Crystal iris

-academic, discovery of witches type vibes
-urban fantasy

I have to say, I’m not a fan of the emotional cheating in this. It’s hard to root for Iris when Aaron hadn’t really done anything wrong as a partner
Not to even mention the romance between Iris and Hoyt. I get it, the crystals draw them together and it can be exciting wanting something you can’t have or touch but the chemistry between them just wasn’t there.

This has to be one of the most anticlimactic books I’ve ever read. I kept waiting for something to happen, anything to happen. A few things finally happened during the last quarter of the book.

Also iris is lowkey annoying. She’s naive, immature and quite judgement, especially of Akira. It seems like she’s always reprimanding her even though she’s a grown woman.

This book might be someone else’s jam but it just wasn’t mine. Thank you Netgalley for the audio version of this book in exchange for an honest review…and if I’m being honest, if this wasn’t an audiobook that I could just put on and listen to when I’m doing tedious tasks, I don’t know if I would have finished this book. The narrator was fine though

DNF at 31%; I found the idea of this plotline cool, but it just felt like I was waiting for the good parts to start. It was really hard to connect with the main character, and it felt like the beginning was really dragged out.

The narrator also spoke so slowly that I had to increase the speed to 1.5 for it to feel like normal.

The manner in which I received this audiobook has no impact on my review.

This is a mature urban romance with fantastical elements. The synopsis drew me in because it was a concept I hadn’t heard before, but I felt the plot was a bit slow throughout the book. I felt I didn’t discover much about the crystals for the majority of this book, and most of it was centered around the broken engagement and a messy romance. The narrator, however, did a great job portraying the FMC, Iris, that was discontent with her life and constantly facing an internal battle. The audio was very well done!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book, I didn't want to stop listening to it while I worked. The whole story kept me on the edge of my seat making me want to know what was happening next. Several twists and turns that I didn't expect but it made the book more interesting not knowing where the author would take it next. The ending surprised me a bit and I can't wait to read the second book!

This book includes:
- parent who died when the protagonist was young and haunts the narrative
- a magical crystal pendant
- unsatisfying childhood best friend to lovers
- a witchy bff
- whiny FMC
- INSTANT lust

Unfortunately, I found THE FMC of this book to be so obscenely insufferable that I could not read past 35% and even that was a stretch. The plot was very slow and so boring, and I really tried to give it a chance but there is only so much I can do.


I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Blair Shadows, and Leblon Publishing for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted to GoodReads check out my profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863 and it will be posted to my bookstagram account https://www.instagram.com/tinynightingales/ and booktok https://www.tiktok.com/@tinynightingales?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Such an enchanting book! I was slow to be intrigued but two chapters in, I was hooked. This is just the first book and sets up the rest of the series beautifully. We learn a bit but are left to have so many questions!
The story centers around an amulet that causes its wearer to start experiencing paranormal event. The main character has been with her sweetheart since high school but her life gets turned upside down as soon as the amulet starts to glow.

Crystal Iris by Blair Shadows is an addictive paranormal romance/urban fantasy following two people drawn mysteriously drawn together by their powerful prisms. Both were warned, neither listened. Now they are caught up in something they don't understand.

It was an enjoyable fast read, enjoyed the complex and older characters since you don’t get that often with and there was a lot of plot twist and can’t wait to continue.

Overall - this was a good read. Maybe no fantasy so much - was more like light fantasy. World building was pretty basic - since it's mostly just modern day with a magic pendant. Liked the idea of the older (30s) main character, although she seemed to completely forget about her own passions as soon as she met Hoyt. Changes from city girl to country farm hand and doesn't even reference art, books or research which were the mainstays of her life before. The main reason that held this back from a 4 star really was the frustration at the letter from her mother. We know about it in the first chapter and despite the number of questions that are unanswered she refuses to open it until after she'd kidnapped?? (That was a good twist though!) Anyway - the letter was too straight forward about do this and don't do that - feel like maybe it could have been more vague but she opens it at the beginning and then only understands the implications later would have been a bigger reveal? Just felt a bit rushed at the end. Still interested to follow the rest of the series to see what happens next!

Wow this book was great. Different than what I expected but I loved it. I got to listen to the audio before it’s released and hearing the story was amazing.

I was definitely hooked into this book three chapters in. Following Iris story with a gift from her mother who passed away when she was younger was so many things. There is magic, romance, adventure, thriller, mystery. It was perfectly written and now I wanna know what happens next.

