Reviews with content warning for Drug use - Malibu Rising

It is SO easy to fall in love with both her writing and characters. TJR's writing is suspenseful, powerful, delicate, and elegant all at the same time. You're waiting for the hook at the end of the book (and are reminded of it in the most beautiful and punchy way) and yet you love every single part of the journey. You're warned of the twists and yet they still surprise you in the most enchanting way. In one single sentence you're shocked, delighted, amused... so many emotions at once, and TJR does it again and again as if it's nothing! I adored and related heavily to Nina, as I'm sure every older sister will. She's so complex and you can really understand her actions. Her character development is a joy to follow and there is one scene near the end (no spoilers, all I will say is cheese!!) that I found incredibly funny and rewarding. Jay, Hud, and Kit are just interesting and easy to love and the sibling bond between them all is so authentic and compelling. The settings were beautifully written; I want to go to all of the restaurant and beaches! All of the side characters contribute to the story and its atmosphere and I loved seeing how they were all tied together at the end!! Talking of the end, I loved how satisfyingly everything was wrapped up. I honestly teared up it was so good.

I only have one real criticism and that was that the first half of the book, the build up to the party, took slightly longer than it could have and for a little while I was just hoping for the party to start. But, ultimately, this didn't stop me loving this book because it just meant a few more pages of TJR's writing!!

This book was both profound and charming, effortlessly charming my heart and leaving me adding every other TJR book to my TBR!

Content Warnings

hannahbailey's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

TW: alcoholism, abandonment, death (of parent), drug use, cheating, addiction, sexual harassment, divorce, violence, fire, injury, sexism, parentified child, childhood trauma

Oh to be a Riva! On the surface, the four Riva siblings seem to have it all: fame, fortune and each other. But by the end of the night, everything's changed. This is what drew me in, that the whole book was set over the course of one night. The character analysis started off well and I enjoyed the switch between flashbacks and present day as we learned more and more about the Rivas.

I was expecting 80s beach-babe Malibu vibes, but I wasn't expecting this book to approach and handle some heavier topics like death, grief, divorce, betrayal, alcoholism and family issues. Although it is a TJR book, so actually that's on me for not thinking this would pack an emotional punch. I thought these topics were handled well, and the characters struggles felt realistic. I was able to empathise with them despite their sickening level of wealth (rich kids 😔🥲).

The first part was setting up for something massive—secrets revealed and people exposed. I was excited to watch it all unravel over the course of a night. However, what followed was an underwhelming and understated second half. New characters were introduced too frequently to fully care (which I admit is truthful of large parties) and so much more could've been done when a certain character arrived. I was left disappointed and sad. The ending was emotional but not in a cathartic way–although I guess life is often like that. These characters deserved better endings!

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kimmiereadsalot's review against another edition

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3.5

2.5 stars

Cw: alcohol abuse, drug use

I started this on a 3+ hour plane ride. I read over half of it. Finished it the same day at my hotel. I was annoyed when it made me cry. But right around the tears was also when it lost me. Why? Those tears were at the end of part 1. But part 2 started and was just kind of a mess. Not sure if this was purposeful, but the entirety of part 2 read more like a movie. Jumping from scene to scene. Not really knowing who was going to pop up next. Ending scenes abruptly. I’m not sure it’d have worked in a movie either, but that’s how it felt to me. Taking the viewer along for a ride. Getting different glimpses of various TJR world characters at a party to set the scene. Only I didn’t care about them. Like not even a little bit.

Idk. Part 2 just killed it for me. But truly, it was when the tears came in part 1 that I realized TJR is just not for me. I liked Hugo. I liked Daisy. This one was the most meh of hers I read. But I haven’t loved any of them. Maybe it’s because I’m a romance girl. I live for HEAs. And with these depressing adult fiction stories, I am far from guaranteed and HEA. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite. So I just don’t see myself picking up another TJR. Like booktok’s beloved coho, this is yet another author ima no longer feel pressured to read. I’m letting her go.

Minor rant: I was exceedingly distracted every time she used OK instead of okay. Like why? “Are you OK” is so weird to me. Why wouldn’t an editor change the many uses of this. Why use the slang. Why not just write the word?!?

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juvonh's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring 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

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daijastoughton's review against another edition

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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

4.5

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foxandthorns's review against another edition

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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

4.25

I loved this book. I loved the characters, I loved the plot, and I loved the writing. The first half of this book is rather slow, but it builds up relationships and the ‘why’ characters are who they are. That first half allows the second half of the book to FLY by. I read the last half of this book in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down. As for the writing, I was very impressed by the good use of omniscient point of view. You got to see every angle of the story, making it have so many more dimensions.

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kaitlynnnng's review

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dark fast-paced

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

3.0

Mick Riva is a piece of garbage.

Spoiler

I found myself incredibly angry every time Mick and Brandon’s infidelity was brought up. I hate cheaters in real life, and I hated reading about cheaters.

Some of the chapters about other people at the party were interesting, but I found most of them to be confusing and unnecessary.

To me, this book didn’t have a “wow” factor, but I did enjoy reading it.

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guivx5's review against another edition

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emotional reflective 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

4.25

I find interesting that every Jenkins book I've read so far differs quite a bit in their formats. "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" bases itself in an interview recording scenario; "Daisy Jones & The Six" is centered around an actual interview transcript. "Malibu Rising", on the other hand, is centered around what happens when the cameras are turned off.

The book is divided in two very defined parts, a very bold move. It was, together with her cutting-edge writing style, risky: if the story was not well supported, it would fall upon itself. But it didn't, because it is a hell of a story. Maybe missing some bits here and there, but very consistent. The consistency between her books is a prime indicator of the care and passion put in these stories. You can feel, with every line, Jenkin's efforts to honor these characters.

About the inconsistencies, they're truly not the biggest deal. Not even that big of a deal.

Spoiler

I personally feel she should've developed more on all siblings other than Nina. Of course, Nina is the center, but Jay's disease plot felt a bit... flat, the treatment it got in the storyline didn't match it's importance. And the same goes for Kit's sexuality (that got a mere two pages worth of development) and Hud's relationship with Ashley (This is the one lacking the most. Jay's beef with Hud for their relationship is so <i>dull</i>, so unexplained. Jenkins has a very straightforward writing style: she tells you what is going on, what that means and how the characters involved feel. If she simply addressed the sexist and idiotic nature of this conflict, it would be enough. But she chose to use it as a narrative point for forgiveness). But, after all, this is a story about an absent father, so I feel like she could've also left these side plots out of the story.

The book's two parts are very different, with the first one focusing on the past and the second one truly devoting itself to express the wild nature of an out-of-control party. Again, risky. But I like it.

Spoiler

Although I felt like a couple of side stories in the second half of the book were kinda useless.

In the end, the story handles well pretty much every aspect it proposes to elaborate on: parenting, abandonment, sexist men and their never-ending urge to fuck everything up... The list goes on, for the nuances Jenkins shows in her stories are many. I surely didn't expect it would be such a good reading experience, and I'm proud to announce that Taylor Jenkins still is one of my favorite authors of all time!

The most heartbreaking thing for Jenkins's fans after reading "Malibu Rising" is realizing that Mick Riva appeared in almost every recent book of hers. He was everywhere, but never where he was needed: with his children.

...

I swear to God, this woman puts crack between the lines of her books.

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