I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this.

This was a fascinating read. I’d recommend this for fans of The Starless Sea or The Ten Thousand Doors of January.

This follows a young woman who receives a book from an old man who visits the bookshop she works in regularly when he dies. This book opens doors all over the world allowing her to travel places she’s always wanted to go. However this draws attention from dangerous people who wish to take the book for themselves.

I found this to be so well written. I really enjoyed it. The magical book system was so well crafted and balanced. The author wasn’t afraid to make bold choices for the narrative and put their characters through traumatic experiences.

This was exciting, the pacing was good. The villain was quite monstrous. But the big draw was the books and how they are used to manipulate the world and people around them. There’s so much balance, all of the books have the power of good and evil depending on who is using them. I’m always drawn to books about books but the expectations are often too high and not met. Not the case here where this was enjoyable all the way through.

Imagine that you could open your front door and be in the destination of your choice. For me that would probably be any library or bookshop. This is an unexpectedly thrilling story about time and a magical book.

When Cassie finds her favourite customer dead in the bookshop where she works she is overwhelmed by shock and grief. At first she only notices the book he was reading and the one they had been talking about left behind on the table. Then she notices a second book, one that he has inscribed to Cassie. From that moment Cassie embarks on a journey of many doors, places, people and time, but most of all of a magnificent library.

“Any door is every door.”

I absolutely thoroughly enjoyed this book but I was unprepared for how dark it was in places. I’m unconvinced that the story required it however it in no way spoilt it for me. Themes include: bereavement, loss, companionship, friendship, murder, psychological torture, nostalgia, memory, magical realism, books, libraries, time, time travel, history, booksellers, book hunters, endurance, tenacity, integrity.

I highly and unswervingly recommend The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown.

The Book of Doors is an extraordinary read. It veers from a human interest story through to fantasy and time-travelling peppered with graphic violence. Gareth Brown has a strongly descriptive style of writing and his characters leap off the pages in more ways than one! Working in a bookstore in Upper East Side, New York, Cassie befriends an elderly man who leaves her a strange book, the titular Book of Doors. Through this magical book Cassie is able to revisit places from her memory, sometimes accompanied by her increasingly worried flatmate Izzy. Soon things take a darker turn as Drummond Fox, aka the Librarian, enters their world. Through him they learn that there are many of these secret books, each offering a different power, with, it seems, as many nefarious and downright violent characters whose aims are to possess them. This book has joy and laughter but will make you gasp too. The plotting is so well executed with a very clever premise at its heart and I found it absolutely captivating and gripping. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the eARC.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

The plot summery and the fact that it was suggested for fans of A Discovery of Witches had me instantly, but I'm sorry to say that I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I was going to in the end.

Whilst the plot was fantastic, the characters left a lot to be desired - they felt very flat and I just couldn't bring myself to like them, let alone route for them. They had no personalities or depth to them, and I really didn't like how Izzy was portrayed at the start, as a woman obsessed with her weight, and that she's beautiful but doesn't know it. This felt very stereotypical for me and had me rolling my eyes on more than one occasion.

I'm sorry Gareth but this book failed to grip me at all. I felt no empathy with the heroine and there seemed no attempt by you to create any. I got to 17% and gave up which is rare for an avid reader like me.

Excellent premise and loved the beginning; who wouldn’t love a book that allowed you to instantly travel anywhere in the world?
.I was a bit puzzled as to audience - it very much read as YA to me but the characters are adults. Despite their ages, much of their interaction felt younger.
Not sure I completely got the way the origins of the books was explained.
Overall it was an entertaining romp of a read that I gobbled up quickly.

Although it took me a while to get into this book, The Book of Doors was beautifully written with memorable characters and a captivating plot is rich with adventure and just the right amount of suspense to keep the reader engaged.

Although a bit bit of slow burner, it is well worth sticking with this book. Beautifully written and truly a masterpiece.

I really enjoyed reading this title and I think Gareth Brown does an excellent job of creating a logic to his world of magic. The magical Book of Doors opens the world of possibilities to Cassie but she has to be wary that not everyone will use it for the fun globetrotting experiences that she has planned. The resulting cast of book hunters, auctioneers, librarians and villains that we meet bring this secretive world to life. I loved that the individual events tied up in surprising ways and you gained an insight into many of the characters' motivations.

It felt like a cohesive and well plotted book - one which didn't create magic and fantastic locations at the expense of a plot but one where plot and rich description are intertwined for a highly immersive reading experience.

The Book of Doors is a beautiful story full of adventure, time travel and wonderful friendships. This was such a heart-warming book, along with elements of tension and suspense, I loved every moment of reading this as I'm blown away by this stunning debut.

