A review by soulofsam
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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

I enjoyed this immensely. The story was so fun and I liked that we got to see it from everyone's perspective. The division into the first part that included flashbacks to their childhood and the second part just unraveling the party worked very well. All the siblings grabbed my heart, some more some less, and were all such well rounded characters with their own struggles.
While I enjoyed all the additional perspectives of minor characters in the second part, the names were too much for me to keep track of. Maybe having them more easily memorable or less would have been helpful for me.
I also wanted Nina to set the fire somehow, it would have been more symbolic and powerful in my opinion. Mick was not the protagonist of this, the siblings were, so he should not get the moment we have been anticipating the whole book.

Somehow I had convinced myself they would all die at the end and read it like that which made it very interesting. I am glad I actually enjoy the way it turned out, each of them with a new future before them.

I need another novel about Kit!