The books of doors… the book of light… the book of safety…. the book of pain…. Was I able to keep tracks of all the books???? The answer is no. Did I love this book? Yes, so much yes. If you’re a book lover most likely you will love this fantasy! So much fun and honestly I went to almost all my emotions here. Cassie and her grandpa, then Izzy and even Mr Webber. LOVED IT.

This book was fantastic! The concept of books doing different things, like offering join or inflicting pain was perfectly done! The ending leaves it open for a book 2 and let me tell you, if there is, I. Am. Here. For. It. Definitely recommend this book if you're a fan of Addie LuRue! Same kind of feel.

Thank you William Morrow for the gifted copy of this book.

The Book of Doors is a captivating fantasy story involving magic books, time travel, villains, and a "normal" woman that gets dragged into a world she was previously unaware of.

Cassie works at a bookstore and one night, one of her customers gives her a strange book. The Book of Doors can transport you to any place and time if you can visualize the door there. Cassie thinks this is super cool and her and her roommate spend an evening traveling all over NYC. However, others out there want this book and will do whatever they can to get their hands on it. It turns out there's a bunch of different magical books out there in the world, and people collect them to use for good and/or evil.

I loved the premise of this book and was really excited to dive in. The first couple of chapters sucked me in, but then the pacing got off. Most of the first 2/3 of the book was really slow. I feel like I read 100 pages and I'd only be at 15%. The last 1/3 or so really picked up and I flew through the ending. There's also a lot of time travel and parts got a bit hard to keep track of. There's an elaborate plan at the end and I found myself having to reread pages to keep track of what was going on and how the plan worked.

The creativity that went into writing this bumped it up to 4 stars. The world building with the various books and what each specific book does is fascinating. I also liked the time travel aspect because it added an extra layer to the plot that enhanced the magic.

Looking forward to more from this author!

If you could open a door to anywhere, where would you go?

I am a sucker for magical realism and this book did not disappoint. This is a fantastical, magical, thrilling, and poignant story that I absolutely devoured and I highly recommend to anyone that loves magical realism. I was shocked that this is a debut work. Even more shocking (and exciting) there seems to be a sequel in the works! At some times it felt like there was a lot of set up (which makes sense if there is going to be a sequel...first books are usually set up heavy), but it didn't take away from the overall power of the story.

I loved the premise of this book but I felt as though the tone was inconsistent. It went from a fairy-tale-ish feel to f-bombs and liquified corpses. The two psychopathic characters were too much and felt like cartoon villains. I also didn’t feel like the other characters were very well fleshed-out… in particular the relationship between Cassie and Izzy felt very flat to me. The book had a lot of potential but didn’t quite go from good to great.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review took me a week to write because I have so much I would love to say but I don’t want to spoil any single part for anyone.

This isn’t my typical genre and I am so glad I took a chance to get out of my comfort categories. I loved this book. It’s thought provoking and you really have to pay attention. I think that I need to read the book again just to see the breadcrumbs the author left throughout that make sense now after reading.

I sincerely hope there is a follow up book because I’m not ready to close the door on these characters. (Har har see what I did there?)

This is the perfect book for any fantasy and book lover. There is so much magic and adventure packed into these pages and I really enjoyed my time reading through this book. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this book, as I often find that there are so many books that promise something magical for book lovers, but ends up not being quite what you're hoping for, but this one really hit some wonderful points. I would say the pacing was a little off at times and there were a few plot points and areas of the story that didn't quite flow as smoothly as I'd hope, but overall I think this was a really solid story that I had a great time with! I'll definitely look for more from Gareth Brown in the future.

I loved the Book of Doors! I appreciated the Time Travel element as well as the narration. I would read more from this author.

An amazing and colorful story of books and magic and time travel. There is a dose of good versus evil as the plot thickens. Cassie begins the tale in a bookstore where she befriends an older man. The story is ever expanding and vivid and filled with an eclectic cast of characters. It was a wonderful wild romp of pure imagination.

This book was provided by NetGalley. The review is my own.

Very few books make cry. I don’t think any other has had me tearing up in chapter 1! This was a great read and I look forward to reading it again.

You can tell that Brown enjoys a good library. The story he developed was inventive, and brought a new aspect to the trope of "magical books." I can see this novel being adapted into a movie, and I think some of the scenes would fit better in that format. Aspects of this were gory at times, especially referencing Hugo Barbary and The Woman. I felt those were unnecessary. The ending of the novel surprised me, and tied a lot of elements together. Brown did time travel well with this, and developed his characters to the extent one can expect in a thriller novel.

