Well hello to you my reader chums! I'm back with another book review, a book which I devoured in only a few sittings and absolutely adored. Malibu Rising has been hyped for a while now and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it as I absolutely fell in love with the book.

If you're looking for a book to hit you in all the feels, are a deeper thinker, and love a fast-paced plot, Malibu Rising is worth picking up next.

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Plotline

Malibu Rising is set all around the famous end-of-summer-party of Nina Riva and everyone is filled with anticipation before the exciting event. Everyone who knows about the party is invited and many want to grab a glimpse of the famous Riva Siblings. There's Nina, the talented supermodel and surfers, Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer and the other a famous photographer and the youngest, the adoring Kit. The siblings are a fascination by many in Malibu with the known news of legendary singer, Mick Riva as their father. 

When midnight hits, the party is out of control, and by the morning, the mansion will be up in flames. But, the plot follows the family throughout the series of the night, the loves, the secrets, and the events that shaped this family.

Characters and relationships

The key of this plot that makes it so wonderful is the characters and their relationships, and how they have developed. Nina is the main focus of the plot and I really related to her character in a lot of ways because she is a giver and does a lot for everyone else, and often forgets to think about herself. She is the oldest of the siblings and you can see that in how the plot unfolds, and how she takes care of them all, their entire life. Jay and Hud are a similar age and Kit is the youngest and their bond between the four of them is what makes the plot so special.

Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit really show the true meaning of what it is to be a sibling and how looking after each other is the most important thing in life and that premise is kept throughout the writing of this tale. Their mother June is an icon in my eyes as she experiences so much hardship but offers all the kids' needs which is love and support even when she had nothing to give. Their father is a character I don't like, and you can see that map out throughout the story in his actions, and what he does to their mum, and how he acts towards his kids.

But it isn't just the main family characters that make this book special, what's great is how the author really dives into the many party guests. She gives many characters a voice and pages about who they are, their lives, and how they end up at Riva's party, and I loved that. I love how she painted a picture of people as a whole and how lives intertwine and why - it added a lot of layers to the book.

Overall thoughts

Overall, this book was a heartbreaking, refreshing, and personal read and I adored every page. The structure of the book was actually one of my favourite elements because it was broken up into the hours of the party and what went on during each hour, as well as going back in time to Riva's parents' past and how they ended up to where they are now. The switch between past and present is something I adore in a book and that's why I loved this one so much. 

The characters, I fell in love with and I could really connect with them, not only with the events of the party but what went on in their entire lives. The author has a way of moving the reader with her words and describing the story in a way that you really feel for them all. It's a book of complete emotion that explores the horrors of fame, family connection, broken families, sibling bonds, the sacrifices you make in life, all intertwined within the setting of sunny Malibu.

I love how Malibu was the location of the entire book as it brought everything together in terms of plot, how the characters lives mapped out, and added the escapism feel to the read. 

It's one of those books I didn't want to end with a purely character-driven plot. 100% would recommend.

Ending

The ending came together in a wholesome way, obviously, I'm not going to give it away with what happened. But, what I will say is that the characters received an ending that they deserved and the book ended on a beautifully metaphorical note.

I hope you enjoyed this review. You can pick up your copy here. Have you read this book?

Thank you for reading <3