Janelle Brown is the New York Times bestselling author of I'll Be You, Pretty Things, Watch Me Disappear, All We Ever Wanted Was Everything, and This Is Where We Live. An essayist and journalist, she has written for Vogue, The New York Times, Elle, Wired, Self, Los Angeles Times, Salon, and more. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their two children.

"A book I can hand to anyone, then discuss. . . . [What Kind of Paradise] might prompt a pop-up book club."--The New York Times

"Absorbing and well-crafted."--The Washington Post

"A mesmerizing blend of coming-of-age and psychological suspense, set against the birth of the internet age. It's a story about isolation, secrets, and the power of truth--and also a deep dive into the ways technology has affected us as a society and individuals."--People

"[Brown's] most gripping, thought-provoking and haunting novel yet . . . I would argue that What Kind of Paradise should be required reading, a work of fiction that functions nearly as nonfiction, akin to Kim Brooks's Small Animals or Tara Westover's Educated. I expect to see this galvanizing, powerful novel at the top of many 'Best Of' lists this year."--Bookreporter

"[What Kind of Paradise] deftly captures both the giddy enthusiasm of that period when the internet's possibilities felt boundless, as well as the unforeseen dangers and downsides that were ushered in with the digital revolution."--San Francisco Chronicle

"Thrilling . . . [The] central tension had me racing through the pages, as did the complex family dynamics and irresistible '90s nostalgia."--Modern Mrs. Darcy

"What Kind of Paradise is a twisty, sharp coming-of-age story for our strange techno-utopian times. It brims with suspense and family secrets, all while asking big questions about the cost of progress."--Rachel Khong, author of Real Americans

"This is the work of a writer who truly knows how to thrill. Janelle Brown has constructed a tender novel about parents and children, one that leaves readers weighing unanswerable questions of ethics and responsibility."--Rumaan Alam, author of Entitlement and Leave the World Behind

"An intelligent and thoughtful page-turner that explores the blurry lines between right and wrong, truth and fiction, choice and fate."--Jessica Knoll, author of Bright Young Women and Luckiest Girl Alive

"What Kind of Paradise is a swiftly moving, gorgeously told story that wrestles with the repercussions of progress, technology, capitalism, and power."--Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, author of Good Company and The Nest

"A breathtaking story of love, loyalty, family, and fate, What Kind of Paradise is an incredibly prescient and nuanced exploration of the impact of technology on society and individuals."--Alafair Burke, author of The Note

"Sinuous, intensely satisfying, spectacular . . . Janelle Brown's new novel is a complete knockout."--Amity Gaige, author of Heartwood

"Enthralling and propulsive . . . I was riveted from the very first page."--Liz Moore, author of The God of the Woods

"Hypnotic."--Publishers Weekly

"Part coming-of-age story, part psychological thriller, and part social commentary."--Library Journal

Publisher: Random House Trade

Pub date: 2026-05-26

Length: 384 pages