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Viridis - A Steampunk Romance & Mystery (The Viridis Series) [Kindle Edition]

Calista Taylor
3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)

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Book Description

In steampunk Victorian London, where airships dot the sky and tinkerings abound, Lady Phoebe Hughes develops an herbal elixir, Viridis, unlike any other. London's elite flock to her club to experience the euphoria and heightened senses the drink brings, an orgasm brought on by a single kiss. But when Lord Hawthorne is murdered after leaving her club, Phoebe is shocked to find that not only was he working for the Special Services to infiltrate the Cause, a movement fighting for the city's poor, he was also in possession of her secret formulation for Viridis.

Adding to her difficulties is the unexpected return of Mr. Seth Elliott, a brilliant tinkerer who stole her heart and imagination, only to abandon her when she needed him most. Unable to ignore all that is between them, Phoebe finds herself falling for Seth once again, only to have a powerful rival for her affections wrongly accuse Seth of attempted murder. As Phoebe struggles with a way to free her love, revolution, conspiracy and murder threaten to ruin it all.

*** Author's note: Some scenes are not suitable for those under 18 years of age. ***            

Devil on a Sparrow's Wing, book 2 in the Viridis series, as well as Jack - A Grim Reaper Romance are now available.


Editorial Reviews

Review

  • "Viridis is my first steampunk read, and I couldn't have chosen a better book. This was a very emotional and heartfelt love story filled with action, technology, and adventure." -- Reading Diva
  • "Puts the STEAM in steampunk. Phoebe, Seth, and Gavin will keep you entertained for the entire story." -- Karen Lawson
  • "The characters are rich and endearing, or villainous as the case may be. And the love scenes are tender, erotic, and passionate. Ms. Taylor has created a cross-over classic and it is only the first in a series." -- Maxwell Cynn

About the Author

Calista Taylor is an agented author of steampunk/gaslight romance with a steampunk romance series currently available and a non-fiction, steampunk clothing craft book due out in May 2012. When not running things over with a sewing machine or lacing herself into a corset, Calista can be found tapping away on her laptop, tormenting her characters, and riddling the streets of Victorian London with dead bodies and heaving bosoms. She's also a creative cook who can't follow recipes, a versatile crafter, and a happy geek.  For more information, she can be reached at calistataylor.com.

Product Details

  • File Size: 560 KB
  • Print Length: 304 pages
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B005KT028Q
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Enabled
  • Lending: Enabled
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,505 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

The thing is, this isn't even a bad book. Celine  |  22 reviewers made a similar statement
Ruined the whole book for me and made me not want to read more by this author. Anastasia  |  13 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Dark Steampunk, Not my Cup of Tea. December 12, 2011
Format:Kindle Edition
In its fundamentals, VIRIDIS was a good book. It was well-written with relatively few typos or formatting errors, the plot was decent, and the characters were more or less likable. The problem, I think for me, was one of taste.

VIRIDIS is dark, and I don't mean that in a blood and guts kind of way, but in a psychological, I-think-the-author-might-have-gone-slightly-off-the-deep-end kind of way. I've read a lot of dark books in the past - with S&M, blood, violence, psychopathic killers, and everything - but something about VIRIDIS really bothered me. It took me a long time to put my finger on what that thing was, and eventually I realized it was a lack of positive outcome. I guess I'm a happy-ending kind of gal, and although the book does end on an upswing for the protagonist and her lover, the pain and suffering throughout the story far outweighs the hope and joy. In fact, the very last chapter is the scene of a murder.

This is not a book for the faint of heart. There is rape, some sexual bondage, multiple murders, conspiracy, and a monster in human skin. However, for those that find the dark side of human nature fascinating, and enjoy steampunk London, this still might be a good book for you.

Characters: *** 3 Stars
Pheobe is likable and semi-realistic for an independent steampunk Victorian lady and brilliant herbal "tinkerer", though a bit delusional about her own safety. She travels about London on her own, even to the poorest parts, without an escort or bodyguard or any kind of security. She even refuses to carry a weapon. However, she's feisty and stubborn, and a bit of a revolutionary, willing to fight for who and what she believes in. Her ex-boyfriend, Seth, is also a brilliant mechanical "tinkerer". He returns from a special mission for the Cause and pursues Pheobe with determination, trying to win back her heart and ultimately her hand in marriage. I liked that both Phoebe and Seth were ambitious and motivated individuals, but never really connected with either of them.

Secondary characters include Pheobe's brother Gabriel, who I wish played a larger part in the story (his character is integral, but we don't learn much about him until the story is almost over), and Gavin, Seth's best friend and an airship captain from Scotland that always wears a kilt.

The villain is Lord Victor Fenwick, a self-righteous cold-hearted man, who demonstrates an absolute lack of compassion as well as an impressive network of allies. I actually wanted to know more about Victor - why he was so interested in Phoebe, and how he came to be the bastard that he is. Unfortunately, his motives were never fully revealed.

Plot: *** 3 Stars
While the story was well-built with few plot holes, I had a hard time enjoying the novel. One bad thing leads to another, leads to another, and the few glimpses we have of potential happiness for the characters are quickly crushed under the weight of another lie or catastrophe. The final resolution to the murder case was also a bit disappointing, as I think the author could have done a better job of providing subtle clues throughout the novel.

