This was a great YA romance with an interesting premise. Beauty queen Corie is obsessed with scary movies and dreams of being a Hollywood scream queen. But, she is constantly forgetting important dates and events due to undiagnosed ADHD. This has led to her feeling like there is something wrong with her and she can't do anything right. On her quest to do better and achieve her dreams, she starts working with a classmate, Everett. Everett wants to be a special effects make up artist, but his dads don't think its a legitimate career option. Both teens have to fight to get what they want and along the way they may find something more.
Along with the ADHD rep, there were some great family relationships and dynamics. Will definitely be purchasing and recommending to my teen students. (Thank you to Netgalley and Page Street Publishing for the ARC)

Positives: The story is cute! I like the representation of ADHD. The writing is easy to read. The characters are cool! The romance is cute.

Negatives: The pacing, it is slow sometimes, but not that much.

Extras: I am not much of a horror fan, but I like that My Fair Monster has horror movie references included.

Verdict: I enjoyed the story! Do you like horror movies? How about special effects makeup? Pageantry? Then check out this book!

Thank you NetGalley, Toppling Stacks Tours, author, and publisher for a gifted copy of the book! All opinions are my own.

This was a really cute concept. I loved the horror movie references and the characters becoming reluctant allies for an SFX makeup contest. However, the stakes weren’t high enough to keep me invested. The main character was very juvenile and I read a lot of YA books so it’s not a matter of the book being too young for me. I don’t think this was a bad book by any means but I wasn’t interested in the characters and story enough to finish it.

so much fun and perfect for spooky season. highly recommend for a short and sweet fun time! will definitely reread again closer to october

Adrienne River's debut is such fun to read! I was hooked from the very opening. I adored the use of horror movies, costume make-up, and pageantry to weave Corie's story and her relationship with Everett.

Spoilers ahead:

As a neurodiverse adult, I saw the signs of Corie's neurodiversity and felt so badly for her and her 'what ifs.' The build-up to the contest and what happens after as Corie blows her life up thinking she's making things better for others because she has lost all her confidence is both relatable and like watching a train wreck when you know all she has to do is apply the breaks.

My favorite scene is Luca shouting "Friend group!" and requiring everyone to get their act together. Though, all the scenes are fabulous.

Thanks to Page Street YA for the opportunity to read this through Publisher's Weekly's Grab-a-Galley program. I can't wait to read what Adrienne Rivera puts out next!

*Actual rating is 3.5 stars*

My Fair Monster is a YA contemporary about Corie, a beauty queen who dreams of becoming a scream queen like her great-grandmother Ingrid. When their favourite show hosts a Monster contest, Corie sees her chance for the future she wants and not the one the majority of her family seem to want for her. The only problem is the fact that she doesn’t know how to do SFX make-up. Enter Everett - the skilled SFX artist who agrees to her scheme for a common goal. Along the way their skills, and relationship, grows alongside their monster creation.

This book is partly a love letter to horror films, something the chapter header highlights, and partly a story about a teenage girl trying to understand why she never seems to be able to do anything right. The main character Corie deals with undiagnosed ADHD and it’s a very relatable portrayal of dealing with being neurodivergent. Her partner in crime and love interest Everett serves as a nice contrast to Corie’s big personality. The relationship with her cousin Reagan was also really nice. But the best supporting character has to be great-grandma Ingrid and I wish that there had been more time spent with her. Many of the other adults were just frustrating.

While the characters are overall good, at least the younger ones and Ingrid, and all the feels, the plot itself wasn’t always solid. It ended up dragging a bit at places, especially towards the later part of the book. There was this big build-up to the monster costume contest, and after that the driving force of the story kind of fizzles out. The last third, apart from the sweet scenes with Ingrid, just didn’t capture my attention the way the rest of the book had.

If you’re looking for a book that’s overall lighthearted and sweet, while also having some of those fall/horror vibes without being a horror book - then this might be a good pick for you.

I loved this book! It is so hard to find depictions of girls with ADHD in media and Adrienne Rivera made me feel so seen throughout this story. I related so much to Corie and I only wish I had books like this when I was an undiagnosed teen feeling like something was wrong with me and wondering why I couldn't just get my shit together. I also loved the horror movie aspect of this, as well as the romance that develops between Corie and Everett. I laughed, I cried, I cried again, and I'm recommending this to everyone I know.

