When Cassie receives the Book of Doors she finds opportunities and adventures. But with it comes a deadly pursuit as others also want the book for evil. She finds an ally in Drummond Fox, who has his own book collection including the Book of Shadows.
A dark fantasy novel, brutal and unflinching. Also very sad as the subject of moving through grief is explored. I loved following Cassie’s personal journey as we learnt about her past and her relationship with her beloved grandfather.
This book has echoes of The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas.

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...