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shessiejeep's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.5
morganjenn14's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
cady_sass's review against another edition
dark
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Ummm. Did I read the same book as everyone else? This is a generous 3 stars from me… the story and characters get 2 and TJR only gets the 3rd star because the writing is spectacular and immersive, but it can’t save a mediocre plot. Actually, “plot” is kind of inaccurate. Because there isn’t any. This is a slice of life character story, following a group of siblings very slowly through one single day leading up to a rich person party in Malibu, periodically changing perspective to go back in time and experience the lives of their parents. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, in this book is a horrible person and it’s tough to root for any of them to get what they want. If you took out all of the present day nothingness and only gave me a generational story following June and her cheating shitbag of a husband and her journey through alcoholism and single motherhood, that would’ve been IT. Sign me up. But, alas, I had to read a bunch of insufferable rich people being sad about their childhood while being rich. Funny enough, the only person I would read another book about is Carrie Soto so it’s fitting that’s what TJR wrote.
miavitula's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the way this book had two different story lines, one in the past & one in present day. It was extremely well written and easy to read, the details weren’t too complex (some books I find myself skipping paragraphs because I simply do not care about the furniture layout in a house or birds chirping lol) but were enough where you could paint a perfect image of Malibu in the 80s. I honestly can’t find a single thing to criticize about this book, the bond between the siblings is great, Mick Riva (as awful as he may be), made the entire story 10000x better, and the ending was perfect with no loose ties
connie_joy's review against another edition
4.0
Taylor Jenkins Reid never fails. I read this in one sitting. It was incredible.
I had high hopes going into this, because of Daisy Jones and the Six (go read it now). And this book delivered.
Taylor's characters are all so real, her stories and so real. I have a hard time comprehending the fact that these aren't real people, living their lives. I think in my heart Taylor's stories and characters will always be real to me. I just wanted to reach through the pages and hold Nina, show her how to let herself be loved. The family dynamics and bonds were so beautiful and heartbreaking. Some parts of this book were tragic - others beautiful. Very thought provoking.
And, the last line of this book is one of my favourites.
Read it.
I had high hopes going into this, because of Daisy Jones and the Six (go read it now). And this book delivered.
Taylor's characters are all so real, her stories and so real. I have a hard time comprehending the fact that these aren't real people, living their lives. I think in my heart Taylor's stories and characters will always be real to me. I just wanted to reach through the pages and hold Nina, show her how to let herself be loved. The family dynamics and bonds were so beautiful and heartbreaking. Some parts of this book were tragic - others beautiful. Very thought provoking.
And, the last line of this book is one of my favourites.
Read it.
cxffee_addxct's review against another edition
5.0
I willingly and uncaringly let myself pull an all-nighter right before a 10 hour shift to finish this book because I loved it so much.
Taylor Jenkins Reid outdid herself once again with Malibu Rising. I loved every second of this book, and it made me wish I had been alive during the days when Malibu was just a small little surf town before it became the money pit that it is today. As a hobby surfer who lived in California for a large portion of her life, it made me so happy to see surfing and SoCal's surf culture highlighted as such a key factor of this book and its entire plot. Reid also did a phenomenal job of knitting together both past and present as the story went back and forth between flashbacks and the prep for the party, explaining the dynamic of the Riva siblings and showing just how things changed for them over the years as they grew up with their troubled mother and their absentee father, and how even though they have issues (as families do) they still come out of it close because ultimately, all they can count on is each other.
Their absentee father who was, in fact, the same Mick Riva that was mentioned in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. When I realized that fact like 60% of the way through the book I felt really silly for not connecting the dots sooner.
Taylor Jenkins Reid outdid herself once again with Malibu Rising. I loved every second of this book, and it made me wish I had been alive during the days when Malibu was just a small little surf town before it became the money pit that it is today. As a hobby surfer who lived in California for a large portion of her life, it made me so happy to see surfing and SoCal's surf culture highlighted as such a key factor of this book and its entire plot. Reid also did a phenomenal job of knitting together both past and present as the story went back and forth between flashbacks and the prep for the party, explaining the dynamic of the Riva siblings and showing just how things changed for them over the years as they grew up with their troubled mother and their absentee father, and how even though they have issues (as families do) they still come out of it close because ultimately, all they can count on is each other.
Their absentee father who was, in fact, the same Mick Riva that was mentioned in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. When I realized that fact like 60% of the way through the book I felt really silly for not connecting the dots sooner.
kyliea32's review against another edition
4.0
Certainly an interesting read about family, fame, the experience of redemption and loyalty. One which takes an interesting insight into celebrity culture and experience.
parkyodem's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
5.0
Men are pigs. Nobody seems to know how to use condoms, and I, too, find surfers very attractive.
But in all seriousness, I am surprised by my rating. When I picked up this book, I didn’t think I would like it that much. I loved the relationship dynamics explored in it.
tinalee08's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.25