I was surprised by this book. I requested SOLELY bc every bookstagrammer and booktuber was talking about it. I wasn't sure I was going to like (like...I seriously though I was going to hate it). So when I say I ate my words..its true. It was very well-written and just a beautifully told story.

Summer of 1901- seven year old January Scaller is forced to go on a business trip with her billionaire guardian Mr. W.C. Locke in Kentucky. Left to her own devices, and being the temerarious girl that she is, she explores the city alone and stumbles upon a Door... a magical passage that leads to another world and the discovery of who she really is.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a beautifully and cleverly written fantasy novel about a young "in-between" girl who doesn't fit into the wealthy, white, and lonely world in which she finds herself. Her father travels around the world gathering items to add to Mr. Locke's collection of oddities while she is left in his care. Dreaming of adventure she discovers Doors, but dismisses them as fantasy until she finds an unusual book about these portals and a young woman who found adventure and love by traveling through them. January soon discovers that nothing is what it seems and there is more to her than the color of her skin and her fate as Mr. Locke's ward. Fantastic Characters, beautiful world building, and exciting adventures are all portrayed in this exciting new YA novel. A must read for 2019!

What a beautiful, hard-to-put-down, story. January is the kind of character you can't help but feel a connection with. I cried with her, rooted for her, and even silently yelled at her a few times. I absolutely loved everything about this book and have already recommended friends to add it to their TBR pile!

5 thousand stars first for wonderful, amazing illustration on the cover and five thousand stars go for rest of the heart throbbing, one of the most creative, colorful, joyful journeys to many different imaginary portals you can never imagine to visit!

FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT, OPEN YOUR EYES, READY TO COUNT TO 10 THOUSAND!
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This is amazing combination of McGuire’s Wayward Children Series and Stephen King’s Dark Tower series!

BLURB: Seven years old January’s revelation of finding a door opens to Faerie, Atlantis, Valhalla, and the places never found on a map. Of course I’m intrigued and wanted to learn more!

HEROINE: January is definitely; brave, witty, sarcastic, loyal, gifted, young heroine. It’s enjoyable how she compares herself with regular book heroines with her great sense of humor!

FAVORITE CHARACTERS: Of course the badass, loyal, brave dog!

SUPPORTING CHARACTERS: Mr. Locke, blood freezing, teeth grinding, nerve bending villain who deserves to be putted on a dart chart so you can be more concentrated to hit the target!

Jane is memorable Amazon woman! Straightforward, tough, protector.

Samuel: sweet, loyal, romantic, impossible not to love and care for!

And January’s parents and their love story are definitely heartbreaking! I sighed so many times when I’m reading their parts!

WRITING STYLE: Pacing was not fast but not too slow! It keeps your attention alert and hooked you from the first page, you don’t want to stop, want to learn more and more till your head starts to turn because you passed your sleep time five hours ago and you start to see the sunrise and you realize it’s too late to go to the bed so you’d better finish the book!

ENDING: When I close a book and see my smile like Cheshire cat cover my face all night, it means I’m so satisfied with the ending. So yes! It’s the best emotional, joyful, smart ending to this unconventional, creative, well-crafted, remarkable story!

FANTASY LOVERS, GOOD STORY CHASERS, PORTAL TRAVELLERS : this book is highly recommended for you!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
I absolutely adored The Ten Thousand Doors of January! The prose was amazing, the pacing was entertaining, the characters were phenomenal, and oh my gosh the story! I read this while I was sick, with a steaming warm mug of tea with honey, and I think honestly the story did more for me than the tea. It was beautiful and whimsical in all the right ways. I cannot say enough about this one. It is a new favorite for me.

This book is beautifully written and whimsical. It’s full of beautiful ideas and tells both wonderful and awful truths. Sadly, it also just wasn’t for me. The characters are fully formed and came to life right on the page and the world was also very well-described and made me feel like I was there. It’s just soo dense, and I very much did not fly through the pages. I read the first half solidly, but I’ll admit that I skimmed the latter half. I’m sure I’m in the minority on this one because it’s absolutely beautiful, but I guess it just isn’t for me.

In a lot of ways I was reminded of The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, Jodi Lynn Anderson’s books, and Alice in Wonderland. I absolutely love all but Alice, and this falls more with the latter. Still, it’s a beautifully written, romantic story about a girl coming into herself which I love. I hope that other readers love this one more than I was able to!

