I don't have any favorites yet... i do have a lot of the ones that are mentioned here. Even got a free copy of an old cake decorating book. i forgot which one... it has the old book smell.
BTW: I have an extra copy of the Whimsical Bakehouse and Debbie Brown (50 easy party cakes - i think that's the name).
i love my gooseberry patch books! i use quick & easy, flavors of fall and recipes for comfort all the time! i also love my 2001 taste of home annual recipes book...use it so much the pages are falling out! my most favorite cook book though is an old photo album with the pages you can slide pics into... my mom loaded it with recipes (written on notecards) from my childhood. it was a gift when dh and i got married. best cookbook ever 
I agree on the Taste of Home books - I have four of them and almost everything I cook or bake from those books is good.
And now I am on my way to the library to check out the Whimsical Bakehouse book and another one that one mentioned on here (I already forgot the name - thank heavens they're on hold!).
What a helpful thread!
"The Best Recipe" by Cooks Illustrated is my go to book for everything. They test out ingredients, cooking techniques, recipes, and come up with the "best" version of a dish. They always go into detail their trials and tribulations while testing the recipes. I love it. I have read it from front to back and it's a huge book! 
I also love my Better Homes cookbook my grandmother just gave me. She received it as a wedding gift so it's special to me.
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