Marella

Wraidd Elfennol #1

by Morgan Sheppard

In the enchanting world of Wraidd Elfennol, where myths come to life and magic weaves through the very fabric of the island, a youngling’s life is about to be turned upside down.

Marella wants only one thing—to become a Water Weaver, skilled in the arts of scrying. Together with her best friend, Daren, they travel to the main village of Charon to take the Test that will decide their futures.

With her otter Partner, Nixie, by her side, she delves deeper into the traditions that make Wraidd Elfennol what it is. Although only thirteen years old, Marella will have to choose the life path to take with the talents she was born with.

What happens when you don’t get what you wish for?
And what happens if you do?

The Wraidd Elfennol series begins with an enthralling young adult fantasy that will captivate readers as they are transported to a realm where the Elements enchant.

Rewritten and re-released with over 80k words added

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

378 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 20, 2016

About the author

Originally from the United Kingdom, Morgan Sheppard now resides in Germany, although she freely admits to having left part of her heart in Wales. Whilst a writer mainly in the fantasy genre, Morgan is more than happy to share her love of reading amongst the many different genres out there, and can always be found with a book close by.

As well as reading and writing, Morgan spends her time looking after her family and trying to learn German. Unfortunately, a natural aptitude for languages doesn’t appear to be one of her strong points. However, stubbornness is, so she continues to persevere. So far, Morgan is confident enough to order a beer and a pretzel.

You can also email her at MorganSheppard@gmail.com to receive a #FREE copy of Disjointed Lives, a short story about friendships and a toxic relationship.

Reviews

[Joselyn Moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this one from a tour and I absolutely liked it, it was super interesting and fun to read.

I loved the way it goes deeper on the characters life and it let you know them better.

I cant wait enough for the next book on this saga.

Marella story is nice and you can tell Riva loves her a lot, but her love is just a little harsher than the rest but it does prove that she worry a lot about her daugther.

My favorite part is where she meet Nixie is impossible not to love him, that Tiny otter is full of confidence and courage.

I do think everyone will enjoy this book before or after reading the first book on the wraid elfennol saga.

[Cathy Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful new world to explore

I have already read the Water Weaver so I just had to read about Marella in this book. I love the world that the author has created where people live in harmony with the elements. I would love to have an animal partner myself too.
I don't think it matters which order you read these books although chronologically this book is first.
I've though before and still believe that these books would make a wonderful film or series for television. I hope that some day they are.

[Celeste Prater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my goodness. Does this bring back memories! That wobbling uneasiness of facing something unknown, the angst at facing possible failure, and wondering if you would look different after passing a major milestone. Very good job at bringing you into the character’s subtle build of unwarranted anxiety that all of us have faced as youngsters. I chuckled when Riva is trying to express to Marella that we can spout out definitions of things as if we’re knowledgeable, but experience is the only true measure of truly knowing what you’re talking about. How many times have we rolled our eyes at our parents for those “been there, done that” type of advice sessions? After having read Water Weaver, I’m sure Marella must have had a moment where she remembered this conversation with her mother and said, “Ah, got it now, Mom.”

Ms. Sheppard did a wonderful job of pulling me through Marella’s world and providing great depth to the close-knit community. I was able to visualize myself walking alongside her the whole time. Especially liked how the author didn’t just ‘tell’ me descriptions, but peppered the characters reactions throughout, making it more realistic and smooth. I loved reading this prequel to Water Weaver and seeing how Marella and Daren met their partner’s for the first time. Gotta love Nixie!

Great YA short read and recommend to those that want a little more early insight leading up to the epic Water Weaver novel. Well done, Ms. Sheppard!

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marella is the prequel novella where we meet her for the first time. You find out a bit more about her childhood, her relationship with her parents, Daren, and also you are with her when she meets Nixie for the first time. This novella shows how important some things are to Marella, giving her the basis for the woman she becomes in Water Weaver.

I would recommend that you read this one first, before Water Weaver, just so that you get the rounded picture of Marella. Saying that, if you haven't, I don't think it would spoil anything. Definitely recommended for all fans of Wraidd Elfennol.

* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

[Sharon Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great insight into life before Water Weaver. It was nice to see Marella's mother did love her as in Water Weaver, Riva, obviously is torn between her daughter and her role as Elder for Ilyn.
My favourite part was where Marella and Daren receive their life partners. I can just imagine how cute Nixie and Ula are.
Nice read.

[Angela Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved re- reading this 2023 version with an extra 80,000 words. Marella is a young girl with dreams of being a water weaver, her journey takes us through Marella learning about the elements of fire, wind, water and earth and all of the people she encounters from friends, family and tutors Along the way she has her partner Nixie whom is a lifeline of comfort and help. I really felt the author wrote this so you could picture the surroundings, smell the food and feel the emotions of the characters. Well worth a read.

