Malibu Rising By Taylor Jenkins Reid

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Malibu Rising is a compelling read, following the life of four Malibu surfer siblings in the 1980s who come to terms with their past and rough childhood after Nina Riva, the eldest daughter, throws a raging a-list party. Their father, Mick Riva, was a famous singer who was never a authoritative figure in their lives. He eventually abandoned his family, leaving his children with their alcoholic mother, June Riva. The novel goes back and forth, giving flashbacks of Mick and June's relationship, and how they met in the 1950's and fell in love. Then, coming back to the present, giving us the descriptions of the lives of all the Riva sibling's, and how the eldest Nina is preparing for the party that they host every year. When the party takes an unexpected turn, the siblings now have to travel back to their past and realize how the past is affecting their futures. It's hard to describe most of the book without spoiling it, but the plot twist after the first few chapters in the book will definitely keep you reading.

Ratings

Plot: 7.5/10

Characters: 9/10

Overall rating: 8/10

My ratings are strictly my opinion of the book, and how I liked the ending. This book is a standalone, but Taylor Jenkins Reid has a lot of other books that I enjoy. For example, The Seven Husbands OF Evelyn Hugo, which has similar themes to this book, and actually crosses universes with Malibu Rising when Mick Rivera appears in one of the scenes in the book.


To me, this book was never a genre I thought of reading before, but as I started it, I couldn't put it down. I loved hearing about the different characters, places, and also how the plot shifted from one story to another. This book covers a lot of issues, such as how fame can have drawbacks and benefits. It gives the perspective on how things in your past can have an impact on you, and also how wrongly a celebrity can be perceived from the outside. I liked how it gave some hard truths to fame, and how it can really affect someone and the people around them. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy the endeavors of family, fame, and drama. 

-Cali


Comments

  1. Simrah KhanNovember 3, 2022 at 6:09 PM

    I loved your review so much! Your writing is descriptive but intriguing, and it left me so curious to figure out what happens in Malibu Rising. It's so interesting how the author incorporated a bunch of elements from the past and present in the book; I love how you described the evolution of the Riva parents relationship and how Mick wasn't too present in the kid's lives, since it shows how greatly things can change over a period of time. Also, I adored your ending note about fame! I didn't think the book would be about the famous as I read your review, but I think it would be great to read a story about A-list parties and the relationship between the past, present, and future. Great review Cali! I look forward to reading this book :)

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  2. Sasha GoncaloNovember 7, 2022 at 4:34 PM

    Hi Cali,
    Your review was very compelling! I am now curious about what the plot twist is. I always find it interesting when books explore connections between the past, present, and future by switching back and forth between the three.
    -Sasha

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  3. Sophia DeltasNovember 9, 2022 at 2:56 PM

    I'd heard that that Malibu Rising was full of celebrity drama and trauma, so I put it on my tbr, but I didn't know much about the premise of the book. I'm glad I got to read your review, becasue now I can look forward to the real juice of the book, and expect some interesting sibling dynamics and a nice romantic saga. Can't wait for the plot twist :) - Sopha

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  4. eldagNovember 9, 2022 at 3:42 PM

    I think I can see how one of the themes you mentioned, how the past can affect your future, connects to time traveling in this book. I'm interested to see how the author uses time traveling to develop this theme. Can't wait to read this book!

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  5. JoeyNovember 11, 2022 at 7:55 PM

    Great summary. I do feel bad for those kids though. Does it at least end happy? - Joey Ray

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  6. Chloe N.H.November 13, 2022 at 6:05 PM

    Nice review, Cali! Malibu Rising sounds really interesting, especially with how it goes back and forth in time and its themes about the truth of being famous. It seems like a good book so I'll definitely put it on my tbr!

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  7. Emmie VargasNovember 14, 2022 at 9:39 AM

    Hi Cali! I have seen this book many times and I have always wanted to read it. Your summary gives such a wonderful insight into the plot of this story without giving any major plot details away. I have always enjoyed the topic of how fame can be the downfall for many families. Your review was detailed and gave a great viewpoint to understand the plot of this compelling novel.

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