As someone who is not a fantasy fan, I went into this one a bit wary. But I loved it so much! It was more magical realism than anything in my opinion, and I got lost in the story.

⭐️rating: 4/5

I really enjoyed the magical realism of The Book of Doors. It was very enjoyable to read and there were so many fun and interesting magic books! And while it was mostly from the FMC POV, it was fun to occasionally read from another’s perspective.

The story was interesting and the plot took a turn I hadn’t expected, but it opened so many doors (pun intended🚪) for what they could do! It was also more emotional than I expected, touching a lot on grief, but I liked what that brought to the characters and the story, so I think it worked well.

It came full circle in the end in a satisfying way. I just wish we had gotten a liiiiiiiiittle bit more at the end, like a view a little bit in the future showing what the group is doing, or even where a certain someone uses a certain book - that would have been really fun. I also don’t know if I missed something while reading the end, but I wish we knew a little more about what Dr. Barnaby does next.

Overall, I liked the story and enjoyed reading about the magic books and all the crazy things going on, wondering what would happen. I’d definitely recommend. And now I’m craving croissants🥐

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cassie receives a magical book that allows her to basically teleport to anywhere in the world through any door. Others are desperate to get their hands on the book, putting Cassie and her friend, Izzy, in danger. Despite being marketed as fantasy, this book felt more like magical realism for me. It was fun and creative, and the main characters were likeable. The pacing did seem a bit off at times, but I would definitely pick up the author's next book. Thanks to William Morrow and Netgalley for the ARC.

Books about books always appeal to me as a voracious reader. As an author, it always seems like an easy gimmick to really get into, but they never truly impress me. Usually, they merely concentrate on a bookshop, but The Book of Doors defies all of the clichés. The fact that books played such a major role in the story actually made me adore it, and it didn't feel at all like a lot of the books with the same theme I have read before. Time travel and magic are combined in Gareth Brown's fiction to inspire readers to embrace the boundless potential of the human spirit and broaden their understanding of reality. Cassie's character changes dramatically as she embarks on her adventure, evolving from an inquisitive and naive young woman into a strong and confident person. Get ready for an intense emotional journey as this tale tugs at your heartstrings, bringing up feelings of melancholy, joy, worry, and more. This gripping tale is full with mystery, adventure, tension, and even a hint of terror. I give this six out of five stars!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the e-Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I expected some elements of fantasy with a mystery mixed in, but I was sucked into the plot of this book and couldn’t put it down. The time travel aspect was surprising to me and I thought handled really well by the author.

I enjoyed the multiple character points of view throughout the book and I was especially impressed with the authors ability to tie so many nuances and plot lines together seamlessly.

I especially enjoyed the redemption aspects when it came to Cassie’s relationship with her grandfather and Mr. Webber. As someone who has lost a parent, I was moved by those interactions and the opportunity to make those endings right.

Highly recommend this book!

While fantasy isn’t my genre of choice, this fell more on the “magical realism” spectrum of fantasy, and I ended up really liking it!

Cassie is gifted a mysterious book, that she quickly finds out is the Book of Doors; allowing her to use the book to enter through any door to anywhere in the world, and at any time in history — “any door is every door”. But this gift puts her, and her friend Izzy, in incredible danger.

I enjoyed that this book had a fresh take on time travel, and cementing the notion that while you can go back in time, you cannot change the events that occur anyway. While the book starts off a bit slowly (in my opinion), the last few chapters alone are worth the wait. Gareth does an amazing job of having the plot come full circle, weaving together the past and present.

Things I loved: the main character Cassie and her development, friendships portrayed throughout, Cassie’s relationship with her grandfather, the love of books theme, and the ending.

Things I didn’t love: most of the characters, especially the “bad guys”, problematic language including identifying characters.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Pub Date: 2/13/24 (out now!)

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

The premise is great, but the story and characters are bland.

This was such a disappointment. The characters were all one dimensional, with no background story. Which made the two most horrible characters a waste of time…because why were they so evil!!?! “WHAT WAS THE REASON?!”

I didn’t care for the narrative it just seemed to be all over the place with no real descriptive content. There was a lot of “telling” of what happened. The dialogue wasn’t that great.

This just didn’t work for me.

