Drain You [Paperback]

M. Beth Bloom (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 24, 2012

Every night I'd lie there in bed and look out at the hills behind our house, listening. I knew there'd be consequences.

Actions meant reactions. Sunrises meant sunsets. My fear was too permanent, lasting longer than eyeliner, something I wore every day and didn't wash off.

Quinlan Lacey's life is a red carpet of weird fashions, hip bands, random parties, and chilling by the pool with her on-and-off BFF Libby. There's also her boring job (minimum wage), a crushed-out coworker (way too interested), her summer plans (nada), and her parents (totally clueless). Then one night she meets gorgeous James, and Quinn's whole world turns crazy, Technicolor, 3-D, fireworks, whatever.

But with good comes bad and unfortunately, Quinn's new romance brings with it some majorly evil baggage. Now, to make things right, she has to do a lot of things wrong (breaking and entering, kidnapping, lying, you name it).

There's normal, and then there's paranormal, and neither are Quinlan's cup of Diet Coke. Staying sane, cool, in love, and alive isn't so easy breezy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Bloom debuts with a languid, stylish novel that reads like a love letter to cult vampire flicks like The Lost Boys, the work of Francesca Lia Block, and Southern California in the 1990s.” (Publishers Weekly )

“Bloom’s writing style is unique, blending traditional flowery verbiage with irreverent contemporary dialogue. The plot is also a pleasing blend of friendship, romance, and action with a paranormal twist.” (School Library Journal )

About the Author

M. Beth Bloom is a musician, video artist, and writer. Her fiction has appeared in StoryQuarterly and Dave Eggers's Best American Non-Required Reading series. She lives in Los Angeles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (July 24, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062036866
• ISBN-13: 978-0062036865
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 1.1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #436,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is so not Twilight August 14, 2012

By K.M.W.

Format:Paperback

It's not. It's not about a girl who's lost in a new city. It's not about withheld lust. It wouldn't translate well into a billion dollar enterprise, complete with dolls and stickers and clothing lines. And it's definitely not written by a Mormon mother of three, trying to keep from dying of boredom in Phoenix, Arizona by writing about the undead.

In fact, "Drain You" doesn't fit the vampire-novel-model at all--right down to the title. I mean, Nirvana lyrics? No, it's something totally different.

Growing up in Los Angeles, Quinn embodies a definite West Coast style complete with requisite sarcasm, pop culture references and puns. Yes, these cultural references are pulled mainly from the 90s--there are Sassy mags and Leo DiCaprio references sprinkled in everywhere--but they suit Quinn's character beautifully. She's afraid to grow-up (hence her interest in a dude who never ages) as much as she's afraid to admit she's afraid of dying. She's obnoxious at times, needy almost always, and occasionally a little too blood-thirsty, even considering the generally violent vampirish-ness around her. In short, she's not always likeable.

But that's the beauty of Bloom's character--she isn't perfect. In that sense, she appeals to us more than any Bella, or Cinderella for that matter. She's not the kind of 17-year old girl that a 30-something mother dreams up. She's not out to find her soulmate in her high school halls, or even in the arms of a 22-year old sexy vampire. And she's definitely not looking for marriage and a baby. It's more complicated than that, and Quinn's the first to admit it in her usual self-deprecating tone. She's the kind of girl that actually exists.... And whether you like her a little or a lot or not at all, this is for certain: she's smart, she's weird, and she's real.

So to use a totally 90s term, "Drain You" is rad. Bloom weaves her story beautifully, full of complex characters and cinematic twists. But its her writing style that truly stands out. She carries you through a novel that's NOT a vampire story, not really. It's a novel about a girl with some serious self-destructive tendencies, not the least of which is a diet comprised entirely of Diet Cokes and saltines. Still, three cheers for the every girl--she's someone to get behind because, even at her worst, she's more like the rest of us than we want to admit. Read more ›

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars 90s nostalgia, here I come! July 24, 2012

By RaeLynn_Fry

Format:Paperback

Drain You
By M. Beth Bloom
YA Paranormal Romance (light romance)
HarperTeen, July 24th, 2012
Rating: Strong PG-13. Open door sex scenes, but no really details given
Coffee Beans: 4/5
Favorite Lines: So I loved Libby, but in a vintage way. Like a childhood blanket, or my dad's mac and cheese. A deep love, but not one you tap into on a daily basis. (Ebook, pg 25)

Okay, no big deal, I'd just call Stiles...at his underground lair, where he most likely had Libby chained to a radiator and she was loving it. Stella gave me the number, which contained not even one six, let alone the three in a row I'd expected. (Ebook, pg 76)

...I drew on so much eyeliner I looked like a sobbing drunk raccoon on a tequila bender... (Ebook pg 134)

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

Publisher's Summary:
Every night I'd lie there in bed and look out at the hills behind our house, listening. I knew there'd be consequences.
Actions meant reactions. Sunrises meant sunsets. My fear was too permanent, lasting longer than eyeliner, something I wore every day and didn't wash off.
Quinlan Lacey's life is a red carpet of weird fashions, hip bands, random parties, and chilling by the pool with her on-and-off BFF Libby. There's also her boring job (minimum wage), a crushed-out coworker (way too interested), her summer plans (nada), and her parents (totally clueless). Then one night she meets gorgeous James, and Quinn's whole world turns crazy, Technicolor, 3-D, fireworks, whatever.
But with good comes bad and unfortunately, Quinn's new romance brings with it some majorly evil baggage.... Now, to make things right, she has to do a lot of things wrong (breaking and entering, kidnapping, lying, you name it).
There's normal, and then there's paranormal, and neither are Quinlan's cup of Diet Coke. Staying sane, cool, in love, and alive isn't so easy breezy.
My Review:
I admit, when I read the first chapter, I wasn't that impressed. The voice was a little off and the writing didn't grab me. But I kept reading and figured out that this was pretty much awesomeness. It instantly reminded me of The Lost Boys, but now. It also reminded me of the 90's (which I loved) and made me want to move back to SoCal and remember the good times I had while growing up.
There were multiple things that impressed me with this book:
* The dialogue. Snappy, witty, snarky, and funny, Bloom's dialogue is just downright good. I was there, it was real, and it carried the story much more than just narrative alone
* The MC's voice. Quinn has a dark sense of humor and is so quick with everything, and her attitude of "whatever" is the icing on the cake. There were so many funny lines that were added that perfect certain something, which made the entire reading experience that much better
* The MC. Quinn, for me, is very real. She cares deeply about those who mean something to her. She doesn't know what she wants when it comes to boys. She's shallow and selfish at times, but she has drive. And I didn't find that off-putting at any point. Mainly because she gets called on it (several times) and she knows it's the truth. But we've all been there. Admit it.
* The relationships. There are several different, unique relationships Quinn is a part of, and they all come to life so realistically. Her absentee parents but their very functional relationship. Her coworker and complicated relationship-er, Morgan. Her casual best friend, Libby. The snobby girl from school, Naomi. James, the hot brother Quinn never knew existed. The equally hot other brother and instant best friend when crush disappears, Whit. And the evil twins, Stiles and Sanders. They all work brilliantly.
* The package. I'm assuming this is going to be a series. Depending on how well this one goes. I thought it was a tight, well-written story encapsulated into one book. The ending was finite but there are definitely LOTS of questions that still need answering.
There was one thing that didn't sit well with me, though.
* Instalove. I'm not a fan of this. It's unbelievable and really jars me out of a story. Yeah, we get Quinn thinks James is hot and she's majorly crushing on him and they have to get together for the sake of plot progression. But getting as close and invested as they did--and in only a week--is a little hard for me to swallow.
* The MC sleeps. A lot. Which isn't bad, I guess. But she's always tired and sleeping. *Shrugs shoulders* Just thought I'd mention that.
If you're a fan of the 90's (and if you aren't, you should be), if you liked The Lost Boys (and if you didn't, shame on you. Watch it again and change your mind), and if you enjoy dark humor, pick up the book. You'll probably be pretty entertained.
Pick it up and decide for yourself. :)
And yes, this is another vampire book. I love them so much <3 Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Chapter by Chapter's review of Drain You August 12, 2012

By MaryAnn

Format:Paperback

I was interested in reading Drain You after I read a synopsis of what the story was about, it sounded like a story that would keep my attention and had a character who sounded like she would remind me a bit of myself. Though, since I was checking it out on Goodreads, I also read a few reviews and saw that some were really negative. Keeping those thoughts in mind, I began reading Drain You and am very happy to say that the novel was actually very interesting and one that I personally enjoyed a lot. Considering the way it was written and the interactions between characters, I just want to say that if you are a reader who isn't a fan of "teen speak" that this novel may not be for you. I didn't mind the "teen speak" because the characters spoke the way I did. And I found that to be "dope".

And the story was drop-dead hilarious. (Hey there, vampire pun!)

The story itself for those who are wondering is about main character Quinlan "Quinn" Lacey who works at a video rental store in California with her co-worker/friend/on again/off again crush, Morgan. One night at the rental store a student from Quinn's high school, Naomi, comes into the store with blood all over her hands. From that moment on, Quinn involves herself in Naomi's life and ends up crushing on Naomi's brother James who has dark secrets that are dangerous. But he's dangerous and dangerous is what every girl secretly desires in a guy. True story.

Considering that the story was split into two parts, I was expecting a giant explosion of awesome and personally I found just that within the contents of Drain You. I know that some people may or may not disagree with me, but I personally found the story to be a lot like Twilight when it came to the plot.... Except that it had more drama and was a lot more realistic to teenage life. So, since I don't want to give away too much, I'll just say that the first half of the story was like Twilight and the second half was kind of like New Moon. So for all you Twi-hards who want a novel that can give you the same amount of romance, vampires and talent then I would recommend Drain You to you.

The characters in the story were ones that I fell hard for, from Quinn's best friend Libby to Quinn herself, the characters were more than interesting and said things that had me giggling here and there. As for James, he's a vampire, what isn't to love? He was sweet to Quinn and still kept up the appearance of Bad- Boy- Boyfriend. Though, and this is a warning to some readers, there was a few chapters with a lot of sexual innuendo and a few scenes that can be defined as inappropriate.

All in all, a worthwhile read. I would recommend Drain You to fans of vampire lore, romance and fans of Twilight. So go out there, get that book and make some vampire puns. Read more ›