Thank you Net Galley for this one. Truly appreciated. This is first time in a while I reverted to social media to let people know of the wonderful book I was reading before I finished reading it. Before starting 10,000 Doors I had just finished a book that I didn’t enjoy and was hoping for something different (and at the very least a good story). I scrolled through the ratings on Goodreads and saw this was pretty high on the list so I tackled this book like a kid absorbing a chocolate shake after done eating some funky veggies. I now join in the appreciation for the high ratings. This is beyond a good story; it’s an amazing story. So the main feature in the early part of Ten Thousand Doors is not only a story of a young lady, the narrator, with an absentee father who is off on adventures; but also a story within the story (i.e., a book that is being read/narrated by the main character about an adventurer). Thus you get a contrast between the adventure of the story within the story vs. the controlled measured life that the narrator is being coerced to live. What could possibly be the connection, if any? The author hardly disappoints as the reader is taken into different parts of the world and different worlds as the narrator (who is now a young lady as years go by) goes searching for her missing father. The author’s writing style is so captivating. Every word perfectly placed, none more than absolutely necessary to allow the reader to bring you into the various worlds. A discussion on the symbolism of doors would go beyond the scope of this review. But anyone who can appreciate the open door as a way to a fresh and/or new start will thoroughly enjoy the book. Danger abounds as always, and you may want to consider who may be preventing a person from accessing these magical doors, and why. If there is one critique, I would say that the ending arrived a little bit too quickly. I would have enjoyed another 30-50 pages until it was time to end the journey and imagine the end credits scrolling.

An intriguing tale of mysteries and otherworldly thrills. I stayed up all night reading it. Vivid writing paired with intricate characterization make for a gripping read. I highly recommend!

The premise will surely have appeal to those who enjoy traditional fantasy. And the writing? Beautiful.

I cannot stress this enough: The Ten Thousand Doors of January is one of the BEST novels I have read this year. I literally cannot believe that this is a debut.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a wonderful, dark and incredibly rich history fantasy novel; so well built and fast paced that I wasn't able to put it down till I reached the end. I was absolutely captivated by the atmosphere, and the characters.

This novel submerges the reader in a landscape so imaginative and detailed that the information of the world building/plot never feels forced, and is never difficult to understand or picture in one's mind. What a fantastic read!

I really enjoyed this fantasy as evidenced by how quickly I read it. It’s definitely fantasy but also historical and I would classify it as YA as well. There is some amazing YA out there right now and I’m pleased to say that this one is among the good ones.

I won’t go into too much detail but if you were ever the kid who desperately wanted to fall down a rabbit whole or be carried away by a tornado then this book is absolutely for you no matter what age you are.

Highly recommend!

*disclaimer time: NetGalley did give me an eARC of this, however I read and reviewed it first from an ARC I got in a trade so... TL:DR, this is an honest unbiased review*

Agh! This book, my heart! This was devastatingly well written, and, to be quite honest, completely crushing to read on Father's Day when I am alone and familyless.

It's a tale of family, loss, searching, journeys, and ten thousand doors to home. It's heartbreaking and wonderful and features a very good dog named Bad.

Our main character, January, has to deal with a lot of things. Firstly, she's POC in the 1900s. She's also the ward of a very wealthy man, so from the start she is aware that she lives between worlds (though she is not aware how literal that is). Her dad works for the rich man, finding rare artifacts and bringing them back, so January spends most of her time in the manor house, trying to be a good girl (and somewhat succeeding). And then she finds a book.

This book, left just for her in a special box, tells the story of Doors. Doors to other worlds, that is. The information in the book turns January's world inside out (as all good books must do), and she had to go through a lot to make it right again. Traveling through worlds, with mysterious companions, on the run from very bad men.

I really love how this book is narrated. It opens with young January finding a Door, then skips to older January, but the entire thing is written like, well, it's being written (by January, that is). It's her older self jotting down her story, and her POV is so well written and heart breaking at times. She's relatable (in uncommon situations), and she really speaks to the soul inside the reader who longs for adventure, who longs to stumble into other worlds. Her use of imagery, not just to describe the scene, but to portray her words and imaginations and when she tries to bring her readers into her shoes, is quite spectacular (that's why imagery is, you say. Well, this is MORE. She tells her story not just to the eyes, but to the soul and the mind. It strikes a chord within you even if it doesn't make the most sense).

