Mary Hades Novella Reviews: My Daylight Monsters and Sister by Sarah Dalton

My Daylight Monsters

Title: My Daylight Monsters
Author: Sarah Dalton
Series: Mary Hades, #0.5
Format: Kindle
My rating: 4 / 5

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I always thought my demons came out in the day, rather than at night. I’ve never been scared of the dark. I’ve only ever been scared of real things: getting ill, having injections, physical pain… death. Those are my monsters, not ghosts or vampires or whatever else can hide under your bed at night.

I was wrong.

The dark makes everything worse.

When Mary’s psychiatrist advises a short stay at a psychiatric unit, her worst nightmares are confirmed. How can she get better in a place that fills her with dread? When she meets the other patients, she begins to gather some hope, until she realises that the death toll in the hospital is rising without explanation. Something sinister stalks the corridors and maybe she is the only one who can stop it…

Mary has to confront the Things that she sees if they are to stand a chance. But will she survive a confrontation with death itself?

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

I read Mary Hades before I read My Daylight Monsters, and I really wish I had known to read this novella first. It provided so much background for both Mary and the other characters, and I feel it’s essential to start the series here.

“That’s the thing about hospitals, what I’ve always hated. We give up control of our life and hand it over to someone else. Most of the time it’s a good thing. We need these people and their expertise. But what if they don’t want to make us better? What then?”

-- My Daylight Monsters by Sarah Dalton

The book begins with our main character, Mary, being admitted for a week-long stay in the psychiatric ward of the local hospital. Things slowly take on a more sinister turn when the death toll takes an unexpected hike. Books set in psychiatric hospitals usually give me the creeps, and when you add in a palliative care unit across the hall… I’m doubly on edge! It definitely didn’t disappoint! I liked the creepy atmosphere that was created, and I’m really glad this wasn’t overlooked considering it’s a novella.

All the characters in the series are really entertaining and they have distinct personalities. I really like Mary as the main character, and I really like that we get to see the beginnings of Mary’s visions in My Daylight Monsters. We get to see her figure out and come to terms with the fact that she can see ghosts. Usually that whole battle has already been conquered before the books begin, so it’s awesome to see the struggles she had to go through. I really like the friendship between Lacey and Mary! Since I read Mary Hades first, I knew what the outcome would be in the novella, but I really liked seeing all the little things that made them become friends.

Overall, I really enjoyed My Daylight Monsters, and I can’t wait to continue on with the other books in the series!

Sister

Title: Sister
Author: Sarah Dalton
Series: Mary Hades, #1.5
Format: eBook, kindly provided by
the author (Thanks so much Sarah!)
My rating: 3.5 / 5

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In 1997 Isabel Quirke sits down to write a letter to her sister. A letter she never intends to send. Within the pages of that letter she describes the frightening events that lead up to the disintegration of their relationship.

Susan Quirke, before she became Susan Hades--mother of Mary--goes through a transformation so extreme it changes her forever. Her younger sister Isabel can only watch.

This short story can be read as a companion to the Mary Hades series.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

Sister is a short, companion novella in the Mary Hades series. It’s in the format of a letter written by Mary’s aunt, Isabel, to Mary’s mother, Susan. Isabel doesn’t intend for Susan to ever read the letter, but she feels she has to get a certain set of events that happened in their childhood down on paper.

The letter gives so much insight into Mary’s mother, who always seemed to be very straight-laced and a little detached. It’s interesting to see that this wasn’t always the case, and to find out what ultimately changed her personality so drastically. I thought Sister set up the next book in the series really well, and it raises so many questions about what will happen in Possess. I really hope they’re all answered, and we find out more about Lila… :D

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.*