Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published June 3, 2025.

This is the fourth book I’ve read by this author and this was my favorite thus far. (I gave the other 3 books four stars.)

This book was a real page-turner. I would have loved to have read it in a single day but work and life got in the way.

This book was exceptionally well-crafted. The plot centers around the start of the dot-com era. Jane’s dad has chosen to live off-grid and is writing a manifesto about the dangers of technology. He disappears for days at a time and keeps Jane on a short leash, rarely raking her out in public.

There are characters you love and characters you will hate. There are many twists and turns where I gasped. Jane’s struggle felt very real to me. No spoilers here but I thought this book was fantastic.

Themes include technology, the family you’re born into and ultimately the family you choose.

As I read, I kept thinking, “it would be cool if the story went in this direction.” Then it would do exactly that. While this made it a tad predictable, it also made it exciting. Set during the infancy of the Internet, the commentary on technological advancement is simple yet nuanced and very timely. Jane and her father make the story, though.

It would have been easy to make Jane frustratingly clueless and gullible, but she’s not only an appropriate level of naïve given her upbringing—she also possesses the intellect and critical thinking skills to compensate for her shortcomings and this combination of flaws and strengths makes her real and exciting to follow. Saul is a heartbreaking character. Unforgivable, but layered and sympathetic. You know he’s wrong to do what he does, but you also know as the story views the events through hindsight, that his concerns about the apocalyptic future weren’t completely unfounded.

The decision to tell the story in past tense like a memoir makes Jane more endearing as well. She is in on the situational irony. As she looks back on the story’s events, she is able to comment on her mistakes and regrets. There are moments where this feels almost too self-deprecating like the author wanted to alleviate some of the reader’s frustrations. I think there could have been less of this which made it feel like the narrator was apologizing for her naïveté which felt like a discredit to her.

Pacing of the first half is perfect. It allows our unease to build slowly, while steadily building toward disaster. Very tense. Pacing in second half stutters a bit, but by that point, I’m fully invested in Jane’s story. There were moments where I honestly wished we’d get more Saul as his and Jane’s relationship was the most intriguing part for me. When they were together, the story was at its most unsettling and most heart-wrenching. But as Jane was committing to learning who she was without her father, it was important for us as the reader to commit to the same journey.

Despite some of my nitpicks, I loved the book and am definitely recommending to others as a thrilling and tragic read. Thanks NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

Janelle Brown's What Kind of Paradise is a captivating dive into a unique and unsettling upbringing, earning a solid 4 out of 5 stars. This book pulls you into the isolated world of Jane, a teenage girl raised by her father in the wilds of Montana during the 1990s. As she grows up and starts to question her very limited reality, she uncovers a dark truth that makes her realize her devotion to her dad has made her part of something terrible. It's a gripping journey as she flees to San Francisco, desperate for answers about her past.

What really makes What Kind of Paradise shine is its intriguing premise and the way Brown slowly unravels the mystery. The isolated setting in Montana provides a fascinating backdrop, and you can almost feel the tension building as Jane starts to realize the cracks in her seemingly idyllic, yet controlled, world. The narrative does a great job of keeping you guessing, piecing together Jane's past alongside her as she navigates a completely new environment.

The character of Jane is well-crafted; her innocence, combined with her growing unease and eventual determination, makes her a compelling protagonist. You genuinely root for her as she tries to make sense of her bizarre childhood and confront the harsh realities of her father's actions. The shift from the remote Montana wilderness to the bustling streets of San Francisco is handled effectively, highlighting Jane's fish-out-of-water experience and her desperate search for truth.

While the book is largely excellent, there might be a few moments where the pacing feels a tiny bit slower, or some revelations could be seen coming if you're a seasoned thriller reader. However, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise well-executed story. The emotional impact of Jane's discoveries and her journey towards understanding and potential healing is powerful and keeps you invested until the very end.

Overall, What Kind of Paradise is a compelling and thought-provoking read. It's a great choice if you're looking for a suspenseful story with a strong character at its heart, exploring themes of family, loyalty, and the hidden costs of a distorted reality. It's a definite page-turner that will leave you thinking long after you've finished.

Janelle Brown’s "What Kind of Paradise" is an intriguing blend of fiction and historical narrative that draws readers into a captivating journey of self-discovery and family dynamics. At the heart of the story is Jane, a young woman on a mission to uncover her past and reveal her family secrets. The stakes are high, and throughout much of the book, I was riveted by her pursuit—wondering if she would discover the truth about her mother and father.

Brown’s ability to weave a rich tapestry of character development and emotional depth is evident, making Jane's journey compelling and relatable. There’s an enthralling quality to the prose that kept me engrossed in not only the plot but also the intricate layers of familial relationships and identity.

