Since I am chronically ill, having adventures in real life is not always possible. But books are a way of having adventures and traveling I can enjoy without limits. Wherever I wanna go, whatever place I wanna visit, there is a book somewhere taking me there. So, a book about a book that literally turns a door into a door anywhere in the world. I had to read it. Luckily Random House UK granted me a review copy via Netgalley.

This book was everything I had hoped it would be and maybe even a little more. I of course don't wanna give too much away, but a lot of thought has gone into this book and I love how during the finale more and more things started to make sense and more and more questions were answered. And since the author has made everything quite complicated, it's quite impressive that he managed to bring everything together so nicely.

And that's mostly because the mythology in this book makes sense. And without the author needing lengthy info-dumps to explain everything. Of course, at times characters are answering questions and offering some explanations, but it all feels very natural. I especially loved how well thought out the Book of Doors was. The moment we discover what it can truly do, we understand why the entire world is after it.

I also liked the different kinds of characters in this book. The author is introducing quite a lot of players and characters, but since most of them get at least one point of view chapter in the book it was never hard to keep everyone apart. I was especially happy that Izzy was a lot more than just the best friend. My one complaint would be that the villain felt a little too villainous for most of the story, but even that was explained in the end.

Although this story perfectly works as a stand-alone, I wouldn't be against more books set in this world!

I'm glad I discovered this little gem of a book! The Book of Doors focuses on Cassie and how she stumbles into the world of magical books when she discovers the mystical book of doors. It propels both her and her best friend Izzy into a dangerous yet wonderous life where some people will literally kill to get their hands on the legendary, magical books.
There's so much heart in this novel as Cassie learns to navigate her way through her new life. I really enjoyed the premise for the book and enjoyed all the various aspects of magic systems being thrown in there. A few issues stopped this from being a 5 star book. One was with the pacing that felt quite slow at times and parts of the narrative seemed to drag. The other was the MC of Cassie who just seemed to grate on my nerves. I liked Drummond's character the most as he came across as more well fleshed out and warm.
This is a book for those who like Addie LaRue and the Night Circus.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an arc in return for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this advanced copy,
This book surprisingly was really good, especially the writing style

I’m not quite sure what I was expecting when I started reading this, but it wasn’t this! Books to me talk of hugs and warmth and this is how it starts but it soon gets very dark and at times chillingly graphic. Cassie Andrews works in a New York bookstore. One of her regular customer’s dies in the store and leaves her a book, inscribed to her. But this is no ordinary book. Cassie soon discovers the secret of The Book of Doors and along with her friend Izzy starts exploring. But it’s not long before their harmless fun comes to the ears of some very unsavoury characters. Really well written fantasy tale with a great and engaging plot and fantastic characters.

Briefly, the Book of Doors is just one of any number of books that all bestow different powers on whoever owns it and there are merciless people willing to do anything, and I mean anything, to possess more of the books. Cassie and Izzy are soon in serious danger and their only hope is the mysterious Drummond Fox who himself owns a library of these books, collecting them to keep them out of the hands of anyone who will use them for nefarious purposes.

Parts of this are brutal! This author has one vidid imagination! But it’s not all about the books and the search for them but also about love, relationships and grief. Cassie has had more than her fair share of the latter; I loved the relationship she clearly had with her grandfather and later with Mr Webber but with love comes the sadness of loss when they are no longer with you. A very enjoyable and entertaining read.

I must confess I'm not into fantasy at all, but what made me request a review copy was when reading the blurb, it mentions 'Time Travel' now, I'm a huge fan of time travel (even if I don't half understand it). I'm so glad I read this fantastic world building, original story (for me anyways).

Cassie Andrews, a bookseller in New York City, receives an unexpected gift from a beloved customer, completely changing her unassuming life. It's a book, but not just any book - it's filled with peculiar writing and enigmatic drawings. Right at the beginning of the book, there's a handwritten message to Cassie, stating that any door is every door in the Book of Doors. Cassie's discovery of the Book of Doors reveals its incredible ability to grant extraordinary powers, leading her and her best friend Izzy into a thrilling exploration of unlimited travel possibilities.

