Cassie Andrews is a bookstore worker who befriends Mr. Webber, a regular customer with a love of classic books. One day, Cassie unexpectedly receives a strange book from Mr. Webber which she later learns is called “The Book of Doors.”

Cassie unexpectedly uses the book to open doors to anywhere she imagines in her head, and excitedly shows her roommate, Izzy, who suspiciously warns Cassie this book may be dangerous. Suddenly, they are being hunted after learning the importance and the history of the book…and that there are other magic books with different powers.

Gareth Brown does an excellent job at throwing in twists and turns in this book that takes us anywhere we want to go. Although parts of the book (including the history of the book) were slow and hard to read through, I thought this book was original and a fun read!

Recommended for fans of fantasy and suspense, I recommend this book to find out the fate of Cassie, Izzy, the book of doors, and what all of the magic books can do. Warning: parts of the book contain swearing and graphic violence.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review. The beginning is a little slow, but once the pace picks up, you will be sucked into the story. The main character is given a magical book that allows her to travel from one place to another by opening one door while visualizing another. The villains soon appear to try to take possession of the book and the adventure begins. Eventually, it is discovered that the Book of Doors not only controls place but also time so we get time travel too!
The ending is satisfying and I can see the possibility of a second installment.

Spectacular! This is my grown up escapism exactly how The Neverending story was for me as a kid. This book follows our MC Cassie as she is gifted The Book of Doors and its magical possibilities. She meets some characters along the way who come to be very important to her and the outcome of this fantasy.

I finished reading this on December 31st, my last book of 2023, but I had to take time to absorb and process all that the story was. It was captivating. The plot, the twists, characters. Time travel stories can be tricky and sometimes confusing, this was not an example of that. I thought the storyline was truly well thought out, well written and easy to follow. I also think it's a feat when a writer can introduce many characters into a story, and still maintain clear descriptions of who's who. I could visualize each of them and felt like I could relate to many of their emotions. I found the idea that each book held different powers and elements of magic very symbolic. Books in general have the ability to transport readers to other places and evoke emotion simply with words on a page. Books really are, in a sense, magical in our everyday life. I loved that aspect of the book. It made me, as a lover of books and an avid reader, in a way feel powerful myself. This book definitely brought to life works of a creative imagination. I enjoyed it immensely.
The only part(s) I wasn't most fond of were the gory ones, and there were a few, but I also think they were necessary to make the desired impact of those scenes. So while I can't say I would change that, it still creeped me out and made me cringe. Therefore if fractions of stars were an option, I'd give this book a 4.75. Overall this was a great read and I would/will recommend it to others.
I did want to mention that I've seen reviews where people were offended by certain phrases and descriptions of some characters and to that I would like to say, people will find offense over anything these days. I'm personally from South Carolina and a regular church attendee (I'm a Christian **gasp**) and yet I managed to find no offense to pastor Merlin Gilette, nor his childrens, characters ;-)

In addition I would like to include my favorite quotes from the book:

"I am firmly of the view that more people in this world could use their brains more often..."
"Don't waste your life hidden away in your own mind. Make the most of the time you have, otherwise before you know it, you'll have no time left."

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

If you’re a fan of midnight library or the wishing games, I highly recommend this for similar vibes! I really enjoyed the plot and characters. There was plenty of action and the writing was well done. I read this a bit slower than I expected to fully absorb it but overall I recommend checking this out when it releases!

Wow, this book immediately hooked me. This is one of those books where I will be thinking about it for months and months after I have finished reading it.

At first, I thought Cassie accepts her Book of Doors very quickly which initially threw me off. However, I haven't been put in her position so who am I to judge? The way the books were introduced, and the uses of every book was done so well. I truly was able to visualize and see each and every scene.

The foreshadowing was fantastic. I don't want to say too much because I truly believe the less readers know going in the better. Each surprise and twist left me speechless and eager to know more.

This was a large cast of characters and I think each was done so well. I would also like to join the Fox Library please.

Needless to say this is a must read for fantasy and thrill readers alike!

A couple times a week, Cassie Andrews who works in the local bookstore is visited by a lonely old man who becomes her friend through the years. One night while he is visiting, he dies unexpectedly and leaves behind a book as a gift to Cassie. The book is leather bound and very old filled with lines and boxes written within. Soon Cassie discovers exactly what those lines and boxes mean. Wherever in the world Cassie wishes to go, all she has to do is open a door into that world. But little does she know, there are many more books out in the universe and they all have different powers. With power comes danger and soon she will find out there is a very wicked woman who will resort to violence to posses these books.

An entertaining wibbly wobbly timey wimey novel.

Cassie Andrews lived a fairly typical life working at a bookstore cafe in New York. One day, one of her favorite customers dies, leaving two books by his side – ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ and ‘The Book of Doors.’ Cassie, along with her roommate Izzy, soon realize that ‘The Book of Doors’ is literally a book with the power to open any door anywhere in time and space. And soon after, they learn that there other special books – ‘The Book of Joy,’ for example, or ‘The Book of Pain’ - and that there are others who covet these special books, especially the book Cassie now possess. One of these people is merely known as 'the woman' who's shown she will use violence to collect all the special books.

Of course, there's also those that want the books for positive reasons - to secure them so they can't be used to hurt anyone. One of these people is Drummond Fox, the librarian of the Fox Library where a number of these special books are stored. He's hidden the library using ‘The Book of Shadows’ so it's safe. But the challenge is how are Cassie, Izzy and Drummond going to keep ‘The Book of Doors’ safe, especially from the woman?

I'm not usually a fan of fantasy, but the cover enticed me to pick it up. And I'm glad I did - it was a good book! On one hand, I felt like there wasn't much that was unique about this book, but on the other, somehow the way it was woven together was different and enjoyable. It did feel a bit Doctor Who-ish, with people have roles as their names - the librarian, the bookseller, the woman - and lots of timey wimey aspects where characters' timelines and actions overlapped each other. It could be a bit disconcerting how characters did keep jumping through time, though, if you weren't expecting it.

Overall, an entertaining book with the possibility of a sequel laid out at the end. Recommended.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.com that I voluntarily chose to review.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to delve into "The Book of Doors" as an eARC.

My long-standing wish to read this book, born from the first sighting on Goodreads, has been granted—thank you!

"The Book of Doors" invites readers on a captivating journey where the ordinary intertwines with the extraordinary. Focused on Cassie Andrews, a New York City bookseller leading an unassuming life, the narrative takes a captivating turn when a mysterious gift from a favorite customer disrupts her world.

This book brought me immense enjoyment, progressively improving until I found it impossible to put down. Its cleverness and originality consistently brought a smile to my face, and I thoroughly appreciated the well-crafted and seamlessly integrated story.

I cannot emphasize enough how genuinely I relished and cherished the experience, akin to a delightful treat, of reading this book!

With a beautiful cover and a mysterious title, I had to pick this one up. I'm glad I did and I loved this story. Gareth Brown is a new author for me.

Description:
In New York City, bookseller Cassie Andrews is living an unassuming life when she is given a gift by a favourite customer. It's a book - an unusual book, full of strange writing and mysterious drawings. And at the very front there is a handwritten message to Cassie, telling her that this is the Book of Doors, and that any door is every door .

What Cassie is about to discover is that the Book of Doors is a special book that bestows an extraordinary powers on whoever possesses it, and soon she and her best friend Izzy are exploring all that the Book of Doors can do, swept away from their quiet lives by the possibilities of travelling to anywhere they want.

But the Book of Doors is not the only magical book in the world. There are other books that can do wondrous and dreadful things when wielded by dangerous and ruthless individuals - individuals who crave what Cassie now possesses.

Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is, it seems, Drummond Fox. He is a man fleeing his own demons - a man with his own secret library of magical books that he has hidden away in the shadows for safekeeping. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all . . .

Because some doors should never be opened.

My Thoughts:
This was a great fantasy adventure type book involving magical books that could be used for either good or bad. It follows Cassie who has received one of the books, but is now in great danger. Much of the book is her adventure trying to survive amidst bookhunters searching for the books who will do anything to get their hands on one. There is one woman who is everyone's nightmare, and she is known solely as "the woman" throughout the book. It was fun to follow the advanture and the relationships Cassie formed in her struggles to survive, save her book, and keep her friends safe.

