A dazzling ya story! I really loved this one! The magic was perfect and the story kept me hooked. This will likely be a very successful book in 2024! So grateful I got to read this on a cozy weekend.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What a unique and fantastic read! This book thrusts you into a world in which rare books hold magic- the rarest of them allowing you to transport yourself anywhere, through any door.

I liked this book a lot. The magic system is unique and well thought out, the main characters are interesting, and the plot is compelling, fast paced and fun. Seemingly unimportant details are woven throughout the story, and come back around to draw the events together and create that “aha” feeling when things click. Several times I found myself grinning when I picked back up on an earlier hint.

I do think that the ending felt a little abrupt in comparison to the expansive world building. Everything came together well, I just wish that the villains had a little more time to develop. Feels like there was more story here to be told.

Overall: highly recommend

I dont think I had very high hopes for this one, the reason being I recently picked up a book called The Midnight Library with felt like it would be a lot like this one from the blurb but thank goodness I was wrong. This was incredible. The story was given in a beautiful way, it completely covers you in that amazing fantasy feel, and the plot was incredible. I was hooked the second the first door was opened. I definitely recommend reading this one!

As I began reading this book, from the style of the writing and the characters, it seemed more suited to YA audience than adults. Cassie and Izzy are quite immature, which is fine if YA is the reading audience. I could not engage or identify with Cassie or Izzy as characters because they were so juvenile. I had a hard time believing that Cassie was a successful business woman owning and managing a bookshop in New York City. Her emotional intelligence and maturity for a woman just wasn't there. I had a lot of issues with the pace, characterizations, dialogue, and exposition that needed a tighter flow and polishing, but I will say that a qualified content editor in this genre would have made this a five star novel. The premise is really cool! I commend the author for what was probably a very difficult novel to write.

Well done Mr. Brown! Moments of lightness, moments of, "Oh, no." Surprise twists. Ordinary people become heroes and while I rooted against stereotypical super villains.
This is a well written and well crafted and highly creative book. Rarely does a book touch on why books have been my love and refuge lo these 65+ years. This one does.

As someone who loves to read and who loves to travel, this book had me hooked right at the start. Add the magical and mysterious properties of special books, characters willing to kill to get them, and a unique lakeside library hidden in the mists….it was no wonder I had a hard time putting it down. Told from multiple POVs, we see different characters getting to know one another and needing to trust one another as we learn about the threats that these books can present, along with the good. I like the way the author had the characters reaching into the unknown to learn the effects of time travel, and what the books could do, the possibilities made the book unpredictable. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book, it belongs on the shelves of fantasy lovers everywhere.

As someone who is always happy to grab a bag and go travel the world I really enjoyed this book.
Where would you go if every door was a portal to anywhere you want?? And does any of that affect our future?
This book is whimsical and fun and becomes twisty and a tad sinister by the end.
If you love fantasy, time travel, books and bad bad guys you’ll love this book!

Thanks to net Galley, Harper Collin’s and the author for the digital ARC in exchange for my opinion.

I have a particular love for books about books, and books written for and about book lovers. I think Book of Doors would appeal to a broad audience because of it's variety of characters and elements. I would place it solidly into speculative fiction, and would recommend it to readers who enjoy stories about time travel, portal fantasy, found family, and magical adventure. While there are allusions to possible romance, it is not a prominent part of the story and frankly, I appreciated that.

The villain in Book of Doors is one of the most frightening characters I've come across. Her scenes were actually bone chilling.

I enjoyed this book very much, the plot was great. I enjoyed the uniqueness of the books and how each of them had different abilities ,it was just not based on the book of doors. The book had time travel, action and fantasy elements . I see this being more towards YA audiences but overall it’s a great book Plot 4⭐️

Wow. As a lifelong reader I was enchanted with the idea of magical books. The characters were well written. The book does get dark at the end but leaves room for a sequel. Well done for a new author

A very enjoyable fantastical tale of acquaintances uniting to save the world from the havoc caused by the misuse of magical books. The story was so interesting that I began “mind casting” actors for the various characters. A definite must read for adult fantasy fans. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Any book lover will tell you that books are magic. And some will say books are small time-travel portals. But I dare any of them to claim the type of book magic and time traveling that Gareth Brown imagines in The Book of Doors. In addition to all the lovely books we enjoy, in Brown's world, there are magical books that allow humans to do magical things. These magical things go both ways, good and bad. Which use of the books will prevail? And what happens to those who are pulled into the fray because they simply know about the books? You'll have to read this magical book to find out.

