[magus]

My Ex Was a Monster

 
Class-conscious orgs.?   PTAS
String after B   CDE
Taking issue?   CLEPTOMANIA
One can stand to lose it   LAP
Theme: Phrases with a “monstrous” interpretation
All five are clever and I loved them all.

Did you notice the other “horrible” entries:
Evil Under the Sun
“Scary Monsters…”
“The Scream”
Vampire-romance series
LON Chaney
Little Shop of HORRORS

 
Give a ring   DIAL [not quite: dial is a bygone means of giving a ring, not actually giving the ring]

ALER

RATING:    Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = No fun

[Jonathan L. O'Rourke]

Thanks for the kind words, this was my very first crossword published in a newspaper.   

- Jonathan