What do you think?
Rate this book
What Makes a Monster
Not yet published
Expected 16 Feb 27Heavenly Bodies meets Divine Rivals in this star-lit romantasy about a girl who tried to end the world―and now has to save it.
In Velandor, where magic is ruled by the constellations, Celestine Savareau rots in prison after a failed attempt to end the world. In exchange for her freedom, she begrudgingly joins the Nightguard who protect Velandor, even though it means fighting her ex-lover and accomplice, Aire. But within the Nightguard, Celestine plots to reunite with Aire and destroy the world once and for all. She's just not sure if Aire wants to destroy her, too.
Nightguard Kivessin would rather die than work with Celestine, who he blames for his mother’s death. But when he learns that helping Celestine means taking her down if she goes rogue, he gladly agrees.
As they train together, Celestine must exploit her past connection with Aire to stay one step ahead of everyone who wants to see her fall. If she fails, the world will end—and she’d hate to die without exploring the undeniable tension that lingers between her and Kivessin.
Together, Celestine and Kivessin discover: Celestine might not be the monster they thought . . .
In Velandor, where magic is ruled by the constellations, Celestine Savareau rots in prison after a failed attempt to end the world. In exchange for her freedom, she begrudgingly joins the Nightguard who protect Velandor, even though it means fighting her ex-lover and accomplice, Aire. But within the Nightguard, Celestine plots to reunite with Aire and destroy the world once and for all. She's just not sure if Aire wants to destroy her, too.
Nightguard Kivessin would rather die than work with Celestine, who he blames for his mother’s death. But when he learns that helping Celestine means taking her down if she goes rogue, he gladly agrees.
As they train together, Celestine must exploit her past connection with Aire to stay one step ahead of everyone who wants to see her fall. If she fails, the world will end—and she’d hate to die without exploring the undeniable tension that lingers between her and Kivessin.
Together, Celestine and Kivessin discover: Celestine might not be the monster they thought . . .
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication February 16, 2027
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
they-told-me-to-read-it
September 16, 2025
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I loved the concept of this book: She tries to end the world, but fails. "Why? I can't wait to dive into a villainous female lead!"
Unfortunately, though, the book didn’t quite deliver for me.
To sum it up, it was a bit of a struggle for me to get through 70% of it. While there were definitely moments I enjoyed, I kept trucking along, I found myself feeling lost over and over again. The pacing felt off, and I struggled to connect with the characters and fully understand their motivations.
That said, once I got over that hump, I became highly invested. Looking back, I think this was when we finally started getting deeper into the characters’ internal struggles. I began to understand why they were making certain choices, how their pasts had hurt them, and how those experiences shaped the people they had become. I was hooked!
But alas, just as I was settling in, we reached the final battle - and I found myself confused again. Did that character always have that magical ability? Did these characters actually evolve and grow throughout their journeys? I’m honestly still asking myself: Yes… maybe?
I hope this story finds its readers and if you found yourself loving it, I think book 2 is set up very nicely for more tension, yearning, and fighting the dark.
Unfortunately, though, the book didn’t quite deliver for me.
To sum it up, it was a bit of a struggle for me to get through 70% of it. While there were definitely moments I enjoyed, I kept trucking along, I found myself feeling lost over and over again. The pacing felt off, and I struggled to connect with the characters and fully understand their motivations.
That said, once I got over that hump, I became highly invested. Looking back, I think this was when we finally started getting deeper into the characters’ internal struggles. I began to understand why they were making certain choices, how their pasts had hurt them, and how those experiences shaped the people they had become. I was hooked!
But alas, just as I was settling in, we reached the final battle - and I found myself confused again. Did that character always have that magical ability? Did these characters actually evolve and grow throughout their journeys? I’m honestly still asking myself: Yes… maybe?
I hope this story finds its readers and if you found yourself loving it, I think book 2 is set up very nicely for more tension, yearning, and fighting the dark.
Want to Read
November 10, 2025EMILY MY LOVE I’LL READ ANYTHING YOU WRITE
August 19, 2026
okay, first of all, thank you so much for the earc because i genuinely devoured this book in a day. i could not stop reading. the very first page had me hooked, and my obsession honestly started before the book even began. i mean, hello, the seraphic constellations. how was i supposed to resist?
we slowly unravel celestine’s past alongside kivessin, and at first, she seems almost impossible to understand. cold. careless. a villain with no real reason to be one. she justwanted to end the world, and for what?
and to kiv, she is exactly that. he blames her for his mother’s death and is more than willing to keep her in line while they try to save the world.
but the truth is never black and white, is it?
it’s made up of so many shades of grey that, little by little, they blur everything you thought you knew. every layer we peeled back made me question what i believed about celestine, and i loved every second of it.
and then there’s celestine and kiv.
their banter is absolutely loathful flirting. the way they constantly push and provoke each other while being completely incapable of severing that connection had me screaming. but underneath all of it is something so much softer: the quiet, unwavering belief that maybe there is still something good in her came somewhere along the way. even when everyone else doubted her, kiv and their friends choose to believe in her.
because at its heart, this story is about abandonment. loneliness. about what happens when you spend so long feeling unseen that the first person who truly looks at you becomes impossible to let go of. because sometimes, being seen by the wrong person still feels better than being invisible to everyone, doesn’t it?
