Reviews

Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala

bkschwartz's review against another edition

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hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This teen romance is absolutely the perfect read for crafters! Lots of character depth and development, but also many sewing, bedazzling, and craft foam scenes. Realistic with a satisfying end.

msdominel's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

evelynyle_88's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

dstone31's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

pranavj's review against another edition

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emotional reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75

dhishfish's review against another edition

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4.0

Aaaahhhh this book was so adorable!!!

Be Dazzled was one of those books where they've broken up but then get back together. At first, I was like 'this is gonna be not great' but it was. It was so wholesome and real and really focused on the whole healing a relationship bit which I found so nice.

I loved the writing styles and even through the characters pissed me off a little, it was still super cool to dive into a world of crafting and cosplay with them.

Definitely recommend if you're looking for an LGBTQ+ arts and crafts romance!!

siaalex's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

nikknack's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

bookwormjimmy's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Raffy is the craftiest person he knows. And his favorite thing to craft: cosplay. I mean, how fun is it to put together a costume of your favorite character and parade around in front of a bunch of other fans at the next convention. Of course, in the meantime, Raffy likes to stream his work on social media for all of his adoring fans. All ten of them or so.

Then along comes Luca, a talented athlete who has been following Raffy's streams for who knows how long. As they get to know each other and build a relationship, Raffy begins to see just how much of a fun-loving nerd he can be as well. Perhaps they could even cosplay together at the next Controverse, Boston's biggest cosplay con.

I adored this book. It's not too deep, not too dramatic, and very light on the plot. What this is really deep on is heart. These characters shine and make you want to comfort them and let them know it'll all be okay. The time period alternates between present and what happened a year ago between Raffy and Luca so that you can get a better understanding of their dynamic. I also enjoyed the focus on crafting and building cosplay, something that I haven't seen (at least not seriously) in a book, and I'm all for it. It also brings me great joy that these young characters are so into all the cartoons and anime I used to watch as a kid, and now I really want to go see a cosplay convention with all of these characters.

If you're looking for a fun YA romance with crafting and cosplay, check this one out.