Deep down (and on the surface), this is the story of family. How one is made, lost, and found again. It's going to make you cry and ache (and perhaps increase your heart a few sizes). I adored it, and you will too.

“Sometimes I feel like there are doors lurking in the creases of every sentence, with periods for knobs and verbs for hinges.”

Imagine being a child again, running through an overgrown field beneath a blue sky. Letting your hands trail through the tops of the wild grains when suddenly
you notice a raggedy blue door standing in the open. Would you open it?

That is exactly how The Ten Thousand Doors of January begins. In the early 1900s following a young deeply imaginative girl named January who mostly lives with Mr. Locke, a billionaire Archeologist. You see, her father works for him but is constantly traveling so January doesn’t see him often which leads to a lot of mischief and exploring. Well as much exploring as she can.

Mr. Lockes mansion is like a labyrinth. A red stone castle at the edge of a lake full of artifacts and mysteries. One day, January stumbles upon a book called The Ten Thousand Doors. A book that states bending physical laws of the universe... is possible.

PORTALS. MAGICAL DOORS. MULTI UNIVERSE. That’s right!

It took ONE PAGE to make me realize that this book was going to steal every bit of my spare time until I devoured it all. It explores the idea that Doors (See how I capitalized it? That’s important) are portals between one world and another. It’s fascinating and unique. I know you’re going to say “but Holly, that’s been done so many times.”

True, BUT NO.

This books stands out so much because the way Alix E. Harrow handled it. The writing gives this odd sense of familiarity. It’s eerie. You so badly want to unravel what in the world is happening. I literally felt myself leaning desperately toward the pages.

The magic in this book was spot on for me and realistic. It delves into the origins of storytelling, using the foundation of history to tell a story that is once familiar and comforting as well as subversive and progressive.

And extremely beautiful.

I can’t praise this book highly enough. I’m desperately trying to string together a combination of words to make YOU pick this up. I just hope I’m successful because it was a life changing experience.

Reader, this book was amazing. I’m not sure this review is going to come out to be anything remotely coherent. It may end up just be me sitting here spouting rainbows and glitter, but I’ll try my best!

This is the story of January Scaller, who is a girl living in Vermont, on the large estate of Cornelius Locke, her guardian, more or less, while her father travels the world to find rare artifacts and collectibles for him.

One day, when she was young, January found a Door, and was sure that it lead to somewhere fantastic, but ended up forgetting about it until she was much older and found a book called The Ten Thousand Doors which tells her that Doors are, in fact, real, and do lead to other worlds. It tells all about the Doors around the world, and some of the other worlds that they lead to, and about the adventures of a girl called Adelaide.

Meanwhile, a group of bad, bad men are going around the world closing those doors for good. And for some reason, they are now after January. Dun Dun Dunnnnn. Shenanigans ensue! Run run run!

This was a phenomenally written tale, that felt a little like falling into a door to a different world itself! It admittedly took me longer than I’d have liked to read it, due to work, and more work, and real life coming to call on me with… actual work, but every time I sat down to read it, it was like escaping into the world of January and her grand adventure.

Part of this book is a kind of book-within-a-book and you’d think that would be a little confusing, but it never is, at all. It was a wonderful piece of writing, getting to experience January reading this book as she read it. As things all started coming together, and were revealed, it was a bit exciting. I had been guessing at things since the beginning, and as they were revealed, if I had guessed something right it wasn’t like ‘oh, I guessed right’ like a disappointing mystery novel that you guess the whodunnit at the beginning, but it was more of a ‘EEEEE! CALLED IT!’ feeling. Exciting! That said, there were still twists that surprised me by coming out of nowhere. This book definitely poked me in the feels a good number of times as well. Sometimes in a good way, and sometimes in a more sad way. But all the same, when books make me emote about make believe people, we’re probably looking at a good book. ^_^

The last chapter/Epilogue had me doing some #AwkwardWorkplaceSobbing that I had to explain to the boss. You’ll have to read it to find out for yourself whether it was the good kind or the sad kind. ^_^

So, all told, this was a fantastic novel that I definitely think that I’ll reread (probably via audiobook – this one is narrated by someone actually named January!) in a couple of years to see if I can recapture that feeling of falling into a new world via a book. I opened the door, and inside of it was January!~

Thanks to the author, as well as Redhook/Orbit for the review copy!

