I truly almost didn’t make it through part one of this book but I am extremely glad that I did. A true slow burn, slower than most I have read. But as the story finally unfolds and we get into the actual plot and past the world building, this was an incredible story. We experience Cassie finding herself and her purpose, confronting her past and future, found family, as well as a few moral dilemmas. We have time travel and magic, special books and the powers these books provide. Honestly this was one of the most unique books I have read in a very long time and because of that I think this is one I will think about for a long time to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an early eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read three books in a row about magical doors recently, and the premise of this one isn’t much different. Doors lead anywhere you can imagine (or can’t) and adventure ensues. But there’s more—a magic book gives you the ability to manifest these doors. And there are other magic books in existence that do the impossible, that belong to others. Some of whom are after “The Book of Doors.”

My biggest gripe with this story, however familiar and fun the premise, was that Cassie’s journey isn’t hers alone. It’s shared with her roommate Izzy, who was more a filler character than one with a unique charm. At least, she never grew on me though I tried to like her. Anyway, she is there to be Cassie’s conscience, to alert the reader of the obvious—crossing doorways can be dangerous, a power that shouldn’t be used lightly. And that’s all true and fine, but I was looking forward to Cassie being spontaneous and impulsive and learning this lesson along the way. After all, she’s so used to hiding behind the walls of a bookshop. And now she can travel anywhere.

The book eventually follows the trajectory of the FMC encountering a hidden world of magic and the stakes increase as navigates the rules of this altered environment, but I failed to form a strong enough connection to her to care what happened. The characters simply didn’t come alive on the page for me. And I struggled to keep reading and reading but I wanted to give a fair chance to this book so here we are.

Still, I maintain the premise is interesting and some readers will surely find this book entertaining. And they may feel along with these characters and follow their journey totally on edge and with great interest. If you’re the bookish type and gravitate toward the magic in the mundane, go ahead and give this a read. You might find it enchanting. Sadly, this book was not for me.

I loved the concept of this book- a book about books? Sign me up. I thought this would be a fun, cozy, magical read with The Invisible Life of Addie Larue vibes, but I was disappointed. I was hooked to the story at the beginning, when we were introduced to Cassie and her discovering the Book of Doors, but it lost me. After the first 20%, the pacing felt really rushed. I couldn't find myself to care about any of the characters, and thought the relationships were pretty bland. Overall, not for me.

I have so many thoughts about this book, though I can’t say most of them because of spoilers.

The plot was extremely well thought out. It was very complex, and there were so many twists and turns. It felt like every five seconds there was another reveal. And everything came full circle in the end, with not a single loose end left untied. And the DETAILS you don’t realize are important and then they ARE!! I want to re-read it and see all of the little things I missed reading it for the first time.

As for the characters, I wasn’t really attached to any of them aside from Mr. Webber, whom I absolutely adored. I also wish Azaki had more page time.

I cried multiple times reading this, and there were several more instances where I wanted to. Again, I can’t say why because spoilers, but just know that I was quietly sobbing for the last two chapters, and proceeded to sit and stare at the wall with tears running down my face for the next several minutes after I finished it.

This was a really fun read. 10/10 recommend, especially if you’re looking for an urban fantasy with lots of twists and turns and found family vibes.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the e-arc!

"The Book of Doors" weaves an enchanting tale filled with magic, adventure, and a touch of romance. Cassie Andrews, a seemingly ordinary bookshop employee, is thrust into an extraordinary world when a mysterious book, The Book of Doors, falls into her hands. The author's vivid storytelling draws parallels to other beloved works like "The Midnight Library" and "The Night Circus." The characters, especially the charismatic Drummond Fox, add depth to the narrative, making it impossible to put down. This debut novel effortlessly combines the wonder of the unknown with a hint of darkness, captivating readers from start to finish. An absolute must-read for those craving a contemporary fantasy that pushes the boundaries of imagination.

Enter the world of magical books. <I>The Book of Doors</I> is a mind-bending story where books have literal power. This fantasy story is perfect for readers who can suspend belief and don't get hung up on impossible plot twists! Brown does a masterful job of creating fantastical yet believable characters with strengths and flaws. He adeptly weaves together fluid plot lines that bring the reader to an unexpected conclusion. Evil is tangible and some scenes were quite dark, but others conveyed emotions that were both palpable and uplifting. The old adage that says, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" came to mind numerous times while reading <I>The Book of Doors.</I> Should such power be allowed to exist? Or does this power already exist within us? This was a thoroughly enjoyable, yet thought provoking read.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the DRC!

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review♥️

First and foremost The Book of Doors gets 282838482029209292 million stars however Goodreads will only let me give out 5….so 5 bedazzled stars it is! This book is so unlike any other book that I’ve ever read. It will be the perfect book for any age. When you are reading it—you feel like you are part of the story. That the characters are your friends…and that you are trying to help solve all the puzzles.
This book will definitely be “The must have to read book” of the year. The author was able to create a story out of thin air that is completely unique, fast paced, and thrilling. The process of reading this story was an adventure for me and was completely unputdownable.

Thank you @netgalley and @williammprrowbooks for the advanced copy!

“This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.”

This isn’t the typical book I’d choose to read but after seeing so many others post their positive impressions, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. So thank you @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the opportunity to read and review!

This book was magical and mystical in the best ways. This was such a fun and emotional (wasn’t expecting that) read for me - and I loved how dynamic it is. I’d say imagine being able to travel anywhere in the world at any point in time with just a thought and a book…but can’t we do that mentally? This book felt like so many visualizations come to life with an additional twist of good vs evil.

This was honestly so fantastic. I was so excited to get approved for an ARC through NetGalley, and as soon as I started I knew I wouldn’t want it to end.

The Book of Doors has the power to take you anywhere, but there are other books with other powers that people seek for personal gain and/or evil.

The characters were lovable, and Cassie and Izzy’s relationship was one of such strong friendship, it literally expands through space and time.

I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy for myself once this releases. Super fun read.

What an absolute unique and magical story! What's not to love about it? It's a fantastical story about good and evil for book lovers everywhere. I can feel myself being obsessed with this story and thinking about it every day, what I would do with the magic in this story and how it would make me feel.

If you love The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab or The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, I feel like this book could be for you. It's beautifully written with a lot of twists and turns and had me gasping about how things were pulled together. Each character was unique and vividly portrayed, and the magic system was very well developed and enigmatic. What I loved most about this book is that I've never read anything like it.

This story follows Cassie, a introverted book lover who spends her days working in a bookshop and living with her best friend Izzy. She enjoys her quiet life but longs to travel again. She is gifted a special book called The Book of Doors, which makes any door every door. It opens her world to magic, but eventually leads to dealing with the evil that comes along with wanting power. Cassie teams up with Drummond Fox and learns about the many magical books in existence and how each one is used. It's a fight of good versus evil.

I can't wait to read more by this author! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Check out the Pages n' Pages podcast, Chapter 137, for a full review!

Loved it.. Can't wait for more. This is an author worth following. The story progresses so well that it was difficult to put down.

Builds extremely slowly. Interesting premise, any door could open anywhere you can imagine. Oh the places I would travel! But, as with any tool, it can and will be abused and so was. Viciously and brutally, and so, those with some of the "magic books" began collecting them to keep them out of the greedy hands of those who were using them to hurt. Thus is the storyline, and its a good one, but so much detail and it takes so long to build, that you get lost I the details. I'm a fast reader and I got bogged down and had trouble finishing. When I finally got to the end and put all the storylines together, and there are still quite a few at the end, it was a good read, but it just took so long to get there. I'm afraid there might be some readers who start and won't finish. I would advise to keep going, but to also maybe write down some of the storylines to keep track of them all.

The description said if you liked The Invisible Life of Addie Larue then this book is for you and I would agree. I enjoyed both books and their stories. There is a lot going on, but like with other books, I love seeing all the moving pieces come together. This book is a magical adventure.

Gareth Brown's debut novel, The Book of Doors, offers a delightful and fantastical journey into a world brimming with magic and wonder. While there are a few rough spots, they don't detract from the overall joy of the book. The characters are delightful, and I appreciated how Brown skillfully incorporated both heartache and heartful moments, making the story truly engaging. This is a great introduction to the fantasy genre and is particularly enjoyable for book lovers. It's definitely worth a read.

