I LOVED THIS BOOK! Thank you netgalley and Dreamscape Media.

This was my first ever Ryan La Sala read and I am in love. He is about to be added to my auto buy list.

The story follows our Raffy. Raffy is trying to juggle first loves, his love and skill for cosplay, and a very unsupportive mother. Let us start with the cosplay and the Cons. It was shown off so well. I felt like I was building, thinking, and sewing with Raffy. The world was represented so well.

Now the romance. The story is in the past and present every other chapter. Raffy and Luca’s relationship is put through the test many times. Luca is in the closet with his bisexuality and of course, that has added some strain. His mother has one of the best lines in the WHOLE book. So if you do not want to be spoiled skip to the next paragraph. She says to him “Then I’m staying too, I never missed a game in your life and I’m not missing this. I am your mother and I cheer you on no matter what okay?” LIKE WHY DID YOU TO MAKE ME CRY LIKE THIS?

I love the different side characters and friendships we got to see in this as well. Raffy really came full circle thanks to them.

The narration was great. Pete Cross voiced Raffy perfectly. He showed emotion through his voice so well. I could hear and feel the different cadence of every emotion. The only downside for me would be there was not much of a change in voice for the other characters. Solid four stars for narration.  

One million percent ADD TO YOUR TBR. Five stars.

Raffy loves all things crafty and cosplay; he even has his own streaming channel where he works on his projects and teaches his viewers different craft techniques. One of those viewers is Luca, a closeted bisexual guy who goes to school with Raffy. Luca's parents dislike all things cons, cosplay, --and LGBTQIA+. So Luca must do one-on-one craft tutoring --and kissing-- on the sly. But interspersed with this "Then" story is "Now": Raffy and his friend Mae in awesome AF cosplay competing against Luca and Amina in their own fantastic cosplay. How did Luca go from afraid to even be seen in Craft Club buying supplies to competing in a televised cosplay competition? And why are Raffy and Luca a team? 

This nonlinear story is Project Runway goes to Comic Con with lots of queer love and affirmations. The inside look into how intricate and exquisite cosplay creations are is a wonderful affirmation to that world, which many teens are interested in today. In addition, how both Raffy and Luca have to hide important identity aspects of themselves to their family (Raffy his crafting and cosplay from his art snob of a mom and Luca his bisexuality from his straight-laced parents) seems like it would be a straight-forward "let's do this together" journey, but La Sala tips it on its head, making the story fresh and nuanced. 

The narrator of the audiobook does an excellent job. It is perfectly paced, and the inflections for the gamut of emotions is spot-on. 

Raffy has anxiety, and while there is some good exposition about anxiety, it is sometimes forgotten or not expounded on enough to make this a "mental health" book. 

Give this to teens who enjoyed Britta Lundin's Ship It but not how her character is outed. And for those readers who want more Project Runway-inspired stories, give them Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim next.

Told in alternating timelines, BE DAZZLED is the story of Raffy, a teen whose passion is cosplay, and Luca, who he shares classes with but doesn’t know anything about cosplay. A year ago, they were falling in love, but now they are rivals in one of the biggest cosplay competitions
I had no expectations going in and this was amazing!
I loved the convention setting. I've only been to one convention where I cosplayed (but not to the level of this book), but I was getting so nostalgic! And the cosplays in this book are so well described, you wish that the fake anime/video games they were based on were real! Are you missing con season? Check out this book.
The cosplay competition ends up going above and beyond in the last 25% but I still enjoyed it! You just gotta suspend that disbelief for a bit and dive into the fun.
It was really the characters and their relationship that solidified this book as a potential new favorite. Raffy is such a good character. I loved his drive for perfection and ambition and his character growth? Chef's kiss. Luca was such a dork, but also so supportive and just trying his best considering his situation.
This is a weird thing to say, but I loved their parents as well. They both felt nuanced in their reasons for making their sons keep secrets. Raffy's mom doesn't hate his cosplay because "raaa! she's an evil lady," but because she's into high art and doesn't consider anything else "Real art." Luca's parents aren't explicitly homophobic, they just don't know how to react and so they ignore it and then freak out if Luca hides things from them. It felt real!
But their relationship... I have not been this gaga over a relationship since Cemetery Boys. No offense to every other relationship, but Raffy and Luca made me scream out loud in the middle of my neighborhood when I'm taking walks around my neighborhood. That takes a special kind of cute to get me to do that.
I rated this book 4.5 stars and it has a very good chance being my first favorite book of 2021!

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me  a free copy of Be Dazzled in exchange for an honest review! 

La Sala's newest work is a dazzling (pun intended) look at high school, following your dreams, and falling in love. The characters are charismatic and lovable and the storyline is filled with unexpected twists. The story employs a time jump between every chapter, looking at a relationship before and after a turning point. This keeps the reader hooked because suspense is always high. I highly recommend picking up a copy of Be Dazzled when it releases tomorrow, you'll find yourself cheering for main characters Raffy and Luca from the very first page!

