YOU magazine, South Africa, 8 July issue

Malibu Rising
&&&&
By Taylor Jenkins Reid
Hutchinson

If the winter blues are getting you down then this book could be the perfect antidote. Set over the course of one day in 1980s Malibu, it revolves around the famous Riva siblings – supermodel Nina, champion surfer Jay, renowned photographer Hud and their baby sister Kit – as they plan their annual end-of-summer party.
The bash is legendary and everyone wants to be invited and this year will be an occasion that people will never forget because by midnight everything will have spiralled out of control and come morning Nina's mansion - the venue of the party - would have burnt to the ground.
But before that happens, readers get to know each of the siblings and find out about their turbulent upbringing and the reason for their estrangement from their father, who is a famous singer. Some of them are hiding big secrets which have the potential to tear the family apart - and by dawn they will all come spilling out.
I really loved Taylor Jenkins Reid's previous novel, Daisy Jones & the Six, and while this latest offering isn't quite as good, it's still a totally absorbing read. Pure escapism. - JANE VORSTER

This is an absolutely stunning read. I felt like I was there in Malibu, soaking up the sun and part of the Riva family, anticipating this annual party where everything was going to change. Although their situation isn’t a normal one, everyone can relate to someone in the family, and you are rooting for them from the very beginning. This is another magnificent book from Taylor Jenkins Reid, who manages to make all of these characters seem so real, you feel like this could almost be a big budget documentary rather than a work of fiction!

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

I absolutely loved Daisy Jones and the Six & Seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Malibu rising. I loooove TJR's writing style it’s so beautiful & full of glitz & glamour. But this one was showing the life styles of the rich and famous but also showing the hard times that families had to go through, which is so refreshing & inspiring as everyone starts somewhere right?! I love Nina & her whole family, their bond is just beautiful & I think TJR captured that beautifully. I didn’t love this as much as I loved ShoEH but still beautiful & I can’t wait to read more!

After reading The Seven Husband's of Evelyn Hugo, and falling so absolutely and completely in love with that book, I was super excited to read this one. I had very high hopes and perhaps that was part of the problem. This one fell short for me and I didn't love it.

Here is what I really liked:
* I loved the chapters set in the past i.e. in the 1950's, when we learn about the initial romance and relationship between Mick Riva and June. That was so interesting and I was totally engaged during that part of the story. I found myself eager to get back to those chapters whenever the book moved to the 1980's.
*The underlying theme of surfing and spending time on the waves was fun and fitted in perfectly with the Malibu setting.
*The family nature of the story was somewhat heartwarming and nice to read about.
*The book was extremely easy to read, and one didn't need a lot of concentration to get through it.

Here's what I didn't like:
*The story just seemed a little bit too basic and I felt that it lacked real genuine depth, especially in the chapters set in the 1980's and dealing with the lives of the siblings. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but some level of depth seemed to be missing.
*I didn't love any of the siblings. I found Nina to be too straight-laced and a tad unrealistic, I didn't bond with Kit at all and she seemed like the spoilt baby of the family, and the two boys seemed fairly superficial and lacking depth. There was nothing really interesting about them. One was a pro surfer and the other a photographer who only photographed his brother surfing. Wasn't there more to them than that?
*In the second half of the book when the infamous party takes place, I couldn't believe what I was reading. The party was so extremely over the top and the events that went on were just ridiculous and totally unbelievable, especially in light of the fact that Nina was such a rule-follower and straight laced individual. Is it believable that she would allow people to swing from the massive chandeliers and rip them from the ceiling, causing them to crash to the ground shattering everywhere? And would she be okay with people throwing her crockery around like frisbee's, smashing everything against the walls? I most seriously doubt it. It was all a bit too much for me.
*I didn't like, nor did I really understand, why we were told so many arbitrary facts about the love lives or potential love lives of totally arbitrary characters. It just seemed unnecessary and although at times some of the info was entertaining, in retrospect, I think it weakened the story.
*I wasn't a big fan of the ending and of the family getting together on the beach for the big emotional chat, which just seemed forced and just off. Also, the person who arrives at the party and then joins the family on the beach as part of the family, just seemed wrong and unnecessary. Why bring in another person like that? What did it add to the story? And in real life would the four siblings just accept this person as part of the family, just like that? No, it didn't work for me.

