marshals Academy doing grub work. Breaking the rules there is not a good idea, but Ernie ends up in the middle of a sinister plot that could cost him his life.

A well written short story. I really liked Ernie, although he may be rebellious, he has so many good qualities. I loved the continuation of the Weeia's lives. The story moves at a perfect pace, with a balanced amount of drama, suspense and action.

Well developed characters, original, plot makes In the Garden of Weeia a perfect five-star read. I highly recommend to fantasy lovers both Young-Adult & Adult readers.

I also recommend the entire series by Elle Boca

[Leslie McKee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ernie Satuan is a Weeia, which means he has superhuman abilities. In his case, those abilities pertain to technology and gadgets. Though he is smart, he is a bit too trusting. When he puts his faith in the wrong people, he finds himself punished for a crime he did not commit. He is sent to perform grub work at the Marshals’ Academy, which is similar to being sentenced to military service. Even there, his talents get him in trouble on more than one occasion. He sets about to try and outsmart measures to keep him out of the garden, which has caught his eye. Ernie soon finds himself in the midst of a tangled plot involving the marshals. Will his abilities help or hinder the situation?

This is a YA fantasy novella, which is a spinoff of Boca’s “Weeia” series. However, this book can easily be read and followed as a standalone, as it is the only one I have read at this time. Ernie is a rebellious but truly likable character. He has struggles with his past, which makes him identifiable. Overall, this is an imaginative tale which makes it a fun, quick read.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Toni Owen-Blue · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this sounds like an odd way to start a review but I’ll do it anyway; The Garden of Weeia was confusing to me because I’m not sure why it was written and why I’m supposed to like it. Usually it’s pretty clear; an author might focus on character development or world building or just a straight up classically good plot. So usually when I review a book I can point at what the author was trying to do and applaud how they did it, or proclaim it not for me and move on.

Is it that I’m supposed to love the main character and follow his journey? I’m not sure I could believe that. The book starts with the main character, Ernie, doing a bad thing, like a very bad thing, like people die kind of bad thing. While the thing’s not one hundred percent his fault, he was one of a few people involved, and not once does he take responsibility for anything, he keeps going back and whining how it was unfair he was the only one who got punished, and that he didn’t want to do the bad thing but his mean friends forced him. I admit it’s unfair that Ernie’s the only one to get punished, but that can’t be my sole reason for liking someone. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t need to love a main character to enjoy a book, heck, some of my favourite books come from the perspective of a villain, but I’m not going to hope for his safety, and with how uninteresting he is and how much time he spends whining I’m more actively praying for his downfall.

So maybe the interesting world is why we’re supposed to like it? I’m not sure I believe that either. Is the world uninteresting you say? I have no idea, the writing is so staccato I can’t tell. This, more than anything else, is the books main problem, the narrative is a bit of a mess. A few more examples for you; I’m not sure if the book is taking place in our own world, with these people we’re reading about being a secret society or if we’re in a new world altogether. In fact, I’m not sure why there are powers at all, our main characters ability is that he’s ‘Good with gadgets’ (which incidentally, I’m pretty sure is the name of a kids TV special from the 90’s), but I don’t know why he can’t just be an intelligent guy, the only reason powers are in the book seems to be that people with powers have to hide for some reason, they don’t do anything.

What’s more the narrative will sometimes make us sit and wait with a character, with the fantastic example of a whole chapter being dedicated to ‘the morning one guy was a bit late cause he was tired so Ernie covered for him and then it never came up again’. Whereas when Ernie finds the titular Garden, he starts breaking in at night, with someone putting a new lock on the gate each time – yet this development is relegated to a conversation Ernie has with someone – why can we not just go experience it!? Why must we sit in an office and wait for late comers yet be relegated to stilted conversation narrative for breaking and entering? The telling of it all is just so strange and it takes a lacklustre story and knee caps it completely.

You see why I’m confused? It’s like going to a birthday party, of someone you don’t really like anyway, and being allowed to stay while the birthday boy opens his presents, then sent out to listen at the door when everyone starts playing party games. I’m not really sure what I’ve done wrong, but I’d like to join in next time please.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting alternate reality

Fun light read. Two humanoid species, humans and the weeia. One is hidden among us and has special powers, their own schools and government.

[Ashley Tomlinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was worried I wasn't going to like this book because my favorite characters weren't going to be in it but I still liked it. I came to know weeia, as Duncan and Amy but I was so glad to hear that there was a little more to the story. I wasn't quite finished being in the land of weeia yet. This is a novella, spin-off from The unelmoija series. It was fast paced, short and a fun read.

Poor Ernie, his weeia abilities always seem to get him trouble. He gets punished for a crime he didn't commit and basically sent to do military service and gets in trouble there too. Poor guy. I liked the Marshalls Academy, it made this book feel so much different from the other series. At first, I thought I wanted it to feel the same but once I started reading I realized that I was craving something different.

I recommend not only this novella but the Unelmoija series by Elle Boca, also. These magic filled books are awesome.

[Sharon Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

'In the Garden of Weeia' is a novella spin-off from Boca's Weeia series, featuring interesting new character Ernie.

I found this a quick and enjoyable read, with a character who was almost instantly likeable. It's the start of a new and intriguing storyline in Boca's world of super-humans with fantastical powers.

The Marshals Academy was a cool addition to the world of Weeia. I liked that Ernie's story was drastically different from Boca's previous main character Amy. The story was really fresh yet maintained the elements of magic that made those first books so unique.

I thought it worked well on it's own as well as in addition to the series. If you've not checked out the series out yet and you love fantasy/superhero tales you should definitely try this out!