OMG. I did not know what to expect when I picked up this book. It is unlike anything I had ever read and I loved every minute of this wonderful magical realism book.

Cassie works in a bookstore in NYC. When one of her favorite customers dies, she is so upset but becomes very confused when she finds the book he was reading with an inscription leaving the book to her. This is the Book of Doors. It will allow Cassie to open any door and have it lead to anywhere she wants to go- London, Paris, or any door that she can picture in her head.

Soon, she is approached by a stranger named Drummond Fox, a librarian for a collection of books just like Cassie’s. He tells her that she is in danger. People have been looking for The Book of Doors for years and will do anything to get their hands on it.

Now Cassie finds herself entwined in a dangerous game of cat and mouse as she tries to stay alive and keep the Book of Doors away from people who would use it for nefarious purposes. #gifted

3.5⭐️

After a long-time customer passes away while visiting the bookstore where she works, Cassie Andrews finds herself in the possession of a strange little book, “The Book of Doors” – a magical book that leads Cassie and her friend Izzy to wherever they desire, opening any closed door to their destination of choice. Unbeknownst to Cassie this special book is one of a unique collection - each of which possesses unique magical powers that can be harnessed for good or evil. The books have been hidden throughout history in different corners of the world and several people have devoted their lives to finding and owning them – each with their own agenda - Drummond Fox, the “Librarian” and owner of a magical library, a mysterious ”Detective” with a secret mission, book collectors who’d go to any length to find those books and use their magical powers to further their own interests, among whom is the “Woman” whose quest for the books has left death and destruction in its wake. We follow Cassie, Izzy, and Drummond as they try to find as many books as possible before they fall into the wrong hands.

With a cast of interesting characters, a unique, imaginative plot, and an immersive setting, The Book of Doors by Gareth Jones is an engaging read. I loved the premise of this novel and thoroughly enjoyed following the adventures of Cassie, Izzy and Drummond who I thought was an intriguing character. Cassie is an endearing protagonist and I enjoyed getting to know her. The narrative is shared through multiple perspectives and timelines and the author weaves a magical tale bringing all the threads together in a well-crafted narrative. Though the story flows well, it does suffer from inconsistent pacing, minor repetitiveness, and verbosity. (There were a few dialogues and descriptions I thought were offensive and unnecessarily so, but that’s more a personal observation.) The time travel element was interesting but left me with unanswered questions. I liked the protagonist and her friends and though the villains in the story were evil enough and also provided an element of comic relief, they weren’t strongly developed characters.

In short, I loved parts of the story and found it to be an overall entertaining read.

Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

The Book of Doors seems very promising and for the first couple of chapters I was really into it. I love the idea of being able to use any door to go somewhere else!

Unfortunately, after the first 10-15% the pacing seemed really off and I started to dislike the characters. It got to the point that I just didn’t care what was happening next because I didn’t really like anyone enough. I’m glad the ending wrapped up kind of fast, but the woman reveal was disappointing. I also felt like the author doesn’t really understand women enough to write them because Izzy and Cassie weren’t really strong characters in my opinion.

I think some people may like this, but I won’t be recommending it.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Gareth Brown for an ARC of this book!**

What if any door was EVERY door?

If going ANYWHERE...even forward or backward in time was a simple as finding any open doorway, thinking about the desired entryway...and just walking through it?

Cassie isn't sure she believes in magic...but one special book might just change her mind. Working at a bookstore, Cassie's life revolves around finding the perfect read and helping others to do the same. She has many customers she cares for, and a best friend Izzy to pal around New York City with too, and life seems gratifying as is...even with the loss of her beloved grandfather still stinging from time to time. But when a customer hands her a book titled "The Book of Doors" with strange writings and drawings inside, Cassie is a bit confused...but like any good book salesperson, she just HAS to figure out what the book is...and WHY it was handed to her before this beloved elderly customer passed away.

