Taylor Jenkins has delivered again. I really enjoyed Daisy Jones and was looking forward this book. Although the story telling technique is different, the skill used in developing characters is the same, Very enjoyable.

Big thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

First off, let’s just stop and swoon over the beauty of the cover art. Breathtaking!! Sigh. Okay, on with things.

This was my first foray with this author, and it was a fun trip! It held my attention the whole time, no skim reading or skipping passages required ;) The characters were perfectly flawed, the timing and pace spot on. I loved learning about Mick & June’s early days.. it served as a perfect parallel story line to what their children were experiencing.

I’ll definitely be back for more from TJR.

Mick Riva is a world-renowned rockstar who never quite learned how to be a father to his four children. With Nina, the oldest, as the leader, past and present traumas and conflict come to a head at the famous Riva Party one night. 
   I don’t think Taylor Jenkins Reid could write a book I didn’t like, and Malibu Rising had all my favorite elements: contemporary fiction, character driven, and family drama. I was worried not remembering Mick from Evelyn Hugo would do me a disservice (it’s been a long time since I read the book but that’s on my top 5 of all time list!), but I don’t believe it did in the slightest. I enjoyed how well-written the characters were and particularly fell in love with Nina, appreciating such a strong, female protagonist. The book did an excellent job of interweaving past and present prior to the party to explain why each character was the way that they were. However, the actual party fell a bit short for me. There were many new characters introduced that made it hard to discern what was going on at times simply because I couldn’t remember them. The ending was abrupt, but I felt it was exactly the way that it should have been.

   Wholeheartedly recommend yet another TJR 💗

   VERDICT: 4 STARS

Another TJR that I really love! I soared through this and finished it in record time. An engaging storyline in the same world as "Evelyn Hugo" that makes a side character into an entire family.

4.5 stars rounded up.

I read this book about a month and a half ago and wanted to wait to write my review to sit with the story a bit.  When I finished the book I was devastated to leave the Riva family behind.  I will say that I am still sad to leave them behind, but the book did not stick with me quite as much as I thought so I have taken it down a 1/2 star to 4.5 star rating.

TJR again creates a world that feels so real, like she is writing an expose on a famous family.  This time she brings us back to "gullible Mick Rivas" from Evelyn Hugo's world.  Mick is a famous musician and has an ex wife and children he left behind.  The story revolves around two time periods for his family.  The first is the story of June and Mick's love tragic love story starting in the 1950s and progressing from there.  The second storyline is set over the span of 24 hours in 1983.  The children are gearing up for their annual giant bash at the oldest sister, Nina's, fancy home on the coast.

I loved the flashbacks and seeing their family form and their story unfold.  I felt for June and Nina and the rest of the children as their family came together and did their best to cope (not always in a positive manner) with the tough hands they were dealt.  I cried for June, I cried for Nina, I cried for the children brought into such dysfunction who found a way to thrive.

The "now" (1983) chapters took me a little longer to get into, I didn't feel the emotions that I felt during the flashback chapters.  These held more drama and personal secrets for the Riva's children and allowed us to see who they had become from their rough start in life.  Then we got to the party and it became more entertaining while also serving a large purpose in the children's character development.  Some elements of the party just seemed manic with the drug and alcohol induced debauchery, but it helped to build that aforementioned real life expose feel.  By the end I loved the party scene as well just in a different way than the flashback chapters.


Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: 6/1/21

5 absolutely breathtaking + brilliant stars to this stunning novel! Y'all, Taylor Jenkins Reid is a phenomenal story teller, every book of hers engages, charms and moves me to no end. She crafts beautiful, intricate plots with vibrant descriptions and authentic characters. Her novels always feel so real to me and I am able to envision her storylines perfectly. 

Malibu Rising is the story of the four Riva children- Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit, over the course of one fateful day in August 1983 in Malibu, California. Their dad is the infamous, Mick Riva, readers of Daisy Jones and the 6 and the 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo will remember this cavalier musician. His kids are grown and facing problems of their own with fame, career, money, relationships and finding their own place in the world. Every year they come together to host a huge blowout party at Nina's oceanfront home- each year more elaborate and outrageous than the last. This year however will lasting consequences for all four of them. Alternating between flashbacks in the past and the current day, this story explores poignantly the effect our families and upbringing have on our futures as well as themes of unconditional love and forgiveness. 

