Currently Coveting {February}

A Quick Note:

I apologize for the absence of posts here in the past week and a half, due to schoolwork I've unfortunately had less time to read and write! You can expect posts to be more regular as my semester progresses (perhaps with a few hiatuses during exam weeks), but I probably won't be posting several times a week again until summer arrives. With that in mind, I am always available via e-mail (topshelftext@gmail.com) to chat about books or offer recommendations. Don't feel to shy to contact me if you are in a rut and looking for your next great read!

Moving on from that, I still am trying to quell my habit of buying more books than I can fit on my shelves (more on that soon) but that doesn't keep me from adding to my already long wish list. Below are just a few of the books that have been on my mind lately. I'm hoping someone else will read them and give them glowing recommendations so that I can justify buying them move them to the top of my to-read list. 

The Devil's Highway: A True Story

This book was recommended to me a few years ago by a classmate. I put it on my to-read list and promptly forgot about it until more recently; I've searched for it at my local libraries but never found a copy, so this is one that I'd probably have to order through the local bookstore or buy on my kindle. It's the story of a group of men who cross the Mexican border in Arizona, and what happens to them as they traverse what is referred to as "The Devil's Highway." It looks really compelling; I'm drawn to it because I've been feeling a bit like I live in a bubble (college campuses will do that to you), and I could use a jarring perspective change. This one promises to be just that, and I'm interested to learn more about the things that take place at our nation's border.

American Gods

This book's description is so strange, yet the ratings for it on Goodreads are so high (a 4/5 average from 250,000 readers really speaks for itself) that I figure it just has to be as captivating as they say. Neil Gaiman, if you don't recognize that name, is the author of Coraline, which just happens to be one of my top three animated movie favorites and a revered children's book. It's hard for authors to master both children's literature and adult literature, so I'm looking forward to experiencing his style in the adult sphere.

The Lavender Garden

Two things that I love: Paris, and WWII-era stories. This looks to be in the same vein as The Postmistress and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which are two of my absolute favorites in general and in the WWII/historical-fiction genre. This book spans two generations and a whole lot of secrets; a breathtaking château, family relationships, Nazi danger, etc. So perfect when you need a book to keep you enthralled and transport you to a different time and place.

Which books are you currently coveting?

P.S. Looking for more? You can view my Amazon wish lists here and here.