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Evie Brooks #2
Evie Brooks in Central Park Showdown
With the arrival of her father from Australia, Evie’s life is thrown into turmoil. Not only has she to contend with a new woman in Scott’s life, but now she has to face the prospect of a custody battle between her uncle and her father. Evie really wants to stay with Scott and, in true Evie style, is determined to stand up for herself - by firing her lawyer!
Her father’s lawyer is prepared to play dirty, and Evie is devastated when Scott is falsely accused of beating her. Can Evie’s friends rally and convince her father to withdraw his application for custody?
Her father’s lawyer is prepared to play dirty, and Evie is devastated when Scott is falsely accused of beating her. Can Evie’s friends rally and convince her father to withdraw his application for custody?
236 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2014
1 person is currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Agnew
3 books8 followersHi,
I grew up in Ireland. Now I live in Los Angeles.
I was inspired to write The Exclusion Wars by the time I spent living in South America and by my love of resistance books and films.
I have a sprocker spaniel named Ben. He's the only real character in my books.
Get in touch with me any time.
I grew up in Ireland. Now I live in Los Angeles.
I was inspired to write The Exclusion Wars by the time I spent living in South America and by my love of resistance books and films.
I have a sprocker spaniel named Ben. He's the only real character in my books.
Get in touch with me any time.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 4, 2016
After her mom's dead (that happens in the first book in the series, which I didn't read), Evie comes to live with her uncle Scott. When she is finally adapting to her new life, her father, who she has never seen before, shows up and starts a custody battle.
Although Evie is funny, I didn't enjoy the story the whole time. Some moments were great, and in many others the story seems to drag. The plot seemed broken, starting with the custody case, followed by many smaller plots, and coming back to the custody battle again at the end.
I think I'm in a minority regarding this book, which has a great rating average, but it didn't work for me.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Find more children's book reviews in Reviews in Chalk
Although Evie is funny, I didn't enjoy the story the whole time. Some moments were great, and in many others the story seems to drag. The plot seemed broken, starting with the custody case, followed by many smaller plots, and coming back to the custody battle again at the end.
I think I'm in a minority regarding this book, which has a great rating average, but it didn't work for me.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Find more children's book reviews in Reviews in Chalk
September 12, 2020
This book was so much fun! Evie is a character my younger self could relate to. It will especially appeal to young women who love pets. Evie has a nuanced view of the world and her comical observations on serious topics was the levity I needed in my life. it's hard enough being a teenager, but when you're dealing with family issues and boys -- life is a nightmare.
March 25, 2020
"I started school today. And so did the stye in my eye."
Evie also has to wear a very short uniform skirt, which shows her "giraffe legs". In spite of these difficulties, she is really enjoying living in New York. She's still her uncle's vet assistant, and his new clients are animals from the Central Park Zoo! Unexpectedly out of nowhere, Evie's biological father appears. At first, no one really takes him seriously, but then he begins to make claims for Evie's custody, to live with him in Australia! Will Evie have to leave the life she and her uncle have together in Manhattan, and go with a father she knows nothing about?
This was the sequel to "Evie Brooks: Marooned in Manhattan." Although it is interesting to be able to follow up on enjoyable book characters, this one was not quite up to par with "Manhattan". I think it was because the first book introduced the characters, both lovable and unlovable, and showed how they adjusted to new circumstances. Still, it is a good read, and the details of the animals are still hilarious!
Great Quotes From This Book:
(pg. 70) " It's easy to be a wildlife enthusiast when it comes to "cute" animals."-Johanna
(pg. 137) It's not like girls have to sit around anymore waiting for some guy to make up his mind".-Kylie
*This book got a rating of A in my Reading journal (first one was an A+)*
Evie also has to wear a very short uniform skirt, which shows her "giraffe legs". In spite of these difficulties, she is really enjoying living in New York. She's still her uncle's vet assistant, and his new clients are animals from the Central Park Zoo! Unexpectedly out of nowhere, Evie's biological father appears. At first, no one really takes him seriously, but then he begins to make claims for Evie's custody, to live with him in Australia! Will Evie have to leave the life she and her uncle have together in Manhattan, and go with a father she knows nothing about?
This was the sequel to "Evie Brooks: Marooned in Manhattan." Although it is interesting to be able to follow up on enjoyable book characters, this one was not quite up to par with "Manhattan". I think it was because the first book introduced the characters, both lovable and unlovable, and showed how they adjusted to new circumstances. Still, it is a good read, and the details of the animals are still hilarious!
Great Quotes From This Book:
(pg. 70) " It's easy to be a wildlife enthusiast when it comes to "cute" animals."-Johanna
(pg. 137) It's not like girls have to sit around anymore waiting for some guy to make up his mind".-Kylie
*This book got a rating of A in my Reading journal (first one was an A+)*
Want to read
April 17, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
November 1, 2015
I received an advance reading copy of this book via NetGalley. Please know that my review is based on this edition.
