Be Dazzled

Ages 14 to 18, Grades 8 to 12

From bestselling author Ryan La Sala, there’s nothing like a little dazzling competition to heal a broken heart. Now in paperback!

Raffy can make anything. He can bedazzle, sew, stitch, drape, and turn the most ordinary objects into fabulous costumes. He has always chosen his art over everything—and everyone—else, and this year he is determined to win the biggest cosplay competition in Boston. 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.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 and Raffy's insistence on perfection caused their relationship to crash and burn. Now Raffy is determined to win and 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 intense self-doubt as he works to get everything he’s ever wanted—finally choosing his art, his way.

About the Author

RYAN LA SALA grew up in Connecticut, but only physically. Mentally, he spent most of his childhood in the worlds of Sailor Moon and Xena: Warrior Princess, which perhaps explains all the twirling. He studied Anthropology and Neuroscience at Northeastern University before becoming a project manager specialized in digital tools. He technically lives in New York City, but has actually transcended material reality and only takes up a human shell for special occasions, like brunch, and to watch anime (which is banned on the astral plane). He is also the author of Reverie. You can visit him at ryanlasala.com.