There are very few books that I deem 5 star worthy, but this book is definitely deserving of them. Gareth Brown wrote a beautiful, inspiring, magical, fantastical debut novel with the Book of Doors. It is very much in the vain of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Night Circus but at the same time so unique and can stand alone. Magic just exudes from the pages as you read and imagine… well, I won’t give it away but this book is about love, friendship, sacrifice, heartbreak, faith, and lots and lots of magic.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for allowing me to read the arc in exchange for this review. The book comes out February 13, 2024 and I will be purchasing my own hard copy to add to my collection of favorite books! I can’t wait to read whatever Gareth Brown comes out with next!

RATING: 4.25/5 STARS

THE BOOK OF DOORS is for those who love reading and who love traveling to other worlds through books. It was magical and whimsical to read, with the settings painted so vividly that I truly felt I was experiencing everything the characters were. Towards the end the plot did get a little convoluted and gory but I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. Recommend this for fans of The Midnight Library, The Wishing Game, and The Unmaking of June Farrow.

5⭐️ world building
2⭐️ for characters
3⭐️ pacing
3.5⭐️ overall

The world-building is truly fabulous; the concept of different types of books each having unique effects is intriguing.

Cassie, while not a fully likable protagonist, is compelling. Her tendency to make sharp comments without thought mirrors her impulsive nature.

However, I share the sentiment from another review regarding Hugo's language choices. The explicit words used feel unnecessary and unpleasant. Conveying his negative traits through alternative means would be more effective, and I hope this aspect is revised in the final version.

The pacing, unfortunately, presented a challenge for me. Several moments felt like climaxes, only to revert to a slower pace, disrupting the overall flow of the narrative. Looking forward to potential improvements in the final version.

Wow where to even start. I don’t give out 5 stars often but this was more than worth it. As an avid reader, I always find myself drawn to books about books. It always seems like an easy gimmick to really hone in on as an authour but they tend to leave me underwhelmed. Typically they’re just focused on a bookstore and The Book of Doors doesn’t fall into any of the tropes. It actually made me love that books were so central to the plot but it didn’t feel like an easy cash grab in the slightest.

Every bit of this book feels so thought out, the magic was grounded and well, for the lack of a better word, magical. I wasn’t immediately hooked and found myself wandering to other books, but the second I hit 10% in, I couldn’t stop and found myself pushing sleep so I could read more. This was definitely a me problem at first as I was more worried and focused on where it was going to go and those expectations were so misplaced because I truly couldn’t get enough. I found myself waiting anxiously to read at night so I could devour more of this.

I absolutely loved the multiple POVs but it never felt overwhelming with too many characters and I especially loved we got some chapters from the villains perspective. The weaving of perspectives and time dilation had me absolutely enraptured. This was such a unique story that I truly won’t ever be able to describe how good it is and I don’t want to ruin anything because everyone deserves to experience this themselves.

I will be wholly SHOCKED if this isn’t considered one of the best fantasy books of 2024. I’m already keeping an eye out for literally anything this authour gives me in the future. Congratulations on a truly spectacular vision and perfectly put together story that’s accessible for anyone who loves reading, time travel, fantasy, and magic.

Absolutely loved The Book of Doors written by Gareth Brown. Read it in two sittings - would have been one but I had a dental appointment. Where to begin ... relatable and likeable characters, except for the bad guys who were also well drawn but bad; the situations and circumstances were easy to imagine and made sense - which is no small task with a fantasy-type storyline; it was mysterious and suspenseful, riveting and thrilling. It was everything I could ask for in a book. While I believe this is a standalone, I would be in reader heaven if this ended up being the first of a series. I'd love to know what happens next to this wonderful collection of people and books. It is hard to believe this is Mr. Brown's debut novel. Please write more and do so with a quickness! I highly recommend The Book of Doors.

I received a copy of this book and I am writing this reveiw voluntarily.

I love the concept of this book and I really think it had a ton of potential but there were a few things that went wrong for me. Firstly, I loved the beginning of this book and it reminded me of other books with similar concepts that I have loved, but sadly for me I didn't like how it transpired.

The pacing jumps around so much it's hard to get comfortable. Just when I think "ok, this is it, this is where we are going/what we are doing" the timeline changes again. This is somewhat expected since it is a "time-travel" type of book but it was a bit jarring to me.

I must also note that there is some disturbing language (racist) around the 250-ish page mark that I just couldn't condone. It was totally unnecessary and the author should have found alternate wording that wouldn't be offensive. Yes, I understand this is a book but to me it's just not necessary.

I ended up DNF at 58%.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to admit at first I didn't think I'd like this book. Within the first 100 pages so many characters are introduced I thought I'd need to start writing them down. It would have been helpful if the blurb for the book had warned you there's an large cast of characters instead I'm left wondering how many more people I'm going to meet. I'm not a big fantasy reader but I love books about books...especially if they're magical books. I did have a few moments when I was left scratching my head but I'd happy to report all mysteries were solved by the end of the book.

Very clever well written book. Thoroughly enjoyable with a fantastic set of characters! I think this will appeal to a wide range of readers!