Thanks for stopping by my tour stop on the audiobook tour for Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse by Lars Guignard. This is a middle grade fantasy adventure for ages 8+. Check out the tour page for the full list of tour stops.
Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse by Lars Guignard
Read by Sonja Field
Genre: Middle Grade Magic, Fantasy Adventure. Ages 8-13
Length: audiobook length is 7 hours 36 minutes
Publication Date: November 20, 2013
Zoe and Zak are back in India. Again. And this time they’re attending Moonstock Himalayan Boarding School, which might seem fun except for the fact that the school itself is a little strange. Students ride elephants instead of school buses, snarling monkeys work as security guards, and angry parrots monitor the halls. And even when they manage to get used to the wildlife, the food is absolutely terrible. But living with a bunch of other kids their age can be a lot of fun, too, or at least it seems that way until Zoe’s roommate goes missing. Following the directions written on a steamy bathroom mirror, Zoe and Zak fly through the clouds on their magic carpet to learn that the two of them have been chosen yet again. This time they’ve been asked to lift the Yogi’s Curse. It’s not going to be easy. Zoe and Zak don’t even know what the Yogi’s Curse is let alone how to lift it, but like it or not, they soon discover that a whole lot of people are depending on them. Now, if they’re going to save the day, Zoe and Zak are going to have to fool the monkey guards, avoid the nasty parrots, and maybe even develop a supernatural ability or two. Because lurking beneath Moonstock is a powerful new enemy. And if Zoe and Zak can’t stop him, nobody can.
To get myself ready for book 2 in the Zoe & Zak series, I listened to the end of the first book again to refresh my memory of the awesome adventure that took place in book 1. Book 2 in the first half kind of let me down a little bit because of this though. What happened to the relationship Zoe and Zak had at the end of the last book?! They were so close and reading each other so well to help the Leopard and get back home in one piece. Now I know that time has passed, they went back to the US and packed up to essentially move to India for the next school year, and I know Zoe is homesick and misses her mother, but come on, they are so disconnected in the beginning of the story it made me sad and a little frustrated.
That being said, I still loved the adventure in this book, the setting of India and their school and new characters was awesome. The descriptions the author uses through Zoe's eyes were well formed and made me long for the first day of school again - the stress, the nervousness, the new school supplies, the people and teacher (yea I am a nerd). It was wonderful.
I loved the play on characters returning and new bad guys and the overall adventure and mysteries the kids solve while trying to figure out what is going one. LOVE IT.
I think this book could be for all readers and age groups, the reader was spectacular, a little different from the last one but just as fun and alternated between voices well. I think both kids and parents will love to listen to this book together. I really do love this series and the fact that it is set in India, which is not a common Middle Grade plot setting. I continue to learn a lot from the series and hope to learn and love more of it as it continues.
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We want to invite all of you to ask the author and narrator your own questions on the Author's Goodreads Group and they will answer them on March 1st!
Some things people are saying:
We want to invite all of you to ask the author and narrator your own questions on the Author's Goodreads Group and they will answer them on March 1st!
"I have a 10 year old son who is an avid reader!! He loves Books,(but he's picky too) he loved Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. He was so excited to read the 2nd book in this series! When I presented him the first book he was not sure he would like it but changed his mind quickly, then when I heard about the 2nd book being released he almost jumped out of his chair! (no exaggeration) He is anxiously awaiting the 3rd book! I would say that any child who enjoys fantasy/adventure books should read this series! It is a well written page turner! It’s a fun story that adults can even enjoy the storyline without getting bored! According to my son, ‘every kid should read this series’.” 5-Star review from savygreensaver.com
“Lars Guignard has done a fabulous job with this series. I loved the `Ghost Leopard’ & love this one even more. For late-elementary to middle school age readers, you can’t beat this series. It’s fun and fast-paced. Even my picky fifth grader enjoyed every page. There are bits of magic thrown in keep the action exciting. Mr. Guignard has a brilliant imagination & readers are blessed that he’s chosen to use it for YA fiction. If you’ve yet to read the first installment in this series, do yourself a favor and read these books back to back. Don’t limit it just to kids! Adults will have a blast reading these too!” ~ 5-Star review from Liz Terek, Amazon
"The action is non-stop and plot twists and turns keep readers hanging onto their magic carpets as they fly along with our heroes. The magicality is wonderful, using legends and fantasy elements from Indian culture and mythology. There are no instant spells ‘imported’ into the story: all the enchantment belongs firmly in India, using cultural and folkloric aspects that will no doubt get young readers interested in reading up more about the background." 5-Star review from Fiona Ingram, author of The Secret of the Sacred Scarab
"Yogi’s Curse is a non-stop thrilling adventure featuring the ever-entertaining tweens, Zoe and Zak, now attending boarding school in India. Armed with Zoe’s growing yogi powers and Zak’s trusty whip Stryker, the duo must rely on their wits when a new evil descends on the school and students begin disappearing. Lars Guignard keeps up the pace with this second installment in the Zoe and Zak Adventure series. I recommend this series to tweens and teens who love a great adventure steeped with magic and mysticism. Ages 8+." 5-Star review from motherdaughterbookreviews.com
About the Author:
Prior to writing novels, Lars Guignard wrote for film and television. As a teenager he attended boarding school in the Indian Himalayas and his experiences there provided the inspiration for the Zoe and Zak series which now include: Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard and Zoe & Zak and the Yogi’s Curse and Zoe & Zak and the Tiger Temple. He lives in the Pacific Northwest where he dodges bears and cougars while hiking & skiing the magnificent Coast Mountain Range.
For news about new releases, please join his email list here: Zoe&ZakAdventures@gmail.com
Sonja Field combines her life-long passion for reading with her skill as an actress to bring audiobooks to life! A dynamic and versatile narrator, she has logged hundreds of hours recording textbooks with an organization called Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic. She loved recording the action-packed Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse because of its wealth of colorful, quirky, and memorable characters.
Giveaway:
2 copies of Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse in ebook (worldwide), paperback (US only) or audiobook (where audible.com is accessible)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This tour was organized by CBB Book Promotions.
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I guess I didn't see that disconnect with them in the beginning. But it has been awhile since I listened to it. Maybe before they got to the school? Anyway, I'm glad you did enjoy this. Thank you so much for hosting a tour stop!
ReplyDeleteSonja Field here -- thanks for the nice review! Recording Yogi's Curse was so much fun. I agree that Lars really captures the "beginning of school" feel well. As a fellow nerd, I loved that too!
ReplyDeleteHi, Stephanie -- Glad you empathized with Zoe's plight going to a new school. It can be scary. I'm not sure, but I think that perhaps the disconnect you initially felt between Zoe and Zak is rooted in fact that their dorm is separated by levels into boys and girls housing. They're tough kids, though, and soon find their way back to each other. Thanks for coming on the adventure!.
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