Second disclaimer: This is the second book in the series, but I never read the first one.
It's always nice to read a book written for middle school readers about middle school characters who tackle problems that are engaging without being especially provocative or age-inappropriate. Evie Brooks in Central Park Showdown has its share of family drama, humor, and romance without ever feeling like something a parent would be uncomfortable with an 11-year-old reading. There's a love triangle that includes an older boy, a custody battle, and even a side plot of an adult romance, so there is definitely enough to keep readers interested and engaged.
I really like how Agnew treats the early-teen romance aspects. Evie largely focuses on the logistics (rather than the emotions or attractions) of her budding relationship, which felt very real. For example, she wonders how to go on a trip to Coney Island with Lorcan even though there is "only the teeny issue about getting permission to go" (Location 1187). She worries about how to act around Lorcan's dads (a nice inclusive touch) and how to deal with the issue of her hand getting sweaty when they hold hands. These types of details feel authentic to the early-teen romantic experience.
There is definitely a generous amount of comedy in this story, largely around the lovely use of the animals that are always around thanks to Evie's uncle's job as a veterinarian. I particularly liked a scene in which a Max and an Eddie come into the clinic and Evie assumes that the dog is Max and the man is Eddie, only to find that their names are the other way around. This has definitely happened to my brother-in-law, Max, and his dog, C. J. It's a cute detail, and there are plenty of others like it.
My main issue with the book is that the characters tend to be rather flat and underdeveloped. The largest issue with this is that Evie herself seems to lack depth. Though she lost her mother and is adapting to life in a new country, she seems perfectly adjusted. The issue with her biological father trying to take custody of her definitely causes her stress and frustration. However, it seems that a 12-year-old dealing with the loss of a parent and the threat of being taken from her legal guardian would be more distressing than is portrayed here. We see a tiny bit of how the stress might be affecting Evie as her math grades fall, but other than that, she seems fine! It's nice that Evie can be a model of a well-adjusted kid who is resilient to the trauma in her life, but it doesn't completely ring true. Again, I did not read the first book, so it's very possible that Evie completely healed in that installment.
That said, there are some well-written moments where we see into Evie's emotional struggle with her parents. When she first sees her biological dad, she says, "He looked like me or I looked like him, whatever. I felt mad that I looked like him and not like Mum. It felt like a betrayal of her in a weird way" (Location 920).
While we see moments of stress and sadness, most of the book is rather lighthearted for a story whose summary would have to include the plot-driving details of being about a girl whose mother died and whose estranged father is fighting for custody for her in court. There are some almost "I Love Lucy"-style scenes, such as one involving a wig and some gum and another involving a bear and an unfortunate phone call with the police around said bear. The characters are given some classic lines of dialogue that will make an adult giggle, though the references or full meanings might go over younger readers' heads. The characters are definitely individual and distinct from one another, even if they do tend to mostly stay static.
I think that young readers who like to read about animals will be especially interested in this book. On top of the regular clients at Evie's uncle's practice, he also has some visits to some residents at the Central Park Zoo, including my favorite with a pregnant alpaca. Evie's dog, Ben, is such a part of the story that sometimes I thought he was a person when I was first reading, and she has an unfortunate pet pigeon, too. It also teaches you a bit about how family law really works, demonstrating how slowly and strangely a case like Evie's can proceed.
In all, I found Evie Brooks in Central Park Showdown to be an age-appropriate and entertaining jaunt.
Second disclaimer: This is the second book in the series, but I never read the first one.
It's always nice to read a book written for middle school readers about middle school characters who tackle problems that are engaging without being especially provocative or age-inappropriate. Evie Brooks in Central Park Showdown has its share of family drama, humor, and romance without ever feeling like something a parent would be uncomfortable with an 11-year-old reading. There's a love triangle that includes an older boy, a custody battle, and even a side plot of an adult romance, so there is definitely enough to keep readers interested and engaged.
I really like how Agnew treats the early-teen romance aspects. Evie largely focuses on the logistics (rather than the emotions or attractions) of her budding relationship, which felt very real. For example, she wonders how to go on a trip to Coney Island with Lorcan even though there is "only the teeny issue about getting permission to go" (Location 1187). She worries about how to act around Lorcan's dads (a nice inclusive touch) and how to deal with the issue of her hand getting sweaty when they hold hands. These types of details feel authentic to the early-teen romantic experience.
There is definitely a generous amount of comedy in this story, largely around the lovely use of the animals that are always around thanks to Evie's uncle's job as a veterinarian. I particularly liked a scene in which a Max and an Eddie come into the clinic and Evie assumes that the dog is Max and the man is Eddie, only to find that their names are the other way around. This has definitely happened to my brother-in-law, Max, and his dog, C. J. It's a cute detail, and there are plenty of others like it.