Nevertheless, the Book of Doors is not the solitary magical book in the world. Cassie now possesses something that dangerous and ruthless individuals covet - other books capable of incredible and horrifying deeds. In a sudden turn of events, Cassie and Izzy are faced with violence and danger, with Drummond Fox appearing as their only possible saviour. He is an individual escaping from his personal demons - a man who possesses a hidden collection of mystical books, safeguarded in the darkness. All of them are being hunted by an unknown malevolence.

Gareth Brown's skilful storytelling merges time travel and magic, urging readers to expand their perception of reality and embrace the limitless capabilities of the human spirit. As Cassie sets out on her journey, her character undergoes a remarkable transformation, maturing from a curious and inexperienced young woman into a formidable and self-assured individual. Prepare yourself for an emotional roller coaster as this story tugs at your heartstrings, evoking sadness, happiness, anxiety, and more. It's an exciting story packed with adventure, intrigue, suspense, and a touch of horror.

Many thanks to @GarethJohnBrown @TransworldBooks & @NetGalley for this fantastic story.

"This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door."

When one of the elderly customers at the bookstore Cassie works at dies, he leaves her a very peculiar gift. Next to him, she finds a book with strange writing and drawings, called 'The Book of Doors', addressed to her.

That night she's able to create portals to go to places she's visited before, all across Europe. Her roommate Izzy thinks the book might be dangerous, and that it shouldn't be used. Until a mysterious Scotsman named Drummond Fox falls into their lives, warning them they're in grave danger, just before a man who would do almost anything for the book, arrives with magical books of his own.

Cassie learns of Drummond's library, which holds not just thousands of ordinary books, but 17 magical ones, all with different abilities, he tries to keep them safe and out of the hands of those who would misuse them. Like 'The Woman', a cruel and evil creature who wishes to have all the books for herself, and enjoys causing absolute pain and misery in her quest to do so.

Initially, I was a bit worried that I wasn't feeling the kind of amazement that a book like this should make me feel – a book about how books are magical. The pacing was a bit odd at the beginning and I struggled to connect with Cassie. I feel like the author could have made her even deeper and more flawed than he did – she's been through a lot in her life, after all. I also felt Drummond could have been more fleshed out. That said, I really enjoyed the plot and concept of the book. A little twist somewhere along the line could have worked nicely, just to keep us on our toes, but overall an enjoyable read.

When Cassie, a bibliophile bookstore assistant in New York City, is given a strange book by a regular customer, her life changes. The ‘Book of Doors’ she soon discovers can make any door connect with any other door and so her world changes.
This is an incredibly inventive story which manages to include inter-continental travel, time travel, mind boggling paradoxes and all sorts of magic on the way as it tells the story of Cassie and a group of friends trying to keep the book out of the hands of those who would use it to do seriously bad things. I liked the way that time travel is handled and that an explanation of why the past cannot be changed is included early on. There were numerous paradoxes which appeared but all were resolved very neatly so there were no loose ends.
Early in the story we discover that the Book of Doors is only one of an unspecified number of other ‘Special Books’ which are much sought after and change hands for huge sums. Some of these make an appearance in the story but it is clear that by no means all of them feature in this tale.
Some sections of the story had an almost ‘Back to the Future’ feel as more and more versions of the same character turned up in the same locations waiting for events to happen before they could then carry on with the plan.
The whole story had a cinematic feel to it and I could easily see it translated to the big screen or as a TV story and, although the book is very much a standalone tale I could think of at least five different threads that the author could follow for a sequel (or series of sequels) should he wish to do so.
The only section which I felt was weak was the dream like sequence about two thirds of the way through the book. Although the language used was lyrical and a picture was clearly painted of the ‘Everywhere Nowhere’ I thought that it did not fit in well with the rest of the story. Cassie is very much a ‘matter of fact’ character and I would have preferred this section to have been written in the same tone. In my opinion the events would still have been clear to the reader without the jarring change of style (although it could be argued that this was a deliberate decision to match the jarring change of location).
All the characters feel very well drawn and individual. By the end they form a ‘well balanced party’ with differing skill sets which will all be required if they are to save the day. The writing made it very easy to picture and hear the characters as we moved through the story which I think, would allow easy translation to script form should a visual version ever be considered.
Overall though I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I hope that we will hear more about the books in the future.
Thanks to Random House UK for a review copy.

