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Green Monsters
I knew what love was. Love was sex. And I was most definitely going to make Jason love me today. Love me as if his life depended on it.
Green Monsters is told completely from the viewpoint of the antagonist, delving deep into the mind of a narcissistic psychopath.
Stacey Adams had not set out with the intention of hating her sister, Emma. In fact, she was convinced, at some point, she must have loved her once. Over the years, however, Emma had taken that love, twisting it into something bitter, until Stacey had no choice but to act on her impulsive instincts. After seemingly finding it easy to steal her sister's husband, Jason, Stacey's life appeared complete. All she needed now was her sister gone, out of the way. Forever freeing the man she believed had been drawn into Emma's control for too long.
Green Monsters tells the tale of a sister's jealousy for a life that was not her own. She only wanted to be happy, of course. And Jason would become her happiness. He was her one true love. She would save him and save herself in the process.
Little did she know what her actions were about to uncover.
Green Monsters is told completely from the viewpoint of the antagonist, delving deep into the mind of a narcissistic psychopath.
Stacey Adams had not set out with the intention of hating her sister, Emma. In fact, she was convinced, at some point, she must have loved her once. Over the years, however, Emma had taken that love, twisting it into something bitter, until Stacey had no choice but to act on her impulsive instincts. After seemingly finding it easy to steal her sister's husband, Jason, Stacey's life appeared complete. All she needed now was her sister gone, out of the way. Forever freeing the man she believed had been drawn into Emma's control for too long.
Green Monsters tells the tale of a sister's jealousy for a life that was not her own. She only wanted to be happy, of course. And Jason would become her happiness. He was her one true love. She would save him and save herself in the process.
Little did she know what her actions were about to uncover.
- GenresFiction
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 29, 2022
One of my favourite books of the year, a compelling tale of jealousy and taking sibling rivalry to extreme lengths. The protagonist Stacy has an irrational hatred of her sister Emma and her seemingly perfect life compared to her own mundane existence - but she is infatuated with her husband Jason to the point of obsession and is determined to have him, by any means necessary. But of course, being a thriller, the path of true love does not exactly run smooth. Written entirely from Stacy's point of view it's spiky and fast-paced, with twists I genuinely did not see coming (and I say that as someone who reads a lot of thrillers and is very used to twists and turns in the plot!) Looking forward to reading more from Nicky Shearsby.
March 12, 2023
(Thank you srl publishing for the ARC - extremely thankful <3)
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wow wow wow. I went blind into this!!! I was intrigued as I read the blurb but I knew this is something I usually don't read BUT I AM SO GLAD I DID!
The book is basically about two sisters. There's Stacy, the protagonist. Her sister Emma has this perfect life, big beautiful house, a career, a extremely hot husband and a cute little kid. And Stacy.. well she had no one and basically nothing compared to her. Stacy hates Emma. But like she really does... oh and also she's obsessed (!) with her sisters husband Jason. Like so obsessed to the point where she wants him. She wants Emma's perfect life. She's determined to have him! She would do anything.. like literally anything.
BUT this book is not a romance book, but a thriller so the path of finally having Jason all to herself does not go as smoothly as she would have preferred.. well she tried, she did 😉.
This book is written in Stacey's POV! It's so perfectly written that you get to know her directly from the first page. She's intimidating but also hilarious when we get to read about her thoughts. She's so authentic that you start to hate Emma as well because Stacey convinces you! Although all these twists and turns omg.
Theeeeeee twistssss y'allllll!!! I did NOT see them coming! the end was just *chefskiss*. I am so excited to read the sequel and can't wait to get started! this book is extremely underrated and I hope it gets the hype it deserves!
I 10000000000000% recommend it!
(pls check TW if u usually do before reading)
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wow wow wow. I went blind into this!!! I was intrigued as I read the blurb but I knew this is something I usually don't read BUT I AM SO GLAD I DID!
The book is basically about two sisters. There's Stacy, the protagonist. Her sister Emma has this perfect life, big beautiful house, a career, a extremely hot husband and a cute little kid. And Stacy.. well she had no one and basically nothing compared to her. Stacy hates Emma. But like she really does... oh and also she's obsessed (!) with her sisters husband Jason. Like so obsessed to the point where she wants him. She wants Emma's perfect life. She's determined to have him! She would do anything.. like literally anything.
