I was very excited to get this book and start reading it, because I think women in the LDS church desperately need resources like this book where they can look to examples of strong, inspiring women. I loved the chapters about the beginning of Relief Society and the chapter on Visiting Teaching, however I was disappointed with the later chapters on Women and the Priesthood and Women in the Home. In the Priesthood chapter, the authors try to make the case that Relief Society is equal to the Priesthood, which I think is a grossly unfair comparison. As this book shows, Relief Society has a lot of awesome things about it (like establishing bonds of Sisterhood, which I've always thought is very special and unique), but it is very different than being able to actually act in Gods name and with his power.

The chapter on women as "Guardians of the Hearth" was disappointing as well. I honestly don't believe that it is my nature and duty to "make [my] home pleasant and attractive and desirable for [myself] and [my] husband." I wish that this book had focused less on "homemaking" and more on the powerful bonds of Sisterhood and charitable service in the community. I think that many other women of my generation in the church would agree that we have the ability and desire to nurture children and keep the Spirit in our homes, but feel it very confining (and sometimes even demeaning) to hear counsel that we should focus ALL our energy on just this.

Like all LDS church publications, I appreciated that this book was written in a very thoughtful and straightforward way, so as to be accessible to women from all kinds of backgrounds. I also appreciated that the authors included many quotes from actual women and Relief Society presidency members (as opposed to only quotes from prophets and other Priesthood leaders), as well as the fact that they used stories and examples from cultures all over the world.