Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Malibú renace by Taylor Jenkins Reid

336 reviews

livimack's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I feel like one of the reasons so many people who would like this book find it so hard to like this book is because it is not actually one book, but two very different books that happen to contain the same characters and occur one after another. 

If you love Taylor Jenkins Reid for what she does best - her chaotic depictions of ensemble casts that display every multi-faceted element of human interpersonal relationships and experiences - then please just bear with me and view the first half as extensive background material. 

I was bored at first. It was written like a romance. But then at some point, I realised I was hooked. The second half was written like the most insanely well-paced drama. Honestly, the fast paced tension build that gets constantly cut up by side scenes and reader-respite was handled with such a deft hand that it was insane. 

The only other TJR book that I’ve read at this point is Daisy Jones And The Six, and I can see how that book is far more refined than this, yet somehow I think the second half of Malibu Rising is the best depiction of TJR’s skill I’ve seen yet. Despite the bland yet meaningful ending. 

Pacing is weird to describe because everything was very fast paced when we got down to the story but it was very slow to get into that. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Drug use

Minor: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Abandonment, Car accident, and Grief

lucyatoz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, their lives will change forever. 

Having read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo earlier this year for the 52 Book Challenge and loved it, I decided to read another novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I again appreciated the flowing writing style, with some really good character development and interesting narrative bouncing between the 1950's to the 1980's and 24 hours over a day in August 1983, when Nina Riva hosts the party of all parties in Malibu! 

This book did not grab me in the same way that The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo did but I still really enjoyed the story and the two timelines taking place. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Infidelity, Drug use, Grief, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Suicide

Minor: Injury/Injury detail

ahoijules's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, and Drug use

weaverl13's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Grief, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Addiction, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury

caro06's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide, Physical abuse, Car accident, Drug use, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Fire/Fire injury

theaa_reads's review against another edition

challenging inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
spice: /

like all of taylor jenkins reids books this book was kind of sad but i learned so many things
i also really liked the concept of this book (that the whole book was about one day)
it was kind of hard to read and to get into but i still really liked the book!
if you are looking for a sad, challenging and inspiring summer read, this book is perfect for you

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Suicide, and Drug use

Moderate: Sexism, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

prairiek's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Violence, Misogyny, Infidelity, Grief, Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

Minor: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

mishasbooks's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Car accident, Sexual content, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Drug abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, Outing, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, and Death of parent

ate_reads's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual content, Drug use, Alcoholism, Cursing, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Addiction, Death of parent, and Infidelity

seforana's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual assault, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Addiction, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury