Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

TJR does it again! The 3rd book I have read of hers and I am a fan.

Popsugar reading challenge- a book featuring a party.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the Taylor Swift of the Literary World. And not just because they share the same name (although there is that 😅).

Butttt because of the writing, the teenage love story's the heartbreak, the drama, the glamour need I go on.

First of all Mick Riva!! He could rival Evelyn with all the wives he had (he also was one of her husbands 😂😂). I love that, I love how TJR references characters from other books of hers we get this with Mick and we get to have Carrie's p.o.v (excited to get my hands on that) also anyone else realise the reference to Celia.

For me, the only problem was the suspense around the fire and the build-up to the party was kind of a letdown. (Spoilers) The fire started from Mick's cigarette, symbolic, but I wanted it to be a bit more explosive and dramatic. The lead up to the party I thought it would be better than it was like why am I reading about some next guy swinging off a chandelier, it just seemed too much going on. I guess that's what TJR is trying to portray but honestly, I would have prefered it to be more intimate.

I loved Riva's story, a tale of love, loss, and belonging and yes this is explored in a lot of novels but it's the way TJR writes. To be honest I much prefered reading about Mick and June's backstory and Nina how she single-handedly brought up her siblings but when we get to the present day it was somewhat predictable. Except for Casey-although, it's Mick which is standard😂- I love the roughness of the book, June's addiction the way she died, the way she loved so hard the way she brought up her children she really fought for them to her last breath. June's love for Mick, even when she takes him back. The Riva Kids. Nina-like can we appreciate how much she sacrificed for her siblings just amazing. I love how it ended with Nina finding her voice, her freedom, and herself. This book was amazing that kept me gripped.

On a sidenote- June and Mick's soundtrack could be Trouble 😉

Fave quotes from the book-

“Our family histories are simply stories. They are myths we create about the people who came before us, in order to make sense of ourselves.”

"When there is only you, you do not get to choose which jobs you want, you do not get to decide you are incapable of anything. There is no room for distaste or weakness. You must do it all. All of the ugliness, the sadness, the things most people can't stand to even think about, all must live inside of you. You must be capable of everything"

"Family histories repeat [...] maybe our parents' lives are imprinted within us, maybe the only fate there is is the temptation of reliving their mistakes. Maybe try as we might, we will never be able to outrun the blood that runs through our veins. Or. Or maybe we are free the moment of reliving their mistakes. Maybe everything we've ever done is by our own hands."