I loved the concept of this book - Cassie is given a magical book, which can open doors. Any door, including ones to the past. It turns out that it's just one of a whole library of books which have special powers, manipulating light, shadows, illusion, human emotions and more, and that it's incredibly dangerous to have one of these books.

The book didn't really grab me though, some of the violence was pretty horrible and the explanation of how the books were made and how The Woman ended up the way she did didn't really make much sense even within the context of the story. There are some great characters (Izzie, the Bookseller) but overall I just found I didn't really enjoy the book very much. It's a great concept and it's well written, it just left me a bit cold.

Cassie works in a bookshop and when her favourite elderly customer dies, he leaves her a book full of mysterious scribblings with a note on the first page saying “Any door is every door.”
Cassie takes it home and finds that her new book has magical properties, allowing her to open any door and step into anywhere and anytime. Thus begins an epic journey for Cassie and her flatmate Izzy in which they meet the Librarian, the Bookseller, and the book hunters. They discover more books with magical properties and some larger than life villains have chosen to use the books for evil rather than for good, so Cassie discovers that by using her book she has put herself and Izzy in mortal danger.
The Book of Doors is intricately plotted and fast paced after a slightly slow start. The many seemingly random threads of the story start to make sense and interweave leading to a tense and action-packed conclusion. The whole story is so cleverly constructed, the main characters are well developed, and the prose is really well written "The fire chatted in crackles while the sea whispered and hushed"
This is an impressive debut and I look forward to more from Gareth Brown.

Cassie receives a book unlike any book she has ever seen - it is a book of doors that can take you anywhere you want to go - what starts out as a fun activity finding places to go to soon turns a bit sinister as people want her book. I loved the magical aspect of this and all of the other books that had magic powers! Reminded me a bit of Ten Thousand Doors of January which I also loved. I loved the characters and all the magical bits to the book. Fab story

"If you could open a door to anywhere, where would you go?" poses a tantalizing question that sets the stage for a captivating tale in this novel. In the bustling backdrop of New York, Cassie Andrews, a seemingly ordinary bookseller, receives an extraordinary gift from a beloved customer—a peculiar book filled with enigmatic writing and mysterious illustrations. Thus begins Cassie's journey into the enchanting world of "The Book of Doors," a realm where any door can lead to every door.

As Cassie delves into the secrets of the Book of Doors, she discovers the extraordinary powers it bestows upon its possessor. Alongside her best friend Izzy, Cassie embarks on a thrilling exploration of the book's capabilities, transforming their quiet lives into a whirlwind of possibilities and adventures.

However, the magic of the Book of Doors comes with a price, as Cassie and Izzy soon find themselves entangled in a web of danger. The novel takes an unexpected turn when other magical books with both wondrous and perilous abilities come into play, wielded by individuals with sinister motives. The duo's once-idyllic existence is shattered, forcing them to confront violence and an unnamed evil that threatens their newfound powers.

Amidst the chaos, a mysterious figure named Drummond Fox emerges as a potential ally, possessing his own secret library of magical books. Fleeing from personal demons, Fox becomes a crucial player in the unfolding drama, as the characters are thrust into a high-stakes battle against a malevolent force that hunts them all.

This novel expertly weaves together elements of magic, adventure, and suspense, creating a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The exploration of magical books adds depth to the story, introducing a captivating blend of wonder and danger. With its richly developed characters and a plot that balances excitement with mystery, "If you could open a door to anywhere, where would you go?" promises an immersive reading experience, drawing readers into a world where the allure of limitless possibilities collides with the ever-present threat of darkness.

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.