celestine was such a beautiful character to unravel. she’s funny, complicated, frustrating and painfully human. i loved peeling back every layer and finding the wounds underneath, learning about her ambitions, the person she could have been, and everything she lost along the way. she hates being called a victim, but after everything she endured, maybe that word doesn’t make her weak. maybe it simply acknowledges that what happened to her mattered.
im not above admitting that i cried like a baby during a few parts and that epilogue shattered my heart into approximately two million pieces, thank you very much. the writing was magical, the world completely enchanted me, and i already need more. celestine & kivessin forever.
as his ma liked to say, destiny is a series of doorways, and you only need to pull the right one open to make it your reality. and maybe that’s what this story is, too. a story about all the doorways we are given, all the ones we’re afraid to open, and the lives waiting on the other side. so really, what I loved the most was the idea that that destiny isn’t simply something that happens to you. sometimes, you have to choose the door. sometimes, you have to be brave enough to open it.
i cannot wait to see which one i open next.
we slowly unravel celestine’s past alongside kivessin, and at first, she seems almost impossible to understand. cold. careless. a villain with no real reason to be one. she justwanted to end the world, and for what?
and to kiv, she is exactly that. he blames her for his mother’s death and is more than willing to keep her in line while they try to save the world.
but the truth is never black and white, is it?
it’s made up of so many shades of grey that, little by little, they blur everything you thought you knew. every layer we peeled back made me question what i believed about celestine, and i loved every second of it.
and then there’s celestine and kiv.
their banter is absolutely loathful flirting. the way they constantly push and provoke each other while being completely incapable of severing that connection had me screaming. but underneath all of it is something so much softer: the quiet, unwavering belief that maybe there is still something good in her came somewhere along the way. even when everyone else doubted her, kiv and their friends choose to believe in her.
because at its heart, this story is about abandonment. loneliness. about what happens when you spend so long feeling unseen that the first person who truly looks at you becomes impossible to let go of. because sometimes, being seen by the wrong person still feels better than being invisible to everyone, doesn’t it?
celestine was such a beautiful character to unravel. she’s funny, complicated, frustrating and painfully human. i loved peeling back every layer and finding the wounds underneath, learning about her ambitions, the person she could have been, and everything she lost along the way. she hates being called a victim, but after everything she endured, maybe that word doesn’t make her weak. maybe it simply acknowledges that what happened to her mattered.
im not above admitting that i cried like a baby during a few parts and that epilogue shattered my heart into approximately two million pieces, thank you very much. the writing was magical, the world completely enchanted me, and i already need more. celestine & kivessin forever.
as his ma liked to say, destiny is a series of doorways, and you only need to pull the right one open to make it your reality. and maybe that’s what this story is, too. a story about all the doorways we are given, all the ones we’re afraid to open, and the lives waiting on the other side. so really, what I loved the most was the idea that that destiny isn’t simply something that happens to you. sometimes, you have to choose the door. sometimes, you have to be brave enough to open it.
i cannot wait to see which one i open next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow, this book had so many things I love in a story! Let’s talk about the zodiac-like magic first. I loved learning about the stardust and all the special magic. The story hooked me right away because it follows a “villain” and towards the end you really see that not everything is as it seems with her. The book had so many creatures including dragons which I love. The tension between the characters was there, and I think the ending set up the story for book two to have a lot of redemption and slow burning. Being that this book is YA, it did not have spice. There were pockets of actions, and I really did enjoy the ending. There were just some moments I thought were a little long. Overall, I thought this read was enjoyable but not quite a perfect five star in my opinion!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Very interesting characters! my only qualm is that i wish the motivations were made clearer, specifically for the FMC who was supposed to be evil but I didn't really understand why until about 40% through the book. If this was the authors intention, all the character growth leading up to that I was disconnected from because there was no foundation for me to understand her evilness which was sort of her whole thing. Also, for a high-stakes plot, this story moved pretty slow which was confusing. I thought the tension and banter between Kivessin and Celestine was good!
I feel very neutral about this book!
I feel very neutral about this book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of advance copy received from author
I absolutely loved this book! It had everything I love in a YA fantasy! Here’s my official blurb:
Fierce and beguiling, WHAT MAKES A MONSTER has everything I crave in a fantasy: an expansive world, stunning celestial magic, exhilarating romance, and a lovable cast of unforgettable characters. Celestine is an unreliable narrator with as much ferocious wit as she has undeniable charm. With admirable complexity, Cooper explores the nature of evil: if the real villains may be those who make us believe we’re monsters. This is your next YA fantasy favorite!
I absolutely loved this book! It had everything I love in a YA fantasy! Here’s my official blurb:
Fierce and beguiling, WHAT MAKES A MONSTER has everything I crave in a fantasy: an expansive world, stunning celestial magic, exhilarating romance, and a lovable cast of unforgettable characters. Celestine is an unreliable narrator with as much ferocious wit as she has undeniable charm. With admirable complexity, Cooper explores the nature of evil: if the real villains may be those who make us believe we’re monsters. This is your next YA fantasy favorite!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
6 star freakin book. I loved everything about this one. It had me completely invested in the story line, the characters. I cried, I smiled, I felt all the emotions. Just a 10/10 story
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews