Fun, unique and well-written. I'd recommend this book to anyone! See my full review on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/vktEF9tkiok

The Hexologists had a slow start, but very quickly picks up into a racing novel that manages to be funny, witty, clever, and thrilling in equal measure. Bancroft uses a Dickensian style of prose that can at first be a bit off-putting, but once the reader adapts to the language, it becomes a strength of the work. I also found myself absolutely enchanted with the magic system and world-building laid out in the book--it's handled with such a deft and confident hand. This is a book which I can see myself purchasing both in physical copy form and also grabbing on audiobook--the prose just has that quality where I'm certain it's going to be glorious to listen to. One of my favorite books that I have ARCed to date.

This book gave me exactly what I wanted to read. Action-adventure magical mystery with great characters, interesting magic system, great world building, and smart writing. I found myself putting this book down only because I wanted to savor it, to make it last longer. This is the first book I've read by this author, and I'll definitely be looking out for more.

Married couple Isolde and Warren Wilby make a living as Hexologists- and they're recruited to solve the mystery of why the king seems to have gone mad and come across many antagonists- trying to keep secrets buried, to hold or gain power or money or magic, or to further their own causes. They have an indispensable bag of tricks, cleverness, and great love for each other. I don't want to give too much away, because I really enjoyed how the story unfurled. This seems to be the first of a series, but certainly works well as a standalone.

My review certainly isn't doing justice to the entertaining writing- I would recommend this for fans of The Mummy, The Phantom Tollbooth, and fantasy mysteries.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Orbit Books for an advance copy of this novel that is a mix of The Thin Man or Mr. and Mrs. Smith, with magic, other worldly creatures, spells, royals, cooking and a dragon.

City life can be magical, especially when a city is going through an industrial revolution that is helped along by magic. Carriages without horses, streets lit to protect the innocent, houses with heat, lights, even music that travels through the air. Sure the side effect of this magic is thick carpet of snow that is coating everything, and makes things slippery, but that is the cost of progress. There is a monarchy, that is both unpopular, and acting funny, a strong anti-royalist movement, and a lot of corporate people who seem to be getting rich, while the city is buried deeper and deeper in ash. And yet for all these progress, strange things abound, mandrakes in cellars, dragons in carpet bags, things that crawl through shadows, and people always needing help. And that is where Iz and Warren Wilby, The Hexologists come in. Written by author and poet Josiah Bancroft The Hexologists chronicles the adventures of this wife and husband team as they try to get to the bottom of royal secrets, and forgotten secrets, while avoiding dangers at every turn.

Iz used to be a peace officer, but didn't have the patience, or social niceties to stay in such an environment. Iz is a user of Hex magic, one of the only forms of magic still practiced in the city, and one that keeps Iz and her husband busy. Warren is a man who has traveled much, seen a lot of things, and tried to keep a positive attitude, and a man who loves Iz with everything Warren has. They are aided in their investigations by Iz's mother the chief librarian of the university, and Iz's father bag that is a repository of ancient artifacts and knowledge, and recently a very hungry dragon. One who has come to enjoy the many meals that Warren likes to make. Their latest case is one in which the King has decided he would like to be baked in a pie, which is inconvenient as there is problems in the government. As the Hexologists begin to investigate, they are attacked by ancient creatures, sorcerers who should be dead and many other threats.

A story that was far more than I expected. A deeply thought out fantasy novel, that has a strong world view, a interesting history with lots of places to expand, and a story about two characters who are in love with each other. Not just love, they like each other which is very rare. The writing is very descriptive in many ways, but Bancroft makes the effort to portray the Wilibies relationship in a way that is far more powerful than most fantasy novels would be. There is a trust, not just a love that is hard to explain, but one that made me enjoy the story alot. And it is a great story. The writing is descriptive, Bancroft is a poet and that sometimes shows, in word play, discussing characters and even simple situations. However it works well. This is a world maybe out of the 1930's with cars, radios, lights, heat, toasters, all because of magic, which might be poisoning the planet, or exploiting others. Bancroft leaves alot that can be explored. And that is another favorite part of this story, the world it exists in has so much interesting possibilities, I can' wait to read more.

Recommended for fantasy fans, people who like to read about adults having adventures and being in love, with great writing and believable situations. Much fantasy is like breathy MTV shows about love, not here, and it is quite refreshing. Also this would be a great book for rol players, to see how simple changes and explanations can make a campaign take off. Imagine electricity, cars and rifles in say Greyhawk from Dungeons & Dragons. This is my first book by Josiah Bancroft, I really can't wait to read more.

*This is a review of the e-ARC provided by Orbit Books*

Where do I even begin with this book?

The Hexologists is an astounding first installment of a new fantasy series filled with charm, intrigue, and beautifully crafted in-depth world building. Filled to the brim with witty banter and characters one can't help but love, Josiah Bancroft has crafted an amazing beginning to what I believe will be an amazing, magical journey.

Main characters Isolde and Warren have quickly become some of my favorite characters of all time. Their loving, unwavering support of one another through each trial and tribulation is wholly refreshing. The conflict in the story doesn't come between them, and it was nice to see a couple who faces a problem as partners instead of adversaries. Banter between the two is humorous and smartly done, and the chemistry between the two is expressed well without feeling forced or trying too hard. I loved reading their adventure and I'm already reeling for more.

One of my biggest praises and gripes with this book, however is its lush and flowery descriptions of everything in the book. It's beautifully worded but is so over-indulgent with its depictions at times that it can feel a bit of a chore to get through. If you are one who fully enjoys deeply detailed, whimsical prose, I don't see that being an issue to you.

Overall, I highly recommend picking up The Hexologists upon release! I greatly enjoyed it and I know I'll be continuing the rest of the series.

*Waiting to post to Goodreads until closer to pub date.

4/5 stars

Witty, charming, and fun are really the best words to describe this book. That’s not to say there aren’t scary stakes (jumping through windows with your wife in a magic carpet bag while people shoot at you both?), but somehow they don’t hit with the same stress levels as a lot of other fantasy books. Long story short, if you’re looking for a cozy fantasy/mystery in which things still “happen,” this is it.

The Hexologists is Sherlock Holmes meets The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes with a dash of magic. It’s set in a world that feels very Victorian/steam-punk, but in which two branches of magic remain prominent (alchemy and hexology). The world-building is fascinating in how it explains the evolution of four branches of magic down to those two, and it seamlessly blends the existence of those branches of magic with the evolution of science and modern technology in the world.

However, hands down, the best part about this book is the characters, specifically Iz and War. It’s so refreshing to read a book featuring a married couple and the story’s drama has nothing to do with the state of their marriage. Iz is the feisty, snarky boss lady and War is adorably in love with her and happy to follow her lead. The two of them both had me cackling so frequently, my husband started to give me weird looks. I wasn’t expecting this book to be so funny.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for the advance read—it was delightful!

DNF at 50% and that took some doing.

Bancroft is an excellent writer capable of creating fascinating worlds populated with unique and quirky characters. The Books of Babel are proof of that. They were a never ending string of fantastic impossibilities that pulled you through the books easily. The Hexologists, on the other hand, completely lacks that sort of momentum. It’s a mystery novel but it has traded intrigue for charm and as a result the plot is flat and dull while everything else drowns in cute. Once the puns start piling up and the wholesome banter intensifies it all starts to grate. By the time the “Portalmanteau”, a Felix the Cat style magical suitcase, is revealed to be home to a dragon with a taste for fine cuisine it was evident that this book was simply not for me. I carried on out of obligation but I think I’ll bow out until the next series.

If you’re into Urban Fantasy with frustratingly pleasant couples using magic to solve mysteries in a magitek setting then you’re in luck. Bancroft offers that it spades.

I absolutely adore this book. The magic and world are interesting enough but what really stands out is the bond between the central pair of Isolde and Warren. Their unwavering faith and support in each other wrapped me in a warm hug the entire read. I thought the central mystery was extremely compelling and left me guessing until the very end. I enjoy worlds where the magic feels interwoven in believable ways and Bancroft certainly accomplishes that here. His poetic style of writing never wore on me, and I kept finding new phrases to underline. I can't wait to read the next one!

I really enjoyed this and I cannot wait for more in this series. This was a really strong start to a new series! The world-building was really well done and I was really compelled by that and the characters. The only thing keeping me from loving this even more was the pacing of the story--I felt at times that the plot was a bit unsure of where it was going, but by the end we had a clear picture of what was going on. Overall, I had a really good time with this and I am absolutely pining for the next installment!

The Hexologists was a lot of fun read a great introduction to a new series, and while this book came only to four stars for me, I do feel the series has potential for five stars in future installments. My one complaint that brings this to four instead of five stars is the plot, which I feel got a little lost along the way in some places. There was a lot to make up for that, though. The characters and the world building were excellent and the book as a whole was an enjoyable read.

Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review

The Hexologists was simultaneously a delightful and difficult read. The characters are rich and thoughtfully fleshed out, the book is brimming with whimsy - Bancroft's writing is truly magical and inventive. It was this whimsicality that made me stay with the book, despite it being a book that I didn't connect very well with. I loved the characters, the plot was thoughtful, the writing delicious and witty and imbued with fun... but it still fell a little flat for me.

I took longer with this book than most other books I've read, as I found it difficult to get through. The inventiveness of the world and the thoroughness of the worldbuilding was appreciated, but also made me feel as though I was trudging through to get to the meat of the story. I found that I felt largely disconnected from the plot. I thought that I would enjoy this book far more than I did and, though it is beautifully written, it just wasn't for me.

I loved this book! There is something about Bancroft's writing that draws me into the world he creates and his characters are so delightfully quirky. He did it again with The Hexologists. A wonder pair of main characters that support each other and have a wonderful relationship figuring out a mystery. I can't wait of the next installment!

This series has all the potential to go 5 stars. With a slightly rocky start the character grow on you and you are invited into their world. When you get to the end of the adventure you don’t want to leave. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft - eBook Version

A pinch of Ben Matlock
A pinch of Jessica Fletcher (Murder She Wrote)
A dash of Elaine and Ed Warren
A dash of the Emperor with No Clothes

Back for a few hundred pages and you get this book.

If you like mysteries, magic relics, banter and creative quirky characters you will enjoy this book. That being said, I've learned this isn't my type of fantasy sub genre. I found myself not invested in or caring about the plot, but I kept reading because I really enjoyed the characters. I will say the magic is creative and whimsical; however, at times the whimsy felt a bit clunky, almost as if forced, During those sections, I found myself looking to see how much longer I had to go in the chapter.

While this was written beautifully and great prose, it's not my type of plot. Perfect case of not a book for me, but it will be a book for a lot of people!

The Hexologists

So, let’s start with ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars! I adored this book. I have not read any of Josiah Bancroft’s previous novels, so I had no expectations going in for how he developed characters, his storytelling style, or his world building. Let’s just say he accomplished all of them with high marks from my point of view.

From the wonderfully strong, but flawed Iz, to the burly, sensitive War, they are a power couple. And let’s not forget the fiery Felivox (you’ll understand…just read the book) the characters are well rounded, and utterly charming. There are also other equally as engaging side characters.

The plot to the book is Sherlock Holmes meets a throughly enjoyable magic system. Bancroft did explain quite a bit of his magical world throughout the book, but he also left many stones to overturn and explore in the future.

If you like a well written, thought out world, with lively, witty banter and an intriguing mystery, then this book is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

JB's ‘Books of Babel’ series is so criminally underrated and I have a feeling this series will fly under most reader's radars as well.

This book hits the ground running. It starts off immediately with a case for the Hexologists to solve and the pacing never really lets up as the couple investigate while being their charming selves and getting out of sticky situations. JB does a good job at creating an alternate Victorian era setting filled with magic and mystery.

The thing is, I loved the ‘Books of Babel’ series so much that I couldn't help but compare. And I unfortunately didn't like this as much. While there are many things to enjoy about this first installment/new series, something about it didn't quite grab me like ‘Babel’ did from the start.

But it's still early days. Everything is wrapped up pretty well, but the tiny loose ends have me interested in seeing how the series will progress. Fingers crossed I just need time to warm up a little bit more to the story and truly love it.

Charming and delightful!

Have you ever had a friend who is sweet and super energetic, but really out there? You go to visit and they sweep you off to god knows what and, after you get over protesting, you have an amazing time and still talk about it years later. That's this book. It's a little weird getting into it, but as soon as I grasped what the author was doing, I had an amazing time and was really sorry when I finished it.

Meanwhile, I have to give the author props for his worldbuilding. You can tell the author has thought everything through well, but there are so many things that are not explained and would make amazing future stories. I can't wait for the next in the series. Highly recommended.

Had difficulty getting into this one for some reason. The writing itself is very good, and the plot and magic system were easy enough to understand. I really appreciate the married couple dynamic for our protagonists. It's something I don't see done often enough. Iz and War have a nice balance to their relationship. The world the author has built is quite interesting, just maybe not my cup of tea.

This was fun! A magical mystery that reminded me somewhat of the Sherlock Holmes dynamic and vibes, but with a married couple and a lot more whimsy. This had a higher body count and a lot more gore than I expected for a book with this light of a tone, and the ending felt a little rushed--probably due to setting up for a sequel. But overall this was a very enjoyable read with an interesting magic system, a cozy VIctorian-inspired vibe, and some good twists, and I would definitely be up for reading more of the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

I made it to 27% before I called it quits, but this was actually a very interesting reading experience – because I could tell that Hexologists is really quite an excellent book; it’s just not for me. Holding both those truths in your mind at once feels a bit odd.

The sense of humour here doesn’t quite fit with mine, even though I could still mostly appreciate it, and I was hoping for a very different dynamic between the married main characters. But Hexologists is one of those rare books that is exactly what it’s trying to be; tonally, prose-wise, down to all the neat little details, Bancroft has crafted a tongue-in-cheek investigative magical mystery with all sorts of wry and interesting bits woven in. If a quasi-historical setting combined with magical investigations sounds good to you, then I think the odds are high you’ll enjoy yourself with Hexologists.