Malibu Rising, by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

Life is difficult; You fall in love, people break that trust, you have issues with your parents, you have crazy, difficult siblings, and you're trying to support yourself. "Malibu Rising" is a phenomenally written book that almost everyone can relate to. The book follows Nina and explores her childhood all the way to her adulthood. Set in Malibu (duh), Nina and her siblings struggle in life earlier on than many but find ways to enjoy life and make a name for themselves. They learn to surf, they find careers, and so on. As this exposition is intertwined with the main plot, the book also follows events over the course of ONE day, the day of the Riva party.

This is my third Taylor Jenkins Reid review of the day and they are all getting five stars, so it's safe to say you'll probably like this book. I live in Southern California so the beach is a huge part of my life. I've been to Malibu countless times and reading about where I've been before is always exciting. Of all the books I've read by TJR, this one was the most relatable to me. I was able to find a part of myself in every character, whether it was a decision they made, the way they acted, or how someone else treated them. Because of that, I found myself immersed in the plot of the book and always reading to find out what happened next. The only thing that made this book not a "perfect" read is that it switches between the past and present. Although I think it was done well, it was odd to interrupt various parts of the day with various backstories. I still loved the novel despite that, and definitely recommend it. 5/5

Reviewed by Catalina Marie, Grade 11

Chevy Chase Library