A mixture of magic/history/alternate universe and royal intrigue! I loved the magic system, the main characters relationship, the DRAGON character!! I thought this was a really clever story with lots of different magical tools used to accomplish tasks and investigate a mystery. Bring on book 2!

A great read, and I'd like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read it. I loved the mixture of mistery, magic, fantasy, thriller plots, political intrigues - all in all, a fun and exciting adventure.

"The Hexologists" by Josiah Bancroft is a masterclass in whimsical fantasy intertwined with rich world-building. Delving deep into magical urban labyrinths, Bancroft presents readers with the enchantingly quirky duo, Iz and Warren Wilby. From chimney-wraiths to bookish dragons, the narrative brims with inventive charm and thrilling intrigue. Amidst the wit and wonders, the heart of the tale remains the unyielding bond between the Wilbies. Bancroft’s latest is a dazzling concoction of adventure, humor, and profound emotion, marking it as an unmissable gem in contemporary fantasy.

As a sort of disclaimer, I just want to say that this was my first acquaintance with Josiah Bancroft’s writing, so I had zero expectations going in and my impressions about his style and storytelling are based solely on this book.

The story, set in a magical variation of a Victorianesque steampunk world, follows a married pair of investigators, Isolde and Warren Wilby, as they try to untangle their new case. At its core, it’s a mystery/detective story, peppered with world-building details, information about the characters’ background and certain encounters or ideas that are definitely there to be explored in later books.

For me, the magic system was probably the most interesting part of the book: it’s introduced slowly, through exposition and action both, and by the end of the story the picture is still woefully incomplete. I found it curious how technology and magic coexist and even intermingle in this world, with the balance shifting towards technology and magic inching closer and closer to obscurity for various socio-political reasons, but, again, this is not really the focus of the story.

The second main thing I found to be both unusual and enjoyable is that the narrative follows an established couple whose relationship is clearly built on mutual trust, appreciation and support. Considering the amount of danger each of the main characters finds or puts themselves in, I expected at least one confrontation to take place, but I suppose the idea was to show a partnership where people have long worked out their issues and made their peace.

The case itself, involving the Crown no less, was probably one of the weakest links for me here. I’m no great fan of detective stories, but even I can tell you haven’t found your answer when your best piece of evidence could very well simply be a lie. The pool of characters also makes it fairly easy to guess who the mystery megavillain is, though I’d be interested to know how exactly the author is planning to derail the said villain’s plans, as they seem to be quite a powerful opponent.

The language itself is something I’m on the fence about. On the one hand, I find the flowery prose and the abundance of rarely used words appropriate and fitting, but on the other I can’t say I appreciated a handful of cases when I had to reread a sentence or a paragraph to make sure I got the actual point that was wrapped in what seemed like too many frills. So, hit or miss there.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read - a slower one than I expected, considering how fun the magic system looks, which I mostly attribute to the style and somewhat uneven pacing. Even so, I’d be interested in reading about Iz and War’s new adventure when the time comes and seeing where their noble recklessness takes them next.

Thanks to Netgalley for an arc of the #Hexologists

Josiah Bancroft is a skilled writer with a knack for crafting elegant sentences. in this case, though, I felt the wordiness and richness of the prose dominated the plot and character development. My attention, especially at the beginning, would wander off from the story every now and then. It's a solid book but requires the reader to be in the right mood.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book

I really wanted to love this but I honestly couldn't bring myself to want to read it.

The story starts out with immediate drama which hooks you in but after that, I couldn't feel any connection to it. The prose is beautifully written but it does feel a bit overwritten if that's possible? I'm halfway through the book and it doesn't feel like a tremendous amount has happened.

I read another review that describes this book as feeling like it's a middle of the series book, like you should already know the characters and be established into the world when reading this, and that's exactly what it feels like.

I may try again sometime because the premise and setting seem really cool and the characters are fun and interesting. Hopefully it's just a case of it being the wrong time for me to read this.

