Quinn is not only an assassin, she is the best of the best. Being heartless helps with this. When an assignment goes wrong, and she has to go on the run, her memories and her new relationships set her on a journey of self- preservation and self-discovery. Maybe there is a beat in that swinging brick of a heart.

An action packed narrative that is led by an anti-heroine to root for. You shouldn’t like Quinn, but you do. You shouldn’t be rooting for her, but you are. The author has given Quinn enough inner monologue and backstory to help the reader associate with an otherwise deadly assassin. Her character development from start to finish is spot on and progresses at a fast, yet believable pace.

The sub characters keep the narrative moving smoothly. Their skill set, relationships with Quinn, and backstory tie in well with Quinn’s story, and add realism to world of terrorism and assassins, and give credit to Quinn’s change of heart.

Thrillers are not my usual read, but I found this novel a real page turner. This book is extremely well written and I’d highly recommend it.

~ K.J. Chapman (Author of EVO Nation series, Indigo Flame series, and Prompt Me.)

Read the full review here. 

 

Great first novel! I am looking forward to the rest of the Dragonfly series! Very well written – you can almost see, touch and smell the action! I enjoyed getting to know the characters – great interplay between them – makes you want to know more! The violence makes it an older teen and adult read but without it the story and characters don’t make sense. Waiting, impatiently, for book two!

~ Amazon Review

 

Step aside, cliche thrillers because The Dragonfly series is coming to town!  Brianna’s incredible writing skills kidnapped my mind and threw it into the world of assassins, terrorists, and secret agents.

The Characters

I fell in love with Brianna’s characters, despite their murderous tendencies.  Why?  They are real, broke people.  They work for (I don’t want to tell you too much) who will kill them if they don’t do as he says.  This trains them to dim their consciences.  But as the story goes on, stuff happens that reawakens those thoughts that what they are doing is bad.  However, there is still survival stuff and characters interactions that get in their way and make them completely human.

Also, there is Nathan who is an adorable human.  (He’s not an assassin, but he’s just precious.)  Can we talk about the fact that he grows so much over the story, and the main plot isn’t even about him?!

The Setting

Unsanctioned Eyes takes place all over the world: London, Afghanistan, and other places.  I’ve never been to any of those places before, but after reading this book, I feel like I have.

The Plot

Masterfully written.  I’m not going to say any more on this.

Content

There was quite a bit of language, but none was “super awful”.  (It’s not every other sentence either.)  It fits with the characters.  Obviously, there was quite a bit of violence.  The assassins aren’t super moral people, so they don’t do the most moral things.  But this is NOT EVIL BEING GLORIFIED.  The characters start to change by the end of the story.  Quinn is presented with the idea of God and His saving grace.  The author is not condoning the actions of her characters.  I just wanted to make that very clear.

Conclusion

Basically, this is a fantastic book for people who enjoy thrillers like the Jason Bourne series, but are tired of evil being glorified.  I recommend this book to older teens and above because of some of the content.  5/5 stars!  

~ Alea Harper

Read the full review here. 

 

This book is so magnificent that after reading the sample, I had to buy it online in a Chipotle parking lot in Stillwater on our way home from hiking. My hubby so patiently agreed to eat in the car so I could read a few more chapters. #truelove. What a world you have created here Brianna! I’ve fallen in love with your characters and I can’t put it down!

~ Amazon Review

This was a fast paced action book that kept me guessing the entire time. I loved the thrilling world of the Dragonfly and watching as she navigated a world of danger and deception. The characters were well built, and the plot was solid, making for an engaging, interesting read! The way the book ends leaves lots of room for a sequel, so I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more! 😀

~ J.M. Sullivan (Author of Alice: The Wonderland Chronicles)

 

First, I have to say that I don’t read a whole bunch of thrillers, suspense books but Brianna, the author of Unsanctioned Eyes – the first book in The Dragonfly series- has pushed that door a little more open for me. This story is a fast but still balanced plot. These pages are filled with action, few twists and a dash of romance.

Brianna character fills her world up with sparks. Witty and danger dance between the pages of this book. Quinn is filled with mixed emotions but when it comes down to it she knows what she has to do. She’s a tea drinking, butt-kicking woman, and I love that! These a line in this ARC that goes, “No matter how wicked I am, my one true weakness is a good cup of tea.” I hope it made the final cut because in a weird way it sums up the book well.

I don’t want to talk too much about the characters so I don’t give away anything, but Brianna know her characters and that makes them feel so real, they aren’t perfect, they have push and pull relationship, trouble, and drama, likes and dislikes. They feel like everyday people, other than the fact that some of these characters are assassins. I don’t want to give anything because this is an amazing read!

I have to give a little note about the writing style of this book because it flows, paints the world brightly and that’s the best skill an author can have. I am even more of a fan of Brianna’s after reading this, and I can’t wait to see where she goes and to read the next book in her series!

~KayCee K. (Editor of Double the Books magazine.)

Read the full review here.