Reading though my review now I'm almost tempted to give this book 2 stars, but that just doesn't seem completely right. I was, to some extent, entertained while reading this book. But, I didn't love it and I have some major issues with it. I'm in the minority here, but unfortunately I'm very lukewarm about this one. Let's hope for better things in the future, because man alive, Evelyn Hugo was such a knock out of a read. I hope this author has another one like that up her sleeve.

For years the Riva siblings have hosted a big summer blow out party in Malibu, which has only gotten bigger the more their fame has risen. Nina (surfer and supermodel), Jay (championship surfer), Hud (renowned photographer who's helped boost Jay's career) and Kit (the youngest, still trying to find her place in the world) are the estranged children of Mick Riva, legendary musician. This year's Riva party is going to be the biggest one yet, everyone is vying to go but with secrets simmering under the surface for each sibling, this party may blow up in more than one way

The story has two timelines: we have the current timeline of 1983 which is set over 24 hours and is broken down into chapters of one hour, as well as the past of how Mick met their mother June in the 50s and what happened to their love over the decades that made Mick estranged from the family. I love books that span a day, it's a fun concept and Jenkins Reid does a good job of balancing the past to give us context of what's happening in the future. I really felt for Nina, trying to hold everything together for her family and putting the happiness of others first over her own. The conflict between Jay and Hud adds some tension to the story and while I feel like we didn't really get to know Kit too much, I could totally see a follow up novel with her at the centre. The storyline with their mother June is sad and poignant at times and I loved how we travelled through the different decades, I could imagine the different looks and fashions even though there's not a lot of description of these, I think Jenkins Reid does a good job at creating books that you can see vividly in your mind, ones that would be good as film adaptations and this is no different. The setting in Malibu, with the descriptions of the beaches, cliff side houses and surfing was amazing, making this a great summery read. While I did enjoy the book, there were elements I didn't enjoy. Primarily at the party a lot of characters are introduced and have their own little story arc (involving sex, drugs or vandalism as the party got wilder). It got a bit difficult keeping track of these minor characters, I get that Jenkins Reid was showing that even when bigger dramas are happening at a party, everyone is having their own mini drama and she was showing how some of the characters were connected to each other. As well as adding to the debauchery at the party. However it really distracted from the main characters and what was happening to them. We didn't need to know some of the background tales for these characters, even if it was only a few lines. We just needed to know chaos was happening. I think if you're a fan of Jenkin Reid's books you will enjoy this but it doesn't top The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones and the Six

Taylor Jenkins Reid has cemented herself as an author to watch for with Malibu Rising following up Daisy Jones & The Six. The writing is outstanding as we follow the Riva family over the course of 24 hours leading up to and during Nina Riva's annual end-of-summer party in 1983. The four siblings have plenty of secrets in the present day looming beneath the surface. There are flashbacks interspersed throughout illustrating the history of the family. The story is captivating throughout telling a gripping story with fascinating family dynamics. Highly recommended!

Oh my word this book was flipping fantastic, I have read and loved Taylor Jenkins previous book Daisy Jones and the six, so I will admit to feeling a bit nervous starting this one. What if I didn’t enjoy it. Well there was no need for me to worry as I absolutely loved everything about this book and I’m recommending it to everyone.

Expectations were very high after how much I loved Daisy and it did not disappoint. I love novels that happen in a 24 hour frame and centred around a family, so this was a really good mix for me.