This book reads kind of like a 2000's romcom in the vibes and also the culture in the way the women are subject to focus on dieting and internalized body shaming. I appreciate the fact that women make up the main characters of this novel, however, I do think the author could've written them in a more positive way. I do think if you can overlook that aspect then this will be a fun read for you. I think this is the kind of story you curl up on the couch on a rainy evening for, but unfortunately it was not that kind of book for me. I am honestly really sorry to say that I had to DNF this book, something about the writing style was just not doing it for me, but I am definitely grateful I had a chance to give this story a try!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. This book was as magical as the books featured in the story. It reminded me a little of the Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and How to Stop Time by Matt Haig. I loved the characters, the setting, and how everything tied together. I couldn't put this book down and read it in one sitting. Well done to the author. I will be recommending this to everyone I know who reads. This was a great book.

We all know books are magic, but what if they were literally magic? Like able to open doors to any location or create wondrous illusions or grant a bit of luck? Sounds great right? Abilities you might have dreamed about in childhood. Now think about what adults might do with these books, people who might look at how they can use these books in less savory ways.

I kind of loved this, it had cozy bookstores and magical libraries. The characters were loveable and complex and I really cared about what happened to them. The progression from a feeling of wonder to a threat of danger veering on horror adjacent, to emotional moments with impact was really woven together in interesting unexpected ways and was so well done.

I think if someone is looking for bookish vibes and wants to recapture the feeling of an adventurous story with magic and mystery from their childhood but written for adults with high stakes this is a really great read. It made me realize I want to read more books like this and now I have to search them out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher! I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Absolutely delightful! Gareth Brown’s The Book of Doors is a fantastical journey into a world filled with magic and wonder. The Books of Doors was an absolute joy. I really l enjoyed this one. The Book of Doors is Brown’s debut novel and I will admit there are a couple rough spots, but nothing that hinders the story. The characters were delightful and I loved how he tied in both heartache and heartful moments. It really invested me in the story. The Book of Doors is something book lovers especially will enjoy. This is a great jump into Fantasy for those that are looking to dive into the genre and absolutely worth a read.

Someone please make this a movie or a series on Netflix. I'm serious! The Book of Doors was one of the best books I have read in a long time. Books with a little magic and time travel are a double bonus for me as I love both. The time travel premise in The Book of Doors is fresh and inventive. If you could open a door to anywhere, where would you go? Cassie is faced with that question when she is given a very old book, a magical book, by one of the regulars in the bookstore where she works. But danger ensues when the wrong people find out she has the book and will do just about anything to get their hands on it. Cassie finds some great allies along the way that become friends and unbelievable adventure ensues.
Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

THE BOOK OF DOORS, by Gareth Brown, is magical adventure like no other. The Book of Doors has been bestowed upon Cassie Andrews and her world has changed forever. Pursued by good people and nefarious foes, Cassie has to figure out how not only to survive, but she has to weigh all of her choices and hope that whatever she decides doesn't ruin the world.
The reader is immediately introduced to the main character, Cassie Andrews, and one can't help but become attached to her and her wonderful spirit. She can't help being swept up in the awesomeness of the magical world she has recently discovered, but deep down she is always looking to do the right thing, even if it means making the tough decisions. She has some wonderful characters to support her along the way: her roommate Izzy who is as supportive and caring as a friend can be, Drummond Fox who at first is mysterious and allegiance is unclear but it is revealed that he wants to protect the magical world and finds that Cassie can help him, and the man that gave her The Book of Doors who perhaps is the most selfless and caring of them all. The magical world that Brown creates seems quite plausible and wonderfully exciting. Brown does a good job of slowly revealing more and more about how the magic works and how much of it is out there, but at the same time leaving enough unexplained that it keeps the reader engaged and intrigued. The evils hunting Cassie are serious and scary and the stakes feel high every time she comes across them. The ending is epic and electrifying.
I found THE BOOK OF DOORS to be as wonderful of a read as as any magical adventure story written in the last few decades and I hope Gareth Brown will return to Cassie and the world of magical books in the future.