Heaven Bound: Speed Bumps on the Way to Perfection

Reviewed by Dayna Davis, LDSFiles.com Staff Writer

Heaven Bound: Speed Bumps on the Way to Perfection by Lynn C. Jaynes. Published by Covenant Communications, Inc.

Retail Price: $11.95 Available here

As many of you know, I'm really don't read very much non-fiction. I want to, and I enjoy it, but I have a short attention span and it can be very hard for me to focus on the author's words long enough to finish any non-fiction book in a timely manner. Now that I've said that, you need to know that I finished this particular book in one day.

This book is great! It's a book, targeted toward women, full of humorous stories, essays and inspiring messages about being better people, achieving goals, and seeking to serve those outside of ourselves. First, she starts the book with an introduction that ties all the following chapters together. The author has three goals for each day (and in the introduction she explains the background) to do something spiritual, something physical, and to do something of service. These are wonderful goals that I am finding to be attainable for myself - and not quite as overwhelming as the endless lists that we feel we must accomplish. Geneology, journals, scriptures, take meals to others, and all other worthy goals that we can sometimes feel we fall short of. This book is a great pep talk! It makes you laugh and not take yourself so seriously while still encouraging you to make your goals for personal development.

My favorite chapter was "Nephi's Psalm". It gave me a lot to think about and since then I've played around with writing "Dayna's Psalm". I think it can help me keep things in perspective. I have to mention, I also think that this would be a fabulous book to suggest for LDS book groups. It's fun, it's light, it has great discussion topics and there is a lot of material that would be easy to converse about.

Strangling Your Husband is Not an Option

Reviewed by Dayna Davis, LDSFiles.com Staff Writer

Strangling Your Husband is Not an option by Merrilee Browne Boyack. Published by Deseret Book.

Retail Price: $14.95 Available here

This book is by the same author of "The Parenting Breakthrough", my all-time favorite parenting book. I knew that if "The Parenting Breakthrough" was good, this one would be too. I wasn't wrong. What a great book for strengthening marriages! Merrilee Boyack has a gift for stating common sense ideas, practical advice, while being amusing and light hearted. It is great in the fact that it doesn't come across pompous and condescending but instead, she presents things in such a way that you know she realizes the problems that can occur in marriages and has been there herself.

This book teaches many concepts - one is that understanding men can lead to happier marriages. Another chapter focuses on following do's and don't's of being a wife and how to be more fun to live with. I particularly liked how she talks about how important it is to not spend time 'husband-bashing'. I know a lot of women that start complaining about husbands the moment they get together - and the author points out that this can be damaging. This is an upbeat book that reminds the reader about how great marriage can be and how to improve on what you have. I think it's absolutely great and I have highly recommended it to all my friends.

Anytime, Anywhere

Reviewed by Melanie Lott, LDSFiles.com Staff Writer

Anytime, Anywhere written by John H. Groberg

Retail Price: $15.96 Available here

As a general authority, John H. Groberg has lived and presided over places all over this earth. In Anytime, Anywhere, he shares with us many of his spiritual experiences from different places in the world. My husband and I have been reading a chapter of this book every night before bed and it is one of the most uplifting books I have read in a very long time. Elder Groberg is a wonderful storyteller and draws you right in to his experiences. Many chapters have left me teary-eyed because of the spiritual impact of his stories.

One of the most profound effects of this book on me is realizing even more acutely that Heavenly Father deeply loves His children wherever they are and in whatever circumstances they may be. Elder Groberg has a wonderful ability to show the various steps in how the Lord has allowed miracles to occur in different locations of the globe that he has been in. It is a fascinating read and I guarantee there will be no dozing off while reading this book.

One Bright Shining Hope - Messages for Women from Gordon B. Hinckley

Reviewed by Melanie Lott, LDSFiles.com Staff Writer

One Bright Shining Hope Messages for Women by Gordon B. Hinckley

Retail Price: $11.96 Available here

This little book of inspiring messages for women from President Hinckley is so beautiful. Each page has a quote from the Prophet paired with a picture of nature. These pictures are breathtaking, some of the most gorgeous I've seen. For some reason, the pairing of the pictures with the quotes brings such a sense of reverence and peace to me, strengthening my testimony and my resolve. This book reminded me yet again at how much I love President Hinckley and how much he loves every one of us. After reading this, no one could ever question how much the Prophet loves and respects women.

I will share just one quote from the book. "It is so tremendously important that the women of the Church stand strong and immovable for that which is correct and proper under the plan of the Lord. They must begin in their own homes. They can teach it in their classes. They can voice it in their communities. They must be the teachers and the guardians of their daughters. When you save a girl, you save generations. I see this as the one bright shining hope in a world that is marching toward moral self-destruction."