This book was an absolute freakin delight from start to finish. Raffy is a talented artist, and his medium? Elaborate cosplays that he designs and executes himself. His dream is to win a scholarship to art school by taking first at the cosplay competition at his local Boston version of Comic-Con. 
At the beginning of the book I wasn't a big fan of the main relationship between Raffy and soccer-bro Luca, but as the book progressed and Luca's character developed, I was definitely a fan by the end. 
Raffy is such a relatable character and is exactly the kind of friend you would want to have in high school. I loved that the book takes his art seriously from the very first page and that despite his many obstacles (difficult mother, friend drama, relationship stress, anxiety) Raffi stays confident in his art and himself.

Pete Cross is an excellent narrator and I loved listening to this audiobook.

I can't recommend this one enough, what a wonderful way to start the year!

* I received this audiobook as a free ARC from Dreamscape Media and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *

Raffy has a vision for his whole future, and it starts by winning the ultimate cosplay design challenge at CONtrovese, Boston’s biggest anime convention of the season. But when his ex-boyfriend, Luca, shows up in one of Raffy’s designs, things begin to spin out of control. 

This book is so fun! As a formerly very nerdy teen, this book really struck a chord with me. The details and joy surrounding the convention atmosphere, and the thrilling cosplay competition, is so wonderful! But, I struggled to find certain aspects of the plot to be believable. The main character is a teen still in high school, and has no parental supervision and seems to rarely attend school. I found the strained relationship between Raffy and his mother to be a stretch of my suspension of disbelief. Which was further challenged by the apparently immense wealth and privilege Raffy has as the son of an influential art curator. There is very little reckoning within the story about this aspect of Raffy’s identity and the ways in which it allows him to move through the world of crafting and conventions.  

This book has a lot going on within it and sometimes feels stretched too thin trying to cover all the ranging plot points, but the romance at its core is believable and tender. And the thrill of competition and nerdy-ness of it all caught and held my attention. This LGBT YA dramadey is sweet and fun, with a satisfying conclusion.

I thought [book:Reverie|52061964] was a rather insipid book, but I liked this one much better. It was a wee repetitive, but the story was cute and delves deeper into cosplaying that other con-centered YA books that have been published recently.

Pete Cross does a great job bringing these characters to life, but ultimately Raffy wasn't complex enough for me to understand what Luca saw in him. As for Luca, he is nothing more than a hunk of meat until the very end of the book.

This was a delightful romp into con culture and the competitive world of cosplay. Part Project Runway and part Cosplay Melee, this book had me riveted. Characters jumped off the page almost as much as their out-of-this world creations and the DRAMA BROUGHT REALNESS. 

The fact that this story took place during Comic Con (in real time) and going back over a year to the beginning of Raffy and Luca's relationship really played with our expectations of what their history truly was, as well as first impressions. The back and forth time play also demonstrated character growth so well, even if it was messy and bumpy. This book is SUPER GAY. SUPER BEDAZZLED. AND JUST A VERY GLITTERY LOVE STORY. It was wonderful and I'm so glad it was my first read of the year!

This was a fun, cute read with a really nice, heartfelt message. The convention setting of this novel was an interesting departure from the usual YA contemporary setting. I have read YA romance contemporary stories with a similar setting, but I really enjoy the detail this novel went into with this. Writing the whole preperation aspect of cosplay is such a huge part of the craft, and I loved seeing it in novel format. The switch from past and present flowed nicely. I never once felt confused about which timeline I was listening to. The representation of anxiety was also well done, in my opinion. It is the depection of caual anxiety that so many go through that is not a part of the diagnosed disorder that was well written. I loved the show of men crying. This story really tries and get rid of toxic masculity, and it was a joy to read. The main couple gave me David and Patrick vibes (from Schitt's Creek) and I thought it was very cute and well done. My biggest gripe with the story is that with the message and theming, it was a bit heavy handed. There were a lot of moments that told me the point instead of showing me. It was almost distracting how often I was being shown the point of the story or the sad moments or the relationship. Besides the "telling" aspect of the story, I had a great time with it. The narrator of the audio version did a good job of portraying the main characters emotions. It made it a very good listening experience. If you are looking for a cute, male-male romance with cosplay, this may just be the book for you.

