Official Review: Reflection by Ally Wadley

Chipochashe · Post by **Chipochashe** » 30 Jun 2020, 09:52

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Reflection" by Ally Wadley.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Brianna thinks she is an ordinary woman until she is kidnapped by a powerful organization. At first, she thinks that it is all just a big mistake and they will either let her go or dispose of her after they have realized their mistake in taking the wrong girl. Later on, while exploring the house in which she is held captive, she finds a gallery full of portraits of women who all have one thing in common…her face. The portraits date back well into the renaissance era. She is shocked. She realizes that her face is the reason for her kidnapping, but why? Why was her face important? This question continues to haunt her well after she has been rescued by John. John is not very forthcoming with information. He is continually telling her only what he feels she needs to know and nothing else. Can he be trusted? Is it possible to expose the organization that kidnapped her? Can John and his group of friends be trusted to help before they kidnap the next girl? This is the story Reflection written by Ally Wadley.

The story is narrated by the author in the third person with a special focus on Brianna’s thoughts and actions. The language is simple and the story is easy to follow. The chapters are labelled Before or After. Before chapters narrate Brianna’s life from when she was kidnapped. After chapters narrate her life after she has been rescued by John. The chapters switch at irregular intervals between the Before and After narrations.

I enjoyed this story a lot. It is a plot-driven story and the mystery kept me in a state of suspense. I could not put the book down until I finished it because I had too many questions. The pace was steady and there was never a moment of boredom. Having two narrations also meant that there were two stories to follow, one providing background for the other. The book also has no erotic scenes, only on page kissing and touching. I also think that the author’s description of Brianna’s state of mind was very realistic, although the way she related to John and quickly gave in to his suggestions had me questioning her intelligence.

There are a few issues that the writer would do well to address. The book needs professional editing as there are numerous errors. Some were simple typos and others were grammatical. These were too many and distracting. The other issue was the poor characterization. I admit that the story is not character-based, but there was too much generalization. As an example, the author says this about Brianna, “She certainly had a loving family and some close friends. She had gone to school and had a good job as a result.” The author doesn’t write anything more about her family or her job. Later on, the author writes, “It was amazing how much friendlier people felt when someone called their name to address them. It was a trick she had used in her career.” This reference to her career made no sense because I did not know what the career was.

The plot is fascinating, although I would have preferred a stronger female character. This is the first book in a series and has a serious cliffhanger which makes me want to read the following book. I would classify this as a mystery thriller. It is suitable for readers who love that genre. There are a few instances of profanity and violence which makes it unsuitable for children. There is no mention of religion. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars.

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Reflection
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NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 01 Jul 2020, 11:00

This really seems a thrilling mystery thanks to its plot. It might be excellent with another round of proofreading. Thank you for your great review!

Elvis Best · Post by **Elvis Best** » 01 Jul 2020, 11:37

You did a very good job with the summary. You got me hooked. Thanks for the detailed review.

Topsey · Post by **Topsey** » 01 Jul 2020, 15:12

It’s a pain about the various errors but this sounds like a fairly good match for me. Thanks for the honest review.

jenny delacruz · Post by **jenny delacruz** » 01 Jul 2020, 15:50

Too many errors can really be annoying. Although the story seems so appealing, I may have to pass. One, because of the errors you mentioned, and two, because of the lack of in depth description of Brianna's character (ie. family background, career, etc). Thank you for your honest and well explained review.

Post by **Christabel Uzoamaka** » 01 Jul 2020, 17:43

This is a story I can enjoy despite its errors. I’m excited to find out what happens after she is rescued and just how much she would change.
Thank you for the informative review.

Dayodiola · Post by **Dayodiola** » 01 Jul 2020, 23:14

Errors, we all make but one that is numerous put off interest. Nice review

Kelyn · Post by **Kelyn** » 01 Jul 2020, 23:19

Her having the same face as the women through history instantly makes me think either 'immortal' or 'reincarnation.' But this doesn't seem to be a sci-fi book. It would be interesting to find out what rational the author came up with to explain this! Excellent review, thank you!

Usma Khann · Post by **Usma Khann** » 01 Jul 2020, 23:24

It's frightening that many people go through such experience in real lives too. Appreciate the honest review.

Valkyrie9 · Post by **Valkyrie9** » 02 Jul 2020, 01:38

What a fascinating concept! This story has great potential, and I like the idea of switching between the Before and After chapters. A pity that the author did not pay more attention to editing and to creating a stronger female lead. Thanks for a thorough and honest review.

Chinelookeke · Post by **Chinelookeke** » 02 Jul 2020, 09:13

It is really unfair how some people are being maltreated,killed or even kidnapped just because they look like someone that they are not. The summary was actually on point and I liked the fact that the main points were picked out.

FEislandqueen13 · Post by **FEislandqueen13** » 02 Jul 2020, 12:00

women being kidnapped for possessing a particular face - an interesting plot. I'll read it. Hopefully, Brianna gets better character development in the next book.

InventorT · Post by **InventorT** » 02 Jul 2020, 12:49

Irrespective of the errors, it sounds like a good read. Good job on the review

Miss_chiege · Post by **Miss_chiege** » 02 Jul 2020, 16:01

The story line of the book is very captivating. It's funny how someone who feels that she is not important turns out to be kidnapped. She must have had even more shock when she saw herself in so many frames as different persons. This book is so good.

Sandy16 · Post by **Sandy16** » 02 Jul 2020, 20:18

Thanks for the detailed review. I was hooked and wrote this title down to add it to my shelf. It is frustrating that there are errors, but with additional eyes these will be cleaned up for sure to make it even better.