Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Book of Doors tells the story of Cassie, a bookstore employee who is gifted a mysterious, magical book that can transport its holder through any door in the world. The book soon attracts the attention of various powerful forces who vie to control it, leaving Cassie and her friends to figure out how to navigate this new underground world of magic while fighting to protect each other and the book.

First, the positive: I found the premise highly engaging, and the unpretentious prose made for an easily digestible story. The strong sense of place was crucial for pulling things off, and the Rick Steves-esque descriptions of various magical and real-world settings were a highlight. In general there were enough neat and illustrative turns of phrase to cancel out the clumsy or redundant prose moments ("smile of delight") and sort of break even, writing-wise.

That said, this book had its major drawbacks. First of all, it needed some major "American-picking"—the twentysomething American women had a bad case of Talks Like A Gen X British Isles Dweller -Itis. They were "sweet on" people, maps had "pins in," they wanted to be "film stars," etc etc. Izzy's habit of harping on her weight in Bridget-Jones-ian fashion ("bread goes right to my hips") felt outdated and grating. While New York City was described in loving detail, the rest of the vast and diverse US was dismissed as having terrible food because it's "all meat and bread" (baffling, not to mention rather ironic coming from a Scottish author) by a character sitting in a diner called "Matt's All-American Burgers."

The characters were a mixed bag—sometimes likable, other times making criminally dumb decisions for the sake of the plot. (The plot moved at a satisfying pace, but if you think too hard about it there are some major holes of the "everything is explained by time travel" variety.) While Cassie, her roommate Izzy, and her grandfather were engaging, a lot of other side characters could have used more dimension and development, particularly the extremely under-baked villains, one of whom comes out of nowhere and the other of whom gets a very unsatisfying backstory. I got the sense that the author wanted to write with diversity, but of the characters of color, one is maligned as a coward and gets....the first half of an arc, while another has potential but serves as more of a convenient deus ex machina than anything. Various others are quickly and gruesomely dispatched in order to serve as lessons and warnings to the main characters.

Drummond was my least favorite character. I understand that he was meant to have an "overcoming cowardice" arc, but it came at the expense of his likability when all he did was stand around uselessly wringing his hands during the various action sequences. Then there were long, tedious scenes spent trying to retroactively justify his actions and explain that he was totally in the right, actually. These were ultimately unconvincing and just served to draw more attention to how unlikable he was (and how the narrative gave him multiple free passes while smearing another character who did the same thing as a vile coward!)

I also found the implied romance between Cassie and Drummond rushed and unearned, especially when contrasted with Cassie's much stronger and better-executed relationships with Izzy, Mr. Webber, and her grandfather. I couldn't understand why Cassie was pining for a man she had known all of three days, who had actively made things worse for her at every turn. Instead of using their conflict over the Book of Doors as an opportunity to build chemistry, the story opted for a tepid middle ground where their supposed mutual attraction was more told than shown. It was ultimately fortunate that the romance wasn't the focal point.

This book is billed as being "for fans of The Night Circus," but I find it the opposite of that book in many ways. Night Circus is heavy on stylistic prose and light on plot, while Book of Doors prioritizes plot and doesn't try to pull off fancy flourishes. I would recommend The Book of Doors to fans of Matt Haig instead.

Despite the flaws I listed, The Book of Doors manages to ruminate on its themes—opening oneself up to new experiences, overcoming grief, and finding joy in literature, travel, and new people and experiences—very well. Even if it wasn't for me, it's an engagingly fast-paced primary world adventure story that I'm sure will find its audience.

The Book Of Doors - Gareth Brown

A new genre for me, 'contemporary fantasy'. This book came very highly recommended, I didn't read the blurb and was imagining something like a feel good Magic Faraway Tree for adults. Oh no! It's more like Hellraiser, with a villain to rival Pinhead.

A magic book which allows the holder to walk through a door and step straight into any place they can visualise. Cassie, a worker in a New York bookshop cafe happens across the book and has no idea of the adventures and dangers she's about to experience.

There are other Special Books with other magical powers, a cast of collectors, book hunters and those desperate to possess the books and the powers they grant.

I liked the set up of this hidden strange new world, I liked it a lot. Things get a little hectic later on, with multiple characters holding various books and the resulting superpowers. Some of the action scenes felt like the CGI battle scenes in a Marvel movie, or watching my son play Overwatch. Quite entertaining, even if I don't really know what's happening, or who's dead until the dust settles.

I preferred the scene setting and plot development to the action finales, but it kept me entertained and I thoroughly enjoyed it overall.

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow

A great final read for 2023. This is an intriguing and intricately woven story, but it never gets confusing and doesn't try too hard. Good characters, good pace and an excellent overall read.

Thank you #WilliamMorrow and #NetGalley for providing this #ARC Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is February 13, 2024.

• fiction • fantasy • mystery • adventurous • dark • mysterious • books-about-books/libraries • fantasy • magic • magical-realism • romance • time-travel • 3.5 Stars

Cassie Andrews is a bookseller in New York City who is given a mysterious book by a favorite customer. The book is called “The Book of Doors” and it is full of strange writing and mysterious drawings. At the very front of the book, there is a handwritten message to Cassie, telling her that any door is every door. Cassie soon discovers that the book is magical and bestows extraordinary powers on whoever possesses it. She and her best friend Izzy investigate all that the book can do, traveling to anywhere they want. But soon realize that the book can do both wondrous and dreadful things.

#Bookstagram #TheBookOfDoors #GarethBrown

Wow, this was a great read. It is one I know I will want to return to and read again. One of my favorite reads of the year, with a Midnight Library vibe for sure. It makes total sense to me that books would be the source of magic in the world, and so I loved seeing that taken to its logical conclusion, in a very artful way. I adored the characters and, to borrow a phrase from Doctor Who, the timey-wimey wibbly wobbly… stuff. This is a book I would recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy.
This is also a book that I would love a sequel to! Without spoiling anything, I want to find out more about the books, who made them, and if there are more out there. So I hope we get a sequel!

this book is a magical fantasy book. the concept is so enjoyable and i truly enjoyed it. the fact this is a debut has me in awe, I cannot WAIT to grab this off shelves in Feb (perfect birthday gift). I am 100% getting everyone I know to read this book!
4 and 1.2 stars, out of 5 (rounded to 5 because deserved to be honest)
Hugest congrats

Although It’s not as literary as say, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, it’s still written quite well and the story is fascinating. I really liked this twisty, mind bending story that comes together in a satisfying manner at the end. It’s essentially a story of actions and consequences affecting the past, present and future in some pretty unexpected ways. The plot moves at a pretty good pace, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing as to what’s going on throughout the whole book. I didn’t fall in love with and feel as close to the characters as I have in other books but the plot and pacing of the story was more than enough to keep me engaged.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced digital copy of this book.

A book of magical books, what more could a reader want? This is a story of Cassie, who finds herself in possession of a magical book that allows her to travel anywhere in the world. The book is one of many magical books that many people will do anything to get their hands on. Cassie uncovers the truth of the books as she navigates the greed of others.
I adored this book and can’t wait for others to read this! The storyline was wonderful and I loved this version of magic. The characters were great, and my only criticism is I wish we would have gotten to know them each more.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this book.

Wow. What a fantastic concept for a novel. And this is a debut author? Can't wait to see what he comes up with next. I really enjoyed this. It was a little slow for me in the middle, otherwise this would easily be 5 stars. (I groaned when I realized I was only at 50% as I thought I was much closer to the end.) This is listed as fantasy - if, like me, that's not what you usually read, disregard that description and pick this up anyway. Are there fantastical pieces to it? There sure are, but it's the time travel element that made me want to read this, and it doesn't disappoint. Cassie and Drummond are such a wonderful team in this good vs evil saga. The good guys are a little too good and the evil are absolutely dastardly but it works here. I couldn't read the last 25% fast enough. I'm hoping we get to see these characters again.

I don’t even know where to start with this review. First, I’m going to say, GO GET THIS BOOK BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. Second, The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown is a mind-bending enigma delight. I don’t want to give too much away but I’m not exaggerating when I say this book should be one of the biggest books of 2024. Brown immediately jumps into the action and never hold back. Every time you think you can’t learn something new, the information presented will blow your mind. This is a completely unique and exciting take on time travel. I can’t stop thinking about this book, a week after I’ve finished it. They say that books will take you on journeys and that’s never be truer of The Book of Doors. I am here for anything that Gareth Brown writes but I really hope he returns to this world.

