Does anyone know of any good books on how to improve your eye for "context clues" in tactics and how to spot them in general? Not just a bunch of puzzles, but clear explanations or some kind of system? I'm somewhat struggling with the tactics trainer and tactics in my games overall. I hope I make sense by this lol.

Oops. I posted this on the wrong forum. I meant to post this on the Chess books forum.

There really isn't a good system for learning tactics aside from hammering the problems.

There are books that do get 'verbose' explaning why such and such tactics works, but these verbose descriptions only work for the simplest tactics, and the moment they're even 3+ moves deep, they usually get in the way of seeing the solution without text. 

Your best bet is to master the easiest set of tactics you can get your hands on and work your way up from there.  "Tactics Time" is an inexpensive 1001 problem book that is at your level and has a enough easy (1-2 move problems) as well as more challenging ones (but not TOO challenging) to really improve your tactics.

Chess Tactics from Scratch might be something that would help you, but I agree with hhnngg1 that if you just keep slogging away at tactics, you will develop an eye for them. I know, after doing thousands of problems, that I can recognize tactical siuations much easier and faster than I did when I started. Now when a problem comes on the screen, I can say " Oh this is a smothered mate" or "this is a killbox" etc. without thinking too hard. The Weteschnik book was interesting though.

Chess Tactics from Scratch

I was going to say tactics time by tim brennan and anthea carson too.. also handy was back to basics by dan heisman.

A great way to learn tactics is to receive it. Play against the Magician and the Dragon. After getting tortured, revenge on human opponents. 

I'd suggest the book "Art of Attack." I wish I had a physical copy but from what I looked at, it contained many tactical variations that were very helpful. 

I believe this is the tactics book that comes closest to meeting your requirement....the book is different from most other books dealing with tactics in that it presents a process and methodology for how to go about analyzing tactics...it is not just another tactics puzzle book...

"Chess Tactics From Scratch" by Martin Weteschnik

http://www.amazon.com/Chess-Tactics-Scratch-Understanding/dp/1907982027/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1455869290&sr=1-1&keywords=chess+tactics+from+scratch

read the reader reviews....

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm looking into them!

http://www.amazon.com/Tune-Your-Chess-Tactics-Antenna/dp/9056914049

But you'll still need to work on the basic tactical motifs first.

Did somebody use the word "system"? No!

Not quite what you're asking for, but maybe what you need.  Check out _Chess Tactics Detection Workbook_ by Emms & Schleputz.  You're asked to find tactics that EITHER player in a game missed.  You're given the entire game score, but not told on which move or moves tactics were missed.

This is not a book, its an interesting set of  10 videos  that tells you how to look for tactical opportunites in a chess game. In addition to whatever books you get you might want to look at these videos also.

Squarology's "7 Signs of Tactics" Series

https://www.youtube.com/user/squarology/featured

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!