#Gareth Brown

[bookishlyvintage]

Pub Day: The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

[theinquisitxor]

April 2024 Reading Wrap Up

I read 6 books in April, which is honestly more than I thought I would get to at the beginning of this month. April's are historically slow reading months for me, and while this was another slower month, I'm happy with what I read. Audiobooks really saved me this month! I read 2 fantasy books, 3 nonfiction (who am I?) and 1 literary fiction.

1.The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown (3.5/5 stars) This was an anticipated new release for me, and I was very intrigued by the premise. This was enjoyable, but there were some things I didn't really care for. This was engaging and easy to read, and if you liked The Cartographers or The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, I think you'd like this. Adult low fantasy

2.The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann (4/5 stars) I really enjoy survival stories and seafaring stories, so I knew I was going to like this. The audiobook was great, and I liked how this was a shorter nonfiction. I'm not sure how much I like the narrative nonfiction that Grann writes in. Either way, this was a super engaging and entertaining read. Nonfiction audiobook

3.Atomic Habits by James Clear. I was not planning on reading this book in April, but I randomly go interested in it. Overall enjoyable, and interesting to see how we structure our lives around habits.

4.Who Cooked the Last Supper: The Women's History of the World by Rosalind Miles (4/5 stars) I read this 80s feminist nonfiction on audio, and while this could get pessimistic and difficult, I found it to be an engaging read with flashes of humor throughout. I would be interested to see what this book would be like published in the 2020s vs the 1980s. Nonfiction audiobook

5.The Bloody Throne (Hostage of Empire 3) by SC Emmett (5/5 stars) This was the fantastic conclusion to one of my favorite new series. Everything came together in this book and delivered an ending well worth the series. I wasn't sure how the series would end, but it was satisfying and bittersweet. I'm going to be talking about this series for a while. Adult fantasy

6. The Wall by Marlen Haushofer (4.5/5 stars) This is a translated dystopian fiction book about a women who is stuck behind a wall while the rest of the world as ended. She only has a cat, dog, and cow as her companions. She must learn to survive and cope with loneliness. I deeply enjoyed this novel, and found many passages that really stuck with me. Parts of this book got me very emotional.

That's it for April! I'm hoping for a strong reading month this May and summer!

May TBR:

The Familiar by Lehigh Bardugo

The Winners (Beartown 3) by Fredrik Backman

The Language of Trees: A rewilding of literature and landscape

Desert Solitare by Edward Abby

Brave the Wild River (nonfiction audiobook)

The Hedgewitch of Fox Hall by Ana Bright

Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland

The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks (my Random TBR Pick for May)

[abookishidentity]

Books I recently checked out of the library

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman- I love books about libraries and the goings on in them. Well, the library in this book is a "shadow organization" but that still counts in my book. I have wanted to read this book for a while but it wasn't always at the local library.

The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz- I found this book while browsing the local library's catalogue. It seemed right up my alley.

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown- A family member told me about this book and it seemed like I would enjoy it. I hope it's not too similar to other books I have read.

Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O'Keefe- This book seemed like I would enjoy it. I think I found it by browsing the library catalogue.

[clockworkbee]

—Book of Doors (2024), Gareth Brown

[bookcoversonly]

Title: The Book of Doors | Author: Gareth Brown | Publisher: Random House (2024)

[alegriavida]

The Book of Doors || Gareth Brown

This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.

[rhetoricandlogic]

THE BOOK OF DOORS by Gareth Brown

RELEASE DATE: Feb. 13, 2024

A debut novel about a bookseller who discovers the real power of books—if they’re magic.

When an elderly customer dies at Manhattan’s Kellner Books, Cassie Andrews finds herself in an inexplicable situation. In Mr. John Webber’s possession is a small, leather-bound book in a language Cassie doesn’t recognize. There are a few lines in English: “This is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door.” And then: “Cassie, This book is for you, a gift in thanks for your kindness.” Cassie shows the book to her roommate, Izzy, who’s wary. And yet, when Cassie thinks of a door she once saw on vacation in Venice, that door opens for her. Naturally, there are people who want this powerful book, and soon enough the underworld of rare book collectors is buzzing.