BUT this book is not a romance book, but a thriller so the path of finally having Jason all to herself does not go as smoothly as she would have preferred.. well she tried, she did 😉.
This book is written in Stacey's POV! It's so perfectly written that you get to know her directly from the first page. She's intimidating but also hilarious when we get to read about her thoughts. She's so authentic that you start to hate Emma as well because Stacey convinces you! Although all these twists and turns omg.
Theeeeeee twistssss y'allllll!!! I did NOT see them coming! the end was just *chefskiss*. I am so excited to read the sequel and can't wait to get started! this book is extremely underrated and I hope it gets the hype it deserves!
I 10000000000000% recommend it!
(pls check TW if u usually do before reading)
September 25, 2022
A tale of sisters’ jealousy enriched with twists
A narrative of elusive jealousy between two close sisters is a recipe for a good story. This interesting book goes an extra length of originality by showing that such a long-lasting, emotional-driven jealousy has awful consequences. Eventually, it also gets extra depth too when we learn that the deep conflict between the two goes back to their childhood and parents.
We get to know Stacey’s characters already in the beginning, immediately feeling that the author is leading us to a ‘trap’ in the form of pushing us to side with Stacey, by ‘smelling’ upcoming unexpected twists. Such an elegant strategy by the author. Throughout the reading, I’ve tried to characterize the complex character of Stacey. Arrogant, manipulative, constantly suspicious, yet amusing in part in the way she tells us how annoying her sister Emma is in her view. Amusing is also the way Stacey got upset with herself or patted her ego in her thoughts. These illustrate how real and authentic the characters are.
At first, Emma sounds like an ordinary person to me through how she reacts to her sister and Jason, her husband. But, Stacey made sure I’m wrong about Emma. For instance, reading Stacey’s thought: ‘ I would have loved to divulge details to Jason about the number of boyfriends Emma has had over the years. To see the look on his face when he realises his wife isn’t the sweet little innocent she would have everyone believe.‘ In the first half, the author was successful in convincing me what driving Stacey to hate Emma so I would be ‘captured’ and be unready to hit the upcoming twists, one after the other. Brilliant.
There are many enjoyable lines. Here are a few:
‘Emma, Emma, Emma. How the hell do you manage it all? Miss Prim-And-Bloody-Proper with the perfect life and perfect man.’
‘I wondered if husband and wife would now be reunited on the other side. Would Emma even want him?’
An additional, underlined message is that in stories such as this, as in life, there are always hidden, yet critical clues one should easily notice in order to understand one’s situation and acts, better than without those clues. For all these points, I gave a 5-star rating.
A narrative of elusive jealousy between two close sisters is a recipe for a good story. This interesting book goes an extra length of originality by showing that such a long-lasting, emotional-driven jealousy has awful consequences. Eventually, it also gets extra depth too when we learn that the deep conflict between the two goes back to their childhood and parents.
We get to know Stacey’s characters already in the beginning, immediately feeling that the author is leading us to a ‘trap’ in the form of pushing us to side with Stacey, by ‘smelling’ upcoming unexpected twists. Such an elegant strategy by the author. Throughout the reading, I’ve tried to characterize the complex character of Stacey. Arrogant, manipulative, constantly suspicious, yet amusing in part in the way she tells us how annoying her sister Emma is in her view. Amusing is also the way Stacey got upset with herself or patted her ego in her thoughts. These illustrate how real and authentic the characters are.
At first, Emma sounds like an ordinary person to me through how she reacts to her sister and Jason, her husband. But, Stacey made sure I’m wrong about Emma. For instance, reading Stacey’s thought: ‘ I would have loved to divulge details to Jason about the number of boyfriends Emma has had over the years. To see the look on his face when he realises his wife isn’t the sweet little innocent she would have everyone believe.‘ In the first half, the author was successful in convincing me what driving Stacey to hate Emma so I would be ‘captured’ and be unready to hit the upcoming twists, one after the other. Brilliant.
There are many enjoyable lines. Here are a few:
‘Emma, Emma, Emma. How the hell do you manage it all? Miss Prim-And-Bloody-Proper with the perfect life and perfect man.’
‘I wondered if husband and wife would now be reunited on the other side. Would Emma even want him?’
An additional, underlined message is that in stories such as this, as in life, there are always hidden, yet critical clues one should easily notice in order to understand one’s situation and acts, better than without those clues. For all these points, I gave a 5-star rating.
