This book was exhausting. Most of the premise really worked, but the characters were, to a woman, nearly insufferable. It isn't that they're flawed in, like, a human way - it's more that they're ridiculous caricatures of...decent(ish) people?

thank you to netgalley and william morrow books for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

full review to come.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC.

"The Book of Doors" has an interesting premise, but a weird execution. And, for a book that starts with someone dying, it was incredibly boring.

My main issue here is that everything feels flat: The dialogue felt off, the plot was predictable and the pacing was jerky. I think maybe some extra edition was needed to make it feel more real.

Considering this is a male author, I found uncomfortable some of the remarks about women and the talk surrounding food. So, overall, not a nice experience.

I can see what the author was trying to do, but unfortunately, it didn't work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Gareth Brown for an ARC of The Book of Doors. Well this kind of a bit awkward, but I think I’ve already found my favorite book of 2024. It will take a lot to compete with this book. There has only been one other book I’ve thought about almost everyday since reading and this one sits right next to it. This book had me in tears, laughing, almost calling out of work to finish it (I didn’t, but it sure was close!), and also rereading pages so the book would not end. It’s about Cassie who works at a New York bookshop and it seems like an ordinary day in her ordinary life. Her favorite customer comes in like almost every evening, but then unexpectedly dies. She finds a book that seems like any other normal book, but realizes it’s no ordinary book. She is approached by an odd man and tells her she’s in danger because of this book and she needs to give it to him to protect it from bad people. But what a cool book this is - she just got it and wants to use it! She can go through any doors and explore the world, if and when she learns how to use it. The man tells her about a secret library that can protect the rare books - but can she trust this man? She finds out there is a very sadistic woman that will do anything to get this book. Cassie does not know what she got herself into when she received this book!

The Book of Doors was more than I anticipated. I found it fitting that the setting of the book started in a small book store. The main character, "Cassie", receives the Book of Doors and the action begins. Additional characters are brought in. The story developed a little slower than I like, but I felt was necessary for the direction it ended up going. I expected to, and met the "good guys" and the "bad guys" as the story went on. The thing I didn't expect was the twist in the plot as to the creation of the Book of Doors. As it turns out, the Book of Doors is not the only magical book. Where would you go if you could chose to open a door that goes anywhere?
This book is one that I've thought about more than once after reading it. I will go back and read this one again.

The Book of Doors

4.5 ⭐

I immensely enjoyed this book so much! It was such an interesting premise -- imagine you have a book that allows you to open any door and let you be anywhere else in the world you imagine.

Cassie is thrown into a magical world with all sorts of powerful books when one of her favorite customers leaves it for her. She and her roommate find themselves caught in a war over the book, along with many other books!

This book is definitely a sweet spot for those who love books, magic, and time travel. While I'm not usually in that time travel crew, I thought this was really well done and I could easily follow it. I was so surprised when I realized this was a debut book. It has strong writing, good pacing, and a full cast of interesting characters. Definitely glad I got a copy of this one thanks to @netgalley !

I loved this fantastical, magical, bookish adventure so much! It wasn’t on my radar at all but I’m so glad I decided to give it a try. If time travel is your thing then this is NOT to be missed. It took me about 50 pages to settle in and then I was hooked!! Told in 3rd person narrative, some may not love that but it added to the mystery and intrigue of the story. It felt like I was being told a story of long long ago.

I loved that the author was able to tie up so many threads of this intricate tale. Well done!

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown is an adventurous story full of magic, wonder, mystery, and darkness. Cassie Andrews finds herself in possession of The Book of Doors, a magical book that can make any door into every door. Cassie’s discovery leads to a world of special books that she didn’t know existed, along with some altruistic people trying to protect the books and evil ones who want to use them in nefarious ways.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. There were some parts when it got a bit trippy with the time travel but that is something that I personally have a hard time tracking sometimes. It was a very creative story and I really liked the characters. As far as content warnings go there are some graphic death scenes. There’s some critique about how some of the female characters are written, and I do agree with this. Also, some of the villains were just more annoying than clever.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me an e-ARC in return for an honest review. This book is expected to be published on 2/13/24.

I am always looking for a different take on books of magic and this clever novel fulfilled my search! The storyline and characters are engaging and the creative vehicle of magic, namely, books, kept me reading and anticipating the next chapter. Having time travel thrown into the mix was just an added bonus. A fun read for sure!

I absolutely love this book! The magic was dreamy, the villain was terrifying - I couldn't put it down! Easy 5 stars!
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Discovering The Book of Doors was like stumbling upon a magical gem for any book enthusiast. Cassie, a New Yorker grappling with loss, finds solace in her days working at a bookstore. Her mundane routine takes an extraordinary turn when an enigmatic benefactor gifts her an unusual book with the power to transport her anywhere she can visualize. The Book of Doors becomes Cassie's key to turning her dreams into reality, but it also attracts danger from those scheming to possess its magical abilities.

