The Title/Cover Draw:
After reading Reverie, I had to read more by Ryan LaSala. The premise of cosplay meets project runway sounded fantastic.
What I liked:
The dynamic between Luca and Raffy as well as the more technical aspects described in making the costumes was the best. Lately I have been really into historical garments and cosplay and I understood so much of the sewing terminology.
What I didn’t like:
Sometimes the past and present jumps got a little confusing.
The Characters:
I feel like I did not know Luca as much as I wanted to. Since the story is told from Raffy’s point of view, you get to know a lot more about him and his motives.
The Narrator:
Pete Cross adds a lot of unique quirks to his character that helps to differentiate between them.
The Ending:
The end was cute with a lot of hope and promise of this to come.
Consider if:
You like feel good stories about geeky things.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

Project Runway meets Cosplay in this dazzling second chance romance! These characters are written beautifully, with their flaws in center stage. They felt real and made me feel real emotions for them. One thing I question is the dual timelines climaxing at the same time. Logically it makes sense, but I felt a mild sense of whiplash with so many emotions contradicting. Overall, this book was a feel-good, engaging look into the cosplaying world. Even with no experience, I felt a passion for costuming art through these characters!

Read my full review here: https://booksteahealthyme.home.blog/2021/01/02/audiobook-review-be-dazzled-by-ryan-la-sala/

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my hinest review.

I need to start by saying Michael Crouch nailed it, his voice matched the character perfectly. The tone seemed spot on for how I felt the character would sound. His other voices in the story were also distinct which made it more enjoyable to listen to. He really brought the text to life for me and I still hear the voices in my head days after finishing the book.

The 8 hour book seemed to fly by but not in a "woah slow down" kind of way, but in a wonderfully paced , piece giving speed. That might have been due to the alternating timelines between "then" and "now" where you desperately want to know where this seemingly perfect relationship goes wrong to lead to the strong feelings we experience at the beginning of the book.

Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala is a wonderful young adult, LGBT, contemporary romance novel that does not disappoint. I wouldn't call it steamy at all but the relationship in the novel is all encompassing. Raffy, the main character, is into cosplay and all the nerdy stuff that I also love and so I would squeal at the references to videogames and anime. He also perfectly captures the experience of going to a convention for the first time but also as a veteran. The love interest is Luca and he is thrust into this world with open arms but feels like he needs to hide it from his family. Family issues are on both side of this relationship and while they are different, they feel eerily similar in how they both feel like they need to be in the eyes of their parents. You will root for them as much as I did.

I can think of many people I would recommend this book too.

Raffy is a kid with a passion for art, costuming, and cosplay. He is talented and centers his world around bettering himself at his art. He’s working towards a life changing competition without the support of family, and his Ex boyfriend Luca is his competition. I wasn’t sure how much I would like this book because I know absolutely nothing about cosplay and art. It’s never really interested me. However, this novel is super fun! I loved it! The characters are so relatable and make you want to root for them. They show so much growth and maturity throughout the course of the book. I got so invested in their story and competition. There was a dual timeline, but it’s done very well and I never got lost or confused. Also, I love reading LGBQT romance, and this was done so well! I was rooting so hard for this couple, and I loved their romance! It kept me laughing and smiling the whole time, and I thought it was really well done!

Let's be honest, the second Ryan announced Be Dazzled, I immediately needed it because, hello, it's Ryan La Sala. I got approved awhile back on Netgalley for an earc but I've gone through some weird slumps over the past few months and could never focus very long to actually sit down and read it. Well, then, Dreamscape Media approved me for a copy of the audiobook (audiobooks are great for reading slumps fyi) to review and all I have to say is wow. Pete Cross does an amazing job. Be Dazzled, even more than Reverie, feels like Ryan. Ryan has a big vibrant personality and it comes across in his writing. It makes his writing an adventure. Pete was an absolutely amazing Ryan.

On to the story itself, I didn't know anything about cosplay before picking up this book and I still don't. But, Bedazzled, at it's heart, is a story about friendship and young love. It's the perfect book to escape from reality for a few hours.

***Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire, Dreamscape Media, and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of Be Dazzled.***

I liked reading this romantic comedy and would give it 3.5 stars.  It was a welcome reprieve from everything that is going on right now.  The story moved at a nice pace and didn't lag. I also liked the love story between these two guys because it felt innocent and realistic all at the same time.I don't know much about the cosplay world but reading this book made it sound fun and interesting.  These two guys were both hiding something very different but both were looking for an out to be able to reveal their true selves.  I thought that juxtaposition was really smart by the author.

Ryan La Sala's second literary release Be dazzled is written unapologetically for the queer nerds of secondary school. As the main character competes in a cosplay contest, he must come to term with his own ambitions and past love experiences. This book revels in geeky interests like anime and intertwines it with light-hearted competition. Readers who attended big fan events like Comic Con will relate to the excitement and camp written in the pages of this novel. Those who have not experienced cosplay before will be able to follow along seamlessly with descriptions which do not feel overly forced or dry. Regardless of a reader's comfort with cosplay, anime, or video games--the competitive aspect of the story will likely satiate anyone who has enjoyed shows like "Project Runway" in the past.

This novel is predictable and leads a fairly simple plot line. The prose is about what you would expect from a YA novel, with the emphasis on character interactions and feelings over details and complex concepts. This aside, Be dazzled is a fun, easy read which would be a kind companion on a lazy afternoon.

Thank you Netgalley for supplying me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Reviewers, my score is my own honest opinion based on my own reading experience.

Be Dazzled reading notes:
- Jurassic Perk... I absolutely need a coffee shop sign for my house.
- I’m loving the different backgrounds each character has. So much better than just having distinct villains and assholes... although Evie obvs takes that title.
- Actually I love that there isn’t even a clear “good guy”, despite Raffy as our only narrator. As the story goes on you get such a distinct picture of individual struggles. It’s wonderfully done.
- Despite having never been to a Con myself, or CosPlayed, I’m somewhat obsessed with the artistic talent and costumery of it all. It’s brilliant. So this setting and the author’s amazing descriptions were a dream. Absolutely loved it.
- No, seriously. I have a degree in fashion design but CosPlay is another level of design and ingenuity of materials, so I love that this book highlights the artistry.
- I feel like there’s too much crying but that’s my own hangup. I’m weirdly critical of crying... unless it’s a pet being reunited with a parent.
- The audio is great. Narrator does a fantastic job of capturing that “adolescent” voice without being campy.
- Jury is still out on Inaya. I have reservations.
- Loved how it all wrapped up! Absolutely worth the read.

Well, it’s official - I will literally read anything Ryan La Sala writes! Cosplay and Cons are something I know next to nothing about but thanks to the incredibly engaging storytelling and Ryan’s beautiful writing I fell in love with Raffy, Luca, and this crazy world of crafting and Cosplay they inhabit.

I love stories told in split timelines when they are done well. It takes skill as a writer to weave in the flashbacks and have them feel relevant to the story. With other books sometimes I find myself skimming flashback scenes in order to get to the current story but in Be Dazzled I was just as eager to follow the beginning (and end) of Raffy and Luca’s relationship. There is a mystery there, how did it all fall apart, who was to blame and I love how Ryan drew it out. I also love that I never actually felt any animosity towards Luca. He was sympathetic right from the beginning and even though Raffy was clearly feeling a lot of anger towards him, as a reader I only wanted to get to know Luca and his story more. And can I just say how bummed I am that I can’t watch Raffy and Luca make cosplay together in real life?

I love the idea of the parents as the villains, because how many teens totally see their parents that way, real or imagined? Evie was totally over the top but felt very much like a Ryan villain. I had major Poesy flashbacks. Everything got tied up a bit too easily with the parents in the end but hey, who didn’t want a happy ending there?

And of course there are all the beautiful and detailed descriptions of fabric and materials and craft. One of my favorite things about Reverie was how well the magical, dreamy quality of Ryan’s words fit the story. I was so happy to see that his style fit this more contemporary world just as well. Everything felt magical and I was dying to see it in real life. I’m 100% going to look up cosplayers on YouTube now!