This is really bad. I can’t understand why it has received such good reviews. In my opinion, it has nothing to recommend it. Unless you happen to like reading about vacuous people doing vacuous things and acting in vacuous ways. Or enjoy stereotyping and clichéd writing. Or perhaps soap operas. Very disappointing after Daisy Jones and the Six, which I thought was very good. So it’s not that Taylor Jenkins Reid can’t write well – she patently can. But she doesn’t do so here. It’s a mix of family saga and celebrity shenanigans. Constant mention of brands, clothes, appearance, body shape. True to a Malibu lifestyle perhaps, but let’s face it, pretty boring to read about. To be fair – and I always try to be fair – the first half of the book is readable enough. It’s the story of Mick Riva and June Costas, whom he marries just at the start of his career as a rock and roll singer, and whom, of course, he deserts when his fame grows, leaving her alone to bring up their four children. Which she does to the best of her ability. But she dies early leaving eldest child Nina to struggle bringing up her siblings. Which she does, to the best of her ability. And then one day she gets a lucky break and becomes a supermodel and they all become rich, and so once a year they can throw a star-studded party at the mansion in Malibu. The second half of the book is a blow-by-blow account of that party where all the guests behave just as you would expect and it is just so, so tedious. I stuck with the first half of the book, but gave up on the second, and just skimmed to the end. Whilst reading/skimming, I was mentally composing this review and making lots of notes but now it’s come to it I can’t be bothered to spend any more time on this banal, trite novel about people I just wasn’t interested in.

This is a good book, with well developed characters and an interesting story line.
Set in the wealthy suburb of Malibu in California it makes a great summer read with plenty of sun, beach and surf scenes.
The first part of the book gives the background of the characters with some scenes jumping back to their parents in the past and what happened to put them all where they are today.
The second part of the book focuses on the large annual party that is held each year and the events of the past then culminate at the party.
A solid read which I rated 4 stars. It’s not my favourite by this author but still worth packing in your suitcase this summer.

Following the turbulent lives of the Riva family, we follow several timelines in this excellent novel. All set in Malibu, the novel centres around the four Riva kids - Nina, Hud, Jay and Kit, whose father is Mick Riva (aka one of the most famous singers in the world). When we begin the story, all four are living the glamorous 1980s life and planning THE Malibu celeb party of the summer. However, as we switch between timelines, and come to see the story of their parents and their childhood, we see that life hasn't always been as sweet. Plus. in the present they are keeping secrets from one another, which could shatter the family dynamic completely. As the evening starts, are they doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past?

I loved Evelyn Hugo by this author and I was equally enamored of Malibu Rising. The novel can be split into 2 parts - the run-up to the party (plus flashbacks of the Riva history), and then the party itself. I enjoyed both parts though they are very different in style; part 1 is more traditional, looking at the history of the characters and using chapters to switch perspectives and timelines, while part 2 was also brilliant, using chapters to switch frenetically between characters at the party, including side characters, and even a few new ones, to create stories within stories and mirroring the hyped and crazy energy of the party itself.

This is a brilliant read and one to add to your summer reading list.

Love this authors writing style. I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this as much as daisy jones & the six there was a lot to live up to but what an amazing read.

I’ve not read any books by this author previously, though Daisy Jones and the Six has been sitting on my TBR pile. On the strength of this novel, it is being rapidly moved to the top!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book-it’s not dramatic, it’s not playing with your mind, it’s just well written and a cracking good story, which felt something like the family sagas of the past that I used to love, but not too long and drawn out.
I really cared about the characters, they were well written making them real and sympathetic. There are lessons to be learned for all of them.
Great escapist summer reading, in an aspirational location with a satisfactory ending.

A good story, liked getting to know the characters and what happened after the fire.
EAsy read, great book if you want something a bit lighter to get into

‘The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children.’ This is the premise set forward in Taylor Jenkins Reid latest novel, Malibu Rising.

The author has brought us through the glamour of old Hollywood in the 1940s and 50s. We went on a journey through the rock n roll scene of the 1970s. Now her latest novel is set to bring her readers into the world of the rich and famous in the eighties.

