ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.

The publisher's description of this book made it sound right up my alley. But in the end, it wasn't for me.

The tone of the book was all over the place. The first few chapters were young women giggling over the fact that they could use a book to turn any door into a portal to their favorite places; like Venice and a rooftop bar they enjoy. Moving through the book, we get some pretty descriptive torture, philosophy, lessons in time travel, etc. The dialog between characters didn't seem at all natural, and at times overly formal. I did think the plot had promise, but it could have been so much more.

Based on the reviews, I do think this book will have an audience - it just isn't me.

Spoiler
*************************************
Also - what did Cassie do for 10 years when she got kicked back into 2012? She didn't appear to have a job or a hobby. Unless you count waiting for 2022 to arrive as a hobby. And did I miss what happened to the original Cassie from that timeline?

Snowflakes are sprinkling the darkness outside Upper East Side’s Kellner Books as John Webber quietly passes away at one of the bookstore’s reading desks. He’s sitting upright, The Count of Monte Cristo on the table before him. As she was tidying up for closing, Cassie and he had spoken of traveling the world, something he advised her to do. Cassie’s grandfather dreamed of traveling before he died, but he never got the chance. He was raising Cassie alone.

When the EMTs and investigators leave with Webber’s remains, Cassie notices not one book but two sitting on the desk where he had died. One is the Book of Doors, and in it is an inscription that tells Cassie the book is now hers.

Cassie and her best friend and roommate Izzy later discover the power of this book. Cassie quickly takes advantage of its magic. Izzy is cautious, concerned it might be dangerous, and she is right. They will soon be ensnared in a wider and more sinister world where both roommates are in grave danger.

This is a light and sweet read that has likable characters and good tension, but it is heavy on description. While not my taste, it should be fun for those who like cozy mysteries with a world-wide travelogue.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Sweet, warm story of magic and time travel.
Obviously a set up for a series.

This debut novel started out a little slow, but then became a book that I had to keep reading to find out what would happen. I was back and forth on how many stars to give this book. I did really enjoy it, but there were a few things that I didn't like about the book. The plot of the book was very intriguing. Cassie is a left an unusual book by a regular customer at the bookstore she works at when he passes away. She finds out quickly that it is a magical book that can take her through any door. She is really excited about the possibilities of "The Book of Doors," but her friend is more cautious that it could be dangerous. Cassie soon finds out that she is in danger. There are people after this book and there are many other magical books out there that are harmful in the wrong hands. Unfortunately, there were a few things in the book that despite my enjoyment of the story caused me to give it just three stars. It did start out slow, but got better. It also had several comments from the women in the story about not being able to eat things or they would get fat. There were several weird comments about food. There was also a lot of violence, gore, and torture that I hadn't expected. I understand that the author was trying to show how dangerous the villains were, but the multiple violent descriptions felt unnecessary and turned me off to enjoying the story as much as I might have.

I loved the whimsical nature of this book. The concept was very unique. Cassie is a quirky young woman who works in a bookshop. She opens a book with doors that can transport her to places she never imagined.

Will be suggesting this read to any fantasy lover.

I went in thinking this was going to be a fluffy fun little ride, but what I got was so much more. I found this book to be an exciting and unique adult fantasy novel. The author does a great job of keeping the fun balanced with what could seriously go wrong when bad people get too much power. It’s a fun ride and I’d recommend. Thanks to William Morrow for the ARC through NetGalley.

The premise of this book sounded so intriguing to me - doors that can take you anywhere you want to go and books that all have unique magical abilities. Unfortunately, the main character killed my enjoyment. I found her not well written, and I didn’t enjoy the dialogue.

The magic and world building of this book were great. The characters and dialogue were lacking. If you don’t mind poorly written female characters who read much younger than they are, you might enjoy this book.

DNF at 31%

what did i just read?

i mean that in the best way possible.

i can't even fathom what kind of mind dreams this stuff up but this premised grabbed me hard.

the fact that it was also populated by such well written characters had me giving a crap & the wtf plot kept me reading past my bedtime.