Fans of Reverie will definitely enjoy this and I think anyone who loves crafting, Cons, and cosplay will adore it too. I also think it just makes for a fun YA contemporary romance and I challenge anyone not to root for Raffy and Luca to find their happy ending.

About the audiobook: I thought Pete Cross did a fantastic job and his narration definitely added to my enjoyment. All of the voices were easy to follow and his pacing and pauses felt right for the story. I felt immersed in the book instead of just being read words. Definitely recommend the audiobook!

I hoped when I downloaded this that the narrator would work for the story and he absolutely does! The reading of this story is just as enjoyable as the book I read. The narrator does a great job of capturing the nuances of the humour and quirkiness of the characters in Be Dazzled. I love Ryan La Sala's work and this audiobook is GREAT!... I am going to paste my original review of the book below as I feel the same about the audio version!

....

Because I had high hopes for this book, I had avoided reading much about it so I read it with a completely open mind. And, I absolutely loved it! There's nothing about this book that I didn't enjoy, there's a lot that made me laugh, there's a bit that made me cry, and a lot that made me feel like Raffy is my spirit animal!

Raffy is a young man with a talent for creating other-worldly cosplay. He's creative, imaginative, and has never met a sparkle he didn't love (if it's in the correct shade of seafoam). Raffy is heading to the penultimate convention for cosplayers and he intends to win. With his friend May by his side... he doesn't even have time to worry about the fact that he was supposed to be there with his ex-boyfriend, Luca Vitale.

In beautifully placed flashbacks, La Sala unveils the year-long relationship between Raffy and Luca. From the early days of their own meet-cute to their parting of the ways... they have the kind of relationship that makes a YA book. It's adorable, it's tough, there are mistunderstandings and mistakes...and it's real.

Raffy is a bit of a drama queen... and I loved him. This character is epic and much more than I even knew that I needed. I loved La Sala's forays into Raffy's mind. His anxiety ratchets up as he gets further into each build...and it's not without cause. Raffy's mother is an artist.. and has some very definite ideas about what qualifies as art. She's quite certain that cosplay is ... crafting. Crafting is not art. But Raffy can't contain his hot glue gunning and be-dazzling! He's creative, and it's art to him!

Luca ... oh Luca. What a bundle of joy and sweetness with a lot going on in his sweet head. Luca is a soccer player who has attempted to tell his parents that he's bisexual. They don't want to hear it and Luca is struggling with coming out... becoming himself... knowing what he wants public and what he wants to keep private.

It's rare to read a book that can be this over-the-top and yet still feel authentic at the same time. I loved the characters, and La Sala really has captured the cosplay commitment and competitive spirit of cons. I think what is fantastic about this book is the way that all the characters are fighting to be their authentic selves. Maybe they're not doing it very gracefully, maybe they are making huge mistakes, but they're trying... and really that's all we can do when it comes down to it.

This book was a gem. La Sala has a wonderful voice whether he's writing a fantasy with a serious side... or a humourous romance. This is an author to watch. And please, if I can convince you of one thing... follow Ryan La Sala on twitter. You will not regret it.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me with an early Audiobook of Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala in exchange for an honest review!

Be Dazzled is glitter & sparkles incarnate & that’s that on that. I got along pretty well with Ryan La Sala’s second release (& now, really can’t wait to crack open my copy of Reverie) — crafting, conventions & all that jazz? Yes, please.

The Pitch: Project Runway goes to Comic Con in an epic queer love story about creativity, passion, and finding the courage to be your most authentic self.

Did that reel you in? Because, honestly, it should have. It definitely got me excited. Anywho, in Be Dazzled we are introduced to Raffy who enjoys creating costumes for cosplay & has a goal of winning the year’s biggest competition. Winning would open a lot of doors for him, like getting into art school. But, alas, this is a book & we need something stopping Raffy from easily completing his goals — so, let’s sprinkle in his mother who’s totally against his love for cosplay, and his main competition who also happens to be his ex-boyfriend, Luca.

If you followed my previous blog, you may know that I have a special place in my heart for Geekerella by Ashley Poston. Be Dazzled gave me the same vibes, causing it to instantly win me over. However, it’s important to note that Be Dazzled can stand 100% on its own without being compared to a previous title.

Our cast of characters gets a 10 out of 10; they are all very easy to love, even when their flaws arrive on center-stage. Each of Ryan La Sala’s characters feels real — from their dialogue to their feelings. I’d easily recommend this book to someone in their teen years because I feel as if these characters would be very easy to relate to. My entire heart grew two sizes when we reach the conclusion, and see each character’s final book form.

Be Dazzled is also a lot of fun. Ryan La Sala’s personality shines throughout the pages. I laughed a lot & the book provided me with so many good vibes. La Sala also does a fantastic job at alternating between the past & present, making everything cohesive. All comes together seamlessly as it reaches its conclusion.

For those looking for the romance element, just yes. I found myself to be a huge fan of Luca; such a sweet & wonderful teddy bear.

I can definitely recommend the audiobook edition of Be Dazzled. The narrator does a brilliant job bringing Raffy to life. If you’re looking for a fun LGBTQIA+ romance/contemporary & love the convention scene, check this one out!

I have never read La Sala before but this one is super cute! It brings you into the fun world of cosplay costume design and competitions that take place at a crossover between Comic Con and a drag race. We have our main character Raffy who is super passionate about this. His artist mom doesn’t support his passion for crafting and costume design and I really liked hearing about the strained relationship between him and his mom. I thought the romance was cute and fluffy too - a perfect escape. The chapters alternate between after the break up with Luca and how they began dating and what ended them. I’m not into cosplay/comic con but it doesn’t take away from the story, however, I do think if it’s a passion for someone reading this story they would most likely enjoy it a lot more. It also does deal with coming out, being outed, trying to find a place for yourself, and touches a little bit on friendship. Overall, this was a cute and easy read.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for a copy of the advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

What can say... I really enjoyed this quick, easy and comical book. I found myself laughing and say “Oh that so Raffy/Luca”, the characters are created amazingly. I can’t say I was a fan of all of them (mostly Raffy’s mother) but the roles they play are brilliant.

The then and now formatting was easy to comprehend with what period you are in. But as the then starts to meet up with the now, I felt it got just a smidge muddled.

Overall I enjoyed the plot, problem and solution.

Be Dazzled is a funny and whimsical coming of age story that is unapologetically queer. Touted as Project Runway goes to Comic Con, I was a bit apprehensive as to what to expect with this story since my knowledge of both fashion and Comic Con is basic to say that least. That being said, no real knowledge of either is needed to enjoy this absolute gem of a story.

Raphael ‘Raffy’ Odom thrives on competitive cosplay. He even has his own streaming channel to give intimate insight into his costume builds. What Raffy doesn’t have is a mother who support him, so he resorts to creating in secret. Raffy refuses to let his mom get him down and has his eyes set on winning Controverse. The only problem? The boy who broke his heart is competing as well. AWKWARD.

I absolutely loved Raffy as a character. He’s hilarious and so confident in himself and his abilities even when faced with dissenting opinions from those who care about him. Raffy’s passion for cosplay and building his constructions was infectious. The author did a really fantastic job immersing us until this world.

The scenes with Raffy and Luca together were adorable. I loved their meet-cute in the hobby store. The two of them really balanced each other out in terms of personality and creative differences. One thing that I want to highlight is that the fear of Luca coming out as bisexual to his family is addressed and that these scenes may be potentially triggering.

The actual competition surrounding Controverse was really fascinating. I always enjoyed the turned up drama and theatrics.

One last thing, I hated Raffy’s mom. Ugh. You’d think that one creative would support another, especially when it is your child, but her pretentious behavior and actions constantly got under my skin.

Overall, if you’re looking for a story that just wraps you up in a hug…this is it!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing a review copy through NetGalley. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

One of the cutest romantic comedies that I've ever read. I alternated between the audiobook and a physical copy, and it was a nice distraction from the world of lockdowns and pandemics. Ryan La Sala's Be Dazzled differs greatly than his debut novel Reverie, but I urge you to read both. Ryan La Sala's stories create a world in which I hope we can emulate.

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!