September 16, 2022
I read Nicky Shearsby debut novel, To the Bitter End, a fantastic read and my review confirmed it. I immediately pre-ordered her next novel, Green Monsters. The bad news, I waited several months before my copy arrived.
But it was worth it. This second novel, a psycho thriller was equally superb. Stacey, the main character, has personality problems which cause her to misread people, make bad judgments creating unfortunate events and tragic consequences.
Nicky crafted a compelling character that readers feel both sorry for yet hate at the same time. At first, you empathize with Stacey’s dilemma as she interacts with Emma, her sister, whom she both envies and resents. Stacey sets about to fix the sister problem and live happily ever after with Emma’s husband, Jason. But personality disorders cause her to misread people and their own problems. Once Stacey thinks she achieved her goal, various truths emerge with with lightning speed. This in turn causes Stacey’s actions leading to tragedies for her and others.
This novel provided a panoply of personality disorders and addictions that psychiatrists can diagnose and recommend treatment. You name it, this novel has them - narcissism, depression, paranoia, sex addiction, sibling jealousy, parental neglect, infidelity, etc. To this mix add medical problems like autism, bulimia, food fetishes, and innocent bystanders and you have an explosive mixture.
If they make this novel into a movie, this will make Fatal Attraction or Misery feel like walks in the park.
This is a fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. Bravo Nicky!! Can’t wait to read your third novel. Tell your publisher to get cranking.
But it was worth it. This second novel, a psycho thriller was equally superb. Stacey, the main character, has personality problems which cause her to misread people, make bad judgments creating unfortunate events and tragic consequences.
Nicky crafted a compelling character that readers feel both sorry for yet hate at the same time. At first, you empathize with Stacey’s dilemma as she interacts with Emma, her sister, whom she both envies and resents. Stacey sets about to fix the sister problem and live happily ever after with Emma’s husband, Jason. But personality disorders cause her to misread people and their own problems. Once Stacey thinks she achieved her goal, various truths emerge with with lightning speed. This in turn causes Stacey’s actions leading to tragedies for her and others.
This novel provided a panoply of personality disorders and addictions that psychiatrists can diagnose and recommend treatment. You name it, this novel has them - narcissism, depression, paranoia, sex addiction, sibling jealousy, parental neglect, infidelity, etc. To this mix add medical problems like autism, bulimia, food fetishes, and innocent bystanders and you have an explosive mixture.
If they make this novel into a movie, this will make Fatal Attraction or Misery feel like walks in the park.
This is a fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. Bravo Nicky!! Can’t wait to read your third novel. Tell your publisher to get cranking.
January 22, 2023
Skillfully written and completely unputdownable!
Wow Nicky has absolutely smashed it with this novel. To start with I had little sympathy for the main character but as the events moved forward I felt strangely sympathetic towards her. A well and truly dark thriller with twist after twist. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next I was hit by another unexpected twist. Amazing. Can't wait to read the next one!
Wow Nicky has absolutely smashed it with this novel. To start with I had little sympathy for the main character but as the events moved forward I felt strangely sympathetic towards her. A well and truly dark thriller with twist after twist. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next I was hit by another unexpected twist. Amazing. Can't wait to read the next one!
August 2, 2023
"Green Monsters" is a captivating psychological thriller that takes readers on a twisted journey through the mind of a narcissistic psychopath. Told from the viewpoint of the antagonist, Stacey Adams, the novel delves deep into the complexities of jealousy, manipulation, and obsession.
The author skillfully crafts a story that explores the intricate web of emotions between siblings, as Stacey's resentment towards her sister, Emma, unfolds over the years.
The psychological depth of the characters and their motivations is what makes "Green Monsters" stand out.
The bitterness that grows from what was once love adds a layer of depth to the characters, making them feel both relatable and chillingly real.
Overall, "Green Monsters" is a compelling and thought-provoking read, offering a chilling glimpse into the mind of a dangerous protagonist. The masterful storytelling, rich character development, and surprising twists make it a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and those intrigued by the complexities of human emotions.
The author skillfully crafts a story that explores the intricate web of emotions between siblings, as Stacey's resentment towards her sister, Emma, unfolds over the years.
The psychological depth of the characters and their motivations is what makes "Green Monsters" stand out.
