Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

294 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

redefiningrachel's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Grief, Infidelity, Death, Addiction, Abandonment, and Death of parent

Moderate: Violence, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Medical content, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Abortion, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, and Gun violence

hdluback's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-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

4.75

this is such a fun read. i loved how it went back and forth between different characters, which can be a bit confusing at times, but it was a great way to learn more about all the characters. no real resolution though 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcohol and Grief

Minor: Pregnancy and Car accident

evan_all's review against another edition

inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

Minor: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content

lydialoooks's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Alcoholism

Minor: Sexual harassment and Grief

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

joey1914's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Infidelity, Misogyny, Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, and Grief

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

jor_dy's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective 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

3.5

what i liked:
- the exploration (even if minuscule) of quite literally each and every character that is mentioned
- the summertime vibe
- easy, quick read
- the author’s understanding that humans have multiple sides, and people aren’t always 100% good (though it matter that they try to be)

Spoiler

- the way carrie soto immediately apologizes to nina at the party (a nice break from two women arguing over a piece of shit man)

- chosen family
- the ending
- NINA CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Spoiler

ESPECIALLY HER RANT TO MICK AT THE END UGH

- kit and ricky are literally robin and steve

Spoiler

the coming out scene was literally how it went in st????

what i disliked:
- characters are allowed only ONE personality trait, except nina who gets TWO because she’s the author’s favorite 😊
- the relationship between the siblings. on one hand, they love each other very much and it is clear that they would do anything for each other. but at the same time they did not feel like they were written as sibling. they felt more like childhood friends???
- the timeline was so ambiguous?? like it could be set at literally any point in history after 1950. i wish the time periods in the book were more clearly detailed and it felt like i was actually experiencing the characters in, say, the ‘60s or the ‘80s
- the omniscient, constantly switching pov. i don’t care about whoever tf wendy is get back to the main point.
- when the men in the book got mad at someone for accusing them of shit they know they did
- everything felt so utterly predictable

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, and Alcohol

Moderate: Sexual assault, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Car accident, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Violence

nina riva, a central character, is a model and as part of that she mentions being on a diet

Spoiler

in order to lose weight

. additionally, there is a moment where a partygoer grabs a loaded gun, which does go off in one scene toward the end of the novel.