What if the Unabomber had had a daughter? Thriller writer Janelle Brown spins a fascinating, credible, and memorable story based on this idea. My thanks go to NetGalley and Random House for the invitation to read and review. This book is for sale now.

Jane Williams grows up in a remote mountain cabin with her father; her mother died many years ago, so it is just the two of them. Once in a rare while she is allowed to accompany him into town to visit the bookstore, maybe even get an ice cream cone, but otherwise, she is cut off from society. She has no friends, apart from a casual friendship with the bookstore owner’s daughter; she has no play dates, no television, no computer. She is homeschooled.

But every now and then, her father will wake her from a sound sleep in the middle of the night. They have to go! She grabs her bugout bag and goes through their established routine, escaping via the tunnels he has built beneath their cabin. Her heart pounds, her chest heaves…but hey, it turns out to be only a drill, after all.

Her father is a writer, composing political tracts that he sells in small, independent bookstores that carry zines. And so, for most of each day, he writes, she reads, and when the weather permits, she watches ants build hills, picks wildflowers, and leads the sort of bucolic life he has planned for her. But then, things change.

The story is told from Jane’s point of view; when Jane longs for even a photograph of her dead mother, anything at all to tell her about the other half of her beginnings, I feel it viscerally. Poor kid. But things are not necessarily as they appear, and as she grows to adulthood, Jane finds clues, small tidbits she’s not meant to find, and each morsel leaves her ravenous for more.

The story unfolds in the 1990s with occasional flashes of Jane’s childhood the decade before, so while it’s not historical fiction, it does have a retro vibe, one that Brown provides with absolute accuracy. We see small snatches of the events that took place in the U.S. during that time, but Brown is too good to rely on pop culture, so these are meted out sparingly, only when needed, never as a crutch.

This is a fun read, and it’s unlike anything I have seen written recently. I highly recommend it to fans of the genre.

Stop what you’re doing and go and get this book RIGHT NOW! This book was an awesome read! Although the beginning was a slower burn than I normally like, I’m glad I kept reading because the story came full circle! This novel was intriguing, thought provoking, and well rounded. This is a story that will stay with me for a while!

This one got off to a bit of a slow start for me but about 1/3 of the way in, I could hardly put it down. Born at the very end of Gen X, I remember life before the internet and tech boom, so it was interesting to read about the off-the-grid life for the first part of the book, knowing full well what was happening in the rest of the world. Overall this was a very thought-provoking read!
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

As this novel opens, Esme, formerly known as Jane, reluctantly opens the door to a reporter wanting to get the true background story of her as a young girl raised in wooded seclusion by a father who becomes known as the "bomblaster." A man once a corporate member of the nacent Silicon Valley who becomes convinced that early internet technology is a signifyer of the the downfall of civilization. So wretched is this evil in his mind that he writes a manifesto which he has his daughter publish on the internet (ironically) believing it will make a difference.

When the manefesto barely registers, he resorts to an old copy of "The Anarchist 's Cookbook" to make a homeade bomb. Using his unwitting daughter, Jane, as a distraction for the security guard, he destroys a computing facility killing a former colleague.

Jane fleas her father and with a survivor's "go bag"and her very naive wits, must find her way to safety and grapple between the love she has for the only adult she's ever known and the killing spree her father appears to be on. Don't plan on getting any sleep or meals once you start this riviting journey that begins on page 1.

What kind of paradise looks like a literary novel that will be pontificating about nature with maybe some suspense... Instead this is a contemporary novel set in the 90'S during the tech boom- but we get a front row seat to a Ted kaczynski type recluse, but it's not only him. We get the perspective of his 17-year old daughter. The way this novel is plotted is perfect, I thought this was slow-paced, but I never got bored or confused. The character building is excellent and by the last 25% of the book I didn't want to stop listening. Brown did a great job getting US into the head of A very sheltered but brilliant child and her equally brilliant but sociopathic. Loved it! Thank you for the free galley to review!

A fascinating story about survival and self-discovery, especially when everything you thought you knew turns out to be a lie. The isolated existence of a radical, anti-tech, zealot and his daughter make for an interesting story, but when that uniqueness turns deadly, the novel flips and a whole new perspective emerges.
Brown’s intriguing characters, along with her tech background, certainly adds depth to the varied and completely complex plot. I found myself rooting for the underdog who eventually found out that “you’re still yourself no matter who else you turned out to be.”
What Kind of Paradise is a cerebral and emotional ride that you simply should not miss.