As a thank, you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced audiobook copy of Ryan La Sala’s second novel Be Dazzled. I write this review. The book has been pitched as “project runway goes to comic-con” after reading that I had to see what this novel held. The novel follows “Raffy” or  Raphael Odom as he navigates his creative endeavors by competing for an art school scholarship at Trip-C ( the Controverse Championship of Cosplay). The novel is told in two timelines one that includes Luca a closeted himbo jock who has an interest in Raffy that leads to a short-lived romance. The other is told after the two have broken up and shows Raffy competing against Luca in a cosplay competition. The novel focuses on the importance of emotional growth and the opportunities we may give ourselves if we let go. The novel gives emotional weight to coming out and examines the importance of choice for the individual choosing when to come out when they feel safe to do so. This component for teens is important to read and also to have practiced by someone whose experience may be similar. The novel is one to read for its elements of friendship, emotional growth, and plot. I enjoyed this novel as an audiobook. The audiobook narrated by Pete Cross is fantastic. Cross’s ability to become both Raffy and Luca is distinguished by nuances expanded on as the novel progresses ex. tone, annunciation, and timbre of his voice. Cross did an excellent job as a narrator and would like to explore other works he has narrated as well. Overall I enjoyed this production of Ryan La Sala’s second novel Be Dazzled and give the novel a high 5 out of 5 stars on good reads as well as the audiobook which I shall purchase as well. A thank you again to Netgalley, the publisher, and Dreamscape media for the audiobook version of this novel.

This was a cute YA romance.  Lots of queer and non-binary characters   The importance of strong friendships and creative expression are central to the plot, and the book offers a fun peak into cosplay competition, which is a world I was unfamiliar with.

Raffy has a love of cosplay, not just doing it, but creating it. This year, Raffy is giving it everything he’s got in a huge competition that could lead to sponsorships, art school, and the acceptance of his mother who doesn’t see his art as, well, art. There’s only one problem, his ex-boyfriend, Luca is his main competition. Raffy taught Luca everything he knows and inspired him to be his true self, and this is his repayment? When the two are forced to partner up in the competition, they’ll have to put aside their past to win, and maybe even move past the past to reconnect.

This book was so much fun, and a great way to start a new year. Y’all. I’m not kidding with this backlog catchup. I am single minded. Plus, I’m trying to save more money this year, so I want to focus on reading books I already have and not buying as many new things. I’m a huge nerd and have cosplayed myself a time or two, but my sewing skills aren’t quite up to the task of creating my own looks just yet. One day!

I loved everything about this. The boys’ budding relationship, the turmoil of breakup, and the hope of reuniting. I am obsessed with Project Runway, and this was billed as that meets Comic Con, right up my alley. The narration was excellent, and I couldn’t stop listening. I spent a lot of today in bed, forcing myself to rest, and not once did I want to nod off while finishing up this book.

I was with the narrator, Raffy, and Luca, and I was rooting for them. I wanted them to win the competition, and I really wanted them to get back together. I love it when characters are precious, and you want to root for them.

This one’s out on Tuesday, so if you like queer YA, cosplay, costume design, and or sewing, definitely check this one out from your local library or purchase from your local, indie bookstore.

I really really enjoyed this book! Although I am not part of the cosplay community, I do live in Boston, where this book is set. One of my favorite thing in contemporary novels are the setting, and the author did an amazing job including some very Boston specific jokes and locations. 

My only complaint is that I had a hard time telling which sections were in the present and which were in the past whenever I picked it back up in the middle of a chapter. Other than that, the romance was adorable and the friends weren't terrible people!

This was a fun time! Be Dazzled is a YA contemporary featuring a cosplay. The con and cosplay elements were fun. It was neat to be on the inside of the creating and designing process. While this book deals with some familial situations, it is lighthearted. There is a dual timeline but it is easy to follow. The audio narration fit the characters well. *ARC provided by NetGalley for review.

Be Dazzled tells the story of Raffy, a gay teen boy who wants nothing more than to be able to craft complex and awesome cosplays and receive recognition for his work in the aftermath of having his heart broken. Told in alternating timelines, we see the beginning of his relationship with closeted bi Luka, the fallout, and maybe the beginning of a reconciliation.
This was a really sweet story. I loved Raffy. He was messy and impulsive but so passionate and talented. In the book, he really struggles with his mother who is a famous and elitist artist who looks down on crafting and cosplay to the point that he has to hide this thing that is so very important to him and gosh it made me really feel for him. I also just loved how wonderfully and unapologetically queer this book was. I loved Raffy and also really enjoyed his character development throughout the book.
The one note I had was that I’m not sure that the alternating timeline really worked for me. I think it helped in the beginning but there were bits where it felt clunky. Like there were times where the things we were learning about in the flashbacks have already been shown or talked about in the present or even times where I wished that the past storyline would illuminate something better like Raffy's friendship with Anaya (since I listened to the audiobook, I'm not sure if this is how her name is spelled). I think my biggest issue was at the end where the Now storyline is building to a wonderful and happy crescendo only to jump back to Then where things are evolving and getting worse. Yes, it provided good contrast and could be seen as a way to make the highs of Now even higher but it didn’t work for me. Instead, it felt like it was taking the sails out of the happiness of the present but that could just be personal preference.
This was a great audiobook. The narrator was pitch-perfect. He gave a wonderful performance and hit all the right notes of humor and heartache. I could always tell which characters were speaking but also he fleshed out Raffy so fully. He brought a lot of life to the book and I was so happy to have gotten access to this as an audiobook because of it. 
As a crafty person who grew up in the fannish and geek scene, I kept thinking of people in my life I wanted to recommend this book to. It was sweet and adorable and extremely creative and nerdy in ways that really resonated with me and overall a very satisfying performance as an audiobook. I definitely recommend this!

