Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
August,1983, it is the day of Nina Riva's annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone who is anyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: surfer and supermodel Nina, brothers Jay and Hud, and their adored baby sister Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over - especially as the children of the legendary singer Mick Riva. 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 of dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family will all come bubbling to the surface.
Tags
Is Malibu Rising appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
This multigenerational family drama features adult themes including parental abandonment, infidelity, substance use at a party, and moderate language. The focus is on family bonds and identity rather than explicit content.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, mild sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include substance abuse, abandonment, and infidelity (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens will connect with the sibling dynamics and the exploration of how family legacy shapes identity, set against a glamorous 1980s Malibu backdrop.