I spend a ton of my time reading fantasies and horror so either just dark (horror) or a ton of wars and death (fantasies); so it’s always nice to change to a light-hearted book. This delivered in all the ways I loved it for that! Rivera wrote a great story about family dynamics, friendship turning into romance, and about believing about yourself!

Corie is a great character and I hope she learns more about herself and ADHD in her future! I was diagnosed at an early age and my mom made sure I knew what it meant and everything — so I never had this experience — what’s wrong with me, why can’t I do it. I think these types of books are so important because some readers can see themselves in these stories. And that’s what I love! The ADHD rep was messy (yes, it was undiagnosed so obviously it’ll be messy) and I love it! I usually also give YA characters more grace to be messy because they’re teens! Let them be messy!

I loved Everett almost immediately. Grumpy at a first glance and then he’s actually really sweet and only smiles at Corie. I felt for him in his plotline — unable to tell his dads his plan, not theirs for higher learning. I loved that he was so passionate about SFX and make-up and that he found a kindred spirit with Corie. I hope they’d stay together (in the book’s fictional future). I could even see them both on the same project or projects but that’s entirely getting ahead of myself.

The side/platonic relationships were also well done. I would’ve liked more of Ingrid (the grandmother) and Corie but I also get why there weren’t so many scenes, to show Corie’s messiness and forgetting everything (which big, big mood). I also appreciated how they made Teagan (Corie’s cousin) not be petty or rude etc towards Corie — as Rivera could’ve easily made it into the typical “I’m jealous of you/your standing re pageant titles so I’m really rude to you”. Instead it was a sweet friendship and them cheering each other up. I also liked how Tameeka, a new pageant girl, wasn’t seen as direct competition (at least not fully). No girl-on-girl hate absolutely meant for a happy me while reading.

I liked the inclusion of horror — both in the chapter headings where each was a different horror movie (Carrie, Signs, Mama, etc) and that the characters loved horror movies. I love it when characters share my interests, hobbies, favourites (movies, tv series, food). It allows me to relate to the characters easier and probably like them quicker. I’d definitely want to sit down and watch horror movies with Ingrid, Corie, and Everett. It also shows that horror isn’t just about scary creatures/characters and killing/gore — it can bring people together, introduce people to a new genre and allow the watchers to even think about stepping into the horror genre themselves (either by writing, acting, special effects like with Everett). Even if you aren’t a horror fan I’d wager you’d still really enjoy this!

This was so cute and I’m so happy I got the arc!!!!

In this debut novel, Rivera writes such a refreshing, real, organic FMC who is struggling with ADHD, but doesn’t know it. She writes a self-sabotaging character who is trying her best and just not achieving what she wants to be.

I loved Corie and think that she’s a super strong FMC. She has her weaknesses, but I think that’s what makes her HER. I love that she stood up for herself and didn’t take just anything when someone insulted her or hurt her feelings.

The parallels that were pointed out in how Ingrid acted and how Corie is acting in the present time were so cool.

I liked that Corie had such a strong relationship with her great-grandmother, but also that Ingrid recognized how that could possibly have a negative impact on her so she sort of pulled away in order to make Corie do things that average 17-year olds did.

The romance between Corie and Everett was so cute. You have this grumpy grump of a SFX makeup artist paired with an enthusiastic pageant queen and wannabe actress and it’s such such a funny dynamic that they had.

Their sweet moments were so cute and I loved the communication between them!!!! They’re so mature for being teenagers in high school and I love that for them.

The family dynamics in this were so complicated but I loved them. It was very interesting seeing how every member interacted with the other.

Overall, a funny cute sometimes sad and very relatable YA romance novel. I highly recommend and will be reading the rest of this authors novels. 🫶🏾

