Last month, I received two books to review: GOOD DEALS & SMART STEALS by the editors of Good Housekeeping and O’S BIG BOOK OF HAPPINESS. (Both books are easy reads and make great gift options for the holiday season.)

GOOD DEALS & SMART STEALS
This book would be great for your “frugal” friends. (Actually, with this economy, who isn’t looking for a great deal?) The book shares hundreds of ideas for saving money on a variety of purchases (including daily household items to larger purchases like appliances, vacations, cars, etc.). This paperback book is divided into two sections: How to be a Smart Shopper and Get a Good Deal. The tips are a helpful reference source (but be forewarned, your super frugal friends probably already know many of the tips). There are enough ideas, referrals and such spread throughout the book that every reader should walk away with at least a few new good tips. For the average reader, the deals and steals will more than make up for the book’s purchase price ($9.95).

O’S BIG BOOK OF HAPPINESS
This is a beautiful hard-covered book that I’m looking forward to getting all the way through. The book is basically a “best-of-the-best’ collection of articles from O, Oprah Magazine. Currently, I’m reading the Your Mind/Your Body section which is about diet, health, faith, confidence and such. Other sections include Dating, Mating, Relating and Dreaming Big. I like how many of Oprah’s writings focus on growth, so this book is right up my alley. This would be a welcome gift to people who love Oprah’s magazine (there are many!) or a great addition to your personal home library. (You can get a sneak peek/ see the table of contents and read sample stories here.)

So, what (if anything during this FULL holiday season) are you reading this month?

(To read about what others are reading this month, visit What’s on Your Nightstand.)