This book didn't hold up to my expectations, I don't want to give away any details but the pace of the is book was a little off. I do like fantasy books but this one just did not keep my attention.

⭐️: 4.5
I’m glad I gave this book a second chance. When I first tried reading it, I must not have been in the mood for a rich, globetrotting story about the power of friendship and the power of books in the face of the evil in this world.

All the characters are adults ~30 years of age and older, but I would still think an older middle schooler or a high schooler could enjoy it.

I’m not sure if there will be a sequel. I feel that the story was tied up (enough) to allow this to be a standalone, but also left room for a sequel in the future.

Also, not that this story needs to become a movie, but I feel like this story would translate to cinema well.

For everyone who believes books are magic.

An excellent take on the concept of time travel. I think this could have been broken up into a duology but still very satisfying as a standalone.

Despite some of the violence, it’s still just a very cozy book. I loved the concept and the characters.

It’s a bit less fleshed out than The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Starless Sea, but I think it’s still perfect for people who loved the way those stories were written and constructed.

I’m usually nervous about fantasy because I have a hard time getting into it and understanding the world but this book was so great even for a beginner newbie like myself. The fact that most of the story is centered around a bookish aspect is exciting and I was thoroughly enjoying it. I liked that a good amount of the book does come off as unrealistic because it allowed me to completely lose myself in the story. This is my first book from this author and I’m excited to read more.

I picked this book up as I like the concept and trying to get out of a reading rut. I had not read fantasy or time travel in a while, plus a debut novel, I am glad I made the choice.

Cassie Andrews comes into possession of a strange book, a magical book. As she and her friend Izzy can travel wherever they desire, opening closed doors. The people they meet, the assignment they choose to complete, all in a good vs. evil setting.

The book is a great cast of characters with a unique plot. I was entertained and enjoyed the choice to get me out of my head for a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

This book was well written. I wasn’t aware how gory it would be, so that was other only drawback. Great story!

3.5 stars.

Time is a flat circle. This book keeps some of what you've learned about time travel and the ripples - both good and bad - come to be. it was interesting, although Drummond and Cassie were odd leads. But if you can get through the first quarter the book picks up pace and is mind bendy and all that stuff.

I really struggled with this one. Every time I put it down I had to force myself to pick it back up and almost dnfed several times. I wavered on the rating as I read, debating whether it deserved 2, 3, 0r 4 stars.

By the end, I liked it well enough overall but can't really recommend it. I think part of that is the time travel. I never can wrap my head around time travel books and I kept getting the feeling that if I thought about what was happening a bit more it would all fall apart.

It's also written a bit dispassionately, with distance between the reader and what is happening. Sometimes I was grateful for that, especially in the more gory scenes, but it made it hard to connect with the characters. They're all flat and hard to tell apart as they have no personality. A large part of my enjoyment of books comes from connection to characters, so this was a big negative for me.

There was a lot of telling and flat, weird descriptions. There were also a lot of judgemental descriptions of characters that were completely unnecessary. And it was far too long and took forever to read.

I did appreciate the magical books. The story was imaginative and my favorite scenes were the ones where the characters were marveling at the wonders of what the books could do. The origin of the books, however, when it was revealed, was a complete letdown and soured the magic of it all for me.

I don't know if the audiobook contributed to my enjoyment or hindered it. I think the performance might have contributed to the dispassionate air of the whole thing.

*Thanks to William Morrow for providing an early copy for review.

A time-traveling fantastical novel. When bookseller Cassie receives a book from a favorite customer, her life is turned upside down. The action and the interesting characters made this a must read.

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown is an enchanting and imaginative journey that exceeded all my expectations. The story pulls you into a magical world filled with danger, time travel, and adventure, where a simple book can take you to any door—past or present. The concept of magical books, each with unique powers, is fascinating and feels fresh in a genre often filled with familiar tropes. Brown’s writing stands out, especially in how he skillfully handles time travel, adding complexity and depth without falling into common pitfalls.

The characters are rich and vibrant, especially Cassie and the mysterious Drummond Fox, who quickly became some of my favorites. Even the villains, like “the Woman,” are so well-written that you can’t help but be intrigued by them. The balance between lighthearted moments, like the frequent mentions of pastries, and the overarching tension keeps the pace engaging.

