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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Book of Angels: Twin Flames Rising" by Maya El.]

"In the wake of so much tragedy, I met the man who represented the other half of my soul. A man I knew I would cherish for the rest of my life."

Being a pastor's wife, living in a two-story Victorian mansion, and having a luxurious life neither make Nathalie Parker any happier nor give her the feeling of contentment in life. Reverend Carson Parker, Nathalie's husband, a pastor of the largest black Baptist church in Chicago, is abusive, greedy, hot-tempered, and self-centered, but only Nathalie knows. As a daughter of a Black Panther activist in 1960, she was fed up with the police brutality, lies, cover-ups, and the injustice both her friends and her father's friends encountered. Much more than that, the world she lives in is very chaotic, but in the midst of turmoil, Nathalie met her twin soul.

The Book of Angels: Twin Flames Rising by Maya El was published by CreateSpace Independent Platform on September 11, 2017. It has 188 standard pages (182 pages on Kindle, 225 pages on eReader Prestigio); 250 words per page. It is filed under the Crime / Thriller / Mystery / Historical genre with underlying themes of domestic abuse, friendship, greed, infidelity, murder, politics, racial profiling, psychic reading, romance, erotica, and violence. The story is composed of twenty chapters, with Copyright, Dedication, Prologue, Epilogue, "Astrological Age and Twin Flame" overview, Acknowledgements, About the Author, and the Table of Contents at the end. The plot setting is in Chicago and is narrated in Nathalie's first-person point of view.

I admire the author's writing style, the unpredictable storyline, and the graceful sway of the rise and fall of its emotional arch. Except for the disgusting and hateful antagonists, all the characters are likable and relatable. Stuck under an unhappy marriage, I like Nathalie's resilience. She chose to do the things she loves (dancing, and teaching ballet) instead of just being dependent on his wealthy husband. The complicated issues about Nathalie's constant struggle under domestic abuse and chaotic environment, Carson's fall from grace, and the nation's turmoil are narrated subtly. My favorite parts of the story are Nathalie's bizarre sex dreams with her twin soul and the movie-like ending. As a whole, they create a perfect blend of steamy and thrilling variations to the serious issues presented. Stated above are the reasons I have that made me think this book excelled from the other books of the same genre.

Generally, I enjoyed reading and there is nothing I don't like in this book. I don't believe in the psychic reading and interpretation, but I don't hate it. Nathalie's narration is not one-sided. Both the positive and the negative sides of Carson are well-presented. The texts and replies are italicized to differentiate from the narrations and the conversations. I have noticed that the Table of Contents is found at the end. It would have been better if it had been placed on the first page. The minor grammatical errors ranging from weird sentences, random capitalization, and wrong punctuation did not hinder my enjoyment and smooth reading flow. I just noted them as a part of the book review requirement. The presence of redundant statements is also worth noting. The movie-like ending gives hints of a new life inside Nathalie's womb, and the book's next sequel.

I rate The Book of Angels: Twin Flames Rising by Maya El 3 out of 4 stars. The explicit rodeo elucidation and the violence make me recommend this book to the mature audiences (above 18 years old only). The steamy scenes and psychic reading and interpretations might be frowned upon by some readers. Otherwise, this book will not let down the fans of Crime / Thriller / Mystery / Historical genre. The story is a clear reminder that there are foxes under the sheep's skin, and even angels fall from grace.

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The Book of Angels: Twin Flames Rising
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This book covers a lot of ground for being relatively short. Nathalie's life sounds so intense, and with everything going on, it's easy to see why she wasn't content. Her dreams of her with her twin soul are an interesting addition. Thanks for a thoughtful review!

Not a fan of erotica and I tend to avoid it, but it sounds like you enjoyed the read! Thanks for the review.

What an intriguing review! I'm not sure that the book appeals to me - I would be more interested in the political side of things. I notice you say it stands out, and it certainly doesn't sound like a typical crime/mystery thriller.

SABRADLEY wrote: ↑28 Apr 2018, 08:39 This book covers a lot of ground for being relatively short. Nathalie's life sounds so intense, and with everything going on, it's easy to see why she wasn't content. Her dreams of her with her twin soul are an interesting addition. Thanks for a thoughtful review!

Yes, the author was able to present everything in this short and concise book. It satisfied me that I don't want any addition into it.

It's my pleasure.

Thanks for dropping by.

Kat Berg wrote: ↑28 Apr 2018, 10:51 Not a fan of erotica and I tend to avoid it, but it sounds like you enjoyed the read! Thanks for the review.

I respect your decision to avoid the said genre. I also have friends who are not into it. I enjoyed the story somehow.

Libs_Books wrote: ↑28 Apr 2018, 11:02 What an intriguing review! I'm not sure that the book appeals to me - I would be more interested in the political side of things. I notice you say it stands out, and it certainly doesn't sound like a typical crime/mystery thriller.

Yes, it's a perfect combination of C/T/M/H genre.

Nathalie seems to have experienced a lot of disappointment in her life. I wonder if her twin soul will bring her to redemption or will drive her deeper into the muck.

Yes, angels do fall from grace. Lucifer was the brightest angel.

Thanks for the intriguing review, Inday!

I dont get it! How on earth Nathalie end up thinking that her twin love is the best in her life when her husband is abusive? Intresting story line. The review has successfully captured the essence of the story very smartly. Thank you for a great review Dolor!

Miriam Molina wrote: ↑29 Apr 2018, 01:41 Nathalie seems to have experienced a lot of disappointment in her life. I wonder if her twin soul will bring her to redemption or will drive her deeper into the muck.

Yes, angels do fall from grace. Lucifer was the brightest angel.

Thanks for the intriguing review, Inday!

I can't answer this question without revealing some spoilers. Please take time to read the book to answer the question(s) on your mind.

Sahani Nimandra wrote: ↑29 Apr 2018, 08:47 I dont get it! How on earth Nathalie end up thinking that her twin love is the best in her life when her husband is abusive? Intresting story line. The review has successfully captured the essence of the story very smartly. Thank you for a great review Dolor!

I can't answer this question without revealing some spoilers. Please take time to read the book to answer the question(s) on your mind.

After reading your review of this book. I feel compelled to go out and read it. I met my twin flame 26 years ago and I am curious if the author portrays any of the same experiences. Meeting your twin flame isn't always a wonderful experience. I actually wasn't ready to meet mine and he wasn't ready to meet me so it was quite devastating to both of us actually. So I can relate to some of the things you portrayed in your review. Which was what is compelling me to want to read it. Thank you.

The book covers many themes in one go. Nathalie's character is very strong as well as sympathising. I think, fans of crime and mystery thriller would find it an interesting book. Thanks for your comprehensive review, Dolor.

Sarah Tariq wrote: ↑01 May 2018, 00:51 The book covers many themes in one go. Nathalie's character is very strong as well as sympathising. I think, fans of crime and mystery thriller would find it an interesting book. Thanks for your comprehensive review, Dolor.

You got it right. Thanks for dropping by and expressing your thoughts on my review.

This sounds intense and emotional. It might be a little too steamy for me, but thanks for the great reveiw.