This is my stop during the blog tour for Tara Nikkel and the Shaman of La’la Eek by R.A. Sapp. This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 14 till 27 April, you can view the complete tour schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours.
So far this series contains 2 books: Tara Nikkel and the Dream Mage (Tara Nikkel #1) and Tara Nikkel and the Shaman of La’la Eek (Tara Nikkel #2). The first book Tara Nikkel and the Dream Mage made it to #7 of this Middle Grade Novels of 2015 list.
Tara Nikkel and the Shaman of La’la Eek (Tara Nikkel #2)
by R.A. Sapp
Genre: Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 14 April 2015
Blurb:
Tara Nikkel is back! The highly anticipated sequel to the bestselling middle-grade fantasy novel is absolutely bursting at the seams with even more magic, adventure, and wonderment than ever before.A mysterious cry for help sends Tara back to the really real world to a tropical realm known as La’la Eek where she must come face-to-face with her most terrifying adversary yet! This new installment is full of exciting new monsters, twists, and thrills, guaranteed to satisfying every reader’s desire for more Tara Nikkel.
What are you waiting for? Your adventure awaits! See why everyone is naming Tara Nikkel and the Shaman of La’la Eek as the book you’ll keep reading again and again!
You can find Tara Nikkel and the Shaman of La’la Eek on Goodreads
You can buy Tara Nikkel and the Shaman of La’la Eek here:
– Amazon
– Barnes & Noble
– Kobo
Excerpt:
“The silverback gorilla is one of the most intelligent creatures in the animal kingdom.” Mrs. Ross was playing tour guide again. She approached the gorilla paddock and tapped the glass with her hand as she spoke. The students crowded in and pressed their faces against the glass to get a better look.
Tara watched the students fight for a good spot at the window; she couldn’t see any gorillas over the chaos. Like puppies vying for adoption, the students crawled all over each other to get to the best view at the window.
“The male can weigh as much as 600 pounds. Stop shoving now, everyone take a look,” said Mrs. Ross.
Tara popped and squeaked on her crutches to find a place where she could see the gorillas. Billy Higgins followed after her.
“Where are you going, Pukey?” Billy asked.
“Leave me alone. And don’t call me that.”
“I know a place where we can get a really good look at that silverback,” Billy said.
Tara stopped and looked at him suspiciously. “I’m listening.”
“But you have to climb a tree.”
“Forget it.”
“No, you can do it. I’ll boost you up.”
“No thank you,” Tara said emphatically.
“Aw, c’mon. Don’t be a scaredy-cat.”
“I’m not a scaredy-cat.” Tara looked down at her legs. “I just can’t climb a tree, is all.” Not in this world, at least.
“I promise you’ll be fine. I’ll boost you up on my shoulders.” Billy was really becoming persistent now. “It’s just around this corner, honest.”
“Show me.”
Tara followed after him as fast as she could walk. Billy stopped in front of a twisting eucalyptus tree that leaned over a short fence. He held out his arms proudly.
“I don’t know…”
Billy climbed the tree himself and crouched on a branch a few feet from the fence. Something inside the paddock caught his attention and he seemed to forget about Tara for a second.
“What is it?” Tara asked.
“I think one of the gorillas is hurt,” Billy said. “He’s bleeding a little bit on the side of his head.” Suddenly Billy’s face twisted into a disgusted grimace. “He’s licking the blood off his finger. Yuck.”
“Boost me up,” Tara said. “C’mon Billy. I want to see.”
“It’s so big,” Billy said amazed. “He’s right by the fence—and he’s looking right at me.” Billy waved his hand. “You should get up here and see this.”
“Help me,” Tara said. She hated the sound of those words coming out of her mouth, especially when they were directed towards a toad like Billy Higgins.
Billy climbed down the tree and before Tara knew what was happening, he lifted her onto his shoulders and pushed her up the trunk of the eucalyptus tree. Tara let her crutches fall to the ground and pulled herself onto the branch. Her heart was racing now, she was eight feet off the ground, higher than she had ever climbed before. But Billy was right, she could see the silverback as clear as day from this vantage point. Its two black eyes were like shiny stones you’d find near a river. The gorilla had a look of perpetual weariness on its face.
“It’s amazing,” Tara said overjoyed. “Absolutely breathtaking.”
The gorilla had a small cut on the side of its head and it was jabbing at the wound with its enormous fingers.
“Poor thing is hurt,” Tara observed. “I wonder if it got into a fight with one of the other—”
Suddenly Tara realized that she was alone. Billy Higgins had vanished and left her stranded in an eight-foot eucalyptus tree. She felt herself losing balance and quickly wrapped her arms around the branch to keep from falling. The branch began to wobble.