However, as the narrative approaches its crescendo, I found myself disappointed with the pacing. The book accelerates towards its conclusion, leaving many character arcs somewhat underdeveloped. What could have been a powerful resolution is overshadowed by a sudden philosophical reflection on the themes of birth family versus found family and a critique of technology’s role in our lives. While these themes are important and certainly worthy of discussion, they felt somewhat forced and detracted from the resolution I had been anticipating.

Despite this, Jane's journey through What Kind of Paradise is truly captivating, and Brown's storytelling craft shines throughout. I would wholeheartedly recommend it for anyone interested in a narrative that explores the complexities of familial ties.

"The first thing you have to understand is that my father was my entire world."
The mid-1990's witnessed a notable increase in the prevalence of conspiracy theories due to the increase in technology and the internet, public's trust in the government after many failed promises, UFO theorists thought the government was covering up after several movies depicted it as true, the end of the Cold War suggested uncertainty in other countries, critical race theory came to light thanks to technology, so many people began to plan for a fight against enemies unknown.
In an isolated cabin in Montana, Jane knows only the world that she and her father live in. Her father, Saul, a conspiracy theorist, sees the world as the "death of society" due to lack of respect for nature and the increase in technology. He earned 4 degrees at Harvard with his knowledge presented to his daughter who had to diligently study Thoreau's philosophy. As his anti-government issues grew, she began to see a chilling side. He became more challenging and controlling as he lived in fear. When she became part of a horrific crime, she ran.
As she set out on her own, she tried to find her way, feeling isolated in an unknown world. This is a thought-provoking book. Not everything you disagree with. Some points are valid, but later revealed as a mental illness. This book will challenge your thoughts and awareness and may become one of the top books for 2025. The author did a great job researching the historical part of society and presenting it in a fictional way.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for an advance copy of this book. I have had this on my must read pile for awhile so I read it immediately when I got my copy and I was not disappointed. I went into this book fairly blind about the plot and I think that is best...letting the story slowly unfold is necessary. Its a father daughter story in the first half....then its a story about insanity, community, progress and the bonds of family. I liked that i kept going back and forth about the father character,,,is he good/bad? Its not black or white....This was a great book and I think it will be on the best of 2025 lists this year!

“Faith in the people you adore doesn’t disappear slowly, with each tiny disappointment; instead it collapsed all at once, like the final snowfall that triggers an avalanche when the weight suddenly becomes too much to bear.”
.
What Kind of Paradise is one of those books that pulls you in slowly… then suddenly you’re glued to the page, questioning everything you thought you knew about technology, truth, and the stories we’re told.
.
We follow Jane, a teen raised completely off-grid in the Montana wilderness by her fiercely independent father. No school. No internet. Just survival, philosophy, and the woods. But as Jane grows up, cracks begin to form—where does her father disappear to? Why are they hiding? And what really happened to her mother?
.
This coming-of-age mystery unfolds against the backdrop of the 1990s dot-com boom, and the blend of historical fiction, suspense, and quiet psychological tension is so compelling. It’s got echoes of These Silent Woods with a touch of true-crime intrigue, plus some thought-provoking commentary on the promises and dangers of tech.
.
If you can, go into it blind- I promise the slow burn pays off. Atmospheric, haunting, and rich with themes that beg to be discussed.
.
4 stars ★★★★
.
Out soon from @randomhouse! Thank you to #NetGalley and #RandomHouse for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. @netgalley
.
#whatkindofparadise #janellebrown #comingofagefiction #dotcomboom #historicalmystery #offgridliving #literarythriller #netgalleyreads #arcreview #psychologicalfiction #slowburnmystery #bookrecommendation #2025reads #bookreview #montanavibes #truecrimefiction #readersofinstagram #thoughtprovokingreads #bookclubpick #bookishthoughts #booksandtechnology #grippingfiction #janellebrownbooks #readthisnext

Jane grows up in an isolated Montana cabin with her father in the mid-90s. Her father homeschools her and they are always prepared for when the government comes for them. Her mother died in a car accident years before and Jane remembers very little. As she becomes a teenager however, Jane starts to push back against her father and after a horrifying incident, decides to set out and find her truth.

Oh wow. This was amazing. Not what I expected somehow - I know, it seems I never read the summaries - but exactly perfect. From the description of an isolated teenager girl, to the world during the rise of the internet, this is a delightful and touching journey of a girl manipulated and lied to by the people she should trust the most. I could not put this down and loved everything about it. My heart broke for Jane so so many times and her ability to rise above the trauma is so inspiring.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available June 3, 2025.

