After reading what this novel was about I was excited to read it and it did not disappoint! I do not tend to read books not written by women except on specific occasions so I was slightly nervous but I absolutely enjoyed this. The writing was incredible and so was the story and world. This was so compelling and sucks you in immediately, not letting you go until you reach the end.

✨This book grabbed my attention from the first page and never let go! It was a wild, creative, and immersive experience.

✨I’ve always been drawn to books about books—typically comfy tales that celebrate the wonder and magic of literature. However, this story defies that convention. Within its pages magical books exist, but they span a spectrum from benevolent to malevolent.

✨For instance, the Book of Doors possesses the remarkable ability to transport individuals anywhere (and any time) in the world through doorways. On the darker side, the Book of Pain inflicts unimaginable suffering upon its victims. And there’s an array of other mystical tomes, including the Book of Illusion, the Book of Memories, and the Book of Safety.

✨In this contemporary fantasy/thriller, dark forces covet the power within these books, while others are trying to protect the books from falling into the wrong hands. The book’s tagline, “This book is worth k!lling for,” proves chillingly accurate. The novel includes some brutal scenes because malevolent forces will stop at nothing to harness the extraordinary powers these books can provide.

✨The plot is intricate, and the characters are fantastic. Does it have a few flaws? Yes. Did I care? Not even the slightest bit. This was an exciting read, and I can confidently say it will secure a spot among my top reads for 2024. I also think this would be an amazing limited series for television.

Thank you @netgalley and William Morrow for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

When the time came for me to read this book and I looked back into the blurb for a reminder of what this book was about, I was shocked. What a boring-sounding book. A book that takes you anywhere you want to go? Didn’t we already do that with Magic Tree House? I’m also not particularly keen on fantasy, so I wondered why I put it on my TBR in the first place. I think I thought it was a thriller based on death being mentioned so early in the blurb.

The first few chapters proved to be so boring. The book could take the unassuming book-loving blond woman anywhere in the world! Based on the beginning of the book, I thought I would be dragging my feet to finish it. And for a while I was.

But how WRONG I turned out to be.

The blurb doesn’t tell you what the book is really about, and I think that’s because it can’t. Any explanation at all would be too much of an explanation. The story is so intricately weaved with unexpectedness that sharing one detail would lead to sharing them all.

Not a moment of this story is wasted. It’s pure brilliance. Multiple times something would happen that made me contemplate how a loose end had been tied that I thought would play a bigger role in the story. Turns out it did play a bigger role, a bigger role than I could ever think.

This book is pure madness. Insanity. The best take on time travel I have ever seen, and so expertly done. That’s all I can really say about it, for fear of ruining the experience: this book is insanity, and you need to read it.

I’ll share the one detail that intrigued me, though, and started me on a journey to loving one of the best books of the year:

There’s more than just the Book of Doors. There are many books. And you’ll want to learn about them all.

This one had me sucked in from the get go and held my attention until the end (even during the few slower parts). The Book of Doors gives us fantasy, suspense, mystery, and magic books. The cast of characters is well developed and the settings are described in such a beautiful and vivid manner. I adored the relationships between the characters and couldn’t wait to find out how this plot was going to wrap up in the end.

Feeling very neutral about this one. Clearly, I was interested in the premise of this but it didn't grip me the way that I thought it would. I think if I had the physical copy or tried the audio, I would enjoy. Definitely still read if you're interested!

3.5 stars rounded up. I think the overall idea for the book's plot was intriguing, but the execution of it fell short for me. It was a bit slow, and sometimes the dialogue felt juvenile. It is an easy read with a unique premise and mostly likable characters.

Thank you to #netgalley for this ARC of #thebookofdoors

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown is a genre bender that is done very well! You will feel immersed in the story because of the intrigue. Can't wait to read more from this author.

"The Book of Doors" by Gareth Brown is an intriguing blend of mystery, fantasy, and adventure that immerses readers in a world where ordinary life intersects with extraordinary magic. Gareth Brown does a commendable job of weaving suspense and magic into a narrative that keeps the reader on edge. The concept of the Book of Doors is fascinating, offering endless possibilities for exploration and adventure. Brown’s descriptive writing brings the bookshop and the magical realms to life, making it easy for readers to visualize the settings and become immersed in the story. The narrative pace is well-balanced, maintaining a good rhythm of action, mystery, and character development. In summary, "The Book of Doors" is a captivating read that will appeal to fans of magical adventures and mystery. A solid addition to the fantasy genre, it leaves readers eager for more of Cassie’s adventures.

The Book of Doors follows the story of Cassie as she acquires a book that will allow her to go through any door in the world if she can see it. The possibilities are endlessly fun but there is a danger to them. Will she survive the hunt?

The Book of Doors was an easy 5 stars for me. I love the character of Cassie and Drummond. The settings were gorgeous and the description so vivid. It also took so much mental acuity to keep up with the story as certain confusing elements come into play. The drama and suspense of the story was top notch and the prose just took you to that place. I loved the relationships of the characters, sinister and all. I couldn't anticipate what was coming even if I had tried. This book has so many good lessons in it and I loved thinking long and hard about each one. I absolutely love the ending with all my heart. I cried reading both of the ending scenes and it just stuck with me. This was a book that I hugged at the end.