Thanks for the review copy. I ended up liking it more than I thought I would. I like the cover. I liked The character development in the book.

Remember Thomas guides, IPOs, flying toaster screensavers, Zima, and zines? That's only a few of the 90s references of things you may have forgotten about, but once you see it in the book you're instantly transported to the dot com era. Even if you didn't experience this time, you'll still love it and you'll love it even more if you take the time to look this stuff up.

Janelle takes you on a wild ride involving a teenage girl, Jane, living in the middle of nowhere with her father. He's controlling, weird and all of her education comes from him. Despite this, she idolizes him because she doesn't know any other life. When her mother died, he moved them out to a cabin in the woods away from society. She gets glimpses of town life when they go into town to buy things on occasion and so that he can drop off his zine. Everything goes crazy when he brings home a computer despite his anti technology rants. I don't want to give away too much, but trust me, it's a great read. It typically takes me 6 weeks to read a 400 page book, but I finished this one in about 2 weeks.

WHAT KIND OF PARADISE is the newest release from the author of Pretty Things and I'll Be You. However, this novel is a departure from those previous works. It's a suspenseful family drama, exploring themes of isolation and the impact of technology on society. I highly recommend this engaging and thought-provoking story.

This was interesting but I don’t think it was the right timing for me. Her writing it always succinct and done well.

Almost impossible to put down once you start, it’s so gripping, What Kind Of Paradise by Janelle Brown is also thought- provoking.

One central question that kept coming up: Is technology improving our lives? Or ruining them? Set in the mid 1990’s it’s especially interesting to read this story now, thirty years on. But I’m not sure I - or we - have a definite answer, the question remains.

Another question is how much do our parents choices determine our own lives? From the first sentence, “The first thing that you have to understand is that my father was my entire world.” to questions raised in the last chapter, “Can you ever escape legacy? Does it define you, whether you like it or not? Even if you consciously flee it, doesn’t it still circumscribe the shape of who you are, or are not?” I kept thinking about this.

I loved this book about a young girl who’s lived off the grid her entire live with her father in an isolated cabin in Montana and is suddenly catapulted into ‘the real world’.

I devoured the audiobook of this in one sitting as I did a bunch of chores around the house. What a wonderful book! I loved the character development throughout and all of the intricacies between the various relationships.

Intriguing story about a young girl who grows up isolated and everything she believes is not as it seems. A really good read. Third read by this Author. Bonus for the Patchouli mention.
TY to Netgalley, Random House and the Author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5, rounded up. One of my favorites of the year so far.

My favorite kind of surprise? When a book quietly strolls into your life and turns out to be better than expected. What Kind of Paradise is that kind of book.

This is a genre-blender in the best way: part doomsday prepper-in-the-woods, part coming-of-age, part family drama, part techno-futurist commentary, with a splash of mystery and romance thrown in for good measure. Somehow, Janelle Brown makes this chaotic combo work.

<b>Honestly? This is the technofuturist opus blockbuster <i>Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow</i> wanted to be</b> — except intriguingly, it’s set entirely in the past.

Brown threads thoughtful criticisms of technology throughout, but it’s never heavy-handed. It’s more philosophical than preachy — an exploration of how we live, rather than a condemnation of it.

What really impressed me was Brown’s ability to write with a kind of prescience that made me forget she’s doing this with hindsight. It feels like it was genuinely written in the 90's. Think Arthur C. Clarke energy — eerily accurate, deeply immersive, and smart in the way it builds the world without rubbing your face in it.

And Jane and Lionel? I loved their relationship arc. Tender, awkward, hopeful — all the best things.

My only critique: the pacing in the first half is a slow burn. It took a while to fully hook me. But once it did? Unputdownable.

Highly recommend if you like your books thoughtful, layered, and a little bit genre-defying.

