Let me start by saying this book is a lifesaver for new Echo owners. The step-by-step setup guide saved me hours of frustration, especially when connecting to smart home devices. I remember fumbling with my Philips Hue lights until the book's clear instructions came to the rescue.

The voice command cheat sheets are gold! I discovered 'Alexa, tell me a bedtime story' which my kids now demand every night. The book's organization makes it easy to jump between sections when you need specific help.

However, the writing style can be painfully awkward at times. Some sentences feel like they were run through a thesaurus - why say 'utilize auditory output mechanisms' when 'use speakers' works perfectly? This made certain sections slower to digest than necessary.

The compatibility lists are surprisingly comprehensive. I learned my old Roomba could work with Alexa - something not mentioned in any official documentation. This alone made the purchase worthwhile for me.

Major downside: The troubleshooting section feels outdated already. When my Echo Dot wouldn't connect last week, none of the solutions worked and I had to Google for answers. For a 2017 guide, it should have anticipated more recent issues.

Bottom line: Worth buying if you're new to Alexa ecosystem, but keep your phone handy for Googling the occasional gap in coverage. The good tips outweigh the awkward writing, just barely.