Reviews with content warning for Drug abuse - Malibu Rising

The book takes a windy path through the Riva family history, their present, and everything in between. It creates a strong central cast of characters with developed personalities and stories. The pacing and language read like you're listening to someone recount their family legends and lore, it's very conversational and quick (in a good way). I couldn't put this book down! It switches focus and timing practically every chapter, with even the side characters getting focus, which can be a little chaotic and confusing. If you like a linear book with a clear cut plot, this isn't for you. If you're willing to go along for the ride and realize you might have to flip back and forth a few times to see who's who, definitely pick this book up.

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sleeson's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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annaem's review

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adventurous emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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lucy_goose's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was nothing like I thought it was going to be. The book is about a party but in reality it has nothing to do with this party, this book is about struggles and family. The book was confusing at times to read. The narration is confusing it's narrated by the writer in a sense but the POV differs constantly, one sentence it may be from Nina's perspective to the next sentence without any division between the two. However this book is amazing, I could not put it down. I just wanted to find out what happened next. The party chapters really feel like a confusing, out-of-control party. There's so many names and events happening it's hard to keep track but it's amazing. I LOVED this book and how it connects to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

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trycerabel's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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erinmjustice's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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onemorepagecrew's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I’ll start by saying that this book brought me back to TJR and cemented her as a writer I really enjoy. Malibu Rising is another one that’s popular social media and I was excited to get into it when my library hold came through. The story centers on the Riva siblings, four children of a famous and absent father along with an alcoholic and present mother, as they go through childhood and into adulthood. The eldest sibling, Nina, becomes a bit of a parental figure over the years and while all siblings are well-developed characters, Nina is the protagonist.

The annual party that is thrown by Nina once she is an adult and able to do so is the part of the novel the story works towards, however I enjoyed the backstory far more and felt the party was a bit chaotic. The first 70% of the book was slow-paced and intentional while the last 30% was fast-paced and had too many things going to sink in. Perhaps that’s representative of the state Nina was in and the reader was meant to match her out of control feelings and long for the slower family life of the earlier chapters. If so, hats off to the author. Either way, hats off. I loved the novel and am certain I’ll work my way through all of her titles.

Content warnings: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Drug use, Infidelity

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elisabethslibary's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Der Roman ist wundervoll geschrieben und die Geschichte, die durch Zeitsprünge ergänze aber sonst innerhalb eines Tages erzählt wird, beleuchtet viele unterschiedliche Figuren in deren Probleme. Besonders die Thematisierung von den Folgen eines drogenabhängigen Elternteils (Alkohol) hat mir ermöglicht, mich selbst in der Geschichte repräsentiert zu fühlen, allerdings was der Rest und auch die Charaktere mit sehr fremd, besonders weil alle als so wunderschön und attraktiv beschrieben wurden. Als sehr realistisch und mit der perfekten Menge an Details ausgeführt würde ich die Wiedersehensszene am Ende beschreiben. Verdeutlicht wird hier, wie schwer es ist, ein Familienmitglied loszulassen, selbst wenn es einen selbst das ganze Leben lang verletzt hat. Für Nina, Jay, HUD und Kit ist dieser Abschied gleichzeitig der Abschied von Kindheitswünschen und alle schließen durch ihre Entscheidung das Kapitel ihres Lebens, in dem sie immer von ihrem Vater gerettet werden wollten. Somit ist dies für alle ein Schritt ins Erwachsenenalter .
Der Roman ist definitiv mitreißend und man fühlt mir jeder Figur mit. Die vielen Themen, die angesprochen werden, u. a. Identitätssuche, Sexualität, Selbstvertrauen, Selbstwertgefühl, Unabhängigkeit, Geschwisterbeziehungen, Aufgaben und Pflichten von Erziehungsberechtigten, Alkoholkonsum, repräsentieren die vielen Probleme, mit denen Kinder und junge Erwachsene zu kämpfen haben.
Die Zeitsprünge ergänzen die Geschichte perfekt.
Mit missfiel, dass die Figuren alle wunderschön waren und der Roman deshalb keine Flucht aus eigenen Alltagsproblemen bot, weil dies mich die ganze Zeit an diese Struggles erinnert hat und meinem Selbstwertgefühl geschadet hat.

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