Cassie discovers she's not the only one who owns a magical book. There are book collectors and hunters vying for the powers possessed by different books. In the wrong hands, the world could be destroyed. Cassie and Izzy soon meet individuals who want them for power and individuals who want them for education.

Along the way, you will meet Mr. Webber, an old man who often visits the bookstore where Cassie works. He is also the individual who gifts the Book of Doors to Cassie. You will encounter the owner of The Fox Library, Drummond Fox, which houses the largest collection of magical books. There will also be book hunters like Hugo Barbary, Mr. Izaki, and Lund, and, of course, the bookseller and the woman.

The Book of Doors starts slowly, but eventually, the story reaches a point where it suddenly picks up, creating a whirlwind experience for the reader. The author, Gareth Brown, does an exceptional job at developing every character you meet, as well as having a well-developed magical New York City where most of the action takes place. Pay close attention to everything you read; you may find Brown is foreshadowing quite a bit. He includes just the right amount of plot twists and suspense to keep the story alive. Overall, I enjoyed the immersive journey "The Book of Doors" took me on, and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking an enchanting escape into a world of magic and adventure. Whether you're a fan of magical realistic fantasy or simply seeking an impactful read that will keep you on the edge of your seat, The Book of Doors is bound to suck you in. With its memorable characters and tasteful plot twists this story will leave a lasting impression long after the final page is turned.

Thank you to William Marrow Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

Oh boy, did I love EVERYTHING about this book! It was completely engrossing practically from page one. Very exciting. A true battle of good versus evil. All of the stars! Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins publishers for the arc. The novel is out now, read it immediately.

When Cassie is given a book that can open a door to anywhere, she is thrilled and immediately starts to explore. In fact, that premise could be the start of a whole adventure novel. But in this book, there is much more going on. The world contains highly sought-after books that can do magic, and all sorts of people pursuing them. At times violent and other times full of wonder, the book kept me so interested. I'd highly recommend it.

An interesting story about a world where there are many magical books hidden away that each give the one holding them some unusual ability. Our protagonists face a seemingly impossible challenge in order to survive, even with the help of the books in their posession.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read an online arc of The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown.

Given all the comparisons to books I have enjoyed reading in other reviews, I was sure this book was going to quickly engage me. I'm sad to admit that it took me quite a bit of time to get through this arc. It may have a lot to do with my lack of connection to the main character, Cassie, who I found much less mature than her stated age and also with the fact that it took awhile for anything truly important to develop. The initial novelty of the doors wore off quickly for me. And the magic behind the other books felt just dropped into the story as convenient. Drummond Fox was a far more interesting character to me, and I found myself skipping around a bit to follow him until the story came together for me. Some parts of the story fell flat for me, while others were truly nail biting.

Overall, I would say that I enjoyed the book…and didn’t. The ending was both a hit and a miss for me. The thing I truly appreciated the most was the love and reverence of books portrayed by the author. That I can get behind. 3/5 read

This book had some slow moments but when the pieces began to click together I was hooked. I cried, gasped, and audibly sighed with relief. This is a stunning story of friendship and trusting the process. I hope to find my own book of doors one day and see all the possibilities that the perspective of time travel can offer me. Smashing debut!

Well this book was an unexpected surprise! Characters I want to be friends with, magic, adventure, danger. You name it - this book had it. I LOVED IT!

When Cassie's ordinary life is disrupted by the mysterious death of a regular customer at the bookstore where she works, she is thrust into a world of magic and danger. The discovery of the Book of Doors opens endless possibilities, allowing Cassie and her roommate Izzy to explore beyond their wildest dreams. As they dive deeper into the secrets of the book, they encounter Drummond Fox, owner of the Fox Library, who is determined to protect the books from falling into the wrong hands. This is where things get dangerous!

This book was a five-star unputdownable surprise and deserves a place on every fantasy lover’s bookshelf.

Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to embark on this magical adventure and share my honest thoughts.

I really enjoyed this story, and the number of different doors Cassie Andrews can walk through in this story. I love books about books. And the two best friends Cassie and Izzy traveling around with adventures and evil afoot. Seems like it would be set up to have a sequel if it does really well. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed this for the most part, but it was just....fine. I wish it delved more into the magic and the villain fell a little flat. It was definitely more graphic then say The Starless Sea.