Gareth Brown

If you could open a door to anywhere, where would you go? In New York City, bookseller Cassie Andrews is living an unassuming life when she is given a gift by a favourite customer. It's a book - an unusual book, full of strange writing and mysterious drawings. And at the very front there is a handwritten message to Cassie, telling her that this is the Book of Doors, and that any door is every door. What Cassie is about to discover is that the Book of Doors is a special book that bestows an extraordinary powers on whoever possesses it, and soon she and her best friend Izzy are exploring all that the Book of Doors can do, swept away from their quiet lives by the possibilities of travelling to anywhere they want. But the Book of Doors is not the only magical book in the world. There are other books that can do wondrous and dreadful things when wielded by dangerous and ruthless individuals - individuals who crave what Cassie now possesses. Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is, it seems, Drummond Fox. He is a man fleeing his own demons - a man with his own secret library of magical books that he has hidden away in the shadows for safekeeping. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all . . . Because some doors should never be opened.

The Book of Doors

Firstly, the concept of this book is crazily unique and I’ve never read anything like it. It’s very intriguing and I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next. 

The characters were fine but I wasn’t entirely connected to any of them. This book has many perspectives which I think was far too many. I’d recommend two but this constantly kept switching to around six characters, without being clear who was who so I was just so confused.

The book was a bit frustrating at times because Cassie kept making the same mistake each time of not killing the evil person even though she literally went through ten years of consequence. 

But I absolutely love the way everything was a literal time loop. It all linked and I found that so cool like it’s hard to make sense of it but that’s what I liked about it. 

surtified™

Firstly, the concept of this book is crazily unique and I’ve never read anything like it. It’s very intriguing and I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next. 

The characters were fine but I wasn’t entirely connected to any of them. This book has many perspectives which I think was far too many. I’d recommend two but this constantly kept switching to around six characters, without being clear who was who so I was just so confused.

The book was a bit frustrating at times because Cassie kept making the same mistake each time of not killing the evil person even though she literally went through ten years of consequence. 

But I absolutely love the way everything was a literal time loop. It all linked and I found that so cool like it’s hard to make sense of it but that’s what I liked about it. 

A debut novel full of magic, adventure, and romance, The Book of Doors opens up a thrilling world of contemporary fantasy for readers of The Midnight Library, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, The Night Circus, and any modern story that mixes the wonder of the unknown with just a tinge of darkness. Cassie Andrews works in a New York City bookshop, shelving books, making coffee for customers, and living an unassuming, ordinary life. Until the day one of her favorite customers--a lonely yet charming old man--dies right in front of her. Cassie is devastated. She always loved his stories, and now she has nothing to remember him by. Nothing but the last book he was reading. But this is no ordinary book... It is the Book of Doors. Inscribed with enigmatic words and mysterious drawings, it promises Cassie that any door is every door. You just need to know how to open them. Then she's approached by a gaunt stranger in a rumpled black suit with a Scottish brogue who calls himself Drummond Fox. He's a librarian who keeps watch over a unique set of rare volumes. The tome now in Cassie's possession is not the only book with great power, but it is the one most coveted by those who collect them. Now Cassie is being hunted by those few who know of the Special Books. With only her roommate Izzy to confide in, she has to decide if she will help the mysterious and haunted Drummond protect the Book of Doors--and the other books in his secret library's care--from those who will do evil. Because only Drummond knows where the unique library is and only Cassie's book can get them there. But there are those willing to kill to obtain those secrets. And a dark force--in the form of a shadowy, sadistic woman--is at the very top of that list.

A beautiful, heart wrenching sci-fi story about friendship and how love conquers all. 

Kirsten Haney

soot

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review

3.5 ☆

To be honest, this book really shines with the world building. The possibilities with these ‘magical’ books are endless and I found it a great topic to make a book about! Though, I will say, I couldn’t really connect with the characters. Perhaps there was some character development, but I couldn’t see them as people instead of just characters written in a book. In the beginning, I felt that the writing could be confusing as we would be given random details in the middle of the plot that would disturb the story- though I was happy to see that these details had a use in the later parts of the story. The story had a lovely wrap up and I was happy that the plot points could connect in a success way, especially with a broad topic like this.

This book was tough to read at times. The villain was so well written, and her story at the beginning was so sad, and her parents story was heartbreaking. I didn't see any of this plot coming, it was surprises upon surprises. I don't usually read books that make me feel so much dread yet I can't stop reading, so this was a unique read for me. No book is similar to this, and it has you thinking about the inner workings of time travel and the possibilities. This book interested me yet made me nauseas and sad! Very intriguing.

Sarah Campbell

now this is how you write a great debut novel! 

cassie lives surrounded by books and one day a very special and magical one comes to her hands starting this amazing story of magical doors and books and friendships that will get you spiraling into a world full of all the emotions you can find and what magic can do with them. 

i feel the story was perfectly built for someone who loves finding out the why of things at the end of it, it starts with so many questions and twists between characters but when they all come together and create one single thread at the end it all makes sense. 

auri 🪐

now this is how you write a great debut novel! 

cassie lives surrounded by books and one day a very special and magical one comes to her hands starting this amazing story of magical doors and books and friendships that will get you spiraling into a world full of all the emotions you can find and what magic can do with them. 

i feel the story was perfectly built for someone who loves finding out the why of things at the end of it, it starts with so many questions and twists between characters but when they all come together and create one single thread at the end it all makes sense. 

If you like a book with a different take on time travel, a book about books. Magical books and juat a brilliant story that engolfs you. Then you need to read this book. It had me gripped from the start

The Book of Doors

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