I was sent a copy of The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown to read and review by NetGalley. The concept of this novel is brilliant and there are a lot of twists and turns to keep you interested. I did feel however, that it became a little confusing at times and somewhat repetitive in places. The story did jump around a lot, which you would expect when considering time travel and generally this was ok, but I did feel some episodes were unnecessary and there was one aspect in the book that wasn’t explained. I feel the prose could have been tightened up a bit, even though this is aimed at young adults, but overall it is a great read and I think it has the potential to turn into a series.

For me, this was a powerful book. I cried multiple times, especially so during the raw moments of grief and loss of paternal figures. There was an ache of loneliness that echoed throughout the book and it caught me unawares. I really connected with Cassie's desire to return to that feeling of home, of feeling displaced and adrift making her way through life.

From the beginning of the book, I was captivated by the irresistible bookish quotes and setting. Our main character works in a second-hand bookstore in New York, before being swept along on a journey to faraway places and high-stakes escapades. The glimpses of places such as Prague, Venice, New Orleans and New York have awoken my wanderlust and I'm now craving a solo trip to people watch and soak up a foreign city.

The magic system is a lovely metaphor for books holding power and having the ability to affect and transport you. All readers can relate to the feeling of getting lost or escaping within a book, as well as emerging having gained something unexpected. It reminded me a lot of The Starless Sea, The Midnight Library or The End of Mr Y, due to the prominence of books, libraries and doorways to other realities. However, this story felt more rooted in magical realism than your typical fantasy. Some twists (which I don't want to spoil) felt more sci-fi or paranormal in nature than magical and I'll be honest, many of the more scientific musings of the characters or events went over my head.

I don't disagree with other reviewers that some of the characters are abhorrent, designed to be shocking, racist, misogynistic and hateful and without those characteristics adding much to the plot. I can understand those who choose to avoid media with such content as that offends them. I am glad that I was able to stick with the story, to see the heroes take on such vile villains and values in the end.

Despite that, there is a coziness woven into the story that gives moments of comfort and respite. The Fox Library sounds like a reader's dream, made of old books, carved wood and comfy places to curl up with a cuppa. Regularly the characters steal precious minutes of camaraderie, croissants and coffee in far-flung corners of the world. I was generously provided with an e-book ARC and ended up switching to audiobook after the release and I really enjoyed the narrator's performance. She has a calm, soothing voice that lent itself to the story well. She also skillfully switched between accents and voices, Scottish, South African, French, English and American to name a few and that in itself left a lasting impression.

Thank you Random House UK and Gareth Brown for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is one of the most intelligent, heart-pounding, and enchanting books I've had the pleasure of reading in recent times. It resonates with both your intellect and your emotions. The author's imaginative storytelling whisks you away to diverse places and introduces you to intriguing, well-developed characters. You won't want to put this book down; it's the kind of story that makes you wish you could skip work and all other responsibilities, allowing you to immerse yourself in its mesmerizing words and magical universe.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

a captivating book that has you on the edge of your seat

and who wouldnt want to have all those adventures with all those doors at your finger tips.. but there are people after those special books for their own gain...

Cassie is a bookseller in New York, one day she’s gifted a book by a customer - a book that can open doors to anywhere in the world. At first Cassie finds this exciting….but then realises there are more books like this that do different kinds of things…and they are sought after- at any price.

This book is right up my street - magic, danger, excitement, and a little tinge of sadness.

It’s a fast paced read, and one that I really loved reading.

My thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the copy

I loved the concept of this book so much. Books having different powers and the magic to do different things. I liked what was done with it. It didn’t disappoint me in that regard at all. It made me think of all the things I could do if I had the Book of Doors. Going anywhere I pleased. Which is what a book like this is meant to do. It makes you think about what you’d do if you had the powers in the book and takes you away into a new world.

I also liked the way it all fitted together. It was a really good standalone read. Everything was explained and it all fitted neatly together. I wasn’t confused or left wondering about any of it. I liked the ending, I felt it tied up all the loose ends nicely and though while I’d like to see another book with this magic and these characters, it didn’t feel like it needed one.

The only problem I had with it is that it needed a sensitivity reader in some parts. The author tried really hard to include diverse characters, but he didn’t treat them as well as they should have been treated. He fell into the trap of having the female main character look in the mirror and describe her boobs for one thing, which is something I hate to see. I was also particularly shocked to see him describe a black man as an animal. He meant it because he was evil, but considering the history of how black people and especially black men can be treated, it felt entirely inappropriate. A sensitivity reader could have picked up on these things and made it a much better book.

All in all though, I enjoyed it a lot, despite it’s flaws.

I really enjoyed this book, it was unique in its use of magic and the characters jumped off the page. I felt the main villain could have had more of an imposing presence on the story as a whole. There was however a lot I did enjoy about this story, the idea of having a book that can take you anywhere in time or space as long as you know the door you want to walk through.

What if you wanted to disappear into a book to your favorite place? Well that's what our heroine Cassie finds out. However not all is as it seems, as multiple people are after the book of doors. Danger lurks at every corner.

The characters leapt off the pages as I dove into this world. I love the writing style of this book!

Thanks for Net Galley for an early copy of this eARC.

“The Book of Doors” is a brilliant book by Gareth Brown.
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Plot: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Characters: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Adrenaline: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This was a brilliant story! A book for books 🤯 ! What more can a bookworm like me ask? A perfect mixture of fantasy, adventure, good vs evil, moral ethics and of course books… magical books to be more precise! The writing style is good, reads quickly and has stories of multiple characters so you have a fuller idea of the story as you read all POVs. I loved that about this book. Language is simple without unnecessarily complicated words.

This book makes you want to be part of the story, wondering what you would do if you were to be gifted a book of doors that could lead you everywhere, even in the past. What would you give to have a chat with someone long gone? Or maybe a book of illusions is more your cup of tea? How many problems you could resolve if such books existed in real life, but also how dangerous it would be for humanity if they were to fall into the wrong pair of hands?

I would recommend it to all lovers of fantasy, magical powers, books about books and time travel. In my opinion is a must-read and I am definitely getting a copy for my library!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my early copy.

A captivating story which was whimsical and magical. I loved the writing style, would definitely recommend!

"Book of Doors" by Gareth Brown is a riveting fantasy novel that will transport readers into a world of magic, mystery, and adventure. The story follows Cassie Andrews, a New York bookseller who receives a mysterious gift from a favourite customer - a book filled with strange writing and drawings. This book, known as the Book of Doors, grants extraordinary powers to whoever possesses it, allowing them to travel to any desired location.
As Cassie and her best friend Izzy begin to explore the capabilities of the Book of Doors, they soon find themselves entangled in a dangerous game with individuals who seek to claim its power for themselves. With the help of Drummond Fox, a man with a collection of magical books, Cassie and Izzy must navigate violence and betrayal to protect the books and themselves.
The characters in the novel are well-developed and engaging, each grappling with their demons and insecurities. Cassie, in particular, is a relatable protagonist who is still coming to terms with the loss of her grandfather and the guilt she feels over his passing. Izzy provides a beautiful contrast to Cassie's introverted nature, adding humour and fun to the story.
Overall, "Book of Doors" is a captivating read that will appeal to fans of fantasy and adventure. Brown's imaginative world-building and suspenseful plot keep the reader hooked from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling escape into a world of magic and intrigue.

The Book of Doors is a journey of illusion and mystery. From the very beginning you are taken on an adventure where truth is distorted and belief is suspended.
I loved the idea of the different books and how they each had the power within them to manipulate and change things. Such a clever idea to use the physical form of the written word to hold such magic.
Cassie is a wonderful main character- her love of all things bookish so evident in her grasp for new adventures.
This is a story of friendship, of love and of grief and how it can make us stronger as we learn to live from the actions and stories of the past.

DNF @ 64%

I had such high hopes for this book but unfortunately, it had a lot of issues.

To start with the good, the concept was excellent. Such an interesting idea that drew me in completely and made me excited to read the story.

The not so good list is quite a bit longer.
I DNF’d at 64% for a few reasons - I was really struggling to stay interested in the story and as a result of that, didn’t really care what the outcome was. The obsession with food throughout the book was genuinely bizarre and a little concerning. The body shaming comments towards women were completely unnecessary. The racist slurs used (later in the book which I heard about from other reviewers) were again, completely unnecessary and if the writer has to resort to including those to make a character a villain, they should possibly consider another career.

Overall the bad far outweighed the good for me and having taken 4 days to get 64%, I felt I’d given it enough of a chance and have come to the realisation that this book isn’t for me.

