I really liked the Sybex books for self study.  They are pretty well written and very informative.  I don't know if you already checked Amazon, but they look like you could save a few bucks there too.

http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Complete-Deluxe-Study-Guide/dp/0470486481/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283368087&sr=8-6

http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Network-Deluxe-Study-Guide/dp/0470427485/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283368176&sr=8-1

However, I'm curious as to why you want to study for A+?  A+ is a lot of information about hardware and Windows OS repair.  I'm not trying to slam A+, but I really want you to understand this: it is good for people don't really know any thing about workstations.  If you are looking for other skills/knowledge than basics of workstations, A+ will be a waste of your time and money.  If you are just starting out with computers, it is a decent cert to get just to pickup some decent fundamentals of workstations.  But, if you already know a fair amount about computers, (as in: can tell the difference between a modem and a NIC.  You fix your rig and/or your families' rig.  You can install a MoBo, video card, and hard drive.) you probably can skip it.  It might be decent if you have no professional computer experience and are looking to start in the trenches (computer repair/help desk).  However, A+ doesn't have a lot of knowledge that is applicable to security or system administration (which is why I would guess you are posting here).  Most people I know have never bothered taking the A+ or even cracking a study book for it.

Network+ on the other hand is a great certification to start with.  It will give you a great base in networks and should provide you with a great basic understanding of how networks communicate.  It covers a lot of protocols (what they do and how they work), network hardware, wiring, and some basics of security.  I used an old version of the Sybex Network+ book to study  my self.  I thought the book was a great study tool and very well organized.  It also has questions to help you gauge what you do or don't know about what is included in the following chapter.

Have you thought of doing Security+ and Linux+?

I know you say you're going for your MCSA/MCSE, but why pigeonhole yourself into just Microsoft system administration? I don't know anything about Microsoft certification electives and whether or not Linux+ counts toward anything. But, I would encourage you to learn Linux as well as MS as a system administrator.

Thanks for the replies.

I think going for the Sec+ is a good option and one that i would benefit from. However, after reading some posts and reviews on the Sec+, i wonder if my background in networking is strong enough to do the Sec+ straight up, or if i should do the Net+ first. I'll do some more research and find out.

As far as the Linux+ is concerned, that's something i'm interested in doing in the near future. Good point on that as well. 

If you don't mind me asking... what was your mindset when you decided to get the Net+ instead of say the CCNA?

Thanks.

I'm going to rethink my strategy when i get home from work today.

Likely just going to focus on Sec+ for now (there's no hurry on the Linux+ since it's not on the list of certs that will need re-certification) so i can absorb it better and not just "study to pass the exam."

After the Sec+, i'll likely finish off the MCSA, maybe MCSE (for my current job), then go for the CCNA and Linux+.

Again... appreciate the different options you guys threw out there for me.

Net+ is a good cert if you don't know a lot about networking, but keep in mind it is for network technicians with 0-6 months experience (if I remember correctly).  I just didn't want to make it seem like I was slamming Net+ either.