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Evacuation Road
Eva is far from home when everything goes wrong.
And then it gets even worse.
Her evacuation bus leaves her behind, stranded with classmates she barely knows. The chase is on. But South America is big, and the old rules are changing quickly. This is the road trip Eva never knew she needed.
This is the race for the last flight home.
And then it gets even worse.
Her evacuation bus leaves her behind, stranded with classmates she barely knows. The chase is on. But South America is big, and the old rules are changing quickly. This is the road trip Eva never knew she needed.
This is the race for the last flight home.
Unknown Binding
Published July 31, 2021
1 person is currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
H.M. Waugh
5 books22 followersHM Waugh is a children’s author, educator and environmental scientist with a long-term love of wild places and outdoor adventures. She has been kidnapped twice, handled dragons for a job, and dreams of one day blasting into space. Her books mix humour, danger and friendship with a dash of science and imagination.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 10, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Evacuation Road in exchange for an honest review.
Evacuation Road has a really unique plot and it was really interesting to watch Eva and her friends progress as characters as more and more obstacles were put in their paths. I wasn't a super big fan of the narration which is probably the only reason I didn't really love this, but I was really surprised yet happy by the way the conclusion completely subverts where I thought the book was going. Eva's really easy to root for as a protagonist and if you're into survival-adventure stories, you should give this one a shot.
Evacuation Road has a really unique plot and it was really interesting to watch Eva and her friends progress as characters as more and more obstacles were put in their paths. I wasn't a super big fan of the narration which is probably the only reason I didn't really love this, but I was really surprised yet happy by the way the conclusion completely subverts where I thought the book was going. Eva's really easy to root for as a protagonist and if you're into survival-adventure stories, you should give this one a shot.
November 14, 2021
What a book!
Eva is in South America when the world comes crashing down and she ends up being left behind when the school bus takes off to safety. If you love a thumping adrenaline read with real wisdom scattered between action-packed scenes, then this is the book for you.
It's also the book for you if you love #loveozya authors like Fleur Ferris and Lili Wilkinson.
I thoroughly enjoyed Eva's adventure, well, I sweated through the scenes while I couldn't stop turning pages. It wasn't all action because there was a sweet romance, too. Lovely to watch Eva learn to trust herself and her instincts.
A perfect YA thrilling read.
Eva is in South America when the world comes crashing down and she ends up being left behind when the school bus takes off to safety. If you love a thumping adrenaline read with real wisdom scattered between action-packed scenes, then this is the book for you.
It's also the book for you if you love #loveozya authors like Fleur Ferris and Lili Wilkinson.
I thoroughly enjoyed Eva's adventure, well, I sweated through the scenes while I couldn't stop turning pages. It wasn't all action because there was a sweet romance, too. Lovely to watch Eva learn to trust herself and her instincts.
A perfect YA thrilling read.
May 29, 2022
Trigger warnings: violence, gun violence, blood, drug addiction, death, assault
Meh. I wanted to love this because the whole concept of a group of teenagers making a mad dash trip across South America to try and make the very last flight leaving for Australia was extremely cool. That being said, I feel like part of my meh-ness about this is being a school employee and calling bullshit on a school teacher leaving students behind, even if the driver refused to go back, in this kind of emergency situation.
The entire global meltdown situation didn't entirely work for me, in part because the situation was already well and truly underway when the story starts, and I feel like it would have worked better for me to start, like, a week earlier, to get to know the characters pre-disaster, to gain an understanding of WHY a group of Australian school kids are on a trip to Bolivia, to see the teacher being worried while the kids are oblivious to what's going on around them.
This isn't to say it's a bad book. It's definitely not. I just felt like chunks of the story were...missing, somehow. Add in an abrupt ending and this just came out at meh for me, unfortunately.
Meh. I wanted to love this because the whole concept of a group of teenagers making a mad dash trip across South America to try and make the very last flight leaving for Australia was extremely cool. That being said, I feel like part of my meh-ness about this is being a school employee and calling bullshit on a school teacher leaving students behind, even if the driver refused to go back, in this kind of emergency situation.