Thank you Victory Editing/Leblon Publishing and Blair M. Shadows for allowing me to access an DRC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Iris is gifted a crystal from her dead mother and when she puts it on, it starts to glow at seemingly random times. It also attracts her to another man, but they cannot stand to touch each other because it magically hurts too much. Even though Iris is engaged, she finds herself inexplicably attracted to this stranger and needs to find out more about him. The premise sounded a bit silly, but I thought it could still be a fun read... it was not. It was a very frustrating read and I considered DNF-ing it the entire time. I hope the author never reads this because I'm not usually this mean, but I really did not like anything about this book.

The audiobook was alright. There wasn't much differentiation between voices, especially male voices, but it was otherwise fine. (Though I may be biased because I did not enjoy the book itself.)

Style (0.25): No... it was honestly pretty poorly written. There was even a long section (several pages!) of back and forth texting between the FMC and main love interest, but without the audio, I could not have been able to tell who wrote which texts since it broke to a new "scene" or batch of texts after every 5 or so texts. 0.25 because I understood most of it?

Plot (0): It was jumping way too quickly. The FMC was engaged but there was insta-love for another man anyway. (I'm not saying there can't be a well-executed story of a woman who was engaged but realized she didn't really love him and then fell for another man, but this was not it.) All of the conversations and plot points also went way too fast and without a drop of depth. The FMC is an art historian at Harvard. I don't personally know much about art history, so I cannot say whether what she taught actually made sense, but it sounded convincing enough to me. It got a little better once she got to Montana, but it felt like I was reading a first draft that hadn't expanded on ANY of the plot points yet. There was no feeling. Even the spice was so fast! I felt like there might have even been small plot holes, but maybe they just weren't explained enough. The book ended on a cliffhanger, but I don't feel the need to find out what happens next.

Atmosphere/Setting (0.25): I vaguely know what Harvard looks and feels like, but the author did not help me get there. There was barely any introduction of any of the settings. There was more focus on hot tubs, pools, lakes, and showers. I guess 0.25 because I always knew where the FMC was.

Characters (0): There was absolutely no depth to the characters.

Enjoyment (0.25): Somehow I finished the book, probably because the audiobook helped me get there. I was a little curious to know how the crystal worked, but not enough to keep reading the series.

Crystal Iris was such a refreshing read! I absolutely loved how it was grounded in the real world while still holding a subtle thread of magic throughout. The story never felt overly absorbed in fantasy—instead, the magical elements added just the right amount of intrigue without overshadowing the real-life setting.

One thing I really appreciated was the communication between the characters. There was none of that frustrating, drawn-out miscommunication you often find in books. The dialogue felt mature and clear, which made the relationships feel more authentic and enjoyable to follow.

The relationship between Iris and Hoyt did start off a bit fast and intense, but considering the influence of the amulets, it made sense within the story. It didn’t feel forced—just a little accelerated by the magical circumstances.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m definitely looking forward to continuing the series when the next one is released!

HELLO?? This was a hidden gem at its finest. Why was this so good and caught me completely by surprise how much I loved it.

The plot:
We follow our main character, Iris, who is working as an art professor and engaged to her childhood best friend and sweetheart, living a seemingly normal yet slightly dull life. At a young age, she loses her mother, and her father abandons her quickly after her mother's death. On her 30th birthday, she receives a gift (which ends up being a diamond neclace) from her father but after reading the note attatched realizes that her father is just passing it along under her mother's instruction to ensure that Iris receives the gift on her 30th birthday and not a day before. From the first chapter, we are introduced to the mystery of this peculiar necklace and the magic it contains.
As the story continues, we learn that this strange necklace is somehow tied to a man that Iris has never met before but is undeniably drawn to.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed the art history aspect all throughout this book. I felt like it gave it a little something to stand out from other romance/fantasy/paranormal novels and added dimension to a genre that can at times feel repetitive. I loved the mystery surrounding the necklace! Where did it come from? Why are Iris and Hoyt connected? Why did Hoyts father get so mad when him and his brother put the necklaces on? It gave me that "I don't need sleep i need answers" feeling, and I ATE IT UP.

The romance is part paranormal, part cowboy, which is very different, but these two elements were done in a way that they worked together flawlessly. There is a steady build of tension between Hoyt and Iris that was perfectly paced, giving you time to connect with each of the characters on their own and then root for them as a couple.
I searched frantically trying to find the 2nd book and was so disappointed when I realized it isn't released until March 2026 😭 I need the next book now!!

Huge thanks to Leblon publishing and NetGalley for my Advanced Reader Copy of Crystal Iris! I'm also sharing this review on Audible.

Thank you so much to Leblon publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook. The following review is my honest opinion.

In this romance novel with fantasy elements, we follow Iris. It seems as though she has it all figured out. She is an art history professor at Harvard. She is engaged to Aaron, her caring childhood best friend. However, everything changes when she comes into possession of a family prism necklace with magical powers. It connects her to a stranger, who has a prism necklace of his own and who she is not able to touch, even though that is all she craves.

This book had some good elements. For example, I was very intrigued with the prism/crystal and forbidden love/can’t touch storyline. Sadly, I couldn’t fully commit to story, because I felt uncomfortable with the fact that she was engaged and lying to her fiancé.
In my opinion this book could have been a lot shorter, especially the middle part. I felt like I got to know the characters very well, however I was slightly disappointed that the plot wasn’t as well developed. The ending took me by surprise and promises an intriguing storyline for book two!

The narrator did an overall good job of portraying Iris.

4 solid stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ overall this was really good and exciting. I felt like Iris was a whole fresh new kind of FMC, she was super smart, older, relatable, and very likable. Of course I loved Hoyt and his rugged Montana lifestyle and there were horses, which I love! The romance and hurdles were relatable with them and the long distance and navigating that part of the story. I was intrigued by the art history and educational information associated with it and how it was intertwined in the story, something new that I’ve not encountered.

Holy shit with the mystery/plot twist and the cliffhanger!!!! I have so many questions and theories and I just need the next book to find out what’s going to happen!!! I need answers on the prism and its power and Iris’s power to do the things she can!! (Don’t want to give anything away, the wait to the end is worth it!!!!)

Possible spoiler, read at your own risk!!!



Now the part I didn’t like, the emotional cheating between Hoyt and Iris while Iris was still engaged to Aaron, this part I connected with how some of the hallmark movies got about breaking up a couple where there’s no spark, it’s just a mundane relationship. While Hoyt and Iris did not do anything physical, it was set up where I wasn’t ok with her actions.

Spice 1.5/5 🌶️

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook

The best part of this audio book was the narrators ability to put emotion into the characters and really draw you into how they may feel. I really enjoyed the found family aspect and the art quotes at the beginning of each chapter.
Although not my usual choice of book, as it leans more romance with magic than true romantasy, overall it was an enjoyable listen.
The pace of the story was slower than I would of liked, slow burn but almost snails pace. The yearning and tension throughout did make up for some of this.
Cowboy romance elements where an interesting addition to the narrative
Review also posted on fable and good reads

This book had an intriguing premise with a nice blend of fantasy and mystery, and the world-building showed real potential. There were moments of vivid imagery and emotional depth that drew me in, especially during the more introspective scenes. However, the storyline sometimes felt a bit disjointed, and I found myself wishing for more character development and clearer pacing.

The audiobook narration was okay—pleasant enough to listen to, but lacking the dramatic range that could have really brought the story to life. Some characters sounded too similar, which made following conversations tricky at times.

Overall, it’s a decent listen with sparks of creativity, but it didn’t quite reach the level of immersion I was hoping for.

Thanks netgalley and leblon publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a more mature urban romance fantasy. The plot was ok.
Iris is a professor was gifted a pendant by her father that shatters all understanding of normality.
She is engaged but drawn to another a stranger that carries the same burdens she does.

This is essentially a romance however the chemistry wasn’t there for me at all. I love the ranch and that aspect away from the city though.

I think this series has a lot of bones to it but the flesh isn’t there yet. I think with a little editing, book cover change That could be great.

I didn’t hate it I just got a tiny bit bored.

Thank you though as the cliffhanger was good I will 100% be reading the next one.

A 3.5 for me, the story was good and the last few chapters lead up to a great cliff hanger for a second book making me want to know more about the prisms but I just couldn’t get over how much I disliked the main characters- iris didn’t have the balls to tell Aaron she didn’t love him so she broke his heart by emotionally cheating on him. Aaron was a needy spoilt brat and Hoyt just seemed off to me. When the next in the series comes out I may continue to read
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review, I also enjoyed the audiobook.

I was pleasantly surprised. This was a book I didn't expect to like so much.
The story (albeit a bit slow at times) was very exciting. I had no idea where it was going and I liked the mystery of it.

At the end of the book you get a few more answers and it ends with a cliffhanger. I will definitely want to read the next book. I can highly recommend it.