BookTalk.org

WANTED: Fiction Book Suggestions for our January, February & March Discussion

The time has come for us to pick our next FICTION book to read and discuss as a community.

Please post in this thread your book suggestions. Include the title, author name, a link to where we can research your book suggestion, and then a few words about why you're making the suggestion.

Try to only make one or maybe two suggestions. We are looking for quality over quantity.

If you are brand new to BookTalk.org please think before you make a book suggestion in this thread.

We're only looking for suggestions from people that actually plan to participate in the next book discussion.

If you're only interested in telling us about a book then create a new thread and do it there. We welcome authors and publishers to share their books on our forums...just not in this thread. This thread is for active members to work together as a team to select our next fiction book.

When it comes time to narrow down the suggestions and pick a winning book we'll discard suggestions by people with only one or two posts on the forums. So if you're new and want to join the next discussion start participating in any of the current discussions happening on our forums. Show us you're here to stay and we'll take your book suggestion more seriously.

Important
Please read about the books your fellow members are suggesting. Would you read and discuss their suggestion if it was selected? Please say so! We need feedback from ALL of you on which suggestions look appealing and which do not excite you. Both positive and negative feedback is essential to this process so don't be shy. We're asking you for your honest opinion on each book suggested here.

OK, let the suggestions begin!

Since no one has suggested a book as of yet, I will jump in and offer my own. I like discussing books, particularly when the author is involved in that discussion, which I will offer to do.

My novel, Tempesta's Dream - A Story of Love, Friendship and Opera is the story of an aspiring opera singer growing up in Milan. Here is a brief synopsis, followed by some book blurbs.

Tempesta's Dream is a novel by me, a New Orleans writer, Vincent B. "Chip" LoCoco. It is the story of an aspiring opera singer coming of age in Milan; a tender and moving love story; a testament to the bonds of friendship; and, at its core, a tribute to the beauty, majesty and miracle of opera.

Giovanni Tempesta always dreamed of becoming an opera tenor and one day singing from the stage of the La Scala Opera House in his hometown of Milan, Italy. But with no real training, his dream has little chance for fulfillment . . . One day, he meets and immediately falls in love with Isabella Monterone, a dark-haired beauty, whose father, a very rich and powerful Milanese Judge, refuses to allow his daughter to date a penniless musician . . . At the lowest part of his life, Giovanni comes upon the Casa di Riposo, a rest home for musicians established by the great opera composer, Giuseppe Verdi . . . It is at the Casa Verdi that Giovanni meets Alfredo del Monte, a blind, retired opera singer with a secretive past who gradually becomes his mentor . . . Could Alfredo be the one person who could assist Giovanni in finding the break he needs? Or is Giovanni destined to be on the cusp of reaching his life long dream, only to find failure? . . . Tempesta's Dream, at its core, is an Italian opera love story. The author tells the story simply and swiftly with an ending that is both an emotional and poignant moment of both "amicizia e amore" (friendship and love.)

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Reviews

"A Powerful novel . . . Tempesta's Dream is all about the music, it's all about the passion; and it's all about pursuing one's dream . . .a moving, engrossing story."
- D. Donovan, Ebook Reviewer, MidWest Book Review

"An intelligent and entertaining lyrical journey . . . A rare, beautiful story with passion and opera pulsating through each page. LoCoco has woven a unique novel with exceptionally developed characters, realistic dialogue and a well-balanced narrative."
-Penn Book Review

"The novel has enormous heart and a few times my eyes filled with tears. I was vividly involved with this young tenor, his dreams, and the wonderful old man who taught him. It is not an easy thing to convey the passion for song. However, the way the author did it, I could physically feel the young tenor singing and hear his voice."
-Stephanie Cowell, Author of Marrying Mozart

"The story holds charm and appeal. There is beauty in the depiction of the relationship between Giovanni and Isabella, as well as in the bond between Alfredo and the young tenor. Giovanni, Isabella and Alfredo will remain in 'memoria mia' for years to come."
-George Shirley, Tenor, University of Michigan Emeritus Professor of Music (Voice)

"The story surprised me and involved me. The development of the book was very intriguing and moving."
-Cecilia Gobbi, founder of the Associazione Musicale Tito Gobbi, an organization devoted to preserving and celebrating the record of her famous baritone father's contribution to opera

"What a story! Quite possibly, the best novel about opera I have ever read. The passion of opera pulsates throughout the entire novel. Highly recommended."
-John Gehl, Opera historian

Here is a link to Amazon where you can see customer reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/Tempestas-Dream-V ... rds=lococo

Please note the price drop to $0.99 for the Kindle.

Lastly, here is a link to the book trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLwGglMBOsk

Let me know if interested.

Hi Vincent, thank you for suggesting your book Tempesta's Dream - A Story of Love, Friendship and Opera. I would be happy to read it, so will have to get a kindle. I don't recall reading a book about opera before.

My daughter Diana Tulip will be a great opera star. She started as third boy in Magic Flute, graduated to second lady, sings in the annual Opera by Candlelight productions at Canberrra's Albert Hall, and will tour France next year as lead solo vocalist for the Canberra Brass Band. But Diana wants to be an engineer - her first love is physics and mathematics, and despite her parents telling her to seek fame and fortune on the stage she insists on an career in aeronautics. What can we do?

Here is Diana Tulip singing with the Canberra Brass Quintet last week.

You have good reason to be proud Robert. Your daughter has a great singing voice. Whatever profession she chooses, I hope she continues singing. It can be very rewarding in so many ways.

I suggest my book "Desire and Red Wine, A Life's Journey" by Victoria Norvaisa. It captures the life of one family, taking you through the horrors and ravages of WWII and ending in the United States, where the parents' traditional values conflict with a culture of modern America. It is a historical and quick and entertaining read (only 216 pages) with many sensual moments of love and laughter, hopes and shattered dreams, dealing with love, failure and resilience.

It deals with all the problems of life that are relevant today: war, immigration, coming of age, love, betrayal, and resilience. It is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books123, and as a Kindle or Nook eBook, so everybody would have access. There are some reviews on Amazon, if anybody wants to refer to that.

It is a story based on my life, about real people (no vampires, aliens, etc. ), and I am anxious to hear many diverse views and opinions about my book. I will gladly participate in the discussion.

Is "Tempesta's Dream" available only in Kindle format? Would that limit some people in getting this book? Perhaps not everybody owns a Kindle.

No. Tempesta's Dream is available in Print at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, also available for Kindle, Nook, Smashwords, Sony, Apple, etc.

I only mentioned Kindle as the Ebook was reduced to $0.99 at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.

I'll throw out a suggestion, a science fiction classic. I can't even remember, I might have read it a long time ago:

Robert Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land
http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Strange- ... range+land

Stranger in a Strange Land, winner of the 1962 Hugo Award, is the story of Valentine Michael Smith, born during, and the only survivor of, the first manned mission to Mars. Michael is raised by Martians, and he arrives on Earth as a true innocent: he has never seen a woman and has no knowledge of Earth's cultures or religions. But he brings turmoil with him, as he is the legal heir to an enormous financial empire, not to mention de facto owner of the planet Mars. With the irascible popular author Jubal Harshaw to protect him, Michael explores human morality and the meanings of love. He founds his own church, preaching free love and disseminating the psychic talents taught him by the Martians. Ultimately, he confronts the fate reserved for all messiahs.

I have Stranger In A Strange Land on my short list of books to read. I would definitely read along if it was selected.