📖 Overview
Ryan La Sala is an American young adult and fantasy author known for writing contemporary and speculative fiction that often features LGBTQ+ characters and themes. His debut novel "Reverie" was published in 2019, followed by other notable works including "Be Dazzled" and "The Honeys."
La Sala's writing frequently explores identity, creativity, and self-discovery through supernatural or fantastical elements. His work "Be Dazzled" draws from his personal experience in the cosplay community, while "The Honeys" combines horror elements with queer themes and social commentary.
His books have received recognition in the young adult literary space, with "The Honeys" being named a Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel. La Sala's work has been featured in various media outlets and has been noted for its representation of queer characters in genre fiction.
Currently based in New York, La Sala continues to write and advocate for diverse representation in young adult literature. His latest work includes "The Night Parade," released in 2024.
👀 Reviews
Readers consistently note La Sala's imaginative worldbuilding and incorporation of LGBTQ+ themes into genre fiction. Multiple reviews highlight his descriptive writing style and ability to blend contemporary issues with fantasy elements.
What readers liked:
- Creative plot concepts
- Authentic queer representation
- Vivid, detailed descriptions
- Horror elements in "The Honeys"
- Character development
What readers disliked:
- Pacing issues in earlier works
- Some found the writing overly descriptive
- Plot complexity occasionally overwhelms the story
Ratings across platforms:
Goodreads:
- Reverie: 3.7/5 (13,000+ ratings)
- Be Dazzled: 3.8/5 (3,000+ ratings)
- The Honeys: 4.0/5 (11,000+ ratings)
Amazon averages 4.3/5 across all titles.
One reader noted: "La Sala creates worlds you can practically touch." Another commented: "Sometimes gets lost in the descriptions, but the character voices feel real and relatable."
Common criticism focuses on narrative flow, with a Goodreads reviewer stating: "Beautiful writing but needed tighter plotting."
📚 Books by Ryan La Sala
Be Dazzled (2021)
A teen crafting competition becomes complicated when a young designer is paired with his ex-boyfriend, forcing them to confront their past relationship.
Reverie (2019) A boy recovering from an unexplained incident must enter and resolve other people's dreams-turned-reality while uncovering the truth about his own memories.
The Honeys (2022) After his twin sister's mysterious death at summer camp, a gender-fluid teen infiltrates her former friend group at the camp to investigate what happened.
Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix (2022) A queer reimagining of The Great Gatsby following a transgender boy in 1920s New York who becomes entangled in the web of a wealthy young bootlegger.
Out of the Blue (2023) A teenage artist must capture and help a fallen angel return home before time runs out, while dealing with her mother's growing reality TV fame.
Reverie (2019) A boy recovering from an unexplained incident must enter and resolve other people's dreams-turned-reality while uncovering the truth about his own memories.
The Honeys (2022) After his twin sister's mysterious death at summer camp, a gender-fluid teen infiltrates her former friend group at the camp to investigate what happened.
Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix (2022) A queer reimagining of The Great Gatsby following a transgender boy in 1920s New York who becomes entangled in the web of a wealthy young bootlegger.
Out of the Blue (2023) A teenage artist must capture and help a fallen angel return home before time runs out, while dealing with her mother's growing reality TV fame.
👥 Similar authors
Adam Silvera writes contemporary YA with queer characters and speculative elements woven into realistic settings. His work explores identity, relationships, and loss through the lens of magical realism, similar to La Sala's blend of fantasy and reality.
Anna-Marie McLemore creates magical realism stories centered on queer and trans characters navigating both mundane and supernatural challenges. Their work features the same type of lush world-building and exploration of identity that appears in La Sala's novels.
TJ Klune focuses on fantasy stories with LGBTQ+ characters who discover their place in magical worlds. His books combine whimsy and emotional depth while examining themes of belonging and self-acceptance.
Mason Deaver writes contemporary YA fiction featuring nonbinary and queer protagonists discovering themselves. Their work shares La Sala's focus on character growth and coming-of-age experiences within unique narrative frameworks.
David Levithan crafts stories that mix reality with fantastical elements while centering LGBTQ+ youth experiences. His books explore similar themes of identity and self-discovery through both contemporary and speculative lenses.
Anna-Marie McLemore creates magical realism stories centered on queer and trans characters navigating both mundane and supernatural challenges. Their work features the same type of lush world-building and exploration of identity that appears in La Sala's novels.
TJ Klune focuses on fantasy stories with LGBTQ+ characters who discover their place in magical worlds. His books combine whimsy and emotional depth while examining themes of belonging and self-acceptance.
Mason Deaver writes contemporary YA fiction featuring nonbinary and queer protagonists discovering themselves. Their work shares La Sala's focus on character growth and coming-of-age experiences within unique narrative frameworks.
David Levithan crafts stories that mix reality with fantastical elements while centering LGBTQ+ youth experiences. His books explore similar themes of identity and self-discovery through both contemporary and speculative lenses.