Thanks to William Morrow through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication date is February 13, 2024.

Complex but well-managed story line. There is some interesting world building here. Most of the characters have depth and dimension, even the villains, which is refreshing.

The Book of Doors
A Novel
by Gareth Brown
This was one difficult book to read.I became so confused and the people were just far too many to keep up with. It just was not something I had expected.

I was so excited when Netgalley accepted my arc request because I love this specific niche type of fantasy, that is similar to Narnia, Wonderland, or Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series. I don’t think there is a specific term for this specific whimsical type of fantasy but we need to make one a term for it. It’s this specific fantasy that feels almost childlike in a way, usually involving a magical adventure full of whimsy. This type of book is most commonly seen in middle grade books, so I love when I see books with this specific niche type of feel in adult fiction. I feel like it is a rarity because I don’t see it often. This book also felt weirdly British (lol) like Harry Potter, even though it takes place in America.

Quick breakdown: a bookseller named Cassie is given a gift by her favorite customer, an unusual book that gives her the power to travel anywhere in the world that she wants. Yet, possessing this book puts her in danger, as the book of doors isn’t the only magical book in existence and people with nefarious intentions are seeking them all. This book had the whimsy of Wonderland and the magical adventure of Harry Potter, and it fed my inner child. You know when you’re in the mood for a fun adventure movie? This is like the book equivalent of that and it really hits the spot. You get to go on this magical fantasy adventure without even leaving your couch, and what could be better than that?

Cassie, like me, is a book lover who takes comfort in bookstores and libraries and she’s extremely relatable. Not to mention, the bookstore where Cassie works sounds sooooo cozy and perfect. Comfortable, with books, coffee, comfy chairs and soft music. This book was so nostalgic and extremely well written. It had me feeling sad and nostalgic for a time that Cassie spent in Europe, something that I myself had never even experienced. It was as if I were the one who had met the handsome German boy in Paris or the kind middle aged couple in Venice who treated Cassie like a daughter, people who she had promised to keep in touch with but never had. This book had me sad and missing fictional people from all walks of life that I had never even met.

This book’s strongest suit is how visual it is, all the surroundings and people described very well so that everything is easy to visualize. I had to check because it’s very impressive that this is a debut author, since the writing was honestly better than most of the established author’s books that I’ve read, and better than I generally expect from a book. Beautiful descriptions and scenery, wonderful characterization, and all the magical fun of an adventure story.

The second strongest suit is that there is no boring filler, none of the whole, nothing happens until 60% of the book. This book jumps right into it, and you feel like you’re in the middle before even 15% in because it jumps right into the action. My undiagnosed ADHD appreciates this. Wish more books were like this and didn’t waste my time with too much filler.

The book is also excellently plotted. The way that things come together in different timelines is genius. And the evil characters in this are truly evil, some of the most evil, horribly terrible people I have ever read in literature. The plot is so imaginative, and such a wild adventure. I can tell so much thought and effort was put into plotting this story. Fantastic worldbuilding and very imaginative story. I thought the ending could’ve used a more brighter conclusion rather than ending on that note but I liked how everything tied together and all the questions were answered.

This author is definitely on my radar now and I am eager to see what he comes up with next. Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I absolutely judge books to quickly. Was I bored 2 pages in? Yes. Will I keep reading this? No. As a bookseller, maybe I was just unimpressed with the interaction between Cassie and the old man? But I found her rude despite knowing she liked the old man and didn’t want to keep reading.

Wow. Agh. Wow. I cannot express HOW MUCH I LOVE this book. It's perfect for fans of fantasy, science fiction, superheroes, superpowers, time travel, friendship, good versus evil, light versus dark, and books. I guess anyone who likes "The Midnight Library" or "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue" or "The Night Circus" (all books that I apparently need to get my hands on ASAP). It makes a book lover fall in love all over again with the power of books. Ah, my heart and soul can't stop gushing.

So the story starts in a bookstore with Cassie, whose age I can't seem to quite figure out, as she's closing for the night. Her final guest, who is a regular at the store, quietly and suddenly dies but he leaves Cassie a final gift: a book. At first the book seems like just an old thing and then Cassie learns that it has the power to transport her back to any door ANYWHERE in the world. It's a wonderful gift. But, something so good has to have some darkness in it, no? Cassie learns the hard way that, with all the good, comes others who are willing to exploit the goodness for pure evil. And now Cassie embarks on a race of survival, with her best friend Izzy and mysterious book savior, Drummond Fox, to try to not only protect the Book of Doors, but all the other special books that exist.

Cassie, as a main character, has so much to learn and sometimes that annoyed me -- like, why are you going back to the apartment where the murderous man just shot two people?! Anywhere but there! But then I also love her for so many other reasons: she cares so much about her friends and she learns so many lessons that any human can learn from.

Izzy is just awesome. She's funny, sarcastic, down-to-earth, and the most realistic of the two friends. She's the perfect balance for Cassie and it as clever of Gareth to include her.

Lund. Oh Lund. I love Lund. A man of few words. But I love Lund.

I can't get over the touching moments of friendship in all the ways they appear: Cassie and Izzy, Izzy and Lund, Cassie and Drummond, Drummond and his group of friends, Cassie and Mr. Webber, and Cassie and her grandfather.

Also, the time travel concept feels like a new one. It's different than the theories I'm so used to hearing from the Marvel universe so it's a new idea that gives me something to think about.

And, finally, the true villain -- the woman, as she's dubbed -- is so sadistically and painfully cruel that she's so perfect for this book.

Ah, it makes me love books EVEN MORE than before.

A HUGE THANKS to the publisher, William Morrow, and Netgalley for this galley in return for my honest opinion. I absolutely loved this gem and cannot wait to buy my copy of it when it's finally released. I am already recommending it to all the book lovers in my life and my students will definitely enjoy this one.

I ABSOLUTELY loved this book! I rather enjoyed how everything was tied together and the cause and effect of what they did. The characters, the concept… all of it!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Once I got into this book… I could not put it down! When I saw the synopsis for this book I was interested right away. It reminded me a bit of Ink Blood Sister Scribe with the magical books. I think this book did it even better. I loved how the book left me questions as I started reading and slowly those all fell into place as the book progressed. I truly enjoyed each of the characters and what they brought to the book. The multiple POV worked really well. I do want to point out that I was not expecting some of the violence in this book… it is only very small parts of the book but it gets pretty graphic. I am also not at all a horror girl so I’m a wimp when it comes to all that!

Thank you to Gareth Brown, William Morrow, and NetGalley for giving me the wonderful opportunity to review this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and with my own opinions only.

I enjoyed The Book of Doors overall. The story is centered around magical books and doors, with bittersweet moments and a sense of wonder. Cassie, the main character, discovers a magical book capable of opening doors to anywhere. However, she soon realizes the danger surrounding these magical books, as many are willing to do anything to possess one.

While the story was mostly enjoyable, a few aspects didn't quite click for me. The pacing felt slightly off, and I struggled to connect with the characters. Some of them were downright irritating. The plot had its fair share of holes, and the ending left me unsatisfied.

Despite these issues, The Book of Doors kept me engaged. The mix of magic and danger made it an entertaining read, even though I had some reservations about certain elements.

I expected this book to be good based off of the summary and the cover, because I do sometimes judge a book by its cover, and I was pleasantly surprised with this.

The characters were likable and this had a lot of action and adventure in it. The concept of a book that allows you to travel anywhere was really cool. And the story left me wanting more information, in a good way.

There were certain parts of this book I wasn’t expecting and wasn’t sure how they fit into the story, but I found that I got an answer later on.

Overall, this was a great read!

"Any door is every door"

I loved this book. It grabbed me immediately, and I did not want to put it down. A girl who works in a bookstore comes into possession of a book that allows her to travel anywhere she wants to go simply by opening a door. What could be better than that? And then, the adventure begins, because there are people willing to kill to get their hands on this book.

There were so many twists and turns in this book, and they all felt just right. I didn't want the book to end, but I needed to get to the end and see what was going to happen.