This one makes you think. is her father a loving man or a demon? Both.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What Kind of Paradise is a gripping and emotionally resonant novel that explores the complexities of identity, sacrifice, and parenthood. The story follows a father and daughter who find themselves on the run after a series of events threaten to tear their family apart. As they flee to a remote, idyllic-seeming location in search of safety and anonymity, the truth of their past slowly unfolds. Through shifting perspectives and richly drawn backstories, Janelle Brown crafts a suspenseful narrative that delves into how far a parent will go to protect their child—and at what cost.
I really enjoyed this book. The story felt familiar in the best way—emotionally grounded and deeply human—making it easy to connect with the characters from the start. Yet it was also unique, with unexpected turns that kept the narrative fresh and compelling. From the very beginning, I was invested in the characters and found myself rooting for them through every challenge. At its heart, this is a love story between a father and daughter, and it beautifully explores the lengths a parent will go to protect their child. Janelle Brown delivers both suspense and heart, making What Kind of Paradise a standout read that lingers long after the final page.

3.75-4 stars-When I read the blurb I was thinking vibes of Kristin Hannah’s the Great Alone or maybe the Shining, a decent into madness vibe. And yes, there was that, for a bit. Once we got to the first kind of twist, I was all in, but it kind of felt rushed to me, and then, over. I found myself feeling a bit distant from the characters in the second half, and maybe feeling like there was definitely some suspension of belief needed to get through all I’m going to say is, wow, a lot of things worked out a little too easily).

I did enjoy the book, but I wish that the first part of the story was built out to be THE story. Just my thoughts! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc. I have been and will continue to be a huge Janelle Brown fan!

Janelle Brown’s newest novel, What Kind of Paradise, is a slow-burn, coming-of-age thriller that excels in exploring the conflict of familial loyalty, technology, and finding one’s identity.

This novel focuses on Jane, a teenager growing up in an isolated cabin in Montana in the 90s with her father. Jane remembers very little of her past, but knows that her father was a Harvard graduate who used to work in tech in Silicon Valley before her mother’s tragic death caused him to move to Montana with Jane. As Jane grows up with very little access to the outside world, her father instructs her on his beliefs regarding the future of the world and the dangers of technology, as the internet continues to become increasingly popular. Jane becomes more involved in the publication of his teachings in an online manifesto, and she learns that her father is determined to make his thoughts known to the outside world, by whatever means are necessary.

When Jane is forced to run away after her father escalates his teachings into violence, she creates a new existence in San Francisco, in hopes of discovering more about her mother and her past. In doing so, she begins to work in tech and learns more about the internet, determining for herself the good and potential harm it may bring. But when her past catches up to her, she must make the ultimate choice: stay loyal to her past or forge ahead with her future.

As someone who grew up as a teenager in the 90s, this was such a fascinating read for me. It brought back the early days I remember, when the internet was young and we were all intrigued yet uncertain of it. It’s definitely a slow burn thriller and focuses on the internal conflict Jane faces as she wrestles with the love and respect she has for her father, combined with the realization that her simple existence must be broadened once she enters the outside world. Her internal conflict deepens when she understands the lengths to which her father will go to make his voice heard, and she is forced into a choice that no child should face. This novel takes inspiration from a major case that I remember as I grew up in the 90s, and I enjoyed Jane’s perspective throughout the narrative.

Also, the importance of the timing of this novel cannot be overstated. The internet has forever changed how we view our world, our history, and truth. This glimpse back into when it first began was bittersweet. Yes, it connected us in a way we never had before. But it irrevocably changed us, and this novel highlights that as a warning to us now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this gifted eARC, in exchange for my honest review.

If you loved psychological family dramas like Pretty Things or thrillers with a strong philosophical undercurrent, this novel will grip you. It’s a razor-sharp tale of faith, freedom, and the cost of finding your own truth — and one of the most memorable thrillers of 2025 thus far.

This was not what I was expecting, and in the best way. Set in the 90's, this is the story of Jane, who lives in isolation in Montana with her father. Her father has very strong beliefs about the way the world is heading with the up and coming use of the internet and potential for growth in technology and AI in the future. When Jane helps her father do a task that leads to many terrible consequences, she has to find her way into the world outside of her home and discover some hard truths about her life. This book was a page turner. Part mystery, part nostalgia (oh dial up!) and party family drama?! There were many layers to this book and I really devoured it. It also had me thinking about the way the world felt back when I was the same age as Jane during this story and we were getting new technology tossed our way almost every day. The growth of what the internet was then to what it is now is something I remember, but this book reminded me how much of a change it truly has been in just the past 30 years. This was a great read and I can't wait to check out other books by Janelle Brown! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.