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Fiction. Literature. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER �?� Read with Jenna Book Club Pick as Featured on Today �?� From the author of Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo . . . �??Irresistible . . . High drama at the beach, starring four sexy, surfing siblings and their deadbeat, famous-crooner dad.�?��??People ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Time, Marie Claire, PopSugar, Parade, Teen Vogue, Self, She Reads Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, the family drama that ensues will change their lives forever. Malibu: August 1983. It�??s the day of Nina Riva�??s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over�??especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva. The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud�??because it is long past time for him to confess something to the brother from whom he�??s been inseparable since birth. Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can�??t stop thinking about promised she�??ll be there. And Kit has a couple secrets of her own�??including a guest she invited without consulting anyone. By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family�??s generations will all come rising to the surface. Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . … (more)
User reviews
I totally adored Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel “Daisy Jones & The Six“ which was totally lively and got be hooked from the first page. He latest book “Malibu Rising” had exactly the same effect. Her protagonist Nina, whose day of the big party is told alternatingly with the family’s story, is a strong character in a very special way. Her most striking feature surely is to take over responsibility and to do what needs to be done while totally forgetting that she, too, has the right to live. But instead of thinking about herself, she simply cares for the people around her, especially her younger siblings.
While everybody is preparing for the party, the biggest event every summer which is not to be missed by anybody important, Nina strikes a balance of her life so far. She made the maximum of the rather poor baseline. She has become one of the most demanded sports models, idolised by masses of people, her younger brothers are just starting their careers and also the baby of the family is going to fledge the family nest and to make herself noticed and a name. Their father has only ever existed at the edge of their life, it was their mother June who put herself last to make her children feel loved and have a good life despite all the adversities. Now, however, seems to be the moment for a big change.
Another set of unforgettable characters who know what is important in life and underline that there is nothing that will bring you down as long as you’ve got the ones who love you around. Even though nothing could be further from my life than surfing, I liked the passages where the author describes how the kids feel in the water and how surfing provides them with an unknown feeling of freedom.
The perfect summer read which is not at all the light feel-good novel but much rather a great story simply to indulge in.
Hollywood based, dual timeline between late 50s and mid 80s. Flow is seamless. Quite a few characters thrown in this book
Thanks to Ms. Reid, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.
This book tells the story of the Riva family. Much of the book is set in 1983 at the Riva annual party which has become an event for the rich and famous in the area. Nina, a model, hosts the party and this year she is doing it without her tennis star husband since he left her. One of her brothers, Jay, who is a champion surfer has a big secret that will change his life. Another brother, Hud, has been keeping something big from Jay that could drive a wedge between them. The baby of the family, Kit, is trying to figure out some things about herself and is keeping a few things to herself as well.
We also get to see the history of this family in the sections of the book that were set in the past. We get to know June and see how she fell in love with Mick Riva. June put up with a lot and had more than her fair share of challenges in her life. She did the best she could but often wasn’t everything her kids needed her to be. Eventually, everything falls on Nina’s shoulders and I was in awe of everything she sacrificed for her siblings.
I really grew to like this cast of characters over the course of this story. I loved that we had the chance to see things from each of the key players’ point of view. I really liked the way that we slowly learn this families history as we see them prepare for their massive party. It was great to see the siblings come together and be the support system for each other that they needed. I thought that the descriptions of the party were very well done and I was mad at the people in attendance on behalf of the Rivas.
Julia Whelan did a phenomenal job with the narration. There is a rather large cast of characters and I loved the way that she used a distinctive voice for each of them. She added a lot of emotion to the story through her reading. I wanted to listen to this book for hours at a time and I believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very well done story about a family who has managed to overcome every challenge that has been thrown at them. I will definitely be reading more of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s work in the future.
I received a copy of this audiobook from Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group via Libro.fm.
“Too much self-sufficiency was sort of mean to the people who loved you,” Kit thought. “You robbed them of how good it feels to give, of their sense of value.”
But I would be remiss if I didn't share my *other* overriding thought about this book, and that is simple: I truly don't get the hype. I stand behind everything I said in the last paragraph 100%. But this was book 56 on the year for me and I've read over 250 since the COVID-related lockdowns began 53 weeks ago. And *many* of them were equally strong, and some quite similar in genre and tone. So I simply do not understand how this review will be number 990 on Goodreads - over two full months before this book publishers - while others languish in obscurity, seemingly struggling to get even double digit reviews even though they are at least as strong and good as this one. And again, I cannot emphasize this enough: This isn't saying in any way that this book isn't an excellent tale excellently told. My sole point is simply that there are *so many others* that could and arguably should receive the same amounts of attention and love, yet do not. And I truly don't understand how this happens. I mean, I know *how* it happens- massive marketing campaigns. I just don't understand the *why* of it and why *not* those others. Something that will likely always elude me.
Anyway, read this book. It deserves it. And maybe follow me wherever you find this review, and maybe you'll find some equally deserving books you weren't aware of. :D Very much recommended.
As the story comes to an end, all hell breaks loose at Nina's annual end-of-summer party. Secrets are reveiled, people from the past return, and all the siblings must make some tough decisions. This was a great work of literary fiction that can also be classified as a beach read. I find that I always enjoy the books that are part of the 'Read With Jenna' book club!
I have heard so many mixed reviews on this one, but I am sad I put off reading it for so long.
I loved this! This is a story around a family and their lives. I loved both the before story and the current story following the characters.
This did follow a
A sad tale mix with Hollywood. It was boring and included too many characters who could have been deleted.
The four children thrive and gain their
A fun book but certainly not a literary prize winner!
This highly anticipated novel, Malibu Rising, reads like a bad television movie from the 1980s, filled with Hollywood excess and overly dramatic scenes. We follow two story lines - one details Nina's life as she remembers what it was like growing up as well as the the current lives of Nina and her siblings as they prepare for their annual party. The other story line shows the lives of Nina's parents from courtship through divorce - the best part being the obvious parallels between Nina's life and that of her mother. There are so many characters in this book that there is very little time for development of personalities, so when the conclusion comes and we see the characters' story arcs come to a close, the sudden shifts and changes that they exhibit seem forced and unrealistic. Overall, I found this novel to be disappointing. I'd heard so many good things about this author, making this novel a true letdown. 2 1/2 stars
Add in some family drama and you’ve got the makings for the most memorable party of the century.
The book covers a 24 hour
The story goes back and forth from past to present, filling us in on the years before Mick became famous up until the party. Once the party gets going, things really get revved up and you just never know what might happen next.
Reading this reminded me of the Beach movies I watched growing up that featured pretty girls, surfers and singers crowded around a beach bonfire. Just not quite as wholesome.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I’m happy to give my honest review.