The entire global meltdown situation didn't entirely work for me, in part because the situation was already well and truly underway when the story starts, and I feel like it would have worked better for me to start, like, a week earlier, to get to know the characters pre-disaster, to gain an understanding of WHY a group of Australian school kids are on a trip to Bolivia, to see the teacher being worried while the kids are oblivious to what's going on around them.
This isn't to say it's a bad book. It's definitely not. I just felt like chunks of the story were...missing, somehow. Add in an abrupt ending and this just came out at meh for me, unfortunately.
May 11, 2022
So, confession time. About a quarter way through the book, I realized that I had no clue what the apocalypse was here. Like, it's possible the author told us more than 'World Go Bad', but I honestly don't have a clue.
I mean, there's some sort of economic and social collapse caused by...'World Go Bad', but that's all I know.
So whether or not this book is success for you depends on if you're more interested in the day zero collapse or just the survival aspect. This is more survival - and a very vanilla survival at that.
I guess at its heart, it's a bit more about the survival of a plucky, yet socially awkward teen and her friends. As a friendship story and a coming of age, it definitely works, and I found I liked our characters.
I just found myself aching for some sort of reason (even a paper thin one) behind everything. And, again, if the author told us the reason, I simply don't recall it.
I mean, there's some sort of economic and social collapse caused by...'World Go Bad', but that's all I know.
So whether or not this book is success for you depends on if you're more interested in the day zero collapse or just the survival aspect. This is more survival - and a very vanilla survival at that.
I guess at its heart, it's a bit more about the survival of a plucky, yet socially awkward teen and her friends. As a friendship story and a coming of age, it definitely works, and I found I liked our characters.
I just found myself aching for some sort of reason (even a paper thin one) behind everything. And, again, if the author told us the reason, I simply don't recall it.
October 10, 2021
The first thing you need to know about Evacuation Road is that you won't be able to put it down once you start reading. This book starts literally at the beginning of protagonist Eva's troubles and it all gets worse from there (most of the time.) I was completely gripped because there was always something happening and I found I just could not guess what was going to happen next. It was an exhilarating adventure that was scary in some parts - I quite liked it though, because it made me wonder what I would do if I was in that situation. Alongside the exciting parts were some really wonderful and tender character and relationship development moments that I enjoyed so much. There's something about the people you meet while travelling that stay with you for a long time (even if you haven't been left behind in a foreign country during a global crisis!) The ending was also not what I expected at all, which is always nice! I definitely recommend Evacuation Road if you want a fast-paced exciting read!
September 18, 2023
Cracking good read!
Thank you to the Children's Book Council for the opportunity to review this book, which was originally published on https://readingtime.com.au/evacuation....
There’s a point where the volume of wrong in the world can overwhelm you. And it’s then that fear wins. Evil wins, good is lost, and so are you. You can’t give in to the darkness that hovers if you want to stay sane. You need to keep smiling, trying, hoping, trusting. Loving. Because that’s what makes us human.
Be aware of the following trigger warnings for more sensitive readers: gun violence; assault; drug addiction; violent death (there’s a scene where they witness a passenger plane being shot down from the air and sections and parts, both metallic and horrifyingly not, rained down on the pale desert and bounced across the road).
Evacuation Road is a cracking good read!
Eva is on a geology school excursion in South America when the world’s banks collapse, money becomes scarce, and the world descends into chaos and anarchy. Her evacuation bus leaves without her, and together with two other students she barely knows, she has to find a way to catch it up, and board the last plane destined for home. (The reader will have to suspend disbelief here, because I don’t believe any teacher would leave three of their students stranded in a foreign country!) They join forces with two young English students as they desperately try to find a way to traverse a continent where all the old rules have disappeared, and panic has taken over.
Character development has not been sacrificed for a fast plot. As Eva and her friends face obstacles, the reader observes them growing and discovering their strengths. There is a strong message that sticking together and supporting your friends is paramount – in this case, it can save your life!
An inconvenient crush adds a further complication to an already messy situation, but it’s also relatable to the intended young adult audience and is handled sweetly. When Brodie offers Eva friendship, her reaction is perfect: “Thanks Brodie.” I stumbled over his name. It was the first time I’d said it out loud. It felt delicious, and being with him in that moment seemed like Tim Tams dipped in Milo on a stormy night. Pretty cute, right?
HM Waugh uses her own travel experiences in South America to add a sense of authenticity. Her love of wild places is apparent in the descriptions of the landscape: The stars were so close and sharp, I felt I could touch them. A couple of times I tried, just to prove I was still on Earth, not wrapped in some jewel-studded black velvet dream among the galaxies.
The chapters are short, with many finishing on a cliff-hanger, ensuring the reader feels impelled to read ‘just one more chapter’. This book would be perfect for reluctant readers who think ‘reading is boring’. In fact, I think this would be an excellent class text. The Teaching Notes provide plenty of questions for discussion.
Highly recommended!
Reading Level as recommended by publisher: 13+ years
Thank you to the Children's Book Council for the opportunity to review this book, which was originally published on https://readingtime.com.au/evacuation....
There’s a point where the volume of wrong in the world can overwhelm you. And it’s then that fear wins. Evil wins, good is lost, and so are you. You can’t give in to the darkness that hovers if you want to stay sane. You need to keep smiling, trying, hoping, trusting. Loving. Because that’s what makes us human.
Be aware of the following trigger warnings for more sensitive readers: gun violence; assault; drug addiction; violent death (there’s a scene where they witness a passenger plane being shot down from the air and sections and parts, both metallic and horrifyingly not, rained down on the pale desert and bounced across the road).
Evacuation Road is a cracking good read!
Eva is on a geology school excursion in South America when the world’s banks collapse, money becomes scarce, and the world descends into chaos and anarchy. Her evacuation bus leaves without her, and together with two other students she barely knows, she has to find a way to catch it up, and board the last plane destined for home. (The reader will have to suspend disbelief here, because I don’t believe any teacher would leave three of their students stranded in a foreign country!) They join forces with two young English students as they desperately try to find a way to traverse a continent where all the old rules have disappeared, and panic has taken over.
Character development has not been sacrificed for a fast plot. As Eva and her friends face obstacles, the reader observes them growing and discovering their strengths. There is a strong message that sticking together and supporting your friends is paramount – in this case, it can save your life!
An inconvenient crush adds a further complication to an already messy situation, but it’s also relatable to the intended young adult audience and is handled sweetly. When Brodie offers Eva friendship, her reaction is perfect: “Thanks Brodie.” I stumbled over his name. It was the first time I’d said it out loud. It felt delicious, and being with him in that moment seemed like Tim Tams dipped in Milo on a stormy night. Pretty cute, right?
HM Waugh uses her own travel experiences in South America to add a sense of authenticity. Her love of wild places is apparent in the descriptions of the landscape: The stars were so close and sharp, I felt I could touch them. A couple of times I tried, just to prove I was still on Earth, not wrapped in some jewel-studded black velvet dream among the galaxies.
The chapters are short, with many finishing on a cliff-hanger, ensuring the reader feels impelled to read ‘just one more chapter’. This book would be perfect for reluctant readers who think ‘reading is boring’. In fact, I think this would be an excellent class text. The Teaching Notes provide plenty of questions for discussion.
Highly recommended!
Reading Level as recommended by publisher: 13+ years
February 5, 2026
I rated Evacuation Road by H.M. Waugh ⭐⭐⭐ and overall felt quite neutral about it. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it either.
I was initially really drawn to this book because I love stories where the world is ending and people have to figure out how to survive. It’s one of my favourite types of storylines, so this sounded right up my street when I requested it.
I knew going in that it was YA, which is absolutely fine and something I read fairly often, but unfortunately I found this one felt quite unrealistic. I appreciate that survival and dystopian stories often require some suspension of disbelief, but this one pushed it a little too far for me.
Because of that, I found myself feeling quite disconnected from the story and fairly disinterested at times. There were several moments where I was questioning why the characters, particularly the kids, weren’t making what felt like the most simple or obvious choices in their situations. That ended up making parts of the book feel quite frustrating to read.
By the time I finished, I realised I didn’t really have strong feelings about the book either way. It just didn’t leave much of a lasting impression on me, which is a shame because it had a premise that I would normally really enjoy.
Overall, it just wasn’t one for me personally.
Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest opinion
I was initially really drawn to this book because I love stories where the world is ending and people have to figure out how to survive. It’s one of my favourite types of storylines, so this sounded right up my street when I requested it.
I knew going in that it was YA, which is absolutely fine and something I read fairly often, but unfortunately I found this one felt quite unrealistic. I appreciate that survival and dystopian stories often require some suspension of disbelief, but this one pushed it a little too far for me.
Because of that, I found myself feeling quite disconnected from the story and fairly disinterested at times. There were several moments where I was questioning why the characters, particularly the kids, weren’t making what felt like the most simple or obvious choices in their situations. That ended up making parts of the book feel quite frustrating to read.
By the time I finished, I realised I didn’t really have strong feelings about the book either way. It just didn’t leave much of a lasting impression on me, which is a shame because it had a premise that I would normally really enjoy.
Overall, it just wasn’t one for me personally.
Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest opinion
April 3, 2022
Action packed adventure as Eva and two other school students, Odati and Mike, are left behind as the evalcuation bus heads across South America to catch the last plane home to Australia. Never good friends, they are thrown together to survive as a global financial collapse leads to civil unrest, danger at every turn, no banks, no food or petrol and their lives hanging in the balance. The team up with Alice and Brodie, slightly older and nore independent, trying to get home to England.
Determined to catch up with the bus they are thwarted by closed borders as they navigate dangerous situations, are threatened but also find support along the way. Relationships are fraught at the start buyt circumstances bring the best, and times the worst, out into the open until they work as a team.
Evacuation Road is an exhilarating and exhausting read as each chapter heralds more tension. Waugh cleverly prefaces each chapter with a list - days and hours to catch the plane, reaming food, money and fuel (once the get a vehicle). The threats and survival strategies ring true the reader hurtles along on this dangerous ride. I found the conclusion not as expected but completely satisfying.
A 2022 CBCA Notable book for Older Readers, I was disappointed that this did not make the shortlist. The mix of genders and their interests will make this a winner with teenagers. The financial collapse is a very real threat that illustrates global challenges and consequences if studying finance and the journey would be terrific to story map as they teenagers travel across the continent.
Determined to catch up with the bus they are thwarted by closed borders as they navigate dangerous situations, are threatened but also find support along the way. Relationships are fraught at the start buyt circumstances bring the best, and times the worst, out into the open until they work as a team.
Evacuation Road is an exhilarating and exhausting read as each chapter heralds more tension. Waugh cleverly prefaces each chapter with a list - days and hours to catch the plane, reaming food, money and fuel (once the get a vehicle). The threats and survival strategies ring true the reader hurtles along on this dangerous ride. I found the conclusion not as expected but completely satisfying.
A 2022 CBCA Notable book for Older Readers, I was disappointed that this did not make the shortlist. The mix of genders and their interests will make this a winner with teenagers. The financial collapse is a very real threat that illustrates global challenges and consequences if studying finance and the journey would be terrific to story map as they teenagers travel across the continent.
November 24, 2023
It's a pity about the cover. It doesn't "sell" the book to me as YA, and under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have picked it up. I got it as part of a bundle and I have to admit I left it until last.
The world is in meltdown. Precisely the nature of the catastrophe affecting the globe, we never do get to find out.
Eva is in South America on an evacuation bus to take her to the airport - until she's not on the bus. She's outside when a car backfires and the driver, spooked and thinking its gunfire, takes off. Suddenly she's left behind the school tour and the prospect of getting to the airport for that last flight home to Australia is plummeting to zero. She's stranded with a couple of classmates she hardly knows. In their desperate bid to catch up with the bus, they meet up with another stranded couple.
The pace never lets up as the five travellers race across different South American countries in an effort to make the last plane home.
The world is in meltdown. Precisely the nature of the catastrophe affecting the globe, we never do get to find out.
Eva is in South America on an evacuation bus to take her to the airport - until she's not on the bus. She's outside when a car backfires and the driver, spooked and thinking its gunfire, takes off. Suddenly she's left behind the school tour and the prospect of getting to the airport for that last flight home to Australia is plummeting to zero. She's stranded with a couple of classmates she hardly knows. In their desperate bid to catch up with the bus, they meet up with another stranded couple.
The pace never lets up as the five travellers race across different South American countries in an effort to make the last plane home.
February 24, 2026
This was everything I love in a YA survival adventure novel - pacy and adrenaline-filled with a side of romance.
Here’s the blurb:
Eva is far from home when everything goes wrong.
And then it gets even worse.
Her evacuation bus leaves her behind, stranded with classmates she barely knows. The chase is on. But South America is big, and the old rules are changing quickly. This is the road trip Eva never knew she needed.
This is the race for the last flight home.
Here’s my take:
I loved Eva, a socially-awkward teen stuck on a roadtrip from hell with four other teens, one of whom she’s increasingly drawn. Exhilarating and gripping, I read this in one setting. It was also layered and tender, a true coming of age. A fabulous premise executed beautifully.
Here’s the blurb:
Eva is far from home when everything goes wrong.
And then it gets even worse.
Her evacuation bus leaves her behind, stranded with classmates she barely knows. The chase is on. But South America is big, and the old rules are changing quickly. This is the road trip Eva never knew she needed.
This is the race for the last flight home.
Here’s my take:
I loved Eva, a socially-awkward teen stuck on a roadtrip from hell with four other teens, one of whom she’s increasingly drawn. Exhilarating and gripping, I read this in one setting. It was also layered and tender, a true coming of age. A fabulous premise executed beautifully.
April 18, 2023
Evacuation road by the fabulous HM Waugh is filled with tension from the very first to the very last sentence.
Everything starts going wrong for Eva and it doesn’t seem like it could get much worse, but when she misses her evacuation bus along with two of her classmates and two backpackers, all hell breaks loose. Stranded in a war zone, they must make it all the way across a continent to catch the last flight back home.
This adventure book is full of humour, sharp twists and turns and moments when the lovable main characters narrowly avoid death. It had me on the edge of my seat for the entire trip. I dare you to start this book and try putting it down.
Everything starts going wrong for Eva and it doesn’t seem like it could get much worse, but when she misses her evacuation bus along with two of her classmates and two backpackers, all hell breaks loose. Stranded in a war zone, they must make it all the way across a continent to catch the last flight back home.
This adventure book is full of humour, sharp twists and turns and moments when the lovable main characters narrowly avoid death. It had me on the edge of my seat for the entire trip. I dare you to start this book and try putting it down.
October 8, 2021
My school hols read. It’s battered and bruised from my trip to Gero! This book was the first thing I read in the morning…my last read at night. It did not let me go from start to finish. Pace? Oh yes! Satisfying? I remember backpacking through some dodgy places with people I’d only just met. It rings so true. Exciting? Yes and sometimes I couldn’t sleep after my nightly read! Evacuation Road. Great book and would be a blockbuster movie I reckon. Well done HM!
December 28, 2021
This was a terrific story ~ a group of teens accidentally stranded in South America while on a school trip, just as a global financial collapse takes place and thrusts the world as they knew it into complete chaos. Mayhem, danger and adrenalin-pumping escapades ensue as they desperately race against the clock, encountering loads of bad luck, in their attempt to reunite with the rest of their class and catch the only possible flight home. A real page turner!
January 30, 2023
An exhilarating, fast paced YA adventure following five teens travelling across South America to catch their evacuation plane. Eva is a very likable protagonist, and I enjoyed the fact that the many action packed scenes were interwoven with nuggets of insightful wisdom. I also loved the unfolding romance between two of the main characters, which was very tastefully done. Nice surprising ending too. A great read.
July 15, 2021
This was a very exciting and fast paced adventure story. I enjoyed reading this one, it had a great cast of characters and an awesome premise. I only wish that we could of gotten more information about the collapse and what happened, a lot of the information we were given was pieced together and didn't really paint a clear picture. Overall, a good story.
October 25, 2021
Actually 3.5 stars
June 16, 2022
Super-tense narrative with unputdownable characters... An awesome read that reminded me of backpacking adventures (though my adventures were never *this* adventurous!!). Recommended!
September 17, 2022
kept me on my toes the whole timeee
Read
September 23, 2022Trigger & Content Warnings:
Substance addiction
Blood depiction
Gun violence
Substance addiction
Blood depiction
Gun violence
July 22, 2023
i read this book a while ago so i honestly don’t remember what i wanted to rate it lol. i think a 3.75? it was pretty enjoyable but maybe some parts dragged on? not sure lol
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews