Great review, Jason! It shows that you've put a HECK of a lot of work into it!
Personally, I've used MyPublisher before and always been pleased with the results. Over the years, they've continued to refine and improve the range and quality of the products.
One feature I found recently that I really liked was to design the book initially as a larger hardback cover and then change the book size to a smaller paperback book. The software took this in its stride and makes it possible to offer different sizes to different people as your needs change.
Digital photography has certainly led to some interesting products becoming available!