I was able to read an advance ebook of The Book of Doors through Netgalley. Thanks to the publisher and author for making that possible. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of this book. There are a number of reasons why I didn't like it, and I'll try to expound a few of them.

1). The best description I can give to the writing is "clumsy." There are times that it is stilted, and other times where the author tries to use elevated phrases that don't quite mix. There are times when adult characters have dialogue that reads like they're 8 years old. For example, the main characters, who are in their twenties, are violently attacked by one of the villains. The dialogue afterwards just doesn't work for me. One of them responds, “It was so violent,” she said. '“Why does he have to be like that?”' That's you're response to this? Why is the bad guy bad?

Another example of the clumsy writing was a cringe inducing paragraph describing another of the villains. The author writes,

The woman stripped out of the clothes she had worn on the flight. She enjoyed clothes and how they looked on her body. She enjoyed dressing herself and trying on different outfits, almost as if her body were a toy to play with, as if it wasn’t her own. In some ways, she knew, this was the truth. The body belonged to Rachel Belrose, and the woman wasn’t her anymore, not really.

Maybe it's just me, but it read like one of the examples from this Reddit group: https://www.reddit.com/r/menwritingwomen/. It's not quite "She breasted boobily down the stairs," but it's not too far off.

2). The violence. I do not dislike violent books. I read plenty of horror and thrillers with gruesome violence in it and don't normally mind. In this book, I had a problem with it. It just doesn't fit with the rest of the book. It's out of the blue, and extremely violent. I get that the author was trying to show how evil the villain is and how strong the magic is, but it pulled me right out of the story. At one point, I literally said out loud "well, that was unnecessary."

3). The books that are a main plot device of the story. I'll spoilerize the text for this part to ruin anything for anyone not dissuaded by this review. There are multiple books, not only the titular Book of Doors, all of them magic. At any point in the book, multiple characters are carrying around not 1, but 2 or 3 of these books. And they fit in the pockets of the clothes the characters are wearing. Not one in each pocket. Nope. 2 to 3 books in 1 pocket. A pocket big enough that characters can reach inside, open one of the books, flip through the pages without anyone noticing, and tear off a piece. I know they are magic books, but the physics of this make no sense to me. Are the books really tiny? Are they more brochures than they are books? Or does every character wear cargo pants? I have no problem suspending disbelief. I enjoy magic, time travel, special powers, and all sorts of Sci-Fi/Fantasy maguffins. But this didn't work for me. It didn't work for me and it happens so frequently in the book that I found myself questioning so much more of the action as a result. Maybe it's not a big deal to others, but it was to me.

It wasn't all bad. Here's something I actually liked. Again, spoiler tags I actually enjoyed the treatment of time travel in the book. Time travel is one of my big hang-ups in Sci-Fi/Fantasy stories. If treated incorrectly, it just kills a story for me. I have been known to lie awake at night thinking about the space-time continuum and how it works in a story. The author actually utilized it in a way that makes sense. I won't go into great detail, but it worked, and I appreciated it.

Books are subjective things. Some of you reading this review and this book may absolutely love it. I hope you do. But I said I'd give an honest review, and this is how I felt. Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

The Book of Doors got off to a very promising start, but quickly lost that intrigue for me. As soon as the story starting moving, I felt like the same thing kept happening over and over—she uses the book to go to a city, there’s a generic montage of things she did, her friend tells her it’s dangerous. I was hoping for more, but felt quite bored of the story quickly.

This was such an exquisite mix of adventure, friendship, mystery, and time travel. I generally love magical realism, so the concept was right up my alley, but I really appreciated the theory of time travel the author used - it is so different from other theories I've encountered and added a lot of complexity despite, at its core, being relatively straightforward. This book kind of reminded me of The Midnight Library and had vibes that reminded me of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches (despite having no witches). I loved it.

Publishing soon! February 12, 2024.

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC.

A compelling, fun fantasy that will make any book lover fee cozy but also keep turning pages as fast as you can.

Is it too early to call this my favorite book of the year? I loved every minute of this read! The story was so unique and the characters were well developed and I genuinely cared about them!

Cassie is working at a bookshop in NYC when a regular patron of hers, a kind but quiet older gentleman dies suddenly on her shift. He leaves behind his worn but loved copy of The Count of Monte Cristo and a curious small leather book he inscribed directly to her. She takes it home only to discover it holds an inexplicable magical ability to turn a door into any door, be it across the world or into the past. Turns out there are some extremely dangerous people looking to get their hands on The Book of Doors...and will stop at nothing until they do.

Well woah! Magical Realism/Fantasy is NOT my typical genre but the beautiful cover drew me in and encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and WOW I'm glad I did. This wasn't so incredibly far fetched that the unbelievability of the plot made it unlikeable. Quite the opposite! This had a very "Memento" feel to it (a fantastic move, by the way) in so much as that it seemed crazy but it fit together so well that not only did it work but it made the reader not even second guess it. I was captivated and fell in love with all the (good guy) characters. I cried when she visited her past and got to see her loved ones. It was so beautiful and moving. I truly loved this. I will say there are some extremely graphic violence bits spread about but they too were well done and frankly necessary to underscore the ferocious nature of the villain. What a story! I just finished it and already miss the characters!

For the record I'd love to connect with the author because I have QUESTIONS! Mr. Brown, we need to talk about Rachel! I think I understand that part but only you can confirm!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher. This is a fab story that readers of all kinds will love and enjoy!

DNF at 50% because life is too short for this. I was really excited to read this book- the premise sounded right up my alley. And I tried, and tried, but I couldn’t handle any more of the bad, clunky writing, the flat/ stereotypical characters, or the cartoonishness of the plot. Apart from the Book of Doors, the other special books seem to be nothing more than convenient plot devices to move things forward. What’s the easiest way to get from where I’ve written them to where I want them? Oh, I’ll give them a Book of <insert blank>.

And I’m seeing from others that there are unnecessary and unaddressed racial slurs yet to come, so, yikes. Some nice ideas here but the execution is lacking. Seriously disappointing.

Thank you Gareth Brown, William Morrow, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. I haven't read a lot of fantasy books and this one was very accessible to those who are newer to the genre. It has a lot of heart and some heartbreak too. This book had me feeling all the emotions and it was thrilling. At it's core it is about people and what they are capable of. It was wonderfully written and very immersive. It makes you question what people's motives are and if you really know the origin of their choices. It is set up well for a sequel, which I hope happens. This was a fantastic fast paced read that has a little bit of everything for everyone.

I was REALLY enjoying The Book of Doors. I thought it was going to be about Cassie using the book to travel wherever she wanted. While that is true when Cassie first discovered what the book could do, it ended up being a coveted book a lot of book collectors were after.

There are three points in The Book of Doors that hurt my rating. The first is how the books were created(because the book of doors is just one of many magical books). It is explained but that part just didn’t make sense to me. I know how it was explained but the explanation doesn’t work for me. The second issue was “the woman”. She was creepy enough but her whole story line also didn’t make a lot of sense to me. The third is Izzy and the book of illusions. I like what it set in motion but not how it worked with her, that felt like it was forced to make the next part work. The first two issues left me with more questions than answers and I wish a little more effort went into those areas.

One other complaint is with the characters. The reader is definitely on the outside looking in so there’s a lot of telling and not much showing. These characters are working with magical books that can do unimaginable things! Knowing they have emotions about this would’ve brought this to a deeper level.

I still enjoyed The Book of Doors, I really enjoyed it up to Cassie going to “nowhere”. After that things deteriorated a little. The ending is happy/sad and besides my three plot issues everything else works really well and it’s clear the author thought out all the time travel. I think I would still recommend The Book of Doors but only if it’s someone who is willing to overlook a few details.

I received The Book of Doors via NetGalley to read and review.

This book ended up being a lot of fun.

I’m always a little hesitant diving into different fantasy genres. It’s not my normal thing anymore. So I kind of drag my feet on it. But I liked that this had a real world setting, it makes it a little easier to get into for me.

I liked the characters and their relationship early on. So even though it was hard to see where the story would go, I felt like I would enjoy it.

It picks up toward the middle a lot and becomes a lot more complex and suspenseful. I enjoyed how everything played out.

I don’t want to give too much away but the sort of circular storytelling always breaks my brain a little bit but this was done in a clever way where the pieces fit well.

THIS IS A GREAT STORY...I will be buying this when it comes out. I love that this is the authors first book. Forget 10 thousand doors to January... This is what that story wanted to be. Thanks for a great read!

This book was certainly magical. The characters and the worlds were creative. I feel like this was a full adventure story that is heavy on the magical realism. Generally enjoyable.

"Any door is every door"

What an absolutely magical book. It exceeded every expectation I had, and I loved every part of it. It started a bit slow, but once it picks up, it's a wild roller coaster filled with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story was so well developed and unique, and I was really invested in all the characters at the end.

This book is thought provoking, will tug at your heart, and is really well written. It was amazing and I know I will still be thinking about it long in the future. I'm definitely an instant fan of Gareth Brown.

"The Book of Doors" by Gareth Brown had a captivating premise that immediately drew me in, but the pacing left me with mixed feelings. At times, the narrative moved at a slow pace, delving into seemingly insignificant details, only to abruptly shift into fast-paced moments. While the book built up the main conflict with the primary adversary, the resolution felt rushed, leaving me craving more depth and development. Although the novel is rooted in magical realism, I was hoping for a more substantial explanation of the mystical elements within the book, as the "it is what it is" approach left me wanting a more satisfying understanding.