Once Cassie spends some time with the book, she discovers it is nothing short of a portal, one that can take her to ANY door on earth...at any point in time. After going back in time to spend a few more precious minutes with her grandfather, she starts to realize the book's POWER...but she has no idea of the danger involved with even having it in her possession. Enter Drummond Fox, a book collector with a special library...a very COVETED library full of books that ALL have special powers of their own. And if any of these books gets into the wrong hands...it could be the end of life as EVERYONE knows it. Can Cassie keep the Book of Doors safe from the evil forces determined to add this particular book to their collection...no matter what the cost? Or will the Book of Doors lead Cassie to the ONE door that she just can't escape?

With comparisons to books such as The Midnight Library and The Ten Thousand Doors of January, the premise of this one grabbed my attention immediately. I feel as though bibliophiles everywhere gravitate towards ANY books involving libraries, librarians, books, bookstores, et al. and for good reason: a book about books is USUALLY a win in and of itself for an avid reader: we all love reading stories that take place in some of our favorite worlds. As much as I thought this premise didn't sound ENTIRELY fresh (as more of a mix of the two aforementioned books) I was hoping that our intrepid narrator would bring the sort of charm that would get me swept into her world, and the plot itself the sort of unique magic that books like The Wishing Game, Willy Wonka, and The Midnight Library had in spades. (I haven't read Ten Thousand Doors of January as of yet, so I won't comment on that one as of yet).

But by about 10-15% in, I realized this author was lacking in the magic department...lacking in the character development arena...AND that the only 'fantasy' I would experience while reading this book was a fantasy where I truly ENJOYED it.

I'm not an avid reader of fantasy in general, due to the over-complicated (at least for me!) nature of so many of these tomes, with complex and intricate worlds, scores of characters, and blink-and-you'll-miss-them CRUCIAL plot points. Funnily enough, though, this book almost didn't feel like fantasy at all, but a mishmash of different genres, from an attempt at mystery, to a half-baked magical realism story, to a drama of sorts...and I was left feeling more than a bit disoriented. Due to the nature of jumping across time and space, it also just seemed to take forever for us to get to anything important as an audience, and the novelty of the doors wore off pretty quickly. The true meat and potatoes of the story goes back to Drummond's past with the book(s) and not only was it not particularly interesting, I felt no emotional connection whatsoever to him or his plight, and even less invested in what was going to happen with ALL of the books.

There's also the small fact that there are MANY books, and the Book of Doors is just the beginning. Rather than fleshing out all of the various books and their powers in a cohesive and interesting way, they are sort of randomly woven into the narrative when its convenient...but to be honest, I could have lived without all of that extra detail anyway. I think there are ways this COULD have been presented as a sort of journey into the past that would have felt more meaningful, but it seemed like a device to increase page count rather than to provide meaningful dialogue on why collecting all of the books was SO important. Eventually, the plot 'comes together', but trust me when I say that not only did this BOOK cover the span of several years...but I felt like I spent several years of my own life reading it.

There's also the slightly problematic fact that the author often chooses to characterize people in a...less than flattering light, to say the least. More often than not, there is telling rather than showing, and what the author chooses to tell us about these characters is that they like making problematic and at times judgmental comments. Sure, some of these characters are Bad Guys with a capital B, but at the same time, there is simply an air of ignorance and some 'old' ways of thinking that certainly won't jive with a Gen Z or Gen Alpha audience...which I find incredibly ironic, given that at times this certainly read more like YA, with our MC acting more like a teenager than I felt necessary...but not in ANY of the whimsical ways that could have made her endearing.

And though Cassie may have held the power to explore ANY door in her hand, I found myself wishing I had the book for one reason alone:

I just wanted to go through the nearest door marked "Exit."

3 stars

What a mind-bending, fantastic book! It is in an universe all it's own. I don't even think I have the right words to do it justice.

