Copyright Date:
2024
Edition Date:
2024
Release Date:
02/06/24
ISBN:
1-7282-7963-1
ISBN 13:
978-1-7282-7963-3
Dewey:
Fic
Language:
English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews
(Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)
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)
Publishers Weekly
(Mon Oct 07 00:00:00 CDT 2024)
Raphael -Raffy- Odom lives for cosplay and the elaborate anime-inspired costumes he creates. With best friend May, he-s entering the biggest competition of them all: Boston-s Controverse Champion-
When I see him, I see us. How we came together, what we created, what we ruined. The only way to understand how we fell apart is to understand what we were made of in the first place. Raffy can make anything. He can bedazzle, sew, stitch, drape, and turn the most ordinary objects into fabulous costumes. This year he is determined to win the biggest cosplay competition in Boston. There's only one small problem... Raffy's ex-boyfriend, Luca, is his main competition. Last year Luca and Raffy made the perfect team after serendipitously meeting in the rhinestone aisle at the local craft store-or at least Raffy thought they did. But Luca's fear of coming out to his family and Raffy's insistence on perfection when it came to their art, caused their relationship to crash and burn. And Raffy has finally picked up the pieces and is determine to have the major comeback he knows he deserves. But when Raffy ends up partnering 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 self-doubt as he works to get everything he's ever wanted...and maybe the boy too. Praise for Be Dazzled - "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