This wasn’t truly my cup of tea but I did enjoy my read through! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

This story has such an amazing plot! So clever how it all links, surprised me every time …

I loved the underlying emotional needs of each character and by the end of the story, there wasn’t one character I didn’t understand or empathise with. Villains? Oh yes! Those book hunters have no compassion and only darkness in their souls. They turned my stomach every time they appeared in a scene (and let me tell you there are some really gory scenes). But I had a change of heart. Not that I’m excusing such evil behaviour but it’s hard not to care once you know!

Cassie is a great lead, she’s strong and likeable. Izzy is the voice of reason from the beginning. Drummond Fox I saw as the ‘rock,’ he’s the one with the knowledge and experience. One character is more important than I ever guessed. And there’s one character who is at the heart of everything and I mean EVERYTHING. I’m going to leave that there.

At first it all seems amazing, Cassie and Izzy jumping through time and space with the Book of Doors. Until they get noticed. And then the chase is on. It’s nerve-wracking! I didn’t know who would be victorious and felt my emotions plummeting each time, waiting for the worst to happen.

Two scenes stand out for me – one with Cassie on her own is really nebulous and I loved it. The other, again Cassie, with her grandad. I was in bits.

The Book of Doors was so much more than I expected. I LOVED it. Is there going to be a sequel? I can’t find the answer. There’s definitely more to explore …

An easy 5 stars from me.

Ich weiß ehrlich gesagt nicht, wie ich dieses Buch bewerten soll, da ich es aufgrund relativ kurzer Ausleihdauer (ohne Verlängerung) nicht lesen konnte.

This is such an original concept. I was utterly entranced by this magical tale. A tale of many moving parts, they all fitted into a perfect puzzle that I loved watching the author piece together masterfully. Just fabulous.

The Book of Doors is brilliant, of that there is no doubt. A tale of magic and good vs evil. It's rich with intrigue and twists. Exquisitely crafted, and the complexity of the plot blew my mind. The author answered every question, but whilst some people love time travel tropes, I've always found them confusing. That's definitely a me problem. There's a lot of moving forward and backward in time to explain plot lines and I personally just find this hard to get my head around. But if you love a complex plot, this one is for you. Fantastic characters and a compelling story made this a great read overall.

Books about books are often catnip for readers. Reading is such a joy that libraries, books and the power fo reading are to us readers unique. Fantasy increases such power tenfold from Genevieve Cogman’s Invisible library series to TL Huchu’s The Library of the Dead and Terry Pratchett’s wonderful idea of L-Space. In Grath Brown’s contemporary fantasy we get a thriller style adventure using the power of books again but ultimately it treads an overly familiar path too much to stand out.

In New York Cassie lives her life day to day as a not that well paid bookseller but who loves her job. One night the kindly old regular Mr Webber has one of their familiar chats but passes away in the store but leaves Cassie a mysterious book. A book that Cassie finds can give the holder the power to imagine a door to anywhere. Cassie and her flatmate Izzy soon find they can see Venice or appear at a luxury bar. But just before this becomes too much fun, they find other people want this Book of Doors. A sadist named Hugo Barbary is on the trail and Drummond Fox a man all too aware of the dangers of the books is desperately trying to find Cassie to warn her before things are too late. These books of power all have unique abilities, and they are both rare highly valuable, but they also can be used for great good and evil so some people will do whatever they feel is right to get hold of one.

This was a frustrating read for me. On the one hand Brown excels at structure and pacing. This is a fast-paced thriller that starts with a little strange mystery and Cassie finding out about a magical world where people, pay or do anything for magical Books. The Book of Doors has other less known powers that are a very cool idea. The story switches global locations and there is a strong set of action set pieces, revelations and dangerous foes to face. There is a doozy of an idea in the final sections that is quite unique in how a character prepares to face a foe again.

But the problem for me is largely this is just another magical object tale. It reminds me so much of many movies I’ve found where someone finds a magical object or ability, finds the world is not what you think it is and then peril ensues. We have Cassie as the unknown reader and Drummond her exposition/mentor/companion. We have the villains and the villain behind the villain and Izzy the funny but strong friend carried along. Its all very well poised but feels incredibly mechanical. The action sequences follow the standard path; allowing ability to be used/learnt and things progress. The doozy of an idea is ultimately a good one, but its use is a little too dull to really make things work. Brown’s style of writing is good but with a slight tendency to really underline a point that a character is already making or a lot of exposition and backstory that feels a little clunky.