My main issue with the book is that the characters tend to be rather flat and underdeveloped. The largest issue with this is that Evie herself seems to lack depth. Though she lost her mother and is adapting to life in a new country, she seems perfectly adjusted. The issue with her biological father trying to take custody of her definitely causes her stress and frustration. However, it seems that a 12-year-old dealing with the loss of a parent and the threat of being taken from her legal guardian would be more distressing than is portrayed here. We see a tiny bit of how the stress might be affecting Evie as her math grades fall, but other than that, she seems fine! It's nice that Evie can be a model of a well-adjusted kid who is resilient to the trauma in her life, but it doesn't completely ring true. Again, I did not read the first book, so it's very possible that Evie completely healed in that installment.
That said, there are some well-written moments where we see into Evie's emotional struggle with her parents. When she first sees her biological dad, she says, "He looked like me or I looked like him, whatever. I felt mad that I looked like him and not like Mum. It felt like a betrayal of her in a weird way" (Location 920).
While we see moments of stress and sadness, most of the book is rather lighthearted for a story whose summary would have to include the plot-driving details of being about a girl whose mother died and whose estranged father is fighting for custody for her in court. There are some almost "I Love Lucy"-style scenes, such as one involving a wig and some gum and another involving a bear and an unfortunate phone call with the police around said bear. The characters are given some classic lines of dialogue that will make an adult giggle, though the references or full meanings might go over younger readers' heads. The characters are definitely individual and distinct from one another, even if they do tend to mostly stay static.
I think that young readers who like to read about animals will be especially interested in this book. On top of the regular clients at Evie's uncle's practice, he also has some visits to some residents at the Central Park Zoo, including my favorite with a pregnant alpaca. Evie's dog, Ben, is such a part of the story that sometimes I thought he was a person when I was first reading, and she has an unfortunate pet pigeon, too. It also teaches you a bit about how family law really works, demonstrating how slowly and strangely a case like Evie's can proceed.
In all, I found Evie Brooks in Central Park Showdown to be an age-appropriate and entertaining jaunt.
September 28, 2014
I thought the second appearance of Evie was a fantastic read.
It casts New York in a humorous and witty light.It tells the story of an Irish girl, Evie, whose mother dies in the first book, Marooned in Manhattan, and is sent to live with her Uncle Scott. After fending off the hatred of her uncles girlfriend, Leela, right when Evie thinks everything is starting to settle down, her biological father, Michael, who has been out of the picture since before she was born and whom she never met, turns up at Uncle Scott's veterinary clinic claiming that he is her biological father. He demands that he has a right over Uncle Scott to take Evie in and raise her after her mothers death.This all happens in this first book. The second book, Central Park Showdown, is a continuation of the first one. Michael and Uncle Scott enter a legal war over custody of Evie. The story tells of how Evies conviction that she wont have to go and live with her biological father, slowly but surely, weakens. As the story goes on, it's looking more and more likely that Michael will win. I wont spoil the end by giving it away, but I will say that a certain girlfriend may make her devious return. I truly enjoyed the first book and I liked this one even more. It was full of excitement, suspense and humour. I truly enjoyed the first and second book and urge you to read both of the enthralling and amusing books.
James
It casts New York in a humorous and witty light.It tells the story of an Irish girl, Evie, whose mother dies in the first book, Marooned in Manhattan, and is sent to live with her Uncle Scott. After fending off the hatred of her uncles girlfriend, Leela, right when Evie thinks everything is starting to settle down, her biological father, Michael, who has been out of the picture since before she was born and whom she never met, turns up at Uncle Scott's veterinary clinic claiming that he is her biological father. He demands that he has a right over Uncle Scott to take Evie in and raise her after her mothers death.This all happens in this first book. The second book, Central Park Showdown, is a continuation of the first one. Michael and Uncle Scott enter a legal war over custody of Evie. The story tells of how Evies conviction that she wont have to go and live with her biological father, slowly but surely, weakens. As the story goes on, it's looking more and more likely that Michael will win. I wont spoil the end by giving it away, but I will say that a certain girlfriend may make her devious return. I truly enjoyed the first book and I liked this one even more. It was full of excitement, suspense and humour. I truly enjoyed the first and second book and urge you to read both of the enthralling and amusing books.
James
October 5, 2014
My friend's daughter was raving about this book and so I picked it up last Sunday night when I was feeling gloomy and I couldn't put it down. I found Evie's story and Evie irresistible. She's an Irish teenager who lives with her funny and cool uncle Scott, who's a vet living near Central Park in New York. Evie is in the middle of a custody fight between her father who abandoned her and her uncle. That sounds pretty heavy and intense, and there are serious elements in the story but mostly, it's a very good fun, entertaining, heartwarming story. Anyone who is young or can remember what it feels like to be young would enjoy this book. I have already gone online and ordered the first book about Evie's move from Ireland to New York.
