i also have just finished cisco semesters 1 and 2, we however recieved a lecture on each chapter by a qualified instructer then we would have a week to go and study the chapter before the test, then when we had finished all the chapter tests we took the big end of semester tests. Fortunately for me (who also found the books boring as hell) i never used the book. I had it however i would recieve the lecture then the night before the exam i would go through the chapter on the "online cariculum" i found the test no worries this way. and before the end of semester tests i would just skim through the semester online.

I also tried the for "dummies" book and found it to be excellent aswell. I also will be using them more and more in the future