Cassie Andrews is at work at her job in a New York City bookshop, shelving books, & making coffee for customers, .when one day right at closing time, one of her favorite customers—a lonely yet charming old man—dies right in front of her. Cassie is devastated. She always loved his stories, and now she has nothing to remember him by. Nothing but the last book he was reading. She picks it up to take it home with her, and underneath it she discovers another book. But this is no ordinary book…....it is the Book of Doors. Inscribed with enigmatic words and mysterious drawings, it promises Cassie that any door is every door. You just need to know how to open them.
Later that night she’s approached by a stranger in a rumpled black suit with a Scottish brogue who calls himself Drummond Fox. He’s a librarian who keeps watch over a unique set of rare volumes. The tome now in Cassie’s possession is not the only book with great power, but it is the one most coveted by those who collect them. He warns Cassie that because she has The Book of Doors, she will now become hunted by those few who know of the Special Books. With only her roommate Izzy to confide in, she has to decide if she will help the mysterious Drummond protect the Book of Doors—and the other books in his secret library’s care—from those who will do evil. Because only Drummond knows where the unique library is and only Cassie’s book can get them there.

It has been awhile since a fantasy book has affected me this profoundly. I read this book until late into the night, only reluctantly going to bed, it featured in my dreams all night, and then as soon as I woke up, I was eager to pick up where I left off. Now that I am finished, I actually feel bereft. I didn't want the story to end. The author did such an excellent job with the character development. By the end of the book, I felt like we were all good friends... well, except for those who wanted the books for evil, that is! If you are a fan of fantasy fiction, then this needs to be at the top of your TBR pile. I personally hope to see many more books from this talented debut author.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for an ARC ♥️

"The Book of Doors" is a wildly imaginative tale that follows Cassie, a bookseller who inherits a powerful book that unlocks alternate worlds. As she explores its secrets with her friend Izzy, they're swept up in a thrilling adventure filled with magical realms and ancient mysteries. But they're not the only ones after the book's power, and they must outsmart some serious bad guys to keep it safe.
I loved how the story explores friendship, courage, and the power of knowledge - it's a real page-turner that'll keep you up late! The characters are well-developed and relatable, and I found myself grinning at the clever twists and turns. Fingers crossed for a sequel or series - I'm hooked!

The Book of Doors was advertised as perfect “for fans of The Night Circus, The Midnight Library, & The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” - & since I loved all three of those books, naturally I adored this one :)

Cassie is a bookstore employee (dream job) in NYC coasting along in life - she’s still grieving the loss of her grandfather, the only real parent she’d ever known, & is content to live simply & mostly just interact with customers at the bookstore & her roommate, Izzy. But one day she’s given a book that changes everything, & her routine existence is suddenly a dangerous adventure…

I appreciated how much of this book was infused with people who have a love of books, & how it mentioned things like a bookcase being a roadmap of one’s life & how rereading a favorite book can be like spending time with an old friend. I also enjoyed that the chapters all had titles, & finding out that The Library Hotel is an actual place (which I now want to visit). In addition to being a love letter to books, this story also expounded on the joys of travel. The magical realism element made this an enchanting & terrifying tale, & I was wowed by the creativity of the author - definitely a story worth rereading.

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise to this debut novel from author Gareth Brown sounded fabulous with its tease of "any door is every door." And the cover was fantastic, as well. So those two together made me very eager to read THE BOOK OF DOORS. The story drew me in immediately with its intriguing start, and I knew once I had read only a few chapters, I'd grow to really like these unique, flawed characters.

During the course of the book, our protagonist, Cassie, the quintessential bookwork and introvert (someone I can relate to!), goes on journey encompassing so much more than physicality. Hers is an emotional and psychological journey, as well, spanning time and place in unimaginable ways. I couldn't help but vehemently root for her as she faced off against evils and dangers far beyond what she could have possibly prepared herself for. We meet so many diverse characters as the story unfolds, each playing his/her own part in propelling the plot forward. For me, one of the best relationships in the book was between Cassie and Mr. Webber, a fellow book lover. I loved reading about their friendship and the special bond they developed over many years. I also enjoyed seeing Cassie’s personal growth in the book, much of it as a result of this relationship.

I must admit that some of the events in the novel were difficult to read in their randomness and heartbreaking consequences, at least for me. But I realize such events were plot-driven and precluded a happy ending for all of our characters. There is no doubt that this book has something for everyone--fantasy, mystery, adventure, horror, a bit of romance (very understated and sweet), and magic (lots of that). Most of our questions are answered, events being tied together in ways I didn’t imagine but understood nonetheless. And time travel, never easy to write about and often difficult to fully comprehend, was handled quite well. Overall, I enjoyed THE BOOK OF DOORS very much! Fingers crossed that we may have a sequel!!