What would you do with a book? Well obviously, read it. Duh! But what would you do with a magical book? A book that gave you power simply by touching it? These are questions Cassie and her best friend ponder as they experiment with a strange book that was given to Cassie. All seems well until a man approaches them and shows them that their book is not the only one and there are collectors who would kill to get every book they can and one woman who is determined to cause as much misery and despair she can with the books she collects. Can Cassie do what it takes to keep these books and the world safe?
If you read The Midnight Library and The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, then you will enjoy this book. As for myself, if a book involves magic and books, I. am. Going. To. Read. It. So not only did I want to read this book after seeing it was compared to the likes of two books I love, but the idea of magical books sold my decision to read it! And let me tell you I was not disappointed. It gave me twists and heartfelt scenes and even had me wondering what I would do with some of the books if I had the chance. Obviously, I would not want to hurt anyone, but I would not mind having a few of these in my pockets at all times. This book is a debut novel for its author Gareth Brown who I really hope continues writing and bringing more books for us to enjoy!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my review!

An absolute beautiful and excellent story. Beautiful storytelling. I felt lost within the pages. Will be looking at other books by this author.

I really enjoyed this book, with all the plot twists and points of view. The magic in it was beautifully tied into a modern world and I really enjoyed how everything came together at the end. Every single major thing that happened related to something else, and it had me gasping, and crying, and having to pause for a breather. The writing was good, but at times a little awkward— though nothing I couldn’t look past. There was a lot of eating and travel and drinking— all things that made it feel more real to me. (Sometimes I think about how people in fantasy books don’t eat enough or do enough real people things and it’s weird to think about, so this was… refreshing? Especially given this is set in the real world.) Cassie’s experiences with grief were so realistic, I felt like I was grieving with her. It was especially relatable because I also had a grandfather I would do anything to get one more moment with, and that’s what hit hardest of the story for me. Overall, it was a lovely read and I really enjoyed it.

2🌟

I unfortunately DNF this book. The beginning felt like a chore to get through. The way the side characters were introduced felt forced and without direction. Given the synopsis and the cover art I was quite excited to read this and I found myself never reaching for it. I could not get into the story or care about the characters, things felt both rushed and like they were progressing too slowly. The potential was there, but I personally could not connect to the story or the characters. I wish I could've.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc copy.

I heard someone compare this to Blake Crouch's Recursion, which I loved. This wasn't quite as much my cup of tea as that was, but still worth the read if you like fantasy, magical realism, time travel, etc. Good world building and a good adventure story.

I've just finished this book and I've admittedly gone through the stages of what I would rate it throughout reading. I'm struggling with the fact that the concept of this book was wild and so interesting. At the same point, there were things that irked me a bit. Like a pistol having what seemed like far more rounds than typical, the lack of accents from characters from other countries, and the sometimes obvious 'telling' and not 'showing'.
Even with all of that, I think that the idea of books (magical ones of course) that give one abilities more so than the mainstream superhero type was very thought out and unique. I know reading an ARC you're not getting the final polished product and I think even then, this was done well even with it's minor flaws.

Congratulations on your publishing debut Gareth Brown -- I think this will be well received!

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to leave this review.

When bookshop employee Cassie Andrews’ customer dies in front of her, he leaves her The Book of Doors. Cassie soon discovers that The Book of Doors is no ordinary book, and instead is capable of transporting through any door. As she finds out more about the book, she is exposed to dangerous individuals seeking her book, and realizes that she is no longer safe.
_____

I truly do think this is a wonderful book, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me. There were so many positive aspects within the book, but I wasn’t 100% drawn in. With that being said, please don’t let my review deter you from reading.

From the get-go, both the premise is intriguing and the cover of this book is gorgeous. The details about each of the magical books felt both realistic and beautifully otherworldly. I actually greatly enjoyed learning about the interconnections between the books and the previous members of the Fox Library, as it felt as though the audience was learning alongside the characters. The Book of Doors itself is an extraordinary concept and felt both unique and fresh. Furthermore, the various locations and worldbuilding felt evocative and powerful (touched more later in the review). The twists and turns definitely prompted the plot forward, which made me able to finish the book despite my transgressions.

For me, the book was overwhelming in a lot of aspects. The book contains a complex plot and a lot of characters. Going in, I wasn’t ready or prepared to hyper-analyze some aspects of the book, therefore making it harder for me to digest certain aspects.

The writing was 50/50 for me. On one hand, the descriptive language was beautiful. Through usage of extensive detail, the audience was brought into the beauty of each location. Brown has a phenomenal way of writing about landscapes, and each scene created a strong sense of wanderlust. On the other hand, however, the characters felt cut, curt, and simple. Dialogue sometimes consisted of one word replies, such as “Yay,” making some conversations feel lacking next to diverse, detailed imagery. Furthermore, the “good” and “evil” characters felt one-dimensional, only revealing “good” and “bad” characteristics respectively. Furthermore, some of the writing felt unnecessary. There were repeated instances of race and gender in icky and offensive ways. There was a chapter referring to a Japanese slur, and a female character was called a “fucking Black, bald bitch,” both of which did not feel necessary. There are also various conversations about female bodies and food, which honestly added nothing to the plot and felt judgey (such as one of the characters saying she’s “disgusting” for eating pancakes at midnight). The pacing alongside the writing made the book feel really slow and drawn out at points.