I loved this book and was so excited to hear about this title. It was one of my first approved netgalley books, so this added to the magic of reading this book. I flew through it because i was so enchanted by the magic and world building. I found the characters to be bold and intriguing. Great writing and all round enjoyable. I hope to see more!!

Book Review 📚
The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft - 4/5 ⭐

By first read from Bancroft but I loved every second of it. It was beautifully written and done in such a witty yet charming way. I'll definitely be reading more work from Bancroft.

I loved how the story flowed in the book. The relative between Isolde and Warren was perfect. It's the whole, opposites attract. The story line was a perfect mystery with hints of fantasy thrown in. Now don't get me wrong, I spent a fair bit of time highlighting words to find out the meaning, BUT it just shows how in depth the author was going.

It was an easy, nicely paced read with a brilliant story and fantastic characters. Warren is definitely my favourite throughout the book. Was super excited to read this was going to be a series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

”The king wishes to be cooked alive," the royal secretary said.

And what an opening line to set up this fun, adventurous mystery to be solved by a married couple known as the Hexologists, private investigators of the paranormal.

Isolde and Warren are complete opposites and this dynamic just works perfectly. Warren is extremely sociable with a gentle conscience and great emotions, complementing (and detracting) from Isolde's brusque, abrupt, and often rude manner.
The relationship between these two is what I wished for in book one of Senlin Ascends.

“My wife has a talent for hexes and mysteries. I mostly just carry her bag."

Magic is mostly dormant in this new age, where technology supersedes the use for it, and suspicion has wiped out other traces such as wizards. Hexology’s power lies in the drawing of complex rosettes - minoring in magic while majoring in art. Yet it is often mocked, and Iz is seen as a source of ridicule and contempt.

Oh, we also have a dragon who lives in their bag called Felivox. He’s a self-taught literate and is absolutely delightful.

If you aren’t familiar with Bencraft’s previous work, then prepare to be blown away by such clever, witty, and lush writing. Stunning metaphors, sharp retorts, absolute gems of observations on human nature.

“Have you done anything unwise?"
She gripped the straps of his apron, and steadied herself. "Yes, I have."
He stroked her hair. "All right. I love you."

Whilst I enjoyed this immensely, sometimes the magic details and world-building, or the foggy fight scenes impeded my enjoyment.

Thank you to Orbit for providing an arc in exchange for a review.

A fantasy mystery... what could be better?! I absolutely loved this story and it had me gripped from the get-go. I am most definitely looking forward to the next instalment in this series to see how the character developments and the storyline plots progress further

What if Sherlock Homes and his companion lived in a steampunk world with magic? Well I guess we don't have to wonder anymore cause the Hexologists are here!
This was a joy to read. Fans of beautiful prose, mystery (not overly complicated) and fantastical elements should look no further. Our protagonists are a married couple who solves mysteries with the help of spells of some kind. There is a great deal of investigating and adventure here along with some twists. The pacing was great, not slow but not frantic either.
The tone of the book balances between the seriousness of the investigation and the lightheartedness of the male protagonist War. Of course I have to mention my favourite character, a funny, intellectual and always hungry dragon!
For some people I can see the wordy prose (though beautiful) being a bit too much but that's a personal preference. Also in most of the book we don't have a main bad guy/antagonist and that hurt my enjoyment a bit.
The final part was great though and it was this that made me look forward for the next adventure in the series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. There were good elements to this book, including an interesting magic system and a beautifully supportive couple dynamic. However, despite this for me personally it rapidly became flat and a struggle to finish. I think part of this feeling comes from the introduction of many concepts which cannot be fully explored in a book of this length, but which are probably intended to be fully explored over the series. I also think the commentary on society was a bit heavy handed. I think this would look well for those that like more whimsical fantasies or detective/ whodunnits with magical elements.

First of all thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc
I was excited to read this fantasy where a married couple team up to solve mysteries with lots of magic involved
Unfortunately this didn’t work for me and I found o couldn’t get into the plot and found my mind wondering. I could see others loving this but it just didn’t work for me