The characters in the story are vividly depicted, and the magical system centered around books is cleverly crafted, assigning unique powers based on individual identities. The narrative beautifully articulates the significance of good books, portraying them as gateways to boundless possibilities. My gratitude to Netgalley and William Morrow for providing the opportunity to read The Book of Doors as an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

While the book is marketed for readers who enjoyed titles like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Night Circus, and Babel, my personal experience with it differed. Despite my high expectations, the pacing felt off and the unfolding plot seemed unrealistic. The unnecessary focus on the protagonist's physical attributes and constant references to food detracted from the story's appeal for me. Though my experience may not align with others, I felt compelled to share my honest review, acknowledging that individual tastes may vary.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I didn't know what I was about to embark on when I got approved for this ARC, but I loved it. Such a unique premise, filled with interesting characters that were really engaging to read. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

NEW FAVORITE BOOK ALERT!!! I adored this one, and I can only hope that this is the first in a series, as the ending seems to allude to. A magical book that can take you anywhere you want to go through any ordinary door, and the young woman who accidentally stumbles upon it and whose life is consequently turned upside down, this book is as magical as it gets. A cast of characters, both good and evil, who will stay with you long after you finish, and a world of magical books you only wish you could be part of, this is honestly one of the best books I've read in a long time, and I will be shouting it from the rooftops!

this was a very interesting story. I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I would definitely recommend to another book reader.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story! The Book of Doors was a magical story and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I did find that the story progression was a bit slow for my liking and I didn't personally find any of the characters very relatable, but I did find myself rooting for them throughout the book. If you prefer a leisure read with magical elements this would be right up your alley.

Sadly while this book had a great engaging premise, (magical books that can bestow the bearer with a particular magical gift to use) the writing was so distracting from the story that I could not even enjoy it. The relationship interactions of the two females at the beginning of this book was clearly- a man writing what he thinks two women interact like RATHER than how women actually interact with each other. Add to this lots of questionable social faux pas, dated ideas and derogatory interactions and I can not in good conscience recommend this book on any level.

I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review the ARC of this book, but as i have nothing more good to say about it I will stop here.

"A debut novel full of magic, adventure, and romance, The Book of Doors opens up a thrilling world of contemporary fantasy for readers of The Midnight Library, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, The Night Circus, and any modern story that mixes the wonder of the unknown with just a tinge of darkness.

Cassie Andrews works in a New York City bookshop, shelving books, making coffee for customers, and living an unassuming, ordinary life. Until the day 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.

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.

Then she's approached by a gaunt 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.

Now Cassie is being 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 and haunted 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.

But there are those willing to kill to obtain those secrets. And a dark force - in the form of a shadowy, sadistic woman - is at the very top of that list."

Here's the thing, comparing books to The Midnight Library isn't the best thing for all of us who disliked that book. This book is more The Starless Sea meets Laini Taylor with some Carlos Ruiz Zafon thrown in. Now THAT is a book comparison that grabs my attention.

Every once in a while, you read a book that is so transfixing that you feel that you have stepped into its’ world. This is a magical yet dangerous story about books that are capable of great things. It will keep you reading way past your bedtime. A truly great book will leave you thinking about it all day and you just want to go back to the world as quickly as possible. This book is full of wonder and beautiful places. It has moments of sadness and evil people. It is a book for those who love fantasy, books, and non-stop action.
Thank you Harper Collins for providing me with an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book! It was a new take on many things...time travel, paranormal and what our focus can make us become. I thought it was a bit slow at times but it held my interest overall. The characters were relatable whether you loved them or hated them!

What a fantastic book! First, I want to express my thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an electronic ARC of The Book of Doors. The moment I read the synopsis; I knew this book was tailor-made for me.

The story revolves around Cassie and her enchanting discovery of the Book of Doors, leading her into a world full of many magical books. While initial comparisons to some of my favorite magical realism books piqued my interest (Midnight Library, Addie LaRue), I quickly realized that The Book of Doors is a darker and more violent tale. I would say it is more akin to The Midnight Library, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, and the Sandman Netflix series. It blends the wholesome and the gruesome – something you rarely find and is just captivating.

There are some intricate details that added a special touch for me but I think everyone will enjoy this book. Although I would have appreciated more fleshed-out dialogue between some characters, I don't hold it against the book, seeing that it might be a matter of personal preference. Overall, the story is enthralling, and I think everyone will love this! I’ve already preordered a physical copy to add to my own little library. This story will stay with me for a long time and definitely a new favorite.

Now, if only someone could whisk me away to live in the Scottish Highlands with a library of magical books!