On My Nightstand: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I'm currently typing this while lying in bed, soaking in the warm night breeze through my window while winding down for the evening. On my nightstand right now, I've just wrapped up another perfect summer read: Malibu Rising by the incredibly talented author Taylor Jenkins Reid. This was a book I picked up a during the summer, but with life getting in the way, it was left sitting on my nightstand untouched. At last, I've finally come around to finishing it and to say I loved it is an understatement!

I've been a fan of TJR for a while now with Daisy Jones & the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. However, Malibu Rising came to me on a whim when I was trying to overcome a reading slump I had been in. I had no books in particular to look for and was not in the mood for any of the books on my TBR list I had sitting, waiting, calling my name... so while wandering the aisles of my local library, I came across Taylor Jenkins Reid again and remembered this was a book I've always had in the back of my mind.

These books are the best books though. You know, the ones you randomly pick up with minimal familiarity, not really knowing what to expect. I didn't even read the synopsis on the back of the book. I just saw Taylor Jenkins Reid and the title sounded familiar so I blindly checked it out from the library!

This story is based in the summer of 1983 in Malibu, California. It follows the famous Nina Riva and her siblings hosting the iconic annual end of the summer party. Before morning comes, the house is up in flames. The book is filled with twists and secrets that kept me wanting more. I am always enamored with Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing, so this did not disappoint. Everything about her way of describing Malibu and the characters screamed summer.

The book flips back and forth between two timelines. One is set in current time (the 80's) and the second set in the time that the Riva siblings' parents first met and the children's upbringing. I liked having a dual timeline involved because it really gives a good backstory for the characters and plot as a whole.

SO, if you're in the mood for a fun, summer read that has a bit of mystery mixed with some messy family drama...this might be the one! I adore Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing style and I love how each of her books are sort of interconnected in a way.

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Fave Taylor Jenkins Reid book? Let me know!

~N