Started off super slow but then picked up a quarter of the way through. The premise is that magical books exist giving the owner the ability to inflict pain, joy, walk in shadows, etc. The most sought after book is the Book of Doors that transports you to other times and places. Fans of the TV show The Librarians will definitely want to read this.

An absolutely incredible book! I loved the fantasy elements and being able to escape the real world with the characters. I felt so connected to Cassie and her story, and was rooting for her the entire time! The plot moves quickly and there was never a moment where I was bored or confused. This was such a fantastic read and I can't wait to recommend it to everyone!!

I absolutely loved this book and the characters. I love any book that can take you away and make you feel like part of the story. This was a brilliant first novel by a very talented author, whom I plan to follow.

I loved this book. The main character works in a bookstore in New York City and loves books. The magic in some books is revealed throughout the story. I did not realize early on that time travel was a major theme, but I enjoyed it when it happened. The story, as in many fantasies, involves a battle between good and evil.

Imagine a world where there are magical books, that give the owner varying abilities while holding the book. That is the world in which Book of Doors takes place, centering around Cassie, a young woman living in NYC, who received the Book of Doors from a loyal customer of the bookstore she works in. This book leads her on a life changing adventure, as this book can open any door in any location, or any time. With the help of the Librarian, Drummond Fox, Cassie must fight to save her and her friends lives from a seemingly invincible woman, set on a quest to possess all the magic books.
The cast of characters introduced each had their own distinct voice and perspective, and although at times the writing felt slightly amateurish, the concept and overall execution kept me invested and interested in this novel. My main complaint would be that at times, the description felt lacking and not as developed as I would have liked, but as I said, this book was definitely a hit for me as a whole. In particular, I enjoyed how the author intertwined the lives of the various characters, especially with the revelation near the conclusion of the novel.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

This was such a great read! The whole story was very enjoyable and entertaining. I was totally enthralled the whole book. The beginning was sweet to look at Cassie and her life and relationship with Mr Webber, and Izzy. The layers of books and the world that follows and hunts these books was so interesting. Reading this book really played like a movie in my mind. I wanted there to be more and more even as it ended. The main critique I had was there could have been more explanation as to how the books were made. I didn’t realize that Cassie made them until a few chapters after the one “saying” that’s when it happened.
But still such an enjoyable book… one I thought could be a series and would do amazingly!

If I had a nickel for every time in 2023 I read a book about magical books, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. Right?

As someone who proudly named Ink Blood Sister Scribe as one of my favorite 2023 releases, The Book of Doors's premise spoke to me. Now that I've read it, I'd almost describe this book as Ink Blood Sister Scribe's moody relative. Although the first part of the book is filled with wonder and light merriment at the Book of Doors's ability to transport our main character wherever she'd like, it quickly descends into a dark and thrilling mystery. I absolutely LOVED this. Others may be wishing for more of the lighthearted merriment.

All in all, I thought this was a fantastic read. The author did a wonderful job at balancing the darker elements of the book (our book's villains are V-I-L-L-A-I-N-S!) with heartwarming explorations of friendship, family, loss and grief. There were also many twists that I did not see coming.

Highly recommended to anyone who's a fan of fantasy, magical realism, time travel, and elements of mystery/thrillers.

The beginning of the book was utterly charming. As the mystery evolved, it became so dark that it lost the charm. It bothered me that the central mystery, the creation of the books, was not explained in any detail.

Books are magic. Cassie works in a bookstore where one of the customer's dies. She finds a book the customer left for her with strange writing. Cassie discovers that this is a rare book called the Book of Doors. This book allows the holder to time travel throughout the world and history. This is a dangerous book and many people are after it. Cassie also learns that there are other such magic books that people have for good or bad.

This book intrigued me from the beginning. It is a story about Cassie's present and past. The author skillfully takes us through the doors and lets us experience the new worlds. It is fascinating and scary at the same time. What is such books existed today? It will definitely make you think. It was definitely an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend reading this book.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #GarethBrown and #WilliamMorrow for a copy of this book.
#TheBookofDoors

This book was…not for me. After two female body-shaming comments from the male author in the first 10% of the book, I admit that everything else was soured. Not acceptable for a 2024 release. 16% in and I finally decided this book is a DNF. The pacing is off, the characters aren’t well rounded, the mystery aspect isn’t intriguing and honestly I’m turn off at the promise of body horror and extreme violence later in the book. Do yourself a favor and skip this one if any of the above don’t appeal to you either.

