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.

This book was actually really enjoyable. I went into it expecting a cute queer YA story which is what I got bu I enjoyed it way more than I was expecting to. The story follows Raffy who loves everything geeky such as comic cons, animes and cosplaying as he goes through many different challenges and ups and downs. I was really surprised at how quickly i went through the audiobook and how enjoyable my listening time was. The cover lowered my expectations because frankly I do not like it at all and the only thing that drew me in was the fact that it was marketed as a queer and geeky YA love story. It did not disappoint at all! Highly suggest if you are looking fro a fluffy quick read that still talks about subjects more on the serious side. debating between a 3.5 or 3.75 stars.

Prepare to Be Dazzled!
This book is an absolutely delightful YA read. I love the characters Raffy and Luca and their journey as they navigate first loves and coming out, as well has how to really show up for each other. The premise of the Cosplay competition a' la Project Runway was so much fun, and I absolutely loved it even though I've never been to a Comic Con.
I loved the narration by Pete Cross and thought he did an excellent job with these characters. The pacing was excellent and I couldn't wait to hear what happned next and he did a great job of keeping the past seperate from the preset. I highly recommend the audiobook.
Many thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the advance copy.

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.

Audiobook Feedback:
I don’t think I had ever listened to an audiobook narrated by this reader but I thought his voice fit these characters well. He read the novel conversationally and was enjoyable to listen to. I would definitely listen to more by this narrator!

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.

This was such a fun contemporary that was a nice palate cleanser. We follow Raffy as he's at a cosplay convention and finds his ex there competing against him, I liked the creativity of this novel because I've never read a book about cosplay but as I'm not very into fashion or cosplay I felt disconnected from it. I also didn't fully connect to the characters but I did appreciate the anxiety representation and I think it was done pretty well. Overall I think that if your really interested in cosplay or fashion you would really enjoy this a lot more than I did.