VeganYANerds: Blog Tour: Drain You by M. Beth Bloom

Today we're participating in the blog tour for Drain You by M. Beth Bloom hosted by Mundie Mums and Hobbitsies

Drain You by M. Beth Bloom

Published July 24, 2012 by Harper Teen

Source: the publicist

Rating: 4 paws

From the blurb: Summer. The 90s. The rich, sun-bleached neighborhoods of the Los Angeles canyons. Enter Quinlan Lacey, a cool, bored, sarcastic, sexy 17-year old with a dull part-time video store job and a mild case of teen ennui. That is, until she meets the alluring, River Phoenix-esque James, and realizes the hills are alive with the undead. Inspired more by the early, dry L.A. short stories of Bret Easton Ellis than the current crop of serialized vampire fiction, the supernatural grunge romance, Drain You, narrates the headaches and heartbreaks Quinn undergoes in her quest to stay sane and cool and in love and alive.

Drain You by M. Beth Bloom is set in California during the 90s. Seventeen year old Quinlan Lacey is on summer holidays, she’s planning on working at the local video store with best friend, Morgan, and spending lots of time sleeping, swimming and sunning. But then she meets James and her summer gets a whole lot more dangerous.

I was really keen to read Drain You after I read Andrea’s review so I was thrilled when the publicist contacted us to join the blog tour because like us, M. Beth is vegan, too!

From the opening paragraph I was sucked into Quinn’s story and wanted to join her in the long, hot summer she was experiencing. I loved her whatever-attitude, her laid-back approach to life and clothes, and while not the easiest character to like, she had me charmed as much as she did Morgan, who had a major crush on her. I liked her best friend, Libby, as well as her relationship with James.

The plot was so intriguing, I knew there were going to be vamps involved but I liked the slow build up before Quinn got clued in and the fact that they are, for the most part, killers, and not out to be friends with humans. This book invaded my thoughts whenever I wasn't reading it, so much so that I had the most vivid dream about this book.

I really love the setting of California. I know most people who dream of going to the USA might pick New York, but for me the West Coast has always held more appeal, probably because I grew up on the beaches and the weather in Cali sounds just right. It’s the sort of place I enjoy reading about as if I’ve already been there, and I can’t wait to visit next year. It also helped that while reading this I was lying by the pool in the sun, I'm sure Quinn would have approved.

The 90s pop cultural references were so entertaining and I appreciated them all. From the title referencing Drain You by Nirvana, to other bands/artists: Pearl Jam, RHCP, Ice Cube, Dave Grohl, Butthole Surfers. Then there were references to books like The Babysitters Club, products such as Diet Coke, Wet N Wild nail polish, Lip Smackers, Discmans as well as movies like Heathers and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. For most readers that grew up in the 90s this will be such a fun, nostalgic read. For teens now most of these might not mean much but I don’t think that will stop them from enjoying the story.

I was also happy to see some veggo references throughout the book: Naomi serves Quinn kashi with soy milk, Quinn goes with her mum to Follow Your Heart Cafe and then there’s the meal James makes for Quinn: couscous, chickpeas and hot sauce.

My only issue was the ending, what a killer! I have so many questions as to the whereabouts of some of the main characters and whether the plan actually worked. I'm still thinking about it days later.

Drain You is a modern, vampire romance with a grungy-feel. It will appeal to young adults and probably even more so to not-so-young adult YA fans.

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Thanks to the publicist for sending me a copy for review!

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Onto the guest post from M. Beth Bloom:

Drain You Playlist

Psychologists talk about the “nostalgia bump” being that era in young adulthood that becomes our most vivid throughout life – that one decade where memories are the strongest, peaking just before middle age and then steadily declining. Heavy stuff. But nothing could be truer when it comes to our processing of pop culture. For me, everything fabulous and amazing happened between ’91 and ’98 – eight years of music that still blows my mind, has me car crooning and chair dancing, misty-eyed in my old Volvo. I was an R ‘n’ B/Hip Hop kid who had to learn the ways of grunge when Nevermind hit, rotating between my Smashing Pumpkins t-shirt and Boyz II Men baseball cap. Music informed so much of my junior high and high school years, and so when I went to write my protagonist, music was just there – creating a mood and setting the scene. If I say Bikini Kill, that means jumping on the bed, feeling tough. If I say Portishead, that means pensive night swims thinking about a boy. And if I say Dee-Lite, that means ecstatic getting dressed montage. See how it all works?

-Nirvana, Drain You

I wanted to name the book after a 90s song and it was crucial to me that the title matched the vibe of the plot as well as the time setting. BOOM! I almost fell out of my chair when Drain You came to me – laughing, crying, and lots of “In Utero” on repeat. The lyrics also really work for me: “I don’t care what you think unless it is about me.” Now that’s teenage.

-Ice Cube, Today Was A Good Day

“The Ghetto” was a huge taboo idea in the mid ‘90s in LA. Especially with Boyz In The Hood and “The Chronic” coming out and just completely taking over suburbia. I remember MTV used to play this video twenty times a day and I became more and more mesmerized – and SCANDALIZED! Guns, condoms, 40 oz’s, low-riders, and Ice Cube’s awesome badassedness. This was the chilled-out, summer classic of ’93 and it’s a crucial zen beat-the-heat tune for Quinn.

-Weezer, The Sweater Song

No one really knew that Weezer would have such legs. This was a novelty tune by a seemingly novelty band who liked to pair up with then semi-novelty director Spike Jonze and be meta. Perfect for the beginning of indie-rock faux-nerdiness and goofing around with friends. There wasn’t a single person in my clique who didn’t know EVERY SINGLE word to this song.

-Pavement, Shady Lane

This is what a Quinn becomes when she gets to college. Matador and Pavement were a womb for me when 17 hit and I craved poetic lyricists and men who didn’t quite rock. “Shady Lane” is a song about nostalgia, looking at your life in the moment and already missing it. Malkmus is a great writer, speaking to so many of us who were looking to just “get it,” you know?

-Deee-Lite, Groove Is In The Heart

Still one of my favorite songs, one of my favorite groups, and certainly one of my all-time favorite frontwomen. “Groove” was like that thing on TV you couldn’t ever wrap your mind around – like where did these Soho New York hipsters with their overtly gay pride, glamour, and fabulism come from and how did I get lucky enough to catch even a short glimpse of them!?!? Obsessiveness commence! I always picture Quinn in front of her full-length mirror doing the Lady Miss Kier dance, shimmying her body when the whistle sounds.

-Bikini Kill, Sugar

Kathleen Hanna is just IT for all riot grrls and faux riot gurls (like me). She wrote the word BITCH on her stomach in permanent marker, wore sloppy little kid ponytails, mismatched her tiny ripped clothes, and spit – literally and conceptually. BK is the perfect teen angst music: forget emo, forget Elliott Smith; this is about being heard and being heard LOUD. A daily Quinn mantra.

-Black Box, Everybody Everybody

Dancing is hugely important to me and, though Quinn as a character is a bit “cooler” than I ever was, I like to think of her as a solo-dancer. Someone who blasts tracks alone in her room so she can bop, stomp, and jump around. But I have to think of her as a groover too, because she’s sexy and thinks about sex and bodies and bodies moving, etc. etc. Black Box had that deep soul groove for dancin’/romancin’. Def not anything Quinn would share with her friends, but for sure a secret pleasure.

-Hole, Miss World

“Go on, take everything, take everything, I want you to.” That’s anthemic beauty in its rawest state. Such a great time to be a teenage girl, when you’ve got feisty (pre-op) Courtney Love screaming at the other boys and girls who don’t love you because you’re a) overweight, b) misunderstood, c) punk, d) weird, e) loud-mouthed, f) all of the above and everything else.

-Sonic Youth, 100%

Thurston and Kim were the ultimate in f’ed up cool, and this album especially gave them a tiny bit of KROQ crossover. What an awesome song to hear on the radio – distorted guitars, feedback, instrumental randomness, and the line: “All you men are slime.” This is the soundtrack to runway grunge, Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis, baby Sevigny raver-skater, and Quinn Lacey headbanging.

Check out the book trailer:

About the author:

Bloom's first short story “Love And Other Catastrophes: A Mix Tape” was featured in Story Quarterly and selected by Dave Eggers for inclusion in The Best American Nonrequired Reading: 2003 (Houghton-Mifflin), which he curates annually. Bloom is the founder of underground dance label 100% Silk (profiled here in LA Weekly) AND the producer/lead singer of the band LA Vampires (written up in The Guardian as well as Pitchfork and Fader). Her next book will be published through HarperTeen.
M. Beth lives on the east side of L.A. where she indulges in raw fooding, magazine subscribing, thrift shopping, Sunday matinee'ing, and ladies book clubbing.

Enter the giveaway for a chance to win:

-5 Copies of 'Drain You' signed by the Author

-$50 Credit at Wasteland (Quinn's favorite store),

-Pages from Quinn's Notebook (pics attached)

-10 'Drain You' Bookmarks handmade by Quinn

-10 90's mixtapes curated and created by Quinn

a Rafflecopter giveaway

16 comments:

Novels On The Run said...: I thought this was a contemporary, lol! The title kind of gives it away. I was watching the vid trailer and I thought it was different. The build up:)So Vamps, well there you go! Glad you enjoyed it and , sadly I was living that era and not in nappies..hehe!!

Michelle; 25 October 2012 3:05 pm
Stephanie said...: This sounds fun and kind of similar to Francesca Lia Block...if you haven't read her, I really think you'd like her Dangerous Angels series, which takes place in LA in the 80s and 90s. A lot of her characters are vegetarians and there's a lot of emphasis on healthy and organic food!; 25 October 2012 4:00 pm
Shirley said...: Too bad I have no memory of the 90's...I would love to have some knowledge of the 90s but I'm sure I'll enjoy this all the same!! Awesomeee review Mandee<3; 25 October 2012 4:29 pm
kit said...: I think the promise of 90s nostalgia is what sold me originally, but it sounds like a great read - this might end up being the first 'vampire romance' I ever read! Awesome review :); 25 October 2012 7:17 pm
Erin W. said...: Good old 90s. It had the best music even though everyone tries to deny their music taste back then. haha. Anyway great post! :); 25 October 2012 9:51 pm
Jasprit said...: Oh I really like the sound of this book, it sounds like it has a fresh take on vampires and I love the idea of the 90's pop cultural references too! You also have me quite intrigued about the ending too! A fab review Mandee and thanks for sharing the playlist with us too! :); 26 October 2012 1:08 am
Sam said...: Love the playlist! I reminds me of the sort of music I used to like (and still secretly do!). Thanks for sharing. :) So glad you enjoyed the book too, Mandee. I don't think I've read a single negative review yet so I'm quite looking forward to reading this book myself.; 26 October 2012 2:11 am
Wendy Darling said...: So looking forward to reading this book! It sounds like you really enjoyed it, which is always a good sign. :)

And dear Mandee, you want to come to the west coast over the east coast because our weather and vibe is very similar to Australia's! I'm sorry we missed each other while I was in Sydney, but if you're ever here in Los Angeles, we'll have a proper get-together!

Wendy @ The Midnight Garden; 26 October 2012 2:39 am
Maja (The Nocturnal Library) said...: I've never even heard of this book, and it's named after a Nirvana song? Plus it has vampires? Where on Earth have I been? Adding to my tbr. I love everything on that playlist. :); 26 October 2012 5:54 am
Keertana said...: Ahhh, I need to check this one! Vampires in the 90s? I'm in! I feel like vampires have been so overdone, so it's nice to see them in a different, more unique setting. Fantastic review, Mandee! :D; 26 October 2012 7:31 am
Sarah (saz101) said...: DJAFHDJLFA. Mandee. I SO want to read this!
It's kind of making me feel a little nostalgic... discmans and Buthhole Surfers and and and... OK, yeah, I feel OLD. It's also kind of reminding me of Lost Boys :D

AMAZING review! ♥; 26 October 2012 9:38 am
Andrea @The Bookish Babes said...: I'm so happy you're on the tour, too, Mandee!! And I'm happy you enjoyed Drain You (thanks for the shout-out!) I really love that M. Beth offered such a detailed playlist. I must reread the book w/the songs in the background.; 26 October 2012 12:09 pm
YA Anonymous said...: The 90s! Babysitter's Club! Gilbert Grape!! This sounds like such a me book. When I tried being vegan for a month, I went to Follow Your Heart cafe and... let's just say it wasn't for me. Haha. But there are a ton of other great vegan places in LA!

And LA >>>> NYC. :)

-Maggie; 26 October 2012 1:35 pm
Jennifer Messerschmidt said...: I love the 90s! I feel so old that I'm already all nostalgic for the old times! California really isn't that great. It gets cold and our beaches are dirty and freezing. lol I think grass is also greener on the other side. I want to move to a nice beach. I guess Malibu and a few beaches here are nice but nothing like Hawaii. Love vamp books so I need to check this one out. Also very awesome that the author is vegan!; 26 October 2012 11:33 pm
Rachel said...: I read and loved Andrea's review too, Mandee. This book sounds amazing, I love remembering the 80s and 90s, so much fun to incorporate vampires in that time period. Wonderful review and thanks for the giveaway. :); 28 October 2012 10:07 am
TheBookSlayer said...: I'm about half-way through with this book and have been for about the last 2 months. For some reason I just can't get into which makes no sense because A. I love the 90's B. Vampires.. duh! and C. I trust Andrea's reviews. I'm very glad to see you enjoyed it though. Your review and especially the "killer ending" makes me want to try picking it up again.; 30 October 2012 12:59 pm