The book’s link is here, SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services Blueprints.

This book is a step-by-step, task-driven tutorial that goes straight to the practical development of reporting skills, explaining actions as they are taken. If you perform the role of report development using SSRS in your job and you already have a basic knowledge of how data source and datasets in SSRS work, this book will advance your reporting skill to the next level.

In order to accomplish all the steps discussed in this book, including the steps on how to integrate SharePoint 2010/2013, PowerPivot, and Power View with SSRS, it is recommended that you use SQL Server 2012 Enterprise or Business Intelligence Edition. You can still use the Standard Edition to accomplish most of the steps in the book but it doesn’t support the advanced BI features, such as PowerPivot and Power View.

To create SSRS 2012 reports, you have two options:

• You can use the SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT). SSDT is Visual Studio shell which is an integrated environment used to build SQL Server database objects. You can install SSDT
  from the SQL Server installation media.
• You can also use Visual Studio 2012. If you use Visual Studio, you must install the SSDTBI templates. SSDTBI (SQL Server Data Tools-Business Intelligence) is a component that contains templates for SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS), SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), and SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) for Visual Studio 2012.

To try the examples in this book, you will need to have 2012 AdventureWorks Sample database.

In Chapter one you will learn right away different tricks on how to implement parameters for  
different scenarios, ability to exclude one or more parameters at runtime, drop-down parameter, multivalued parameter, cascading parameter and cascading multivalued parameter.

I really appreciate Chapter 2 in which a section is devoted to create custom report template. Report templates not only save time but also creates visual consistency that suit your organization branding. Number crunching is really all about data summaries, aggregates, and groupings. Through practical examples in Chapter 2, you will be able to pick up the skills very quickly.

Another essential skills in creating SSRS reports is to be able to add interactive elements, such as Actions, Tool tips, Document Map, Sorting and Bookmark to a report. In SSRS, one report can also interact with another report through Subreport, Drillthrough report or linked report. You will absolutely love Chapter 3 which focuses on adding actions to SSRS reports. 

Have you ever wondered if SSRS is also a good tool for data visualization? In SSRS 2012, in the report designer toolbox, you will find a few report items that are new, they are, Data Bar, Sparkline, Indicator and Map. Chart and Gauge exist in the prior versions.

Chapter 4 will show you how to create reports in SSRS 2012 with data bars, sparklines, gauges, and indicators. Next time if you need to meet the common data visualization requirements, you will find that this book can make your data visualization work seem effortless.

I particularly like Chapter 5 which goes right into map visualization. It not only shows how to use the built-in maps for the United States, but also how to import and use commercial shapefiles (map files) to create world map report.

If you are tasked to develop reports based on the cubes in the OLAP, Chapter 6 will show you how to survive simple implementation just with the query designer in SSRS.

The last chapter in this book goes beyond just report development. It will show you how to get your SSRS reports ready for production. You will find practical information on deployment configurations, user security, shared schedules, cached reports, and snapshots. It also dives into report subscriptions with e-mail delivery / scheduled delivery and data-driven subscription.

Overall, this SSRS 2012 blueprints book is a well written book and worth buying if you just start out developing SSRS reports in 2012. If you started with the prior versions and already are an experienced report developer, then this book might not be right for you. However, if you are like me and new to the data/spatial visualization features in SSRS 2012, you will find very useful information in this book on how to use the data bars, sparklines, gauges, and indicators and map objects.

Congratulations to Marlon Ribunal and Mickey Stuewe on their first SSRS book. And to reviewers Basit A. Masood-Al-Farooq, Varinder Sandhu, SIVAKUMAR VELLINGIRI and Valentino Vranken. Their combined experience in SQL Server Reporting Services report development makes this book a valuable addition to every SSRS developer’s library.