This book is incredible. It's disappointing that this book is hard to find and buy because it's so much better than the other review books. A lot of people say REA is the best, but that's just because they haven't seen this one.
First of all, this book is organized incredibly well. Everything flowed into the next section nicely, but you could also skip around easily if you had weaker areas that you needed to review before the test.
The content in this book also surpasses all the other review books. It covers everything you need to know, and it is a pretty easy read. The book is a little thick, so that may keep some people from using it, but it's really not that bad and is worth it. I think if you read this book twice, you pretty much can expect to get a 5 (that is, if you do some practice tests, too).
There are also good questions at the end of every section, and example essay and DBQ questions. I didn't actually do any of them, but if you went through and did ALL the exercises, that would, in my mind, be overkill for a 5.
Now if you want to guarantee a 5, I would say read the book two months ahead of the test. Then a month ahead do another read through, but also take some tests. I suggest the REA book's tests actually becuase there are 6 of them...I didn't use this book's test. Then two weeks before read it again. Then a week before read it again. I think i read it 1.5 times and got a 5, but each time you read it you can read it much more quickly, just so the facts can come to you more quickly. I think reading it this many times would also guarantee an 800 on the SATII, something I did not get but feel I could have achieved with a little more work. If the SATII is your thing, get a book for the tests on that test because it turned out to be a little different than the AP test. SATII had easier questions, but a less forgiving curve.
Anyway, I can't recommend this book enough. I honestly think it could substitute a textbook like the American Pageant, but that would be up to you. Good luck!