I read a review that compared this book to The Night Circus. It is not The Night Circus. The Night Circus is whimsical. This is dark and evil in some parts. The antagonist is very bad. But I love the premise and the way everything connects. A great read with twists and turns of magic and fantastical elements.

Hello, just your local killjoy here who can’t seem to enjoy something for the sake of enjoying it. In fact, i’m here to gripe.

This the second book this year that I liked the experience of reading it while I was actually reading it, but as soon as it was over I felt annoyed and even disappointed by the book as a whole.

Maybe it’s because I have found this done before and better ( The Starless Sea and The Cartographers come to mind). Maybe it’s because I found the premise initially intriguing but the delivery boring and overwrought.

Whatever it was, had me over it.

Spoiler, but here comes my biggest complain, if the main character simply didn’t exist, none of the book would have happened. The villain wouldn’t have become the villain. The society wouldn’t have formed. Literally none of it would exist and this book wouldn’t be written. A classic case of an author wanting to wrap up things so neatly that it in turn created paradoxes that devours itself.

I seem to be in the minority on this though, so feel free to ignore me and pick this one up if you feel like it.

I really enjoyed the mashup of thriller/fantasy here, and the realism of how magic books would immediately be hunted by the worst people. But it’s well balanced with hopeful choices and lovely, authentic characters as well. Perfect for daydreamers everywhere.

♡˳ final rating: 2.75/5 📘

before i start bashing on this book lemme explain. blurb is awesome. 10/10. the magic aspect of it really won me over at first. and i actually liked the villains a lot more than the protags lol. their motives were very believable and i liked one of the backstories in particular. the cover is super pretty too!!!!

but… the writing just completely falls flat. this book is supposedly marketed as an adult book, but it reads as a middle grade book. the word choice is very simple—even i could write better. i found myself cringing at some of the dialogue too 💀 really just can’t take it seriously tbh. so uhh yeah i got bored pretty quickly rip.

and i had such high hopes for this book too </3 mannnnn

A delightful journey into the realms of magic and adventure!

Allow me to keep this review concise yet full of praise...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It brought to mind the essence of the Locke & Key TV series (not the graphic novels), with its array of keys each possessing unique abilities. Similarly, in this narrative, books hold significant power, much like the keys in the show.

Central to the tale is The Book of Doors, a gift bestowed upon our protagonist Cassie. This extraordinary book has the ability to open portals to any destination, at any point in time. Cassie and her companion Izzy embark on a whimsical exploration of Manhattan in the dead of night, testing the limits of the book's enchantment – an escapade anyone with such a book would undoubtedly indulge in.

In addition to The Book of Doors, other enchanted tomes akin to those in Locke & Key emerge. The Book of Shadows grants the ability to manipulate shadows, while The Book of Pain's purpose is rather self-explanatory. Then there's The Book of Memories, enabling its user to manipulate and even view the memories of others, among others.

Around the 40% mark, the narrative intensifies, becoming fast-paced as new characters enter the fray and multiple points of view are presented. Admittedly, I found myself momentarily disoriented midway through as the plot became somewhat convoluted, hence my rating of 4 stars instead of 5.

Navigating the intricacies of time travel can be challenging, but I assure you, the conclusion ties everything together seamlessly.

In summary, this book offers a fantastical, thrilling, and emotionally resonant experience that captivated me from start to finish. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone with a penchant for time travel and magic!

The book of Doors is a captivating fantasy.
Cassie inherits a mysterious eponymous volume from customer that has passed The book however is filled with strange writing and mysterious drawings,
which is the Book of Doors.
The book gives its owner the ability to open doors to anywhere they want to go.
However Cassie and her friend Izzy are not the only ones trying to get the book.
Some bad people want its power to do harm.
This is a thrilling adventure with time travel & wars and so much more.

"If you could open a door to anywhere, where would you go?"

4.5 stars!

This book explores the Book of Doors that opens any door and take you anywhere you want to go any anytime. The main characters in this story were fantastic and it had great pacing throughout. It really takes a second to get going; I would say around 40-45% things start ramping up.

Time travel media specifically books can get a little confusing or fuzzy and that's why I'd round to 4.5 stars just for those few moments it might have lost me.

This book follows Cassie, Izzy and Drummond as they navigate the world of magical books. The pacing and world building of the book didn't quite stand up. There were aspects that I felt could have been more developed and focused not just glossed over.


Multiple POV, Multiple Timelines, Magic

I feel like there is a huge movement at the moment to have books about books—The Book of Doors was my first foray into this, and I enjoyed my time here! The fact that this book takes you on a journey about books that take you on a journey was somewhat meta and very cool to experience.

