Together Tea by Marjan Kamali

Together Tea by Marjan Kamali
Published: May 2013 by HarperCollins Publishers
Source: my copy courtesy of the publisher and TLC Book Tours in exchange for this review

Publisher's Summary:

Darya has discovered the perfect gift for her daughter's twenty-fifth birthday: an ideal husband. Mina, however, is fed up with her mother's endless matchmaking and grading of available Iranian American bachelors.

After Darya's last ill-fated attempt to find Mina a husband, mother and daughter embark on a journey to Iran, where the two women gradually begin to understand each other. But after Mina falls for a young man who never appeared on her mother's spreadsheets and Darya is tempted by an American musician, will this mother and daughter's tender appreciation for each other survive?  

My Thoughts:
For the first 88 pages of this book, I felt like I was reading chick lit, Persian style. Not necessarily what I was expecting (because, once again, I didn't remember what the book was about by the time I picked it up, I only remembered it had to do with Iran). But then, it's summer, so I figured something light would be just fine.

Then Mina and Darya return to Iran. Being back in Tehran brings memories washing over Mina, what it was like growing up in Iran under the Shah and through the revolution to the time Mina and her family were forced to flee Iran to protect her brothers from service in the war against Saddam Hussein.

You all know how much I enjoy books set in the Middle East so you're probably not surprised to learn that I really enjoyed the parts of this book set in Iran. I also enjoyed Kamali's exploration of the immigrant experience, looking at how people who immigrate might find themselves feeling like they have no place to call home any longer. Even after fifteen years, both Darya and Mina find they can't entirely feel at home in the United States. They miss family, foods, history and traditions. But when they return to Iran, they find they miss the freedom and opportunities they have left behind.

Eventually, Kamali brings readers back to the romance element of the book but by then I'd become interested enough in ethnic lessons I was learning to be able to go with the flow. Also, she had me so ready to head down to the Persian restaurant and I'm willing to forgive most flaws in a book if you've got me completely distracted by delicious sounding food!

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for including me in this tour. For more opinions on this book, check out the full tour. 

Marjan Kamali has an MFA in creative writing from New York University and an MBA from Columbia University. Her work has been a top finalist in Glimmer Train’s Fiction Open and the Asian American Short Story Contest. She lives in the Boston area with her husband and their two children. Visit Marjan at her website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali

The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali

Read by Mozhan Marno

9 hours, 13 minutes

Published February 2020 by Gallery Books

Publisher's Summary: 

Roya, a dreamy, idealistic teenager living amid the political upheaval of 1953 Tehran, finds a literary oasis in kindly Mr. Fakhri's neighborhood stationery shop, stocked with books and pens and bottles of jewel-colored ink.

Then Mr. Fakhri, with a keen instinct for a budding romance, introduces Roya to his other favorite customer-handsome Bahman, who has a burning passion for justice and a love for Rumi's poetry-and she loses her heart at once. Their romance blossoms, and the little stationery shop remains their favorite place in all of Tehran.

A few short months later, on the eve of their marriage, Roya agrees to meet Bahman at the town square when violence erupts-a result of the coup d'etat that forever changes their country's future. In the chaos, Bahman never shows. For weeks, Roya tries desperately to contact him, but her efforts are fruitless. With a sorrowful heart, she moves on-to college in California, to another man, to a life in New England-until, more than sixty years later, an accident of fate leads her back to Bahman and offers her a chance to ask him the questions that have haunted her for more than half a century: Why did you leave? Where did you go? How is it that you were able to forget me?

My Thoughts: 

In 2013, I read and reviewed Kamali's Together Tea and enjoyed it. With what's going on in Iran right now, it seemed like a good time to read another of her books. 

• As so often happens for me with dual story lines, I was more intrigued by the historical piece.
• I enjoyed being immersed in the history of Iran in the 1950's, and, through Bahman's letters, into the 1970's. 
• If this seems like a book that might interest you, I recommend the audiobook, if for no other reason than the pronunciation of the names. 
• Decades after Bahman and Roya are separated, both still harbor deep feelings for one another. Perhaps I'm too pragmatic, perhaps not as emotional as I like to think I am. I understand being nostalgic about past loves, but it's hard for me to buy into the idea that a love would still be so deep long, long after the parties are no longer together. It's a little bit critical that you buy into that concept in order to really to love the book. 
• There's enough here to keep me interested, especially once we got back to Bahman and the story of what really happened all of those years ago. 

