David Gaughran has been doing his best to shine a light on the questionable business practices of Author Solutions for some time now. You can link to some good news on that front below.
I did a lot of research before I began self-publishing back in 2011. Even so, it was only because I knew people who were taking control and doing the work a la cart that I avoided the clutches of Author Solutions subsidiaries. Caveat emptor, folks
Frankie's Soapbox 