Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Malibu Renasce by Taylor Jenkins Reid

268 reviews

celestialg's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

A family-centered drama akin to Little Fires Everywhere, and a story I did not expect to love. Shocked me at some points, cathartic at others - I was so invested. A lovely surprise that reminds you - every family has their shit. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Car accident, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy

kai_okay's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

This was my first book by Taylor Jenkins Reid and I simply loved it! 
Personally, I liked the first part better. I really enjoyed the backstory of the Riva family although I cried not just once. It started out so calm and simply escalated from there on.
I really liked how different the characters were, yet I could bring up sympathy for almost all of them. It was interesting - and devastating - to see how generational trauma unfolds. 
The second part, in which the party finally takes place, reminded me of 'The Great Gatsby', so I was delighted to read in the Q&A in the end of my print version, that TJR was indeed inspired by it.
To be honest, I expected a much worse ending and was very happy that it played out that way.
All in all it is a great book with beautiful writing, a georgeous setting and interesting characters that deals with many serious topics.

Spoiler

TW: The book deals with alcoholism in a very detailed and emotional way./

Spoiler

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Classism, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Pregnancy

Minor: Abortion, Car accident, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexual content

lauralouise93's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

I’m officially calling it, I’m not a TJR girlie 😂 I loved Daisy Jones and hated Evelyn Hugo so I wanted to give Reid another chance. This book has been painful. It’s so much filler text and saying a whole lot of words without actually saying anything to further the plot or character development. I don’t need a play by play of someone getting out of their car or shower TAYLOR?! I am not giving with the writing or the characters-I predicted Kit being gay within the first 10ish pages, Hus is an asshole, Jay is a cocky asshole, Nina I don’t care about but have nothing to hate on her for, I don’t need to say anything about Mick I think we all know, and finally June is a caricature of a boring housewife who lets a man dictate everything without any sort of personality. 

I think DJATS was a fluke, a stroke of luck if you will, for TJR. I don’t get how so many love her bland writing and flat, archetype characters and frankly problematic representation of groups she’s not apart of (I still have not forgiven her for the biphobia and bi stereotypes in Evelyn Hugo).  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity and Toxic relationship

freshbatchofbooks's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

I’m a sucker for 2 things: an oldest daughter main character and Taylor Jenkins Reid

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Abandonment, and Sexual content

Moderate: Drug use, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit, Infidelity, and Pregnancy

ann_cathrin's review against another edition

emotional sad 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

What a wonderfully messed up family 🤍

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism and Drug use

Minor: Death of parent

lovealwaysadi's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Grief, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, Pregnancy, Violence, and Car accident

Minor: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Abortion, Racism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, and Medical content

brookey8888's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring 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

4.0

This was good! I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and the family dynamics. I did not really like when we would just follow random people because I really didn’t know who they were. I also wish Kits sexuality was talked about a little more and with her family. The reason this is a 3.75 and not a full four is because of all the cheating like I just hate reading about cheating and everyone was a cheater I can’t. I loved the sibling relationships and I just loved Nina and how strong and selfless she was. This was pretty funny at times as well which I enjoyed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Death, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

juliamakena's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

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

Minor: Pregnancy

ruthypoo2's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Alcoholism

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Emotional abuse, Grief, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury