Crochet Books

Unfortunately most of my books are knit patterns. Happy Hooker is by far my favorite crochet book. I would love to crochet 90% of the patterns in it. It is hard to find a book that one likes that much.
I recently borrowed 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns by Jan Eaton from my mom. I haven't gotten a chance to use it, but I can't wait until I do. The book contains 100 crochet stitches and 100 knit stitches. There are also a few patterns in it that utilizes some of the stitches provided. The stitches are gorgeous, but you have to go into it with an open mind. You can create anything with them, but I would recommend starting with a scarf. That's my plan anyway. That way you can get used to the stitch pattern in a very easy way. Then you can make anything!
My friend Giannina got me the book Hooked on Crochet by Candi Jensen for Christmas. I don't like this book quite as much as Happy Hooker, but it is still a great buy. It has a very cute crocheted skirt in it, and a cute baby sweater.
This is what I do when I am shopping for a book(I don't have much money either). I go in and search through like every book. If I like one, I set it aside, taking note of the price. Then I go through all the ones I have set aside and pick out the cheapest one. If I only like a couple of patterns in it, I put it back and continue working my way up. I try to get the cheapest book I can, but for it to be worth the money I have to like most of the patterns. If I can't get a book for less than 20 bucks that I like, I come back another time. Also, try shopping on amazon for a used version of a book you like at Borders. Or if you have a second-hand bookstore around, try that.
I hope this helps. Knitting and crochet seem like cheap hobbies at first, but they can get so expensive.