Thank you so much to Random House and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy. I was thrilled to receive it! Pub day is May 31st- can't wait for this book to be out in the world! Pre-order your copy now.

This is the third of TJR's books that I had read and truly enjoyed. While it fell a little short of my expectations following Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones it is still a good read and very hard to put down. 
The story centers around the infamous Riva party that is held by beautiful Nina Riva in her Malibu mansion. Each chapter leading up to the party peels back another layer of complicated family dynamics and secrets. I enjoyed getting to know each of the Riva siblings so much that by then end I was sad to let them go. This is true of other TJR novels in that she does a phenomenal job of making the reader feel they as though they are in the plot of the story. 
There are also flashbacks which lets the reader see into the past and helps explain and add depth to the Riva siblings. Where the story fell a little flat for me is when once the party actually started, it was a bit hard to follow the other characters being introduced. I feel that most of them didn't add much to the story other than to illustrate the chaotic nature of the night. I also expected to feel a little more 80's vibes than I did while reading... I felt like the story could have easily taken place today and I missed that nostalgic throwback feel of her other books.  Overall, it is fun, quick read which would be perfect pool side or at the beach this summer!

Special thanks to Net Galley, Ballentine Books, and Taylor Jenkins Reid for my advance copy!

Taylor Jenkins Reid has done it again with her latest novel, Malibu Rising.  The story starts off in 1983, the day of the annual Riva bash.  The party to end all parties.  The Riva family is notorious for not only their celebrated professions, but also their personal antics.  Through flashbacks dating back to 1956, we learn the family’s backstory.

The 1983 story is told from the perspective of the four children of Mick and June Riva.  The complicated relationship spills out little by little as Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit recall their flawed parents.  Reid also goes back in time to provide glimpses into Mick and June’s perspective on life.  Along with all the mistakes and heartbreaks in their lives.

From the first few paragraphs, I was hooked and unable to put the book down.  The story, while tragic at times, draws you in and makes you want to know more.  Reid’s writing style is compelling and straight forward, making it easy to need just one more chapter…

Taylor Jenkins Reid is, hands down, one of my favorite writers. Her descriptions of people, places and things go beyond the superficial; they connect to your mind and your soul that makes you think "wow, now that you say that, I do know what that means." The way she fuses words with experiences in her book makes you not only want to be there, but it paints a picture in your mind that is so details and vibrant that you almost feel like you are experiencing it yourself; it is an art that so few authors have mastered- the ability to tell a story and hit the reader in all five senses that they just feel as if they are the one who's story is being told. 

In "Malibu Rising," you can sense TJR's unique storytelling throughout the book, but it's inconsistent. Although it takes place in 1983, the discussions in the "present" feel less passionate as the discussions about the past. I felt that way as well reading Evelyn Hugo (which, I will say, was a bit sad to see her name omitted as one of Mick's significant others, even though she was described and you knew who she was) in that, during the present, the writing didn't transfix me as much as when she was describing history. However, with EH, the times in the present weren't as frequent as it was in MR, so it didn't throw off the flow of the book as much. But in MR, I found myself wanting more of the past; more of the description of their history and less of them today.  

Here is a more comprehensive list of my likes and dislikes:

Likes
- The Riva Children: I loved how you could feel their connections to each other, how they were each a side of a house holding each other up. The sense of commitment and love they had for each other could be felt through the pages.
- Mick Riva: he's a complicated character. He's someone who equally hate but also root for. He's the quintessential celebrity Rock star who has so many flaws and does so much wrong, but you overlook it because its "f*ing Mick Riva." At the end of the book, despite all the pain and suffering he put his children through, you can't help but feel a little for him, for now knowing the sense of having nothing. 
- Casey: Her presence was random, sure, but I think it provided the Riva kids the closure they needed when it came to their dad. For them, Mick was an enigma who they didn't really know, so he couldn't be as loose and as morally questionable as they thought, right? I think Cassie gave them the ability to finally have some closure and know that, while their Dad did love them, they didn't need it. And them taking her in as one of their own is choosing to keep the legacy of their mother alive, despite their father.
- The burning: So at first, when I started the book, the discussion of burning made me think "holy s*** things are gonna go down!" But then, most of the story I almost forgot about it. Then once the end started, I thought the destruction of the house was the "burning" and thought it was lame. Then BAM, Mick burns the house down! I liked the tie in at the end, of a burning often shows a new beginning, but the act of Mick doing the burning I felt deserved a little more attention. Yes, it mentioned he did it with the last cigarette he smoked, but the significance of that is the fact that it was his carelessness that, once again, took everything away from his children. The disregard that his actions don't have consequences led to the fire- I felt that should have been mentioned a bit more.

