Yes, unfortunately, it's not cheap. I always do better with a $100 book than with an $1,000 course anyway, and it's a much better use of my valuable time. I checked my Amazon history and it was this book. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071831568. I used the same series for passing the CEH. As for the certs, I quit college and worked to pay the bills while my wife was in school, and by the time she finished, I was already established in the IT space. I never went back to college, so I tend to compensate with certs. They do help a lot when looking for IT consulting work. =)
I'm working on studying for this while I wait to be re-enrolled. Just purchased the all-in-one CHFI book for $30. I've used these books before for CompTIA exams and thought it might be a good place to start.