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Meet the Sky
It all started with the accident. The one that caused Sophie’s dad to walk out of her life. The one that left Sophie’s older sister, Meredith, barely able to walk at all.
With nothing but pain in her past, all Sophie wants is to plan for the future—keep the family business running, get accepted to veterinary school, and protect her mom and sister from another disaster. But when a hurricane forms off the coast of North Carolina’s Outer Banks and heads right toward their island, Sophie realizes nature is one thing she can’t control.
After she gets separated from her family during the evacuation, Sophie finds herself trapped on the island with the last person she’d have chosen—the reckless and wild Finn Sanders, who broke her heart freshman year. As they struggle to find safety, Sophie learns that Finn has suffered his own heartbreak; but instead of playing it safe, Finn’s become the kind of guy who goes surfing in the eye of the hurricane. He may be the perfect person to remind Sophie how to embrace life again, but only if their newfound friendship can survive the storm.
With nothing but pain in her past, all Sophie wants is to plan for the future—keep the family business running, get accepted to veterinary school, and protect her mom and sister from another disaster. But when a hurricane forms off the coast of North Carolina’s Outer Banks and heads right toward their island, Sophie realizes nature is one thing she can’t control.
After she gets separated from her family during the evacuation, Sophie finds herself trapped on the island with the last person she’d have chosen—the reckless and wild Finn Sanders, who broke her heart freshman year. As they struggle to find safety, Sophie learns that Finn has suffered his own heartbreak; but instead of playing it safe, Finn’s become the kind of guy who goes surfing in the eye of the hurricane. He may be the perfect person to remind Sophie how to embrace life again, but only if their newfound friendship can survive the storm.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2018
About the author
McCall Hoyle
6 books316 followersMcCall Hoyle lives in the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains with her husband, children, and an odd assortment of pets. She is a middle school librarian and teacher. When she's not reading, writing, or teaching, she's probably training one of many dogs. You can learn more about her at mccallhoyle.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
January 15, 2022
I love the way McCall Hoyle writes about characters with disabilities and serious medical issues. In “The Thing With Feathers” she chronicled the journey of a teen with a seizure disorder, and here, she writes about Sophie, whose family has been forever altered after an accident left her sister Mere with a traumatic brain injury (TBI.) Additionally, Finn’s life has also been changed by a serious medical event, and the way that their journeys intersect works really well together.
By extreme coincidence, this was being released just as a major hurricane was striking the Carolinas. I was impressed by the level of detail here in describing the disaster conditions, as well as the good pacing. A great mix of soft moments in between disaster!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
By extreme coincidence, this was being released just as a major hurricane was striking the Carolinas. I was impressed by the level of detail here in describing the disaster conditions, as well as the good pacing. A great mix of soft moments in between disaster!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
April 26, 2021
Give me a good survival story any day and I'll be sure to inhale it in a matter of a few hours which is actually the case with this book, Meet the Sky, a contemporary young adult set in an island hometown in North Carolina hit by a Category 3 hurricane. In the middle of the storm, two teens, Sophie and Finn, one too careful and one risk-taker, are stuck and have to fend for their lives.
The narrative in Sophie's POV is beautifully written, simple and yet vividly descriptive. The imageries are wonderful much like the gorgeous book cover. Both Sophie and Finn are admirable in their own ways despite their opposite personalities. The story is a beautiful message about embracing life even when it's difficult.
The narrative in Sophie's POV is beautifully written, simple and yet vividly descriptive. The imageries are wonderful much like the gorgeous book cover. Both Sophie and Finn are admirable in their own ways despite their opposite personalities. The story is a beautiful message about embracing life even when it's difficult.
August 30, 2018
Rating: 4.5 Stars
When I requested this book, I had not heard any buzz, nor was I familiar with the author, but BOY am I glad I took a chance, because it was so wonderful!
Both Sophie and Finn had suffered great losses, but they reacted in very different ways. Finn decided to live his life to the fullest, while Sophie chose to exercise great caution with all her choices, and stay focused on her goals and family. Being trapped in the story was a journey of self discovery for them both, as well as a chance to rekindle their friendship.
Sophie's situation was utterly heartbreaking. I wept for the strain her father's absence put on her family, and the way it forced her to compromise her own dreams. But what really hit me hard was when she would talk about her sister. It seemed wrong to mourn her loss, as her sister survived the accident, but she did not emerge from the wreckage the same woman she was before the crash. Though Sophie was quite uptight and maybe even a little bitter at times, I admired her dedication to her family, and the love and patience she showed to her sister.
Finn's situation was equally as tragic. I cried for him, for what he lost and what he might lose. However, his attitude was so positive, and I liked seeing him rub off on Sophie.
Aside from all their personal tragedies, our characters were also in quite a precarious situation. Hurricanes in the Outer Banks are no joke, and I thought Hoyle really captured how terrifyingly scary and dangerous they can be. I was quite worried for Sophie and Finn, as they spent the majority of the book simply trying to survive, and I will admit, there were several nail biting situations.
But you know what surviving a life or death situation is good for? It's good for personal growth. By the end of this book, Sophie's attitude had changed quite a bit, and she was definitely not the same Sophie she was before the storm.
When I classified this book on my shelf, I did NOT shelve it as a romance. Yes, there was a bit of romance in there, but I thought this was more about survival, self discovery, and healing. Don't get me wrong, you know I shipped these two and am always up for romance, but it seemed more of a secondary plot to me.
Other things I really loved:
• The Tennyson quotes. Hoyle started each chapter with a quote, and they were so on point with what transpired in that part of the book. I thought the quotes were both beautiful and brilliantly used.
• Horses! I read a book, which featured the wild Mustangs earlier this year, and now I got to learn about the wild horses, who inhabit the Outer Banks. It was all rather interesting and educational too.
• Hurricane survival. I am ashamed to say, that after living for more than 6 years in Florida, I never really bothered to hone my hurricane skills. I went through one evacuation, but the hurricanes never landed near me. I am pretty far from hurricane alley these days, but I was totally captivated by all the things Sophie and Finn knew, and now, I know it all too.
Overall: A beautiful and very touching story of horses, hurricanes, and hope.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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When I requested this book, I had not heard any buzz, nor was I familiar with the author, but BOY am I glad I took a chance, because it was so wonderful!
Both Sophie and Finn had suffered great losses, but they reacted in very different ways. Finn decided to live his life to the fullest, while Sophie chose to exercise great caution with all her choices, and stay focused on her goals and family. Being trapped in the story was a journey of self discovery for them both, as well as a chance to rekindle their friendship.
