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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
This is probably the most anticipated book of this year for me. It isn't just because Warren is such a great author, but she ended the first book with a major cliffhanger to set up this book. I have very eagerly waiting for this book to come out, often thinking "how could she do that to her readers?!"
The wait was definitely worth it. This was mostly a fast paced read, with at least half of it taking place in Nigeria. I learned a lot about Nigerian customs and food, and I will say if it came down to dying or eating some of it - i.e. a fish head - I might choose dying.
Book #1 featured Dodge, and this book features the second of the triplets: Ranger. This book also brings all three brothers together for the first time in ten years, and they are a force to be reckoned with.
Sunburst is classified as a contemporary romance, but it is definitely more of a suspense novel with all that goes on in the book: Muslim kidnappers/terrorists, Russian bad guys, several narrow escapes, hospital visits, and more. And of course romance. Ranger and Noemi were such an awesome team and couple, though it took pretty much the whole book for them to admit it, which just made the story all the more entertaining.
I waited until I could read Sunburst uninterrupted, and finished it in almost one sitting - took my three nephews out to lunch - then it was back to Ranger and Noemi. It was definitely hard to put down.
In addition to a great story, the author hit on themes of trusting God, and of God truly seeing us and caring about us. Those points gotten across in a very non-preaching way.
The book had an awesome satisfying ending worthy of such an awesome read, and then the author set up the next book with another cliffhanger. I am definitely looking forward to the third and final book, Colt's story.
I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.
The wait was definitely worth it. This was mostly a fast paced read, with at least half of it taking place in Nigeria. I learned a lot about Nigerian customs and food, and I will say if it came down to dying or eating some of it - i.e. a fish head - I might choose dying.
Book #1 featured Dodge, and this book features the second of the triplets: Ranger. This book also brings all three brothers together for the first time in ten years, and they are a force to be reckoned with.
Sunburst is classified as a contemporary romance, but it is definitely more of a suspense novel with all that goes on in the book: Muslim kidnappers/terrorists, Russian bad guys, several narrow escapes, hospital visits, and more. And of course romance. Ranger and Noemi were such an awesome team and couple, though it took pretty much the whole book for them to admit it, which just made the story all the more entertaining.
I waited until I could read Sunburst uninterrupted, and finished it in almost one sitting - took my three nephews out to lunch - then it was back to Ranger and Noemi. It was definitely hard to put down.
In addition to a great story, the author hit on themes of trusting God, and of God truly seeing us and caring about us. Those points gotten across in a very non-preaching way.
The book had an awesome satisfying ending worthy of such an awesome read, and then the author set up the next book with another cliffhanger. I am definitely looking forward to the third and final book, Colt's story.
I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.
Who knew Nigeria and Alaska could meld so well into one book! I thought the move toward God was really well done and very realistic. Just when I thought it was starting to drag, it picked right up. Also love how SMW interlaces characters and storylines from other books into her new books. It takes a lot of talent- she does it well! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.
“Pain is just weakness leaving the body.”
This one is an adrenaline rush! Warren has crafted a high-stakes, globetrotting romantic adventure set against the backdrop of culturally rich Nigeria and the wild frontier of Alaska. It starts off with Ranger Kingston, a former Navy SEAL, who heads to Nigeria to save his brother, Colt, and an aid worker, Noemi Sutton, who have been kidnapped by terrorists. Your heart will be pounding as you read about hostage situations, flying bullets, Boko Haram infiltrations, and the SEAL rescue attempts. I loved this five-star reading experience because Warren took me deep inside the world of Navy SEALS and to a country I’ve never visited.
Warren’s Christian character development is second to none! She crafts her characters so that they continually push themselves towards introspection and then effortlessly allows us to see how they deal with inner struggles brought about by their external situations. The concept of being shaped and molded by God in the heat of the battle is appealing to me. That’s real life! Ranger’s exploration of God’s abandonment and his lack of trust felt so authentic. Warren reminds readers of the SEAL phrase “The only easy day was yesterday,’ and that if we are prepared and ready to face our battles head-on, we can, with God’s help, turn every battle into a victory. I needed to read that today. Warren’s ability to surprise me with her character’s actions never fails. Just when I’m convinced what direction the story is going to take next, her characters stubbornly stomp off in the opposite direction! I love following them and seeing how they work out their redemption, trust and reliance on faith for themselves. My favourite line, and one I’ll not forget, is “every time my world gets darker, I see God more.” As I stood on the deck tonight sailing towards Copper Mountain, I looked up at the clear sky, thought of Ranger and was reminded of this revelation.
The Kingston boys are dreamy, but Noemi is my new favourite character. I loved the tension and the vulnerability and how she and Kingston played off each other. I see a lot of myself in Noemi! I enjoyed the references to her culture and am now dying to try jollof rice, owho soup, akara, chin chin, and fufu. Most of all, I loved the authentic touches of pidgin English. I’ve kept one for my own use: “Heaven almighty, Gon don butta my bread!”
Warren writes to evoke empathy and challenges us to overcome fear. Her transitions to different points of view and different plot lines kept me on my toes.
As we continue our sail towards Copper Mountain on our Alaskan cruise, I’m watching out for Roy. If I see him, I’ll be sure to run in the opposite direction!
I was gifted this advance copy by the author and publishers and was under no obligation to provide a review.
This one is an adrenaline rush! Warren has crafted a high-stakes, globetrotting romantic adventure set against the backdrop of culturally rich Nigeria and the wild frontier of Alaska. It starts off with Ranger Kingston, a former Navy SEAL, who heads to Nigeria to save his brother, Colt, and an aid worker, Noemi Sutton, who have been kidnapped by terrorists. Your heart will be pounding as you read about hostage situations, flying bullets, Boko Haram infiltrations, and the SEAL rescue attempts. I loved this five-star reading experience because Warren took me deep inside the world of Navy SEALS and to a country I’ve never visited.
Warren’s Christian character development is second to none! She crafts her characters so that they continually push themselves towards introspection and then effortlessly allows us to see how they deal with inner struggles brought about by their external situations. The concept of being shaped and molded by God in the heat of the battle is appealing to me. That’s real life! Ranger’s exploration of God’s abandonment and his lack of trust felt so authentic. Warren reminds readers of the SEAL phrase “The only easy day was yesterday,’ and that if we are prepared and ready to face our battles head-on, we can, with God’s help, turn every battle into a victory. I needed to read that today. Warren’s ability to surprise me with her character’s actions never fails. Just when I’m convinced what direction the story is going to take next, her characters stubbornly stomp off in the opposite direction! I love following them and seeing how they work out their redemption, trust and reliance on faith for themselves. My favourite line, and one I’ll not forget, is “every time my world gets darker, I see God more.” As I stood on the deck tonight sailing towards Copper Mountain, I looked up at the clear sky, thought of Ranger and was reminded of this revelation.
The Kingston boys are dreamy, but Noemi is my new favourite character. I loved the tension and the vulnerability and how she and Kingston played off each other. I see a lot of myself in Noemi! I enjoyed the references to her culture and am now dying to try jollof rice, owho soup, akara, chin chin, and fufu. Most of all, I loved the authentic touches of pidgin English. I’ve kept one for my own use: “Heaven almighty, Gon don butta my bread!”
Warren writes to evoke empathy and challenges us to overcome fear. Her transitions to different points of view and different plot lines kept me on my toes.
As we continue our sail towards Copper Mountain on our Alaskan cruise, I’m watching out for Roy. If I see him, I’ll be sure to run in the opposite direction!
I was gifted this advance copy by the author and publishers and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Despite the dozens of fantastic books I've read by Warren, I was amused to only just now have the thought that all of her books follow the exact same plot. Boy and girl will be in love but obstacles/their past/they don't know each other yet, so something happens and they are stuck alone together in a catastrophic emergency situation and come out happily in love. BUT, the crazy thing is that Warren has come up with SO MANY emergency situations and catastrophes (and each well researched!) that each book is still one you can't put down. And this one is no exception--be prepared to read it until you've seen them safely home!
I received an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley--all opinions are my own.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley--all opinions are my own.
I truly don't know how Susan May Warren manages to a) come up with so many clever and discrete plots, given how incredibly prolific she is--love it!!--and b) interweave characters and plot references across so many of her series, and keep them all straight! It's amazing!
Readers of the Marshall Family and Global Search & Rescue series will particularly enjoy the ongoing Easter eggs here in this series/book, though it's not necessary to have read them prior.
The book reads as though it were taken straight out of recent headlines; I couldn't help but remember Boko Haram's terrible kidnappings of 276 Chibok schoolgirls in 2014. (As of last summer, 112 remain missing. :'( Nor was this an isolated incident, unfortunately.) I pray Warren's book encourages readers to continue to pray and advocate for rescue and change--both physically and spiritually.
Similar to both aforementioned series, the action doesn't stop here in _Sunburst_. I liked it better than _Sunrise_ (book 1 in the series), I think because I had a better idea at this point of alllll the characters :D and how they all fit together! And as ever, Warren included some powerful zingers of spiritual truth. She weaved the gospel in throughout, as well as did a great job at challenging especially Ranger and Noemi to trust each other, their family members, and ultimately their Creator.
It was great to get to know the Kingston family (et al!) better, and I look forward to reading their ongoing adventures in the next book.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Readers of the Marshall Family and Global Search & Rescue series will particularly enjoy the ongoing Easter eggs here in this series/book, though it's not necessary to have read them prior.