For a debut, I found this to be super strong. The world Gareth Brown created was whimsical, captivating, and ethereal at times. Magical books giving you powers? Sign me up! Sometimes things went over my head, but I charge that to my own inability to stick with the more sci-fi elements of the story.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

Good plot, should be a screenplay for a movie or a miniseries. But as a book... It was lacking. Pacing was super weird and awkward. I also thought Cassie was a very bland and unsympathetic main character and the book would have been better if it didn't focus so much on her but split across the individuals better. I liked the cast and the idea of the strangers coming together. Some things didn't make any sense to me and could have been left as a mystery. Thought the plot mapping was strong but the writing and characters were weak.

an ethereal tale of mystique. This really reminded me of the night circus and Erin morgenstern. Looking forward to finding more authors like this

The Book of Doors
By: Gareth Brown

When this was pitched as perfect for readers of The Midnight Library and The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, I knew right away that this was a book I needed to read and one that I would love and enjoy - also who can resist a book about books. I loved this book for its wonderful story that takes me back to wonderful storytelling and great imagination with magic and more - I absolutely adored this book and I think this will hold a special place not only in my library shelves but also in my heart.

Garth Brown introduced us to into a new world along with his characters. This book is whimsical, adventurous and the perfect companion to a cup of tea or coffee in a favorite cozy environment. Brown takes you along a journey of never-ending open doors.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the premise of magical books that give you different powers and abilities. I enjoyed the characters (though Cassie was a bit annoying more than a few times throughout) and learning about their backstories. In particular, I loved learning more about Drummond and the Woman.
The pacing was a bit off. The beginning was a bit slow but by around 40%, things got real intense and fast-paced, new POVs were added, and there were lots of plot threads to follow. There’s some time travel that is a bit iffy for a second but the ending makes the most sense ever and was so full circle.
overall, a lovely, thrilling, action-packed, and fun ride! if you’re a fan of magical realism, action, and time travel, you’ll enjoy this one!

We all know that books take us on more adventures than we could ever actually experience. We visit different worlds, live through the past and the future, and experience other cultures. It's why we love books. In The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown, Cassie works in a bookstore where she was hired because she was there all the time anyway. When a longtime customer gifts her an unusual book, she can hardly believe where it takes her. Cassie then discovers that her special book is only one in a broad collection of extraordinary books, each with its own peculiar power.
I'd love to tell you more, but I don't want to spoil it for you.

I try not to gush too much in my reviews. And I admit that I have frequently been a little too heavy-handed with my star ratings. And yet, I feel more than comfortable saying that this is the best book I've read so far this year. I love the fantastic characters, even the ones I hate. The concept is most compelling. And the writing is wonderful! Just listen to this sentence:

The basement...was lit by a bare bulb hanging from a wire. The woman pulled the cord to switch it on and the bulb swung gently, the light sloshing back and forth across the floor.

I love the image of light sloshing. Isn't that wonderful?!

The characters make me wish I could climb into this book and hug them. Well, most of them. There are a couple that I would prefer to strangle, but that's kind of a hug, isn't it? One of my favorite things about this book is the way Brown resolves each of the storylines. It was infinitely satisfying.

I'll resist filling this post with all my favorite bits because you should stop reading my review and just go read the book for yourself. And take a snack. In the words of one character:

"What's better than a good book and a slice of cake?"

I absolutely fell in love with this book. The concept of the different books and the time travel was amazing and the execution even better! I found myself saying, "whoa, what," and "wow" quite often. And the characters were all just lovely. I will most definitely be purchasing this for my physical library. I have already been recommending it to friends and family!

I read this a little while ago and on reflection this book was quite disappointing. Maybe it was a matter of the inaccurate marketing but the book itself did not live up the expectations that were built up in the beginning of the book. It was indeed an interesting concept but I wish it went in a different direction (with more fantasy and magic) for the plot and and tightened up the pacing. The character development felt nonexistent and the characterization for some characters were poorly done.

A clever magical fantasy book.
A young woman is closing up the bookstore when an elderly customer dies in the shop. Later she finds a book that he left for her. When she opens the book, she finds writings and drawings. The book is magical and takes her to places near and far. However, the book brings danger with it.
She is also mourning the death of her grandfather from cancer, and would love to see him again. As she works with the people to try and return the special books to their rightful place, she gets to time travel.
A very interesting story of risks we take to achieve various goals.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I would give this book 4.5 stars!! It was almost a perfect read for me. It follows Cassie as she navigates the gift of The Book of Doors and the implications that come with the gift.

I loved the magic in this world and the uniqueness. This is unlike any book I’ve read. I loved the thought that went into this and the depth of growth from the characters.

It was a little bit for a struggle to understand everything as the time jumps are happening but nothing too bad!

I went back to a book club chat I participated in about this book and saw this quote from me "It was the secret mirror door but they used the book of doors so she doesn't go into the escape chamber she went into the weird magic place that Cassie went where she apparently discovered she made all the books but for whatever reason the woman wouldn't survive it and if none of that made sense well of course it didn't" and I think that pretty much sums up my thoughts on this book.

The Book of Doors had SUCH a strong premise, but sadly doesn't stick the landing, Time travel is such a tricky thing to pull off, and there are a lot of plot holes and things left unexplained here. There are also a few racist comments that don't really serve the story or any character development that easily could have been left out.

I DID love the devious evil woman and her origin story plot twist.