A Pageant Queen and a SFX Artist who both love horror movies but are polar opposites decide to work together in a costume contest to win prize money... but maybe the greatest prize might be the romance between them. Corie Nielson is a Pagaent winner and a huge horror movie fan, her dream is to become a Scream Queen herself on the big screen but she needs money to go to college and to help take care of her family. While Corie loves being a Pageant winner... her life isn't as charming as it seems. Corie for some reason can't help but be a bit all over the place, she's constantly late to things and forgets things, and the pressure of not only having to keep up the pageant queen requirements but also of being her grandmother's caretaker while figuring out her own undiagnosed ADHD... Corrie's barely holding on. Things only spiral when she hits another student's car, and its none other than the grumpy special effects makeup artist Everett Robbins who is in the theater club. Corrie can't afford to fix her car and when she sees a costume contest with a large prize money that could also sky rocket both her and Everett's place in their future, she convinces him to work with her to enter into the contest. Yet the more time they spend together the more romance begins to bloom...but then so does the fact that she'll have to choose between her duties as a pageant queen, her grandmother's caretaker, and what her own heart wants for her future. This was a heartwarming story about finding yourself and choosing to have the courage to chase your dreams. This was a love letter to all the horror movie loving girlies out there, to anyone who has the courage to give something their very best and to chase after your passion. I just had so much fun with this book and adored all the horror references in it!!

Release Date: August 19, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Page Street Publishing | Page Street YA for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

“His face was a nightmare. It was the grossest thing I’d ever seen in person. I loved it.”

I loved reading this book! It was an adorable story of two young people who are polar opposites coming together and winning a contest together. There was also a little bit of romance sprinkled in.
The FMC Corrie struggles throughout the book with ADHD and anxiety which is great representation to see. I did hate how unfair her mother and aunt treated her and how they held her at such high expectations when she is just a kid but it ended up working out and everybody worked through their differences.
If you like grumpy X sunshine, coming of age stories or are a horror/theater fan you’re going to enjoy this book!
Thank you Toppling stack tours and the author for sending me this book!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is exactly what I needed to read as a teen who went to all night screamoramas to see new horror films and as someone who can't stop watching Miss Congeniality. Watching Corie's two worlds combine as she competes in something she's passionate about is such a fun journey to be on. The horror movie references are such a fun treat, and how her great grandmother plays into it all is a great dynamic, especially for lost media fans.

Corie’s story is as much a love letter to horror as it is to the teens and adults who feel like, no matter how much they try, their brain will always betray them. There are so many people that can’t understand why they can’t remember things or why they have trouble focusing, and I think seeing Corie's experience will be really helpful to young readers. That it’s okay to need help and to ask for it. She’s so hard on herself, even when her family and friends say she should give herself a break, and I think it’s reflective of what many teens go through today, as is Everett’s struggle of talking to his dads about college.

I love Corie and Everett’s ending. It reinforces the importance of living in the moment without letting a future that might not even happen linger over you. I know that’s something I always need a reminder of, and I especially needed it as a teen. So many YA books today have an epilogue that shows an idealistic, albeit not super realistic, ending, and this hit the perfect chord.

Ahhhhh this book was such a good time! I enjoyed the heck out of it. Corie was an absolute delight and I loved her so much. She was so funny and I loved how much she cared about Ingrid. I thought the ADHD representation was fantastic, especially showing the difference between being undiagnosed and finally getting the help she needed. I really enjoyed the complicated family dynamics too. Also, the look at both the pageant world and SFX makeup/costuming was so cool! Also, if you’re a horror movie fan, you’ll love all the references and chapter titles. Also, EVERETT. Oh my goodness, he and Corie were SO CUTE. I’m so glad I got to read this one!

Thank you to Toppling Stack Tours and Page Street YA for the digital reader’s copy to review!

Thank you @pagestreetya for the advanced copy to review!

Happy pub day to @adriennelrivera and this absolutely brilliant and funny novel. I loved following Corie and her friends on their adventures.

Corie feels like she’s a bit of a mess. She doesn’t mean to miss things, or forget things, or cause trouble. It just kind of happens. My heart ached for her as she blamed herself for so many things going wrong. She was dealing with so much at 17, and feeling really overwhelmed.

I loved her relationship with her cousin and her mom. I thought both were really well done and fleshed out. Each of them gave her support but also had good conflict with her. Her aunt was a little tougher but still, it worked well!! Corie’s sweet relationship with Ingrid was so special!!

Everett and his grumpy self!!! Oh my gosh!!! I so would have had a crush on both Everett and Corie in high school. They were simply adorable with their love of classic horror, silly references, and Hollywood dreams. I loved how they pushed each other and they were so sweetly romantic and cheesy and funny and I LOVED how they resolved their conflicts. So so good.

The friend group dynamic was so sweet and made me laugh a lot. I really enjoyed my time with this book and the whole time I kept saying out loud “this is so freaking CUTE!!!” Cause it is.