“Billy! Help! Somebody!”
The silverback roared wildly when she said this. Fear stopped her heart from beating. Now the gorilla was focused on her, the little spy whom had been eavesdropping on it from an overhead tree branch.
The gorilla became enraged. It beat its breast with powerful fists and Tara could see sharp fangs protruding from its purple gums.
In the distance, she could hear Billy Higgins’ cruel laughter.
I can’t believe I fell for that! Tara wanted to punch herself. Why in the world had she trusted Billy Higgins—that snake, that prankster.
“Billy, when I get down from here I’m going to break your nose!”
First book in this series:
Tara Nikkel and the Dream Mage (Tara Nikkel #1)
by R.A. Sapp
Genre: Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: January 13, 2015
Blurb:
Meet a teenager with some serious issues. Tara Nikkel is a girl with a whole host of ailments: cerebral palsy, asthma, and a severe peanut allergy (just to name a few). And if all that wasn’t enough, Tara’s also an orphan with two clueless foster-parents who are hoarders as well as being professional couch potatoes. But everything changes for Tara when she ventures into a storm to find her missing beagle, Pudgy. Through an unexpected series of events, Tara finds herself in a magical realm known only as the “really real world”. Come join Tara on an adventure filled with magic, goblins, zombies, dragons—and more! Ages 13 and up.
You can find Tara Nikkel and the Dream Mage on Goodreads
You can buy Tara Nikkel and the Dream Mage here:
– Amazon
– Barnes & Noble
– Kobo
Want to know the story behind this story? Check out this post about the real Tara on the author’s website.
About the Author:
R.A. Sapp lives in beautiful Orange County, California. He is married to Rebecca and together they have two children–Abigail (The Healer) and Christian (The Wizard). In addition to reading and writing, Mr. Sapp enjoys running and mountain biking. He has run several half-marathons (including completing the Beach Cities Challenge in 2014) and hopes to complete a triathlon someday.
You can find and contact R.A. Sapp here:
– Website
– Facebook
– Twitter
– Goodreads
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Tara Nikkel and the Shaman of La’la Eek. These are the prizes you can win:
– 3 signed paperback copies of Tara Nikkel and the Dream Mage by R.A. Sapp (US only)
For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Oh wow! I love that the heroine faces these health disabilities, but can still have adventures.
Sophia Rose recently posted…The Outlaw Takes a Bride by Susan Page Davis #YoursAffectionately #Review
It sounds original that even while she has so many disabilities she still has adventures. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Lola recently posted…Blog Tour: Tara Nikkel and the Shaman of La’la Eek by R.A. Sapp
Ack! It didn’t post again. Lol, your commenter doesn’t like me. This looks like a wonderful series for tweens and teens to read. Way to go in creating a heroine that other kids with health issues can look up to.
Lanie recently posted…ARC Review: Ties That Bind (The Veil Series #5) by Pippa DaCosta
It seems you forgot to hit the I am not a spammer button as it landed in my comment trash, I fish real comments from there about once a week. I would offer to remove it, but it catches so much real spam, that I am reluctant to remove it.
And I think it’s great the author wrote a main character with disabilities so kids with health issues have a character to relate to.
Lola recently posted…Blog Tour: Tara Nikkel and the Shaman of La’la Eek by R.A. Sapp
Well, that makes sensexD Sorry! Ya, don’t worry about it. Its’ all good:) I agree, it’ll get more kids to read books.
Lanie recently posted…ARC Review: Ties That Bind (The Veil Series #5) by Pippa DaCosta
When commenting on other blogs I always have to be carefull and click that button, it can be easy to miss it. Next time your comment doens’t post you can also send me a message on social media, so I can get your comment from the trash immediately. I don’t get notifications when comment go to trash so I have to check manually and I don’t do that too often.
I know, I need to make sure I click the box better, I always think I do but probably don’t, lol.Okie dokie thanks Lola:D
Lanie recently posted…A-Z Challenge: Reading Romance
When I reply to a comment I always unclick the commentluv button, at least I think so, but quite often I realize I didn’t, so I understand how you can miss clicking a button sometimes.
I haven’t read middle grade books since years, I do like the sound of this one though. The heroine has disabilities, yet she doesn’t let that stop herself, that’s a great message.
Benish recently posted…Reasons Why I disliked Crown of Midnight ♥ Sarah J. Maas | Review
I read about 1-5 Middle Grade books a yar, not a lot, but I do like them now and then and it’s nice change for the other age categories sometimes. And I agree that it sounds like this book has a great message!