The “romance” subplot between Cassie and Drummond was meh to me. I love integrated romance as much as the next girl, but the romantic elements felt unnecessary here. The book already has so many strong ideas plot-wise as well as a lot of different characters, so the Cassie-Drummond situation could’ve stayed simplified in my opinion, as it felt kind of forced to me.

Individuals interested in fantasy, specifically magical realism should take a look into this book! Go in with an open mind, and this book provides a rich world and an even richer plot.

* I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book brilliantly fun! Hesitant with the first few chapters I felt the book started kind of rocky, but I kept my mind open. Then the characters changed and it picked up so quickly I felt like I was running with the characters.
I learned to like Cassie and her story. All the characters charmed me in different ways and some made me so mad.

But here we are. Another completed book for 2024. In short I would recommend this book and the library within it.

Thank you to the publisher and author for this advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I just finished The Book of Doors and can confidently say that it ranks on the list of my top 25 books ever. I got sucked into the book right away and couldn’t put it down. The way it was written was so descriptive and easy to picture that it played out like a movie in my mind, and I can definitely see the book being adapted into a film or show someday.

As I read the book, I contemplated which special book I would pick if I could choose. I definitely think I’d opt for the Book of Doors — having the ability to open any door in time or place sounds amazing.

I really enjoyed the characters. Although there was not a ton of development in any character except Cassie, it was still easy to get a good sense of the characters. This book also has some really amazingly terrible villains.

I highly recommend The Book of Doors and can’t wait to read it again now that I know what’s happening every step of the way! The plot twists were truly amazing and I loved how the author closed all the various loops. I also really appreciated that not everything was explained in one instance; the big question marks of the story were split up in a way that made it much easier to understand.

If you liked The Midnight Library or The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, then you will love this magical realism debut novel by Gareth Brown. The Book of Doors follows bookseller Cassie as she is given a gift from a customer just before he passes. The gift is a book, but not just any book, but a magical one that makes “any door every door”.

Cassie quickly discovers the power of the book she now possesses, and she isn’t the only one. There are hunters, librarians, and those with far more detrimental plans who want the book she owns. Soon Cassie and her roommate Izzy are exploring what the book can do and having a blast, not realizing the danger they are putting themselves in. Drummond Fox, the librarian, who has collected several of these magical tomes understands the power of the book of doors and wants Cassie to know what she is up against. There are far more nefarious characters out in the world, ones with zero qualms about hurting anyone who gets in their way of this particular book.

What starts out a bit slow picks up the pace as Cassie learns more about herself and her newfound magical book. As much as I adored Cassie and Drummond, some of the other secondary characters lacked development in my opinion. Brown does do a spectacular job with a very complex plot—many times I had to stop and reread a section to ensure I understood before moving forward. I love a book that makes you stop and think “wait a minute” and reread.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and of course the author Gareth Brown for the advanced copy of the book. The Book of Doors is out on February 13th. All opinions are my own.

I was very drawn to the cover, title and especially the description of this book. This genre is right up my alley. I loved the concept from the plot description and really expected to love this book. I did not enjoy it at all and had a very difficult time getting through it. The writing style is amateur and overly simplistic. It’s like reading my high school students’ work, before they’ve begun creative writing studies.
What’s worse is the book comes across as quite racist and misogynistic. It includes too much body shaming, flat female characters and an absurd female villain. It just does not work at all.

Wow! This was such a rollercoaster of a book! There were so many layers to it that I felt like I was racing to keep up with it at times. The storylines and characters were interwoven to a point that you really had to pay attention and think, but were not overwhelmed by everything happening. Although the characters were intriguing in the beginning, the author puts them through so many trials and tribulations that I feel like the main characters (especially Cassie) were more well-rounded and relatable by the end of the book. There is true depth to who these characters are and their place in the story. The twists and turns were rarely predictable and I was pleasantly surprised with how this book came full circle in the end and left you with an ending that is bittersweet yet satisfying. I will caution you that if you are expecting a book heavy on romance, this is not that book. However, the story is so intricate and fleshed out that I felt that the sweet moments, although understated, were enough to make me smile. Overall, I highly recommend reading this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-proof of this book to review.