Cassie is given a book by the little older man who comes into the bookstore, right before he dies. It isn't just any book. It is the Book of Doors. It will create doors to anywhere. It is so magical but it also takes Cassie into a strange world of the librarian, Drummond Fox, trying to get all the magical books kept safely into the family library. There are so many magical books out there. Fox is being sought after by Dr. Hugo Barbary, a ruthless man trying to get to the library. There is a bookseller who runs private auctions to the highest bidders for the books. There is a heartless, woman who thrills in killing anyone in her way or just because. The whole cast of characters is amazing.

Cassie travels back and forth through doors in time. Each one giving us a revelation that makes you go OMG! My mind was getting twisted into knots as one after another surprise was brought to our attention.

I haven't read anything like this and I will recommend this to everyone I know! Fantastic writing Mr. Brown. I look forward to much more from you in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for a copy for review.

This is a well done fantasy great for all book lovers. Cassie using a book to jump into another location/another reality was a really exciting concept that I’ve definitely wished were possible while reading some of my favorite books. The main plot to this story was well thought out and captivating too!

I am on the fence with this book. I didn't like it but I had to keep reading it. It is a time travel, fantasy book. It has a bunch of magical books that can take you places, make you feel different emotions and hurt people. It is also a story about friends and friendships with people who are looking for the different books. Cassie and Izzy are best friends and roommates. Cassie works at a book store. There is an elderly gentleman who always comes into the store and has coffee and reads books. His name is Mr. Webber and Cassie has a soft spot in her heart for him. Tragedy strikes Mr. Webber and he leaves Cassie The Book of Doors. She takes the book home and her and Izzy experiment going through doors and entering other doors in different places in the world. What they don't realize is that there are people, some good and some bad, who really want that book. So the adventure begins. I am not a fantasy book reader but like I said, it did pull me in and I had to finish it.
Thanks to #netgalley, #tansworldpublishing and @garethjbrown13 for an ARC of this book

If someone gave you the power to go anywhere you wanted, where would you go? Cassie is given a book that lets her travel wherever she wants. At first this is a really cool adventure for her, but then she discovers there are similar books out there - and they aren’t meant for good.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! I am pleasantly surprised by this debut from Gareth Brown. The Book of Doors is every bit enchanting, cozy, and fun for what a reader would want out of a fantasy. Though it could feel slow at times, I liked the writing and highly recommend it to anyone as their next fantasy read!

3.5 stars - Great time travel story of magic with a mix of fantasy and horror and a sprinkle of love and hope.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this story, and happy to read the arc. However, this was a tough one for me, and I found it a little more difficult to get into the story. An easy read, the writing flows smoothly, but as the story jumps around between characters, it took me some time to try to become invested and really understand what the story was about. From a unique library of various books with magical powers, Cassie is gifted the Book of Doors from a steadfast customer who passes away in the bookshop where she works. When she learns that the book can open doors to anywhere she wants to go, she and her best friend find endless opportunities for travel. They also soon find themselves in danger from others who want what she has. I love a good magical fantasy story, but this one was just okay for me. I found the characters a little hard to relate to and sometimes I felt it was a chore to read more, rather than wanting to feel surrounded by the story unfolding. Thank you to Gareth Brown, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this e-arc.

Magical realism I can do, fantasy not so much. Yet, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘀 has been high on my 2024 anticipated reads list since I've read the synopsis and saw this beautiful cover. I could not wait to see where the magical book took Cassie and others. For a non-fantasy reader, I really enjoyed this "good versus evil", thought-provoking book!

My advice: go in blind and give it your undivided attention. With all the timelines, characters, POV changes, and small details hidden throughout, you do not want to miss anything. This debut author's ability to write such a complex story. With the exception of the book's origin (which I'm still trying to grasp), everything seemed to come together and all my questions were answered. Trust me I had plenty too.

Thank you William Morrow Books and Netgalley for the ARC! 4.5 stars rounded to 5.

My review has light spoilers:

The good: the premise of this book is great! The time travel aspect was done really well. It does get a little complicated at the end (what time travel doesn’t?), but I could follow the logic behind it and enjoyed the plot.

The bad: I’m going to be a little harsh on any male author who decides to write a woman as their main character. Particularly as it pertains to descriptions of their body and comments about food and weight. So let’s start with our main character Cassie, who very early in the book is called a “pretty lady” by someone who doesn’t know her. So I think this paints a picture in the reader’s mind of fairly attractive woman. Then this is how Cassie describes herself:

“To her own eyes she was too tall and too thin. She thought her hips were too narrow and her chest too flat, and her eyes were big and wide like a startled deer’s. She never wore makeup, because she had never really learned how to do it, and her blond hair was always flying off in different directions no matter how much she brushed it.“

This just made me roll my eyes because it screams of a man writing his dream girl who is hot but doesn’t know it, and I just hate that stereotype. I hate it when women write this way, and I especially hate it when a man does it. That’s my personal opinion, and if it were the only issue I had I would have moved past it.

But there are some weird body weight comments that feel straight out of the early 2000s. I’ve seen some other reviews detail this further, so I’ll keep this short. It added nothing to the plot and just felt icky. Hard pass there.

Then I wanted to pose the question - for a book published in 2024, is it okay for your villain to say racist things? Like is it okay because they are the bad guy and it’s showing us how they are evil? I’m going with no for me personally. I think you can illustrate that a terrible person is terrible in ways that aren’t racist. Examples of this language from our villain include “that Jap and his ape” as well as “black, bald bitch”. Just a big yikes.

Lastly, this one is more spoilery!

Okay, I understand that Cassie is a bit of a proper academic type. She befriends Mr. Webber, and it makes sense that’s what she calls him that when she only knows him as a customer in the bookstore where she works. But then they live together for a decade as best friends and she *still* only refers to him as Mr. Webber!? I just cannot comprehend this! If you want to keep it consistent just write a scene where Mr. Webber asks Cassie to call him by his first name, and she can lovingly say something like “but you’ll always be Mr. Webber to me” and call it a day. If there was ever a mention of his first name, I missed it.

I didn’t realize this book got under my skin as much as it did until writing it out. I do think there are a lot of people who will like this book! If you like magical realism with some action I think this would be right up your alley. This book was compared to Addie LaRue (blasphemy), but I think a more fair book comparison would be The Cartographers mixed with The Midnight Library. So if that sounds appealing to you, I think you might enjoy it!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book has such an amazing premise! An unassuming book lover living in NYC is gifted a magical book that (literally) opens up a new magical world to her, but also exposes her and her best friend to life-threatening danger. I gobbled up the first few chapters but eventually started getting frustrated - new characters would be introduced with little to no backstory, and even at the end of the book I felt like Cassie was the only character we were able to understand. I really wanted more on the secondary characters and what their motivations were, and the lack of development really frustrated me.

I also had a major issue with the pacing. I actually wonder if it wasn’t the author’s intent to stretch some scenes and chapters out so long and then fill another chapter with rapid-fire action and plot points in order to make the reader feel as disoriented as the main character, but in the end, it just didn’t work for me. I vacillated from being a tad bored to being confused as to who was doing what and where.

I do feel like I have an overall appreciation of the book after finishing, even if I didn’t quite understand it all. In the end, the reader is able to see the interconnectedness of it all, and while my little peabrain didn’t grasp everything, I was still able to appreciate the overall themes. I can tell that Gareth is a fellow book person, and that immediately creates a connection for me, but at the end of the day I needed deeper characters and a tightly-woven storyline. It’s a fantastic idea, but ultimately I just didn’t love it like I wanted to.

With a magical book, any door can be every door. Cassie loves books, so when she is gifted a mysterious book that can take her anywhere with the turn of a knob, she has to know more. But she is not the only one who knows about a series of magical books, and others are willing to kill for it.

I requested this ARC because the premise of this book sounded so interesting, and the author delivered on a well executed plot line - including actually telling us the origin of the books! This rarely happens in stories like this and, while it was a weird explanation that got a little meta and timey-wimey, it was incredibly satisfying. The cast of characters were so touching, and the villains were truly awful. Pacing was great and it didn't feel like it slowed down at all. This book was so well done and was a really enjoyable read!

The premise of this book sounded great: a mysterious Book of Doors that was given to Cassie with no explanation and now she may be in danger.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me. I had to force myself to finish it. The first half is especially slow as a lot of characters are introduced but they are pretty one dimensional. We don't really learn much about their back stories or anything about their personalities except through the powers of their magic books. There is a lot of telling not showing.

The Cassie/Drummond and Izzy/Lund "attractions" felt like they were added in the final draft in response to "need more interaction" much like the awkward elevator scene in Top Gun. There is a scene where Cassie has to hold Drummond's hand and she acts like a 2nd grader worried about boy cooties. These parts especially felt like a YA novel which it might have been more successful as had it not been for the over-the-top gruesomely violent villain. (I did skip over a lot of her solo scenes after her introductory chapter at the family farm because I'm a wimp.)

The time travel got very complicated at the end of the book . Even the chapter titles didn't help me keep it all straight. I still don't really understand how many books there are or how the future plays out with these books. I did love all the descriptions of Scotland and the Fox Library. Those scenes were wonderfully imagined.

I didn't love all the weight shaming either. The characters only eat in maybe 5 scenes, but in at least 3, either Cassie or Izzy makes a comment about weight that didn't need to be there. A main character who needs to be a badass and take on the black market of magical books should not be worried about eating a croissant.

Thank you to William Morris and NetGalley for the Advance Reader Copy. I am required by law to disclose this.

Cassie is a quiet and bookish twenty-something living in NYC and working in a book store when she is given the gift of a lifetime - The Book of Doors. With this book she is introduced to a magical world where books give their owners all kinds of powers - powers that some people would kill to have.

This book was compelling in all the right ways - well-developed characters, an intriguing plot, and food for thought - all written in a style that puts the reader right in the story.

This debut novel is twisty, with lurking danger, heroism, and above all the power of love.

This book was magical - I really enjoyed it! I found this to be a quick read, and the plot really kept me on my toes. The characters were so well rounded, and I miss them already. The overarching theme of friendship is my favorite part! I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I would certainly recommend this book to friends.

Wow!!! I typically don’t read fantasy books but this read so easily for me and was so entertaining. It’s a page turner and I couldn’t get enough of it. I wish I had a book of doors and of course I kept thinking of all the different types of books I could own lol this story was genius!

“Any Door is Every Door.”
In this incredible debut Novel, Gareth Brown gives us magical realism at its finest, balancing multiple storylines and POVs without losing the momentum of each chapter. As a former New Yorker, I greatly appreciated how Brown described the city-living experience—from the cozy secondhand bookshop one finds refuge in, to the fancy bar you go to mostly so you can people watch, to the incredible importance of your corner deli that’s open through all hours of the night.
I found Cassie to be an incredibly relatable FMC. The way she explores the Book of Doors, her commitment to her friends, and the lessons she learns surrounding the many kinds of grief made her a joy to follow through this story.
I loved that this book did not shy away from the price these characters must pay to keep the magic safe. The danger felt real (honestly, one of the best villains I’ve read in a while) and the stakes were high, and there were many twists and turns that presented our FMC with challenges I wasn’t sure she would bounce back from. But I found myself reeling at each realization of the “invisible string” that runs through this story to tie everything together (Shout out to my husband who had to listen to me squeal with surprise and then run into the room to tell him what had happened for the entirety of this book. ) My only wish was that we could learn more on how the magic was created. It is briefly mentioned, but never explained in full, and having this information may have made the ending even richer than it already was.
I would note that the violence, while I feel it helped to color the severity of the stakes, was quite jarring. Please check trigger warnings if this might disrupt your reading.
Giving new life to the phrase “books are magic,” The Book of Doors is not one to miss!
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.