The bitterness that grows from what was once love adds a layer of depth to the characters, making them feel both relatable and chillingly real.
Overall, "Green Monsters" is a compelling and thought-provoking read, offering a chilling glimpse into the mind of a dangerous protagonist. The masterful storytelling, rich character development, and surprising twists make it a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and those intrigued by the complexities of human emotions.
September 25, 2022
Having read Nicky's first novel, I was excited to purchase Green Monsters. I was not disappointed. Two sisters and one husband. Stacey the main character is brilliant in her warped character and her ability to completely misread the situation. The story builds to a shocking conclusion. This book is worth booking a day off and reading it in one sitting - it's that good.
March 6, 2023
I was very happy to be selected to receive a free paperback from SRL Publishing for this book’s sequel, so of course, I went online & purchased the first book, Green Monsters.
I’ve only recently gotten into psychological thrillers & found I love them, so I was super excited to start this.
I found the opening sentence structure to be quite wordy & dense, however, the author finds her own flow in no time. I personally loved the concept of this being from the antagonist’s perspective. The jealousy & hate was very clear, although there were some phrases that were a little bit repetitive. I did find myself eye-rolling at the amount of times I read ‘scorned’.
Initially, I did think the first sort of 200 pages were very slow. However! This is worth persevering with. This is not the sort of psychological thriller that has angst & nail-biting tension from the first page but it does lead you up to a great last 150 or so last pages.
The MC, Stacey, is a horny devil, and from her POV, she genuinely believes sex = love, among a load of other deranged opinions. I won’t spoil those ones for you. I felt enraged, wanting to throw the book aside because of Jason, who by the way is a major 🚩🚩🚩🚩 he did not seem to care about Stacey’s stalking, obsessive behaviour. Did not care that she was crying over him, loving him in the space of a few days. Did not care about his wife finding out, showed zero emotion whatsoever, didn’t even care about his own daughter. So I pretty much sussed it out from the beginning that he wasn’t innocent.
The plot twists regarding a Jason were great & I enjoyed them. They were dark & pushed this from a 3-star to a 4-star for me. It would’ve been nice to see some more unexpected turns like what Emma (Stacey’s sister) did, which made Stacey question everything she’d done. I won’t give away anything more.
Finally, I like the ending. Showing Stacey to have a reflective characteristic, although I highly doubt this murderer will be able to redeem herself. Just started the sequel—I’m hoping it’s a good one.
Content warnings ❗️❗️❗️
Rape, sexual assault, physical abuse, murder (obviously), psychotic tendencies, & narcissism
I’ve only recently gotten into psychological thrillers & found I love them, so I was super excited to start this.
I found the opening sentence structure to be quite wordy & dense, however, the author finds her own flow in no time. I personally loved the concept of this being from the antagonist’s perspective. The jealousy & hate was very clear, although there were some phrases that were a little bit repetitive. I did find myself eye-rolling at the amount of times I read ‘scorned’.
Initially, I did think the first sort of 200 pages were very slow. However! This is worth persevering with. This is not the sort of psychological thriller that has angst & nail-biting tension from the first page but it does lead you up to a great last 150 or so last pages.
The MC, Stacey, is a horny devil, and from her POV, she genuinely believes sex = love, among a load of other deranged opinions. I won’t spoil those ones for you. I felt enraged, wanting to throw the book aside because of Jason, who by the way is a major 🚩🚩🚩🚩 he did not seem to care about Stacey’s stalking, obsessive behaviour. Did not care that she was crying over him, loving him in the space of a few days. Did not care about his wife finding out, showed zero emotion whatsoever, didn’t even care about his own daughter. So I pretty much sussed it out from the beginning that he wasn’t innocent.
The plot twists regarding a Jason were great & I enjoyed them. They were dark & pushed this from a 3-star to a 4-star for me. It would’ve been nice to see some more unexpected turns like what Emma (Stacey’s sister) did, which made Stacey question everything she’d done. I won’t give away anything more.
Finally, I like the ending. Showing Stacey to have a reflective characteristic, although I highly doubt this murderer will be able to redeem herself. Just started the sequel—I’m hoping it’s a good one.
