What Kind of Paradise, by Janelle Brown

Can you ever escape legacy?
Jane has spent all the life she remembers in a cabin in the woods of Montana. Her father tells her very little about her late mother and their former life, instead focusing on homeschooling her in philosophy, survival skills, and self-reliance. He never tells her what he's doing when he goes away for days, but he constantly warns her about technology and its inevitable destructive force on humanity.
One day, her father brings home a computer, hoping to use it to further his message, but inadvertently opens up a whole new world and skill and connections for Jane. At 17, all the questions in her mind come to a head, and she finally convinces her father to take her with him on one of his trips, and the trajectory of her life is changed forever.
At what point in trying to keep someone safe from what you believe to be controlling and destructive, do you become controlling and destructive yourself?
I absolutely loved Jane's strength and her determination to see things for herself. Jane's family was so broken, yet she always kept her own head above water and survived.
This was my first of Janelle Brown's books, but I will definitely be reading more. It's a brilliant read that brought up so many questions on the effects pop culture and technology have on who we are as people. I will be buying a copy for my own library and one to donate to the public library where I work. It is a must-read.

 

The Perfect Divorce (Perfect #2), by Jeneva Rose

 

If, like me, you thought The Perfect Marriage was fabulous, get ready - this sequel filled with dark, cunning people and whiplash-inducing plot twists is even better!
Eleven years ago, Sarah Morgan defended her husband against the charge of murder in the bloody death of his mistress, Kelly. Sarah moved on after that and now has a new husband and a beautiful daughter. Finding out that her second husband has also cheated on her leaves her in an ugly divorce settlement battle, and having full custody of their daughter is her priority.
When new evidence is found in the case of Kelly's death, prompting authorities to reopen the case, and her current husband's mistress goes missing, Sarah's life gets much more complicated.
If a Kindle could overheat by turning pages too fast, mine might have exploded while I read this book. It is very fast-paced, with Jeneva Rose's shocking revelations page after page.
Release date: April 15, 2025
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

With a Vengeance, by Riley Sager

 

This book, a classic "whodunit" set in 1954, on a train, felt like Film Noir. Just like some of those old films, the plot wears thin in places, and there are some "wait, that couldn't have happened...", but it was a fun read, with some really surprising twists and turns.

Anna Matheson's family was torn apart deliberately. She has spent 12 years plotting her revenge on those responsible.
Anna sends out invitations, unsigned, but with information sure to lure those people onto a luxury train going from Philadelphia to Chicago, nonstop. What they don't know is that there are no other people on the train, other than the engineer who has been paid off. Anna's goal is to confront them one by one with the hard evidence her late aunt left to her. Things go wrong almost from the start when one of them ends up dead. Someone else has plans for these people, and unless they discover who it is, they will all be dead by Chicago.

If you're a person who likes to read books analytically and look for mistakes, you might find plot holes in this book. But if you read strictly for a good story and a fun time, you will enjoy this ride!
expected release: June 9, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.