I want to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley, Gareth Brown, and William Morrow for gifting me the ARC of this book! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! It was a privilege to read THE BOOK OF DOORS before its release!

A thrilling fantasy novel that combines books, magic, friends, time travel--and some monstrous evil doers! Who could ask for more? Very inventive plot! I hope Gareth Brown has a series planned so I can spend more time with his crazy, brave, intelligent characters.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for offering me a chance to read an arc of this debut novel via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

⭐️: 3.5 / 5

Publication Date: February 13, 2024

I want to thank William Morrow and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The first chapter does a lovely job of setting up the story to come with a snowy New York City setting when a mysterious figure appearing towards the end of the first chapter sprinkling in a sense of intrigue about who this person may be and where the story might take us.

Some of the coolest aspects of this story, were the other POVs particularly the librarian. I also thoroughly enjoyed the premise of special books as a book lover myself. There’s other things I enjoyed but hard to get into without spoiling the plot.

As for my reservations, the time jumping was getting a bit tough to track as the plot progressed. I’m not sure that some of the flashbacks were necessary to the story progression either. Additionally, the reveal of one particular villain’s origins also didn’t make sense to me and written in a way that was a cop out.

Overall I liked this book. I thought the premise was unique however the execution could’ve used some work.

Would recommend for those who are fans of
- New York setting
- Urban fantasy
- Books about books
- Timey-wimey stuff

⚠️ violence

A thoroughly delightful debut filled with magic, love, adventure and danger.
Cassie and company are a great cast of characters that I was happy to spend time with. The writing is spot on, the dialog is engaging and the settings are atmospheric and real. The concept of a book of doors that can take its owner anywhere their imagination can take them was fascinating. The twists were surprising and the turns brought the story full circle. This is a fantastic fantasy novel that I highly recommend.

A refreshing read! Cassie and her friends are the type of characters that you have rooting for the happy ending. While I did slowly warm up to this book after a few chapters in, I was hooked. Gareth Brown delivers a new and different take on time travel and magic that any book reader would enjoy.

I’m still trying to wrap my brain around this book🤯

This was such a twisty, smart, and carefully-crafted story. It got my attention right at the beginning, and held it the whole way through. We’re introduced to a good amount of characters, but they’re easy to keep track of. There’s a fair amount of action to keep the pace moving, and you’re kept guessing what could possibly happen next. There were spots here and there where things got a little confusing, but it all evens itself out. I’m most in awe about how many small pieces of this story were placed in such specific places so that they could all come together in the end. This is a book that’s gonna get your brain going in the best way!

3.5/5 The Book of Doors has a very cool premise, but I have mixed feelings on how it was executed. Cassie is a bookseller who is given a magical book by a mysterious gentleman that lets her time travel and pass through doors with essentially the flip of a page. I loved the uniqueness of the story. The magical qualities, time travel and plot were the parts that kept me most engaged. There are so many layers to the story, and I enjoyed the way things were revealed. My main issues are with the characters and the pacing. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, they didn’t have any real substance to them. Also, the pacing was inconsistent. There were so many times I wanted to stop reading because the pace turned glacial. I pushed through because I was eager to see how the story would resolve. I would recommend this to anyone who doesn’t mind a slower read and loves magical stories about time travel and books!

Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was super excited about The Book of Doors since it is recommended for readers of some of my favorite books (Addie La Rue, Night Circus, and Babel). I still went in with low expectations. Comparing a debut to two authors who have had years to perfect their craft seems a little risky, so I went in with a desire to enjoy it but not expecting Schwab or Kuang-level writing.

Which ended up being a good thing.

Cassie has a mundane life, working at a bookstore. When a patron dies at the store and leaves her a book, Cassie is surprised at how nonsensical the book seems. Until it reveals itself to be magical, able to open any door in the world. Cassie is soon being hunted from all sides and has to find allies before it’s too late.

Starting with the good, I did like the magical books. Books in themselves are a sort of magic, and the author did a great job of amplifying that. The origins of the books remain a mystery til the end. But, I was still intrigued by how they work and the limitations of their powers. The author added unique powers and abilities to the books. Even the "mundane" books (Invisibility) were written in a way that made them exciting.

A unique magic system can't make up for poorly-writeen characters.

I didn't enjoy a single character, the heroes or the villains. First, I beg the author to talk to a woman or two. The way he writes his female main characters is very stereotypical. One woman complains about being too thin, and the other talks about how fat food makes her, and this was in the introductions to the characters, which set the tone. Something about women automatically
complaining about their bodies from the get-go didn’t sit right with me because it had no impact on the plot. Even the villain, known as “The Woman,” was weirdly cartoony and obsessed with her looks. At one point, she talks about how she dresses herself up as a doll, and her body is pleasing. Maybe I'm being nitpicky, but I’m allowed to do that.

