"WHY I LEFT AND THE MORMON CHURCH AND CAME BACK," by Haleigh Everts, Cedar Fort, $12.99, 160 pages (nf)

Haleigh Everts grew up spending weekdays with her father and weekends with her mother. A native of New York, she joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a few years after her mom became a member. But her church membership became tricky as Everts lived two very different lives.

When she was in high school and living with her father, Everts’ life was full of music and sexual intimacies with her long-term boyfriend. On weekends with her mother, she attended church, girls camp and lived the life of a member of the church. It wasn’t until a bishop lovingly encouraged her become temple worthy that Everts decided to fully commit to her religion.

Her life seemed on track once she was accepted and started attending Brigham Young University. But Everts’ hopes of quickly finding a temple-worthy husband withered as she was continuously overlooked by BYU males.

As she let what she saw as others’ perceptions affect her own self-worth, Everts became desperate for attention. She decided to live a very different lifestyle from what she knew was right and ended up feeling even more miserable.

A religious-awakening and self-discovery memoir, Everts writes an exceptionally honest book. “Why I left the Mormon Church and Came Back” often reads like a journal. Everts shares personal, sometimes painful and often self-centered thoughts regarding what she wants out of life and her impatience over not getting it.

At times, her preoccupation with being in a relationship gets tiring, especially as she continues to stay in bad relationships. However, reading about her sincere repentance and happiness of living a life filled with the Spirit is both uplifting and motivating.

“Why I Left the Mormon Church and Came Back” has clean language and no violence. Sexual intimacies, including one night stands and sexting, are referred to, but not described.

A BYU graduate, Everts currently lives in Oregon with her family and has become a popular social media personality.