On one winter day in New York, a favorite customer leaves Cassie Andrews a book with the inscription that it's the Book of Doors and that any door is every door. Thus begins an amazing adventure unlike anything she could imagine, taking her around the world, meeting new friends, and introducing her to an evil worse than anything she could ever have imagined.
In the acknowledgements, the author mentions that someone told him "more wonder!, put more wonder in it! where's the sense of wonder?". This debut author definitely found the wonder! I thought this book was magical, unique, and exciting... unlike anything I've read before. It's a wonderful book about books that you won't be able to put down.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Darling Doors

Rarely do I encounter a book that leaves me yearning to dive back into its pages immediately upon finishing. Gareth Brown's "The Book of Doors" falls squarely into that exceptional category. As someone still navigating the realms of fantasy literature, time-travel narratives often prove hit or miss for me. However, from the moment I laid eyes on the title, I found myself inexorably drawn into Brown's enchanting world.

At the heart of the story lies Cassie, a character who resonated deeply with me, reflecting facets of my own journey. Witnessing her evolution and resilience throughout the narrative filled me with an immense sense of pride. Her dynamic relationship with Izzy, characterized by their stark differences yet undeniable synergy, added layers of depth to the story. Similarly, the subtle yet electrifying chemistry between Cassie and Drummond enriched the narrative without overshadowing its essence.

What truly sets "The Book of Doors" apart is its meticulous world-building, anchored by a sophisticated magic system revolving around mystical tomes. Brown's modern setting seamlessly integrates with the intricacies of this magical realm, captivating readers with its immersive detail. Each character possesses a distinct voice and personality, contributing to the narrative's richness and authenticity.

Throughout the book, I found myself enraptured by the relentless action and unexpected plot twists. Moments of clarity illuminated the storyline, while others left me reeling, necessitating moments of quiet reflection to absorb the magnitude of what I had just read. In my eyes, "The Book of Doors" stands as a masterpiece of the time-travel genre, showcasing Brown's remarkable storytelling prowess.

As a debut novel, "The Book of Doors" heralds the arrival of a formidable literary talent. I eagerly await Brown's future endeavors, eager to see where his boundless imagination leads. This book has left an indelible mark on me, its impact destined to linger in my thoughts for years to come.

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC

4.5
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was actually pretty good. I really liked the authors writing style and how interested this book kept me. I've read a few time travel books and this is probably one of my favorites. I loved the contrast between good and evil that and how the power of the books of magic turn the people who own them. If you love fantasy books then I would definitely check this one out.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I was super excited to be approved for this ARC given the description. I’m a bit of a sucker for time travel books (see The Ten Thousand Doors of January and This Is How You Lose the Time War), so I thought I’d see how The Book of Doors compared.

The Book of Doors turned out to be among my favorite reads of the year thus far. The story is intriguing: a world where different magical books that enable their possessor to wield different concepts (despair, pain, joy, health, illusion, shadow); a group of people trying to protect the books against an evil person known solely as “the woman” and others bent on owning or stealing as many books as possible; and the titular book that allows its bearer to open one door in New York and exit one in Italy. More than that, I enjoyed Cassie’s story and how her journey was woven throughout the story.

I found some of the pacing at the beginning to be a little slow, but once I got past the initial couple of chapters, things picked up. The ending seemed a little rushed and I would have liked for it to be prolonged some, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would recommend it. Check the CWs though - there is pretty gory violence described.

What an entertaining book with a minefield of magic.

Cassie is gifted a magical book called, The Book of Doors. This magical book can transport one to anywhere, so with this kind of power of course comes danger from those that also want it.

New York City is where Cassie lives with her roommate Izzy, Cassie works in a bookstore where she encounters this magical gift, here her journey begins. Come read this magical book and find out what journey Cassie goes through with this Book of Doors.

Very entertaining read and I would highly recommend this book for those that love a good fantasy.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

A perfect blend of magic and realism that brings in some of my favorite settings (around books and book stores). The characters are well written and engaging. A must read!

The Book of Doors opens a fascinating world of magic with danger, adventure and intrigue around every corner.

I was absolutely blown away by this book! An incredible debut novel, Gareth Brown had me hooked from the first page. It has numerous POVs and each character has a distinct voice, great depth and interesting arcs throughout the story. The magic system is unlike anything I've read before, with everything explained quite well while still feeling mystical. 5/5 would absolutely recommend! I cannot wait to see what Gareth Brown does next!

I did not anticipate how much I'd genuinely enjoy this, and I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to get an ARC. A huge thank you to William Morrow, NetGalley and author Gareth Brown for the ARC!

