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!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. This was a rather interesting book. I really liked all the magical realism elements but the storyline fell a little short at times. It could use a little more refining overall but the writing was great. 3 stars.

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown from William Morrow/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

A good solid entry in the fantasy/multiverse category. Hope it is the first in a series; the ending certainly left me wanting more.

DESCRIPTION
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.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Book of Doors.

The premise was so intriguing I was excited my request was approved. I couldn't wait to start reading it!

Sadly, this didn't live up to my expectations for the following reasons:

1. Cassie is boring. She has just one friend, no hobbies other than reading (which I love to do myself) but is neither amusing or compelling.

2. The narrative is heavy with description and exposition, which is fine and all, but very verbose so there's a lack of urgency and suspense.

3. The writing is okay, but the dialogue is cheesy, amateur, even Cassie and Izzy sound like teenagers rather than young adults at times.

4. Constant references to a woman's weight and appearance left me feeling icky. There were also one too many times when characters would refer to other characters using their race and/or gender to belittle and/or mock them.

5. I understand Cassie (or anyone) would, naturally, use the Book of Doors to time travel but there were too many chapters where the author spends his time describing all the places Cassie is visiting with the book.

6. Why are the bad guys bad? Seriously. They're just awful characters with no exposition to explain their nefarious behavior. The woman and Hugo sound the most interesting, but readers are given no insight into why they are terrible people.

7. I didn't connect with Cassie; I didn't dislike her but I didn't care about her. Drummond was okay, as was Izzy, but I felt the characters didn't have any chemistry with each other.

The premise had great potential, but silly dialogue, tedious exposition and descriptions and unmemorable characters made this a difficult read to get through.

I am not a fan of this genre type. I don’t know how to label it.. magical realism.. doesn’t fit.. fantasy maybe? Any way you label it.. I am not a lover. I put it down after having read 50 per cent. It just held no allure for me. Disney creates better fairy tales.

A girl named Cassie is given a magical book that allows her to open up any door she can think of. The journey she goes through from there is magical to say the least.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, the overall concept is amazing but on the other, the execution was a little bit lacking.

The idea of magical books and time travel sounds exciting, and it was…at first. This book is about 100 pages too long. There are some slow parts that definitely could be edited out. Also, there was almost too much time travel which made things confusing for me to read.

I think my number one pet peeve of this book is that we are given too many characters’ perspectives to read from and sometimes we don’t know exactly who they are (they’re referred to as “the woman”, for example throughout the chapter).

I wish I could give this book a higher rating because I was so excited going into it…

Thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such an interesting book and I can’t wait to read what comes next from the author. The cover really drew me in.

Dnf. I was so excited to read this book, the premise is fantastic. Unfortunately, the characters felt flat to me and there was more telling than showing. Ultimately, the writing didn’t work for me. However, I won’t hesitate to recommend it to others.. Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this egalley.

Cassie Andrews works in a bookstore in New York City and finds that one of her favorite regular customers, Mr. Webber, has died where he was sitting late one day. It’s a gentle, quiet death, much like the immediate tone of the novel, which starts in the independent bookshop on a snowy night at closing. Cassie finds a mysterious book next to him, with the inscription “This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.” Additionally, a handwritten message is addressed to her from Mr. Webber, making it clear the book is meant for her. From there, author Gareth Brown takes the reader on an intricate, well-thought out ride that blends magical realism with mystery and suspense. We learn, through Cassie, about a number of magical books that are known by few and highly coveted to the extreme.

I would say that I loved Brown’s debut novel. It’s one of those books where if I explained more of the plot, I would feel like I was doing a disservice to the future reader’s journey in this book. In the first few pages of the book, Mr. Webber tells Cassie that Alexandre Dumas’s Count of Monte Cristo “certainly makes you wait for the payoff,” and I can’t help but feel that Brown was intentionally foreshadowing this novel. Which, to that point, this book is very intentional. There are a number of plot twists, some preceded by purposeful, seemingly innocuous references that you just know will be important later. It felt like Brown wanted to weave an intricate tale that surprised the reader - but not always. And that seemed intentional - he gave enough context clues and kernels to make you not feel lost and maybe even a little smart, just to turn things upside down.

It’s a world building book that doesn’t necessarily build on the setting, but instead builds the seedy underbelly of obtaining (and keeping) these books. Character development is often obtained through the introduction of books themselves - how a character handles the book or what drives them tells far more at times than their backstories. The book absolutely paces itself - so settle in and commit, knowing that it doesn’t start off with a bang but there will absolutely be a payoff.

It takes a bit to feel like you really know the protagonists in the book. There is no doubt that they are on the good side; there is no questioning of motives. But understanding their fully fleshed out persona takes time. One thing I appreciated is that even though the characters had flaws and made mistakes, the protagonists’ personalities, faults, and errors didn’t annoy me. Whereas I felt like my understanding of the protagonists in the story came slowly, the villains in the story immediately show their complete and utter brutality. It wasn’t over the top - and in fact was really well done, in my opinion - but nonetheless, they kind of terrified me in how savage they were.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for sending me this ARC for review. All opinions are my own.

I was so excited to read this book by debut author Gareth Brown and was transported all over the globe when Cassie is given and uses the Book of Doors.

But it's not all magic and lightness. There are other Books and each can be used for darker purposes. So Cassie has to learn which of the other owners and searchers she can trust.