"Where the Sun Rises is a novel told from alternating viewpoints of two childhood friends: Karin and Roza...It's a heart wrenching story of two women who give up everything to protect their families and the land that they love...Both women face heartbreaking losses and choose to fight for the YPJ out of fierce love for their families...This novel traces the journey two highly educated young women take to become tough, skillful militia fighters...Karin and Roza's courage will catch you and make you wonder at their ability to persevere. They are ordinary women who respond to extraordinary circumstances. I cried throughout this story, and what I took from the ending was that we all have the ability to fight for what we love when the situation demands it, though the cost we pay is very high." -  Manhattan Book Review
"Where the Sun Rises is an ambitious,compassionate and powerful novel. Sensory memories accessed through scents and tastes are used brilliantly to evoke the physical strain, tenderness andrevulsion of war for female soldiers in the fight against ISIS. Their story deserves a far wider readership and Strong's achievement lies in her ability to take usinto their dangerous world." - Dr. Toby Davidson, Lecturer, Macquarie University, Sydney.  
"Powerful and credible. An eye-opener to a story werarely hear." Dr. Lynne Spender, UTS Lecturer, Sydney.
"A wonderfully unique read, highlighting the horrors of war while exploring the relationships between women determined to fight and protect their region. At times harrowing and heart-wrenching but also filled with hope. Well worth a read." Goodreads Reviewer Dawn Brookes.
"The beauty of this novel is in its rich exploration of the characters of Roza and Karin. Their story is told with compassion, feminine understanding and gentle humour. Suzanne Strong's skill and thorough research takes you deep into the lives and struggles of these Kurdish women in a memorable, compelling and emotionally touching read." Heather Preston.

...In 2015 after watching a lot of documentaries on the women fighting Daesh in Syria - I thought to myself, what if we could see this war through their eyes? I was in awe of their courage and the choices they had to make and how courageous they were in standing up to this enemy. I wanted to write a tale of devotion to your friends and family, but also about the sheer courage of these real women. I had a central plot from the beginning, and two main characters in my mind. 
There is a dearth of books about war written a female perspective, depicting their comradery and personal experience, their heroism and courage. So I wanted to do this in honour of these women I had researched. I must stress that my two main characters are fictional, but the facts around the women's lives are real. 
Over three years, I undertook more than 2000 hours of research. This included watching documentaries, reading articles, information, learning Kurdish language, cultural customs, food, and contacting the female militia groups, Kurdish organisations and individuals who had fought in thewar. All of the Kurdish people I contacted were very excited and supportive of Where the Sun Rises. I travelled to the middle east and looked from the Golan Heights into Syria, seeing the devastation for myself. I also wanted to experience the atmosphere, culture, history, tastes, light, sound and sensory elements of this area. 
This is how Where the Sun Rises was conceived and birthed. Thanks for reading. Kind regards, Suzanne