Twilight

Reviewed by Dayna Davis, LDSFiles.com Staff Writer

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Published by Little, Brown and Company.

Retail Price: $9.99 Available here

Bella Swan moves to Forks, Washington, to live with her father and to give her mother and her new husband some space. She anticipates being very bored in her new life. But Edward Cullen in school immediately intrigues her. She learns right away that he is not what he appears to be. She is drawn into a relationship with him, and even the knowledge that he's a vampire doesn't intimidate her. But is it a safe relationship to be in?

I thought for a long time before posting this review. But there are a few things that I feel I must say, so here goes. The good stuff first; this book is extremely addicting. If you are looking for a book that you absolutely cannot put down, this is it. I know several people, myself included, that stayed up until 2 or 3 AM to finish it. Next, it is clean. There is a lot of kissing, and staring into each others eyes, but nothing graphic either for a vampire or a human to read. It is an excellent example of imagination and fantasy and the main characters really do come to life. Last, it is definitely not predictable in any way. It has a naivete that is charming. A more seasoned author would have taken advantage of some of the character quirks that she creates, and the lack of that happening in this book is most likely due to lack of experience. But in this book it works.

Now for the rest of my opinions. I think this book should definitely be looked at as rated PG-13 (or PG-15). Just because it's sold in Deseret Bookstores doesn't mean that it's safe for everyone. I suggest to all mothers out there, that they should be careful with letting their children or early teens read it. It portrays relationships in a way that is not healthy. The main characters are obsessive, predatory, controlling and driven. Would we be okay with letting our daughter's boyfriend stay in her bedroom with her all night? With her sneaking out and not being truthful with where she is going and what she is doing? And with whom? Just because he's a vampire and doesn't have the same motivations - doesn't make it safe. The father comes across as an idiot in this book and the daughter has no respect for him and his boundaries. Is that how we want our teenagers to view us? I think the same parental guidelines should be taken with this as with a movie or other suggestive subject matter. Parents should talk with their children about what is good and healthy, real and not. The addictive characteristics of this book should not be overlooked. Readers should not be impressionable. I like to compare it to a soap opera: very addictive, but very little substance.

Flying Home

Reviewed by Dayna Davis, LDSFiles.com Staff Writer

Flying Home by Rachel Ann Nunes. Published by Shadow Mountain.

Retail Price: $15.95 Available here

Liana Winn has never felt like she belonged. After her parents death when she was four, she came to live with her Aunt's family, but has always had difficulty fitting in. Her distant memories, and inability to allow herself to feel love for others, keeps her at arms length from those she wants to care about. When she meets Austin Walker, circumstances in her life begin to change and she comes to realize that she must make peace with her past.

This story by Rachel Ann Nunes is very different than any of her other books. The plot is more about the finding of oneself, than of romance. I realized when reading this book that there are a few truths presented. One is, the right relationship will provide what one needs when no one else can or has been able to. Sometimes it's one particular person that is needed in one's life. Number two is, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Liana needed to be at a specific point before she was ready to find the answers that she was seeking.

I really enjoyed this book. It gave me things to ponder about, and reason to be grateful for my blessings. I just wish there was more information given about places one could donate to. I had a strong urge to give to others less fortunate when I was done.

The Moroni Code

Reviewed by Dayna Davis, LDSFiles.com Staff Writer

The Moroni Code by Jack Lyon. Published by Deseret Book.

Retail Price: $15.95 Available here

FBI Agent David Hunter is given a special assignment. The Church is being blackmailed. He needs to decipher a code on a mysterious letter from Joseph Smith, or no one will be able to stop the letter from going public, which could cause dangerous repercussions to everyone.

Like most of the country, I've read "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. The name "The Moroni Code" implies a similar adventure by Jack Lyon. I was thinking that I would be reading a well-thought out, complicated adventure, that leaves one staggered at the end with the author's assumptions. But "The Moroni Code" is not at all the same.

"The Moroni Code" is for those interested in church history. The information on different types of codes, including the pigpen code, was truly fascinating. But, to be honest, this was not my favorite book. The characters were confusing, with many loose ends, and I was at a loss to understand what messages the author was trying to convey through most of the book. I think that if I was more interested in puzzles, codes, and translating the Book of Mormon, I would have been captivated. The author is obviously talented and well researched. I was just a little lost as to the purpose.