Life: It Goes On - May 31

Happy Sunday! It's sunny here this morning, but too wet yet to get outside and work. We've been getting some nice rains this past week, largely during the night, which is lovely. My plants are flourishing. Which, of course, inspired me to buy more.  The Big Guy just shook his head when I came in with another dozen on Friday. Still the cheapest therapy money can buy! 

Last Week I: 

Listened To: The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali and I started Sarah Water's The Paying Guests. 

Watched: So many NCAA softball and baseball games, including both Nebraska teams. I also watched five episodes of the latest, and last, season of Emily in Paris. Last night we went with friends to see the movie Tuner, starring Dustin Hoffman and Leo Woodall (who I had previously only known as "the boy" in Bridget Jones: Made About The Boy). I didn't know anything about the movie when we went and was wondering what my friend had gotten me into when the movie got very tense; but we really enjoyed it. 

Read: A Lesser Light by Peter Geye. It's a biggie so it's taking me a while. 

Made: Grinder pasta (as seen on Applesauce and ADHD's social media). It made a huge batch so we got three suppers out of it and a lunch! 

Enjoyed: I had Friday off work and I used a good chunk of the day to start working on my office. I made such good progress that I was inspired to continue this weekend. I'll finish today, having gone through every single thing in that room. I am getting rid of so much in there and feeling so much lighter because of it. 

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This Week I’m:  

Planning: I need to finish up the furniture painting outside and then I'll be focused on getting some small projects done inside in anticipation of being the location of a bridal shower for Miss C being hosted by my sister and sister-in-law. Nothing like an event at your house to push you to get things done you've been putting off! 

Thinking About: June is Pride Month and I'm thinking about books to read and events to attend in support. 

Feeling: Accomplished. 

Looking forward to: Another quiet week on the calendar. 

Question of the week: What book have you read recently that you are recommending to everyone? 

Life: It Goes On - June 23

Holy smokes - summer is here with a vengeance. We had April weather in May and July weather in June - we've lost two of the best months of the year!


It's been a busy week at Casa Shepp. Tuesday and Wednesday the roofers were here to replace the roof damaged in this spring's hail storm. Thursday the Omaha Bookworms met to discuss The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and were lucky enough to have the hostess' husband join in our discussion. Saturday we interred The Big Guy's mother's remains in the small town she grew up in then joined family that lives nearby for lunch. Last night dessert and drinks on the deck with friends - the perfect way to relax after a long day.

Here's What I'm:

Listening To: I've got two CDs left of Tracy Chevalier's The Lady and The Unicorn. Next up is Henning Mankell's The Man From Beijing...I think. I like to really switch things up when I change audiobooks and that seems about as diverse as I can get.

Watching: Baseball - as much of the College World Series as I can catch.

Reading: I started Marjan Kamali's Together Tea this weekend for a TLC Book Tour. So far it's feeling a little like Persian chick lit but I'm not too far in yet.

Making: Apple dumplings - we had them yesterday at a family gathering and they are so good and easy! For those of you who follow me on Pinterest, I pinned the recipe I'm using.

Planning: On one of the home decor blogs I follow, the blogger is in the midst of a month without clutter. She has cleared off everything that's non-essential on all of her flat services, floors and furniture. I had to take everything off the walls while the roofers were here this week and it's got me thinking about doing the same thing now that's I've had that much of a clean palate. So I think what I'm planning this week is to try that. We'll see.

Grateful for: I feel like I'm a broken record here but once again, I've got to say family.  I thought the interment would just be the siblings and a few of the grand kids but his paternal aunt, three of her kids, their wives and kids all came out to be with us at the service and then hosted us for a lunch. They are wonderful people we really should try to see more of.

Loving: My brother's new website. He's a photographer as a hobby and so good at it. We've been telling him for a long time that he could sell his photographs and he finally listened! I don't know that he's got all of the kinks worked out on the website yet but as soon as I'm sure he does, I'll give you the address. I'd love for you to see what he does.

