Sean HaydenBesprekingen

This is a diverse collection of stories from two talented authors. Jen Wylie's and Sean Hayden's writing styles are completely different, yet they complement each other throughout. Wylie's style is often poetic in its beauty. I felt her stories on a deep, emotional level. Hayden's style is straight forward, filled with humor and the occasional gruesome twist. His stories made me laugh, gasp, and nod my head in understanding.

The authors alternate stories, making the reading experience a stylistic adventure. After each story, the author tells us briefly what inspired the piece. This drew me in deeper and offered a unique connection to their stories and their world.

You can read this collection from start to finish, as I did. The collection works well as a whole, flowing easily from one story to the next. Because the pieces are fairly short, this collection is also ideal for those with limited time. You can read a story whenever you have a few spare moments and need a break from reality. However you choose to indulge, this author pairing will keep you entertained.

Book Title: The Games We Play
Author: Sean Hayden
Publisher: Untold Press
ASIN: B007B5X7BG
Reviewed by Michele Tater for The Couch Tater Review

“Games lubricate the body and the mind.” ~Benjamin Franklin

Ever though this a rather short short story, it is filled with steamy and racy context. It is about two seeming strangers meet in a bar. One wants to play a game of cat and mouse. The other has no choice but to play.

I didn’t find it too predictable--I did not see the end coming, I was pleasantly surprised. A quick read with a lot of heat.

I love the dedication page--very heartfelt!

Is it possible to love a story, but hate the author for writing it? It ended too quickly. I want more of these characters!

Sean Hayden has a flare for storytelling, and is able to capture the essence of his characters in only a few paragraphs. I loved the twist toward the end. This is an edgy, spicy and fun read!

Book Title: Deceptions
Author: Sean Hayden
Publisher: Echelon Press Publishing
ISBN: 9781590808702
Reviewed by Michele Tater for the Couch Tater Review

“I hate the man who is double-mined, kind in words, but a foe in his conduct.” ~Palladas

She’s back...Ashlyn that is. Everyone’s favorite FBI agent, well it should be everyone’s favorite. Her assignment this time is to act as a body guard to a vampire who just happens to be the Governor of California who also happens to be a vampire. In California what can happen, does happen. Protecting someone who seems to have a huge target on his forehead is no easy task on your body or your wardrobe. For Ashlyn it is all in a day work. However strange things are happening to the vampire leaders in the area. It is just a coincidence or is someone out to get rid of them for personal gain? Why does Ashlyn always have to be in the middle of everything? Can she survive again or is this fight just to much for a young vampire/demon to bare? Questions only answered if you read the book!

Finally, we are graced with another book about Ashlyn and her now adventures of vampire sitting. She really is growing into her person in her professional life as well as her personal life. Yes, she develops a “life” which causes her great joys and more troubles. I really like this character, if you haven’t already guessed. She has a sense of humor, that keeps me laughing, along with a streak of either bravery or stubbornness that usually gets her into some major trouble. Never a dull moment with this series. FYI you learn more about Ashlyn’s father, interesting. I can’t say enough about this author--when he puts his stories to print he never disappoints. There I said it, now Mr. Hayden, get back to writing book number three, please.

Book Title: My Soul To Keep
Author: Sean Hayden
Publisher: Untold Press
ISBN: 9780615641539
Reviewed by Michele Tater for The Couch Tater Review

“The soul is not where it lives, but where it loves.” ~H. G. Bohn

Be careful what you wish for. Maybe young Connor Sullivan should have though of that very adage when he is given the chance to have a wish granted. Oh, of course he will argue that he was under a lot of pressure at the time and speaking of time, he did not have a it to make a “better” choice if there was one. He actually thought he was being clever, time will tell. If you had not figured out from the title, the “soul" has something to do with the whole wish situation.So you can only image what his answer was...well not really, if you read the book you can find out. Just to give you a heads up, you will have a hard time not reading the whole book as soon as you can. Translation: don’t plan on doing your taxes, shopping and/or cleaning while trying to read it.

It maybe considered a young adult read, but, this coming from someone way past the young adults stage, it is entertaining. It has laugh out loud (yes lol) humor, sweet love and even some super natural action. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, there is a murder mystery too. See its filled with cool stuff. Who would have thought right? Great characters that I must say, do come “alive” as you read. Being a fan of the author already, I am still pleasantly surprise when I read another one of his creations and find that I enjoyed it.

I didn't think there were any new twists left for vampire books. Much to my delight, Sean Hayden proved me wrong. He brings a fresh approach to the often tired vampire tale. The characters are unique and wonderfully entertaining. The plot is suspenseful with a touch of humor to lighten to mood. I found myself fully immersed in Ashlyn's world and I enjoyed every minute.

Author: Sean Hayden
Publisher: Echelon Press Publishing
ISBN: 9781590806821

Being a normal teenage is hard enough, but being Ashlyn is even more complicated. She lost her mother giving birth to her, and she does not even know her father. Given that she knows no other relatives she lives with her aunt, which seems normal right? But not only has her aunt cared for Ashlyn but she also lets Ashlyn feed off her blood every other day. Instead of nails Ashlyn has claws and her pupils of her eyed are slit like a cat. With all these differences, her aunt felt it better for her to be isolated from the real world. Television and the Internet were her only sources of what the outside was like, although she would sneak out at night to walk. She is unable to go into the daylight since the sun hurts her eyes and she would get a nasty sunburn too.

Like most good things, this situation had to come to an unfortunate end. Ashlyn’s aunt has a car accident which leaves her little choice but to leave since there are not records of her even being alive. “Origins” is a tale of what happens to Ashlyn when she is face with a world that she knows less about than she had thought. She is given an opportunity she really can not refuse and one that will change her life forever, either in a good or bad way, she is not sure. Now grant you this story takes place where the world is full of vampires, and several types of them, and also wereanimals. These creatures are a “normal” sight throughout the city of Chicago where Ashlyn has lived. The author, Sean Hayden’s lets you into a place of fantasy set in the modern time era. His main character, Ashlyn pulls at your heart strings as she figures out her place in this strange place.

Don’t let the fact that this is Sean Hayden’s first book steer you away from “Origins”; his writing comes across as a seasoned writer. It may seem to be more geared to be a young adult book being that Ashlyn is only seventeen years old, I find that even an older adult like me enjoyed it. I highly recommend this read to lovers of vampires and other supernatural figures. It has action, blood, gore and so much more, that you will be asking for even more. Thank goodness he already has a second book in the works.