This rating might change, a lot. I haven't been this conflicted over a book in a while. It has some fundamental flaws BUT I'm still recommending it.

First, this is not a romantasy/fantasy romance/urban fantasy situationship...it's like a contemporary romance with magical realism. Idk, it's something. It starts out as an urban fantasy and then the author binge watched Yellowstone (no shame) and we have this whole ranch situation. Then some magic but not really because we don't know what the magic is, where it came from or how it works. I just. Idk.

I think this story would have been incredible if the FMC....the Harvard professor(!) or her ASTROPHYSICIST BEST FRIEND(!)..weren't idiots. They suddenly have this magical object and make almost ZERO effort to figure out anything about it. And the suddenly bad guys. I just really needed this plot to be mapped better. Book two is either going to be absolutely stunning or a train wreck because now we have to info dump all this bizarre witchcraft and we have not been prepared for it. I am begging for a prologue or an epilogue with some MAGICAL HISTORY and I despise pro/epi's for this exact reason but it's warranted here imo.

Anyway, I'd like to read book 2. Thanks.

Overall I enjoyed this audiobook. I will say though that it read more as a contemporary romance with just a little magic but it seems like the magic will be more important in the next book at least.

I loved that Iris was a 30 year old with a career and as someone who minored in art history, I really enjoyed that focus. There was a lot of emotional cheating for a good chunk of the story which made it hard for me to enjoy the romance.

The narrator, Rachael Franco, did a great job. She had a great cadence that was easy to follow and helped emerse me in the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Crystal Iris by Blair Shadows is a mesmerizing blend of elemental magic, art, and slow-burn romance. Professor Iris De Loughery’s journey of self-discovery pulled me in from the start, and Hoyt’s mysterious presence only intensified the intrigue. The complex relationships and thrilling twists kept me hooked, while the enchanting magic system added a unique touch. Rachael Franco’s narration brought every scene to life beautifully. This is the start of a spellbinding series, and I can’t wait to dive into the next installment. Fans of magical realism and steamy romance—this one’s for you!

2.75⭐️

Firstly I'd like to thank Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op via NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this audio ARC of Crystal Iris by Blair M. Shadows!

》Urban Fantasy + Romantasy
》magical amulets
》Harvard Professor meets Cowboy
》Academia


Fun fact to start: I don't know how I didn't catch this earlier but apparently the MC's childhood boyfriend's name is Aaron and not Erin????? I always heard Erin in the Audiobook, this is crazy!

Now to start I'd just like to ask - with so much love, so so much love - what kind of name is 'Hoyt'?? Let alone what kind of name is that for a love interest?? I didn't even know this WAS a proper name before I started this?!😭


The beginning was very slow but with the magic introduction still very intriguing!
The book continued to be rather slow and draggy with rather unnecessarily long 'all day scenes' while the tension and page turner scenes were sadly very short and quickly cut off.
The MC's quest to learn more about this magic amulet she's been given, seems to only appear as an afterthought if at all after the romance plot gets more prominent.
We learn so little about the magic system to begin with, only to be info dumped by the end not because the MC finally sought some answers but because of actions out of her control.

I did really like the art quotes at the beginning of each chapter and how we got to see a bit of the MC's teaching life. Though there were a few too many University scenes, in my opinion since they did little to further the romance or fantasy plot.

By the end I was most of all fed up with the pacing. Filler scences seemed to drag on forever while very plot relevant scences were over within one and a half pages. Very disheartening to read.
Though the ending was definitely this books one redeeming quality.
Unfortunately for me the ending was 100 times more captivating than its build-up.
I was missing the feeling of being hooked to a book, the thrill of turning a page, the need to know what's going to happen. Though I might've had higher expectations because other reviews stated feeling exactly that.

I didn't feel very much connected to any of the characters, nor did I much care for any of them which is why I think the ending might've hit even better if the build up had been more thorough.

Again the ending though, the ending left me wanting to know more, to find out where this is going!


