Be Dazzled

by Ryan La Sala Narrated by Pete Cross

Overview

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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"La Sala (Reverie, 2019) crafts a fabulously gay story of hope, friendship, and love worth fighting for. Queer nerds, rejoice!" — Booklist

"A sequin-filled romance that’s also a love letter to the craft and creativity of cosplay." — Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review

"A charming, geeky love story filled with all the con drama readers could wish for" — Kirkus Reviews

"A crafty queer romance about self-acceptance, and a delightful addition to YA collections." — School Library Journal

"Heartfelt and hilarious, Be Dazzled is an artfully crafted ode to teen ambition and first love. From the book’s charming cast to Raffy’s quick-witted voice, La Sala’s contemporary debut simply dazzles." — -Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us

Kirkus Reviews

2020-09-29
Raphael Odom is a nerd: a cosplaying, con-going, card-carrying nerd—and he is in love.

Raffy is so entrenched in pop culture that he even has his own cosplay streaming channel with almost 10,000 followers. Last year Striker9, one of his followers, became his secret admirer. When Striker9 turned out to be a soccer player at his school whom Raffy always thought was straight, he was taken by surprise—Luca was bisexual, and, even better, he was interested in Raffy. He even showed a willingness to try cosplay. When the boys broke up several months later, Raffy, heartbroken, thought he could avoid Luca at school forever. He certainly didn’t think he’d run into him in full cosplay at the biggest convention of the year. Told in alternating chapters labeled “Then” and “Now,” the story will absorb readers in Raffy and Luca’s epic love story. While he is not the warmest protagonist to root for, Raffy with his Type A personality will grow on readers as he navigates the ups and downs of relationships with his close friends, famous art gallery director mother, and even himself. The adorkable romance between Raffy and Luca keeps the occasionally dense narrative moving forward quickly, making this book an enjoyable read. Raffy and Luca are presumed White; there is diversity in the supporting cast.

A charming, geeky love story filled with all the con drama readers could wish for. (Romance. 13-17)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172740312
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Publication date:	03/15/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

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