The Stationery Shop | 
pickI've been more interested in Middle Eastern lit for quite a while now. This one is set in Iran in the 1950s. Highly recommend.
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickThis was so beautifully written... I cried. A lost love story of Roya, a teenager living amid the political turmoil of
1953 Tehran, finds a neighborhood stationery shop where she meets Bahman and they fall in love. Life as we know has its twists and turns. I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read. I have the paper copy and the pages feel beautiful as well. Definitely recommend. Will be looking for other books written by Marjan Kamali. ❤️
Happy Stationary Store Day for those who celebrate 🎉 😊
pickThis is an incredible story of lost love set in an uncertain time in Iran in the 1950s. I was completely swept into this story, feeling every bit of the first love that Roya and Bahman felt for each other, the heartache they go through, and their bittersweet reunion decades later. I love books like this that can take a romance and set it in historic times, allowing us to see what was happening through the story of the young lovers.
pickNarrated in two time lines. In present, Roya is in her 70s living in US. In the past, is almost 20 living in Tehran. She was happy, in love, engaged. But she was not accepted by her fiancée‘s mother and the political situation in the country was dangerous. What happened to Roya is related with family situation, drama, secrets, guilty debts that lead in betrayal, deception. A sad novel that shows that an emotional closure could be part ⬇️
pickDidn‘t really know what to expect from this, but oh my-I absolutely loved it! Roya is focused on her studies, when one day she goes into her favorite stationary shop after school and suddenly sees Bahman. They‘re both drawn to one another, but it seems like everything around them is an obstacle. There‘s political unrest in their city of Tehran, jealousy aimed towards the couple, class difference and more. This story took me for a ride!
pickA very quick read about a tragic romance of mixed classes in 1953 Tehran. I really loved it and fly through it!
pick#bookspin #doublebookspin
Completed both my #booksin and #doublebookspin for March.
This Time Tomorrow didn‘t resonate with me. I didn‘t like the whole time travel aspect (which was basically the whole book). It was my first book by this author so can anyone suggest one of her backlist?
The Stationery Shop has been on my shelf for a couple years. A woman sitting next to me on a flight to AZ was reading it and recommended it. Loved it!
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A haunting and beautiful tale of lost love set in 1950‘s Iran. Such a satisfying read.
So excited about my new read. On chapter 6 and so far I don‘t want to stop but I have things to do. 😢
pickIt is a story of true love, but also has many important themes in the background including politics, grief, family, culture, class, traditions, mental health, forgiveness, acceptance and regret.
Overall a bittersweet story, that was really well written and I can see me picking up more books by this author.
TW: Sexual assault
Paedophilia
Gun violence
Abortion
Miscarriage
Thank you so much Diane, my friend,for this unexpected box! I love that you are sharing your books with me, as well as other treats! I cannot wait to dig into everything!
pan3 book read in #AugustARC. Thanks to @Clwojick for hosting.
Nobody's lives have this much coincidence.
pickThis book! Wow. A beautiful coming of age story that follows Roya during her young adulthood in Tehran. After the love of her life abandons her, Roya moves to America to attend college. Time passes but she never forgets her first love. When fate brings them together 60 years later, will she finally discover why he abandoned her over half a century before? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Heartbreaking, breathtaking, beautiful, and devastating. Loved it.
Multi generation novels have a great chance to span decades and continents! Let‘s talk about them! 👨👩👧👧
1. Not many. They‘re not something I pick up on my own so I usually wait for someone to recommend one!
2. Tagged! 👆🏻
3. I would love to see something that ends up in 1920s New York City. Jazz, the Harlem Renaissance, flappers. 🤩
#SundayFunday Have a great day and remember to tag me!
pickI devoured this novel in 48 hours. The Stationery Store is a beautiful story about love, heartbreak and loss. As I read, I knew I was heading for a broken heart, but I just didn‘t care. Just beautiful.
5⭐️
pickI was floored by the power and heartbreak of this beautiful novel last night. It is primarily a story of Roya, a girl from Tehran, and her lost love. However, it is also about so much more. It depicts Iranian culture, especially via food and traditions, and how it differs from American culture; women's rights in the US during the 50s and 60s; child loss and mental health; the flow of life transitions, decisions, and outcomes. I was in tears!
@GinaKButler --- I am beyond grateful to you for recommending this read. It is one of the better novels I have read in a long time!
Also, just an image of what I have been staring at for hours tonight as I process all the emotions and wisdom of this book. I hope it ends with just as much triumph as this silly goldenaster, throwing her stems to the sun!
pickThis sweet but sad love story is beautifully written. I loved the descriptions of 1950s Tehran, Persian cooking, dress and manners, and the contrast to California then Boston of the same time. Roya's story, as she adjusts to the life she's actually got vs the one she dreamed of had me captivated. The truth about why Bahman didn't meet her as planned was heartbreaking and infuriating. Walter is the unsung hero imo and I hope he was much happier ⬇️
pickI had to read a few other people's reviews of this book before I could find the right words for my own review. This is a lovely story that felt like a hug. I loved the descriptions of everything! As many other people said, it's also so bittersweet. The heartbreaks that Roya feels are palpable.