June 16, 2016
I read an advanced reading copy of this and have not read the first in the series. Evie has a distinctive voice. She's funny and stubborn and I can see my younger self really enjoying this. An easy read. I appreciate the inclusive, modern day twists: gay dads, a gay crush, love triangles, an international custody battle, starting at a new school.. All serious issues but through the eyes of Evie, all lighthearted.
I hope that the character development of the others aside from Evie develops more in the other books. At the moment her friends are rather shallow characters. Then again, the book is clearly meant to read in a diary style... and a 13 year old girl is mostly going to be concerned with her own problems.
I hope that the character development of the others aside from Evie develops more in the other books. At the moment her friends are rather shallow characters. Then again, the book is clearly meant to read in a diary style... and a 13 year old girl is mostly going to be concerned with her own problems.
July 7, 2016
Having settled in New York City with her uncle Scott who is a veterinarian, Evie Brooks is slowly making friends and finding her own niche. But when her long-absent father Michael sues for custody, Evie is determined not to leave her new family. Readers will empathize with her conflicted emotions, especially since she just relocated from Ireland, and find her adventures quite amusing and easy to relate to. Her meddling in the romantic affairs of her uncle and her own first steps concerning affairs of the heart are described in engaging fashion, and nothing she does will surprise readers. Although this book is a follow-up to Evie Brooks Is Marooned in Manhattan, readers will have no problem picking up the thread of the story while hoping that there will be more adventures to come.
October 19, 2015
Copy received through NetGalley
Bored? Evie Brooks is always the way to go. You’ll even laugh out loud.
I sometimes have a feeling that Mrs. Agnew knows how to make anything interesting. She has such a gift, such an ease when it comes to writing. There were absolutely no dull moments.
In Central Park Showdown, we get a chance to witness the trial between Scott and Michael, and Evie’s feeling throughout it, her growing confusion. I loved every minute of it, it was so real and innocent.
I’m looking forward to the following installments.
Bored? Evie Brooks is always the way to go. You’ll even laugh out loud.
I sometimes have a feeling that Mrs. Agnew knows how to make anything interesting. She has such a gift, such an ease when it comes to writing. There were absolutely no dull moments.
In Central Park Showdown, we get a chance to witness the trial between Scott and Michael, and Evie’s feeling throughout it, her growing confusion. I loved every minute of it, it was so real and innocent.
I’m looking forward to the following installments.
February 12, 2016
For full review please go to: 5girlsbookreviews.blogspot.com, Twitter @camartinez and Facebook "5 Girls Book Reviews"
REVIEW BY: Michaela, age 11 years, 8 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
This book was fantastic! I loved the first book so much and this book is a little different.
First, there is a custody case and then a wedding! Overall, it is a wonderful read though and I really enjoyed it!
My favorite character is Evie because she is so likable and you get drawn into the book because of her.
REVIEW BY: Michaela, age 11 years, 8 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
This book was fantastic! I loved the first book so much and this book is a little different.
First, there is a custody case and then a wedding! Overall, it is a wonderful read though and I really enjoyed it!
My favorite character is Evie because she is so likable and you get drawn into the book because of her.
February 15, 2016
The second, in what I hope will be an ongoing series, of Evie Brooks books, was just as enjoyable as the first. Thirteen year old, Evie has settled into her life in NYC with her Uncle Scott following the death of her mother. Where the drama in the first book resolved, this book is eager to pick right up. There is even a well-played return of the nasty Leela. There is just the right balance of teen life and innocence to make this a book that will be enjoyable to a range of ages.
This book was received as an ARC digital edition through NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review..
This book was received as an ARC digital edition through NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review..
February 19, 2015
I loved following Evie's adventures. This book is a really feel-good uplifting read. it reminded me of my visit to New York. As an Australian, I am hoping that Evie makes a trip to our shores in a future instalment.
February 19, 2015
This book was just as refreshing as the first Evie book. I found myself laughing out loud in some parts, something I haven't done in years. Although I'm well out of the intended age range, I loved it. I don't think it is a book for kids or for adults. It's a book for people.
November 29, 2015
4.5/5. I don't mind the over the top dramatics that happen at times, because this book is fantastic! Thoroughly entertaining, engaging, and heartfelt. Dealing with some tough subjects in a way so many people can relate to. I really hope there will be more in this series.
November 17, 2014
A great read!! . Evie loves her new home in the big apple. Her dad then comes and her life is one big mess again! Never a dull moment.
July 30, 2017
Evie is still fun, and the writing is still funny, but I didn't enjoy this quite as much as the first book.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews