I love this author I've read their recent work. I've met this author at YallWest and they are so much fun. This book is not for me. There is nothing wrong with that it just wasn't for me. I can see why it will work for others and it is important rep for others so I would recommend.

What a fun book! This was a great queer young adult title that had angst, humor, and emotion. I'm a huge Ryan La Sala fan, and I will reading everything he writes. This is my least favorite of his books, but I still rate this very high. I think this book is definitely suited for teens but also adults looking for a light and easy read.

This was a generally cute story. It was an interesting view of the cosplay world and in some senses a peak behind the curtain of being a YouTuber. Raffy is a typical teenager, and his relationship with Luca was adorable. The narrator gave a great performance and you could feel in the emotions in their narration.

Thank you so much to net galley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. Unfortunately this book was just not for me but don’t let that stop you from reading!

This was a really cute book! I was entertained by both the story and the narrator. I definitely recommend this for ages 13+, especially those struggling to fit in! Such a feel good story!

What a pleasantly wonderful book. I loved Be Dazzled immensely. I loved Raffy and his penchant for bedazzling. I loved the cosplay elements, and the online arts community Raffy's part of. I deeply enjoy the arts. I've always wanted to be involved in cosplay and it just hasn't been something I've felt ready for, but reading this book allowed me to be a member of the community. I enjoyed getting to really see Raffy's step-by-step planning and design process. The entire book really allowed the reader to be part of the story and to really visualize all the moving parts of the cosplay competition.



"[...]sometimes the broken bits are just the pieces you need to create something new, something better, something remarkable.."



La Sala did an incredible job writing this book. The split timeline (past vs present) could be incredibly confusing, but it was done wonderfully, and it really helped create solid understanding of the "why" piece of the lovers-to-rivals trope. It helped create this element of not really hating any of the characters, but really understanding their situations and allowing them the benefit of the doubt when it came to their mistakes.

I don't have all the right words to really explain how much I loved Be Dazzled. It's heartwarming and beautiful, charming and heartfelt, and really just everything a rom-com should be. Any of the words I could compile to describe this book could never do it justice. All I can say is "read this book!" You won't regret it.

I expected this book, based on the blurb, to grab and hold me. It did not.

Why? The main MC simply didn’t captivate me. Although the narration was solid, I found the storyline a bit hectic.

I had to DNF this book 1/3 through. Perhaps the format was the issue and this may play out better on print without having to wait out the narration.

Loved the concept for this one but overall it missed the mark for me a little bit. Overall i think i would of enjoyed this more if it was with adult or new adult characters. i really loved the story and the romance but just had a really hard timer connecting to the characters. though i think everyone should give it a try because it was well written and the flaws could have been with me and it might not of been the best time to read it for me.

Great representation and a book my library will be purchasing for my middle school students. The narrator was a bit robotic. I would like to reread it with a human voice.

Such a cute, modern take on a YA novel! I couldn't get enough. This was a quick and cute read. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media - Fire for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Ya novels have come such a long way since I was a teen! This one was really good and deep for a ya read. As an adult I really appreciate how either a teen or adult could read this and it’s not too juvinile

This was soooo cute! I have met this author and read reverie! His writing style is nice easy pace! I love the audiobook!

Project Runway meets Comic Con in BE DAZZLED! This book was so much fun to read. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did an awesome job bringing Raffy’s voice to life. I loved the dual timelines as chapters switched between the present as Raffy battles his ex-boyfriend, Luca, in a cosplay competition and the past where we see how their relationship began and ended. The story was so delightful and brought a huge smile to my face. Fans of HEARTSTOPPER will love this book!

What do you get when you add bedazzling + comicon + a cosplay completion? One the best YA comedy/contemporary romance books I've read in a while. I laughed, cried and laughed some more. Raffy is such a fun loving character, no wonder he has thousands of people who follow him on his bedazzling projects.

I'm usually not a huge fan of second chance romances, but Ryan La Sala does such a wonderful job bringing Raffy and Luca back together. Also, how cute is Luca buying jewels for Raffy.

APRIL 6 2021 REVIEW: 4/5 stars

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing a copy of the advanced reader audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Most of my points from my previous review remain the same though this time the book was consumed through audiobook, which was executed well enough. I unfortunately am decreasing my rating as I sort of fallen out of love for this book. It's definitely something I'd reccomend but it just reminded me of the protagonist's annoying self centered voice. It's not like he's any better than his elitist mother. We still stan Luca Vitale though, our soccer king!

This was a sweet queer romance! Raffy finds himself at a make or break moment as he competes at a highly prestigious cosplay competition. With his best friend in tow and a notable online following, he's ready for battle until an unexpected competitor threatens to ruin everything: his ex-boyfriend! Be Dazzled jumps back and forth charting the course of their relationship as the pressure increases. Can these two young lovers reconcile before they miss their chance?

This book was a great distraction in these tough times offering a fluffy love story, a complex dive into the world of cosplay, and a reminder of how as artists we are often our worst enemy. The only thing I didn't really care for was the title. Ryan La Sala hits all the marks even if they can seem formulaic based on its genre. Raffy and Luca both pulled on my heartstrings and if you're in the market for a rom-com with a splash of family drama, this one's for you. I recommend the audiobook as the narration was fantastic! Thanks NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ryan La Sala is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I really enjoyed this. It was fantastic.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

Dual timelines done right, fantastic friendships and relationships, Project Runway for the cosplay crowd. So, so, so fun.

I loved Reverie so when I saw Ryan was coming out with a new book I was excited. In the first chapter, I was hooked and was really hoping I would stay that way. Some strong books, don't end very well but that wasn't the case! The jumping timelines aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I love it. The narrator was perfect, and a good narrator is a hit or miss with audiobooks.

I loved the streaming aspect because I would totally watch Raffy create his cosplays. My feelings for Luca were so mixed because he seemed like a good person but I didn't like him hurting my boy lol. I also understand what it's like to not want people to know your sexuality.

Overall 4 out of 5 stars.
Highly Recommend.

This was a sweet story.

This books did alternating timelines well. It was from the same perspective, which was perfect for this story, but I think it gave a well-rounded look at how the relationships got to where they are now & why things were as impactful.

I would have like a little bit more information on Taffy’s mom & their relationship, but overall, I liked how that relationship unfolded too. It didn’t go from bad to great right away, and felt much more realistic.

The narrator was perfect for this book & I look forward to hearing more of their work.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Ryan La Sala for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.