Motivations and personalities are thrown out the window. Though Cassie does struggle bad things happen, the way she was written made her blasé towards everything. Most characters served one purpose and added nothing to the story outside that singular motivation. This directly impacted the platonic and romantic relationships the author tried to include. If the characters are as bland, their chemistry will follow suit.

The pacing of this book is stop-and-go. The first thirty percent is relatively exciting, moving along quickly. Then it just...stops? I blame this on a particular plot point the author utilized. The plot point wasn't bad, but the author didn't incorporate it cohesively. When the pace finally picked up again, I was just ready for the story to be over.

Overall, fun and imaginative world with weak characters and storylines. However, if you read more for vibes than anything, you might like this one!

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I received an ARC copy of The Book of Doors by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a great way to start the year. Mr. Brown does an amazing job of weaving the world in this novel (I'm not sure if it's his debut) which is a combination of science fiction and fantasy. Cassie finds herself amidst a battle for books after being given The Book of Doors. The trials and travels that follow change her as a person and expose her, and those around her to a heinous danger. Conceptually, this book was innovative and exciting. The idea that there are different books that provide different powers and abilities, and that were capable of regenerating themselves, is unique and makes for a great plot.

Cassie develops as a person and changes over time, and so does some of the surrounding cast, but there are just a couple loose threads that could take this book to the next level. The language used by some of the characters, who are intended to be gross personalities, and hated by the readers would've benefitted from different language choice. You can illustrate an out-of-touch character without the overt use of racial slurs.

I think this was my biggest gripe with the tale. I enjoyed The Book of Doors immensely and can't wait for others to join in on the journey as well.

I adore a time traveling fantasy novel and The Book of Doors does it perfectly. I didn’t really know what I was getting into when I started to read this book beyond time traveling fantasy but there’s so much more than what the synopsis gives. I loved the main heroine Cassie, but I really liked that it was a multiple POV book because I just personally love getting to see so many different perspectives. If you at all like fantasy or magical realism, then I would definitely recommend this book to you. Gareth Brown did an amazing job with his debut novel!

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for honest review

Thank you @NetGalley @GarethJBrown13 @WilliamMorrowBooks for the ARC!

This will be one of the most talked about books of 2024. It was utterly spectacular!

I really enjoyed the premise that going back in time did not create a butterfly effect that would change the future. Everything in the present & future was already set based on what happened in the past, thus, going into the past & doing something was already accounted for.

Cassie is our MC with several important supporting roles joining her & they are all so fantastically written. Cassie is a bookseller who is gifted “The Book of Doors” by her long-time fave customer. She finds the book with a message to her only after he has passed away sitting at his reading table.

Not knowing how extraordinary the Book of Doors is & not knowing how dangerous it is to possess it, Cassie & her BFF Izzy figure out how it works & start going on adventures all over the world, simply by opening a door & stepping into it.

Little do they know, there are multiple magical books all over the world that possess some other type of power & there are those who will stop at nothing to own them, which is why Drummond Fox, referred to as “the Librarian,” has created a secret library & locked away as many as possible, to keep them out of the wrong hands.

I can’t put into words how spectacular this book is. I will be re-reading it soon & can’t wait to get my hands on the GORGEOUS finished copy!

Several have attempted & failed to do what was done here, but Brown had the secret sauce to make this the most fantastical of journeys. This story was so easy to follow with the way it was written. Everything is explained & you will finish feeling satisfied. I’m signing up for anything written by this author going forward.

FULL 5-STARS!

This was THE best time travel fantasy I’ve ever read. Big things are in store for you, Mr. Brown! Still can’t believe this is a DEBUT!

#Fantasy #Fiction #Magic #Romance #Adult #TimeTravel #Adventure #ARC #Review #NewRelease #February #SciFi #BookofDoors #GarethBrown #Debut #Mystery #Suspense #Bookstagram #2024 #MustRead #Read #Books #Doors

I had no idea when requested the ARC of this book that it would be so stinking good! Now, I have really only dabbled in the fantasy genre, so you may take this review with a grain of salt. Those that primarily read fantasy may find this one a little too close to contemporary fiction or magical realism. All that being said, I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished it.

This reminded me a lot of Ink Blood Sister Scribe, but it felt like it had all of the pieces that I felt were missing from IBSS. There was a real sense of danger with the villains in this one, which kept me devouring this one page after page. Cassie goes on quite the journey through her time with the Book of Doors and it was so incredible to read. She became so wise, smart, and badass by the end of the book.

I will say, it did take me a few chapters to remember who all the characters were. The POV jumps around to 3-4 different characters, so if that isn't your jam, you may skip this one. But, despite that, everything wrapped up nicely at the end and every thread in the story seemed to circle back. I hope there are more books with these characters!

I give it 5/5 stars!

TW: Very graphic scenes depicting death

Intrigued by the promise of magical portals and hidden worlds, I dove into "The Book of Doors" with an open mind. The journey wasn't entirely flawless, it offered a satisfying escape tinged with thrilling danger.

Cassie, our introverted protagonist, is instantly relatable to bookworms like myself. Her work at a charming NYC bookstore allows her solace, a sanctuary disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious book gifted by a deceased customer. This "Book of Doors" holds the key to unlocking worlds beyond imagination, thrusting Cassie into a whirlwind of adventure and danger.

The author's world-building is impressive, seamlessly weaving magic into relatable settings. Imagine stepping through a bookstore door and landing in bustling Renaissance Italy, or a sun-drenched Parisian cafe. The vivid descriptions transported me alongside Cassie, igniting my own wanderlust.

Adding depth to the narrative are chapters peeking into the minds of other characters, including the enigmatic villain. This multifaceted approach kept me guessing, constantly questioning loyalties and motives.

However, the story wasn't without its blemishes. While the pacing generally kept me engaged, I occasionally wished for a deeper dive into Cassie's emotional journey. The ending, though conclusive, left me wanting a touch more closure, a spark of brightness to counter the lingering darkness.

Despite these minor quibbles, "The Book of Doors" delivers a captivating adventure, especially for those new to the fantasy genre. The clever concept, vivid world-building, and diverse perspectives had me turning pages well into the night. As the author's debut, it showcases immense potential, leaving me eager to see where their literary magic takes them next.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

The concept of The Book of Doors was very unique, and I’d recommend it on that basis alone. But I found there to be some execution issues overall. Here are my quick thoughts:

What I Liked - Like I said above, it’s a great concept. I love weird books and the plot summary of this hooked me immediately. The magical and time travel elements were handled well, and the story unfolded in an interesting and satisfying way.

What Didn’t Work For Me - My main issue is that the characters were all one-note. I was looking for more nuance, but they seemed liked underdeveloped caricatures of what a hero or a villain or a brooding reluctant protagonist should be. A smaller issue I had was the pacing was off. A lot of this book read really slow, which was even more noticeable when the book ramped up in the more exciting chapters. Having to go back to a slow section after a fun, fast-paced one was a bit of a letdown.

Like I said, I’d probably recommend this on its uniqueness alone. Even with my minor quibbles, it was quite a fun book!

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for the ARC. The Book of Doors is out tomorrow!

3.5/5

I just finished reading a debut fantasy novel The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown. Let me just say…wow, this is amazing!

Each time I had to put this book down, I couldn’t wait for when I was able to pick it back up again. I fell in love with this world and the very unique magic system. As a book lover myself, It was refreshing to read such a unique story about these amazing books. I could easily see this novel being picked up and put on the big screen.

We are thrown into a world like our own where magic secretly exists. There are so many different layers of this story, the lore of the books, the history of The Librarian, and the path of others.

This book is so well written, it was easy to immerse yourself in the setting of New York City and the life of Cassie and Mr. fox. The Emotions run so deep, we can empathize with them and understand their struggles, fears and motivations.

Summary📚
Cassie, a normal girl who works in a bookstore, has her life changed forever when a friendly, elderly customer passes away in the shop. She is devastated by this passing and cherished the little gift that he had left for her. But that gift, a book, wasn’t so little.

She is thrust into a world of mystery and possibilities. When the gifted Book of Doors isn’t just a book, it becomes a key, that can make any door, a door to anywhere.

When the knowledge of this incredible artifact comes to the surface, others are eager to get their hands on this prized possession…by any means necessary.
———
I would like to thank @williammorrowbooks #GarethBrown and @netgalley for allowing me access to the eARC. It was a fantastic read and I’m sad it’s over. I want to wish you a early Happy Publication Day 📚🪄
This need’s to been at the top of everyone’s TBR list. I can’t wait to pick on the physical copy to add to my shelf. I hope the world of the books can continue.
Though this book was given to me, the thoughts and opinions are solely my own.

I know that it is only the beginning of the year, but I am telling you that it is going to be one of the best books released in 2024! I absolutely LOVED this book. The characters, the setting, the magic, literally everything about this book was perfection. This could be made into a box office hit if it is ever transformed into a movie. The plot progresses perfectly and the switching to different POVs is so smooth, especially towards the end with all of the reveals!! This is a book that I plan to recommend to all of my friends, regardless of genre they typically read. Please do yourself a favor and pick this book up!!!

I really like this book and it was almost a 5 star for me I only wanted a little more resolution on a couple points and I thought the chapter of the nothingness wasn't my favorite, obviously it was hugely important but I just kind of thought it didn't mesh as well with the rest of the book.