As a reader, I was intrigued by this book from the title alone but as I read it my love for it continued to grow. Cassie has a special place in my heart because I see a lot of myself in her and I am so proud of how far she went and all that she survived in this book. I love her relationship with Izzy and how they were so different but complemented each other so well. The sparks that flew between her and Drummond were immaculate without being overbearing and overpowering the book. The world-building alone would have made this book five stars for me. It takes place in a modern world but the in-depth magic system with the magical books is amazing. Each character was so unique and had respective dialogue as well as a clear personality. There are so many amazing things about this book and I was continually awestruck by the action and the plot twists. There were so many points where the story clicked and made so much sense and there were times I set the book down and had to close my eyes to process what I had just read. This book is a masterpiece! I honestly don't know if time travel has ever been done so well.

This was an amazing book! I’m going to copy/paste my review I did on my Bookstagram as well as share the link below.
4.75/5 stars
I figured this book would be good based on some reviews I’ve seen, but didn’t expect to love it as much as I did! The author’s writing style was wonderful and beautiful. There was a great found family aspect to the story. While it did have some dark moments to it, it was more of a heartwarming type of read. The concept of books with different powers was so unique and interesting. I feel like it was so close to a 5 star read. I was confused about who was who with the large cast of characters in the beginning, but I got to know them. Also, the time travel element was kind of hard to follow at times. Overall, it was unpredictable, well written and amazing story, which I highly recommend!

The Book of Doors is a fantasy/ magical realism story which follows main character Cassie. Cassie is lonely, keeps to herself, and works in a bookstore. One day, a regular customer of hers, Mr. Webber, suddenly dies but receives a gift from him- the Book of Doors. This book has the power to transport whoever is holding it wherever they want to go, including different time periods. Cassie is thrown in this magical new world where are the different books with powers and an evil threatens them all.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley free advance reader copy in exchange for a review! The Book of Doors is available now.

Unfortunately, I could not power through the writing of this book. The plot was incredibly intriguing, and I liked pondering about what would really happen if a book could open doors to different places and times and worlds. However, the writing style was not for me. It did not feel like it even went with the plot, it was so flat and lifeless to me. The dialogue especially was a drag, and there were chapters where all of the exposition is packed so awkwardly into the dialogue. I just did not buy that these people talked like this. The characters were also very forgettable to me, and they could not hook me in when the writing had already floundered. I am not a very plot driven reader, so the intrigue wasn’t enough for me in the end, but if you do find yourself reading more for the plot, I would recommend you give this a try anyway!

After reading the blurb on this book, I was very, very worried that I had already ruined it for myself. How can a book live up to being compared to The Invisible Life of Addie Larue and The Night Circus? Considering those are two of my favorites - The Book of Doors set a pretty high bar.
I'm happy to report that this story hit all the marks for me. It was a bit darker than I was expecting, but overall, a completely delightful and captivating reading experience!

I'm still thinking about this book even though I finished it a couple weeks ago. The characters were likable (well, other than the evil ones) and compelling. I was fully invested in their plights and relationships. The storyline twisted and turned, and in the last quarter of the book, I literally couldn't believe how everything was weaving together. Gareth Brown did a masterful job connecting the dots of this story to give the reader a completely mesmerizing read.

There was one character that I felt was written a bit too heavy-handed. I was already completely aware this guy was a POS but some of his dialogue seemed overly jarring and clumsy - like it was only there to set up a later plotline.

Overall, 4.5 stars! Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. Happy Pub Day to one of my top reads so far this year. A library, a book, time travel, sign me up. It’s hard to put into words how this book touched my soul. I don’t want to say anything other than read it for yourself. A book like this needs to be experienced and savored. I think each person who reads it will take away something that is all their own. Just beautiful.

So much more than a simple story about a special book.

I’m honestly not sure what to say about The Book of Doors. I was offered a review copy from NetGalley and after reading the description I figured why not. The description set my expectations for some suspense, adventure and action and those expectations were more than met. What I wasn’t expecting was the rest of the story, and I don’t say this as a negative, oh no what this story delivers are way more than the premise described by the blurb. Sure, it’s a time-travel book of sorts, but its overall story is so much more than a simple time-travel book. If as the book says – Any Door is Every Door – then those doors are much more than doors and the book is oh so much more than a portal to other places. Gareth Brown has created a cast of characters most of whom are likeable, believable, and interesting. Over the course of the book each reveals more of themselves until each is very well developed. Now he has also created some interesting characters who are the antithesis of all the previously stated attributes and create the synergy necessary to make this a story that is difficult to put down and once set down it screams to be picked up and read until the end. Obviously, I enjoyed this book immensely, but I can’t help playing pieces over in my mind contemplating what ifs. Like I said before I received an Advance Reader Copy through NetGalley and chose to provide my honest review.