Very, very cute cosplay romance. Lighthearted and completely nerdy. I am liking the trend of including a bisexual love interest in YA and teen books. The narration and production was well done. I plan to purchase this for my middle school library in print and audio format.

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for an ALC of this book.

Raffy has dreams of being a cosplay champion, and Luca has dreams of being able to show his true self. They make a great team...until they don't.

Told in a now and then style, this story of love, cosplay, and lots of bedazzlement is the heartwarming tale you will want to start the year with! 

I absolutely loved the messages in this story. Both main characters have to grow a lot before the end of the book and they both have to be able to stand up to forces that are conspiring against their happiness. 

The writing is great and my heart is filled with queer joy by the end!

This book debuts on January 5th! Make sure to get yourself a copy!

4 stars. It was cute, nerdy, entertaining, and short enough for me to finish before the year ended, which I appreciate.
Rep: Gay mc, bi love interest, lesbian and probably Chinese sc, her name is Mae Wu (it could be May, audiobook), generally pretty queer.
TW: homophobia, mild panic attacks

I wasn't actually expecting to like this book as much as I did. I got the arc a couple days ago, and I wanted to finish it before the release date, which was surprisingly easy. It was fast paced, thoroughly entertaining, and I rarely got bored, although I did have to take a few breaks for the second hand embarrassment this book gave me. Authors, please, stop having your characters do dramatic and embarrassing shit in public. I almost never read synopses, so when I started this and realized it was a convention book, I was a little apprehensive because I don't usually read them, however this one touched my secret geeky heart, even though I didn't get most of the anime/video game references, and now I really want to go to Comic-Con and Bookcon/Book Expo.
I am impressed that Raffy was a well written male geek who isn't completely insufferable, and for the most part I really liked him. He's pretty fucking dramatic, which isn't too inaccurate for a 17 year old, but still a little irritating. The author does a great job of writing flawed but likable characters, especially in their relationships with and actions toward each other. Luca is super sweet, and he and Raffy have great chemistry. The long, detailed, and frequent descriptions of Luca's body and appearance made me pretty uncomfortable, but that's probably just a lesbian thing.
I'm not a huge fan of books that take place over such a short amount of time, but the "Then" chapters lay out a great backstory and give more weight to the present-day timeline, considering it's three days long.
Overall, it's cute, nerdy, queer, and a pretty fast read, if you're into that kind of stuff, and I would highly recommend it.

3.5/5 Stars 

Raffy is a cosplayer, with the hopes of making it big by winning this years competition at Controverse - the biggest competitive cosplay convention in the country. If he wins. he could win not only an scholarship and university, but also his mother's approval. Enter Luca, Raffy's ex-boyfriend, and newest cosplay competitor. When they are unexpectedly partnered in the competition, they must work together again to win the competition. 

Ryan La Sala is such a fun individual (at least on Twitter and in the videos I've seen of him) - that I was excited for his next book to be released! I read Reverie recently, and enjoyed it as well, but I think I liked this one even more (which is surprising because I'm not the biggest romance fan). This was a super cute romance read, with a loveable relationship! I liked the alternating time lines of Before and Now. I think that Raffy and Luca are adorable together, and I loved the flashbacks we got to their relationship. They worked well together - and I'm glad they were both able to work through their individual problems in the end to come out stronger. The cosplay competition setting was a lot of fun and I enjoyed reading about everything that went into the building of their costumes. The planning process and design for each look was interesting to read about. I liked Raffy as a main character, but at times he was very frustrating to read about. He often let his temper get the best of him, and treated his friends and Luca poorly because of it. Raffy also experiences anxiety, and from the reviews I've read, it seems to be good representation. 

Overall, I think it was a super quick, and fun read!

I LOVED this book! As a 70-old-retired school library, I love books that show me different points of view. Raffy’s voice was so strong. He was so articulate in sharing his passion about designing for cosplay, and his sexuality. Not only was he a refreshing voice in sharing his emotions about his boyfriend, but I was surprised at how emotionally involved I became in the ComicCon convention competition. Sadly, the cover design showed none of this. I was expecting more of a cute gay romance, rather than the issues covered in the book. Pete Cross’s narration was a big part of my enjoyment. He got not only the emotion of Raffy but his voice changes for different characters was excellent.