Adventure, suspense, friendship, opportunity, great characters and time travel. What door would you choose? A fantastic debut novel from Gareth Brown, I can't wait to see what else the author will conjure. Highly recommended.

The concept and magic in this book makes it a fabulous winter read. Although this isn't a genre I would usually go for, I loved The Book of Doors. There is suspense, friendship, fear, goodies, baddies and time travel, all of which make up a story that takes the reader to another time and place. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Absolutely magical! Remember when you were a kid & books could take you anywhere? When you could travel within the pages to distant times & places and experience the magic of a different life? Well, this is it! This is the adult version - and well we know that all is not as it seems in the darkest of fairytales. Be warned - The Book of Doors visits terrible & dangerous places, but book-geek heroes? I'm in!

I couldn't wait to step outside of myself & catch-up with what was happening to the characters, to travel with them, to cheer them on from the sidelines & to hurt for them when they hurt. Without a doubt this is my read of the year & I'll be recommending it far & wide. If you think the title & the premise are magical, just wait until you step onto the pages and enter The Book of Doors.

It would make a terrific film, but you'll want to get your hands on the book before that happens. Everyone knows the book is always better. I can't wait to see what other books are eager to burst from the author's imaginings.

This one started off strong and then exceeded all my expectations! It's very clever and original, and at times i found myself at how well crafted and brought together the story is. At the start I didn't really how things were going to turn out but the story and plot were so good that my mind was pretty much blown. The characters are very well developed, and by the end I was fully invested in them and their own stories. Really hoping that there is some kind of prequel, sequel or series to come! An absolutely cracking read that I cant wait to see published in 2024.

I've only got one word to describe this book and that's........
Awesome. It's a long time since I've been so engaged with the characters of a book and so engrossed with the story. I love the fact that books are considered to be magical and can transport you to other places and times. As a reader that's surely all you ask and expect from a good novel. I loved this book and didn't want to put it down as I was so eager to see what was going to happen next whilst at the same time I didn't want it to end. More please from this talented author.

If you had the power to go anywhere in the world, where would it be? Izzy and Cassie find themselves with a book that can take them anywhere their heart desires. It’s almost too good to be true…

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown is a story of magic and wherever there is magic, darkness can’t be far behind. At first the story is confusing, introducing many characters, all with different agendas and tales but one common interest. The books.

Slowly, the story starts to unfold and things start to make more sense. Perhaps the most sinister character, referred to as the Woman has the Book of Despair, the ability to take joy away from anyone she so chooses.

Luckily, Cassie and Izzy have the help of Drummond Fox but he’s got his own secrets…

“This world is awful and mean and I hate it… but books have always been a place I can go. When I was young and when my grandpa was dying. I prefer books to the real world.”

The Book of Doors is wonderfully written and the book itself is a literal representation of how stories can transport you anywhere. This one especially took me to Paris, Cairo, Venice, London… To name a few. The way that Gareth Brown describes each place almost makes you believe you’re there. When Cassie was in Paris, I could picture the exact place she stopped at for a croissant and the types of people she was surrounded by. It’s really a credit to writing.

“This is what the Book of Doors should be, she thought, travel and wonder and delight, not violent men throwing furniture around.”

After receiving a gift that seemed so special in the beginning, the girls are thrust into a world of violence. We start to see multiple eccentric characters emerge which starts off as confusing for the reader. Eventually though, you start to see the bigger picture and actually what was once confusing makes more sense as you realise the power each book holds.

“She held him close, and as he felt consciousness slipping away from him, as he felt the coming embrace of darkness, he also felt her placing a single kiss on his forehead, like a blessing and a thanks.”

The book has a full circle moment with a bittersweet ending that perfectly rounds off the novel.

This book is full of mystery, darkness and magic (all the good stuff) so if you want to get lost in a somewhat fairytale, somewhat nightmare, it’s a definite must read!

Thanks NetGalley and publishers for the arc of The book of doors by Gareth Brown.

This magical world will draw you in! I loved the story, fully immersive with the plot and the characters.

Excellent debut. The magical world really appealed to me. I was engaged with the plot and the characters. I took a chance and I'm glad I did

Just an outstanding read!!! Is it believable, no of course not...it's centred around impossible magic....does it make you feel good, absolutely! Written in an engaging style, and with a storyline that should be complicated, but actually is effortless. Stunning book....many thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read and review...

Wow. What a magical emotional rollercoaster this book was.

