ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the storyline for this book! It kinda reminds me of books that hold the key to the multiverse, especially the book of doors. I always enjoy a good time travel story and this one brings in so many layers and diverse characters! The world is well built and it made me wish to be a part of the constant action. I would recommend if you like science fiction and fiction about magical books!

I won a copy of this book back in November and now I am kicking myself because I waited so long to read it!!

This book is a time-travel adventure with epic battles, superpowers, and a little bit of romance thrown in. The story is full of twists and turns. There is a diverse cast of characters and multiple perspectives. Some of the character development was lacking and the "magic" could have been developed a bit more. The book spans several years but does come together in the end. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.

What an incredibly unique story! The Book of Doors is certainly a book that will stick with me for a long time. I loved how the book was much more than a story about a magical book. It has elements of love, grief, time travel, drama, and action. It's also a story that would be easy to spoil if I say too much.

I thought that characters were fabulous and really enjoyed how Brown wove the story together to make all the things that were happening make sense. But I encourage everyone to give The Book of Doors a read. It's fabulous!

Thank you, William Morrow Books, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Actual Rating 3.5

Cassie works at a bookstore in New York City when she’s given a book full of odd drawings and writing by her favorite customer. The book is labeled the Book of Doors, and Cassie soon discovers that it contains extraordinary power, allowing her to explore the world and creating unending possibilities. But this isn’t the only magical book in the world, and there are dangerous individuals who want Cassie’s book. When Cassie is approached by a strange man, there’s not much she can do but trust him and hope that together they can keep the book away from evil hands.

There were certain aspects of this story that I loved. How the author handled time travel was a big one. And even with the time jumps in the book, there was never any instance where I felt lost due to how well the author set it up. This is also related to how intricate the plot was and how beautifully it all tied together by the end. I loved the ending/last 10% of the book so much that it completely elevated my entire reading experience.

There were a few aspects of the story that I didn’t quite love. One was that the author strayed into overwriting more often than not, even in the dialogue sometimes. This did affect the pacing from time to time as well as my interest in what was happening periodically. This story is told from many, many POVs (which was done well) but it didn’t add to the development of the characters. I was left wanting to feel more connected or interested in the secondary characters most of the time and wished that the physicality of the female characters didn’t have to be emphasized so much. I also don’t prefer the good versus evil approach in general just as it feels overdone to me, and I think more character development could have alleviated this a bit.

This is a solid work of magical realism and a strong debut. I look forward to reading more from this author, and definitely recommend this read if you’re interested in time travel, magical realism, books about books, and intricate plots. My thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
While I find the idea of this book pretty original, I couldn't help but feel it was very similar to another book I read last year. This book started off good but then it seemed like the story was spinning out of control and was way too confusing with all the back and forth in different time zones. I also did not care for the story being so much about time travel. I truly lost interest about half way through. The story could have been cut shorter by a bunch.
In the beginning I thought I would like the characters but as I lost interest in the story,.I also felt that the characters were not likeable at all. I did not care for the language used in some parts as well as the violence described.
The story was a great idea but could have been built out better. It seemed too much copied from another book and not very original.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I was thrilled to get this early copy after reading the description. The book started out strong but the pacing was odd and slow at times. The story itself was pretty good and the characters well drawn.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I wanted to like this fantasy novel, I truly did. But I just couldn’t.

First off, the pacing was so weird. It felt so slow at points and the suddenly everything was happening all at once, over and over again.

Second, there was definitely some problematic language among the villains and even the main characters. I get you want to make villains unlikeable but there are better ways than derogatory remarks in this day and age. And let’s leave the commentary about eating and female main characters bodies out of modern books. It was pointless and just made me cringe.

Third, I LOVED the idea of magic books that gave the owner powers and abilities. I loved how the books were described and their powers etc etc. I LOATHED ENTIRELY the origin of the books. That concept was ruined.

Next, I just didn’t like any character. Not. A. One. I feel like I should care about at least one of them in the end and I didn’t. It also got so dark, SO FAST that it was hard to rectify that with the magic and charm I was promised. The ‘tinge of darkness’ was more like Vanta-black spilled all over the plot.

Finally, the best thing about this book was the cover. It’s what drew me in and I still think it’s stunning.

Once you start reading this, it's hard to stop. I finished it in a few hours because I didn't want to leave the characters or the story. Magic books= good. Books=good. Book people=good. The story is well written. The characters give you all the feels. It's genre bending. Give it a go. You won't be disappointed. I loved this books so much I bought copies for friends when it was released.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy.

<b>4.5</b>

<i>thank you to the publisher for sending this to me as an e-arc</i>

I really enjoyed this book !

It is a more character driven book than plot driven, so be aware of that !

The idea is very very exciting, and I love the fact that it took a route I did not expect, because, <b>any</b> door is <b>every</b> door... (wink wink)
I feel like it could have gone in circles easily, but it never did. I was confused at time with the timelines, but it was quickly brought together in a way that was very comprehensible, and that made sense.