This book really surprised me and I found it very unexpected. It's an urban fantasy that takes place mostly in New York as we follow Cassie who is left a book that can open doors everywhere. Upon trying to find out more about this magical book, she and her friend are thrust into a world of danger and atrocities.

It went a lot darker then I was expecting as the tone of the book felt light hearted at the beginning, but I didn't mind as it reflected the reality of magical tomes in the hands of those with, lets just say..... not so nice thoughts.

A few unexpected twists that kept me turning the pages and I liked what the author did with time travel, but I feel like there was a little bit to be desired with the magic system. Although bare in mind I am someone who reads fantasy series rather then standalones.

Overall I enjoyed it and would recommend to those who enjoy urban fantasy standalones that have mysterious magic.

Thank you to Random House for providing me with a DRC!!

The Book of Doors is a love letter to readers who wish they could open a door and be whisked away to their favourite fictional worlds. Time travel within books can often make me vary, however author Gareth Brown has effortlessly weaved a beautiful and riveting tale exploring the theme of grief and humanity that readers will be unable to put down. I have to agree with my fellow reviewers that this is a story that would make an incredible live adaption on TV, and this is something I truly hope to see come to life. I look forward to recommending this book upon release.

Wow! Just wow! This book had me desperate to keep reading and I was so invested in Cassie as the rather brilliant main character. The idea behind the 'Book of Doors' and other magical books is such an interesting one and original too. The way that Gareth Brown weaved the story between the different characters and different time frames (as the most exciting thing about the Book of Doors is indeed time-travel) was absolutely brilliant and whilst I guessed how Mr Webber came to have the Book of Doors, there were other 'loose ends' that I hadn't. Loved the ending and how this supported Cassie in her grief.
The images that are created are at times quite brutal and some readers may find upsetting or disturbing. However, this did not detract from what I feel is an epic novel and likely to be a bestseller. I'll certainly be recommending it!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

Cassie works in a bookshop but when a customer dies she finds a book he has left for her. Its a book of doors and she can go anywhere with it.
But other people want this book and will stop at nothing to get it.
Cassie and her friend Izzy are in danger but there is someone who can help them.
Drummond Fox has a collection of magic books which he keeps hidden away because someone or something is after them all.

Such a beautifully written, and magical book. I got lost within the storyline and truly felt as if I had been transported to this magical world. An incredible read.

I really liked the opening and then as the story branched out I started to wonder if it was my kind of book after all. The further on I read the more I got into it though and by the end I have to say I loved it. Very cleverly written and the time travel element is really satisfying too.

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The book of doors is like no other read I have ever experienced. It's the story of several lives and how they all interact and yet don't. Times that pass in a flash and yet happen all over again. There are moments of absolute violence and some of profound sadness.

There are also moments that will make you laugh out loud.

Read this in one sitting. Was up until 3am and don’t regret it. It’s got everything. Intrigue; fantasy; thriller type theme. I’m going to be recommending it to EVERYONE as I can’t see it not appealing to anyone. Fabulous.

This book got me hooked from the very beginning! It was so good that I finished it in a day! It mesmerized me and transported me to Cassie's magical and adventure-filled world. I felt that the book was well-thought of and well-put together. I can totally see this book being adapted as a tv-series! I loved reading this book and it lived up to my expectations. I can easily give it more than 5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

“They had been brilliant and funny and so alive, and now they were not; they were full stops at the end of a beautiful poem.”

“Thanks also to Dougal and Flora for making me laugh every day. They won’t read this, because they are dogs, but they’ll know. Dogs always know.”

Book of Doors was my third read of 2024 and I knew immediately that it was going to be one of my best reads of the year. This debut was well written with perfect pacing featuring the classic good vs evil battle, the importance of meaningful connections and the joy of friendship.

This story has all the wonder and intrigue that I expected from a few other books that I had read in 2023 and disappointed. Gareth winds in questions and twists that add to the story particularly as they are resolved. Cassie can be frustrating at times but this lends to her character as well as the entire premise of the story. Drummond is a fascinating character whose motivation for what he does becoming clear as we learn his history. There are moments that have you holding back tears, often unsuccessfully in my case and has me pleading for these to be changed so that it wouldn’t hurt so much. This too is addressed which is satisfying, if not still painful, bringing you a smile through the tears.

My only complaint is that I was still a bit unsure of the premise underlying the beginning of it all, despite it being explained and my reading this section several times. But it is a small issue in my larger enjoyment of this book. And an author who thanks his dogs in his acknowledgements, is one I want to read more books from. Although this did leave me with more questions about Dougal and Flora. What do they look like?

Pick this up if you are a fan of an intriguing new facet of fantasy that is well-developed and are looking for a stand-alone novel that is sure not to disappoint.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to enjoy a new writer that is now an auto-buy for me

A beautiful story, perfect for people who consider themselves Readers - those who love books and stories and find it a key part of their nature, as opposed to casual readers. Though slow at times, the world and magic system of the books is a delight and you feel in skilled hands with the author.

I didn't expect graphic violence from the book's cover and description, but in a way that's part of the story's charm. it's a fantasy sci-fi book about grief and humanity and I didn't expect it to be everything that it was.

This is an incredibly strong, enchanting debut (I almost can't believe this is the author's first book) and was a delight to read. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

What a story! Early contender for my favourite book of 2024…
The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown is a fantasy novel pitting good against evil. Cassie, who works in a bookstore in New York, is given The Book of Doors. She soon discovers its secrets and the existence of a number of similar magical books - some good, some with potential to wreak havoc and harm. Cassie is joined by a wonderful cast of supporting characters: some whose names we never learn, others who become important in her life.
If you love books and their potential to transport you to other worlds The Book of Doors is a great read - every book is a doorway to another world for its reader and this takes that idea and flies with it.

Fantasy writers have many go to objects and images but two stand out – books and doors. For fantasy books involving books it is hard to go past the many magical books referenced in the Harry Potter Series (including of course Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) but there are also, more recently Garth Nix’s Left Handed Booksellers of London and Sunyi Dean’s The Book Eaters. And fantasy is replete with doorways and portals from the wardrobe entrance to Narnia through more recently to Alix E Harrow’s Ten-Thousand Doors of January and Seanan McGuire’s Every Heart a Doorway. Fantasy author Gareth Brown takes these two tropes and mashes them together in his debut The Book of Doors.
Cassie works in a bookshop and has a friendship with Mr Webber who comes in to read and drink hot chocolate. When Mr Webber dies in the shop he leaves Cassie a strange small book called the Book of Doors with the inscription: “Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door”. Cassie, with the help of her flatmate and friend Izzy, soon finds that this is in fact the case and using the book she can turn the doors in her apartment into any door in the world. But the Book of Doors is only one of many books of power (each has a different effect) and the appearance of that book puts Cassie in some very dangerous cross hairs. Fortunately she is found first by Scotsman Drummond Fox, keeper of a secret library who can help her understand the book and navigate the shadowworld that she has fallen into.
The Book of Doors starts with a fairly standard fantasy premise – an ordinary person obtains eldritch powers and in doing so finds that the world is much stranger than she first thought. She then has to come to terms with that new understanding of the world and her place in it and use those new powers to survive. But the opening section does seed a number of puzzles that take much of the book to resolve. That resolution depends on a fairly hard swerve somewhere around the middle when Brown throws time travel into the mix after which The Book of Doors has to play out a series of bootstrap paradoxes. While the action after this point, including a kind of heist element, is enough to keep the pages turning, readers who worry too much about the time travel shenanigans are likely to be less impressed. All that said, The Book of Doors is fantasy. So that while Brown does set up and stick to a series of “rules” they are not scientific rules.
And, for all the swearing, violence and smattering of body-horror, it is very much fantasy in Young-Adult mode – a sort of coming of age story of a young woman, and a cast of side characters who are either good, neutral (but good) or moustache-twirlingly bad. All of which makes The Book of Doors a mostly fun but slight fantasy debut that shows plenty of promise.