The Book of Doors is a truly enjoyable read. Gareth Brown skilfully weaves together wonder and magic for this tale. I would recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown 

Thank you Netgalley for the arc for an unbiased review.

This book is undoubtedly one some will enjoy. Indeed, it ticked off a lot of my preferences in the genre. 

And then it all began falling apart as I started reading. I was initially drawn into learning more about Cassie, the fmc. But on the introduction of Izzy, some of the unease I had on how the author was bringing in stereotypical tropes for women only began to increase.

The plot began to become overly lacklustre with pacing issues that were as up and down as much the book seemed to be. One minute I could enjoy something written, only to have it blown apart in the next sentence or paragraph. 

However, what really made the book stop being enjoyable, no matter how little I was gaining at this point, was the use of one bad guys outright racism, bigotry, misogyny and emotional brutality, that was frankly not at all needed. Some books that tackle certain subjects can use these as plotpoints. 

This is NOT that kind of book in my opinion. What on earth processed the author to write what he did I don't know? Or honestly why someone in the publishing team didn't flag it up as a poor idea! 

I did push myself to finish, but the book was ultimately ruined for me. Had I not got a review to write, I would have done something that is rare for me, with it becoming a DNF. As it was, I slogged through the rest, but nothing was able to pull it back for me. 

1 out of 5 stars and truthfully I have no regrets giving it such a low score.

Not a book I will bother with again, nor recommend. 

⭐️

I have said to my bookish friends that at the moment there seems to be a surge of books based around libraries, magical books, and combinations of both. Book of Doors does not disappoint. Fresh from reading The Invisible Library I picked this one up to continue getting my fix of magical books and libraries and I loved it. The novel was gripping and Gareth does a fantastic job of giving us an enthralling story. This Fantasy story has a bit of everything inside, action, tension, fantastical and amazing books, and captivating characters. It will suit all types of readers. Given this is a debut novel I am looking forward to reading more from Gareth.

I am grateful to Netgalley and Random House for sending me an eArc of this book so I could leave an honest review. It was so good I made sure I pre-ordered a signed copy to add to my library, which arrived today.

Many years ago I remember reading a fantasy book, The Name Of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, and found it an amazing book and something completely different from the crime fiction that I normally read. I had exactly the same kind of experience with this book. It is quite a long read with a number of characters and stories involved but the author brings everything to life with his descriptive and emotive way of writing.
The story is quite dark and eerie at times but there is a lot of emotion, love and building of lifelong friendships within the book. There is also a lot of evil goes one and it does make you think about what power does to people, how they can change their attitudes and how sometimes money and power overcomes everything. There are certainly a lot of true events that you could link in to similar real events but in a fantasy world.
In this book you will read snippets of information that you will not really think about but later in the book the connections will come through which shows the excellent planning and storytelling of the author.
Whatever you normally read do give this a try as it is a book with a lot to give.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Uk and the author, for providing me with an advanced, elctronic, review copy of this book in return for a honest unbiased review,
The book is now available in various formats.

Oh, my word, I don't really know to start reviewing this awesome book! It's just amazing and thrilling and dangerous and so exciting I had to keep putting it down and having a rest because my heart was racing so much! Cassie and her like minded friends had so many adventures and I really hope there will be a sequel

This book had me in absolute tears and I honestly loved everything about it. This was such a magical and addictive read that I just could not put it down.

The plot is somewhat complex and I was worried at the beginning that I was missing something but then it all just started clicking into place and the everything was just wrapped up so perfectly. Any question I had was answered and explained so clearly that I couldn't believe I hadn't figured it out earlier. Gareth Brown has this amazing way of writing that just has you on the edge of your seat, falling in love with these characters and rooting for them throughout.

Honestly I don't want to spoil this book but if you're considering this one take this as your sign to pick it up! The whole premise of this book was just brilliant and I have not stopped thinking about how much I loved this one. Just go read it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Time Travelling Fantasy Marvel

This enchanting story follows Cassie and her best friend Izzy on a journey of discoveries after receiving a gift of an unusual and powerful book. They encounter an eclectic mix of characters and form unlikely friendships along the way.

This is really clever storytelling with creative characters that bring you joy and sadness.

A time travelling fantasy adventure with a sprinkling of magic!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publishers for this ARC.