Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
SURF'S UP!
For a compulsive read, Malibu Rising (June 1, Ballantine), $28, by Taylor Jenkins Reid ( Daisy Jones & the Six) follows four famous surfer siblings (the children of philandering music legend Mick Riva) whose raucous Malibu parties attract all of 1980s Hollywood.
“I started thinking of this decade of excess, and if I'm going to write about a wild party, ’80s Malibu felt like a fun place for my brain to go,” the author says. Within 24 hours, the party—and beach town—will go up in fl ames, but before that, you’ll fi nd a story of sibling bonds, familial fallout and the lasting eff ects of fame. “As alluring as it is, and as much as we adore the people we put on a pedestal, I’m interested in the truth behind the fame,” says Jenkins Reid. Check out three of her recommended summer reads here.
PROJECT HAIL MARY
(Ballantine) by Andy Weir: A lone astronaut is the only person who can save humankind in this sci-fi interstellar adventure from the author of The Martian. “An absolutely thrilling novel that takes you on a wild ride.” $29
THE HEART PRINCIPLE
(Aug. 31, Berkley) by Helen Hoang: “She is such a star, and I love everything that she does,” including this tale about a romance between a violinist and motorcycle-riding CEO. $16
THE IDEA OF YOU
(Griffin) by Robinne Lee:
“I recommend this especially if you like books about fame,” Jenkins Reid says. Th is four-year-old book is about a divorced L.A. woman approaching 40 who falls for the British lead singer of her daughter’s favorite boy band.
“It’s romance and it’s beautifully written, but it’s so much more. It has fascinating thoughts about aging and older women with younger men. It’s just a knockout book.” $17 Available in bookstores and online