I will be thinking about WHAT KIND OF PARADISE for a long time to come. Loosely inspired by the Unabomber, the book follows Jane, a young woman who lives off the grid in Montana with her father. He is passionate about staying close to nature and avoiding the evils of technology, but as Jane learns more about the world and longs to see more of it than her father’s small cabin, she becomes entangled in his dangerous schemes.

This book was exceptionally well-written—not in a flowery, self-conscious way, but rather a clear, well-paced way. I felt that the setting was so palpable—the time period of the late nineties, the Montana woods, and the bustling world of San Francisco during the dotcom boom. (And I also loved that the characters spent a few pages in Boise.) The main character’s worries and experiences felt so present on the page as she tried to navigate insane experiences while also simply hoping to experience life and joy. I also appreciated the complexity of the characters—the villain of the story can be nurturing. The love interest can be both self-interested and self-sacrificing. These characters felt like real people in a wild situation, dealing with the fallout in messy ways.

I think WHAT KIND OF PARADISE offers a lot for discussion. The role of technology and how it is both a help and hindrance in our lives is often present in my mind—how much screen time should I allow my kids? How do I stay present in my own life when I’m so easily sucked in by my phone (and so chronically online)? What are the implications of AI for me as a creative? The book suggests technology vs the natural world is not an either/or problem but something more complex, and I think it’s something most of us grapple with every day.

Jane grows up off the grid in Montana with her intellectual, Luddite, "Unabomber"-type father, but when she turns 18, she discovers secrets about her childhood and her father that make her question her entire upbringing. This sends her on a search for the truth in San Francisco at the beginning of the dot.com tech boom.

Jane is a sympathetic main character, book smart, but naive about the larger world she knows nothing about. You will be rooting for her to succeed and find out the truth. This would have been a five-star read, but I wanted a little more detail about Jane's later years.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Random House for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jane is not your normal teenager, she's been brought up in isolation with mainly her father as her only contact with the outside world. Her views and beliefs are shaped by him and his indoctrination. Until one day, disaster strikes and she is presented with the opportunity to break free.

What Kind of Paradise isn't your normal mystery/thriller. More of a commentary on family dynamics, self-discovery, coming of age during the 1990's when technology is seeing fast advancements.

I thought the novel was well written and engaging. I thought the plot was intriguing and well planned. I was anticipating more of a fast-paced suspense but more of a slow burn literary mystery. The pacing was weird in spots, at times the pages flew by but then it would slow, mainly around the techie stuff. Overall, I really enjoyed the novel. I rooted for Jane. Would make for a great novel to discuss at you next book club meeting.

I was provided an advanced digital copy. all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks NetGalley for the copy of this book.

Wow, I chose to read this book just because of the cover and synopsis! When I first started reading, I felt like I was immediately pulled into the story. One thing I realized right away is that I really love the writing style. I was instantly hooked. The writing is so clean and just really good. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if I gave a high rating just because of this.

Then, the story itself is also super interesting. (I’ll try not to give spoilers.) So, this is about Jane and her dad who live in Montana, staying away from everyone else because ... well, her dad is going to be (or already? Who knows *shrugs*) involved in crime. But Jane and her dad are not the usual duaghter and father you see in other book. They’re so different from any character I’ve read before. Even though they’re isolated, Jane is smart because her dad is also smart and yeah he’s the one who teaches her. Honestly, I didn’t always understand the stuff they were talking about (and that’s why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5), but this book is seriously brilliant. It mixes crime with new topics I’ve never read about before. Psst, her dad has a really weird way of thinking compared to other people.

One more thing I liked. I’m usually not someone who reads historical fiction, because ... I don’t really like it? But this time I actually felt really comfortable reading it, and the historical part felt really strong. You can really feel the vibe of the time, when technology was still very new and many people didn’t know how to use it just yet. And of course, somehow that’s also connected to Jane and her dad! I won’t spoil anything!

But yeah, this book is really good. I really recommend it. If you’re interested in the cover or the synopsis, don’t hesitate to pick this book for your next read.

Whew, that was good. Constantly on the edge of my seat. It was fast paced but also full of details, I never felt like I was missing anything. The only part I didn’t like was the mother situation and the lack of closure there, but otherwise a 5 star story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 out of 5 stars)
What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown is a moody, atmospheric mystery about a teenage girl living off the grid in rural Montana with her father. Their quiet, isolated life starts to unravel when she uncovers secrets about who they really are and why they’ve been hiding. The slow-burn tension and haunting setting totally pulled me in.
I loved the raw, complicated father-daughter relationship and the way the truth unfolds piece by piece. Brown captures the loneliness and beauty of remote living so well, and the emotional weight behind the mystery gave the story real depth.
It dragged a little in the middle, which is why I didn’t give it five stars. That said, once the pieces began to fall into place, I was fully invested. This is a thoughtful, compelling, provocative read that lingers long after the last page. If you enjoy domestic suspense with a literary edge, What Kind of Paradise is definitely worth your time.
A big thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest

This story is worthy of all the stars; it’s a unique, unexpected narrative and the intentionality in Brown’s storytelling is stellar! Not only has Brown invented a creative premise, she has also perfected the measure of detail needed to envision her characters as they interact and the events as they unfold.

This book was part Where the Crawdads Sing, part Glass Castle, and part Unabomber. Opening in current day, this is the tale of Jane and her father who live off-grid in rural Montana. While Jane knows her fathers view are unorthodox, she watches as they become extreme. I loved Pretty Little Things and this one was as good. Definitely recommended.

Really enjoyed this one! The slow burn mystery kept me intrigued, our main character was dynamic and appealing, the late 90s setting was fun and nostalgic, and the technology commentary was interesting and timely!

I would say 4.5 stars bc I'm not sure that I could recommend it universally, but it was such an engaging read. Domestic terrorism formed by a hermetic man living in the wilderness of Montana with his daughter. Saul William's futile attempt to escape the development of AI and the evils of monetized IP. His daughter, Jane, is a captivating audience for him propaganda. He homeschools her with specialities in philosophy, science, and math. How does a full-time father and staunch luddite make a living, you ask? Read to discover more!

What a riveting journey with wonderful characters. Computer technology and AI is an issue we should all be concerned about as it becomes more pervasive. It pollutes and distorts reality.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this ARC!

Jane is a teenage girl living with her father in a cabin in the woods of Montana in the mid-1990s. She doesn't remember her mother, and she has very little contact with anyone outside the isolated world her father has created for her. As Jane starts to approach adulthood, she becomes more interested in what else is out there and eventually, her father allows her to accompany him on one of his trips away from the cabin. That's when Jane's life changes forever.

I went into this read not knowing much about the story, but knowing that I've enjoyed other books by Janelle Brown. What a wild story! I could not put the book down. And the commentary on AI was really interesting as it becomes more prevalent in our everyday lives 20-30 years later.

Jane has grown up in isolation out in the woods with her father. As she enters her teens she begins to question their way of life and the secrets her father may be keeping. When she finally flees this secluded way of life she ends up in San Francisco during it's technology golden age. I wanted to love this one as I really enjoyed her last book Pretty Things. I seem to be in the minority for not connecting to it. While it was well written and an interesting premise, the story and characters didn't grab me. I personally am not huge on survivalist type themes and that could have played a big part in my disinterest. The story itself was unique enough that Janelle Brown will continue to stay on my must read list for future works.

This one touches on the themes of family dysfunction, technology vs society, isolation, coming of age, and mystery elements.

What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown completely sucked me in right from the first chapter. The premise was so unique — we follow 17-year-old Jane, who’s been living way out in the middle of nowhere Montana with her dad. It’s the 90s, when technology is taking off everywhere else, but Jane’s dad is fully anti-government, anti-technology, and busy writing his manifesto while keeping them hidden from the world. But when he starts disappearing for longer stretches of time, Jane starts uncovering things that make her question everything she’s ever been told.

What follows is a rollercoaster full of family secrets, shocking twists, and so many layers I wasn’t expecting. It’s the perfect mix of coming-of-age, family drama, and thriller — once I started, I truly could not put it down. I kept thinking about it every time I had to step away and couldn’t wait to see how it would all unravel. I loved the 90s setting, the off-the-grid vibe, and how the story slowly peeled back the layers. This one will definitely be a top recommendation to friends and family — highly addictive, super bingeable, and so well written!