The contest to get in the local horror show was an absolute blast and watching Everett and Corie figure out what to do was so cool. ALSO. The eyeball. IYKYK 🥹😭😅

Anyway it’s out today so go grab it!!

just got this one on Netgalley (thanks netgalley & publishers) and completely devoured it. I read it in two days while traveling, which says a lot!

Corie is Miss Teen Indiana and a horror lover, while also struggling to have everything together. while dreaming of becoming a scream queen, she finds a contest for a horror costume design that would get her on TV and create an opportunity to honor her great-grandmother, who was also an iconic scream queen. but to win the contest, she has to get talented Everett on board to do her costume makeup—who currently doesn’t like her.

I absolutely adored this book! the characters were so complex but I also liked how they faced the challenges that came up, both between them and in the rest of their lives. my heart was literally sore when they went through hard stuff, but it was only because I loved the characters so much.

people who relate to Corie will really love this book and how she and Everett really show up for each other and themselves over the course of the book. these characters were also so unique and I loved who they were.

some songs that fit the vibe:
- Buzzcut Season by Lorde
- Psycho Killer by Talking Heads
- Girls on Film by Mindless Self Indulgence
- Girl With One Eye by Florence + the Machine
- The Perfect Girl by Mareaux
- Kiss Me Until My Lips Fall Off by Lebanon Hanover
- Sorry by Halsey

I really loved this! It was so cute, even if it's about a beauty pageant queen obsessed with horror. The mix of beauty and horror was so cool, and I loved the details about costuming and sfx makeup.

I loved this super cute YA Halloween romcom.
The undiagnosed ADHD rep was heartbreaking with the internal struggles and family conflicts it caused.

🩷 Pageant Queen & SFX artist 🩷
💚 Grumpy / Sunshine 💚
🩷 ADHD rep 🩷
💚 LGBTQ rep 💚
🩷 Family disfunction 🩷
💚 Trade school romance 💚
🩷 Horror movie buffs 🩷

This story reads like such a warm hug, especially to my neurodivergent brain. I loved how Corie's ADHD played such a huge part in the story, and her character development. The overwhelming guilt and crushing disappointment in herself felt so realistic, and was so accurate to how my ADHD also presents. I loved the conclusion of the story. Every loose end gets wrapped up, and Corie's character development is satisfying.

I absolutely adored the romance plot as well. Corie and Everret had so much chemistry, and the grumpy/sunshine dynamic never felt forced. They read like real teenagers, and it was so wholesome seeing their relationship blossom.

I honestly loved the humour mixed into the writing. The dryness and self deprication in Corie's jokes was chefs kiss. No jokes read cringy, out of place or awkward in the story or for the characters, and all in all, the plot was just so sweet.

I would absolutely recommend to readers, especially those fond of neurodivergent representation.

A huge thank you to Page Street Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the cutest mixture of teen girl pageantry and special effects monster makeup. It was everything I wanted in a cute teen romance and gave me all the feels! Corie and Everett are adorable and I just want them to have all the happiness in the world. This book was so well done and has really projected me into the Halloween season!

✨This ARC was provided by Page Street YA via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.✨

My Fair Monster is such a fun mash-up of beauty pageants, horror fandom, and a little bit of romance. Corie Nielson has grown up in a family of pageant winners, but her real dream is to become a horror movie scream queen. When a local monster costume contest pops up, she jumps at the chance—roping in Everett, a grumpy but talented special effects artist, to help bring her pageant-worthy monster to life.

I was hooked by the premise (and the gorgeous cover!) right away. Corie's undiagnosed ADHD came through clearly in her thoughts and actions. The messy family dynamics felt realistic at times, and I liked that certain subplots, like the one with Gigi, were wrapped up in a satisfying way, even though I didn't like Gigi as a character.

On the flip side, the romance between Corie and Everett was lighter than I expected. They had some cute moments, but I wish there had been more time spent building their connection rather than watching them bicker. Some of Corie’s inner monologue and a few plot beats felt repetitive, and one conflict about parental disapproval ended up resolving very quickly, which made it feel a little unnecessary.

Overall, this is a quirky, heartfelt YA romcom with a unique hook. If you like your romances with small-town charm, a dash of spooky fun, and a main character who’s brimming with personality, you'll have a good time with this one.