This book could best be described as a contemporary fantasy/magical realism thriller. Ever since reading Ink Blood Sister Scribe I have loved the idea of books as magic. This book’s fantasy and magical books were so well thought out and crafted and so completely unique I loved it.

Other things I loved:
- The realness of some of most of the characters being driven by basic human emotions- particularly greed. It was infuriating but a pretty good picture of humanity.

- The way everything comes together at the end and all starts to make sense was just amazing. I applaud the author on that.

- Good vs evil trope with some morally gray in between. The bad guys in this book were really bad and pretty masterful on the part of the author.

Unfortunately, this book is only 3 stars for me because there were some aspects I just did not like.

Things I didn’t like:
- As much as I said I liked the characters being real and driven by emotion, the FMC was so intelligent I thought she’d be a little past that. Her impulsive decisions without thinking through the consequences were the catalyst for most of the plot in the book. Even her well thought out actions were still sometimes problematic.

- The pacing. Some chapters spanned years, others not even an hour. While that is common in fantasy books, I feel as though it could’ve been done differently to be more cohesive.

- While realistic to see, the racism from the “bad” characters, fat comments, and low self-esteem in the FMC were cringey at times.

- There was no need for the hints of romance in this book. The book was described as being full of “adventure, magic, and romance.” The romance was slim to none and did not add to the book at all.

I also had a really hard time getting into the book. It wasn’t until about 60% through I started wanting to pick it up. I think it was my frustration with the FMC but also I may just be in a bit of a book hangover, so I’m not holding that one against the author.

Overall a good book. I would recommend it to fans of Ink Blood Sister Scribe, people who like reading about other people with a love of books, or other magical realism/ contemporary fantasy readers. This is Gareth Brown’s debut novel and I think there will be a lot more good things from him in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book. This review is given voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced ebook copy.

Fantasy is not my typical genre and I really enjoyed this book. It makes me want to dabble a little more in the fantasy genre.

In this debut novel, Gareth Brown builds a fast paced story filled with lovable characters and magical realism. In fact, the story is so fast-paced I could hardly believe how fast Cassie begins to wield the book of doors. This allows for the reader to step into the story as Cassie steps through each door. As she does so we learn that the Book of Doors is not the only special book in the world. There is a whole underground world of people looking for and using these books.

The primary antagonist of the story literally enters every scene in a fog of mist using the aptly named Book of Mist. Her insidious character was pleasantly contrasted against the blundering and brute forcefulness of the other antagonist, Hugo Barbary. The contrast of both types of villains helps raises the stake and keeps reader on their toes.

Through the action, moments of philosophical contemplation break through to balance the adventurous pace of the story. Cassie and Drummond are well suited to both of these moments, though these are where Drummond's character particularly shines.

It is a book that sticks with the reader and is excellent for fans of Alix Harrow and Erin Morgenstern.

Thank God I requested this book and that Netgalley gave me an advanced reading copy. It was a joy to read and give feedback.
What can I say but this tale captured my interest immediately. It has magic, time travel, good versus evil, friendship and so much more. Loved every single character, not so much the woman. Cassie works at a bookstore when a longtime customer dies and leaves behind a book...the book of doors. From that moment on, the author takes you on a fantastic ride that will become full circle. Not enough words to express my delight on reading this book. Gareth Brown please keep writing these wonderful books.

A very different and imaginative work and a fun read! When I first started, I thought The Book of Doors was going to be like several other books I had recently read. It turned out to be different and new with twists and turns! I found it to be thought-provoking, especially about our life journey, and interesting in its discussion of things supernatural and beyond our understanding.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

An unfortunate DNF at 17%

I really wanted to like this - the premise was right up my alley, the cover caught my attention, and I was so excited to dive in. But, from the very first chapter everything felt very flat. And my word the case of "man tries to write young women" is strong in this one. Do guys seriously believe we only think about how much we hate our bodies and how much we can't eat bread or pancakes or bacon?

For a book that is supposed to be whimsical and fantastic so there will always a level of suspension of belief...but it was beyond that into the realm of unbelievable. The speed with which Cassie figures out the book and just believes in it is ridiculous - I'm supposed to believe Izzy is the voice of reason? Seriously it just....there was no build up, it just was.

None of the characters had personality but they all read very much like their stereotypes - girls obsessed with their looks; a gay Asian man that was a disappointment to his parents; a large man everyone assumes is stupid but isn't and is good with his fists...everything about it felt very flat and while I love the concept, the execution was sorely lacking.