ARC Review: Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on January 5, 2021
Genres: YA Contemporary, YA LGBTQ
Pages: 336
Source: the publisher
Format: ARC
My Rating:
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Synopsis:

Who’s ready to sparkle??

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.

Raffy has a passion for bedazzling. Not just bedazzling, but sewing, stitching, draping, pattern making–for creation. He’s always chosen his art over everything–and everyone–else and is determined to make his mark at this year’s biggest cosplay competition. If he can wow there, it could lead to sponsorship, then art school, and finally earning real respect for his work. There’s only one small problem… Raffy’s ex-boyfriend, Luca, is his main competition.

Raffy tried to make it work with Luca. They almost made the perfect team last year after serendipitously meeting in the rhinestone aisle at the local craft store–or at least Raffy thought they did. But Luca’s insecurities and Raffy’s insistence on crafting perfection caused their relationship to crash and burn. Now, Raffy is after the perfect comeback, one that Luca can’t ruin.

But when Raffy is forced to partner with Luca on his most ambitious build yet, he’ll have to juggle unresolved feelings for the boy who broke his heart, and his own intense self-doubt, to get everything he’s ever wanted: choosing his art, his way.

My Review:

All the cosplay stuff was so much fun! While I go to comic book conventions more to meet stars of shows that I like, this was a fun look at the side I just get to enjoy seeing their costumes when I attend. But it was way more than just that, the characters were wonderful, all of it!

There was so much going on in this book and I liked how the chapters went back and forth between what happened that led up to the present situation where they were getting ready to compete against each other. So we got to see the love between the two build up and grow, but we didn’t really see the explosion till almost the end. So even though we didn’t know for sure, it was kind of obvious what happened, or the reasoning behind it I guess you could say. But even with Luca’s issues being obvious obstacles for them, Raffy had his own issues that he needed to work on in order for them to work. Not only for them, but also to keep himself going and getting better. His mom was just a huge issue. So while the ending was kind of good, it also was still all about her in a way. Luca’s family was interesting, and I almost wish we’d gotten more of them throughout the story, but with the way Luca had to kind of keep Raffy hidden, or felt that he did, it worked best that way.

A wonderful story. I look forward to reading more by this author, as well as sharing this book with my students at the library where I work.