Drummond Fox, known as the Librarian, happens upon Cassie using the Book of Doors, thanks to his own Book of Luck. But while Drummond seeks to protect books like Cassie’s, there are others—notably, someone known only as “the woman”—who seek to use them for evil. Drummond is eager to show Cassie the danger she’s in by revealing the full potential of the Book of Doors: “You can open a door to the past….That’s why people will want your book.” What follows is a multilayered exploration of how the book can influence past, present, and future, and how individual choices can have unimaginable rippling effects. Fans of books like Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore will love this world, though by the end Brown has moved from his initial focus on magical books toward a case study of the rules of time travel. One unexpected aspect is the gory depiction of torture at the hands of “the woman” and the books she possesses. These scenes are jarringly at odds with the initial tone of wonderment, but if you stick with it, you’ll reach a conclusion that’s both disorienting and deeply satisfying. A whirlwind journey that opens doors into other worlds but also into the heart of the human experience.

[squeakowl]

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown and it's fantastic!

If you see this you’re legally obligated to reblog and tag with the book you’re currently reading

[amusingmyselfsblog]

Just finished a mystery book with a main character called Cassie only to turn around and pick up another mystery book with a main character called Cassie …

[nevinslibrary]

Weird & Wonderful Wednesday

Ooh, ooh, a notebook that can transport you to other realms. Very cool. I mean, also, uh oh, but, really cool too.

Cassie works at a bookstore. And, when one of her favourite customers dies right in front of her, and, she has the notebook that he was reading right before he died, well, her life changes forever. Suddenly she has to figure out who to trust (frumpled Scottish guy?) and, also, ya know, not to mention not die. Because, of course, with a powerful book, others with not so great motivations, want that power and will go to any length to get it.

This book drew me right in, there’s a book store, there’s a bit of sci-fi/fantasy, there’s a librarian. Such a fun read.

You may like this book If you Liked: The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd, The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa, or The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

[bookishlyvintage]

Quarter One Favorites:

The Fury, Alex Michaelides The Book of Doors, Gareth Brown The Last Lost Girl, Casey L Bond The Death of Jane Lawrence, Cailtin Starling

[mylifeinfiction]

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

She wasn't going to turn her back on magic and impossibility.

I ended up enjoying The Book of Doors quite a bit despite its many irksome flaws. Gareth Brown's debut novel suffers the same frustrating problems we so often see in debuts. Its clunky narrative mechanics, uneven character development, and unfocused world-building kept me from really getting into this one for far too long given the fact that it's premise is so ridiculously far up my alley.

However, once those hurdles are cleared, we're given more of the special books, and the endgame begins to come into focus, we're given an entertaining final third that brings creatively violent action together with character moments that felt true and some interesting ideas that tie the books themes together rather effectively. It's nothing earth-shattering, and it doesn't reinvent the wheel (if it's trying to, it's a resounding failure), but once you get past the awkwardness of the first third's storytelling, you get an exciting adventure that shows a playful understanding of the magic of books.

7/10

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

[abookishidentity]

Books finished in October 2024

-Fire With Fire by Charles E. Gannon started September 30, 2024 and finished October 4, 2024- 3/5 stars. This book was a bit boring. If the book focused more on first contact then it would be more interesting. I just felt bad for the main character the entire time. He was cryogenically frozen for like 13 years and forever being manipulated by these two dudes for most of the book. I also didn't like that there was a woman who was in the same boat and they essentially used her and put her together with the main character. That bothered me. Not going to finish the rest of the series

-The Naming of the Beasts by Mike Carey started October 4, 2024 and finished October 7, 2024- 5/5 stars. I enjoyed this series so much. I wish the final book wasn't $40 and less than 200 pages? Anyway Felix was able to save his best friend in this book. Would have loved them to tearfully reunite with each other but his friend saying "Fix" and then passing out is good enough.

-The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman started October 7, 2024 and finished October 10, 2024- 4.5/5 stars. This is an excellent start to a series. I need to read more of this series. It's such a cool world.

-The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz started October 11, 2024 and finished October 13, 2024- 4/5 stars. I am glad I read this book. It had such cool ideas and such interesting characters. The world buidling was super interesting too. Need to check out more of Annalee's books.

-The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown started October 14, 2024 and finished October 16, 2024- 4.5/5 stars. This book was excellent. As soon as the book of doors was revealed to let you travel through time (spoilers) it became much more interesting. This is like the third book in which in order to change the future the character has to live in the past for a while. Utterly fascinating though. Don't see the point of a character of getting her memory wiped only for her to be tortured for information and slowly learning back her memory anyway? Also you can show a man is evil without making him racist and misogynistic right?

-Velocity Weapon by Megan E O’Keefe started October 17, 2024 and finished October 20, 2024- 3/5 stars. This book was a little long for my taste. Three stories taking place. The main character, her brother, and this woman who is in a gang of tech thieves? I didn't really care for the final side of the story. She didn't interact with the two other characters. It seemed pointless. Book became much more interesting when it was revealed that the AI rogue robot ship lied to the main character and it wasn't 200-300 years later but merely like 2 years. Not going to continue the series.

-Wicked reread by Gregory Maguire started October 20, 2024 and finished October 23, 2024- 4/5 stars. I reread this book because the musical movie is coming out soon and there will be more stuff from the book in it. Just dont' know what they would include. The book is a lot more raunchier than I remember. Still a good book though.

-Apostles of Mercy by Lindsay Ellis started October 24, 2024 and finished October 27, 2024- 4/5 stars. This book was better than the second book at least. I thought Cora was going to leave with Ampersand to space in the last book but this book picks 18 months later and they are still on earth. I know this is my own fault but I am getting sick of reading sci fi in which the earth is doomed. Ahh well at least this book didn't end with genocide.

-A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske started October 28, 2024 and finished October 31, 2024- 4.5/5 stars. Oh this book was quite good. I like the magic system in this book. Felt for the main character who was magicless and was thrust into the world because of a clerical error. I don't usually read books in which the romantic pairing is with two men but it was quite entertaining and interesting to read. Maybe its the aroace in me but these men only knew each other for a week before they had sex with each other. And after they nearly died twice. Still it was written very well. I need to read the other two books in this trilogy. Maybe the two men appear in it again.

-Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor started and finished October 31, 2024- 3/5 stars. Short book. Interesting characters and world building. Should read more of Nnedi's work.

[a-skirmish-of-wit-and-lit]

Book Review: The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

Cassie Andrews, who works in a bookshop in New York City, comes across The Book of Doors one day after one of her favorite customers dies in front of her. As fate would have it, this book not only has a note inside that says it belongs to her now but it is also one of a kind in that it allows her to open doors, taking her wherever and whenever she wants to go.

Naturally, because of the book's magical properties, it soon puts Cassie and her best friend, Izzy, in danger. Booksellers, collectors, librarians, and those who want to use to the book for more nefarious means, begin to pursue them in an effort to get their hands on this extraordinary book and others like it. To protect her life, and keep the book out of evil hands, Cassie embarks on a journey that involves new and old connections, multiple timelines, and the magic of imagination.

Like many readers, portal novels have always been a draw for me. There's something inherently enchanting about a book about books that is imbued with magic, that opens and takes characters to faraway places in space and time, showing them possibilities beyond their wildest imagination, and for that reason, I was so excited to get my hands on this. However, while the premise was phenomenal, the plot was rickety. Disjointed. And the characters fell flat. Cassie's relationships with Mr. Webber, Drummond, and Izzy, were sweet, and had touching moments, but I felt like they were lacking in the depth I had hoped to find. In addition to that, the woman's villainy was too one-note for my taste.

I'm sure others may find much to love and dazzle in this story, but it didn't quite work for me. Not my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for my review.

2/5 stars

**Follow me on Goodreads

[pipperoni32-blog]

The Book of Doors

by Gareth Brown / 5 stars

Wow. Ok, I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting with this book. It could have so easily been several different things. A whimsical journey as Cassie found a magic book that allowed her to travel anywhere. It would have worked as a story of just that - Cassie's adventures, traveling the world.

Instead, what we find is so much more. Yes, Cassie does find a magical book, The Book Of Doors, that allows her to travel to any place she can imagine - as long as she can see the door, the place, then all she needs is a hand on the book, and a door. While at first Cassie uses the book - despite caution from her friend, Izzy - to travel to places she'd been before in Europe, she doesn't have grander plans for it. However, the Book of Doors is something people have been searching for, and not all of them are willing to pay to get it.

Cassie finds herself thrown into a world of magic books that can do wonderous and horrible things, depending on the user. While there are some who value the books for the wonder they can bring, there are others who want them for the power they can give them. Or simply to possess them, to keep others from having them.

As different parties seek these magic books and are brought together, we're taken through the history of these books and how they came to be. How they can change the world, and the lives they touch.

This books gives a whole new meaning to book lovers, and fictional libraries you want to visit!

I received an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley, but thankfully this book is out now, so you'll be able to read it any time! Definitely one I see myself reading again, and hoping that there will be more to come!

[catedwrites]

he Book of Doors is an admirable debut, with excellent writing and solid pacing. It is engaging, with a good balance of description and action to keep readers glued to the page. While the plot and ideas were fascinating, weaving between the horrific and the wondrous, I struggled to connect with any of the main characters; they felt less like real people and more like plot devices for large sections of the book. I will ultimately be happy when Gareth Brown publishes more. There’s a lot of promise in his writing that I look forward to. Thank you to Netfalley and William Morrow for the ebook ARC. All options are mine alone.