Sophie's situation was utterly heartbreaking. I wept for the strain her father's absence put on her family, and the way it forced her to compromise her own dreams. But what really hit me hard was when she would talk about her sister. It seemed wrong to mourn her loss, as her sister survived the accident, but she did not emerge from the wreckage the same woman she was before the crash. Though Sophie was quite uptight and maybe even a little bitter at times, I admired her dedication to her family, and the love and patience she showed to her sister.
Finn's situation was equally as tragic. I cried for him, for what he lost and what he might lose. However, his attitude was so positive, and I liked seeing him rub off on Sophie.
Aside from all their personal tragedies, our characters were also in quite a precarious situation. Hurricanes in the Outer Banks are no joke, and I thought Hoyle really captured how terrifyingly scary and dangerous they can be. I was quite worried for Sophie and Finn, as they spent the majority of the book simply trying to survive, and I will admit, there were several nail biting situations.
But you know what surviving a life or death situation is good for? It's good for personal growth. By the end of this book, Sophie's attitude had changed quite a bit, and she was definitely not the same Sophie she was before the storm.
When I classified this book on my shelf, I did NOT shelve it as a romance. Yes, there was a bit of romance in there, but I thought this was more about survival, self discovery, and healing. Don't get me wrong, you know I shipped these two and am always up for romance, but it seemed more of a secondary plot to me.
Other things I really loved:
• The Tennyson quotes. Hoyle started each chapter with a quote, and they were so on point with what transpired in that part of the book. I thought the quotes were both beautiful and brilliantly used.
• Horses! I read a book, which featured the wild Mustangs earlier this year, and now I got to learn about the wild horses, who inhabit the Outer Banks. It was all rather interesting and educational too.
• Hurricane survival. I am ashamed to say, that after living for more than 6 years in Florida, I never really bothered to hone my hurricane skills. I went through one evacuation, but the hurricanes never landed near me. I am pretty far from hurricane alley these days, but I was totally captivated by all the things Sophie and Finn knew, and now, I know it all too.
Overall: A beautiful and very touching story of horses, hurricanes, and hope.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
July 9, 2018
Wow. McCall Hoyle has crafted yet another deep & deeply moving story embedded in a high school romance, this time with a hurricane disaster wrapped around it. As in her fantastic debut novel, THE THING WITH FEATHERS, author Hoyle weaves classic poetry (Tennyson in this one) into her central theme of not letting the justifiable fear resulting from serious tragedy keep you from moving forward and being open to love and life with all its danger and complexity and emotional risk. Beautifully done, McCall. I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next. #TeamFinn #TeamFrankenTruck
September 22, 2018
I haaaaaaated the love interest in this one. He consistently compromised the main character's safety for his own reckless habits. And I also just... was bored????
September 4, 2018
I really enjoyed this book!
September 11, 2018
Why not more? I'm asking myself that, too. I loved the setting of this book (I might have an unhealthy obsession with natural disasters) and I loved Sophie's backstory. And all the animals! Also, I loved the message behind the book, the distinction between chronos and kairos and about giving people another chance and not to judge anyone too easily, because we don't know what they are going through. Still, something was missing. But it's a solid 3 star read.
July 15, 2018
Meet The Sky is one part adventure survival story, one part romance and one part story of self-discovery. It’s about learning to survive and, in the face of life’s storms, learning to live.
Sophie likes things under control. It’s the only way she can continue to function now that her dad has abandoned their family, her mother relies on her to help keep their horse riding business afloat and her sister sustained brain damage in the car crash that tore their family apart. The last person Sophie needs messing up her ordered control is Finn, the guy who stood her up and then disappeared. But when a hurricane heads for Sophie’s home on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Sophie finds herself stranded alone with none other than Finn Sanders.
I instantly connected with Sophie and totally got her desire for control, desperation to keep her family functioning and her need to stick to the rules. Order, organisation and control are my three operating functions, so I felt like Sophie and I were kindred spirits. Which is why, much like Sophie, Finn totally annoyed me. Surfing in the face of an approaching hurricane? Arghh. Goofing around, disregarding safety warnings and endangering not only his own but others’ lives? Triple arghh!!! I felt sorry for Sophie when she and Finn get trapped, alone on their island home with Hurricane Harry bearing down on them. However, Sophie (and I) slowly learn that there is more to Finn than his reckless ways, and there is a story hidden behind that carefree facade.
Meet The Sky is in the same town as Hoyle’s first novel, The Thing With Feathers, and while there was a brief appearance of crossover characters, each book can be read as complete standalone titles. Meet The Sky combines the same mix of family, romance and self-discovery, as Sophie learns to look past the events that have recently shaped her fear-approach to life. Meet The Sky also touches on themes of family breakdown, death and grief, as well as incorporating action and life-threatening tension as Sophie and Finn face the approaching hurricane. Sophie’s love of animals was a wonderful addition to this novel and is sure to appeal to readers who love horses.
Meet The Sky is an enjoyable contemporary novel, and is perfect for young and older teen readers alike who enjoy messy romance, life-threatening adventure and touching themes of survival, resilience and family.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
Sophie likes things under control. It’s the only way she can continue to function now that her dad has abandoned their family, her mother relies on her to help keep their horse riding business afloat and her sister sustained brain damage in the car crash that tore their family apart. The last person Sophie needs messing up her ordered control is Finn, the guy who stood her up and then disappeared. But when a hurricane heads for Sophie’s home on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Sophie finds herself stranded alone with none other than Finn Sanders.
I instantly connected with Sophie and totally got her desire for control, desperation to keep her family functioning and her need to stick to the rules. Order, organisation and control are my three operating functions, so I felt like Sophie and I were kindred spirits. Which is why, much like Sophie, Finn totally annoyed me. Surfing in the face of an approaching hurricane? Arghh. Goofing around, disregarding safety warnings and endangering not only his own but others’ lives? Triple arghh!!! I felt sorry for Sophie when she and Finn get trapped, alone on their island home with Hurricane Harry bearing down on them. However, Sophie (and I) slowly learn that there is more to Finn than his reckless ways, and there is a story hidden behind that carefree facade.
Meet The Sky is in the same town as Hoyle’s first novel, The Thing With Feathers, and while there was a brief appearance of crossover characters, each book can be read as complete standalone titles. Meet The Sky combines the same mix of family, romance and self-discovery, as Sophie learns to look past the events that have recently shaped her fear-approach to life. Meet The Sky also touches on themes of family breakdown, death and grief, as well as incorporating action and life-threatening tension as Sophie and Finn face the approaching hurricane. Sophie’s love of animals was a wonderful addition to this novel and is sure to appeal to readers who love horses.
Meet The Sky is an enjoyable contemporary novel, and is perfect for young and older teen readers alike who enjoy messy romance, life-threatening adventure and touching themes of survival, resilience and family.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
September 12, 2018
2 STARS
Sophie struggles to keep her family together after an accident that left her sister disabled and caused her father to leave. When a hurricane of the century threatens their home and business, Sophie is accidentally separated from her mother and sister. She’s stuck with Finn, a smart ass classmate who stood her up at homecoming years ago.
MEET THE SKY is a predictable story suited more toward tweens and young teens. McCall Hoyle’s writing is fine and the characters interesting and likable. The story lacks tension and I never once believed Finn and Sophie wouldn’t be safe and dating at the end.
As Hurricane Florence threatens North Carolina, reading about predictable fiction a hurricane hitting NC when I knew everything would be fine felt wrong. Maybe if MEET THE SKY was less “...and they all lived happily ever after”, include Sophie’s father getting sober and greeting her upon her return, I’d have enjoyed it more.
Sophie struggles to keep her family together after an accident that left her sister disabled and caused her father to leave. When a hurricane of the century threatens their home and business, Sophie is accidentally separated from her mother and sister. She’s stuck with Finn, a smart ass classmate who stood her up at homecoming years ago.
MEET THE SKY is a predictable story suited more toward tweens and young teens. McCall Hoyle’s writing is fine and the characters interesting and likable. The story lacks tension and I never once believed Finn and Sophie wouldn’t be safe and dating at the end.
As Hurricane Florence threatens North Carolina, reading about predictable fiction a hurricane hitting NC when I knew everything would be fine felt wrong. Maybe if MEET THE SKY was less “...and they all lived happily ever after”, include Sophie’s father getting sober and greeting her upon her return, I’d have enjoyed it more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2020
This had a cute romance and was a relatively easy read While still tackling tough issues like the grief that comes with loss. My only problem was with the some of the MC's main choices.
June 25, 2018
You know I like to start by telling you the star rating so I'm going to give this one 4.5 stars. The only thing keeping this back from a full five stars is Sophie was a little annoying for me, too timid, too cautious, too rude and assumes everything really is about her when there's a whole world circulating around her. It took me some time to come around with her and I appreciate her independence but sometimes I wanted to shake her and tell her to stop being a brat.
With that, there is so much more that this book does right so it far outweighs her annoying personality. We have Sophie, who is trying to hold everything together since her dad up and left the family following a catastrophic accident leaving her sister Meredith with a brain injury. She's responsible and does far more than her share of the work while her mom tries to pull the rest of the family together. But trouble is approaching in the form of a hurricane and so her mom and sister drive off first, with Sophie to follow. Except it doesn't go as planned and Sophie finds herself stranded after her tires blow out, only to be rescued by her long ago friend, Finn. Finn is back in town after moving away for awhile and they have some awkward unfinished business since he supposedly stood Sophie up a dance. Finn agrees to help Sophie get to her mom and sister but the storm gets out of hand and some costly delays make it so they are stranded on this little island together and alone. They weather the storm while learning dark truths about their time apart and Sophie, in the matter of 48 hours or so, discovers how selfish she's really been under the guise of being helpful.
I absolutely loved this book and again, finished it in one sitting. I loved Finn's character even though I wanted to shake some responsibility and common sense into him, I also appreciated his free spirit and go with the flow despite tragic circumstances. There were a few things at the end that felt a little rushed, or that I didn't get enough of an ending for, but other than that I really loved this one!
With that, there is so much more that this book does right so it far outweighs her annoying personality. We have Sophie, who is trying to hold everything together since her dad up and left the family following a catastrophic accident leaving her sister Meredith with a brain injury. She's responsible and does far more than her share of the work while her mom tries to pull the rest of the family together. But trouble is approaching in the form of a hurricane and so her mom and sister drive off first, with Sophie to follow. Except it doesn't go as planned and Sophie finds herself stranded after her tires blow out, only to be rescued by her long ago friend, Finn. Finn is back in town after moving away for awhile and they have some awkward unfinished business since he supposedly stood Sophie up a dance. Finn agrees to help Sophie get to her mom and sister but the storm gets out of hand and some costly delays make it so they are stranded on this little island together and alone. They weather the storm while learning dark truths about their time apart and Sophie, in the matter of 48 hours or so, discovers how selfish she's really been under the guise of being helpful.
I absolutely loved this book and again, finished it in one sitting. I loved Finn's character even though I wanted to shake some responsibility and common sense into him, I also appreciated his free spirit and go with the flow despite tragic circumstances. There were a few things at the end that felt a little rushed, or that I didn't get enough of an ending for, but other than that I really loved this one!
February 19, 2020
A young adult story with the teen angst, a hurricane and an animal in danger. Great combination. It was a fast, entertaining read. I listened on audible and the narrator was good.
January 26, 2019
Once upon a time, Sophie's life was normal, and beautiful. She had a wonderful family with loving parents and a cool older sister. Then an accident shook their life, and everything fell apart. Now, Sophie is just trying to hold all the pieces together. Maybe if she plays it safe and keeps everything in order, things will get better. Then Finn Sanders, the boy who broke her heart, moves back to town. He seems totally reckless--surfboarding in a hurricane! But as they get stranded together through the worst of the storm, she begins to wonder if there is more depth to him than "crazy jerk," if maybe he has suffered loss too.
Meet the Sky by McCall Hoyle is kind of cute. I would categorize this as a coming-of-age, YA contemporary romance. Emphasis on the coming-of-age, as Sophie learns a bit about being an adult, letting go, and actually living in the moment. This mix of genres isn't one I typically choose, because I tend to think they're too sappy and philosophical. (Swap contemporary out with fantasy and add some action, and it is my genre.) This book didn't blow me away or make me change my mind about the genre, but I enjoyed my time reading it.
I see that a lot of people commented about the hurricane in this book. I know very little about hurricanes and have never experienced one, so I don't have anything to compare it to. But it was definitely interesting reading about them in this book. I always wondered what it would be like to have to do what the characters do in this book: trying to survive while stranded in the midst of the storm. It was pretty cool the way the author showed it in the story. It reminded me of one of those survival TV shows, except in book form.
One of the things I didn't like very much was how fast everything happened. Sophie and Finn are racing against the storm to survive, but the entire book only took a few days. Can someone really fall in love so fast and change so much in such a short amount of time? I understand that with the heightened emotions and adrenaline because of the danger, things like that can happen. But sometimes those things don't last. In some ways, I would like a story on what happened after: how did they cope when they weren't trying to survive but trying to build a more lasting relationship through all the ups and downs of life, school, and going away for college. Would they have anything in common once the danger is over? Don't get me wrong, this was a fun story. But I think there could be more to it.
I enjoyed reading Meet the Sky. The characters were dynamic and interesting, and the setting made for a really fascinating story. It was pretty clean, and I recommend it to fans of the contemporary YA genre.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and I received no compensation for sharing them.
Meet the Sky by McCall Hoyle is kind of cute. I would categorize this as a coming-of-age, YA contemporary romance. Emphasis on the coming-of-age, as Sophie learns a bit about being an adult, letting go, and actually living in the moment. This mix of genres isn't one I typically choose, because I tend to think they're too sappy and philosophical. (Swap contemporary out with fantasy and add some action, and it is my genre.) This book didn't blow me away or make me change my mind about the genre, but I enjoyed my time reading it.
I see that a lot of people commented about the hurricane in this book. I know very little about hurricanes and have never experienced one, so I don't have anything to compare it to. But it was definitely interesting reading about them in this book. I always wondered what it would be like to have to do what the characters do in this book: trying to survive while stranded in the midst of the storm. It was pretty cool the way the author showed it in the story. It reminded me of one of those survival TV shows, except in book form.
One of the things I didn't like very much was how fast everything happened. Sophie and Finn are racing against the storm to survive, but the entire book only took a few days. Can someone really fall in love so fast and change so much in such a short amount of time? I understand that with the heightened emotions and adrenaline because of the danger, things like that can happen. But sometimes those things don't last. In some ways, I would like a story on what happened after: how did they cope when they weren't trying to survive but trying to build a more lasting relationship through all the ups and downs of life, school, and going away for college. Would they have anything in common once the danger is over? Don't get me wrong, this was a fun story. But I think there could be more to it.
I enjoyed reading Meet the Sky. The characters were dynamic and interesting, and the setting made for a really fascinating story. It was pretty clean, and I recommend it to fans of the contemporary YA genre.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and I received no compensation for sharing them.
November 9, 2018
WOW McCall Hoyle really knows how to go about crafting a delightful contemporary and I loved this book - even more than The Thing With Feathers <333 Can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
September 6, 2018
#FirstLine ~ Once upon a time, I believed in fairy tales.
Beautiful, wonderfully told and original Meet the Sky is another story that will tug at the heartstrings, and leave a lasting impression. I adored it cover to cover and so will you. A must read that will leave the reader sanctified and wanting more from this very gifted story teller.
Beautiful, wonderfully told and original Meet the Sky is another story that will tug at the heartstrings, and leave a lasting impression. I adored it cover to cover and so will you. A must read that will leave the reader sanctified and wanting more from this very gifted story teller.
August 15, 2018
Originally Reviewed for YA Books Central: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaficti...
Hurricanes, horses, and harmonious verse. Meet the Sky is an ably-written, well-paced contemporary YA—one which is perhaps best described as a pleasantly stormy beach read.
Horse lovers rejoice, for the equestrian themes and undertones are abundant—as well as educational. Prior to this story, this reader knew absolutely nothing about the wild horses that roam the barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina. (Though Hoyle’s first book took place in the same location, this book brings the setting to life in an entirely different way.)
The weather also becomes a sort of additional character, as the nuances of riding out a severe hurricane forms an integral part of the plot. Readers who’ve never lived near hurricane-affected coastlines, or experienced a related mass-evacuation, are in for a fascinating experience.
Though this is a stand-alone, there are subtle ties to Hoyle’s 2017 debut: The Thing with Feathers. Instead of nods to Emily Dickenson, Meet the Sky weaves in threads from the works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Each chapter begins with a cleverly fitting quote from the famed British poet, and there is some discussion within the story itself—particularly between Sophie and her best friend. Observant previous readers may want to keep an eye out for an appearance from Emilie and her service dog, Hitch. (As it turns out, Sophie and Emilie attend the same high school.)
Sophie was a bit harder to connect with than the heroine from Hoyle’s debut. She’s bitter, pessimistic, overly judgmental, and a notable control freak. There are several justifiable reasons for this, however. (Her sister has a traumatic brain injury from a car wreck—which drove her father to first alcoholism, and then to abandon her family. Her overworked mother is barely getting by, and Sophie is burning her candle at both ends trying to compensate for all the brokenness around her. Yet at the same time, she’s still clinging to her dream of becoming a veterinarian.) Needless to say, the setup leaves plenty of room for growth in Sophie. And in terms of character development, Hoyle delivers.
The conflict with Finn sometimes felt a touch contrived.
So, the guy disappeared in the middle of Sophie’s Freshman year, leaving Sophie high and dry at a school dance (and inadvertently compounding her abandonment issues.) She’s now a high school Senior, who seems overly determined to nurse a grudge when Finn suddenly resurfaces. Finn actually has a solid excuse for his vanishing act years earlier—which doubles as justification for his devil-may-care surfer-boy attitude. But as direct as Sophie is, she doesn’t bother confronting or questioning him on the presumed offense until they’ve been thrown together in a dangerous predicament. And once they finally get that part sorted, they go their separate ways for a while—which seemed to neutralize the chemistry to some degree.
Meet the Sky presents a unique setting, a harrowing situation, and an opposites-attract romance that moves organically within the plot rather than overwhelming it. The story is one of love, loss, and reclamation—of all the things in life that are outside of our control, and the attitudes that aren’t.
Hurricanes, horses, and harmonious verse. Meet the Sky is an ably-written, well-paced contemporary YA—one which is perhaps best described as a pleasantly stormy beach read.
Horse lovers rejoice, for the equestrian themes and undertones are abundant—as well as educational. Prior to this story, this reader knew absolutely nothing about the wild horses that roam the barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina. (Though Hoyle’s first book took place in the same location, this book brings the setting to life in an entirely different way.)
The weather also becomes a sort of additional character, as the nuances of riding out a severe hurricane forms an integral part of the plot. Readers who’ve never lived near hurricane-affected coastlines, or experienced a related mass-evacuation, are in for a fascinating experience.
Though this is a stand-alone, there are subtle ties to Hoyle’s 2017 debut: The Thing with Feathers. Instead of nods to Emily Dickenson, Meet the Sky weaves in threads from the works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Each chapter begins with a cleverly fitting quote from the famed British poet, and there is some discussion within the story itself—particularly between Sophie and her best friend. Observant previous readers may want to keep an eye out for an appearance from Emilie and her service dog, Hitch. (As it turns out, Sophie and Emilie attend the same high school.)
Sophie was a bit harder to connect with than the heroine from Hoyle’s debut. She’s bitter, pessimistic, overly judgmental, and a notable control freak. There are several justifiable reasons for this, however. (Her sister has a traumatic brain injury from a car wreck—which drove her father to first alcoholism, and then to abandon her family. Her overworked mother is barely getting by, and Sophie is burning her candle at both ends trying to compensate for all the brokenness around her. Yet at the same time, she’s still clinging to her dream of becoming a veterinarian.) Needless to say, the setup leaves plenty of room for growth in Sophie. And in terms of character development, Hoyle delivers.
The conflict with Finn sometimes felt a touch contrived.
So, the guy disappeared in the middle of Sophie’s Freshman year, leaving Sophie high and dry at a school dance (and inadvertently compounding her abandonment issues.) She’s now a high school Senior, who seems overly determined to nurse a grudge when Finn suddenly resurfaces. Finn actually has a solid excuse for his vanishing act years earlier—which doubles as justification for his devil-may-care surfer-boy attitude. But as direct as Sophie is, she doesn’t bother confronting or questioning him on the presumed offense until they’ve been thrown together in a dangerous predicament. And once they finally get that part sorted, they go their separate ways for a while—which seemed to neutralize the chemistry to some degree.
Meet the Sky presents a unique setting, a harrowing situation, and an opposites-attract romance that moves organically within the plot rather than overwhelming it. The story is one of love, loss, and reclamation—of all the things in life that are outside of our control, and the attitudes that aren’t.
June 2, 2019
Sophie's life changed when her Dad and sister were in an auto accident. Her severely injured sister suffered a stroke during recovery and can do few things she used to find enjoyable. Her dad walked out leaving her mom to mind the family business and both daughters.
Before that Finn stood her up and left town. Now Finn is back, and a hurricane is headed their way. Sophie and her mom heed the mandatory evacuation, but Sophie's bald tire blows out on the highway before leaving the Outer Banks. Finn comes along, offering her a lift, but he needs to take supplies to an uncle who plans to ride out the storm in spite of the mandatory evacuation first. Finn also takes the opportunity to do a little surfing on oncoming hurricane waves. When they finally hit the road to get off the island, the winds are already high. A branch blows through the windshield, and the truck wrecks. The two teens find themselves in a game of survivor.
Woven into the narrative is the story of a wild horse who got away from the rest of the horses and became injured, and Sophie's efforts to help him.
This AudioSync Summer 2019 selection has all the elements of a good summer read for teen girls. Narrator Morgan Fairbanks did a good job portraying Sophie.
Before that Finn stood her up and left town. Now Finn is back, and a hurricane is headed their way. Sophie and her mom heed the mandatory evacuation, but Sophie's bald tire blows out on the highway before leaving the Outer Banks. Finn comes along, offering her a lift, but he needs to take supplies to an uncle who plans to ride out the storm in spite of the mandatory evacuation first. Finn also takes the opportunity to do a little surfing on oncoming hurricane waves. When they finally hit the road to get off the island, the winds are already high. A branch blows through the windshield, and the truck wrecks. The two teens find themselves in a game of survivor.
Woven into the narrative is the story of a wild horse who got away from the rest of the horses and became injured, and Sophie's efforts to help him.
This AudioSync Summer 2019 selection has all the elements of a good summer read for teen girls. Narrator Morgan Fairbanks did a good job portraying Sophie.
October 28, 2018
As a resident of eastern North Carolina, my town and surrounding areas were recently impacted by Hurricane Florence. During the hurricane, I wondered if there were any YA books about surviving this type of natural disaster. A few weeks later, I came across Meet the Sky on Amazon, and realized it was already on my to-read list on Goodreads. I was able to get the Kindle version during a sale one weekend, and I'm SUPER excited to say that Meet the Sky totally lived up to--and surpassed--my expectations.
What I Loved:
Gorgeous Cover: The beautiful cover and the Blink YA logo were all it took to get this sweet story on my to-read list. But, as much as I adore these aspects, there's so much more to love about the novel.
Spot-On Hurricane Descriptions: It's one thing to read about hurricanes, but a completely different thing to witness one in action and see the aftermath in person. I'm happy to say that the author knew exactly what she was talking about and flawlessly described what it's like to experience a hurricane. I do wish we had received more descriptions on the aftermath (specifically how Sophie and Finn's houses held up) but other than that, it was exceptional.
The Characters: Sophie was a bit of your typical Sarah Dessen-esque, no-nonsense, studious, protector-of-the-family type girl, but her character arc through the storm helped to bring out her unique qualities. Finn stressed me out to no end, but I ended up loving that goober! The two together have amazing chemistry and I highly enjoyed seeing them learn how to survive the hurricane together.
The Wild Horse Element: Highlighting Sophie's connection to the wild horses in the Outer Banks brought forth even more uniqueness to the novel. Not only do Sophie and Finn have to survive the storm, but they feel obligated to help a horse out as well. This aspect was interesting to read about, because I've always wondered what happens to the horses when a "storm of the century" like Hurricane Harry in the book, or our recent Hurricane Florence, strikes the area.
Meet the Sky was the exact book I was craving to satisfy my want of a life-like hurricane read. There was nothing major about the novel that I disliked, and the continually changing storm added numerous high-risk plot twists that kept me invested throughout. I can't wait to read more by this author!
What I Loved:
Gorgeous Cover: The beautiful cover and the Blink YA logo were all it took to get this sweet story on my to-read list. But, as much as I adore these aspects, there's so much more to love about the novel.
Spot-On Hurricane Descriptions: It's one thing to read about hurricanes, but a completely different thing to witness one in action and see the aftermath in person. I'm happy to say that the author knew exactly what she was talking about and flawlessly described what it's like to experience a hurricane. I do wish we had received more descriptions on the aftermath (specifically how Sophie and Finn's houses held up) but other than that, it was exceptional.
The Characters: Sophie was a bit of your typical Sarah Dessen-esque, no-nonsense, studious, protector-of-the-family type girl, but her character arc through the storm helped to bring out her unique qualities. Finn stressed me out to no end, but I ended up loving that goober! The two together have amazing chemistry and I highly enjoyed seeing them learn how to survive the hurricane together.
The Wild Horse Element: Highlighting Sophie's connection to the wild horses in the Outer Banks brought forth even more uniqueness to the novel. Not only do Sophie and Finn have to survive the storm, but they feel obligated to help a horse out as well. This aspect was interesting to read about, because I've always wondered what happens to the horses when a "storm of the century" like Hurricane Harry in the book, or our recent Hurricane Florence, strikes the area.
Meet the Sky was the exact book I was craving to satisfy my want of a life-like hurricane read. There was nothing major about the novel that I disliked, and the continually changing storm added numerous high-risk plot twists that kept me invested throughout. I can't wait to read more by this author!
August 26, 2018
I read the book before the publication date which comes out in September 4.
This is a wonderful adventure story.
The author has the ablitity to transfer you to a whole another level of life just by the words she has written and that's why I loved the book she uses the words what the actual characters would sat.
It's a book that I would want to be part of my life and thanks to the author for writting such a book.
.
The novel talks about surviving and it's written in a very emotionally pace! The Authoe is very talented as I read two of her novels and the stories will haunt me forever as they are unique, astounding and very interesting! You wouldn't want to miss any detail, and the pages will turn so fast as it will leave you speechless!
.
The novel takes place same as The Thing With Feathers and the main character is Sophie, a young girl who tries to get her family happy and in function after her dad abandoned them, she has a sister who has brain damage from a car crash! Sophie loves horses and the drama in the novel begins after the hurricane which brings a lot of past events that Sophie would dicover, a lot of mixed feelings and the truths coming out of the bottle, this is just another amazing masterpiece of the Author as she knows best how to write about surviving!!!
This is a wonderful adventure story.
The author has the ablitity to transfer you to a whole another level of life just by the words she has written and that's why I loved the book she uses the words what the actual characters would sat.
It's a book that I would want to be part of my life and thanks to the author for writting such a book.
.
The novel talks about surviving and it's written in a very emotionally pace! The Authoe is very talented as I read two of her novels and the stories will haunt me forever as they are unique, astounding and very interesting! You wouldn't want to miss any detail, and the pages will turn so fast as it will leave you speechless!
.
The novel takes place same as The Thing With Feathers and the main character is Sophie, a young girl who tries to get her family happy and in function after her dad abandoned them, she has a sister who has brain damage from a car crash! Sophie loves horses and the drama in the novel begins after the hurricane which brings a lot of past events that Sophie would dicover, a lot of mixed feelings and the truths coming out of the bottle, this is just another amazing masterpiece of the Author as she knows best how to write about surviving!!!
May 30, 2018
Three Things I Love About MEET THE SKY
1. Survival story. I love books (and movies) about characters who are stranded, forced to by mother nature to test themselves in ways that incite growth and change. Meet the Sky's Sophie is a selfless, resilient girl before the hurricane hits her island home, but after? Whoa. Her courage and resourcefulness make her a character worth cheering for. It doesn't hurt that love interest Finn provokes change in her, too, as she challenges him. I love the intensity the storm brought to their fledging relationship.
2. Beach-set book. It's no secret that I love stories set near the ocean, and Meet the Sky takes place on North Carolina's Outer Banks. The scenery is beautifully and evocatively described, making the setting feel like a character all its own.
3. Powerful prose. McCall Hoyle has a gift with words. Every line of her sophomore novel is compelling and lyrical. I felt Sophie's worries and wishes as if they were my own.
1. Survival story. I love books (and movies) about characters who are stranded, forced to by mother nature to test themselves in ways that incite growth and change. Meet the Sky's Sophie is a selfless, resilient girl before the hurricane hits her island home, but after? Whoa. Her courage and resourcefulness make her a character worth cheering for. It doesn't hurt that love interest Finn provokes change in her, too, as she challenges him. I love the intensity the storm brought to their fledging relationship.
2. Beach-set book. It's no secret that I love stories set near the ocean, and Meet the Sky takes place on North Carolina's Outer Banks. The scenery is beautifully and evocatively described, making the setting feel like a character all its own.
3. Powerful prose. McCall Hoyle has a gift with words. Every line of her sophomore novel is compelling and lyrical. I felt Sophie's worries and wishes as if they were my own.
January 11, 2019
Review to come.
Reading Challenge Categories:
-#Ampersand2019 Reading Challenge: A book with flowers/nature on the cover
-January Bookish Bingo: Blue cover
-#LittenLoveBingo: From your own Litsy TBR
-Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book with a plant in the title or on the cover
Reading Challenge Categories:
-#Ampersand2019 Reading Challenge: A book with flowers/nature on the cover
-January Bookish Bingo: Blue cover
-#LittenLoveBingo: From your own Litsy TBR
-Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book with a plant in the title or on the cover
July 6, 2019
Since the accident that left her sister with a traumatic brain injury, Sophia’s life has been in turmoil. Her father took off leaving Sophia working extra hard to keep the family briskness afloat while trying to deal with her sister, who is different both physically and mentally. Then there’s Finn, the guy who stood her up and left town, only to return and act like nothing had happened between them. Add a hurricane into the mix, that forces Sophia and Finn to depend on each other for survival to create the perfect storm for Sophia to re-examine her life and the things that are most important.
MEET THE SKY is a great young adult romance. Hoyle’s writing style is straight forward with an underlying beauty. Sophia makes a great protagonist in her desire to become a veterinarian and the way she puts her heart and soul into rebuilding her family, but can’t easily forgive her father and Finn for letting her down. I’ve heard such positive things about Hoyle’s novels and now I understand why so many people love the stories she tenderly weaves. I look forward to checking out her debut novel THE THING WITH FEATHERS.
MEET THE SKY is a great young adult romance. Hoyle’s writing style is straight forward with an underlying beauty. Sophia makes a great protagonist in her desire to become a veterinarian and the way she puts her heart and soul into rebuilding her family, but can’t easily forgive her father and Finn for letting her down. I’ve heard such positive things about Hoyle’s novels and now I understand why so many people love the stories she tenderly weaves. I look forward to checking out her debut novel THE THING WITH FEATHERS.
November 4, 2018
I found this YA contemporary survival adventure story pretty exciting and hard to put down. Sophie and Finn become stuck on their North Carolina island in a hurricane after being unable to evacuate and they have to try to survive together.
Finn has just returned to town after years away, and the last time Sophie saw him was right before he stood her up for a dance. Since then, both have experienced loss in their families and they are dealing with it in different ways. Sophie tries to play everything safe, which is the opposite of Finn who tries to live life to the fullest. Together they face constant obstacles, battling the elements every step of the way, and encountering a horse in as desperate need of help as they are.
Finn has just returned to town after years away, and the last time Sophie saw him was right before he stood her up for a dance. Since then, both have experienced loss in their families and they are dealing with it in different ways. Sophie tries to play everything safe, which is the opposite of Finn who tries to live life to the fullest. Together they face constant obstacles, battling the elements every step of the way, and encountering a horse in as desperate need of help as they are.
May 30, 2019
Good book, well written with an alright «plot», but I just find it too girly for my personal preference. It’s a fun summer read for teenage girls. Personal appreciation 2/5, potential 3,5/5 or even 4/5. So I will go with a fair 3/5 official rating.
October 21, 2018
Read the full review also on my blog Let's Geek: http://bit.ly/2AkUQIs
Meet the Sky is a really sweet and deeply moving teenage love story embedded in a hurricane disaster.
Total Rating: 7.8/10
Originality: 8/10
Language: 7/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Characters: 9/10
World building: 7/10
Fun: 7/10
Predictability: 7/10
Believable: 8/10
Relevancy: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Genre: YA, Romance
Time It Took Me To Read: approx. 2 hours
Originality: 8/10
Watching the news and seeing and hearing about natural disasters I always thought they would make such a good setting for novels. Thank God I have never been in one - but who needs an apocalyptic end of the world scenario with zombies, blood and death, when nature is giving us all of this already. And finally someone took the chance and wrote a really moving story, taking place during a hurricane.
Language: 7/10
Language is simple, but beautiful, with a pinch of humour thrown into it:
"We were all monsters and bastards, and we were all beautiful."
"If Prince Charmings and happily-ever-afters were real, I'd have a godmother and a fancy dress. Instead, I've good a pitchfork and a pile of horse manure."
"I don't listen to the news. Way too bad for my health."
Atmosphere: 7/10
I have never been in a hurricane, and this novel made me happy about it. It sounds, or reads, absolutely terrifying, with trees falling, broken glass flying through the air like knifes and deadly floods. Maybe because they were teenagers though, who often do not grasp the danger and consequences of their actions, I did miss a bit more of a dark apocalyptic atmosphere, rather than "oh yes there is a tree blocking the road now".
Characters: 9/10
Sophie and Finn are both immature teenagers. Both have had to deal with grief in their live, and both have let it affect them in two very different ways.
World building: 7/10
Sophie is living with her mother and sister on a farm somewhere on an island near North Carolina (my geographic skills are abysmal). Their world is small, simple and is all about survival, with their little family trying to earn money by renting out their horses for riding. We do not have heroes here, or world domination, or anything completely out of scale. It is simple, normal, it is life. It has a certain beauty to it, but lacks also in depth.
Fun: 7/10
Following those two teenagers during that Hurricane was more sweet than scary and more beautiful than terrifying. The focus was on the love story, not on the danger of the hurricane. Part of me wished it would be the other way around - a story about a hurricane with a love story in it, not the other way around.
Predictability: 7/10
Well the ending of a teenage love story we can almost always predict, without needing any spoilers. However, there were a few twists along the way. We learn about Sophie and what happened to her family. We learn about Finn and what happened to his family. And we learn why each of them acts the way they do.
Believable: 8/10
Reading from the point of view of teenagers is always interesting, especially since I am not one anymore (at least my ID says so). They are irrational, headstrong and illogical. But this time I really understood where they came from. That was really well done.
Relevancy: 9/10
Terrible things happen. Hurricanes. Accidents. Disease. And this is a story of how you can deal with it. You can run away, or face the storm. You can make the best of it, or drown in sorrow. You can fight for survival, or give up. You can try to gain control or try to go with the flow.
Finn and Sophie are both those two extreme's. In the end, it is about how two individuals handle a life-changing event.
Cover: 9/10
I really love the simplicity and colours of the cover.
Total Verdict: 7.8/10
This is the first novel I have read by McCall, but definitely not the last.
Read the full review also on my blog Let's Geek: http://bit.ly/2AkUQIs
Meet the Sky is a really sweet and deeply moving teenage love story embedded in a hurricane disaster.
Total Rating: 7.8/10
Originality: 8/10
Language: 7/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Characters: 9/10
World building: 7/10
Fun: 7/10
Predictability: 7/10
Believable: 8/10
Relevancy: 9/10
Cover: 9/10
Genre: YA, Romance
Time It Took Me To Read: approx. 2 hours
Originality: 8/10
Watching the news and seeing and hearing about natural disasters I always thought they would make such a good setting for novels. Thank God I have never been in one - but who needs an apocalyptic end of the world scenario with zombies, blood and death, when nature is giving us all of this already. And finally someone took the chance and wrote a really moving story, taking place during a hurricane.
Language: 7/10
Language is simple, but beautiful, with a pinch of humour thrown into it:
"We were all monsters and bastards, and we were all beautiful."
"If Prince Charmings and happily-ever-afters were real, I'd have a godmother and a fancy dress. Instead, I've good a pitchfork and a pile of horse manure."
"I don't listen to the news. Way too bad for my health."
Atmosphere: 7/10
I have never been in a hurricane, and this novel made me happy about it. It sounds, or reads, absolutely terrifying, with trees falling, broken glass flying through the air like knifes and deadly floods. Maybe because they were teenagers though, who often do not grasp the danger and consequences of their actions, I did miss a bit more of a dark apocalyptic atmosphere, rather than "oh yes there is a tree blocking the road now".
Characters: 9/10
Sophie and Finn are both immature teenagers. Both have had to deal with grief in their live, and both have let it affect them in two very different ways.
World building: 7/10
Sophie is living with her mother and sister on a farm somewhere on an island near North Carolina (my geographic skills are abysmal). Their world is small, simple and is all about survival, with their little family trying to earn money by renting out their horses for riding. We do not have heroes here, or world domination, or anything completely out of scale. It is simple, normal, it is life. It has a certain beauty to it, but lacks also in depth.
Fun: 7/10
Following those two teenagers during that Hurricane was more sweet than scary and more beautiful than terrifying. The focus was on the love story, not on the danger of the hurricane. Part of me wished it would be the other way around - a story about a hurricane with a love story in it, not the other way around.
Predictability: 7/10
Well the ending of a teenage love story we can almost always predict, without needing any spoilers. However, there were a few twists along the way. We learn about Sophie and what happened to her family. We learn about Finn and what happened to his family. And we learn why each of them acts the way they do.
Believable: 8/10
Reading from the point of view of teenagers is always interesting, especially since I am not one anymore (at least my ID says so). They are irrational, headstrong and illogical. But this time I really understood where they came from. That was really well done.
Relevancy: 9/10
Terrible things happen. Hurricanes. Accidents. Disease. And this is a story of how you can deal with it. You can run away, or face the storm. You can make the best of it, or drown in sorrow. You can fight for survival, or give up. You can try to gain control or try to go with the flow.
Finn and Sophie are both those two extreme's. In the end, it is about how two individuals handle a life-changing event.
Cover: 9/10
I really love the simplicity and colours of the cover.
Total Verdict: 7.8/10
This is the first novel I have read by McCall, but definitely not the last.
Read the full review also on my blog Let's Geek: http://bit.ly/2AkUQIs
September 18, 2018
I loved this book! A beautiful story about taking chances and forgiveness. Beautifully written too. Highly recommend!
November 4, 2018
(2.5 Stars)
McCall Hoyle’s Meet the Sky tells the tale of Sophie, a teenage girl in high school trying to balance the stress of college prep, helping her mother take care of her sister who was disabled in a car accident and fight the oncoming hurricane threatening to ravage her town. I found this book to be more of a fluff read, but that is not to say that this book did not have its share of emotional turmoil and growth.
I found Meet the Sky to remind me of a bit of a Wattpad story—with better writing. The plot was far-fetched but no less entertaining. While the characters (or rather mostly the main character) went through some emotional development, I found it hard to connect with them or their actions. For me, the book served its purpose in keeping me engaged and curious, but not necessarily one that will stick with me forever.
I recommend this book to those looking for something fast and easy to read, my younger self who was looking desperately to read books on a budget (hence Wattpad and the Library), and those fans of contemporary, which I will admit is not my genre of choice. Book releases on September 4, 2018.
McCall Hoyle’s Meet the Sky tells the tale of Sophie, a teenage girl in high school trying to balance the stress of college prep, helping her mother take care of her sister who was disabled in a car accident and fight the oncoming hurricane threatening to ravage her town. I found this book to be more of a fluff read, but that is not to say that this book did not have its share of emotional turmoil and growth.
I found Meet the Sky to remind me of a bit of a Wattpad story—with better writing. The plot was far-fetched but no less entertaining. While the characters (or rather mostly the main character) went through some emotional development, I found it hard to connect with them or their actions. For me, the book served its purpose in keeping me engaged and curious, but not necessarily one that will stick with me forever.
I recommend this book to those looking for something fast and easy to read, my younger self who was looking desperately to read books on a budget (hence Wattpad and the Library), and those fans of contemporary, which I will admit is not my genre of choice. Book releases on September 4, 2018.
March 30, 2018
My full review can be found on the Epilie Aspie Chick blog!
McCall Hoyle has a real eye for detail, constantly weaving a tapestry of landscaping and emotion in one phenomenal novel. In her second book, she tackles a story of two teens and their reconnection after a past filled with pain (both individual and combined).
Sophie and Finn are adorable opposites in perspective that learn from each other. It's a scenario that may seem slightly far fetched, but is actually very possible and in this context, feels truly real. Their chemistry also put a smile ony face with the nicknames that Finn kept using like Soph or Bookworm. How can you not fall for this guy?
McCall Hoyle has a real eye for detail, constantly weaving a tapestry of landscaping and emotion in one phenomenal novel. In her second book, she tackles a story of two teens and their reconnection after a past filled with pain (both individual and combined).
Sophie and Finn are adorable opposites in perspective that learn from each other. It's a scenario that may seem slightly far fetched, but is actually very possible and in this context, feels truly real. Their chemistry also put a smile ony face with the nicknames that Finn kept using like Soph or Bookworm. How can you not fall for this guy?
March 8, 2018
This book was wonderful if you are a fan of castaway or any movie where you are stranded on an island with the last person you were expecting. This story is inspiring and demonstrates true emotional strength and character and is a great life lesson for every reader that engages this story. You will like this book if you are fans of stories such as 13 reasons why or Everything Everything. 5 stars!
October 30, 2019
The book, Meet the Sky, by McCall Hoyle, goes through the survival of a girl named, Sophie and a boy she encounters at the beginning of her struggles, Finn Sanders, during a hurricane on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Sophie is living with her mom and sister, Mere, on the Outerbanks when once again they are instructed for immediate evacuation from the island. Sophie and her family are always prepared for this situation due to the countless experiences they have dealt with prior. The safety destination they always travel to is Sophie’s aunt's house just over the bridge to get access to the island. Later in a time of need, Sophie encounters Finn, someone who has caused her trouble in the past, who later becomes one of the main reasons for her survival during the storm. Throughout the book, Sophie steps out of her comfort zone to take actions she would never think to be morally correct before facing the storm, and it makes the reader wonder will she continue or let her beliefs get in the way of survival. Sophie and Finn have significantly different personalities that add on to their survival throughout the book. Sophie is controlling and a stickler for the rules who can't mess up or she will bring herself down about it. An example of this is seen in the book when Sophie thinks she is set on gas and spare tires for the journey to her aunts, but then becomes extremely disappointed in herself when she realizes she was wrong and now she is stuck in the storm due to not having either of those. Finn is a character who has always been carefree with a go with the flow type of personality which balances out with Sophie's strong character. Finn is seen to show this when he decides to see where they end up for shelter rather than having a set structure in mind. As the teenager's journey on through the hurricane there are many lessons that individually they learn. Sophie’s journey personally reflects the theme that one can not control everything or there will be an issue. If Sophie controlled the pathway she and Finn took there could be a great possibility that they could not have survived the storm. The reader is put through Sophie's journey to discovering this and it is quite interesting to see how she responds to her newly gained knowledge. Everything in life is not supposed to be a breeze, people will face hardships that held them grow as a person. Finn has always followed the idea of the will end up wherever life takes him, which is put to the test when he has to know what he is doing. Finn learns that he has to control his life sometimes, rather than letting his life control him. When Finn is faced with the task of surviving, he has to make his own decisions that will save both him and Sophie's life. One last theme seen throughout Hoyle’s work is that you always have to be aware of your surroundings and be able to adapt to the environment around you. Sophie learns this when she has no clean water and decides to put pots and pans outside to catch the rainwater to later drink. Her adaptation kept her and Finn alive throughout surviving the hurricane.
I thought this book was an interesting read, as the characters are around the same age as me, and I found it interesting to follow the path they took to survive with the knowledge they have in their teenage years. It was enjoyable to see these characters who have conflicting views finally come together in the end and put their heads together, so they would both live to see their families once again. If you're looking for a quick, attention-grabbing read than you, yourself, could find out if Sophie and Finn make it to safety with their families. Meet the Sky]
I thought this book was an interesting read, as the characters are around the same age as me, and I found it interesting to follow the path they took to survive with the knowledge they have in their teenage years. It was enjoyable to see these characters who have conflicting views finally come together in the end and put their heads together, so they would both live to see their families once again. If you're looking for a quick, attention-grabbing read than you, yourself, could find out if Sophie and Finn make it to safety with their families. Meet the Sky]
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