My good buddy and ex co-worker Michael Collier has co-authored a very well-done book on Essentials of Azure. Michael is a great communicator and his passion for community and Azure comes out in his content.  You can download it free at http://blogs.msdn.com/b/microsoft_press/archive/2015/02/03/free-ebook-microsoft-azure-essentials-fundamentals-of-azure.aspx. It’s like finding a $100 bill in your wallet unexpectedly.  A great read for not only the beginner but those who want a deeper understanding of the constantly changing Azure platform. Great job, Michael (as always)!