As I love books (duh!), I was excited to read this book about doors in books. What a great way to be able to travel to places. Since I am scared to fly, it would be perfect. I started this with a certain expectation, and it changed almost immediately. Not in a bad way, but this book is more whimsical than I expected. I loved how Cassie and Izzy went from the wonder of the book Cassie inherited to understanding the uglier aspect of what this book could and can represent. Add in the other books that also enable a user to use the books in evil ways, and I was hooked. I’m not a huge fan of time travel, but that wasn’t a deal breaker. This is a well-written narrative about good vs. evil, and the fight therein. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this – and rightly so as it is right up my alley. It has serious Ten Thousand Doors of January, Starless Sea, and Unmaking of June Farrow vibes.
There was a lot of action which kept a really great pace and I enjoyed all the twists and turns the book took, even with time travel, it was never overly confusing or hard to follow.

This book was a whirlwind of suspense, intrigue and excitement! I was hooked from page 1. I’ve never read a book quite like this. So many twists and turns and I felt like I actually knew the characters. They felt so real, the writing so engaging. I simply could not put the book down. Definitely recommend for fans of time travel, mystery and wonder. I’m sad I’m done, but so super cool. . .

What a magical concept and book! I was hooked from the first page and enthralled with the portal concept that the book provides. I also loved how easily digestible the material was for a vast range of audiences. Will be recommending

A suspenseful, heartwarming adventure for everyone who loves books! The characters were well developed and the plot moved quickly and had enough twists to keep the reader guessing.

I stopped at 4%. Within the first two pages, I was asking myself if this with a debut. Yes, yes it is. The prose is rather clunky and unrefined.

When work is compared to Matt Haig’s, for me, it must (1) deliver high-quality prose and (2) portray a high level of empathy and understanding of humanity. That’s my immediate expectation, which failed to be met.

My bad on this one, as it’s compared specifically to “The Midnight Library” and sort of makes it clear it’s the world/plot of this book that is the comp. Ultimately, in my head, this book was set up to fail. I’d possibly consider going back to it once the initial disappointment wears off.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book overall and thought it had a unique concept. However, I had a hard time staying engaged with it and it took me a while to actually finish. At times the story seemed abnormally slow and I didn’t really feel connected to the characters.

With that being said, there were a lot of positives. I really enjoyed the time travel and the magic system.

I think this is a solid read for anyone looking to immerse themselves into a magical fantasy with mystery elements. My true rating for this book is 3.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to receive this book as an ARC.

The Book of Doors by Garth Brown was one of those books that I found hard to put down. It grips you from the first chapter and doesn’t let you go until the last sentence of the final chapter. I loved the characters and the pace of the book. I found myself dreaming about it when I read before going to bed at night and thinking about it during the day until I could get back to it. Yes, it really is that good! What’s not to love? There’s time travel, magic, sadness and joy in this book. I love a book that can make me both laugh and cry; which The Book of Doors did. Gareth Brown is good at making the reader feel part of the action as well as the emotions of his main characters. It made me want a book that could open doors to my past or take me someplace that held a special memory or person. The different books (The book of Joy, Book of Pain, Book of Healing, book of Mists, etc) all represent different feelings and emotions, or actions, that one could take, and while reading about them I could feel the world around me changing to accommodate the powers of that particular book. I would read another book by Gareth Brown with pleasure!

This book was fitting for its description. I loved it; just absolutely loved it. What a beautifully, intense, fantastic fantasy that exceeded my expectations!

I loved the premise of this book, that a book can bring such abilities to its owner as to allow them to open a door and travel to all sorts of places. I also loved how rich and intricate the storytelling became when delving into the darker aspects of such a world and power. Readers get to travel along with Cassie as she discovers these new possibilities presented to her, and I really, really enjoyed when Drummond came into the storyline. The transition to learning of the negative side of such power was very detailed. Overall, this just a well-written book full of an intriguing fantasy world that kept me interested all the way until the end. A definite recommended read!

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