Dislikes
- The supporting cast at the party: I get there were a lot of characters in the book, and the characters add different context, but I felt the mention of all these celebrities was just confusing. It was hard to remember who was who most of the time, and it added little to no value to the story of the Rivas
- The house party: other than getting their Dad to attend and being a tradition, the annual Riva House Party only provided the scene for where most of the closure occurred, but didn't really do anything for the story.

All in all, I thought this book was equally as alluring as DJ and EH, but missed the mark a bit on making it overly memorable.

I am a huge TJR fan - I loved Daisy Jones and The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, so when I found out that Malibu Rising was a loose overlap from Evelyn Hugo I was enamored. That being said, you can read Malibu Rising without having the background of the other books (but you still have time to read the others first since this one's not out until June).  Malibu Rising dives into the complex lives of the Riva's, children of mega rockstar Mick Riva. Mick is elusive to everyone, including his family. Despite a challenging childhood, Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit have strong familial ties, and extreme talent. Each character has their own distinct personality that lifts off the page, they felt like people I had known for years. Though the entire book takes place over the course of 24 hours, nothing about the story was limiting. In 24 hours, the reader is able to see each character come into their own, and come to terms with valuable life lessons that had been brewing in the background for years. There were relationships of every kind, from friendships, true love, lust, and unrequited love. Like TJR's other books, Malibu Rising played out like a movie as I read. My most anticipated read of 2021 did not disappoint, this one is a must read!!

Posted on Instagram: jessfullybooked

Do you ever read a book and the get this feeling that you can't stop and yet at the same time want to slow down time because you don't want the book to end? That's how reading "Malibu Rising" felt to me. TJR is a master of building complex characters with deep histories that come together at the end in an incredible and thoughtful way. I loved this book. I read it right after finishing The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and was delighted to discover this story takes place in the same universe. 

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC.

I enjoyed Malibu Rising very much. I liked the story and how it was build with layer upon layer of backstories. It was moving to watch the story unfold and seeing all the backstories and glimpses of other times come together to the emotional conclusion.
Through all the family drama and and tension you still can see the love and loyalty the siblings have for each other.  
This book was well written and interesting. I give it a rating of four stars. Well done TJR! The book is gorgeous!

Mick Riva meets June while she is a teen working at her family’s small roadside seafood shack in Malibu. She falls for him and they marry despite her parents misgivings. Mick promises to make all her dreams come true when he makes it big as a singer and shortly after the birth of Nina their first child, she has the house and the car she dreamed of. She has Nick a short time later and shortly after a Hud is left on her doorstep followed a few years later by Kit. 
The four siblings bonded over a love of surfing as teens and three have turned it into lucrative careers. On the night of an annual party at Ninas’ beachside mansion the four Riva siblings have very different expectations on what the night will bring. 
This was compelling reading that draws the reader in and you can almost smell the salty air of Malibu, see the sun glinting off the waves and reluctantly leave sunny CA when you close the book. There is name dropping of celebrities we all know and a peek into the decadence of an out of control Hollywood party. I liked this more than Daisy Jones and  it is sure to please fans of the authors previous work. Don’t miss this one. 
Thank you to # netgalley and #randomhouse #ballantinebooks for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This is due to be released on May 25,2021.

Another fantastic book by one of my favorite authors. The story of 4 siblings who lost their mother much too early in life and have a non-present famous father. The oldest sister Nina has had to sacrifice so much to keep her family together but she has done it with much success. The story is told in alternating timelines from present day, the day of the family’s famous yearly party and the past, from the most distant working from forward chronically to meet present day. Once again Taylor Jenkins Reid has knocked it out of the park.

I am an avid fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid, and not only do I read all of her books, I always read them at least twice, and listen at least once.   You can imagine, with that type of appreciation of her work, I also have really high expectations!   

In true TJR fashion, this novel hits many of the marks for me - entertainment industry focused, dysfunctional family, dual timelines, and lots of drama, chaos, and emotion.   I loved that this story follows a character we met in The Seven Husbands and Daisy Jones - a character that I knew I would love to hate!   Seeing the world from each of the siblings perspectives, in this book, and seeing what June went through was such great brain candy, and the many twists kept it entertaining.