All in all I was a big fan of the initial concept and definitely enjoyed the ending.
So who knows, maybe I will pick up the sequel!
And while this wasn't my cup of tea, I do think other readers might still enjoy this very much.

This was such a fun mix of dark academia + magical realism + western mystery! I loved that the protagonist was in her 30’s, established in life, and had a career she loved.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the art history / lifestyle that was woven through the story by having artist quotes begin every chapter, lots of trips to museums, and peeks into art history lectures.

When I read the blurb, I expected more fantasy/magic, but I would definitely classify this as a contemporary romance with light themes of magical elements. Based on the cliffhanger, it sounds like there will be more magic in the next book!

I absolutely adored the narrator! She really brought the characters to life!

(The review below was published on Instagram, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble on 1/27/2025. BN says, "Your review is being moderated and may take up to a few days to appear," so it may not appear there immediately.)

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced listener copy of #CrystalIris!

GENRE
• First in series
• Adult
• Paranormal romance

SUMMARY
A birthday gift from her late mother pushes Iris down a path from which there is no return. No longer does her life center on her job as an art history professor nor her relationship with her finance. Her new reality is one of elemental magic and dreams of strange places. When she meets a man from these dreams in real life, her world tilts on its axis once again.

REVIEW
Though neither the plot nor the characters were revolutionary, there was something incredibly captivating about the storytelling itself. The tone and the flow worked together to create a truly magnetic reading experience. As if I snagged a thread when I opened the book, the story unraveled seamlessly and with no effort on my part—like a movie that simply sweeps the audience along. I almost felt afraid to put the book down, as if the story might continue on in my absence and I’d miss the conclusion! This stellar storytelling, combined with sufficiently engaging plot and characters, made for a great read.
4/5

I was really drawn in by the premise of this book at first, and the initial chapters had me intrigued. The world-building with its magical elements was a nice touch, and the slow-burn romance kept me turning the pages. However, as the story progressed, it began to lose its spark for me.
While the romance was sweet, I didn’t feel like the story delivered on the emotional payoff I was hoping for. It definitely felt more like a contemporary romance with magical elements rather than the “romantasy” I was expecting. By the time I reached the ending, it felt a bit rushed and left me with an unsatisfying conclusion. If you're a fan of contemporary romance with a dash of magic, this could still be enjoyable, but don’t expect the fantasy-heavy plot you might be looking for.

"You are the reason I'm in love— with more than just art."

As much as I wanted to love this book it was not for me. I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed the narrator, but the storyline was a little too chaotic. I feel like this story was trying to be so many different things and it didn’t mesh well. I enjoyed Hoyt’s character and the ranch aspect but other than that I didn’t enjoy the indecisiveness of the FMC and the fantasy aspect was almost like an afterthought. There is definitely an audience for this book but unfortunately for me I won’t continue this series when the next book comes out.

Tropes:
💎Academia
💎Love Triangle
💎Impossible Love
💎City/Country

5/5 stars! For lovers of slow burn with a touch of fantasy/magical realism, this book will keep you wanting more! The spice was spicin’ and I thoroughly enjoyed this unique love story. I love that it ended with a cliff hanger and we get to continue with this series. Cannot wait for the next one!

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 Thai 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.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Crystal Iris is a beautiful urban fantasy with an unexpected cliffhanger. The female lead character is a professor at Harvard who feels as if she doesn’t quite belong even though she seems to have it all. Her life changes when she receives a gift from her mother who has passed.

I admire that the female lead character is older and I found it very easy to relate to her. I love that the author wrote the best friend in throughout the book and kept their relationship strong. The romance was a very slow burn which kept me on my toes the entire time! With the story based in the modern world I did not have to focus too much on world building and I was able to just be excited about the magic and mystery Iris was discovering.

Rachael Franco as the narrator was perfection. She did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life and I was able to imagine them all in my mind as she voiced them.

If you are new to the fantasy or romance genre, this is a great book to start with! This series is not finished so I am looking forward to the next one!

I’ll be upfront: I wasn’t interested in this book at all.

The blurb made it sound like an intriguing story, but unfortunately, it didn’t deliver for me. The book starts off slow, and since I couldn’t connect with the main character, it was hard to stay engaged. I honestly struggled to get through it, and the only reason I finished was because I received the audiobook ARC from NetGalley. If it had been a physical book, I probably would have DNF’d it.

This book was marketed as urban fantasy with a slow-burn romance, but instead, the plot mainly focused on Iris being a Harvard professor and navigating her relationships. It wasn’t what I was expecting, and it just didn’t work for me. There were also several subplots that felt unnecessary and didn’t add much to the story overall.

Things finally picked up near the end of the book, but if it takes an entire book to get to a handful of interesting pages, it doesn’t feel worth the effort. On top of that, I found Iris’s choices at the end frustrating and poorly handled.

Ultimately, this book just wasn’t for me.

I love the premise, a gift of magical crystal that leads her to the real love of her life. He also has a crystal and they connect somehow..However the middle was kinda slow and questions like this weren't really answered. It leaves on a hufe cliffhanger and definitely engaged me enough that I want to read the next book. Hopefully the next one is faster paced

spice: 3/5 🌶️ some graphic scenes
genre: romance with some fantasy elements
star rating: 4⭐️
release date: February 1st, 2025
—————
this book was well written, it had an interesting concept, and it also was *close* to my favorite genre, romantasy. However, it was missing the fast paced feeling I love in a good romance + fantasy novel. It felt drawn out, and it seemed the MC lacked some common sense, despite the fact that she was a “Harvard professor.” I wish that the characters had tried a little harder to actually figure out what was going on with the necklaces. It seemed like they just accepted what was going on, despite there being sources they could go to to figure out what was going on.

I did really enjoy the idea of what the characters were going through, and they also had good backstories. This has all the makings of a 5⭐️ novel, but it just lacked a little bit in terms of the plot. It felt too normal for a book that was meant to have fantastical elements.

This is a slow burn romance with a side of magical realism/urban fantasy. I really loved this story and I couldn't stop listening to it. The story unfolds a bit slowly and ends on a cliffhanger so if that isn't your thing you may want to skip this one but I am indebted in this story and I can't wait to see what happens next.

I love the fact that Iris is older and has her own job and life experiences. Hoyt is handsome, romantic and enigmatic and I want to know more about him and his family and how all of the dots are connected with him. Aaron is super sus and I don't trust him at all and I don't like that Iris relies on him at the end of the book. I feel like this situation is going to get worse before it gets better.

Anyway, I'll just be waiting over here for the love of my life to buy me a white horse.

The audiobook narrator, Rachael Franco does a wonderful job voicing the characters and I enjoy the pace and tone of her voice.

Thank you NetGalley and Leblon Publishing for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Crystal Iris by Blair M. Shadows. Thank you to NetGalley for my audio of this book which is the first book in the series.

Iris is an art professor at Harvard and each chapter opens with a quote from an artist. I also loved the snippets of art history she shares in her classes.

At her 30th birthday she receives a box from her estranged father who left after her mother died when she was 13. In it is a beautiful crystal on a delicate gold chain as well as a letter from her mother. But she doesn’t open it. (Why would you not open a letter immediately!)

When she cuts her hand and a drop of blood spills onto the crystal, it starts to glow a beautiful violet colour.

Iris is engaged to her best friend from school. She and Aaron have always been together but suddenly she feels like he is not the man for her. A couple of weeks later she is at a club and her crystal starts glowing. A little while later after doing a yoga session in her living room and looking at a candle she finds herself transported to a different place where a mysterious man is sitting but before she can speak to him, she is back in her living room.

Then one evening she attends a work event with Aaron and she spots the mystery man across the room. Why is she drawn to him, who is he? A slow-paced book with a dash of magic and a sprinkling of spice.

It’s marketed as a romantasy but the fantasy/magical aspect is minute. I think book two will pick up the magical thread more but I wanted a little more in this book. I definitely want to read the next book to see what happens to Iris and the crystal.

I liked that the female lead was a little older than the regular 21 year old heroine of our normal fantasies and the premise of the prism interesting but I found the plot a little slow.
The main character was a little ‘I’m not like other girls’ (which I guess is the point with a lead) but in too much of an annoying way and I found the conversation between characters stilted and unrealistic.
Also jumped around without much world building or detail.
Good narrator.

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

This was such a great read! I would describe it as an urban fantasy.

We start off on Iris’ 30th birthday. She is an art history professor at Harvard who is engaged to her childhood sweetheart and best friend. She is also wholey unhappy. She was gifted a necklace by her absentee father (who left after her mother died as a child) along with a note. Strange things begin to happen after she wears the necklace and she finds herself in an out of body experience looking at another man who cannot see her. Soon she comes face to face with Hoyt, the man from her visions. Their connection becomes undeniable but there are so many hurdles before they can ever be together. Eventually she finds out Hoyt has a similar mysterious necklace and they set out to try and figure out what they are.


The first half of the story was a little slow, that’s what kept me from giving it 5 stars. Once it started going though it had a great pace! The ending was fun and I cannot wait to read the next book. This was definitely the start of what I can see as a great series.

Narration was also great.
Spice level .5 🌶️/5

Thank you to Leblon publishing via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC


“I stared at my reflection in the mirror, at my perfect matching pajamas, all I could think of was, I’m so tired of being a good girl.”

With thanks to Netgalley & Leblon Publishing for this ARC to listen to in order, I could deliver an open, honest review.

This isn't quite as much fantasy for me as it is a romantic novel. With the link of the prism for both Iris and Hoyt, it brings them into each other's path whilst Iris begins trying to discover the powers that this holds. If you have any understanding of crystals, manifestation, soul contracts, etc, you may also see this as a spiritual romantic storyline. Yes, of course, there is an element of mythical. However , there is a lot of what-ifs and possible learning here of the magic we have as souls on this planet.

For the purposes of the storyline, taking it all as fiction it is a beautiful love story that includes family grief and searching for relatives, etc, which brings Iris and Hoyt closer together. The burden of this crystal/ amulet necklace can cause devastation in the wrong hands and must be protected at all costs.

It was well narrated, and I really enjoyed this audiobook overall. However, I was a little disappointed in what felt like an abrupt ending it just didn't feel like the story should have ended there. I appreciate that this is the first in the series, meaning it, therefore, needs to be left open for the next book. However, even with this in mind, it felt like a rushed ending.

This is where it lost some stars for me was the ending and possibly just a little too much focus in the beginning of Iris previous relationship it just didnt feel as relevant but maybe this will be in thw following books! I do think I'd like to read on following their journey through in the next in the series!

3.5 🌟

This title is the first in a series and it had the definite slow start of a series with a build to an ending that really left me desperate to catch the next one.

I’d categorise this title more as a very light fantasy with a much larger amount of romantasy and some definite spice.

I really enjoyed the fact that our protagonist was slightly older, it was such a refreshing change to have actual grown adults, who’ve lived a bit, have a career etc, I really enjoyed the art history lessons that were dropped in because of this. I enjoyed the pair being drawn together by an amulet, and if the ending is anything to go by this is going to lead to a brilliant fantasy series.

I have to be honest, the cover and the title could be played around with a bit more before release date, and possibly a bit of final editing to maybe shorten the book, there was a lot that felt unnecessary and it did make it drag a little bit in the middle. However everything that was good was solid. I mean this with the greatest of respect, a bit of polishing really would make this a huge hit.

The audio narration was good, if a little bit gappy 🎧

Huge thanks to Leblon publishing via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