Setting: ***** 5 Stars
The setting was perfect for a steampunk romance. The club, Viridis, was really well described, and the author brought Victorian London to life throughout the novel.

Romance: *** 3 Stars
I was not a fan of Seth and Phoebe's relationship. Seth was overbearing and nearly abusive in one instance, and Phoebe keeps secrets from Seth, never really trusting him completely. While this makes sense given their background (Seth left Phoebe after her sister died, when she needed him the most), I never felt like they were a good match, despite their passionate physical relationship.

Genre - Steampunk: **** 4 Stars
VIRIDIS was a solid steampunk romance novel, but didn't excite me as much as some of the others I've read. Phoebe's lab (really more of a distillery) had some interesting security measures, and some of the devices sounded cool (if a bit too futuristic for Victorian London, even steampunk Victorian London), but I wanted more ingenuity from the author. Given Phoebe's herbal elixirs, I had hoped for a bit of a twist on the regular steampunk themes, but VIRIDIS failed to deliver on that.
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48 of 54 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I like steam punk and romance, and liked the characters in this story. There were some editing errors but not too many for me. BUT near the end the author has the main, female character do something incredibly stupid and out of character, given that she is supposedly an intelligent woman. SPOILER ALERT, don't read on if you don't want to know what happens. The author seems to have a penchant for BDSM, the sex scenes are almost all tinged with this, and then she has the heroine submit herself to rape by the villain, has her trust that the villain (who is villainous, obviously, so not to be trusted) that if she submits to him he will keep his word. Completely idiotic. Seems more like a rape fantasy. Ruined the whole book for me and made me not want to read more by this author.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Feisty Victorian Tinkerers Rock! September 11, 2011
Format:Kindle Edition
I agree with RCardello in that Taylor has a fresh voice. Her stories move quickly and smoothly and build a world in which you can fall into without being bogged down with unnecessary details.

I love Phoebe's verve and energy. The gal has moxie. Basically, she's a feisty little Victorian who loves science and tinkering with steam powered contraptions. In an era of keeping women in their place and following the social norms of the time, she flaunts conventions with a style, flair, and energy that will have you rooting for her. Phoebe creates an elixir that puts her and her tinkerer lover in the sights of the other side of London's steampunk world's revolution. Will she and her man survive, or will they have to give up the one thing they've finally realized is the only thing they want? (So not telling you though! You'll have to read it yourself!)

My first introduction to the world of steampunk and I loved it! (I should mention that I save 5 stars for those books that totally change my world and become a 'bible' for me. But really, I should give this one a 5 based on it's originality and entertainment value, because it's fab, dahling. Fab!)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars Female Oriented, Older Teen Oriented Cosplay Romance Suffers From Iffy...
I've abandoned this book as unreadable, and I won't be reading any more Calista Taylor if this is her stock in trade.

It wasn't so much that it was a Harlequin Romance. Read more
Published 20 days ago by Stephen Mann
3.0 out of 5 stars Viridis
I am not going to finish this book. I don't care about the characters whether it's the authors fault or mine I don't know. Read more
Published 23 days ago by Christy Curtis
4.0 out of 5 stars Review of Viridis
Ok. First let me second the author's note that is put in with the blurb. There are definitely "some scenes" that "are not suitable for those under 18. Read more
Published 24 days ago by AimeeKay
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Steampunk novella
Good scene setting. The Steampunk genre is used for this story but it doesn't overwhelm the basic story.

It is s fun read that works well for the Kindle. Read more
Published 27 days ago by Peter Venkman, PhD
5.0 out of 5 stars My First Steampunk
I want to first thank the author for making this book available for free. This is not a genre I usually
seek out as I tend to look for conventional romance books, but gave it... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jan
2.0 out of 5 stars Sigh....
This does NOT put the steam in steampunk. This is hardly steam punk at all. Just because you write a character wearing brass goggles once in a while, does not make it steam. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Whyet D. Demoss
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
I read some of the reviews, even ones with spoilers and I thought I wasn't going to like it. In fact, I liked it very much. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Tracy Harrison
5.0 out of 5 stars A highly enjoyable book
This is the first steampunk novel I've read. I really enjoyed it, right to the end. I think other readers of the genre would love it, too.
Published 2 months ago by Grant Botes
5.0 out of 5 stars My first Steampunk - Loved it!
I am not into romance books. I really dislike them, so that I even choose this book was out of character for me. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Stephanie
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!!!
I enjoyed the story, it was my first steampunk, and it sent me looking for more!! Couldn't put it down, immediatley bought the 2nd and am impatiently waiting for the 3rd!!!
Published 3 months ago by Nikkilamom
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More About the Author

Calista Taylor is an agented author of steampunk/gaslight romance and non-fiction, with a steampunk romance series currently available, and a steampunk clothing craft book due out in May 2012. She lives in New England with her husband, her two girls, an ancient cat and a crazy dog.

When not running things over with a sewing machine or lacing herself into a corset, Calista can be found tapping away on her laptop, tormenting her characters, and riddling the streets of Victorian London with dead bodies and heaving bosoms.

She's also a creative cook who can't follow recipes, a versatile crafter, and a happy geek.

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