It has a great premise and likable characters. I will have to give it another read because I just could get vested in the outcome. Having the ability to open doors that lead elsewhere while avoiding a nefarious secret society is my mojo, but this time it just wasn't there.

The Book of Doors is a book of magic, mystery and time travel like I had never read before! The twists and turns had me constantly guessing what could happen, how an event can go, and is something not quite as I thought it was. It was thought provoking and sent me on a journey with such a diverse set of characters. I adored this book, might be one of my favorites so far this year! It was such a delight to find all of the threads connecting at the end.

Three and a half solid stars.

Are you into a bit of magical realism? This book is for you. A bit of fantasy? This book is for you. A well thought out book full of twists and turns and things tied up in a bow? This book is for you.

This is not my normal genre, so I found parts of it incredibly fascinating. There were parts that were way too graphic (violence wise) for me. And some descriptions seemed a bit harsh for this day and age, but... I would try another book from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morris for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

2024 is knocking it out of the park when it comes to the portal fantasy sub-genre. The Book of Doors is the second book of the sort I’ve read this year and I loved it. It’s a wonderful, thought provoking exploration into what would happen if you could open a door to any place or even any time. I wasn’t expecting a book that would literally make me cry.
The Book of Doors follows Cassie, a young woman living in New York City and working in a bookstore. She’s going about her normal shift chatting with a favorite older customer, and when she returns to check on old Mr. Webber before closing, she finds that he’s passed away and left a small leatherbound book to her. It’s full of nonsense scribbles and drawings of doors and she accidentally discovers what the book is capable of when she’s absently daydreaming of a past trip to Italy. She and her roommate Izzy take a test drive of the book, hopping to their favorite locations around New York, but what they don’t realize is that they’re being watched and magical books are priceless, highly coveted items.
The pair are soon violently dragged into the world of magical books, though Cassie is fortunately guided by Drummond Fox, the Librarian. Drummond has been seeking magical books to preserve and keep them from the hands of those who would seek to do evil with them. The Fox Library goes back over a century, though Drummond has had to hide it using his Book of Shadows so a psychotic book hunter known only as the woman can’t find it. The woman enjoys using her books to cause pain and suffering and her life goal is to find the Fox Library so she might attain all seventeen books held within. Cassie’s Book of Doors is the only way to get in since Drummond Fox hid it in the shadows and he insists that her book must be destroyed.
The story seems like it would be a fairly straightforward one of collecting books, defeating the woman, and saving the day but it’s far more convoluted than that. Remember, the Book of Doors can open any door, even to the past. What actually plays out is a complicated and very well executed time travel sequence full of action and absolutely heartbreaking emotion. Cassie was raised by her grandfather, but he died of cancer years before and she goes back to visit him at one point and I cried like a baby. The emotions this book wrung from me were unexpected.
The Book of Doors was an incredible story. I admire any book that can bring me to the emotional edge and push me over, but that can’t be all a book has to offer. This had solid friendships, a truly awful villain character, plenty of adventure, and strong women! I couldn’t put this down and I’d highly recommend it, particularly for folks who like books about books and portal fantasy!

This book was thought provoking and has an interesting premise. I enjoyed the overall theme of good versus bad, and how a thirst for power can corrupt. There was a surprising cast of diverse characters I wouldn't have expected to team together so well. The bad people were truly evil, which is where a lot of the horror and violence comes in. So truly consider content warnings on that front, there are some brutal murders. It goes to show how a lot of pain and suffering can lead others to inflict the worst upon the world. I felt the magic books was unique and enjoyed learning how each worked. It was also reflective on how a book can be used for good and bad, depending on the users intentions. I thought the characters also showed immense growth by the end. We get insight into each one and I appreciated the third person omniscent narration for that purpose. The time travel was well done, I didn't have to work too hard to keep track of the time jumps.

I really enjoyed The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown. It had everything - mystery, magic, and self-discovery. The story is set in a world where certain books have magical powers and evil people want control of them all. The author has done a great job of creating a diverse cast of characters who are well-developed and have their own motivations and desires. The book explores the theme of agency and how we all have the power to make choices that can be good or bad. IIf you're looking for a great read, which will keep your interest throughout, look no further! Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author, for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I am torn on this book. The concept--that there are magical books with various powers, that there are book hunters around the world collecting the books at any cost, that there is time travel and luck and worlds beyond our own—is one that I love, and I kept reading to find out what would happen next. Unfortunately, it seemed that the author's skills were not up to writing this book the way I hoped it would be. This is a true example of telling not showing, with extremely repetitive sentences, ideas made explicit when they would have been more powerful and just as intelligible as subtext, and large gaps of time which I would have loved to learn more about but were instead summed up with explanatory paragraphs rather than actual plot or character development. At times this book read like a YA novel, despite the tons of blood, gore, and curse words. About halfway through I started skimming so I could get the gist of the plot without the repetition of the prose. I wanted this book to be so much better than it was, and I still think the plot is incredible; this book just could have done with a few more rounds of edits.

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown is a book full of magic with an emphasis on time travel. It is a cleverly written story of intrigue and ingenuity. As always, it is easy to get twisted up in the ramifications of time travel but that is far from the entire story. There are books: The Book of Doors, The Book of Pain, The Book of Illusion, The Book of Safety, et al. Most people don’t know anything about these books but a few select collectors own some and want more. They appear to be hand-written journals with illustrations. They make no sense until one holds one and feels, then uses, its power. Naturally these books must be kept from persons who would misuse their power. Drummond Fox has a library which was his grandfather’s; it is rather a house full of books, but he uses one of the books to protect the treasures it holds. He has not been there for ten years until he takes Cassie there. Cassie is the holder of The Book of Doors. She and her roommate, Lizzie, have been playing with it until Desmond comes upon them. That is when things start happening.

Cassie is thirty or so and works in a bookstore. She is given The Book Of Doors by a patron, who then closes his eyes and dies. The Book of Doors is the biggest conundrum in the story. No one seems to know from whence it came, and Desmond has a younger version of it in his library. Through clever usage of the book, the team manages to dispose of the current batch of ne’er-do-wells, leaving the door open for more to appear. It is a very readable, very enticing book with intricate characters and a well-thought-out plot. An exciting adventure. It raises questions in the reader’s mind and gets the reader thinking. Always a good thing. As one who is not normally a reader magic or of fantasy I thank Gareth Brown for a terrific read!

I was invited to read The Book of Doors by William Morrow. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #WilliamMorrow #GarethBrown #TheBookOfDoors

This was a very solid fantasy/time travel book. The magic was complex enough to be interesting, but easy enough to understand within the book’s 400 pages. I loved the plotting and scheming in the second half of the book - it kept me turning pages. I do think that the characters, especially Cassie and Izzy, lacked a bit of depth, but it was still an enjoyable read!

Wow! What in the Inception is this book?! It’s magic, it’s amazement, love, loss, and above all it’s a book that I will be thinking about for a while to come. Thank you to NetGalley and Morrow books for an advanced reader copy. I enjoyed Gareth Brown’s debut published novel so much that I had to buy the physical copy.

I am not usually a fan of books that deal with fantasy. Imagine my surprise when I not only took a chance on this book but ended up loving it!

Cassie Andrews it a bookseller. She works at a book shop in New York. A customer who she had become friendly gifts her The Book of Doors but this is no ordinary book. The Book of Doors is full of squiggles and drawings that make no sense but under all of that lays a power. A power that can harbor danger. A power that can be used for good or evil.

Cassie along with her bestfriend and roommate discover the power of the Book of Doors. It allows them to transport from one area to another. During her travels she meets Drummond Fox. Drummond is the librarian - the keeper of the books. Drummond warns Cassie and tells her about other books similar to hers that exist. The books are all unique and have their own power. An evil woman is in search of books and has a need to collect them all and become more powerful. She is feared. Cassie joins Drummond in an effort to discover the mystery and the power behind the books and protect the book of doors.

The Book of Doors if full of twists and turns. It is beautifully written which is impressive as this is a debut novel.

DNF’d at 25% simply because it’s not the book for me. The premise sounded interesting, but it’s too fantasy for my taste and I should have known that would be the case before I requested it on NetGalley. I still gave it a chance because I have enjoyed a few fantasy books in the past (including comp title Addie LaRue), but by this point I can tell it’s going to be mostly action-y with the MC running away from a bunch of bad men who want her magical book in their own hands, and that’s just not a story for me. If you’re a fan of fantasy and think it sounds good, it’s probably still worth a shot!

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this amazingly good book—I didn't want it to end! The intricate plot, believable characters, and thorough descriptions made it hard to put this book down! This talented, intelligent author creates a mystical tale that seems incredibly genuine! I often got the feeling that I was there when the characters' stories were being told. The Book of Doors will undoubtedly rank among the best 10 debuts of 2024, in my opinion!

This is a fantastic DEBUT story about love, loss, friendship and a world in which there are magical books that can do great and terrible things for the people who possess them (ie some can transport you across time and space while others can cause you pain or wipe your memory).

Action packed and hard to put down, I really loved this one! Highly recommended for fans of The starless sea by Erin Morgenstern and great on audio narrated by Miranda Raison. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

There’s something exciting about the idea of time traveling and magic portals. I’ve been addicted since Narnia :) While I enjoyed the whimsy and wonder this story provided, it wasn’t quite the experience I imagined initially. This was a 3.5 read for me, but I’m rounding up to 4.

I enjoyed the backstory of how the characters came to be in possession of these magical books, but the actual development of these characters fell flat. I felt like I was sitting beside someone who was telling me a story the whole time I was reading rather than feeling like I was actually IN the story. Overall, it was a fun story, but didn't stand out for me as great.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

While I can see why other people liked this, this writing style just wasn't for me. It was a fun story and creative, but I just felt disconnected from the characters and couldn't get into it. Overall, it was fine, but I didn't particularly enjoy it, which is sad because I do generally enjoy magical realism. It might have been a bit too action heavy for my tastes.

The Book of Doors caught my eye because it said it was "for the types of readers who have flocked to the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Night Circus, and Babel". The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is one of my all time favorite books so I was super excited. Let me start off by saying I didn't get the same vibe as Addie LaRue. I believe this book is not meant for me as a reader, so my review may reflect that. I didn't like the flow of this book. It felt rushed and there were some quotes and comments that I felt were unnecessary to the plot of this book (about food and body image). There were also some off-putting quotes regarding gender, and heritage/race. I'm giving 2 stars because it was a unique plot that involved books. Other than that, I was personally disappointed.

I dont think I was the ideal reader for this book. It was blurbed as being for fans of Addie Larue but it’s not even close. There’s an obvious fat phobia throughout as well as some racist remarks from characters. The writing felt juvenile and very YA. At more than one point I was Confused because it seemed to jump around a lot without a lot of seamless transitions.

Wow. I am left speechless with this one. The Book of Doors is a stunning debut with such a unique storyline that I could not put it down!

Cassie is a young woman living a mundane life in New York working at a bookstore. When her favorite customer dies peacefully of old age reading a book at the table, he leaves her with the most odd treasure… The Book of Doors.

Cassie soon uncovers its magic and all the joy it could bring to her life as she can travel anywhere in the world. When she shares this with her best friend and roommate, Izzy is much more cautious and believes this magic could be dangerous.

Izzy was not mislead by her caution. Soon Drummond Fox finds that Cassie possesses this magical book and feels compelled to tell her just what kind of danger she is in.

Soon Drummond tells Cassie about the many magical books in world and just how far people will go to get them; what a person can do with books that give them invisibility, health, safety, or even the ability to control and torture others.

Drummond and Cassie must now join forces to keep these books out of the hands of those who wish to do harm. They must defeat a sinister woman who wants nothing more than to collect all of the books and use them to decimate and bring horror the world. Cassie travels through doors and time with the aid of Drummond to stop her.

This book was everything I hoped for and more. It had interesting characters and side characters. It had magic and illusions. It had time travel. It brought on an epic battle between good and evil leaving bringing me to the edge of my seat. And while this is a fantasy novel, it just felt so fresh and unique.

Well done, Gareth Brown. If this is the debut, I can’t wait to see what else he has in store for us!

The book made me THINK (in a good way). It felt like inception. At first the book was a little slow for me but after a few chapters in an multiple character POVs, this book picked up into a whirlwind of craziness. I've never read a fantasy book like this and I'm happy I did. It also dropped so many truth bombs and meaningful lines that really made me pause.

Thanks to NetGaley for this ARC! I thoroughly enjoyed this read.