Thinking: My anxiety is starting to get the best of me. I'm really looking forward to my upcoming four-day weekend but I can't decide if I should plan to be really productive for four days or try to make myself chill for four days. There I go, anxious about how to handle my anxiety. You see how this is a vicious cycle?!

Looking forward to: A little quiet this week; The Big Guy will be out of town for a few days. Love my Big Guy but there's constant noise with that man!

Life: It Goes On - June 30

Can you believe half of the year has already gone by? Every time we come to a point like this, I swear to myself that I will be more productive with my time since it goes by so quickly. But then, a great book comes into my hands, a beautiful evening begs for me to spend it on the patio, or football season starts and that I'm off track again.

I had such fun yesterday going to watch my four-year-old great-niece play baseball. I'd forgotten how funny and adorable kids are playing sports at that age. Took her big sister to run errands afterward. That kid is always trying to work you to get something - reminds me of Mini-him at the same age.


Here's What I'm:

Listening To: I started listening to Henning Mankell's The Man From Beijing this week and I'm really enjoying it so far.

Watching: A couple of games of the College World Series and a lot of HGTV. You know, if you watch enough of that channel, you will convince yourself you can do almost any home remodeling job. I'm ready to do some tiling!

Reading: I've gotten a lot of reading done this week. I finished Together Tea by Marjan Kamali and The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chobski. I also finished listening to Tracy Chevalier's The Lady And The Unicorn. I'm going to spend the next few days trying to make a big dent in Under The Dome. I'm about a third of the way done right now.

Making: Not a darn thing; I've hardly spent any time in the kitchen at all this week.

Planning: On doing some babysitting this weekend. Our nephew is moving in a couple of weeks and I've volunteered to watch the kids one day. My next week "Thinking" will probably read something like "I'm too old to be chasing a nine-year-old, four-year-old, and one-year-old."

Grateful for: Motrin and ice packs right now. I took a tumble the other day, managing to injure my knee and shoulder. Luckily I've got a hard head and didn't do much damage to it!

Loving: Miss H's room now that I'm finally done tweaking and rearranging it. Now if only she'll keep it clean for a few days.

Thinking: She probably won't.

Looking forward to: A three-day work week and a long, lazy weekend.

Life: It Goes On - July 22

Happy Wednesday! Why yes, yes I am only getting to this three days late. And no, no I did not get any reviews posted last week. In fact, I have 4 reviews to finish and 8 that need to be started. I've been reading, but I'm beginning to wonder if my desire to blog has run its course after 17 years. 17 years?! I never would have thought I'd be doing this for 17 years when I posted that first introductory post. But I do still want to put down my thoughts about the books I read - may just need a better way to do them. 

Last Week I: 

Listened To: I finished John Kenney's I See You've Called In Dead, George Orwell's 1984, and Marjan Kamali's The Stationery Shop. Today I started Elizabeth Gilbert's All The Way To The River, which I picked up because it was available while I'm waiting for one of my holds to come in. 

Watched: The last of the World Cup matches, but nothing remarkable since then. 

Read: I finished Elizabeth Strout's The Things We Never Say and George Saunders' Vigil. Tonight I'm starting Douglas Stuart's John of John. See - I told you I've been reading! 

Made: Ham and cheese wraps, pizzas, taco salads, nachos, and caprese pasta. 

Enjoyed: Lots of quiet time, got my hair done, went for ice cream and drinks with friends and Mini-him, and book club last night. 

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This Week I’m:  

Planning: I've put a plan into motion that's convinced the Big Guy to work on the basement with me and I'm so excited to get started on it with him. I started this weekend and am making slow, but real, progress. I'm not using any of the methods I've learned over the years, but I think it will work well for us. 

Thinking About: In a week we will no longer be empty nesters. It's only for a few months, but it's definitely going to take some adjusting to for all of us. 

Feeling: Work has me feeling like we've had 3 Mondays this week. 

Looking forward to: We're going to see The Odyssey at the IMAX on Saturday. 

Question of the week: Have you seen it? If so, did you reread it before you went (or read it for the first time)?