Such a delightful book, I can see myself rereading this every year. I loved how the book evolved and was able to tie elements together. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to read a fun book that'll keep you on your toes throughout!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read The Book of Doors. Though the plot is interesting, the author could have spent more time developing the characters. Descriptions also lack originality.

I loved this so much! Reading it felt like being transported to another world. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

When one of her customers dies bookshop employee Cassie receives a give that will upend her life and introduce her to a world or books full of magic and danger. I liked the concept of this book and that while involving some degree of magic it did not feel overly magical but more realistic and adult despite the topic. I really liked how it all came together in the end and how the author pieced everything together. Little plot points of side mentions that seemed like throwaways or random bits of information came back and different point in the novel and were more important than they seemed at first. I really Liked the character of Drummond in this book. Unfortunately for most of the book I did not really enjoy Cassie. She was too stuck in her past and was not really proactive in any way for most of the book. One part of the story did cause her to grow and mature which made me like her a bit more more likable but it was more literal that figurative. While this whole part of the book was not boring to read it made me very bored for the character and her life in during this period. Overall a well thought out and constructed story that I enjoyed.

This book is quite an adventure. As a book lover I immediately fell in love with the plot - books with special powers! The writing is very good and such good characterization. In addition there are several plot twists I never saw coming that made for great reading. Very enjoyable experience reading this book!

The first few chapters had me hooked and were fantastic. After that was did struggled for a bit but the end of the book does makes up for the dragging that takes place. There were a couple of parts that I went wait what where did I miss that and a little explanation of how she does things would have been nice. The character development is balanced nicely and you really root for Cassie and her friends to succeed.



Than you NetGalley for an arc copy to give an honest review.

The concept of this book was intriguing; I liked the idea that a book can access the world through doors at the tip of your fingers. The concept of this book reminded me of books like “Starless Sea” which has a mixture of magic and adventure.
I think that my main problems with this book were the characters, especially my lack of connection with Cassie and Izzy. I did not find them likable. Even their beginning interaction of them chatting about their day after Cassie experiences something almost traumatic at the bookstore was off to me. This was a scene where Izzy makes a joke about how “the only people interested in Time Square are tourists and terrorists” and how some guy who hits on her calls her out on how her saying that was distasteful. I think this explains the general feeling that I get of Cassie and Izzy, they both seem very disconnected and I never developed an attachment to them through the book.
My biggest problem was generally how uncomfortable this book made me (and not in a good way). The way things were described like weight and nasty comments from certain characters being pretty explicit and made me squirm a bit. I personally could not stand it. The story really lost me at that point.
Even though I appreciate the author for attempting to write female characters and a beautiful fantasy world, I could not enjoy it.
Thank you NetGalley and the author Gareth Brown for allowing me to post an honest review in exchange for an advanced E-Proof.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Book of Door. Wow. I almost thought I might skip this book but I am so glad I didn’t. This is an epic novel in many ways. Very in-depth and detailed with interesting characters, good vs evil and hopefully another book to follow.
It’s hard to explain this novel but take a chance and read it. I promise you won’t put it down.
Excellent!!!! 5 stars

I cannot thank the publisher and NetGalley enough for an e-arc. Because I absolutely loved this book.

I wish I could give The Book of Doors 10 stars. I felt nostalgic, fascinated, and yearning for more story up until the very last page-I even read the acknowledgments hoping for more! I loved the main character, Cassie, and I have a special place in my heart for Mr.Webber. Through this book, I reflected on my own life, my relationships with people both alive and long gone, and of the books I read as a child. I also grew even more restless for more traveling.

I highly, highly recommend this book especially for those who enjoyed The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young.

There are slight spoilers in this review!

First, I want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Book of Doors. This book had a lot of potential, but I DNF’d it at 30%.

Here are my thoughts:

1. I love the concept of books being powerful. As a reader, I’ve known this. I wanted this book to showcase that. My biggest issue with this was by 30%, we’d just been introduced to the conflict. While we get chapters from the perspectives of The Woman and other book hunters, it just didn’t have urgency. I didn’t find myself eager to read. The plot moved so slowly.

2. I had no connection with Cassie or Izzy. I get that Cassie wanted to see the world because of her grandfather, but I wasn’t emotionally invested in her trajectory. She felt very flat. Then there’s Izzy, who The Woman mysteriously wants brought to her. Drummond erasing her memory felt forced. Neither FMC was relatable.

I may return to this book down the road, but at this point, it’s just not for me. To those who did connect with The Book of Doors, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!