The Book of Doors was an enchanting journey where we got to see the ordinary world meet the extraordinary while also exploring the real emotions and raw realities of life. Brown expertly mixes the grittiness of life and emotionally complex characters with utter magic and wonder. I feel like it’s rare these days in the fantasy genre to see a truly encapsulating magical world where the humanity isn’t lost; here emotions are explored alongside the magical world where special books can offer the person holding them incredible powers but magic doesn’t solve everything.

This was a heartfelt novel that has a wonderfully magical premise but where ‘real’ people are at the heart of it. If you’re on the fence about it I definitely encourage you to give it a read as I think this is the sort of book I will find myself thinking back to time and time again

…

The Book of Doors had me in absolute tears, and I don’t just mean when your eyes get a little watery and one solitary tear might delicately fall - no I was ugly crying at one point. The sort of ugly crying you can only do in private because you look a state and you are using far too many tissues. (SPOILER: specifically I’m talking about the scenes between Cassie and her grandpa - maybe it just hit too close to home but the whole concept of being able to speak to a loved one we lost too soon and for them to see how you grow and who you become? URGH it broke my heart )

While the scenes that brought me to tears were particularly emotional for me because of the concepts within them, I don’t think these scenes would have hit nearly as hard if there hadn’t been some solid character development. I hadn’t realized it until these scenes but I had really invested in the characters here.

Every character Brown brought to the stage felt well developed, even side characters felt like they had a genuine back story and complexity. And while there were a few characters that initially appeared very one dimensional e.g. The Woman. I loved how Brown would slowly introduce us to their own nuanced and complex characters. By the end of the book I was fully invested in the whole caste, and I’m seriously hoping I will get to meet them again in a future book.

I loved Cassie’s growth throughout and I really feel like we got to see her grow from a quiet, often uncertain and somewhat naive young girl in the city just entering adulthood, into a woman confident in herself. (SPOILER: and I’m sure the passing of a DECADE certainly made this an easier feat to portray this development - have I mentioned I’m still not over this particular event?)

I wasn’t completely sold on Cassie and Izzy’s friendship to begin with. Not that I didn’t like their friendship but I wasn’t loving how many characters were playing a fairly big role at the beginning. I also loved Cassie more than Izzy so I kind of just wanted Cassie to go off and do her thing without Izzy. As the book went on I warmed more to Izzy and to their teamwork too.

Drummond wasn’t fleshed out as much as I would have liked but I can content myself with that as given what we have learnt from him he’s not going to be sharing a lot of himself with people he’s only just met. So his relative enigma-like status does fit for him. I’m hoping that if there’s any additional novels from this we get a bit more from our MMC!
Set in our modern world everything starts fairly subdued, mundane with a slower pace but as things become more magical, and more engaging things become faster paced. Urban fantasy is something I adore when it’s well done but so often the merging of our contemporary world with magic goes awry and the tale becomes hard to attach too. Never fear with Book of Doors though - this was just about EVERYTHING i wanted from a contemporary fantasy novel set in New York.

The Book of Doors has an immensely compelling plot and while I wasn’t sure where this story was going to go at the start but I absolutely love how it all came together. I’m always nervous about time travel - when it’s done well it’s a fascinating addition but so often it gets done poorly and you end in a confusing and plot-hole filled mess. Thankfully time travel was beautifully done here and I just loved how Brown handled it. So not only did we get time travel that actually made sense and was cohesive but Brown expertly added in some layering which I just loved watching unfold - it was beyond satisfying as things started to connect up!

Brown’s writing was a joy, his storytelling whisked me off to New York almost immediately and even within those first few pages where we are just looking as Cassie’s mundane life of working at a book shop and living in New York I was engrossed. I will say that as much as I enjoyed the beginning chunk of the book the pacing was quite slow to start with. I didn’t particularly mind this but it might be something to bear in mind if you struggle with slower paced books as while the first third is a touch slow I felt that the pacing steadily increased. In fact I feel the last quarter was a little too fast for me!

Final Thoughts
I struggled to rate this as it could have so easily been 5 stars (and it almost was) but I’m picky about giving out 5 star ratings and I felt a couple of bits were rushed (mainly the ending).

Something I did love was that I feel like Book of Doors could be read as a solid stand alone read where you finish it genuinely satisfied and content with this story alone. There is also huge scope for additional books within this world with so many seeds dropped for further exploration - I love that this wasn’t done to the detriment of this story’s plot though. I hate cliffhangers or when books deliberately leave loads of loose threats to allow room for future books as it’s just frustrating as a reader and I always for short changed. Book of Doors is a complete story in and of itself, but it reads like it might be a gateway to further tales.

In short, Book of Doors is a beautifully written book and I absolutely can’t wait to see what else Brown creates (fingers crossed there will be more from this world of magical books!)

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the chance to read The Book of Doors in exchange for an honest review.