This is the story of Jane, who has been raised by her paranoid and secretive father in an isolated area of Montana. As Jane approaches adulthood in the mid-1990s, her father brings in a computer and modem, along with a book on HTML coding, and charges Jane with figuring out how to get his manifesto on the internet. As Jane starts to uncover secrets about both her father and herself, as well as exploring the outside world for the first time via the early days of the internet, she gets pulled into a dangerous mission of her father's, leading her to leave him and strike out on her own. Jane's journey is fascinating and frustrating in equal measure, but I was rooting for her all the way. My only quibble, and I've had this with other authors - stop with the foreshadowing! I really don't like it when, in the midst of unspooling action, the main character keeps slipping in, "if only I'd known" and "it led to something worse than I could have ever imagined." These little hints contributed nothing to the storyline and instead just irritated me. I'm not an idiot, I can see when something isn't going to go well. And if I can't, let me be surprised! Still, other than that, this was a really engaging novel, and I look forward to whatever Brown writes next. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a digital review copy.

This book was a fantastic read! This is a story about a girl, Jane, raised in close to solitude by her recluse father. It's the early 90s and technology is booming and internet access is spreading to most homes across the country. Jane's father has told her many things over the years -that he's a brilliant Harvard grad, that her mother died in a car crash, and that technology is going to ruin the world. As Jane comes of age, she's starting to question how much of what her father has told her, she can believe.

This is such a compelling story of nature vs. nurture. A girl is raised in a cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere, yet still manages to have a certain amount of street smarts (though maybe not bus smarts). Despite her father's attempt at indoctrination, she manages to see through the lies and come to her own truth. I loved both her spirt and how she interacts with the friends she meets along the way.

What Kind of Paradise will be the book of the summer. Taut pacing, interesting and rich characters, and an important examination of our current culture. There are few people that can't find something to love out of this book.

This book gave me glimpses of what I loved in the memoir Educated and the standalone books by William Kent Krueger. I loved this coming of age in the technology boom story. I loved the perspective of the main character in her retelling of her story. This was both tragic and entertaining. Very well done.

Family secrets and complicated relationships. I really enjoyed this thriller. It is very engaging and I needed to know more about Esme’s journey with every page.

What Kind of Paradise was my first read by Janelle Brown, and it absolutely delivered. This is a slow-burn, character-driven literary mystery that blends coming-of-age, family drama, and a subtle critique of our tech-obsessed world. It’s smart, eerie, and quietly gripping.

The story centers on 17-year-old Jane, who lives off the grid in a remote Montana cabin with her father. She’s been raised to fear technology and rely only on him. Her world is limited—books, survival skills, old-school philosophy, and black-and-white episodes of The X-Files—but she starts to question everything as her father grows more secretive and distant.

When Jane discovers her father may not be who he claims to be, she escapes to San Francisco, hoping to piece together the truth about her past and her mother’s death. What follows is both a suspenseful mystery and a powerful exploration of identity, trust, and the consequences of the choices our parents make.

Brown’s writing is clean and immersive—it pulls you in without needing to be flashy. The themes are bold and timely: the isolating effects of technology, the blurred line between paranoia and foresight, and how we navigate truth in a world full of digital noise. It’s also a bit of a ’90s throwback, which adds a nostalgic flavor to the plot.

While it took a little time to unfold, I didn’t mind the pace. The slow layering of secrets, the philosophical undertones, and Jane’s gradual transformation made the journey worth it. I only docked a star because I wanted just a bit more depth in a few spots—but overall, this is a thoughtful and absorbing read. Highly recommend if you enjoy literary thrillers with heart and brains.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Random House for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

WHAT KIND OF PARADISE
BY: JANELLE BROWN

I have read and enjoyed Author, Janelle Brown before and really enjoyed it, so when I saw this I was looking forward to reading it. "WHAT KIND OF PARADISE," this latest novel was one that took me back in time to the 1990's before I got married and had my children, which are in their twenties now. I thought that Jane was an interesting character because for a young girl her age she was very bright who was so isolated living off the grid with her father in a shack in Montana. Jane was inquisitive and curious enough to start to question the narrative her father had brought her up believing regarding her mother dying in a car accident. He starts leaving her alone for days at a time with no idea when he is going to be back more frequently than she's comfortable with. She happens by chance when she is left alone during one of his absences, she discovers something inside her father's bedroom that contradicts their life story he's always told her about her mother that now has Jane doubting he told her the truth, which she starts Jane on her quest to look for more information about her mother. She starts looking forward to her father's absences so she can have the time to look for more information to help her find out what the real story is that transpired. Her father might be onto her because the next time he leaves he locks his bedroom door. Why would the only parent that has raised her mislead her? Is he hiding more than just the information regarding her mother? Jane continues to look in his room when he disappears again. her She only had one friend who they drifted apart partly because it was the daughter of the bookstore owner that lost interest in Jane when her friend was excited about extending her formal, more traditional education than Jane's home schooled education.
But this is an extremely bright person which I was impressed that Jane is able to read a book about HTML computer coding, and was able to teach herself how to build a website to host her father's manifesto in order for his ideology to reach a larger audience. She's surprised when her father returns home from one of his mysterious trips and he has a 1990's model computer, which then he presents her with the book of HTML computer programming, and she designs the website by herself that also gives her an opportunities she never imagined she would have. She meets a young man online in a chat room, and he gives her ideas of how she can further investigate what happened to her mother.