Content warnings ❗️❗️❗️
Rape, sexual assault, physical abuse, murder (obviously), psychotic tendencies, & narcissism
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2023
Green Monsters is told from the point of view of a jealous sister with dark thoughts and a pair of scissors in her pocket. We get to know Stacey's every angry, vile thought as we progress through her sister's book publication celebration, and subsequent affair with her sister's husband. What's dark turns darker and leads to murder and revelations that are disturbing even in the face of a book that starts off disturbed.
Green Monsters is an exploration of self-loathing, self-deception, sex, and love, and how mental illness makes perception feel like reality. When reality breaks through the perceived achieved dreams Stacey has worked toward, barring no heinous action, darkness turns completely black.
The author dares to cover the sometimes unspoken elements of what women do for love, how sex can be misconstrued, how appearances mask realities, and how not all stories have redemptions. Shearsby finds the place that blurs between one interpretation and another and how willing we can be to choose our interpretation in the face of fierce jealousy and coveting.
This is a fast read that you will continue to think about after.
Green Monsters is an exploration of self-loathing, self-deception, sex, and love, and how mental illness makes perception feel like reality. When reality breaks through the perceived achieved dreams Stacey has worked toward, barring no heinous action, darkness turns completely black.
The author dares to cover the sometimes unspoken elements of what women do for love, how sex can be misconstrued, how appearances mask realities, and how not all stories have redemptions. Shearsby finds the place that blurs between one interpretation and another and how willing we can be to choose our interpretation in the face of fierce jealousy and coveting.
This is a fast read that you will continue to think about after.
September 4, 2022
The best book I’ve read this year!
Green Monsters is an intense read that kept me wanting more and even now I want more!
Stacey Adams was jealous of her sister Emma’s life, she had a husband and daughter, and Stacey had no one. The jealously even from page one was immense, I could feel it seeping through the pages. She wanted Emma’s lifestyle and her husband Jason and she will do absolutely anything she can to make that happen.
I was hooked to this from the first page. Stacey wasn’t particularly a likeable main character, she seemed very naïve for her age, she didn’t know what love really was and at some points, I just wanted to reach into the book and give her a good shake.
This book was absolutely brilliant, I felt so many different emotions during different parts, anger, grief, shock etc. I didn’t want it to finish.
BRING ON BOOK 2!
Green Monsters is an intense read that kept me wanting more and even now I want more!
Stacey Adams was jealous of her sister Emma’s life, she had a husband and daughter, and Stacey had no one. The jealously even from page one was immense, I could feel it seeping through the pages. She wanted Emma’s lifestyle and her husband Jason and she will do absolutely anything she can to make that happen.
I was hooked to this from the first page. Stacey wasn’t particularly a likeable main character, she seemed very naïve for her age, she didn’t know what love really was and at some points, I just wanted to reach into the book and give her a good shake.
This book was absolutely brilliant, I felt so many different emotions during different parts, anger, grief, shock etc. I didn’t want it to finish.
BRING ON BOOK 2!
August 10, 2022
Omg, I absolutely love this book. This book is told entirely from the perspective of a narcissistic psychopath and I devoured it. It was fascinating delving into the psyche of Stacey as she tries to rationalise her thoughts and actions with no regard for anyone but herself. It certainly is a dark, disturbing book, especially as its written in first person, these thoughts and feelings become your own the further you read.
Ultimately this is a story of Stacey's jealousy and desire for someone else's life and the lengths she'll go to, to get what she wants. I know this one won't be for everyone, but it's certainly a thrilling ride of a book. I for one can't wait for the next installment. Available for order now.
I'd recommend this fantastic book for anyone who likes dark thrillers
Ultimately this is a story of Stacey's jealousy and desire for someone else's life and the lengths she'll go to, to get what she wants. I know this one won't be for everyone, but it's certainly a thrilling ride of a book. I for one can't wait for the next installment. Available for order now.
I'd recommend this fantastic book for anyone who likes dark thrillers
March 14, 2023
Loved this book. Very well written and good story. Looking forward to the next one to see how this unfolds.
January 19, 2025
Fast-paced and thrilling. I didn’t see any of those twists coming!
May 14, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
December 10, 2025
It was hard to put this unpredictable gem down. The pacing is great. The characters were believable. And the test and turns build methodically to the end.
July 21, 2025
Very dark, very captivating. Not the same old "catch the killer" novel. Nicky takes you into the psyche of the antagonist in a way few, if anyone, else does.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews