Only survivors are allowed the luxury of sadness.

The eruption of Yellowstone Super volcano plunges Iowa and Illinois into darkness. All modern luxuries such as electricity and all forms of communication have been destroyed.
The population has been reduced to 25% or less. Everyone remaining is struggling just to survive in the resulting Nuclear Winter where many feet of snow covers everything and temperatures remain below freezing.

The details of life’s daily struggles after the disaster are very realistic. The author obviously put a lot of thought into what survivors would be faced with, the challenges, the short and long term needs.

I liked the main group of characters, even when it seems odd that a 16 year old (Alex) would emerge as leader over several adults. Girlfriend, Darla, is a powerhouse, super skilled, wonder woman. In fact, most of the improvements to the groups homestead would not have been possible without Darla's knowledge and skills. (behind every great man, is an even greater and more powerful woman).

Alex and Darla’s group of survivors' challenge is to create a sustainable future. When the neighboring town's food runs out, they turn against each other and attack. The other town's attacks and those random groups of survivors turned cannibal don’t help their odds.

I don’t usually read these apocalyptic type books. This is probably the 1st one I’ve read. I wasn’t aware there were 2 previous books; that this was the 3rd in a series. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the book. I wish I had read the previous 2 books. It would have added more depth to the stories for me.
It was a great read and I guess I’ll be adding this genre to my reading list – as long as there are no zombies.

reviews also shared via Twitter @Moonshinearts, Facebook via Moonshineart & MoonShineArtSpot, LinkedIn, G+, Goodreads, Amazon, and http://moonshineartspot.blogspot.com/2017/01/review-sunrise.html by both bloggers Lisa Miller & Aunt Meanie (co-blogger).

I was given the opportunity to read an electronic copy of Sunrise via NetGalley and Tanglewood Press. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Having read Sunrise previously, I was glad to be given the chance to read it again with a fresh pair of eyes. Alex and Darla have been strong main characters throughout the series, but they really make the transition to adults in this book. The chance to lead a community and protect it from outside harm is nothing new in postapocalyptic fiction, but the author did a good job of allowing the reader to relate to the main characters in a meaningful way. Alex and Darla are the center, the ones that their friends and family look to in times of crisis. As the community struggles to survive in the new world, challenges are presented that threaten their very existence.

The first book in the trilogy, Ashfall, was the best of the three. Ashfall contained an interesting premise and was a fresh take on a survival novel. Sunrise, although it does include nonstop action and a fast paced plot, bothered me because the main characters are always taking chances and getting into trouble. Considering the fact that they have had enough time to take stock of their changed world and the inhabitants within it, it would seem more likely that they would have learned how to exist as safely as they could. That being said, the author left nothing on the table and gave a strong conclusion to the series. I look forward to reading more by author Mike Mullin in the future, as his characters are relatable and his plots are interesting.