If you enjoy fantasy that goes beyond the typical “good vs. evil” narrative, with thoughtful explorations of human nature and plenty of twists, The Book of Doors is a must-read. It’s entertaining, thought-provoking, and I sincerely hope there’s more to come in this world. Highly recommended for fans of magical realism, adventure, and anyone looking for a unique take on time travel.

This book was excellent. That's all I can say. The idea of the different books, and the creation of them, and the time travel were all mind-bending elements.

When Cassie receives a book that can take her through any door that ever existed, she is thrust into a dangerous shadow world where books can give people wondrous and terrifying powers and those who are in the know will do horrible things to possess these books. The author’s writing is clear and paints simple yet detailed pictures of the places Cassie visits, the allies she finds and the enemies she makes. Particularly, I found the friendship between Cassie and Mr. Webber to be quite touching, the pain and grief Cassie felt watching her grandfather’s illness progress, and I did enjoy the journey of seeing some of these characters overcome their grief.
But an early question posed is never satisfactorily answered - why should these books exist? And what right does anyone have to use them? Because while the newly revitalized Fox Library would have you believe in this sunny world where the collected books would sit in a tower of treasures, I think we all know it would never be so simple. The books are much too powerful tools and people with nefarious goals will always seek the books. I’ve always been a bit wary of time loops and while I think this book mostly used the concept well, the parts about the creation of the books and being able to duplicate the books through the time loops was particularly a bit too powerful and far-fetched. I also thought the romantic relationships were not only distracting, but not well developed. While an interesting read, I closed the book feeling as if I had just witnessed one of Azaki’s illusions - that of a lovely idea that had not fully materialized into something meaningful.

"You are trying to solve everything at once…Why not solve one problem at a time?"

This book was an adventure full of magic, danger, and emotional highs and lows. As someone who loves portal fantasies, the concept of a book that opens doors to transport you somewhere else captivated me from the start. The idea of magical books and secret libraries pulled me right in, and I loved following Cassie on her journey.

Cassie was such a relatable character, and I connected with her right away. Watching her grow from a quiet bookseller into someone who had to make tough decisions in a world she never expected to be part of was incredibly satisfying. Her relationship with her grandfather was one of my favorite aspects of the story — his wisdom and warmth made me smile, and their bond added an emotional weight that I really connected with. Mr. Webber left a lasting impression on me too, and the relationship he had with Cassie was so very sweet.

Drummond Fox was another highlight for me. His brooding, mysterious nature paired with his dry Scottish wit made him such an intriguing character. I appreciated the way his secrets slowly unraveled, and despite his flaws, I found myself trusting him and enjoying his dynamic with Cassie. And then there’s Izzy — Cassie’s fiercely loyal best friend and roommate. I loved her humor and how she was always there for Cassie, no matter how bizarre things got. She added some much-needed lightness to the darker moments.

On the other hand, the villains drove me up the wall — the author successfully made me despise these characters. The shadowy woman was chillingly ruthless and brutal, and her presence filled me with dread every time she appeared. And Hugo Barbary? He was insufferable with his toxic masculinity, racism, arrogance, and selfishness. I couldn’t stand him at all, but I didn’t despise him as much as I did the mist-shrouded woman.

That said, there were certain phrases used from Barbary’s perspective that left a bad taste in my mouth. I understand that they were likely included to make you dislike the character even more, but some of the language felt unnecessary. It felt out of place and detracted from the overall immersion of the story for me.

Despite a few moments like that, this was still an exhilarating read. The pacing slowed down at times, but the rich world-building, compelling characters, and magical premise kept me fully invested. This book made me cry, smile, frustrated me in (mostly) all the right ways, and kept me on the edge of my seat. If you love portal fantasies with a dash of darkness and a strong emotional core, this is definitely a book worth picking up.

“I’ve read it before, but as I get older, I find comfort in rereading favorites. It’s like spending time with old friends.”

What an impressive debut. Equal parts Addie LaRue and The Midnight Library, this was such a unique blend of magical realism and true fantasy. Because the locations are all mostly real, it was easier to follow than a true fantasy novel, but was just as exciting. The villain was truly horrible and villainous. Again, a mix of a real life monster and a fictional one. Easy to follow along with the story, even when things got hectic. I really enjoyed this one.

