Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

53 reviews

jane_austyn's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Alcohol, Infidelity, Grief, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Gaslighting, and Suicide

ashleyvharris's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Malibu Rising is an unexpected and heartfelt novel that confronts generational trauma, the heavy expectations of others, and our desire to love and be loved.

I owe Taylor Jenkins Reid a drink or several. I had no idea how meaningful and healing this story would be for me. Reading a story about siblings abandoned by their father was definitely triggering, but Reid handled the trauma and grief of that situation with such care and honesty. 

The characters of this novel were so distinct and unique. They’re strengths and flaws, desires and fears. It all felt so natural and right. I loved that Mick was very clearly a deeply flawed and narcissistic human, but he still managed to have layers. I was worried that there would be a cheesy redemption arc for his character where he found some grudging reconciliation with his kids, but the ending was just perfect. Mick Riva setting one last fire felt so full circle.

I wish that we had gotten a bit more development with Kit’s character. The other siblings felt fairly well-defined, but Kit felt like a bit of a mystery. She feels like a character with so much potential, a force of nature. I would love to see a novel with her at the center.

The shifting focus to the novel’s background characters like Tarine, Tuesday, Ricky, etc. felt unnecessary at times. I was tempted to skip past those parts of the story to get back to the Riva siblings. These diversions were more distracting for me than anything.

Overall, this book was like a time-machine to the 80s. With its picturesque Oceanside setting and dynamic sibling characters, Malibu Rising bottles that August, end-of-summer feeling perfectly. Also, I’m totally buying a surfboard tomorrow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug use, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, and Cursing

Minor: Car accident, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, and Violence

pun1sher's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring relaxing medium-paced

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

4.25

Everytime I read tjr i feel like a middle aged mum but i have a soft spot for her books ngl. There's not enough historical fiction set in the XXth and not about war.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Infidelity

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Sexism

kateyjay's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

Stunning story spanning multiple generations of a family who have known love and loss. 

Nina Riva deserves the world and you cannot tell me otherwise. Nina sacrifices everything for her family, losing herself in the process until her family also become her salvation. 

Seemingly doomed to repeat the mistakes of her mother until she learns she can stand up for herself. 

This book had me laughing and crying and having to look away feeling second hand embarrassment on multiple occasions. TJR has done it again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Police brutality, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Violence

Minor: Abortion, Body shaming, Car accident, Cursing, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Vomit

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcohol, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Drug use

ginadapooh's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Car accident, Drug use, Pregnancy, Suicide, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Violence

dianaschmidty's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Drug use, Racism, Police brutality, Gun violence, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, and Abortion

deluna's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Grief

hannalizzy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book was a masterpiece. I don’t know how TJR got me to love and hate so many characters in such a short amount of time! Their characterization is deep; the reader truly feels like they know each character at their core. The story is brutally sad, inspiring, alluring, and in the end, hopeful. 

The climax of the party when Mick shows up is one of the most exciting few pages I have ever read. The whole book led up to a few pivotal, fascinating chapters towards the end and they were delicious and satisfying. 

I loved it. TJR is my new writing idol. I don’t know how she does it but I wish I could be just like her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Addiction, Drug use, Grief, Misogyny, Abandonment, Car accident, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Child abuse, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Violence

niyahneal's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective relaxing sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcoholism