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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
3.5
It's certainly not a bad book but compared to Evelyn Hugo by TJR there's just something missing. I didn't like the pacing - the first half of the book felt dragging (but I loved the flashbacks that appeared more and more often) and the second half was kinda rushed with extremely short (1-2 pages) chapters. There were also so many celebrities at the party I did not care for at all and while I get that TJR added them for the Hollywood feeling, I couldn't bother with them. I also missed something like a big reveal or turnpoint. Let's see whether Daisy Jones and Carrie Soto are more like Evelyn Hugo…
It's certainly not a bad book but compared to Evelyn Hugo by TJR there's just something missing. I didn't like the pacing - the first half of the book felt dragging (but I loved the flashbacks that appeared more and more often) and the second half was kinda rushed with extremely short (1-2 pages) chapters. There were also so many celebrities at the party I did not care for at all and while I get that TJR added them for the Hollywood feeling, I couldn't bother with them. I also missed something like a big reveal or turnpoint. Let's see whether Daisy Jones and Carrie Soto are more like Evelyn Hugo…
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
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
Taylor Jenkins Reid is the queen of the morally grey, does an awesome job telling stories that jump around and could write about paint drying and I would probably still read it.
Malibu rising was a book I picked up knowing literally nothing about it. I was swept away with images of Malibu and growing up in the beach, celebrity life, and sibling relationships. I liked the characters and their relationships, the constant surprises throughout the story and the way it jumped between what was happening in the moment and in the past. This story was just so good.
I did not realize that this is set in the same universe of the 7 Husband of Evelyn Hugo, but I know now that I would really literally any and everything by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Malibu rising was a book I picked up knowing literally nothing about it. I was swept away with images of Malibu and growing up in the beach, celebrity life, and sibling relationships. I liked the characters and their relationships, the constant surprises throughout the story and the way it jumped between what was happening in the moment and in the past. This story was just so good.
I did not realize that this is set in the same universe of the 7 Husband of Evelyn Hugo, but I know now that I would really literally any and everything by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked the dual timeline alternating between past decades and a single day in the present. This was a very effective way to familiarize the reader with the family. In part two of the book, when the dual timeline was abandoned and we focused solely on the party, I did sometimes wonder why so much air time was given to random party goers. Although I see that was a way of keeping the reader grounded in the party setting, I just don’t know if I needed so many details about people who were not crucial to the story. Honestly, I didn’t even need Casey as a character but I suppose it’s unreasonable to think that Mick wouldn’t have other children out in the world given the way he lived. I thought the ending was very satisfying for each of the 4 siblings and I love that we also saw some justice in a roundabout way for June. Nina was able to find the self-worth that June unfortunately never had, and she stood firm against the manipulations of both her ex and her father in the same night. I liked imagining her going on to lead the peaceful life she deserves in Portugal.
Another thing I’ll say about this book is I really liked the line “Alcoholism is a disease with many faces, and some of them look beautiful.” I think we’re taught to look for belligerence and selfishness as traits of alcoholism and it’s important to remember that someone can also present as kind and even selfless in many ways and still be struggling with alcoholism.
Another thing I’ll say about this book is I really liked the line “Alcoholism is a disease with many faces, and some of them look beautiful.” I think we’re taught to look for belligerence and selfishness as traits of alcoholism and it’s important to remember that someone can also present as kind and even selfless in many ways and still be struggling with alcoholism.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
“‘Nina, you’re right. I’m a weak-‘
‘Must be nice. To be able to be weak. I wouldn’t know.’”
‘Must be nice. To be able to be weak. I wouldn’t know.’”
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
4.25 ⭐️’s
was a little hesitant about this book at first i had no idea what it was going to be about but it was actually really good and i enjoyed reading a genre i don’t usually read!
was a little hesitant about this book at first i had no idea what it was going to be about but it was actually really good and i enjoyed reading a genre i don’t usually read!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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