Hello ironchef, I am sure you made a mistake in your sentence, so I help you out. I corrected your sentence to : "ALL the books are selling hope to us wannabe retails."
Anyway, you are on ET, don't give up too easily, get a few pointers from the professionals that populated ET to help you relaunch.
I liked Tom Sosnoff's options book. The one he abandoned a while ago, but now had a co-worker at Tasty complete. Julia Spina did a pretty good job and I plan to re-read it again soon. The only book on Options I have re-read before was the James Cordier book (both of his). Though, that was due to special interest reasons. Didn't end well for his hedge fund I fear.
I think options need to be taught in a classroom situation, it's about mindset and concepts. Trading straight stocks or futures is purely linear, and binary. You go long you lose money, etc
Read a quant book like hull or natenburg then read a proper trading book (Euan Sinclair or similar). then observe option prices dynamics while knowing what to look for. then ask smart questions (easy if you do the first three) and generate a two way conversation about options strategies with other smart traders. happiness and wealth will follow. if you are really good, a little lucky, and have brass balls, you can make generational wealth. There’s a handful on here that I know who have done that (or will likely do it if they continue).