I enjoyed the pacing, I never felt bored, but I never felt completely engrossed in the story at the same time.

The writing is very nice to read, as I like to say <i>simple but effective</i>. But I do have to say that sometimes I was made hyper aware that the writer was a man, especially in the way characters descriptions were written (but nothing sketchy, just an overall feeling).

I did find myself tearing up at times, which is always a good sign !

One thing I'm extremely thankful for, and that made me appreciate this book even more is the lack of romance. You do get two or three lines that hint that some characters like each other but nothing <i>on the page</i> and it just made the story all the more interesting for me !

Some parts I did not really understand, like Part 5, it just feels a bit blurry in my mind. And the ending felt kind of rushed, especially with a 400+ pages build up.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and it was very entertaining. I don't think it'll be one I'm <b>obsessed</b> with, but certainly one I will recommend to people ! It is all the more impressive that this is (I believe) a debut novel, and I'm very excited to see what the author brings out next !

Thank you so much for the e-arc!
I was so intrigued by the premise of this book! It initially gave me vibes similar to the Starless Sea or Strange the Dreamer. I think if you liked those books/plots you will love this! This book is packed full of magic and danger. Cassie was such a great mc and I defiantly want to check out more by this author.

A book about discovering a magical book that will transform any door into a portal to wherever you want. Yes, please! This debut novel is a perfect example why I have found myself reading more and more fantasy books lately. In addition to the fantasy, there were elements of mystery, suspense and action. I love taking the idea that books can transport you figuratively and making it literal. Brown did a good job developing each character and having the supporting characters each own their unique personalities. The Book of Doors is a full fledged fantasy adventure that also delves into the grief of loss and how we can find joy. In all, I loved the end and how there’s questions swirling about which kept me thinking about it days after finishing the book. I highly recommend it!

Such a great story that grips you into Cassie's adventure through time and space. The adventure and mysteries of all the capabilities of the different books and the people who owned them made very compelling stories.

The only disappointing factor in the story was the explanation of creating the books. I understand that the author needed to do this but I just didn't enjoy the when and how in story.

Cassie is living a simple life but wants more. Then a long-time customer gifts her the wildest adventure she will have. The book of Doors will take the reader on an explosive adventure to try and answer the question: can you change your future or has it all been written for you? Brown weaves a mystery within ordinary life and how our choices build a life. Cassie is a multifaceted protagonist who brings empathy and grounds the story. where the story lacks is in momentum. At times it feels slow then fast never finding its stride.

It is an exquisite delight to realize halfway through a novel that the book you are reading will become one of your favorites of all time. The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown is a moving story of grief, power, ethics, and friendship. The novel is full of dizzying twists and turns that might have overwhelmed readers were any author other than Brown to attempt it. The complex magic system is well-explained and easy to understand. The chapters often switch perspectives to other characters, but it's never a drag or disappointing. The pacing is sublime. The story of these characters is so well-developed, and the stakes are just right. How remarkable to discover such a masterpiece in an author's debut novel.

Absolutely LOVED this book. It pulled me in from the beginning and had me hooked all the way through. Highly recommend.

With a single tear running down my cheek I tell you to go out and get a copy of this book.

The Book of Doors is an adventurous novel about various “special” books that give the person who possesses it special powers. With The Book of Doors any door is every door and the sweeping tale in front of and behind the book at any point in time is a marvelous one.

I simply cannot believe this is a debut novel. I LOVED it. I would not normally consider myself a fan of science fiction but this book has changed that for me.

This book has it all. Adventure, scares, tension, love, friendship, teamwork! The descriptions are well done, I could see it all. I hope there is some kind of follow up because I could see this story branching off into so many other tales. Highly recommend, an absolute favorite of the year so far.

I just reviewed The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown. #TheBookofDoors #NetGalley
I wanted to love it, but unfortunately the pacing made the book difficult to get through. Enjoyed the first half of the story, the places, description, Cassies time with Mr. Webber. After that story seemed to be dragged out.
Thank you nergalley and publisher.

Cassie Andrews is just a normal woman. She works in a book store that she loves and enjoys the company of her patrons. One day a regular, Mr. Webber gifted her a mysterious book and suddenly passed away. The book was the book of doors, a magical tome that allowed any door to be every door. When Cassie showed her best friend and roommate, Izzy, the magical book, things began to go awry in their lives.

This book is magically delicious. It’s a true urban fantasy. The writing is very well done. Some of the pacing is a bit clunky but not in a way that makes the book feel like a slog. I love a good story that contains a lot of interconnected moving parts and that’s exactly what this book has. The story is a bit on the nose but the adventure of getting there is still fun. Overall I give this a 4/5 stars.

4.5 Stars. Oh My Gosh! I couldn't get enough of this. I love how everything came together, how things connected at the end, the relationships, and the magic. I loved this so much. I got an e-arc from Netgalley, but ended up listening on Spotify (because I didn't read it before it released) and I just loved it! I will be buying a physical copy because I need this book on my shelf.

I did not enjoy this book. I had a hard time getting through it and I did not really enjoy the writing.