This book is absolutely beautiful. And I'm not just talking about the cover. When I pick up a book, <i>this</i> is the type of book I want to read. One with layered characters who seem so, so real, a complex plot, beautiful settings, and a hint of a mystery.

The story in this book is so intricately woven with ten thousands threads that is just one was left hanging, the entire thing would collapse into itself. But none are left hanging, and what's created is a tale of love, treachery, searching, and redemption.

The narrative structure is not one for the faint of heart. It's complex and fluid and turns back on itself, and then leaps and skips. It's masterfully done, and works to maintain a disorienting sense of dizziness, which I think parallels the feeling January has for much of her life.

January is a lovingly drawn character, with uniqueness and faults and heart. At times her feelings were so evident and real, that I felt myself aching for her. It's been a long time since I was so moved by a story, but this one pierced my heart.

I would recommend this book for readers who liked <i>The Thirteenth Tale</i> or <i>Daughter of Smoke & Bone</i>.

This book blew me away! I went in thinking it was just about doors/ doorways to other places or even other worlds, which in and of itself sounded cool enough to pick up. But no, it was soooo much more. It's about family, friends, discovering who you really are, developing self confidence, and adventure. I'm so glad I picked this up at expo, and I can't recommend this enough now. It's the kind of story that will live on in your mind for years to come. The characters are complex but relatable and the story was well developed. At one point, it was a story within a story, which may sound confusing, but it worked wonderfully. I wanted to go gallivanting up remote mountains finding this absurdly strange Doors.
There were several passages I loved, but this one was probably my fave:
"Door, he told her, are change, and change is a dangerous necessity. Doors are revolutions and upheavals, uncertainties and mysteries, axis points around which entire worlds can be turned. They are the beginnings and endings of every true story, the passages between that lead to adventures and madness and- here he smiled- even love. Without doors the worlds would grow stagnant, calcified, storyless."
Yes, we need doors, or as our MC January points out, Doors with a capital to show its importance and separateness from a regular door.
I hope you all add this to your TBR and move up to the top of your list, you won't regret it.

I would really like to thank Redhook books for sending me a NetGalley widget to read and review this book. Otherwise, I probably would have missed this gem of a book. It is so different from the normal genres that I read. They do say its good to read outside your comfort zone and this book definitely falls into that category. This book is extremely well written. The writing is so descriptive that you can just imagine the story as she is telling it. It is very hard to believe that this is a debut novel. There is just so much in this book – its historical fiction, fantasy and magical realism. What’s not to love about it! I enjoyed the story although it did take me quite a bit longer to read. This is the type of book that you will want to take your time reading as the writing is so intricate and detailed that you won’t want to miss anything. An added bonus is the simply stunning cover. I highly recommend it and give this book 4.5 stars. The cover however gets 10 stars!

This book has a wonderful atmospheric writing style and an excellent historic landscape. However I was expecting it to be a portal fantasy novel and it turned out to be more of magical realism. I would definitely recommend it to customers looking for historic fiction/magical realism but the writing style is fantastic, but ultimately the plot wasn't the right fit for me personally.

This isn't the type of novel I normally find myself drawn to but when I read it, it truly amazed me. Harrow formats the world in such a way that we immediately sympathize with his protagonist, January. We immediately want to know why her father leaves her and why her surrogate father seems so cold.

Additionally, I felt as though January was a kindred spirit and applaud Alix E. Harrow for using a protagonist and narrator who cannot be forced into one box. She is in a world of her own and that influences the way she sees her world. No one believes a little girl who experiences the magical and for the first few chapters I was constantly wishing that her father would come and believe her or that something would change, that she wouldn't bend and allow herself to become one of those boring "ladies" that her surrogate father wants her to become. And I was not disappointed.

I want to go on and on about this novel but I can't even trust myself to not give spoilers so I will just say this, when you pick it up, you will refuse to put it down.

Thank you for allowing me a preview of this title. I was unable to finish. I just couldn't get into it. I pushed to make it to the 20% mark and still just didn't care. It was beautifully written but just not my cup of tea.