I'm always a sucker for a book about a book, bookstore, book lovers, etc. I typically am not drawn to fantasy reads, but I definitely have branched out over the last couple of years. The Book of Doors gives us the tale of a magical book, one found accidentally by Cassie. Cassie is mourning the loss of her grandfather and befriends an older gentleman in the bookstore. Then one day he passes away and leaves behind this mysterious book for Cassie. We then go on a fantastical journey showing us things are not always what they seem.

Like I said before, I don't always pick a fantasy novel, but the description of this one really made me want to dive in. I have to say there were parts that I really enjoyed and then at times things seemed a bit far fetched and totally unrealistic. But I guess that is why it is fantasy, right? It took me a while to finish this one, I got distracted, in a slump, but finally made it back. I think a true fantasy reader would blow right through this one and I would definitely recommend to those readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow books for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from Library, NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I started reading the eARC, way back in January before it was released, and got about 24% into it and just couldn't catch interest. Now I had a chance to try it on audio from the library and it went much better. I don't know if it was mood timing or what, but I really enjoyed it this time. The pacing had some slow parts and some high action parts.

Cassie works in a bookshop, lives with her best friend Izzy. I really liked Cassie, felt for what she went through. She really cared about people including Izzy. I did not like Izzy. She caused some of the problems and generally made things worse rather than better with bad decisions.

The story revolves around the magic books, the people who collect and hunt them, and use them to manipulate others. Some of these people are ruthless. Cassie and Izzy are lucky to run into Drummond Fox who has had books in his library for generations and has a book which lets him protect his library.

There are basically some brutal showdowns over books. Several people die including many of Drummond's friends before they realize the dangers. Cassie figures out how to handle the really destructive hunters and with the help of Drummond and some others, stages a final showdown.

The Book of Doors was a great personal journey for Cassie. She learned a lot, but also suffered a lot. I enjoyed how she loved books and the stories, and all the different places she could travel. It was interesting and amazing what the books could do. Cassie was clever with figuring out their uses.

Thank you to Gareth Brown, William Morrow, and Netgalley for a free advanced reader copy of "The Book of Doors" for an honest review. I was first stolen by this deeply intriguing cover and then sold entirely by its comparison to "The Midnight Library, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, The [ and ] Night Circus" in its breakdown, all three of them books I'd loved in a genre I could never resist. This book was no slouch, and those comparisons were 100% correct.

I loved falling into this book. I love the mystery and magic surrounding 'The Books' themselves and the fact the book did not toy wrongly with how time travel shenanigans should work. I feel in love, hate, and pity with so many characters. I think that everyone who loves this genre and types of books will fall head over heels in love with our main character, the magical mystery, the slow unfolding history, and the end. I, for one, cannot wait to see what else Gareth Brown writes, and I will be there with bells on it for each brand-new copy.

I typically love this genre, however, I didn’t love this book. The explanations were lacking on a few things and the characters were not all fully developed.

Cassie Andrews works at an independent bookstore in New York City. One evening, her favorite customer, an elderly gentleman, quietly passes away in the bookstore. After he has been taken away, she discovers that he has left her an unusual book. This small, leather-bound book is full of strange notes and writing she can't understand. Puzzled, she takes it home and while she and her roommate, Izzy, are examining it, they discover that it acts as a door, allowing them to travel to other places simply by holding the book and opening a door. Soon, they are having fun traveling to other places in New York, and even to Italy, when they encounter the mysterious Drummond Fox, who tells them that they are in grave danger. There are other "book hunters" who know of the existence of the book and will do anything to get it. Further, there are other books that give their owners seemingly magical powers. Cassie and Izzy are drawn into the battle between good and evil, but they discover that it is the power of books and friendship that can save them. While the story lags at times, this is ultimately an inventive and gripping read; and one that I will think about for a long time.

I loved this book so MUCH!! It had everything I love about magical fiction. It was unique, captivating, and full of amazing characters who I quickly fell in love with. I wish so much success to the write Gareth Brown. It isn't often we get amazing new authors like him.