I was practically born reading. By 2.5 I was reading Little Golden Books, and by kindergarten I was working my way through the “Little House on the Prairie” series. I still take books on car trips, pack them in my airplane carry-on bags, and every night, I read a few chapters before falling asleep. Oh, and I mostly picked English for a major in college because I knew I’d get to spend four years reading even MORE books.

So, when publishers and PR firms email me and offer to send me books, I rarely say no. That’s partly why my husband built me a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf for the wall on my side of the bed! If you’re looking for something to read, I have suggestions for books in a wide variety of categories that you might like.

1. The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy by Erika Lenkert. I wish this book had been out when I was pregnant with Ryan! Unsatisfied with the pregnancy books out there, Lenkert (The Last Minute Party Girl) decided to write her own. Organized by topic rather than by month, Lenkert’s guide covers important topics like nutrition, exercise and doctor’s appointments, along with personal thoughts on maternity fashion and coping with moodiness. She creates Cheat Sheets on essential vitamins needed in each trimester and lists of healthy snacks for pregnancy hunger pains, and gets quotes from more than 100 pregnant women and moms, whom Lenkert calls the “Mommy Menagerie” Lenkert also includes her favorite Web sites for baby clothing, furniture and gear, and also includes helpful and practical lists of what to bring to the hospital with you and newborn essentials for when you arrive home. Buy this one for yourself or for a pregnant friend or family member.

2. Your Toddler Month-By-Month by Dr. Tanya Byron. From bestselling publisher DK books comes these easy to use guide to understanding the stages of development of toddlers. Organized into stages-12-18 months, 18-24 months, 2-3 years, and 3-4 years, this book takes a child-centered approach to parenting a toddler, offering professional information and age-appropriate strategies to help parents deal with all the big toddler issues, from bedtime routines to temper tantrums to mealtime. Topics like breastfeeding are addressed with the gentle advice that it’s up to each Mother and Child to decide when it’s time to stop. There’s no preaching here. This book gives parents an understanding of how their child develops socially, emotionally, and physically in the first four years. If you are raising a toddler, this book can help!

3. America’s Hidden History: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation by Kenneth C. Davis. The Amazon product description says it better than I could:
“Kenneth C. Davis, author of the phenomenal New York Times bestseller Don’t Know Much About History, presents a collection of extraordinary stories, each detailing an overlooked episode that shaped the nation’s destiny and character. Davis’s dramatic narratives set the record straight, busting myths and bringing to light little-known but fascinating facts from a time when the nation’s fate hung in the balance. Spanning a period from the Spanish arrival in America to George Washington’s inauguration in 1789, America’s Hidden History details these episodes, among others:

*The story of the first real Pilgrims in America, who were wine-making French Huguenots, not dour English Separatists
* The coming-of-age story of Queen Isabella, who suggested that Columbus pack the moving mess hall of pigs that may have spread disease to many Native Americans
* The long, bloody relationship between the Pilgrims and Indians that runs counter to the idyllic scene of the Thanksgiving feast
* The little-known story of George Washington as a headstrong young soldier who committed a war crime, signed a confession, and started a war!

Full of color, intrigue, and human interest, America’s Hidden History is an iconoclastic look at America’s past, connecting some of the dots between history and today’s headlines, proving why Davis is truly America’s Teacher. ” A terrific gift for a history-lover!

4. The New Science of Perfect Skin by Daniel Yarosh, Ph.D. I honestly think EVERYBODY should buy this book, and no one is paying me to say that. Dr. Yarosh has twenty years’ experience developing and testing products for brands like Estee Lauder and L’Oreal, and in this book, he tells us exactly what is in skin care products, what they do, and which ones work. Have you ever read the label on a bottle of moisturizer, for example, and wondered what the heck all that stuff in it is for? This book will tell you. This book covers everything from basic skin cleansers to bronzing powders, and I was surprised to find that Dr. Yarosh isn’t trying to get everyone to use the most expensive products, either. His section on facial moisturizers recommends products by Clean & Clear, Ponds, Olay, and Neutrogena. Did you know that if your face feels tight after washing, the product is too harsh for your skin? I thought it was supposed to feel that way! This book really opened my eyes and I think it will open yours, too.

5. Life: Dream Destinations: 100 of the World’s Best Vacations by Life Magazine Editors. You know that person in your life that is so hard to shop for, the one who never wants anything for their birthday or Christmas? This book is the solution to what to buy them. Featuring the stunning photos that Life Magazine was known for, this book presents 100 of the best places in the world to go on vacation. Some are not surprising-Africa’s Victoria Falls, Beijing’s Forbidden City, some I would not have thought of for a “dream” vacation-”weird” Austin, Texas (their word, not mine!), Vietnam. Some of the places in the book I have never heard of, but are so beautiful it takes my breath away, like Stockholm and it’s neighboring islands in Sweden, or Cook Bay and the Cook Islands in Polynesia. This oversized, hardcover coffee table book would make a perfect gift for someone who travels a lot or would love to, or anyone who loves beautiful photographs. I’ve looked through it a bunch of times!

I hope you’ve found some books in this list that interest you, I’ll have more reviews and giveaways shortly!