I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join the fun if you want.
Starting over because I lost count around 19! 🤷♀️
Day 1 📚
pickA bittersweet love story about two teenagers who fall in love in 1953 in Tehran.
pickI really enjoyed this bittersweet love story. Beginning in Tehran in 1953 and continuing in America. It was a slow burn kind of read and just what I was in the mood for ❤️
pickDid you ever read a book that somehow consumes your entire day?? It was like being cocooned under a cozy blanket and being enveloped in a warm embrace. I started the audio at 8am and now it‘s 4pm. I‘m not sure where the day went but my heart was with Roya, Bahman, Mr. Fakhri, and Walter too. The deeper into the story I got, the more engrossed I became. I especially loved reading all the Persian dishes. #ReadingAsia21 #Iran #Pop21 #DreamJob
#AudioBaking I‘m somehow in the middle of 3 books but that‘s how it goes... enjoying this audio set in #Iran #ReadingAsia21 #Pop21 #DreamJob (I ALWAYS wanted to own a stationary shop/book shop) Audio narration is fantastic 🎧♥️and bonus for #CoverLove
Thank you! @wen4blu The kittens and I had so much fun opening up all of the treats in this beautifully packaged swap box! I can‘t wait to read this book while enjoying Flemington‘s finest chocolate treats. 😊💜
@candority #bookcupidswap
pickPick — with a personal rant: I don‘t know if it‘s because I‘m in my 50s, but I‘m so over books where people pine for their teen lovers for the rest of their lives. At 17 you are convinced it‘s true love. At 50, you look back and shrug. I know I‘m supposed to feel bad for the young kids who were cruelly separated —but I actually feel sorry for the spouses they eventually married. If you like this sort of storyline though, the book is well written.
There is nothing quite like the aroma and taste of that very first cup of tea in the morning. Ahhhhh ... 🥰
Misty! This is such a wonderful package! The book is gorgeous and looks like something I really enjoy. I love the stationery and it was time for me to restock! The bookmarks and magnets are so great. I just really love everything. Thank you for brightening my day.
June‘s pick is out of my normal reads, but I loved The Stationery Shop SO MUCH. #12BooksofChristmas @Andrew65
@Gaylagal2 ! What a wonderful #elfswap package! My favorite tea from Tazo...and the ornaments are adorable! I‘m so looking forward to diving into these books. Thank you so much! Merry Christmas, my friend! 🎄🎁😘
pickWhile the rest of my #girlybookclub didn‘t enjoy this nearly as much as I did, I thought this was one of our better reads this year. I liked how the story flipped back and forth in time without spending too much time in the present before giving you more of the story from the past. The characters had such depth and complicated histories, it was just a lovely story to read.
pickA bittersweet love story following young lovers from 1953 Tehran to present-day U.S. It was slow going at first (although that could‘ve been due to my distraction), but I ended up really enjoying it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
@ErinSueMreads - Thank you so much for this happy #LitsyLoveFallSwap package!!! I'm so excited about these books and that squirrel really is just adorable!!!
I'm sorry your package is late but USPS says it is out for delivery today!!! So close!!!
pickThis was a delightful combination of history, romance and a little bit of mystery. Set in Tehran we meet Roya who is about to embark on her first love affair, aside from books. At the same time, Iran is undergoing a coup with many dangers with unknown allies and friends. This is the story of the devastating events and familial ideals to impact on young love. As an aside, the descriptions of Persian food will have you positively salivating!
pan2*. In trying to find the positive, I can say there was an excellent chapter in the second half that really stood out. The rest of the book dragged however with sickly sweet love letters and flowery writing. There are others who loved this so it might just be my cynical cold heart! #bookspinbingo
A quarter of the way through this and struggling a little. At the moment it just seems to a be sweet teenage romance and sweet, teenagers, and romance aren‘t my thing! I find it tough to DNF so will see if it gets better but it‘s certainly affecting my reading momentum #bookspinbingo
pickStayed up late working on my puzzle so I could finish listening to this. Beautiful, heartbreaking historical fic set in Iran in the early 1950s and the US later on about a couple driven apart (no spoilers!)
Almost done with the never ending hostas on this puzzle. Haven‘t even started putting together a hedgehog yet!
pickThis is not a book I would normally pick up, I often struggle with historical. A coworker recommended it on Facebook and wanted to read it with other people so I decided to jump in and I‘m so glad I did. It was beautifully written and showcased history and romance in equal light. I wish I knew more about the history of Iran during that time.
The past was always there, lurking in the corners, winking at you when you thought you‘d moved on, hanging on to your organs from the inside.
pickA very engaging story, if a bit repetitive and manipulative at times. I enjoyed the glimpses we got of the political upheaval in 1953 Iran and the subsequent years, and would have loved if the history played into this a little more than it did. I was rooting for Roya and thought the love stories very sweet. I absolutely loved the food and cooking in this book, even if I do have a terrible craving for jeweled rice now. 😂
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
so-so
