I really enjoyed this book! The characters were really well written and the plot kept me interested. I thought the writing was also really well done. I would love to read more from this author!

Be Dazzled
Ryan La Sala
Pub Date Jan 5, 2021

Brief Synopsis:
Be Dazzled is Ryan La Sala’s second novel, following Rafael, a burgeoning cosplayer with an unsupportive home life and big dreams to win the upcoming cosplay contest and catapult his possible career as a professional cosplayer and streamer. But when he shows up to the convention and sees his ex will be competing against him, it throws him for a loop.

What I liked:
Most of the characters are really likable and the chemistry within friendships and relationships is well done. The description of the cosplay is in depth and detailed, but still feels fun. I especially enjoyed the characters who were struggling with unsupportive families of different varieties. It felt authentic and really made you feel for their situations.

One thing I didn’t love:
Rafael’s mother drove me absolutely insane. I’m all for a crazy unsupportive parent as a villain but she was just so all over the place as a character and had some weird character choices that felt like they had no reason other than to be weird? I could have done without the weird drug use and completely absent parenting.

Final Thoughts:
I had the honor of reading an ARC of La Sala’s debut novel, Reverie. I enjoyed that one, but possibly one of my favorite things about reading this book was seeing how much Ryan La Sala has grown as a writer. The language has blossomed and it was like reading a totally different author and the growth was awesome! I also loved the little inclusion of the word “reverie” in this book. Overall, 4 stars.

First of all, thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for approving my request and sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


Raffy has always been a creative guy and has always loved creating, sewing, making costumes for his cosplay. He must do it secretly, however, in the absence of his mother: Evie is a self-made artist and now owner of an art gallery with a very narrow concept of art and if she discovered that her son pursues his "hobby", she would certainly set fire to everything. According to her, what Raffy does is not art at all - it's not creating something new, but just cowardice in replicating something that others have already created.
But that doesn't stop Raffy from taking risks - like going to his favorite shop, the Craft Club, to get what he needs and trying to go unnoticed or broadcasting his work and his creation process in live streaming on ION, the platform most used by those who make cosplays.
And it's thanks to the combination of these two things that he meets Luca - or rather, he recognizes him as one of his schoolmates and discovers that Luca has been following him for a long time and that he is secretly a nerd who would like to participate and be part of Raffy's world.

Thirteen months later, however, we see them compete against each other at the Controverse, Boston's largest convention. Raffy had to enlist the help of his friend May to participate in the competition that this year wants a couple cosplay and Luca is there with Inaya, who was once their friend.
It will be three days of crazy and frenzy, those made even more uncontrollable by the fact that the rules change every year at the Controverse and there are always twists to make the competition even more interesting - and one of these twists will eventually see Raffy and Luca in pairs having to collaborate. if they want to win for the best cosplay.


Normally I don't like second chance romances, but there was something about it that prompted me to request it on NetGalley.

History alternates between past and present - in the present we start from Friday, the first day of the convention, to arrive on Sunday evening for the announcement of the winners; in the past we start from thirteen months before, from the first interactions between Raffy and Luca up to the development and then to the end of their story.

Forgive me the absolutely unwanted pun, but this book was a jewel.

Raffy is stressed and anxious. And I even write it big: STRESSED and ANXIOUS.
So much that even the reader finds himself out of breath following his creative process, his attention to detail, his races against time until the actual collapse due to exhaustion. Raffy is a bit of a drama queen when it comes to Evie - like when he says that if his mother ever found out he is at conventions, she would likely send killers to take him out - and I liked him for that, it made me laugh.
Raffy goes to great lengths to carry on his art despite Evie, but the more we go on with the reading the more we realize how much his mother's words - and her disrespect - actually affect his life and vision of his work. That's why, after a first moment in which working with Luca and mixing their ideas he feels free, then he feels suffocated, he feels himself slowing down and being held behind - he feels distracted and like he's not giving his best to be at least enough in the eyes of his mother. Because, whether Raffy wants to admit it or not, it's Evie's respect that he's still trying to get.

Luca is bisexual, but when he told his mother it didn't go well. He must maintain the appearance of the classic athlete who only likes girls, but in reality he has always silently followed Raffy's direct steaming until he has decided to take a few small steps in his direction to come out. And meeting with Raffy - secretly - Luca finds himself increasingly in love with cosplay, conventions and creating something with his own hands. But he's also terribly insecure because he fears that Raffy only wants him as a model because he is handsome, attractive and charismatic and, being new to the thing, he still doesn't know how to do everything that Raffy is able to create with his hands. Moreover, his parents don't approve - they don't approve of wearing costumes to make cosplay, they don't approve Luca spending his time with Raffy when they learn about it through a photo posted online. The real problem begins to arise when these things are acceptable to do with Inaya because she is a girl.

Raffy and Luca are very sweet together - Luca is able to make Raffy slow down from his frenetic pace and the impossible standards he demands of himself and Raffy, after a lifetime of creating and making everything on his own, realizes that it's not so bad having someone to exchange ideas with; Raffy fascinates Luca in such a way that he can never take his eyes off him and when he is with him, Luca feels like he can be his truly self and who he wants to be every day,he wants to be part of Raffy's world and life.
In their relationship they both have insecurities that they cannot express to the other: Raffy loves Luca's enthusiasm for cosplay, but fears what will happen when Luca realizes that, once they're done with the creation, he's going to be seen by everyone at conventions - because once in public it's impossible for Luca's parents not to find out. Luca, on the other hand, fears that Raffy will always choose the work over him, that he will keep him only for his beauty, not considering him an equal or not even noticing his absence when Raffy is so concentrated in creating.

Normally I don't like second chance romances, but this was an exception: it's true that I would have loved a little more angst in the past and especially in the present, but the end of their relationship served them both to grow and mature - it helped Luca to gain more courage to be himself and to openly love who and what he wants and it helped Raffy to understand that he doesn't have to always exercise control and do everything himself, but that he must also trust others to achieve something wonderful.

Both of them are only seventeen, but I appreciated the maturity of Raffy's reflections on how difficult it's to build a relationship - how this sometimes involves sacrifices and compromises and how, even from broken things, something even more beautiful can be born.

I scrunched up my nose a little at the representation of the "typical Italian Catholic mother" - due to Luca being of Italian descent - because that seemed to adhere a little too much to the classic clichés attributed to Italians and, Italian as I am, I wasn't exactly thrilled to read this, but still it's a very sweet and fun reading absolutely suitable for cosplay and convention nerds: this is a real love letter to them.

One of my favorite things is when you read a book and you can tell the author loves what they’re writing about. I have been following Ryan La Sala on various social medias since before his debut novel (REVERIE) came out last year. And if you follow him, you know about his love for crafting (pro tip: check out his hilarious DIRy crafting videos on his YouTube channel) and his love of Sailor Moon (and other anime that I know nothing about 👀). To see those interests come together with La Sala’s endlessly entertaining writing style to create a nerdy, romantic, hilarious, over-the-top cosplay competition is truly a joy.

I read most of this book in a day because it was that fun and fast and furious. The chapters alternate between present-day, where Raffy (our hero, Rafael Odom) has been dumped by the seemingly perfect Luca and is now battling him in a cosplay competition, to the past year, which introduces the reader to Raffy and Luca’s relationship as it developed and how it led to them being rivals.

Raffy and Luca’s dynamic is one of my favorite parts of the book. Raffy is super serious about his cosplay creations, sometimes to the point of obsession. He is determined to prove to his art-snob gallery-owning mother that cosplay is real art. Luca is a goofy, beefy soccer player (100% himbo material) who has a crush on Raffy, and initially shows his interest by anonymously buying Raffy bags of crafting gems. Luca is interested in cosplay, but is a total newbie, mostly because he has to hide this specific interest (and his budding bisexuality) from his super strict Italian Catholic parents. They have a very fun dynamic throughout the book, with Raffy patiently teaching Luca many of the skills necessary for cosplay creation, and Luca helping Raffy chill out a little when he becomes too wrapped up in a project.

This book is a very fun, quick read, and I really enjoyed it. And I also learned a ton about crafting! A nice bonus 😊 I definitely recommend it, so please check out BE DAZZLED when it releases on January 5th!

I received an advanced copy of Be Dazzled (one of my most anticipated contemporary releases for 2021) through NetGalley so I could share my review with you!

Raffy is a creator, just not the kind his mother would like him to be. His mother is an art curator with impossible standards for what should and should not be considered “art,” which pointedly exclude Raffy’s cosplay creations. Though Raffy is gifted in his work, nothing he could create will ever be enough to please his mother. Raffy has come to terms with this and has crafted a plan to find his own way into the world. First, he needs to create some jaw-dropping costumes to enter the biggest cosplay contest of the year, where he just might have the chance to wrangle a sponsorship to keep creating the work he loves. The only problem is that one of his biggest competitors happens to be Raffy’s ex-boyfriend, Luca, who he is definitely over. The two are forced together by the competition, making Raffy face the reasons their relationship failed in the first place. But even as the tensions rise in the competition, Raffy can’t help but wonder, could there be something worth saving between Luca and him?

You can get your copy of Be Dazzled on January 5th from Sourcebooks Fire!

Be Dazzled is an ode to all the queer cosplayers, crafters, and creators who have ever had to reckon with their own identities. Ryan La Sala combined the struggles of first love and parental acceptance with the joy that can come from self-expression in a way that was truly beautiful. As a glitter loving costume designer, I adored every element of this story! La Sala’s descriptions of Raffy’s costumes were so vivid, I could imagine the designs down to each rhinestone. I thought the premise of the contest was exciting, and I could really connect with Raffy as he fought to convince the world and himself of his own worth.

My Recommendation-
If you love contemporary stories with the enemies-to-lovers trope, you won’t want to miss Be Dazzled! Be Dazzled is the sort of queer ya romance story that I am always searching for, as it explored the complex interactions between identity and desire in such a nuanced way. This book would be the perfect read for fans of Project Runway, Comic-Con, and high-stakes contests with equally high-stakes emotions!

If you've ever seen anything Ryan La Sala has posted on social media, you're aware of his particular brand of gay chaos. This book is RADIATING with it, from sequined cover to yarn insides. This was a book that could've felt kitschy and trite, but instead was touching, chaotic in the best ways, and so much fun. Everything just worked so well. The author's love for fan culture and cosplay/crafting really shone in all the details of the crafting and con scenes. The premise was so fun and created stakes in a wonderful way. The book was excellently paced, so even though there was a dual timeline, everything felt like it was consistently moving. The characters and their relationships were well-fleshed out. I adored this book on so many levels and I can't wait to pick up a paper copy once it comes out because I have a feeling this will become a new comfort read.

What a fabulous, fun read.

I don't know a lot about cosplay; it's never been my area of geekdom. Nerdism? Weeboness? This book draws distinctions between all three, but I'm still not sure which one I am. Not that it matters, as that's not the point of the story. This is a love poem to cosplay and all the work and imagination that goes into it.

I did have a minor problem; I followed along with the reasons they broke up, but I don't understand why Luca didn't try to explain things afterwards. Raffy had him blocked on socials, but they go to the same school, they're in the same class, and Luca knows where Raffy lives. He can't have tried too hard.

Still, that's a minor thing in this fabulous, fun book. And I even learned about flat backed sequins!

Finally! Cosplay in YA! This artsy craftsy laugh out loud funny glitter tornado of a story will appeal to teenage fans of cosplay culture, crafts, and queer YA.

This is a knockout sophomore novel by La Sala. Arriving into a world where convention going is currently impossible, this book brings a little shining dollop of joy to the world. Simply reveling in the gathering of geeks, the plethora of nerds, people just enjoying what they love, together, is such an unintended bittersweet aspect of this book that will absolutely endear it to many when it publishes in January. But beyond that, it's an expression of the pure delight of doing what you love, with people you love. It's about living in your skin and letting yourself be happy, even when that doesn't seem particularly easy.

The framing of this book is absolute art. Told in alternating chapters of present-day and the past, we see the relationship between Raffy and his ex-boyfriend Luca from every angle. We read chapters in the past and see the very beginning, see them hesitantly and carefully come together, all while reading chapters in the present knowing they're not together anymore. And the timelines progress in such a perfect mirrored version of each other. We move toward the climax of each timeline symmetrically, both cresting at the same time in an opposite fashion, Past Raffy and Past Luca falling apart as Present Raffy and Present Luca are forced to work together for the first time in months. Be prepared for some emotional whiplash in the most successful, beautiful way.

If you loved La Sala's first book Reverie, you'll love this. If you love Ryan's social media, you'll find yourself cracking up just as much while reading this book. If competitive cosplay is something you enjoy or want to learn about, definitely read this book. Crafters and those with aspirations to be crafty, convention goers and lovers, and those who want to focus on loving themselves will want to grab this book when it comes out on January 5, 2021.

Overview: Raffy is one of the most talented cosplayers in Boston. He knows how to sew, bedazzle, conceptualize, and execute intricate costumes that allow him to embody his favorite characters at conventions. Despite having an artistic mother, she looks down on his pursuits as childish and a waste of time. Raffy is driven and determined despite the lack of support, and his focus doesn't wane until Luca stumbles into his life. Buff and a soccer player, Luca looks like the last person Raffy wants to befriend, but Luca is drawn into Raffy's cosplaying world despite having to hide the hobby (and Raffy himself) from his parents. Unfolding on duel timelines, we follow Raffy and Luca's journey falling in and out of love and maybe back in over the course of one of Boston's biggest comic cons. Overall: 4

Characters: 5 I identified with Raffy deeply. He's anxious and determined and lonely but also scared of letting others in. Raffy is secure in himself, but he doesn't leave much room for other people. He has a best friend, May, and other friends from the cosplay world, but he's not keen on letting people interfere with his work time. He's meticulous, and he's good at what he does because of it. Still, his anxiety when everything isn't going totally to plan is a bit overbearing. His relationship with his eccentric mother is basically nonexistent, and they tiptoe around each other as Raffy hides his "arts and crafts" from her. This rigidity and perfectionism is what makes Luca's attitude such a stark shift in his life.

Luca is a soccer player and absolutely gorgeous. He also loves anime and is curious about cosplay, two things forbidden in his house. He's already figured out he's bi, and his mom sort of knows, but it's a contentious topic in his house. Luca is as carefree and laid back as Raffy is anxious and precise. He's both Raffy's worst nightmare in the workshop and exactly what he needs to stop taking everything quite so life and death seriously. Though Luca mostly succeeds at getting Raffy to have more fun as they start to fall for one another, when things go south, Raffy's prior beliefs about shutting everyone out being a virtue are confirmed. I really love how their relationship progressed and taught each boy different lessons that morphed and changed along with their status. I also loved that Luca got to come into his own so much as the book progressed.

There's also an important friendship story that unfolds over the course of the book between Raffy and May. In the present timeline, May steps in as Raffy's cosplay partner after he splits with Luca. May is a talented artist, and she's already developed her own comic. She understands and manages Raffy's anxiety quite well, but she also knows how to draw the line between making him feel secure and protecting her own wants and desires. Over the stressful weekend at Controverse, Raffy also learns a lot about friendship.

Plot: 5 The book is quite intricately plotted. The present day timeline takes place over the weekend of Controversy so it's almost like a single day condescend narrative. It's aided by the alternating past chapters that allow us to watch Raffy in a neutral state pre-Luca and understand the rises and falls that happen in the year following their meeting. Each past chapter only amplifies the tension in the present, and there wasn't a timeline I was skimming to keep reading like I sometimes do. The chapters lock in nicely, and it's a tightly plotted story. I finished the book mostly in three sittings. The stakes and tension were high enough that there wasn't ever tempted to put the book down. The emotional stakes and character development met the action perfectly, which is definitely a feat few books accomplish.

Writing: 4 Ryan has a super distinct voice in his writing, which, if you follow him on Twitter, won't be a surprise. His word choice is so bright and glittery and specific. There are moments when it boarders on over the top, but it always manages to stay in the right lane. It's definitely something that you sink into more and more as you read the book, though it's a touch jarring at the beginning. I love so many aspects of this book. Conventions are my all time favorite book settings ever. I get so excited when I get to pick those up. I also love that this dug into the world of cosplay, something I've always been fascinated by but never got into. If you follow Ryan, you know he practically bleeds glitter with all the crafting he does, so all the technical explanations that Raffy gives feels authentic and well researched. He balances cluing the reader into the world enough and giving enough detail to create a clear vision without overwhelming the casual reader. Also, the book has another element that I love: small time social media fame. While it's not central to the book, Raffy has around ten thousand followers on streaming platform Ion where he crafts and chats with people watching. It's a nice touch and makes sense with Raffy's personality. As a last point, I love that Luca is bi. While I've read a couple 2021 books with bi girls (which is awesome), I hadn't encountered a bi guy character in YA, so I was thrilled this one has been added to the mix. Overall, the book felt relatable, down to earth, and like a fun peak into a different world. It manages to be an escapist contemporary novel.

Aaaaahhhh! I am so excited about this book! I was expecting to enjoy it, but I didn't know I was going to love it so much. I was sucked in immediately and it's no exaggeration to say that I adored every page.

It's hard to describe the plot without spoilers, but you'll find a super passionate yet downtrodden cosplayer, a closeted bi soccer player who is dying to camp it up, a monstrous mother, a convention called Controverse, fascinating descriptions of costume making, a completely adorable slow burn romance, young queers learning to own their fabulousness, twist upon twist, a metric ton of feelings, manga references aplenty and many more things besides.

It's a short, sharp and efficient read that doesn't waste any time yet packs a punch in every chapter and manages to say so much with a restrained cast of characters in a very specific world. It's fun, intense and moving all at the same time. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the advance copy, it was a complete treat.

I really think this book has great potential, but for me it's just the wrong time to read this one. Will try and pick it up in the future though.

3 stars, because I did like what I've read so far.

This was a SUPER cute and fun romance. Ryan La Sala did not disappoint with Reverie and moving into the contemporary genre for him went super well! Highly recommend.

DRC provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Representation: gay protagonist, bi deuteragonist.

Content Warning: anxiety, biphobia.

Be Dazzled is Ryan La Sala’s dazzlingly cute sophomore novel, a contemporary queer love story between two boys set in the world of cosplay.

Raphael is a talented creator and crafter, and a cosplayer, an art expression his mother despises and belittles because of her ignorance and closed-mindedness. He sets his aim on Controverse’s annual cosplay competition, and the sponsorship opportunities offered by “Craft Club” to the crowd favourites, to go to an art school his mother will never pay for. He enters the competition with his friend May, but a problem arises, a problem in the athletic form of his ex-boyfriend Luca. The boy who broke his heart.

I really liked Be Dazzled, even more than Ryan’s first book, Reverie. I was transported by Raphael’s roller-coaster of feelings, the way the story switched between hatred and the gooey sensation only love can create, and Raphael’s inner journey.

The fact that Ryan missed the opportunity to say Evielution is something I will never forget or forgive, though!

This is a nice gay contemporary YA story about cosplay, ambition, romance, and unsupportive parents. I loved the concept, but to me it constantly had very strange undertones in every aspect.

Content warnings include: unsupportive and abusive parents, homophobia, breakup, anxiety, public embarassment, sex between teens off-page but sexual innuendos on-page.

The strangeness was there from the very start. Raffy, the protagonist and narrator, enters a cosplay competition that he desperately wants to win. It's also introduced that his mother, though an artist, is not supportive of his cosplaying at all so he hides it from her, and that his ex-boyfriend, Luca, is also in the competition.
Of course the reader is supposed to root for Raffy in the competition, in convincing his mother that cosplay isn't just embarassing "arts and crafts", and in making up with Luca, but to be honest, I only really wanted one of these things to happen.

Let's start with his mother: I disliked her intensely from the very start. She's abusive both in that she is neglectful of Raffy, imposing her needs over his, and in belittling him constantly, even destroying his work. While the story arc featuring her was a background one and had a positive conclusion, there was no meaningful character development in it in any way, and it felt very unsatisfactory. She barely had direct face-to-face interactions with Raffy.

Then there's the romance. I did end up being all "awww" about Raffy and Luca, and I did think they fit together in the sense that their individual strengths work in mellowing out each other's flaws. However, I found Luca's introduction to the story sort of creepy in the flashback chapters that show how the two met up to how they broke up months before the "now" timeline. On top of that, I just disliked his character. He ended up growing on me a bit, but especially in the beginning he a) just seemed off and really suspicious to me, which made me feel like he had bad intentions and just overall gave very bad vibes into the romance to the point where I didn't want them to be together, and b) I found it hard to reconcile the Luca we see in the flashbacks to the Luca we see in the "now". It felt almost like two different characters, and throughout the very end it it felt like Luca flip-flopped between two different characterizations.

That said, Luca and Raffy were believeable teenage characters. Luca is bisexual and from an Italian family, and more of a jock character, while Raffy is gay, not thin, and could probably described as flamboyant.

Raffy is also extremely ambitious to the point of neglecting consideration for anything else. I liked that he was a flawed character, but I found it very weird how his ambition tied into the cosplay competition plot and his need to prove himself to his mother.
On the one hand it's implied that cosplay is his ambition and he wants to show his mother that this is a worthwhile thing to do and not embarassing or childish. He puts a lot of himself into the cosplays, and the crafting plays a big role in his and Luca's relationship and their romantic storyarc.
However, on the other hand Raffy himself says that he wants to win the competition in order to get a sponsorship and possibly a full ride to art school. This, to me, established that his primary motivation for the competition isn't a passion for cosplay, but the fiancial and marketing prospects rewards. Which undermined the impact of the other storyarcs, as well as my investment into seeing him win. I do think the shift in his motivation was supposed to be a character development over the course of the story, but it got completely lost to me.

Even without Raffy's motivation, the cosplay content too felt super strange to me. Again, there was a slightly sinister undertone that kept me on edge the entire time, and unfortunately I mean "on edge" in a bad way here. It was clear the organisers were planning something, taking competitors aside, making special treatment deals, and keeping competitors in the dark about the scale of the competition, its timeframe, and what it would entail. This was really alarming, and to me it felt so off that it broke my suspension of disbelief.

The second half of the book was stronger than the first one for me, but there too I had issues with the pacing. The last flashback chapter felt out of place to me, and in my opinion the events therein should have been put/revealed in the "now" chapters. Once more I felt like the events undermined the tension built up previously and cast a really weird shadow to what had been established before, since sure, to the reader this was new information, but it wasn't to Raffy, and in my opinion it changed things significantly.

Still, I did have a good time reading this book, and I read it in pretty much a single sitting. Especially towards the end I became really invested. However, there were also chapters I did skim over. I do not like public embarassment scenes, but I do like it when the tension is relieved by acknowledging that mistakes happen and that's okay!
Raffy had a distinct voice, and I liked that the book gives not only a cool setting and hobby a spotlight, but also that it's a queer YA story with realistically flawed teens.

Raphael Odom, the protagonist of the story, and his mother's relationship is fraught with neglect, undervaluation and disappointment, which occasionally edges towards an abusive one. His carefully constructed world of plans and routines dismantles like his creations after every you-know-what (or you don't), when he runs into Luca Vitale in a craft shop, a dark eyed, dark haired soccer player from his class with his own dysfunctional parents and social stigma.

Within the first few pages I was introduced to a dazzling new world, about which I knew very little. A world where the nerdiest, geekiest or the weebiest individuals are treated like the pop culture icons, a world of - nope, go read the book.

The story holds two timelines within it - both progress simultaneously and convene seamlessly. You won't believe the sheer number of cliffhangers in it! Weaving such suspense and excitement around a book which strictly falls in a romance genre is no easy feat. But Ryan la Sala, being who he is, successfully accomplished that.

'Be Dazzled' explored pertinent issues like homophobia, parental neglect, anxiety, social labeling and toxic ambitions - some more intensively than the others - in a witty, humorous and remarkable way. The highs and lows of romantic relationships, devoted friendships and most importantly, pulling oneself up from the debris of one's dreams are the highlights of the story. 'Be Dazzled' is going to hit the shelves on January 1st, 2021. And what better way to start the new year than curling up with this gorgeous YA rom-com?

Delightful. Ryan La Sala's sparkling personality truly comes through in the most wonderful way in this book. One to watch.

*thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
Be Dazzled is a book about friendship, creativity, and forgiveness. I was not expecting to love it as much as I did. However, Raffy is a captivating character. He’s motivated and is confident in his skills. He struggles with anxiety—which I found to be incredibly relatable—and being himself despite the expectations of his mother. The way that he struggles with how Luca is not in the same headspace that he is is also realistic and just increases the dimensions of this story.
Besides the characters, I also loved the themes and the way that the storytelling was done. There were a lot of fandom references that I did not understand because I’m not really into cosplay or video games, but it was still easy enough to navigate because the characters they were dressing up as were well described. I also loved the dual narrative where it’s told through the past and the present, slowly revealing just what happened.

Project Runway comes to Comic-Con, with a healthy dose of romantic angst, in this fabulously fun second novel from Ryan La Sala. It's a fast-moving and funny read, with a clever, quirky narrative voice, but never skimps on the emotional investment in favor of the jokes. Raffy and all his complicated emotions carry the story well, but I do wish the resolutions to the three major conflicts (Raffy and Luca's relationship, and the relationship of each to their respective families) hadn't resolved so abruptly and easily. These are big, earned, real problems, and deserved harder-won resolutions. Still, it's a highly enjoyable story, and one I have no doubt will dazzle plenty of readers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the advance review copy!

CW: Drug use (not POV character), homophobia, parental neglect/near emotional abuse.

This book is funny and all but it's not really what I'm looking for right now. Maybe I'll get back to it once it's published because I can see myself enjoying it more, but right now I'm just not invested in it.