Wanna join my book club? I have wine.

Deb at Home Life Simplified told me I have to share with the world my list of favourite books for Listmania this week. And I have to do what Deb says. She's the boss of all things listy.

When I was a kid, all those many, many, many years ago, I loved reading. Apparently, I was so into books I began to read before kindergarten. It's true. I was so driven to know what the real words were that when a story was read to me a few times, and I had committed it to memory. I knew that each little squiggle group was a word separated by a gap. These words related to the picture. Yes, I was a smart-ass.

I had so many favourite books as a kid. I would read all the time. Flat Stanley used to freak me out, but I'd read it and reread it all the time. Monty Mouse was a 'photo' picture story book I would always borrow from the school library. I was in denial for a very long time that little Monty Mouse was not a 'live' mouse at the time of his photo shoot.

As I got older, Enid Blyton books became a favourite. They were so girly. I would read them while lying on my bed in my Collingwood football jumper with roller skates on. The Naughtiest Girl in the School was a big favourite. She wasn't even naughty. She was olden days British private school girl naughty. I was a nerd and a goody twoshoes at school and lived my delicate rebellion through the character in this book. Shall we be rather naughty? Headmistress may spank us. Oh, let's!

I would read anything Roald Dahl. Kiss Kiss was my favourite as it had stories of grossness. I was that kind of kid. A closet rebellious girly girl who could kick a footy as far as the boys and had a taste for the macabre, horrific and gross. 

I would read anything Judy Blume and from the Sweet Valley High series. As I got older, all things Steven King. The Wave was a scary, realistic story of a class experiment in mob mentality/hysteria. It was also one of the elusive few designated books for school that I enjoyed reading. Others were Playing Beattie Bow and The Harp in the South, both by Ruth Park.

My tastes in literature morphed over the years from horror and girly romance to sadder stories, autobiographies of people experiencing hardships and to self-help books. I've thrown in Brighton Beach Memoirs as well, as I think it is one of the funniest plays I've read. 

Two books I highly recommend for anyone with a baby, having a baby or even thinking about having a baby: Safe Baby Pregnancy Tips and Safe Baby Handling Tips, by David and Kelly Sopp. Sound, practical advice.

I'm also a big Twilight fan. Yes. That's right. I love Twilight. I am also Team Edward all the way. And yes, I'm in my 40s. I also liked the Fifty Shades of Grey books. So what.

In between nappies, big kid dramas, pet dramas and Wondertwin dramas, I'm slowly reading Feral Bells by an awesome blogger, journalist and mum, Peta-Jo. It's Aussie, it's relatable, it's bloody funny.

And I can't wait for Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures to arrive in the mail ANY DAY! 

Yep, very highbrow reading. I don't have the time or patience to devour a Bronte or a Dickens or even a J.K. Rowlings. But the dog-ear bends and scuffed spines of the books I have listed show just how much I love these books. Happy reading!