The book reads as though it were taken straight out of recent headlines; I couldn't help but remember Boko Haram's terrible kidnappings of 276 Chibok schoolgirls in 2014. (As of last summer, 112 remain missing. :'( Nor was this an isolated incident, unfortunately.) I pray Warren's book encourages readers to continue to pray and advocate for rescue and change--both physically and spiritually.
Similar to both aforementioned series, the action doesn't stop here in _Sunburst_. I liked it better than _Sunrise_ (book 1 in the series), I think because I had a better idea at this point of alllll the characters :D and how they all fit together! And as ever, Warren included some powerful zingers of spiritual truth. She weaved the gospel in throughout, as well as did a great job at challenging especially Ranger and Noemi to trust each other, their family members, and ultimately their Creator.
It was great to get to know the Kingston family (et al!) better, and I look forward to reading their ongoing adventures in the next book.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Sunburst is the second book in the Sky King Ranch series. I HIGHLY recommend reading the first book, Sunrise, before diving into this one. There are several story threads that continue from Sunrise to Sunburst and from Sunburst into Sundown (coming 11/22).
Susan May Warren ramped up the action and suspense in this second installment. A lot is going on with the characters: secrets, second chance romance (slow-burn), reconciliation, character growth, healing, and so much more. Half the story takes place in Nigeria and the other half is in Alaska, both great locations, in my opinion.
I like that this series revolves around the Kingston brothers, and it has been interesting seeing them interact with each other through the first two books. I can't wait until Sundown comes out to read Colt and Tae's story.
Thank you to Revell for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Susan May Warren ramped up the action and suspense in this second installment. A lot is going on with the characters: secrets, second chance romance (slow-burn), reconciliation, character growth, healing, and so much more. Half the story takes place in Nigeria and the other half is in Alaska, both great locations, in my opinion.
I like that this series revolves around the Kingston brothers, and it has been interesting seeing them interact with each other through the first two books. I can't wait until Sundown comes out to read Colt and Tae's story.
Thank you to Revell for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Another great read by Susan May Warren like the first book in the series this one is also action packed and full of suspense too. I had wondered what happened to the lady Echo and Dodge had found. I enjoyed hearing more about their family and about Ranger too. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series and finding out what happens next.
adventurous
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sunrise, book 1 of the Sky King Ranch trilogy, wrapped up well but also gave us a super compelling teaser for Sunburst. I had to immediately dig into Sunburst, and I loved it even more than the first book. Everything in this book happened at break-neck speed, but without sacrificing character development and backstory.
This is the story of Ranger, the youngest of the Kingston triplets. He’s the most serious of the three, and knew from a very early age that he wanted to be a Navy SEAL. When our story begins, he and Dodge have gone to Nigeria to rescue Colt, their other triplet brother, who has been kidnapped by terrorists. Ranger is shocked to find Noemi, the woman he had a whirlwind romance with four years ago, is also among the hostages. From this moment of discovery and the rescue that ensues, Warren takes her readers on a wild ride through terror-laced jungles to the palace of local royalty, before finally returning to the brutal beauty of Alaska.
Like its predecessor, Sunburst is a second chance romance. Whereas Sunrise was all about forgiveness, this book is more about conquering the fears that live in the core of yourself. It’s about trusting God with the uncertainty of your future, and believing that He has good plans, even when you can’t see them.
Ranger and Noemi were both instantly compelling characters. I was especially enamored with Noemi from the moment she stepped onto the page. This woman is fierce. The only daughter of a Navy SEAL Master Chief, she had a level of training to her early years that most soldiers don’t experience until boot camp. This makes her incredibly independent, and she has a lot of (well-founded) faith in herself. What she doesn’t have faith in is her worth to others, and it is this belief that she’s not worth the trouble of others that underpins her story. And we see the other side of her family, the Nigerian heritage from her mother, come into play, as well.
The actual plot here was tense, as Ranger and Noemi were on the run from terrorists. This plot also laid more groundwork for Sundown, the final installment in the trilogy. As with Sunrise, there was a strong sense of place that Warren depicted beautifully. I’ve grown to love her writing. Her pacing and tension, her character growth and relationship development, are all incredibly engaging. She also does a wonderful job weaving in her faith elements. If Sunrise was about God’s forgiveness, Sunburst was about God’s care and compassion for those who don’t feel deserving of it. It was beautifully handled.
There are a couple of writing quirks that I don’t love (like the overuse of certain words), but they’re very subjective. I’m thrilled to have found Warren’s work. She scratches an itch for me that I didn’t realize I was missing. There are authors whose books I used to love who told very similar stories with similar characters and dynamics, but whose content I now try to avoid. Warren has given me all the things I miss without the guilt I used to feel after reading those books. Not only do I have her entire backlog to work through, I can now search for similar authors, as well. I didn’t realize that Christian stories of this caliber existed in this genre, and I’m thrilled to know that they do.
One word of caution: If you pick up this book, make sure that you have Sundown on hand. Talk about a cliffhanger!