I was very young when I got pregnant for the first time. I was in the prime of my partying years; staying out until the wee hours of the morning drinking with friends, going to after hour parties and visiting the local 24 hour diner for a very early breakfast full of greasy bacon and scrambled eggs. And then the plus sign on my pregnancy test stick put an end to all of that.

Forty weeks can be a long time to go without any alcohol, but when you’re growing a baby in your tummy you need to suck it up and do it. The Newly Non-Drinking Girl’s Guide to Pregnancy can help you cope during those long nine months when you have to stay out of the liquor cabinet.

With this book the authors, Jackie Rose and Caroline Angel RN, PhD, give us a humorous ride through an alcohol-free pregnancy. And they’ve covered everything from the day you find out you’re pregnant to breastfeeding. The book is filled with tons of helpful advice. And 50 mocktail recipes so you can enjoy your favorite drinks, sans alcohol. Heck, these recipes look so yummy I’m going to try some of them out even though I can drink the real thing.

In the book, Rose and Angel explain why it’s important to stay sober during pregnancy. And they aren’t afraid to give you all the facts; including the sometimes terrifying effects alcohol can have on your baby. If you were unsure as to how that beer binge will effect your baby, chapter two will clear it all up for you.

If you aren’t ready to tell your co-workers or friends about your new bundle of joy, Rose and Angel help you out with that too. They include several tips on how to keep your pregnancy a secret even when you used to be the office lush and now drink only water. These include things like pretending you have an illness or make sure you bring your car everywhere so you can pull the designated driver card.

They offer ideas on how to handle events where you would normally drink, such as office parties, client lunches, barbecues and birthday parties. It can be hard going to your old watering hole, watching everybody else drink while you sip away at your juice. But with these tips you can feel more comfortable.

There is a chapter on homemade Happy Hours and catching a buzz the non-alcoholic way. They suggest things like a relaxing bubble bath and shopping. Or getting high on exercise, chocolate or spa treatments.

If you just can’t stop drinking on your own and need some professional help, you will find a list of excellent organizations to help you stay sober. There’s no shame in seeking help. You have a baby to take care of and getting help just proves you are already a good mom trying to do everything you can for your baby.

This is a great book for a newly pregnant woman. Even if you aren’t a heavy drinker, this is a very entertaining read with tons of ideas to really enjoy social events and activities alcohol free. And the 50 mocktail recipes alone are worth the $12.95 for the book.

Lost and Found is Carolyn Parkhurst’s second book and it sure makes me want to go read the first. She’s a fantastic writer. The story was intriguing and the characters were so captivating I read the whole book in one day. The characters are in the midst of filming a reality show, but even if you aren’t a reality TV fanatic you’ll enjoy this book.

Read the full review on The Bean Blog.

The 24-Hour Pharmacist is written by Suzy Cohen, a pharmacist and author of the syndicated column “Dear Pharmacist.” She breaks the book up in to sections based on sections of the body; Above the Waist, Above the Neck, Below the Waist, And Everything in Between. In each chapter she gives expert advice on everything from colds to toe fungus to heart disease and depression. But she doesn’t just spout out long lists of symptoms and tell you what drugs to take. She explains why we suffer from these diseases, describes the current drugs on the market and then gives some natural alternatives.

Read the full review on The Bean Blog.

The fine folks over at Sourcebooks sent me a free copy of The Naked Roommate to read and review.

The author, Harlan Cohen, gives advice on the hard issues, like dating, sex, alcohol and drugs, plus tips on going Greek, getting involved, skipping class and dealing with roommates and the stuff we tend to overlook, like avoiding the ‘freshman 15′ and doing laundry without losing your unmentionables. And yes, there is a tip on how to deal with a naked roommate (tip #16).

Read the full review on The Bean Blog.

And now there is a new book in the series; Battling Bigfoot. In this book Val is disappointed to find out the makers of his favorite drink, Sweet Beat Sparkling Beat Juice have come up with a new formula. It’s no longer made from real beats but instead from unnatural ingredients including a dye that make Val break out in hives. But that’s not the worst of it. It turns our Damon Christopher’s company, Pendant Enterprises, has purchased the mountain where the beats are grown and are going to build and extreme sports park there. When the Extreme Monsters team gets to the mountain for the latest competition they discover the mountain is dry and dusty…with very few beats. As they start the race they realize something is off. Somebody is sabotaging the race. Who could it be? And why?

Read the full review on The Bean Blog.

About three weeks ago, Brighter Minds Media approached me and asked if I’d like to review some of their products. They told me they offer a fun, innovative line of products including software, books, workbooks, flashcards, interactive DVD games and online games. That sounded like just the type of thing I like to buy for my family so I was game.

Read the full review on The Bean Blog.