Kingdom Come

Kingdom Come is the 16th and final book in the Left Behind series by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim Lahaye. Kingdom Come takes place in what the Bible calls the "Millennial Reign," when Jesus has come to earth once again to dwell, and will reign for one thousand years until the final battle with Satan.

All of the characters from the entire Left Behind series have been reunited, a few having survived the Tribulation, and many of them having been martyrs and now having "glorified bodies." Buck, and Chloe Williams have begun a ministry for the children orphaned after the Tribulation. The ministry is for the purpose of ministering to those born after the return of Jesus, because, even though he literally dwells on earth, the Bible clearly states that many will still reject the power of God. Kingdom Come interprets what this may actually look like, as those who defy God amass an army so large it cannot be numbered, and God and his followers prepare for the fulfillment of the prophecy.

Reading Kingdom Come was very emotional for me. Reading the Left Behind series has really helped me personally in my own walk with Christ, and I have received a greater understanding and awe of God. Kingdom Come is the last book, and I'm sorry to see this wonderful series end. I highly recommend the entire Left Behind s
eries to anyone wanting to learn more about Christ and his love.

*****
AK

Glorious Appearing

Over the summer, I read Armageddon, which is the eleventh book in the Left Behind series. Since I read it over the summer, there will be no book review for Armageddon and this review is for Glorious Appearing, which is the twelfth and final book in the original Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. Glorious Appearing covers the end of the Battle of Armageddon foretold of in Revelation, as well as the return of Christ to earth.

The Antichrist, Nicolae Carpathia, has gathered troops from all across the globe to destroy the remainder of the Jewish people in Petra and Jerusalem. Antichrist's army and munitions are more than the world has ever seen and yet the Tribulation Force and the rest of the believers rest assured that this battle marks the end. Jesus is near, the devil has already lost, and soon the millennial reign will begin.

I cried at the end of Glorious Appearing. God has used this entire series to grow my own faith and trust in him. I also used to hate reading but this series has reignited my love for it and I'll be on the lookout for similar books. As for who should read the series, I would say 12 and over; in the last books especially, there are a lot of scenes depicting horrible persecution of Christians and it might be too much for young readers so I would recommend that they wait a few years. I also suggest following along in Revelation as you go through the series, as it really makes you marvel at the promises God has made of what is to come. Once again, I highly recommend Glorious Appearing and the whole Left Behind book series

*****

AK 

Desecration

Desecration is the ninth Left Behind book by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim Lahaye. Set shortly after the midway point of the Tribulation and a month into the Great Tribulation, Desecration covers the Israelite flight to Petra, and the Mark of the Beast.

The Tribulation Force organizes its hideout in Chicago and prepares for the pending persecution of Christ followers by the hand of Antichrist
Nicolae Carpathia. Rayford, Buck, and new believer Chaim Rosenzweig head for Israel to aid Jews who do not follow Carpathia and need to escape quickly.

This was a very emotional book for me personally. I found it very sobering to look at the actual prophesies in Revelation next to this interpretation of what it may look like. Because, while this is fiction, it's based off of a real event that we must watch for. Give Desecration a try; it's really good.

*****
AK

The Mark

The Mark by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye is the ninth Left Behind book. The Mark is set halfway through the Tribulation foretold of in the Bible and ushers in the Great Tribulation.

The time where the Tribulation Saints can have any sort of freedom is drawing to a close. The newly-risen-from-the-dead Antichrist is about to implement a law that requires a microchip embedded in the forehead or right hand in order to buy or sell. Those who do not accept this mark must die according to the law.

I read this entire book in about three days. The story line was captivating and, once again, there were many Scripture verses listed that made me open up my Bible and read for myself. I absolutely love the Left Behind series and highly recommend The Mark

*****
AK

The Indwelling

The Indwelling is the seventh book in the Left Behind series by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, The Indwelling, unlike the six books before it, only spans a few days rather than months.

After the assassination of the Antichrist, Nicolae Carpathia, the world descends into further chaos. Rayford and Buck must escape New Babylon and reunite with the rest of the Tribulation Force. But plans go awry when Buck attempts to take a non-believer back with him in hopes that he will be saved.

This book was a pressure cooker of tension. The whole book leads up to the resurrection of the Antichrist, foretold of in Revelation. There was a difference in pacing in The Indwelling from the other books, as it seems that all of Book 7 takes place in less than a week. It wasn't my favorite in the series, but I still highly recommend The Indwelling.