I can tell that Gareth Brown was trying to create his "The Starless Sea" or "Addie Larue" moment, but god, did it have to be so tedious?! I was thrilled to get this book—one about multiple timelines, bookshops, a forbidden book—what's not to love? Unfortunately, I think that this book suffers from a lack of understanding of its plot, characters, and themes. It read as if the author was writing the book as he was going with no editing or cohesion. The ideas and aesthetics were brilliant, except incredibly surface level. I love books about books but I also find that it's a pretty difficult "genre" to nail because it's hard to make everlasting, multi-dimensional love (platonic or romantic) not appear cringey. There was too much going on in this book for it all to work out, especially for a debut author. The writing, which attempted to be lyrical, read very sloppily and juvenile. Overall, this book felt like a writer's class workshop prompt that hadn't gone through the critique stage at all.

What could it be like if there was a Book of Doors that could take you to and through a door to anywhere? What if there was a book devoted to Joy? Or Despair? Or memories. Or safety? And on and on…
What if only a few people knew about those books and also had the wisdom to know that not all people would use those books to the good side of things?
That is what this book is about. Hidden, great, magical books that can do many things and the people who want to have them. One group wants to put them in a library and protect them. Others want to use them for purposes less noble and another wants to sell them in order to finance her well being. And one soul who might be able to fix it all.

Very much enjoyed this book. A great plot and charismatic characters. T(and you to the publisher and NetGalley.

This one sucked me in. . . couldn't get off the merry-go-round of reading that I usually do in a day.

Cassie's story and thought process, how books played life-changing (world-changing, even?) roles in her world once she found her doors held me fast! Had to hang on tight as there are a plethora of characters along her journey. There began the maze, the a-mazing path to her final conclusions and resolutions - if you enjoy time travel - try this one. You will find yourself looking at the doors in your life with a new kind of speculation.

*A sincere thank you to Gareth Brown, William Morrow, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #TheBookofDoors #NetGalley

I really found this one confusing. I had a hard time following the story but those who enjoy time travel stories will like it.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

This book was fascinating and perfect for all the book lovers. I am a sucker for books that take place in or around a bookstore or library setting and this one did not disappoint. I would buy this book and would like to read it again in the future because I think there is still more for me to unpack and realize.

HOW UNIQUE. this being a debut novel is mind blowing to me and i am astounded at the pure talent this novel took, not to mention the creativity. i was thoroughly invested in the storyline, being a book lover myself and it was all very meta, almost? such a beautifully done, well written book and i will be anxiously awaiting the next book from this author!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the elements of fantasy and magical realism in the story. Perhaps my favorite part of the book was the development of Cassie’s relationships with the other characters, including her grandfather and father-figure. While the premise of the book was strong, the execution left me confused. It was difficult to keep up with the multiple time travel plots and timelines that different characters were on. It also seemed like the book was too long. Some parts left me bored while others had me fully engaged. I would recommend this book to fantasy lovers, but maybe not someone new to the genre.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.

"The best place to enjoy a stormy night is in a warm room with a book in your lap."
Cassie's life has been confined to working in the bookstore and then going home to her apartment and maybe sometimes seeing her roommate, Izzy. Or has it?
And then, Mr. Webber dies at her bookstore and leaves her two books, The Count of Monte Cristo, and an unusual magical book, The Book of Doors.
What does this book have in store for her and Izzy?
What will this book open for Cassie? And what will she discover about herself and her past? And possibly her future?
Also, what dangers does this book bring into her life?
Although this appears to be a fantasy tale adventure about magical books, the story does much more.
With quirky characters and magic and whimsy, and time travel, the story has it all.
It addresses loss and grief and the cyclical nature of trauma.
It also is about families, those that are made and those that are found. And that usually is the best part of a story.

LOVED this book - went out and purchased it in hard cover! I'm going to watch for all that Gareth Brown puts out again. What a gift to us readers!

Book of Doors is an excellent, unique read. I almost always like a book about the power of books, and this was no exception. I enjoyed this particular spin on magical books with a variety of powers including time travel. Disclaimer: It’s probably more of a 4.5-4.75 read only due to the introduction of many characters when I was 3/4 through the book. The plot just became a bit confusing and hard to follow with several of the characters and their connections feeling underdeveloped. The story managed to come back together toward the end. My feelings might be influenced by the fact that I just finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, an incredible book. If you liked that, then I think you’ll enjoy this too. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for my ARC!

I'm not a big fantasy reader, but I enjoy magical realism and time travel, so I decided to give this one a go because I've been trying to expand my book repertoire.

The story focuses on Cassie, a young woman on her own in NYC who works in a bookstore. One of the older patrons of the store dies and leaves her a book. Cassie soon learns that this "Book of Doors" has the power to transport her anywhere in the the world she desires, including alternate timelines. Of course, possessing a book with such great power comes at a cost, as Cassie learns that there are dangerous book hunters out to steal her gift.

The first quarter of the book was a bit slow for me so it was difficult to stay engaged, but overall I'm glad I persisted. Once the pace picked up I raced through the remainder of the novel. This is a good book if you like books about books and found family/friendship.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest feedback!