Author Gareth Brown has delivered another hit! Well-written, suspenseful, and thoroughly engaging.
Much like "The Book of Doors", "The Society of Unknowable Objects" held its own—an absolute page-turner.

I found The "Book Society of Unknowable Objects" to be truly original—unlike anything I've read before. As the story unfolded, it became increasingly intricate and captivating. Without a doubt, it’s one of the best books I’ve read in a long time!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an ARC of this title.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one and I must say I was very pleasantly surprised. In The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown, we follow magic around the world in an attempt to save what could be an untold amount of people.

A book about magic set primarily in a bookstore with a main character that’s an author…yes please. These objects look like normal everyday things that any one of us may carry or see on any regular day. Except they aren’t. Each object was created to do something very specific and it becomes clear that in the wrong hands they could have catastrophic outcomes.

Enter The Society of Unknowable Objects, our main characters that shoulder the responsibility of containing these items and protecting them from being used. But there are others looking for these objects as well, with far more nefarious motives.

Brown’s characterization puts together a dichotomy between “heroes’ and “villains” that creates a taut atmosphere leaving readers just waiting for the next confrontation. From Hong Kong to London to America, Brown takes us on a journey that seems to know no bounds, just as magic knows no bounds. And this magic exists in the world that we all live in and experience everyday.

Along the way we also get a beautiful glimpse into humanity and the importance of the bonds of friendship & love. This is an exciting tale with a wonderful heartfelt message at its core that will make you wonder what exists all around us that we just may not be aware of.

I read The Book of Doors last year and really liked it, so when I saw Gareth Brown had a new book coming out, I didn’t even hesitate—I requested it immediately. And I’m so glad I did, because I loved this one!

This book has a similar vibe to The Book of Doors, but with one big difference—we know from the start that we’re dealing with magical objects. What those objects actually do, though, isn’t always clear… and figuring that out is part of what makes the story so fun.

Magda, the main character, joins the Society after her mother passes away. The group has been around for a while, quietly meeting without much excitement—until news of a possible new object comes up. That’s when things really kick off, and Magda finds out that the Society isn’t the only group looking for these strange and powerful items.

The story takes you from a little bookstore in London to the southern U.S., and it’s full of twists, mystery, and just the right touch of magic. It’s imaginative, fast-paced, and really unique—one of those books you don’t want to put down.

Big thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the eARC!

Got through the book save for the last chapter/ epilogue and then unfortunately access expired due to the title expiring on #netgalley.

At this point with the book largely complete, things I liked: the call backs to the Book of Doors and hints at a larger universe, the objects themselves (mostly)

Without getting into spoiler territory- lots of deux ex machina happening that all felt far too tidy.

Thank you NeyGalley for this ARC.

I had so much fun reading this. I adore the unique magic system(s) Brown has built. while this book was different from The Book of Doors both the magical connection and cameo from Cassie felt natural. The beginning took me a bit to get into but the last 40% had me hooked.

The romance subplot, if you can even call it that, felt like comedic relief but romantic relief. It was not executed subtly yet didn’t distract from the plot.

I felt connected to the characters and the magical objects.

4.5 stars, can’t wait to see the success of this book!

Thank you to William Morrow for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Let me start off by saying that I adored The Book of Doors. I thought it was such an inventive take on magic and the idea of a secret library society that was determined to protect them. I was so looking forward to reading this book. It’s adjacent to the same world in Doors, existing within the same space but not a direct sequel.

And I’m so sorry to say The Society of Unknowable Objects is not only knowable, but kinda boring. Doors had such a great hook at the start to pull you into the story. This one wanted to, but it was so “mysterious” it just came across as confusing. I was struggling to connect with the characters and the objects they were determined to protect. I think it was jumping in time between chapters but it was so hard to tell. I was lost, I was bored, and I was forcing myself to continue reading.

I hate that this is a DNF for me. I wanted to love it, I really did. It fell flat for me.

This is another novel by the author of The Book of Doors. Once again there is magic in normal appearing objects. The members of the Society see the potential danger of these objects falling into the hands. So they collect the objects and lock them away. Magda has grown up with the Society. Her mother was a member until she left on a fatal mission. Now Magda is being fully inducted. She undertakes a mission to find a newly discovered object. This begins an adventure dealing with modern threats and past secrets. This is an enjoyable read.

When reading The Society of Unknown Objects, I became fully immersed in the world that Gareth Brown so flawlessly describes. I get the descriptions in such detail that I can almost taste and/or smell them. I can imagine them in my head. It’s difficult to put magic into the mix, but everything that is described can be so vividly imagined.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. When I woke in the middle of the night, I decided to just get up so I could continue reading it. While there may have been a few things that were overly explained, it didn’t bother me to have things explained from multiple point of views. The opening scene grips you as the reader and leaves you wanting more the entire time. The morally complex situation at the end involving Magda is emotionally impactful and thought-provoking. It really made me question myself as to what I would do.

I loved the tie in to Book of Doors at the very end. You don’t have to know or have read book of doors for this book but if you have, it’s just a little thing that makes you feel like you’re in “on the inside”. Another reason that I loved this book so much was that I felt that the story completely answered every single question from the beginning, wrapping it up like a gift with a beautiful bow.

Gareth Brown truly is officially my favorite Author. I will read and buy anything this man puts out into the universe. After reading the acknowledgements in this book, I hope that he has an easier time with his next book so that we can get our hands on it!

Gareth Brown delivers another compelling tale in The Society of Unknowable Objects a novel that immediately draws readers in with a captivating prologue and a sense of mystery that only deepens with every chapter.

The story is driven by quirky, memorable characters and centers around Magda, who finds herself in the dark about the elusive society at the heart of the novel. Brown masterfully weaves in plot twists and unexpected outcomes that keep the reader guessing, while the creeping sense of dread and the presence of truly unsettling villains add a rich layer of horror to the narrative.

Much like The Book of Doors, this novel carries Brown's signature storytelling vibe: imaginative, eerie, and utterly original. His writing style balances dark whimsy with genuine suspense, making for a reading experience that's entertaining. If you were a fan of his first book, you’re in for another good time!

Thank you William Morrow Books and NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another excellent offering from Mr. Brown. Adventurous and intelligent storytelling. There may be a bit Deus ex Machina but it completely fits into the universe of the story. This is a related work to The Book of Doors but I won't tell you how. It becomes pretty darn obvious at one point and gives me hope for more such tales in the future.

Full disclosure: I was gifted a pre-publication copy of this book from NetGalley in trade for a review. A trade I am most happy to take! (I tend to review all the books I read anyway so this was an easy deal ;0)

This authors debut work, The Book of Doors, was one of my favorite books of 2024, so I was thrilled to learn that a second novel was coming!

The Society of Unknowable Objects centers around Magda Sparks, who is inducted into a secret society aimed to find and protect everyday objects that have magical powers from getting into the 'wrong hands'. Excited by the idea of magical objects, Sparks is quick to take on an adventure of procuring one but soon learns that this magic is more dangerous than she expected.

This book was fast-paced, had some twists and overall was a fun read. If you're here because you enjoyed the Book of Doors, just know that this 2nd novel is not as complex and mind-bending. It is a more straight-forward kind of story, but there are a few hints to this being in the same world as Book of Doors. If you're new to Gareth Brown, I'd read the Book of Doors first to see what amazing world building and complex fantasy story telling this author is capable of (but definitely come back to The Society of Unknowable Objects!)

Thank you to NetGalley/William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5/5 but deserved a round up! Gareth Brown is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. The Book of Doors was one of my favorite books of 2024 so I was very excited that his second novel was coming out so soon after. Magical realism is my favorite genre and he does it well. The Society of Unknowable Objects has unique magical elements and a complex, but easy to follow plot that made it a captivating read.

The tie in to The Book of Doors was a fun Easter egg that made me hopeful for potential future books to be set in this universe.

Special thanks to William Morrow books and Netgalley for access to an advanced reader copy of this novel.

Magic, suspense, mystery all rolled into one book, this was a fun read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Thank you NetGalley for gifting me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️ I absolutely loved the book of doors and when I saw Gareth Brown was coming out with a new book I couldn’t wait for the chance to read it. This book was addicting and I was invested from chapter 1. We got the same touch of magic as the book of doors and I had a great time learning about all of the different items. I definitely recommend this book and can’t wait to see what Gareth Brown does next.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!*

After reading Gareth Brown’s Book of Doors, I had high expectations for this book. While I still gave it 4 stars, I feel let down a bit. It would’ve been a 3/5, had it not been for the surprise at the very end (no spoilers!)

The Society of Unlnowable Objects is in charge of finding and keeping safe magical items in the world, so that they don’t fall into the wrong hands and be used for nefarious reasons. That sounds simple enough, but as we all know, this book wouldn’t have been written if everything went according to plan. Our main character, Magda, finds herself in trouble when going to retrieve one of these items, and so begins the entire plot of the book. Why did it not get 5 stars for such a cool concept? It took a very long time to get to this point in the book, and I struggled to feel the desire to pick it up, not knowing what the point was. However, once it became clear the path we were on, and the magic started to make an appearance, it was much easier to keep going.

Magda is pretty much likable in most ways, but also feels a little flat when it comes to main characters. There was nothing inherently wrong with her, but I didn’t feel like I really knew her, and could predict what she would say or how she would act or respond to a situation, because I don’t feel like she was as fleshed out as a main character should be. That’s perfectly fine, the story got told regardless. But just something to mention.