The American writer made a name for herself with her novels Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, her prose creating a rich tapestry for readers to get lost in. Her latest novel, Malibu Rising is no different as we are introduced to the four Riva siblings.

Set against the backdrop of Malibu in the midst of the eighties, a party, a broken family and a fire will draw readers into a novel that is just as beautiful as the cover suggests.

One of the running themes throughout the book is generational traumas and poses the question: ‘Are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of our parents?’

Taylor Jenkins Reid drags us into the world of the Riva siblings where they spend just 24 hours trying to break the cycle set forth by their parents and grandparents.

Fire is the ultimate cleansing tool. But can the Riva, like the phoenix, rise from the ashes renewed and healthier, having shed the sins of the father?

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A fabulous family saga with lots of secrets, plenty of dysfunctional behaviour, glamour all set in Malibu.
The strength of this book is in the descriptive characters and the way the book was set in two time periods.
My first book by this author but will not be the last.

One of the perfect summer reads! I love the writing of Taylor Jenkins Reid- it always hurts my heart a little. I loved the eighties setting. This was an exploration of what love and family can be- and also what doesn’t cut it. This book tore at my heart strings many times in multiple ways. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

The book focuses on the story of the Riva family, deeply exploring their history and how they came to be where they are now. It is beautiful, heart breaking and deeply immersive and atmospheric. Though I was lucky enough to be provided an eARC through Netgalley, I was not able to read it online and so waited until my pre order arrived! And I am so glad I did, not only was the weather perfectly sunny which added to the atmosphere of the reading experience, but I was also able to read it in 10 hours.

While reading it I just couldn’t get Holly Bourne’s blurb out of my mind, that this is the ‘perfect summer read with the emotional depth of the ocean’ because she has truly hit the nail on the head there, I could never find a better way to describe it.

The writing is just phenomenal, a testament to an easy but beautiful read. One that draws you in, wanting more from the story and the characters. It had the perfect amount of reflection and intrigue, the overarching question of the fire in the back of your mind as the night descends.

Even the background characters were well developed, one of the aspects that I loved was the exploration into the more random background characters such as Wendy. She gave them their moment to shine and gave us an opportunity to look at the party through different eyes, and a deeper appreciation for the party itself and how it got out of control. I think she worked in those characters perfectly, taking us a step away from the main four to look at the wider picture and the wider society they’re a part of.

I also loved the ending, I thought it was perfectly fitting and made a lot of sense. It was very emotional and it was just incredible. I cried so much throughout this book, to the point that tears were gathering in a pool at the bottom of my chin, but the ending was exactly what I wanted. It made sense for all of the characters and it was just beautifully written.

However, as much as I adored the book and the characters, the one thing I kept thinking about after was the plot. In that there isn’t one, it is beautifully written and the characters are great but there is a distinct lack of plot. The only overall plot is finding out how the fire happens over the course of the night. Most of the book focuses on the history of the family and how they came to fame, which I loved however I can see why some people may struggle with a lack. Though I must say it didn’t bother me, it was just something I noticed on reflection.

Overall, it was a 5 star read for me (no one is shocked). It was everything I wanted from a summery Taylor Jenkins Reid book, and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. Each book she writes I find more emotional and I’m ready to be destroyed once again.

Nina Riva's parties are legendary; everyone wants to get close to the Riva's. Offspring of singer Mick-Nina, Jay, Hud and Kit are a source of fascination. By the end of the night, secrets are blown wide open. I loved the sense of place, despite never having been to Malibu, it felt like I was there. The relationship between the siblings was realistic. I liked the narrative jumping back and forth from the present day to their childhood, so we get the picture of what life with a rockstar dad was actually like. Nostalgic and captivating this might be my book of the summer.

Thanks to Random House, Cornerstone and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Told in two parts - the first part the narrative is split between the build up to the notorious Riva party and the history of June and Mick Riva and the second being an account of the party itself. I really enjoyed this although the behaviour of some of the guests at the party left me cringing a bit!

Hugely enjoyable read.