(Books 1-5)Left Behind: The Kids

[Ivy]

The Vanishings
This books tells how Judd Thompson, Vicki Byrne, Lionel Washington, and Ryan Daley meet and realize there is hope after the massive disappearances. It starts with Judd(16) who after being asked to bring in the mail, finds a credit card that mistakingly has his name instead of his father's. He steals the card and plans his escape from what he thinks is his horriblely "churchy" family. After a few days, he tells his parents he's going to the library to study but instead goes to O'Hare and hopes on a plane to England. Next we see Vicki(14) two years ago when her parents and little sister are converted by a pastor who comes to preach at the weekend dance. After that she becomes more and more rebellious, doing drugs, drinking, and smoking. She refuses to buy into the "church thing" even after seeing a change in her parents. Lionel's(13) next as we see him growing up in a Christian family and pretending to believe but not really thinking it's true. He talks with his Uncle Andre and finds out that he doesn't believe either. He worries about it but decides not to tell anyone. Finally there's Ryan(12), who's family has no interest in church. But his friend Raymie Steele, is excited when he and his mom start going to a new church called New Hope Village. Raymie's dad is Rayford Steele from the adult left behind. While on the airplane (who's pilot is Rayford)Judd wakes up to find that people are missing. Realising that the rapture has happened, he wants to get back home and try to make things right when he realises that if he's right his family will be gone too. The night before the Rapture, Vicki was out late with some friends. She sneaks back in the house and falls asleep. The next morning she wakes up to find her mom, dad, and little sister gone with only their clothes in the bed. She tries to call a friend from the bus who tried to tell her something about this. She connects but only Lionel answers. Vicki tells him that she is going down to her parents church later that day. He agrees to come to. She also tries to call her brother in college, but find that he is gone too. Lionel was sleeping in his basement with his uncle Andre when he wakes up and finds that it's late in the morning. Hearing the phone ring he goes to answer it and finds out that his mom never left for work. He find the clothes of his mom, dad, and sisters, and wakes up his uncle. His uncle leaves while Lionel calls his church to find out if anyone is there. He finds the assistant pastor was left. After telling him he would be fine he get the call from Vicki and starts to the church. Ryan wakes up that morning and sees a note from his mother telling him she went to go pick up his dad and not to leave the house. After several hours of not hearing from her he get a call from a police officer telling him that his mom died in a gas explosion. He runs down to Raymie's house and finds Rayford there with Raymie and his mom's clothes. He sees his dad's name on a list of plane crash victims and not knowing where to go, he runs to Raymie's church. There all the kids meet Bruce Barnes, the visitation pastor who shows them a copy of a video that the pastor made for this time. After watching it he asks them whether or not there ready to accept Christ.

Second Chance
After splitting up from the church, Judd Thompson and Vicki Byrne go together to O'Hare to get Judd's car. Along the way they pray to receive Christ and band together as brother and sister in their new faith. Finding the parking lot hopelessly gridlocked they finally get the car out. Vicki asks Judd to take her to her trailer where she hopes to stay. Finding it burned to the ground, she has no choice but to stay with Judd at his house. Meanwhile, Lionel (who was the first to receive Christ) finds Ryan after he ran out of the church not wanting to hear that his parents are in Hell. They team up and go to Lionel's house to grab some of his stuff. There Lionel finds a message from his Uncle Andre telling Lionel He's going to kill himself. Not wanting that to happen, he and Ryan ride down to the hotel the Andre lives in only to find his Uncle being taken out in a body bag. Scared and now without any family, They go back to Ryan's house and spend the night in the back yard because Ryan is to scared to go in. The next day he convinces Ryan to go to his house to live. But after they get there they find that the house has been taken over by "friends" Of Andre. He goes and grabs some stuff and bolts. They then go to the church where they meet Judd and Vicki. After telling Bruce there good news they decide to move in with Judd.

Through the Flames
This book starts where Second Chance left off. After finding out that the body in the morgue was not his uncle, Lionel Washington starts trying to look for him before it's to late. After a disagreement, Ryan takes off from Judd's house. Wanting to prove that he's brave, He goes to Lionel's house which has been taken over by some of Lionel's uncle's "friends". He eavesdrops on a phone conversation between a women and Lionel's uncle. After being discovered, Ryan races off on his bike trying to out run the house occupants who have a van. Finally having run out of options he hides in his house and calls Bruce Barnes. When the other kids go to their meeting with Bruce they're worried about Ryan till Bruce tells them he got a phone call from Ryan telling him he'd be there. When Ryan gets there he tells the story and also adds that while he was being chased he decided to become a christian. Lionel finally finds out where Andre is staying and has someone take him there. After he leaves he and the other kids hear a gunshot and race back the the apartment. There they find it in flames. Lionel and Judd Race up the building to Andre's apartment to find him shot and dying. They get him out of the building but he dies right after. They find out he was shot by one of the people in Lionel's house named LeRoy Banks. They meet police officer, Tom Fogerty who promises to help them catch LeRoy and his associate Cornelius Grey.

Facing the Future
This is a book about when Jesus comes back to rapture the true believers of the church, which causes Judd, Vicki, Lionel, and Ryan to meet. In this book the kids help the Police arrest two wanted criminals. Paster Bruce Barnes, (who the kids found at New Hope Village Church) is teaching them about the events to come during the Tribulation. The kids and Bruce already know why they are there, they weren't true believers. But careful studying of the Bible shows that they can make sure they don't get left behind again on Jesus' second returning, and be prepared for the disastrous Tribulation before that time. But one question still remains... who is the Antichrist? They find out for sure near the end of the book when a journalist tells his nightmarish story of Nicolae Carpathia.

Nicolae High
A new challenge faces Judd, Vicki, Ryan, and Lionel, the main characters. They must take their newfound faith to the classrooms of Global Community Middle School and Nicolae Carpathia High. Danger awaits them. Should they obey the authorities, who outlaw carrying Bibles or even talking about God? Should they risk everything and speak the truth to their friends? Who can they trust?

Review:
First, let me start off by saying that I'm not the "Religious" type, but when my Aunt gave me the first book for Christmas a few years back, I was hooked on the first page. I really felt as though I could relate to each character in some way or another with their life, emotions, and the troubles they're facing. I went on to read books one through five, however, I picked up the sixth and began reading, but I think I found interest in another book or series. I do own all forty books in the Left Behind: The Kids 'Series', and I plan on someday starting over and eventually reaching the end to discover what happens to these four "Teens" who had to face the furies of hell and its' unleashed plagues that are meant to destroy the world and everything 'Left Behind'.

[Ivy]

I would have to say I'm most like Judd. When I was that age, I was trying to do anything to escape where I lived, who I was, and become someone completely different. Before I 'Officially' graduated High School, I was basically living with my boyfriend, who eventually became my fiancee'. We bought our own place and was in the process of moving out, I was still only 17. When we officially moved in, I was 18. I now make my own rules, do what I want - when I want, and don't have to hear, "Do this, Do that..." I will clean my room when I want to clean my room, I will watch as much TV as my heart desires, I will visit whatever sites I want to on the computer, I will have sex as many times a day I want without having to rush or worry about someone 'coming' home earlier, and I will continue to be me, and now I don't wear a mask. I'm Taylor Ivy, and the world knows it!