This was my first novel from Brown but has hooked me! She is a fantastic author who wrote such a compelling and layered story. I was enthralled by Jane’s world - seeing her isolation was extremely troubling and made my very grateful for my well-rounded upbringing. The events throughout are heartbreaking and felt perfect for the 1990s setting. There was a true crime vibe to this with Jane telling her story after the fact and it worked so well. I went between the audio and reading and would recommend either - Helen Laser does a wonderful job narrating as always!

Grateful to have been given an opportunity to read a copy of one of my most anticipated releases. Unfortunately, this didn’t quite work for me.

Though it’s marketed as a literary thriller, I did find this to be more of a coming-of-age novel. Which is fine, I love those! But it didn’t work for me as that, either.

I truly hope it finds its readers!

In "What Kind of Paradise," we follow 17-year-old Jane, a lonely teenager living in a secluded cabin with her paranoid, anti-technology father. He moved them there after the death of Jane’s mother when Jane was just a toddler. As Jane grows older, she begins to wonder about the outside world, while her father becomes even more extreme in his beliefs. She starts to question what exactly her father is hiding and whether she will ever truly know the truth about her past.

This book hooked me from the very beginning. We remain in Jane’s perspective throughout the story and watch as she uncovers the truths and lies surrounding her father's extremist views and the past she is beginning to doubt. Her love for her father and the naïveté of her upbringing put her at odds with the reality she is starting to discover. I also appreciate how the author portrays the physical spaces—the cramped cabin in the woods of Montana and the sprawling city of San Francisco—as characters in their own right.

Technology and the burgeoning internet play a significant role in this book, raising questions about the direction of technology and its impact on society, which I find still relevant today. I highly recommend it!

This book wasn't my usual cup of tea but I really enjoyed it. It gave me the "Great Alone" vibes. The writing style was at some points hard to read, but it really showed how out of touch Jane/Esme was when she went into the real world. I wish there was more to Esme meeting her mom, I feel like there was a huge build up to that and then it was cut short. The ending where she turned in her dad was well written too. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I read "Pretty Things" by Janelle Brown a few years ago & enjoyed it so I was excited to see she had a new book, "What Kind of Paradise" to review. I found her latest book to be
an unique & slow-paced, character-driven story that captivated me from the very first page.
I'm looking forward to the author's next book.

Janelle Brown's latest novel, What Kind of Paradise, marks a notable departure from her previous works, showcasing her versatility as an author. This is the fourth book I’ve read by Brown, and I believe it may be one of her best yet. Unlike her typical thrillers, this novel leans more towards a historical mystery, offering a slower-paced, character-driven narrative that captivates from the very first page.

The story centers around Jane, a compelling protagonist whose journey of self-discovery unfolds against the backdrop of the Montana wilderness and the burgeoning tech scene of Silicon Valley in the 1990s. Brown excels in character development, and I found myself immediately drawn into Jane's world. The exploration of "living off the grid" is particularly fascinating, as it presents a lifestyle that many may find intriguing yet daunting. Jane's coming-of-age story is layered with complexity, as the reader is aware from the outset that her father has done something very bad creating a sense of tension that propels the narrative forward.

Brown's writing is beautifully evocative, immersing readers in the lush landscapes of Montana while also capturing the essence of a transformative era in technology. The nostalgic references to the 90s add a delightful touch, resonating with those who lived through that time and enriching the story's atmosphere.

While the pacing may be slower than in her previous thrillers, the depth of character and the unfolding mystery keep the reader engaged. The tension builds gradually, making it a real page-turner as the layers of Jane's family history are peeled back.

Overall, What Kind of Paradise stands out as one of my favorite reads of the year. It combines engaging storytelling with rich character exploration, making it a must-read for fans of historical mysteries and coming-of-age tales. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is easily one of my favorite reads of 2025 so far, and I cannot stop thinking about the story and characters. This was such a powerful genre-bending novel with elements of coming-of-age, mystery and suspense, and a bit of historical fiction as it takes place in the 1990s during the rise of the internet. The story follows 18-year-old Jane as she grows up in seclusion in rural Montana with her dad, who himself went to Harvard and home-schools her, controlling her access to the reality that goes on around her and instilling in her his extremist views on the evils of technology. As Jane starts to ask questions as she compares her life to her peers around her and gains access to the internet and online chatting, she discovers that her dad may have a more complicated past and secrets than she could ever have imagined. This book left me with such thought-provoking questions about the impact of technology, but also the power of connection and the importance of choice on who we get to be.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.