My only critiques (i rarely have any for a TJR book)  - There are far too many characters in the back half of the book.  If I am having to take notes to keep track of side characters, then it is a sign there are just too many, especially in a novel like this.   I also had a hard time with the June story line, as it related to her inability to have backbone when it came to Mick.   While I appreciate the way that storyline weaves into what made Nina and the other siblings who they are, in current times, I prefer strong women versus the stereo typical pushover.    

All in all another great book that I know I will reread again and listen to by the end of 2021!

Let me start by saying this: when @netgalley and @randomhouse sent me an e-ARC of Malibu Rising I actually danced with excitement. This release was my most anticipated of 2021 - and with good reason🏝

Picture this: It’s 1983 in Malibu. The Riva siblings - Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit - are famous for their surfing talent and good looks, and also for their estranged celebrity father Mick Riva. They host one of their annual epic house parties, and over the course of one night, their family bonds, their relationships and the Malibu coastline run the risk of burning to the ground.  Hot stuff, right? 🔥

Ultimately, this is a story about family dynamics and how those ties that keep you together are so often just as easy to break. And what I enjoyed most is those relationships between the characters. They are relatable, but not archetypical or overdone. They are likeable despite their flaws, and are written so truthfully that seem REAL. 

TJR is ✨master✨storyteller. From her clever narration - the book unravels over the course of a night but also over the course of the family’s lifetime - to her characters so real that they seem REAL, she did not disappoint. She freakin’ did it again man.

As soon as I met the Riva family, I knew this story would sink in between my toes and stick to the bottom of my bare feet like sand, that I would carry all their separate private troubles with me the longer I meandered through the crowd at their annual summer beach party, that I wouldn't want to leave them. And I didn't. I don't.

I loved living in this book, loved breathing in the Santa Anna wind of 1980's Hollywood. I liked traveling back to the 60's with Mick and June. Energy swelled and crashed everywhere I looked.

There was also something magnetic yet pitiable about all the characters. They were all flawed, tortured souls with their own yearnings. Their own secrets. They all had their own failings they were hoping to correct. Of all the siblings, I related to Nina the most. As an older sister myself, I understand what it's like to want to shield the younger ones from anything bad, to do it all yourself, if you can.

Normally I'd feel disillusioned by the inclusion of so many storylines, such oscillating perspective, especially towards the end of the book where the POV grows more expansive as well as erratic as it deviates from the mains to follow a bunch of minor characters' antics throughout the beach party instead, but since Riva family drama was still the major focal point of the plot, I thought it worked well here. It was effective. I liked how the changeable POV acted as a warning. The first embers of fire. It mirrored the increasing craziness and uncontrollable nature of the party that was happening all around them. 

Other people will likely disagree with me but I thought Reid manipulating the narrative perspective to that end was ingenious! So creative! It gave the suspense its own whirling pulse and unpredictability. I haven't encountered a story structure this unique in some time. Kudos for that. 

Anyway, I had a blast with this book. So riveting. I imagine it'll be one of my top reads for 2021, for sure.

*Full review to be published on my Tumblr blog, A Skirmish of Wit and Lit, on May 25th*

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

At the end of the day, this one never really got going for me. And I’m so disappointed about that because I had such high hopes! Put simply, I felt overwhelmed with the sheer number of characters and underwhelmed by not feeling a connection to the story. Unfortunately, this one lacked the magic I felt in other TJR novels. She remains a favorite author despite my not loving this one.

This was such a fantastic read! We follow the Riva family through different stages of their lives to find out how they became what they are in present day. The whole story toggles back and forth between the past with them growing up and the present where they’re holding their annual party. All of the characters struggle with their lives in different ways, and in trying to not let the past of their family keep repeating in their own lives. What I really enjoyed about this story was how each character had their time to tell their story from their own point of view- we got to learn their take on a certain situation and not have it be a one sided discussion; this was really satisfying as the reader. Fantastic book all around would highly recommend!

TJR does not disappoint! I was so excited to be allowed to read an advance copy of Malibu Rising. I have loved each and every one of her books.! This novel, filled with rich, beautifully crafted character draws you in from the first page. A tale of desire, love, disappointment and what it is that makes a family, a family. The Malibu coast becomes a character as well, the beauty, the intensity and fragility of nature.