[J.R. Vaineo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morgan Sheppard’s Wraidd Elfennol series has an intriguing beginning, found within the pages of Marella. Though it took me a long time to finish, it was worth it. Because stories have so many elements to them, I feel it’s only fair to break down my review into four categories: Plot, Prose, Character Development, and Originality. Overall, Marella has earned 4 out of 5 stars.

• Plot 4/5
Marella’s plot is a slow build, taking you through her world. Her joys, hopes, and concerns, regarding her future. It begins on the night before young Marella’s test, where she will learn which of the four elements is her strength, and which is her secondary element. She wishes for it to be water. Desperately, she desires to be a Water Weaver. But will it happen? Marella tries her best to be content with the idea that water may not be her strength. It may not even be her secondary. Sheppard has beautifully captured the bliss and anxiety of a thirteen-year-old girl, who’s waiting for the next chapter of her life to begin.

By the end of Marella, I knew this series is a keeper. Mysterious things happen, after Marella’s test. Things don’t go how anyone imagined, not even how Marella imagined.

Sheppard lets things settle, then another interesting bit of information slips out, teasing this reader to keep going. To finish the book. Though the first in the series is a short, light read, I feel the story is just starting. That Sheppard is gearing up for an epic story.

• Prose/Style & Grammar 4/5
Morgan Sheppard’s style is different from what I’m used to. I had to get accustomed to the English (not American-English) spellings for words being used i.e. colour instead of color, etc. It wasn’t a big deal. Nor the fact that she has multiple viewpoint characters, within the same scene. While it might normally be distracting, I found that the transitions were smooth. Not jarring at all. It also added depth to the story, since Marella is young and unaware of many things. Her parents, Edlin and Riva, were the secondary viewpoint characters, with a few others adding their own tidbits here and there.

There are some typos in the paperback I bought, but not many. Only one or two places confused me enough that I had to re-read the whole phrase. I imagine some of the phrasing that I found confusing has to do with the book being written in a different dialect of English than what I’m accustomed to reading. This type of difference would never stop me from finishing a good book, though. I like seeing each author’s unique voice. :)

• Character Development 3/5
The main character, Marella, is written very strong. She came to life, on the pages. I clearly felt what she was experiencing. She gets 5 out of 5 for development. It’s the supporting cast that didn’t quite leap off the pages for me. I wanted to know so much more about them. Sheppard has taken the time to include them in the story. Therefore, I wanted to know more about their past. What has transpired between them and Marella, or Marella’s parents, that led to their fierce love for her? Sometimes, too much was left for the reader to imagine. It only makes me look forward to getting to know these supporting characters in the books to come.

• Originality 5/5
I especially love the Partners aspect of the story. They are given to each young teenager, after their test. This Partner is always an animal with a connection to the elements that the teens possess strength in, whether it’s their primary or secondary element. I foresee a lot of story-depth transpiring from these Partners. They’re fun, yet possess an unexplained wisdom. It’s very intriguing.

Marella is unique, but I always look for what other stories the books I read remind me of. I had to do some memory searching to nail down why Marella feels so familiar. She reminds me of a girl version of Link, from The Legends of Zelda. The book very much has the feel of the start of Skyward Sword, before Link was ever a hero. Before he discovered that he has an epic destiny to fulfill. It’s something about the reactions of the characters and the type of portrayed humor, while a mystery brews beneath the surface of the story, that’s so reminiscent for me. Although there are elements similar to other stories, too much is different about Marella to make a comparison. Overall, I’m excited to see it play out.


Thanks for reading my review to the end. I recommend that you give Marella a chance. Let yourself escape to her world. It promises of a good journey for the Wraidd Elfennol series.

[Buttercupp77 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and easy read. It is a prequel to a previously published series, but it is my first exposure to this universe. (In fact, I have no knowledge of the remainder of the series other than that it exists).

My biggest critique of this novella is that there is no central conflict. Marella is nervous. She goes through her test day. She deals with the immediate fall out from her test results. This is not really a plot - more of a vignette. Now, had I read the series first, I imagine this would have provided key insights into later events and characters. As an introduction to the series, though, it fell flat for me and doesn't lure me into wanting to read further.

The world-building in this novel could be improved significantly. There wasn't enough description of the societal structure, culture, spiritual life, level of technology, etc, for me to have a strong sense of time and place. And yet, descriptions of more mundane elements (meals, wardrobe) seemed excessive. (As an aside, I found the constant repetition of names to be irritating and unnecessary in many cases).

The main character, Marella, is supposed to be 13 years old. With little to go on in terms of how she was raised and schooled (beyond in a loving home), this isn't very believable. Also, her relationship with her sister didn't come across as authentic to me. (I'm close with one of my sisters, but when I was 13, there was still a lot of conflict between us). The dialogue was very stilted and unnatural overall.

There are a number of really interesting ideas, such as the properties of different teas, that I would have appreciated additional development. I would also have appreciated a more well-developed spiritual element for this culture - there's mention of Lords and Ladies (the reference led me to believe these are deities but that could be wrong) but no real description of any spiritual practises, which left me very disappointed.

My impression is that there are some really good ideas here - they just needed more development and refinement.

This isn't a bad book. It's also not a great book. I don't regret having taken the time to read it, but I also don't feel interested enough (other than in Nixie - that has the potential to be a great character) to read further in the series.

I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

It is extremel well written, flows smoothly and is easy to read. It is the perfect prequal to Water Weaver. From the title, you can guess this is Marella's story. The imagery is extremely vivid, I could picture every scene. Once I started the book I couldn't put it down. It kept me captivated from the first page through the last. The author did an amazing job of portraying the characters, their emotions and the experiences they go through. What you learn about Marella in this book, not only about her but her relationships with friends and family, and her partner, fits perfectly wit Water Weaver.

If you have already read Water Weaver you know a bit about Marella. We know what element she is strongest in and have met her animal partner. This is book is how Marella got to the point she is at, at the beginning of Water Weaver.

Traditions are very important in this series. Not only their holidays and celebrations, but their every day life. When a child is 13, it is time to find out what makes them who they are, which will be a determining factor in what type of job they will have as adults and where they will live.

Marella is now 13 years old. As you can imagine she is nervous about what is to come. She knows what is coming, but doesn't know the exact process and has no idea what the results will be. She has her heart set on what she wants to do with her life, but will that be what she gets to do?

If you have not read Water Weaver, I would recommend reading Marella first. This gives you the back story to truly understand Marella. If you have read Water Weaver, I highly recommend you read Marella.

I can't wait for the next book in the series. I'm dying to know what happens next.
Review for I Dream of Books

[Amy Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian I Dig Good Books.
*I Received a copy of this book from the Author in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

This story is a prequel to the story “Water Weaver.” It tells the journey of Marella as she prepares and takes her test and is introduced to her life partner, Nixie.
If you’ve read “Water Weaver” then reading this book you would come to expect great detail and descriptions from this author. She doesn’t disappoint in this novella with details or description or the ability to transform you into their world. If you’re new to this author, be prepared to have a world unfold before your eyes of epic proportion.
This story tells a great journey Marella must take and provides a bit of a back story that really ties everything together with Water Weaver. It answered questions I had after reading Water Weaver first. It kind of expands the story of Marella and Darren and that is a story I love reading about.
One of my favorite parts of this story is when Marella and Darren receive their life partners. It’s magical and sweet and makes you want to squeeze them! Nixie is a feisty little thing and just shows how perfect he is pared for Marella.
I definitely recommend to pick up a copy of this book and if you haven’t read Water Weaver then pick that copy of next also. You won’t be disappointed.

[Cat Imb || The Reading Cat || · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ebook copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Morgan Sheppard!

What an exciting start to a series! The world Sheppard has created os fantastical yet coherent; it is understandable despite its lack of connection to reality.

I found that Sheppard's writing was very stylistic. What I mean is that it has a flair that just makes me want to keep reading! She has a knack for describing colour in her world. Her descriptions of hues really come through and I kelt picturing vibrant colours as I was reading.

I love fantasy novels about Element Weavers. I just find them so cool, so obviously I knew I would like this one *wink* I really enjoyed the author's concept of everyone having an animal partner. I thought it was clever, and well I love animals!

Finally, how could I not love a book which mentions a grey water system? I just nerded out, don't pay mind to the Architecture student.

[Lynn Vroman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this novella!

Marella is the prequel to Water Weaver, and I LOVED reading about how she became the powerful Water Weaver she is. Morgan Sheppard is excellent at painting a world that is so vivid I could see everything happening clearly in my head

But as much as I loved the world-building, what I truly connected with are the relationships Sheppard creates between her characters. There are such strong bonds between Marella and Darin (I loved this so hard!) and Nixie and Marella. What I really loved was the connection between sisters. Jorja is the kind of sister anyone would love to have.

In the end, Marella is a great beginning to Water Weaver, with awesome foreshadowing that brings you right into the meat of the story!

[Rafe Jadison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you are a young adult, or just young at heart, you are bound to love "Marella." I'm still not sure what I enjoyed most about this novel. In the beginning, I was impressed with the author's detailed and flavorful world building as she draws us into a world of wonder with delightful characters who care about each other and the world they live in. It's a world full of animals who bond with people and the hint of magic bound in realism. I soon found myself as protective of the main character as her family while I watched her begin her journey into adulthood. An explanatory and intriguing ending are sending me off to the next book in this series with the sincere hope that Morgan Sheppard will be writing many more in this series because I just found my new book addiction.

[Angi Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully crafted prequel to Water Weaver and gives a great insight into the home life of Marella before her test.

it shows that her mother's apparent indifference to her is something far deeper. Knowing this author, even deeper than anyone else can guess for now!!

I love the way the partner is paired to the young person and it intrigued me as to some underlying storyline which I'm sure will be explained in future books.

I was honoured to beta read and then review this lovely book.

If fantasy is your thing, please start reading Water Weaver and Marella.

[Angela Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a free review copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
In a world where the elements are your world, Marella is 13 and has wanted to be a water weaver for a long time. Now Marella and her best friend Daren will travel to Charon to be tested to discover which element they will train in. The nervousness of weather they will achieve the element they want and where it will take them, is nearing. This is a great wee novel that I really enjoyed, the characters are wonderful, the first in a series you will definetly want to read.

[Tanya Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just finished reading Marella, and must say that the only issue I have with it is this. I was literally unable to stop reading until I reached the end!
I found Ms. Sheppard's style to be smooth and descriptive. She presents strong visuals and depth of character with every phrase, without becoming either too intense or condescending towards her readers. The story flows, and as a prequel, has left me wanting to read Water Weaver and any other tales that join the series.

[Joshua Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morgan Sheppard’s Marella was set in a really imaginative world with cool and epic magic battles. As main character Marella sets off to Charon to take her magic test and figure out which element she will be assigned to, she’s thrust into an adventure of epic fights and self discovery. This novel pleasantly reminded me of Avatar: The Last Airbender and I look forward to seeing where the story goes from here!

[Angela McPherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Marella, the prequel to Water Weaver! Morgan has a way with words; her vivid imagination kept me reading until the end. Be sure to read Water Weaver to learn more about Marella and her excellent abilities. Marella is a quick, fun read for readers young and old to enjoy. I recommend this book to all who enjoy fantasy and fun.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very pleasant and picturesque read. I have not yet read any of the other books in this series, but I feel like this one is a very good opening type of book. Not much is accomplished throughout the story; however, one can tell that the stage is certainly being set for what promises to be quite the tale.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*

[Cecilia Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful insight of the journey Marella goes through. The story slows really well and I could visualise the story as I read. I loved Marella! You can read this first and then Water Weaver to have a better understanding of the storyline.

[Emma Coombes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a free read in return for an honest review. Have to say I loved it! Beautifully written for young adults; definitely one I will recommend to my kids when they are a little older. I might have to read the rest of the series now!

[J.A. Cintron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This prequel was really interesting to read as it gave the fantasy setting a different take with the elements and the familiars concept

[Rowan Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was extremely good to read, and I am sure that everybody who reads the book will enjoy it.

[Cath Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The prequel to Water Weaver. Telling Marella's back story and how she met Nixie, her cheeky otter life partner.
A brilliant world, loosely based on my home, Wales. Great for ages 12+.

[Tabetha Slade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC of this book, my review is honest and voluntary.

This was a very detailed story, until the end where time frames were skipped with a brief glimpse here and there. I understand the story was getting long, and it seems like the rest of the series may continue it anyway, but it felt like - here is 350 pages of just over 1 year of training , and here is 10 pages of 4 years later and some more time later.
We have a decent amount of detail for the 'basics' of Earth, Air, and Fire, but then not a lot of the water / weaving training which makes up 4 years of the training.
I don't know if it's technically covered in the rest of the series, as the author note mentions this was originally a prequel that got longer but its strange if you haven't already read the series. Up until the last pages I thought the next book would cover that training and life as a weaver.

Considering the book is classed as book 1 (even though the rest have been published) those last pages made it feel very much like a prequel specifically on the training and the ending just trying to catch up in time frame. To me that wasn't clear initially so it seems quite abrupt. - and it's not clear through reading the blurb either. It sounds like it is the first in a series, altbough when you look at the blurb for the 2nd, knowing about the 1st it does seem like it's expecting that to be the first.

I was confused with the way the main character referred to her parents, as if there was a rift in thr family and she was distancing herself from them even before there was any evidence that there may be a rift.

[Gracie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this was a DNF at 20% for me.
I really loved the premise and the plot of this series sounds intriguing. Sadly it wasn't enough for me to finish.
I love the magic and that everyone gets a familiar associated with their magic. I would have liked to know more about the setting. (Modern or epic fantasy, as it had elements of both, leaning more toward modern.) She had traveling trousers but she packed pumps.
But there were too many issues for me to get past.
Point of view changes for random paragraphs without reason or warning would pull me out of the story and have me back tracking to see if I missed something.
Then there were the first two chapters which consisted of nothing happening other than the main character trying to fall asleep and a lot of info dumping. There was nothing to hook me and keep me turning the page.

There were some editing issues that really jumped out at me. (Not related to British vs American English.) I strongly suggest a different editor to the author in the future.

I reviewed this book voluntarily at the request of the author.