*****
                                      AK

Assassins

Assassins is Book 6 in Tim LaHaye and Jerry B Jenkins' Left Behind series. Closing in on the halfway point of the tribulation and the death and resurrection of the Antichrist, this is perhaps the most suspenseful Left Behind book yet.

The Tribulation Force has been hiding out in its safe house. All they can really do is wait. Tempers are short, though, and all of a sudden a woman they've harbored takes it upon herself to kill the Antichrist, Nicolae Carpathia. Rayford and Buck must track her down.

The suspense buildup of Assassins was very well done. As with the prior Left Behind books, it was hard to put this one down and I finished it in a matter of days! If you're also a fan of Left Behind, then try out Assassins; it won't disappoint.

*****
AK

Apollyon

Apollyon is book five in the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. Apollyon is set after the Rapture of God's church and follows the Tribulation Saints as they fight to survive and make it till when God comes to reign on earth.

Rayford Steele is no longer in the employ of the Antichrist, Nicolae Carpathia, and now focuses on leading the Tribulation Force as it sees firsthand prophesy coming to life. First 144,000 Jewish witnesses spring up. Then the Trumpet Judgments continue, with a third of the sun, moon, and stars going dark, and a plague of terrible locusts coming to earth.

This series always amazes me because it's obvious how much research the authors did. Real Scripture is tied into these books and they've helped me want to read the actual Bible more! If you liked the first four Left Behind books, then give Apollyon a try

*****
AK

Soul Harvest

Soul Harvest by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins is the fourth installment of the Left Behind book series. Soul Harvest is set after the worldwide earthquake foretold of in Revelation and follows the Tribulation Saints as they search for loved ones in the wreckage of a cursed world.

After the worldwide earthquake, the Tribulation Force is scattered. Most are in America, while Rayford Steele is in Babylon, still working as the pilot for Nicolae Carpathia, the Antichrist. Prophecies continue to come true and the Tribulation Saints are marked on their foreheads to be recognized as the world takes sides for either God or the Devil.

I can't say enough good things about this book, complete with Scripture references that I looked up myself. It's amazing to see this book as an educated guess about what the world could be coming to. Reading Soul Harvest alongside of Revelation helped me focus on the Scriptures themselves, which I loved. If you are interested in dystopia, prophecy, religion, or Bible study, I highly recommend Soul Harvest.

*****
AK

Nicolae

Nicolae is the third installment of the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. Nicolae is set after the Rapture of God's church and after a year and a half of peace prophesied about in Revelation. Nicolae focuses on the tribulation saints and the beginning of The Apocalypse.

Rayford Steele, his wife, daughter, and son-in-law are shell-shocked from the recent death of their pastor, who died in an explosion from people rebelling against the anti-christ, for whom Rayford and his son-in-law, Buck, both work! As World War III breaks out across the globe and prophesies are seen fulfilled left and right, the only question is: will they survive to see the Second Coming, or will they die martyrs to Nicolae Carpathia, the anti-christ?

I loved this book and I loved the two before it, because, even though it's fiction, it's also a prediction and a reminder of the love, forgiveness, and power of God that we all need but sometimes choose not to see even when it's right in front of us. The subject matter of these books, though, could be hard to comprehend, and I would recommend the Left Behind series to ages 13 and up.

*****
AK

Lighthouse

Lighthouse, by Eugenia Price, is the first book in the Saint Simon's trilogy. It's a retelling of the building of the first lighthouse built on Saint Simons Island and follows the life of James Gould, who eventually built that lighthouse.

James Gould is portrayed as a very somber, matter of fact young man who has never been without responsibility. His father was badly injured in the Revolutionary War and can really only sit in the house all day. His mother has never really paid James any mind and always assumed that he would take care of himself. James' brother, Horace, is his mother's favorite; he has a very happy go lucky disposition that everyone but James finds charming. After his father dies, James goes off to find work as a builder, his adventures take him all sorts of places, and he becomes a successful business man. His dream is to build a lighthouse, though, and that dream seems too out of reach for a logical man like James.

I enjoyed this book; it was a sweet story of a somber man finding love, joy, and success. If you like historical fiction, then try out Lighthouse. It's a win!


*****
AK

The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax

The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gillman was written in 1970 and is the second book in the Emily Pollifax series. It's about an elderly widow named Emily Pollifax who becomes a CIA agent and is sent on many an adventure.

The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax opens in New Brunswick, New Jersey on Emily Pollifax as she plans out her week. All of a sudden her CIA superior calls and gives her half an hour to get ready to leave for Turkey. She quickly packs and leaves on a plane; afterwards she learns that her mission is to make contact with a Russian spy who needs help defecting to the free world. Of course, it's not an easy trip and Mrs. Pollifax will face all sorts of troubles, including jail!

I honestly don't know if I liked this book or not; I'm still not sure if a story about an elderly lady becoming a spy is a good idea, but it definitely was a cute book. If it sounds interesting to you, give it a try.

*****

AK

Left Behind

Left Behind is a novel written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, It's set in the future and depicts the end of the world and God's rapture of his church. It is the first in the Left Behind series, which is 16 books in total.

The book opens on a jet as the pilot, Captain Rayford Steele, considers having an affair with one of the stewardesses. He's grown tired of his wife and her ideas of God and the end times and feels justified to pursue the affair. But all ideas are quickly forgotten as half of the passengers disappear without a trace and the same happens all around the world. Rayford quickly realizes that God has come and he has been left behind.

I couldn't put this book down! I loved how the authors tied their interpretation of the end times to actual prophesy in the Bible. I look forward to reading the next book and I recommend this one to anyone interested in philosophy, religion, or prophecy.

*****
AK

Dune

Dune is a science fiction book written by Frank Herbert. It is set in the far future on the distant planet Arrakis, the spice planet.

As the book opens, each of the planets is ruled by a great house. The duke, Leto, of House Atreids is ordered to transfer to the desert planet Arrakis. He suspects it is an attempt on his life but continues with the assignment. After the palace is overrun and Leto is killed, his son Paul must flee into the desert with his mother. They find shelter with desert dwellers, who believe Paul to be their messiah.

I liked this book and would like to read more in the series. It is a very long novel and I would not suggest that anyone below twelve read it because of the sheer length.

*****

AK

The Virginian

There are so many stories about the Old West, a time all its own and uniquely strange. We have all heard stories of the West: the vast open plains and prairies full of tumbleweed and framed by tall snow capped mountains; the lonely towns sitting out in the desert with a few dusty cowboys walking about; the saloon and the bank, the church that doubles as a school; all covered by a thin layer of humidity and sand. And we see the cowboy on his horse, the righteous character of the story, a tall man with a dark hat pulled over his eyes This is what we call the Old West; this is what we are used to. The Virginian by Owen Wister is all this and more; it shows the Old West the way we know it but also with a bit of something new.

No one really knows who The Virginian is; he is many different things. To his boss he is a hard working man who can be trusted, to his friends he is a quiet, stoic man who can drink them under the table anytime, and to his few enemies he is a force to be reckoned with and a fast gun. But he is still a mystery to everyone - a man with seemingly no past, no family, and no permanent home. Then Molly Wood comes to town. She is fiercely independent and The Virginian's opposite in every way. But when fate throws these two together, they can become a perfect team. The Virginian may be the only person who can tame Molly, and she might be the only person The Virginian will open up to.

This book was very interesting to read. Written in 1902, it is very much a product of its time; the language is very eloquent and flowery, which made it a little hard to read at times. There are also some very long chapters. The biggest problem with this book is the way in which it is written. While it starts out as a second person narrative, the character who is narrating slowly falls out of the story and he is replaced by a third person narrator. These two narratives switch back and forth over the course of the book, making it a little hard to read and a little mentally jarring. What I did like about this book, though, was how neatly if finished. Many things happen in the book and I thought a lot of them were going to get lost at the end, but every one of them is finalized and ended by the last chapter, leaving me with a sense of satisfaction. The ending itself is also wonderful with a nice aftertaste of happiness and joy. Aside from a few things, this book was very good and worth at least a try - another notch to add to my classic books holster (pun intended.)

*****
RJ

Cast Two Shadows

In 1776, the colonists of America started a war against Great Britain. They began a fight for freedom from tyranny, daring to dream of a free country. While the revolution started out as a grand and glorious fight for liberty, it soon became very obvious that war was nothing to be proud of; it kills young men in the fields, destroys families forever, and sets father and son against each other. But for the cause of liberty the patriots fought on through the war and bought their freedom dearly. Cast Two Shadows by Ann Rinaldi paints a picture of the end of the revolution perfectly. Through the eyes of a young southern girl, we see the other side of the war and exactly what fighting does to families.

Caroline has people hanging inside her - not literally, but she has seen things. She has seen the horrible things that the British have done; she's seen what war can do. The British killed her friend, a boy she had grown up with. It all happened so fast. One moment he was with her, her childhood friend, riding over the hills with her and the next he was just a hanging body in a tree. He's gone but he still hangs inside Caroline, and she is determined that she will not let anyone else hand beside him. So when Caroline has the chance to save her brother's life, she goes to help him. But the way to him is full of danger and British soldiers. Will Caroline be able to save her brother in time and will she learn something about herself along the way?

I loved this book, while it is probably below my reading level it was still great. It was a little slow to start but Ann Rinaldi still offers up and interesting perspective of the Revolutionary War from the point of view of the south. The pacing was almost perfect and Rinaldi's characters and descriptions jumped right off the page. I do recommend that only kids 12 and up read this book, as there is a bit of langues and several chapters with gruesome descriptions and thing that might upset younger children. Parents should also be aware that the book mentions things like mistresses and "confusing" family angles. But, in general, this was a good book and I thoroughly enjoyed it and think it is worth a read.

*****
RJ

The Captivity of the Oatman Girls

The Captivity of the Oatman Girls is a retelling of the true story of Olive, Mary Anne, and Lorenzo Oatman. Published in 1857, it told by the actual Lorenzo and Olive, and gives a good example of Native American life, and Culture.

The Oatman family had been traveling to California when the Apache tribe attacked. Young Olive and Mary Anne were captured and Lorenzo was left for dead. All the others were massacred. Along the way with their captors, the girls faced poor living conditions, malnutrition, and death, but nothing stopped their brother on his journey to find them.

i recommend this book to any adventure lover or anyone curious about Native American culture. It was a great read, and i will read it again

*****
AK

Beauty's Daughter

Beauty's Daughter by Carolyn Meyer is the story of what might have happened to Helen of Troy's daughter as she grew up on a war front without a mother.

Hermione was the daughter of King Menelaus and the spectacular beauty, Queen Helen. taking totally after her father, and her brother taking after Helen, Hermione was a bit resentful until Paris of Troy came and spirited Helen and her brother away. Left with her vengeance-seeking father, Hermione will journey to far off troy for a great war.

I very much enjoyed this book. I have read it twice for its beautiful composition of suspense, action, and romance. I recommend it to you if you are interested in those things, for Beauty's Daughter has it all.


*****
AK

Standing in the Light

Standing in the Light by Mary Pope Osborn is a book written in diary format about a young Quaker girl in Pennsylvania in 1763. Her family's small cabin is surrounded by a small community, forest, and the many natives hiding there.

Catherine Carey Logan's biggest problem seemed to be young Jess Owen. They had been friends last year, but this year she was either tongue tied, or saying too much. When it felt like nothing could possibly be worse, an Indian attack came, and her  brother and she were taken, then split apart to live in different camps. She will struggle to survive in  her new home with her new "family."

I read this book in a short amount of time. It was engaging and quick and I recommend it to really anyone. It is an adventurous, imaginative story of events that would actually happen on the frontier.


*****
AK

Captain from Castile

Captain from Castile by Samuel Shellabarger is an adventure book set in the 16th century, when the Inquisition ruled and a new world of treasure awaited.

Pedro de Vargas is a young, wealthy Spanish youth. His father is an elderly and respected knight. Pedro has everything he would ever want but when his family is taken by the Inquisition, he must set them free and travel to the new world of Mexico for a new life.

This was a great book. I recommend it to anyone 13 and up. There is some questionable content when a woman becomes pregnant without being married and this is celebrated. Other than that, it's a good book.

*****
AK

Calico Captive

Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare is an adventure and travel story set shortly before the French and Indian War which stretches from Charleston all the way to an Indian camp, and then to Montreal.

Young Miriam Willard, who lives with her sister, would have never guessed that the next step after seeing her first party and getting her first beau was being rudely awakened and captured by wild Indians. Then she was dragged through dense foliage with her pregnant sister and her family to who knows where or why.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates history or to anyone who enjoys heart-warming family stories. I wouldn't put an age limit on Calico Captive because it is truly captivating for all ages

*****
AK