The Book of Doors often feels like a movie script. This is because you and I have probably seen this type of story many times – its delivered as said with call the characters, pace and structure of one. But its missing adding anything really new to this type of story. Add the right actors, director, music, and special effects, then you could I’m sure create something special but ultimately in a book I expect that to be in the novel itself and this feels a little soulless as a consequence. Brown has lots of potential, so I’ll be interested to see how they develop but for now not a book that lasts in the memory.

Imagine being able to step through your front door and instantly find yourself in the destination of your dreams. For me, that would undoubtedly be a library or a bookshop. This is a surprisingly exhilarating tale that intertwines time with the enchantment of a magical book.

When Cassie discovers her beloved customer lifeless in the bookshop where she works, she's overcome with shock and sorrow. Initially drawn to the books left behind on the table—the one he was reading and the one they had been discussing—Cassie's attention is soon captured by a second book, personally inscribed to her by the deceased. Thus begins Cassie's odyssey through countless doors, leading to diverse places, encounters with various people, and journeys through time, all centered around a magnificent library.


I found immense pleasure in this book, though I wasn't prepared for its darker moments. it didn't diminish my enjoyment. The themes explored are wide-ranging, touching on bereavement, loss, companionship, friendship, murder, psychological turmoil, nostalgia, memory, magical realism, the allure of books and libraries, time, time travel, history, booksellers, book enthusiasts, resilience, perseverance, and integrity. This novel brought to mind "The End of Mr Y" by Scarlett Thomas, a book I read many years ago, and it was a delightful reminder of similar literary gems.

I really loved this book. It proved a really good getaway from real life due to how it blended the fantastical and realistic into one. The characters were all really interesting to follow especially when the real action was going down and the stakes were raised. I would read more by this series and author if that was possible as this was everything i wanted from it. The writing was excellent and i feel like it delivered exactly what it promised.

This is an incredibly complex, intricate narrative weaving past and present together. Cassie is given a book by a customer in the bookstore where she works. The book has magical properties but more than this it leads her into a world where other such books exist and have been used to manipulate society - generally for harm.. There are so many strands to this book and yet the writing is such that it is not difficult to keep track of all the action.

As a debut book It is a staggering work -which I am sure will lead to many more from the author. Perhaps become a series??

amazing… i am struggling for words as i loved this. the journey, the friendships, the horror, the fantasy and the hope. this book has everything and leaves you wanting more. maybe a book 2?

I really enjoyed this book. I always love books that feature books and libraries and this did not disappoint.
Perfect for fantasy readers, I absolutely loved it, I felt completely immersed in the world that I was actually sad when I finished.

This book is just about a love letter to the magic of books, perfect for fantasy readers and book fanatics (as we all are). I just wanted to jump into this book and be Cassie, but as it is, this was a wonderful vicarious experience. Stakes are high and the adventure is twisting, plus I'm just about hungover after this. Thank you so much for the ARC!

This book was amazing and definitely read it in one sitting. As a fantasy reader, this book felt like a summer fever dream. It was so good and honestly a very cozy read for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Publishers

The book of doors was a great read filled with magic. I really enjoyed the world building and the characters. I felt the descriptions were lavish and made the whole story come together.
I really enjoyed the direction the story went and found I really enjoyed it.

An absolutely magical read, especially for book lovers. Cassie is gifted a special book; the book of Doors, which has the ability to allow any door to open to any door in any place across any time. She is thrilled by the discovery and appreciates its sheer beauty and power , having grown up with a grandfather who loves books and having worked in a bookshop. Cassie and her best friend Izzy make the most of the book by going on adventures. However, there is more than one magical book, and people with dark powers and darker intentions want to possess them. Cassie and her precious book are in their sights. A superb story. #thebookofdoors #Garethbrown #netgalley

I hoped ‘ The Book of Doors’ would live up to my expectations but wasn’t really sure it could. However it did just that. From the outset I felt at home with this – the characters and settings are realistic enough to ensure I could travel in time with the main characters.

This contains plenty of nail-biting action but, thankfully, I didn’t have to confront the protagonists myself!