I don't want to give too much more away since I think that the reader who picks this novel, "WHAT KIND OF PARADISE," will enjoy this more by knowing less. It is another compelling novel written by Janelle Brown that is uniquely written with a clever premise. What happens raises a lot of questions that would make this a perfect choice for Book Club discussion. I look forward to reading whatever Janelle Brown writes in the future.

Publication Date: June 3, 2025! AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE NOW.

Thank you to Net Galley, Janelle Brown, and Random House Publishing Group--Random House for generously providing me with my ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.

#WhatKindofParadise #JanelleBrown #RandomHousePublishingGroupRandomHouse #NetGalley

From off-the-grid Montana to the tech world of San Francisco, this book takes you all over the place. How does a young girl who has been raised in isolation learn to live in the "real" world and how does she learn to see her father's true self? Throw in an uncaring and aloof mother who she meets for the first time as a teenager and you have all the ingredients for an unusual read. So, if you're up for something different, give this one a try.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It's an impactful journey.

FIVE HUNDRED STARS!!! This book is what so many other books strive to be. Hear that, Where the Crawdads Sing? This story is all the feels in the best ways! Every single page is worth reading. No dull, draggy parts. I am still not ready to say goodbye to Jane!! Jane grows up with her dad, mostly off the grid, in the woods of Montana. She has very little experience with the outside world. As she enters her teens, she gets more and more curious and begins asking some questions about where she came from, is her mom really dead, stuff like that. Her dad does something terrible and she becomes an unwitting accessory. What follows is a super-suspenseful thriller/coming of age story that I could not put down and want to pick back up and read again! I have been a huge Janelle Brown fan for a while, Pretty Things is one of my favorite books, but she knocks it out of the park with this one! As I said, I absolutely loved Jane! Each time she did or thought something that made me think there was just no way, all was explained and made perfect sense. I rooted SO hard for her. Her father is written so well, that you can still feel for him and the futility of what he thinks he is accomplishing even as he does horrible acts. This story takes place in the early nineties as we are just beginning to experience the impact of the internet and that boundless technology. I was in my early 20's during that time and loved reliving that newness here. Many questions are brought up that I am finding myself asking now in my real life, such as how much AI is too much and how far is it going to go? This may be my favorite book of 2025, and it is only February. Do not let this book languish in your TBR pile!! READ IT!!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Janelle Brown and Random House Publishing Group for this much-loved ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication day of June 10, 2025.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for this arc.

I don’t usually read arcs from Netgalley, I limit myself to listening to alcs but when I got an email from Random House offering me this arc I couldn’t resist. What Kind of Paradise is an exploration of identity, technology, and the complexities of family bonds.

Set in the mid-1990s, the story follows Jane, a teenage girl raised in isolation by her father in a remote Montana cabin. Her upbringing, steeped in 19th-century philosophy and devoid of modern conveniences, is disrupted when she uncovers unsettling truths about her past and her father’s intentions. This revelation propels her to flee to San Francisco, a city on the cusp of the internet revolution, where she seeks answers about her mother’s death and her own identity.

We all know how technology has impacted our lives, we live with our cellphones glued to our hands, and I remember very well - a woman born in the early 80s - when I first used a computer and how amazed that technology was for that era. I felt a wide range of emotions reading this novel: amazement, anger, sadness. I felt heartbroken at times. This story delves into ethical and societal questions, and explores relationships between parents and their children.

What Kind of Paradise is twisty and sharp. Brown tackles digital utopianism and cultish mindsets, but also digs into what happens when those systems are built on secrets and control. The suspense keeps you turning pages and when you realizes it, you devoured the whole book. Highly recommend this novel.

Ok this book is a tough one for me to rate, if I’m being honest. It actually kept my attention all the way through. It was written in a really unique way, and I was enjoying it. But I think the pacing at times is where I struggled, as well as the ending. It was fast paced for a few chapters and then drug for a few chapters.

But the ending? I wanted to get to the end and feel shocked in some way. I wasn’t. And maybe that’s what the author was going for. Because I just kept waiting for more, and it didn’t get there for me. This book is genred as a historical fiction though, so that is important to remember going in.

If you enjoy documentaries on crimes, then I do think this would be a really good choice for you. It was written in a really unique, story telling way.