The last 20% of our story is where things really picked up, and I found the most enjoyment from. Without spoiling anything, I felt the book became completely worth it by this point and was very happy to have stuck through it.

The magic involved was pretty cool, if not simple still. I have no problems with that. I just wish there was more of it. I was looking for fantastical magical battle or displays, and was let down on that front too.

All in all, Gareth Brown has written something special here, when read after Book of Doors, although it could’ve used a little more work. I am still excited for whenever I hear the next Gareth Brown book announced, if and when that will be.

4.5 stars!

Membership into The Society of Unknowable Objects was passed to Magda Sparks by her mother, Imelda, upon her death. The Society collects ordinary everyday items that hold magical powers. Magda has been told that they are protecting these items from evil, but as the novel progresses, she finds out the truth. It's much deeper and much more dangerous than she ever imagined. The novel takes us all over the globe – London, Hong Kong, USA.

This novel has lots of layers that are revealed at the perfect pace. There is mystery, a sprinkling of romance, and lots of magic in the epic fight of good vs. evil. We get multiple POVs, but I didn’t find it overwhelming. There are some “oh shit!” movements too, which I always appreciate. You know the kind where you yell out loud and your husband is like “WHAT?” and you’re like “oh, nothing, just my book, dear."

I loved The Book of Doors so I was pumped for this one. Although not a sequel, the two books are loosely linked and the epilogue definitely confirms that (is there a third novel with Cassie and Magda together in the works??) I would recommend reading TBOD first if you haven’t, before diving into this one. I feel like it gives it more context.

I don’t know what it is about Gareth Brown’s story telling that does it for me, but he is able to weave a captivating fantasy story. The plot is fast paced and so interesting. His take on magical realism is believable and I think that’s part of why I enjoy it so. Could there be a Society of Unknowable Objects in this world as we know it? Sure. Your neighbor could have a basement full of pieces locked in a special cabinet right now. His writing has also matured a bit since TBOD, in my opinion. This was a fun, exciting read.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC!

Thank you so much for the ARC—I was thrilled to dive into this!

Magda Sparks is such a compelling addition to your magical world, and the concept of a secret society protecting unknowable objects immediately pulled me in. The stakes felt high from the start, especially once outside knowledge of the objects came into play, and it kept me turning pages.

I read The Book of Doors last year and absolutely loved it, so I was incredibly excited for this release. You have such a talent for chapter endings—they’re perfectly placed to keep the momentum going. The society itself was fascinating, and I especially appreciated the intricate secret connections woven throughout. I did catch onto a major twist early on, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment.

This was such a fun, satisfying read. If others loved The Book of Doors, they’re definitely in for another great ride with this one. 4 stars from me!

I knew Gareth Brown would follow up his amazing debut with another hit. This one did not disappoint! Everything I loved about his style of writing was present in this book. The originality of the story is like no other. It is the perfect mix for any reader in quite a vast age range. The magic system is original. Good vs evil, right vs wrong, love, friendship, suspense, thriller, horror, it’s all there. It’s done in a brlliant PG-13 way so that all can enjoy. I will read anything this author releases from here on out.

The Society of Unknowable Objects feels a bit like the author's prior book, The Book of Doors, but tells its own story. This too is a book about magical objects and books, or maybe a book. And, similarly, this story's magical objects come with a cloud of mystery. Themes of found family, and even a hint of romance also carry over. But then we have a new protagonist, and Magda Sparks is an engaging character. We follow Magda as she learns about the society that she has belonged to for some time, learns of her family history, gets new perspectives on friends that she has know her whole life, and meets new friends and foes. We follow her from her home in London all the way to Hong Kong and then across to the Southern US to recover magical objects and resolve the mysteries that had been unknowable to her up 'til now. I think that I enjoyed this story even more than The Book of Doors. And, though this was basically a standalone, there was a cameo of a character from The Book of Doors that seems to hint that there may yet be a crossover, perchance? Or, is that just my wishful thinking?
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher,William Morrow) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

I received an ARC for this authors first book in this world Book of Doors and it was one of my top reads last year so I knew I had to read this book and it did not disappoint.

The writing in this was great! It clipped along but I didn’t feel like it rushed through the story. I’m really hoping he keeps expanding this world because who doesn’t want to know what every single magical item can do?

But as you quickly learn while reading, magic has a price and not all wondrous things should be played with.

I honestly knew this would be 5 stars at about 80 pages. Gareth Brown does a great job of bringing you into his world of magic books and items and weaves an amazing story. Those cliffhanger chapters had me reading so fast! I can’t recommend this enough.

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