I would certainly enjoy reading a sequel to this.

Thank you to Transworld Publishers (Penguin Random House) and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

A very interesting and engaging book, a page turner that makes you want to gallop to the end to find out how it ends.
Beautifully written and definitely recommended.

Cassie Andrews lives in New York City with her flatmate Izzy, working quietly yet happily at Kellner Books as a bookshop worker. When regular customer Mr. Webber dies in the store, she finds that she is left his notebook.

This book has special powers, as we later discover that it is The Book of Doors. Namely, it will allow the user to travel through a door, any door, providing that the user has seen what is on the other side before. As Cassie and Izzy have fun exploring the possibilities that the book provides, they also find themselves in a dangerous situation. Owning the book means that they're being hunted by a group of booksellers who wants the book's powers and will stop at nothing to get it.

This situation also leads them to meet Drummond Fox, the librarian in charge of the Fox Library. Drummond has the Book of Shadows, which allows him to become invisible and keep the library hidden from other Book owners. Cassie finds that the library has other books and that there are more held in secret around the world, each of them have names that describe their function or power such as The Book of Joy, The Book of Matter, The Book of Despair, The Book of Pain, The Book of Speed, The Book of Faces, The Book of Control, The Book of Light and The Book of Water.

The Book of Doors seems particularly useful in that it would allow access to other books and other places, and so Cassie, Izzy and Drummond spend much of the middle of the novel avoiding those wishing to obtain the The Book of Doors. In particular they come across The Woman, a psychotic killer who wants to not only collect the books, but enjoys killing people to get them.

When an auction is held for the Book of Pain, the consequences are fatal for some and has consequences for our main characters. The solution is that Cassie, using the The Book of Doors, can travel through time to solve the problem and deal once and for all with The Woman.

The Book of Doors is a novel that begins in the realm of magic realism and ends up as a time travel novel. The initial setting is delightful and will be valued by anyone with a love of books, book shops, and book collecting, although the time travel element may be divisive. Generally it is nicely done, except in one aspect when the unnecessary death of a character seems to serve little use but for an attempt to introduce a twist into the plot.

On the whole, though, the main characters are rather well done. Cassie and Izzy are wonderful characters, whose friendship seems genuine and realistic, without descending into boring platitudes. Fox Drummond adds an element of dark complexity to the plot, in part due to his previous dealings with The Woman. He is haunted by this and the book shows him still trying to resolve his previous traumas. There is also a minor touch of possible romance hinted at here, although the situation remains unresolved.

Of the minor characters, some of the other Book owners are a little bit more clichéd, yet serviceable, and their quirky and rather unpleasant natures are telegraphed by some rather gruesome deaths, which keeps the peril within the plot a constant.

In short, this one begins well and rattles along nicely, carried by the characterisation and the setting, more than enough to reduce the areas of minor irritation. There is an ending of sorts which closes things nicely, whilst also leaving the possibility of further books should this be found to be popular.

If I had a magical book that could transport me anywhere around the world, I would simply do nothing. I'd just hang out in places. I was hoping that Cassie would do the same, but unfortunately for me this story is all over the place, with villains popping up, big reveals and time travel.

I wasn't a fan of the writing style of this story, or the strange obsession with croissants. The writing would feel almost too flowery one minute, and then choppy and lacking description the next. I didn't feel the need for the racist slurs to be thrown around, and it was painfully obvious that this book was written by a white guy.

I really had to slog my way through the last few chapters, as I didn't really care for the action scenes and the book was largely being used to just randomly chuck people through time, which rarely stuck. There were some big reveals about Cassie that were never explained, leaving me with more questions than answers in the end.

This debut novel resembles Jumper, a great film. THE BOOK OF DOORS is unusual in the tale, given to Cassie Andrews by an elderly customer in her New York bookstore. The man passes away quietly, and the young woman bookseller doesn’t realise how precious this gift will be.



Together with her irrepressible flatmate Izzy, Cassie discovers the joy of using the Book of Doors to visit other countries, opening any door to step out into a square in Italy, a Japanese restaurant, or a Manhattan rooftop bar. Izzy becomes concerned, though, saying that such a book would permit crimes, and using it must be paid for somehow. Her words come true all too quickly, and sinister forces start shadowing the two friends.
Continued.