An awesome book! What a mind to conjure up such fantastic ideas and keep track of all the books, characters and timelines. I must admit I had to concentrate a bit at times to work out who was when and where but it's well worth it. The concept is brilliant.

Thank you to the author, publishers Bantam and NetGalley UK for access to this as an advance reader’s ebook. This is an honest and voluntary review.

Cassie lives a quiet but comfortable life, working in a bookshop and sharing an apartment with her best friend. But, when a regular customer dies leaving her a small unassuming book called The Book of Doors, she enters a world of adventure and wonder the likes of which she never imagined.

A fantastic idea, and a wonderfully inventive world I was happy to be lost in.

While I’m always intrigued by stories about the magic of books I’ve rarely found them to deliver on my expectations. The Book of Doors is that rare exception.

There are places where the story could be tighter, the occasional character that could be more developed, and some plot lines that could have been explored more to fully deliver. And, yet I wouldn’t have this book any other way than it is.

From the very first pages it grabbed me with it’s warmth. The sense of wonder in what the world could be. In all the very best ways it reminded me of The Neverending Story and The Box of Delights. That sense of a childlike immersion in a world of magic. Although The Book of Doors can also be brutal. There are some death scenes which are quite full-on and really stand out against that initial sense of wonder. And, yet that contrast absolutely works.

I look forward to more from this author.

I know that it is still early on in 2024 but this has to be starting my list of my books of the year 2024. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it's interesting twist. Very well written.

Received this as an ARC thank you wow 🤩 it’s blowing me away a fantastic read ! Galloping plot can’t believe it’s a debut ! Would make an excellent 👌 tv series. Compared to a discovery of witches but with books 📕 and omg a real baddie I am scared of “the woman” highly recommend it - published on 15 February in Uk

‘Don’t let the world pass you by.’

The first thing you learn about Cassie is that she works in a bookstore. So, basically, she’s a kindred spirit.

It’s just beginning to snow as she’s getting ready to close Kellner Books for the night. Mr Webber, a regular, is mid coffee. He’s reading The Count of Monte Cristo again. Mr Webber loves the classics.

‘A good story is just as good the second time around.’

This is the night that Mr Webber gives Cassie a book. All books are special but this one is life-changing. I mean, more than other life-changing books. Cassie gets a glimpse of just how much when she gets home that night. You see, Venice isn’t usually in her bedroom.

This is the Book of Doors and the possibilities are endless. It’s one of the most coveted books in the world and many who seek it have nefarious agendas.

“Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.”

The heart of this book for me was Mr Webber. He was an absolute sweetheart. He could have been on every page and I still would have wanted to spend more time with him.

I wasn’t a fan of the way two characters spoke at times. One of the baddies was misogynistic, racist and made light of domestic violence at one point. You can be the biggest Bad without resorting to any of this and, other than making me despise them more, it added nothing to the story. Neither did Izzy body shaming herself.

I’ve decided I should never live above a cheesecake shop. I am, however, ready to move in to the Shadow House.

This book contains a lot of magic. My favourite magic, though, was the ice cream that didn’t go off in ten years. Not that ice cream will ever have a chance of expiring in my home but I liked the idea that, if you were so inclined, you could go back and finish off that ice cream you started eating a decade ago. Although, now that I think about it, if you’re the sort of person who could leave ice cream unfinished for years, I’m not sure I trust you. This type of magic may be wasted on you.

I don’t know if you can read this book without thinking about how you would use the Book of Doors. I’d be walking through my maternal grandparents’ front door in the 90’s. They were my favourite people and there are so many things I want to tell them about: what’s happening in my life, stories they’d laugh at, movies and books I know they’d love. I’d want to hear more stories about their lives and have the opportunity to have random conversations with them about whatever.

I also thought about which book other than the Book of Doors I’d like to have in my possession. There are so many that wield enormous power, that could be used to change the world, for better or worse. I think the Book of Joy is the one for me, though. The possibilities alone make me smile.

‘It’s always about the books, isn’t it?’

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bantam Press, an imprint of Transworld Publishers, Penguin Random House UK, for the opportunity to read this book.

I was completely intrigued by the synopsis of The Book of Doors. I’d describe it as part fantasy, part thriller and part horror. New York City bookseller Cassie lives an unassuming life until one day she is given a book. It’s an unusual book filled with strange writings and drawings telling her that this is the Book of Doors and whoever possesses it will have extraordinary powers. But it appears this is not the only magical book in the world as Cassie and her friend Izzy soon discover. It’s a tale of intrigue and mystery that will keep you enthralled as the plot unfolds. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK Transworld Publishers and the author for the chance to review.

”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.”

Cassie is handed a kind of journal with random scribblings from a dead man - the Book of Doors: <i>Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door</i>.
However, this magical opportunity doesn’t come without its risks. There are bookhuhters who are picking people off one by one and taking their books.

The villain, the Woman, felt extremely caricature and barely evil. Her purpose in life: to bring pain into the world, to make other living things suffer. She relished the idea of using despair as a weapon.

This felt similar to The Midnight Library - preaching about getting over grief, having experiences, living life.

“You don't have a right to be happy, Cassidy… Happiness is not something you sit and wait for. You have to choose it and pursue it in spite of everything else. It's not going to be given to you.”

Even though I don’t think the author sets out to be insulting, there is frequent sentences that don’t sit right with me. There is blatant fat phobia and body shaming despite this being a book filled with delicious food descriptions. Then there is just off-key remarks which seem out-of place and uncalled for.
Just one example:

“You look like a cow,' Izzy observed, but there was no cruelty in it.

This book presents an idea of time travel I have always personally seen the most potential in, and that’s always exciting. Even though this isn’t a book I would deem science fiction, it does delve into the concept of time travel and altering the prospect of altering the past.

Overall, I think this might appeal to younger readers, but maybe not individuals who go into this with high expectations.

I would recommend this if you enjoyed Ink, Blood, Sister, Scribe or The City of Stardust.

Thank you to Random House for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the ideas in this book, but it didn't deliver them very well. I feel like author had this great ideas but didn't know how exactly to write a story about it.

I really liked the concept of magical books, and I would love to have a book of doors!

Plot is very straightforward, with few surprises. It's easy to read and it feels like it's written for young teens. The feelings are explained as to a child. I usually enjoy YA and children's books, but I didn't expect such writing style from a book labelled Adult.

There is very little character development, and all of them have nothing interesting about them.

This is such a creative story that had me engrossed from the very start. The book of doors has everything I would want in a book and even things I didn’t know I wanted. It’s magical, it’s different and it’s captivating.

Thank you so much for the arc

This is the most interesting book I've read in a while and so very cleverly written and put together. The story did not progress in the way I thought it would and the plot was so cleverly orchestrated. I stayed up late so I could finish it, so compelling was the ending. I can't wait for it to be published so I can recommend it to others! (Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC).

The concept of this book is what drew me in - a fantasy novel full of magic and time travel. I also adore books about books and libraries so I was so excited to read this one.

However, it was just too slow for me - I think pacing is so important to keep people wanting to read on and this one felt too much like a slog.

It was really well written and the overall story was great.

If you do not mind slower books, then you should pick this one up! Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

I love books and I adore fantasy, especially speculative fiction, and this new novel is everything I hoped it would be.

It’s incredibly difficult to express how good this book is! I’ll summarise..
• Perfect settings - think NY bookshops, Scottish castles, libraries, piazzas, coffee shops..
• Brilliant characters - varied, interesting and a protagonist you can really invest in.
• Plot - the PLOT! This twists and turns, backward and forward and laws of physics are upturned and what could be complicated feels expertly real.
• THE BOOKS! ..!

Book Review
Title: The Book of Doors
Author: Gareth Brown
Publisher: @transworldbooks
Pub Date: 15th Feb 2024

Thank you @netgallery for an advanced copy of this ebook. This book has taken me outside my usual genre, and I’ve loved the journey!!
In this magical book, we meet orphaned Cassie grieving her beloved grandfather. When Cassies mysteriously receives a book which has the power to transport her through any door she visualises, she is set on a trajectory that incorporates time travel as well as coming face to face with others who have similar books. What Cassie does not initially know is that these books also have bestowed on them certain powers that will draw her deep into the realms of good and evil. As the adventure unfolds, Cassie comes face to face with having to make judgment calls on people she meets along the way, fight for her life and the lives of her friends, and ultimately fight for good over evil.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well plotted and imaginative and crafted multiple timelines together seamlessly and cleverly. The story line had layers of complexity that held my concentration and attention, and I specifically loved the final third of the book. The description of the big battles between good and evil were particularly visceral and had my heart racing.

Although attempts were made to draw out the characters there was a sense of telling of the characters rather than a showing of the characters. Therefore, I found the book’s plot stronger than its character development.

However, despite that I loved that this book transported me to many places. I loved the magical elements that made me suspend belief. Finally, I would love to read other books in this genre.
Rating: 4

If you like magic, time travel and friendship this is the book for you. To be honest there were bits of the book I struggled with but that was probably my problem not the books.
Cassie lives in New York and shares an apartment with Izzy. She works in a bookshop because she loves to read. One day a customer gives her a book and the adventures begin.
Like a lot of books I felt that the ending was a bit rushed. 95% of the book was setting up the story, introducing the characters and taking us along with them but the denouement seemed too quick.

I really loved the premise of this book. Bookthemed books are almost always an immediate sign up for me anyways. But unfortunately it didn't live up to the expectation.

The book felt dry and chuncky to read, I just couldn't get into it. I think a big problem was, that I didn't like any of the characters and couldn't relate to anyone in the book. They all felt rather bland and stereotypical and the main character at times is just downright egoistical. Same goes for the villains, no real backstory, they just spit out the most evil shit. YESSS we get it girl, you like to torture people, I don't need to read about that again and again in that depth, thanks.

Another thing which might be overlooked, but really annoyed me: The characters do and say a lot of problematic shit without a hint of contextualisation.

One example is the way some of the women talk about their weight and food in general. I don't have the exact quotest but something along the lines of: "I can't eat bread or I'll get fat". It screams unresolved body issues from the early 2000s paired with weird eating myths. Just feels icky, especially written by a man and without some progress or education on that topic throughout the book. It's just used as like a "character trait".

Same with one of the villains who just goes and insults marginalized characters with their marginalized traits. Also without further explanation or the "good characters" reacting to it in some way even just in thoughts thinking: Wow, that's not cool.

On a positive note: I really liked how timetravel was portrayed. Its logic made sense to me. And the books with their different powers also felt really cool and well thought out. There also were a few twist that I didn't see coming and that were rather interesting.

All in all just 2.5/5

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pure Escapism at its best! The Book of Doors is a joyful, superbly written Urban Fantasy that focuses on magical and wonderful books!

With a cast of enchanting, beguiling characters, the big book reads at a pace,I hurtled through in just a couple of days such was my intrigue to dig and immerse deeper in to Gareth Browns World.

This is a book full of wonder and mystique, it’s fun and accessible fantasy, it’s for everyone with the pace, action and mystery that it brings.

Whilst being a vibrant and engaging read, there is a dark feel lurking with despicable villains and genuinely shocking moments.

I found parts of the book just a tad rushed and would have loved another 100 pages to really paint the pictures but Gareth Brown does so excellently tie all the strings together that I’m just being greedy.

Fabulous.

Cassie Andrews is living a normal, uneventful life, working in a bookshop in New York City until, one day, her favourite customer gives her a gift of a very special book – the Book of Doors. This book allows Cassie to step through any doorway, anywhere. But there are other magical books out there, and there are people who will stop at nothing to get their hands on them.

The Book of Doors is an intriguing fantasy, complete with magic, fighting and time travel. The story centres around Cassie and her best friend Izzy, who eventually team up with Drummond, Lund and Azaki to protect the magical books. They’re a great and interesting mix of characters who all bring something to the table and change up the dynamic depending on who is where at different points in the story.

The main thing that stood out to me about this book was how intricate and well-planned the entire plot was, especially when it came to the time travel element. There were large plot points as well as small details that were mentioned early in the story that seemingly had no relevance at the time, which became key markers of Cassie’s time hops. This was really smartly done and probably one of the best-planned time travel novels I’ve read.

The only thing I wasn’t fully on board with were the romantic implications laid out between Cassie and Drummond. Even taking into account Cassie’s age jump when she spends time in the past, Drummond seemed to be much older than her and their attraction to each other felt a little bit creepy to me (although I may have been misinterpreting their respective ages).

Cassie is leading an uninspiring life working as a salesperson in a New York bookstore when late one evening one of her oldest and most liked customers dies on the premises just as she is about to lock up. While waiting for the police to arrive Cassie notices that he has left her a small book entitled The Book of Doors and her life is never the same again.
With this book ‘any door is all doors’ and so Cassie is able to travel from her apartment to Venice, Paris, London, anywhere, simply by opening the door! Cassie is enthralled. However, it turns out that The Book of Doors is not the only magical book and there are book hunters and collectors who want to own them all. Cassie and her flatmate Izzy are soon drawn into a nightmarish world of intrigue and pain.
The Book of Doors is one of the most original and enjoyable books that I have read in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I spent reading it.

Stories about powerful books are kind of trendy. An imaginative twist to time travel stories written in a thriller way which is greatly recommended for a page turning science fiction mood.

The Book of Doors is about Cassie who works in a bookshop and one day one of her customers died and left her a book with a personalized message. This book can turn any door to every door. It was a fascinating premise. I like books about books and I like time travel so The Book of Doors immediately caught my attention. The story is well-written, with a slow start that picks up momentum as the plot unfolds. I found it difficult to put the book down once I became immersed in the story. I have come across a few reviews which suggest that there may be potential for a sequel, and I hope this is the case.  Overall, this was a very magical book to read. I highly recommend it. Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy.