Sylvia Bambola

I read this book via an Amazon KINDLE download.

Every devout, or even semi-devout Christian knows what it means to be one. They understand what they need to do in order to have a meaningful relationship with the Lord. But what about those countless individuals who have finally found Him and are accepting Him as their savior each day; they are essentially like a child devoid of any knowledge of His greatness and compassion for those who believe in Him.

What the author of this book, Sylvia Bambola, has been to take what is written in DEUTERONOMY 6:7 [NKJV]:

“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

and has taken it a step further by writing her book, a book that is designed to inform New Christians about their new faith and answer the questions most of them have.

The book has been written in a simplistic manner, similar to how a parent would educate their children, regarding aspects of the faith which their inquisitive minds desire to have answers for; such as faith itself, how to pray, hell and Satan, the rapture and end times.

And hopefully, in the end, these new Christians will be able to repeat the words spoken by the Virgin Mary in LUKE 1:46 [NKJV]

“And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,”

For wanting to transform new Christians from being a mere new child to the faith to be a devout adult Christian, this reviewer of Christian books, is delighted to give Ms. Bambola, the 5 STARS she’s gotten from me.… (mere)

Title: Mercy at Midnight
Author: Sylvia Bambola
Pages: 408
Year: 2016
Publisher: Heritage Publishing House
My rating is 5+ out of 5 stars.
My introduction into the author’s writing style was when I read her novel, The Daughters of Jim Farrell a year ago or so. When Mercy at Midnight came out, I knew I had to read the book. Why? I found Sylvia’s stories well-crafted. She deals with issues head on and tells a heart-gripping story right from the start! There are other books by this author I have yet to read, but they are in my reading pile or list to enjoy very soon!
Mercy at Midnight weaves together threads of homelessness and redemption right alongside action, danger and mystery. The main character is a pastor named Jonathan who is a prayer warrior, tries very earnestly to obey the Spirit’s leading even when he doesn’t understand the why of it and yet his struggles are transparent to Jonathan. The female lead is a news reporter named Cynthia who has a nose for a story, and this one she is on right now might cost her more than she thinks if she isn’t careful.
Jonathan’s past plays a role in who he is today in the story and opening a homeless shelter was the last thing he wanted to do. Some of his actions in the book reminded me of the ways God used Old Testament prophets to bring his message in a very real in your face kind of way. Cynthia’s past influenced her decisions to erect walls around her heart, but with her latest undercover experience she just might find her walls slowly coming down.
Throughout the book I read and loved some of the background characters whose personalities were unique. I loved the possible budding romance between the pastor and reporter and the way the book ended was great as it leaves to the imagination of readers in a way. I cannot wait to see what Sylva brings to her readers in 2017 because her books are engrossing, entertaining and enrapture the heart of readers. Please read Mercy at Midnight and see if she doesn’t soon become one of your favorite authors and you find yourself reading her other fantastic novels!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”… (mere)

Oh how I love this author. Her books are so emotional and action packed that I find myself reading into the wee hours to finish it. The author has written a great story that takes readers to the seedier parts of a town. Her description is perfect and I was able to picture the homeless people as they rummaged for food. Don't you ever wonder how someone ends up on living on the streets? It just takes one person to reach out and make a difference. The story reminds me that we all need a helping hand at sometime . Will you be the one to encourage someone and give them hope?

Jonathan is a pastor who I really liked. He has such a gentle spirit and his compassion and patience was very endearing. He gets a word from God that will take him to a place that he will witness forgiveness and redemption. His journey will lead him to open a shelter that had been closed up for awhile. I really liked how he was determined to get it up and running and ignored those that thought he was not capable of taking on such a big challenge.

Cynthia is a news reporter who is always looking for the next best story. She definitely has some secrets from her past and she has a hard time trusting. When she finds herself at the shelter, will she allow herself to open up to someone? Why Is she really at the shelter? Her character reminded me of someone that acts really tough, but inside is a hurt and lonely person. I thought the author did a great job of having Cynthia slowly begin to trust and feel like she had found friends at the shelter. She has always been very private , but as her story takes a dangerous turn, will she let her new friends protect her?

Stubby is a homeless man who lives on the dark streets waiting for something good to happen in his life. His character was my favorite because he was so hungry to change his life and all he needed was that one chance . He had always felt like such a loser, going days living on drugs and watching his friends die while living on the streets. Why is a gang trying to kill Stubby? Will he find safety at the shelter ? The part where Stubby cries out to God is an emotional scene and I cried as I could feel his desperation.

Throughout the story I kept thinking about the song "Amazing Grace." Sometimes we think we aren't good enough and no one loves us , but God loved us so much that he sacrificed His son for us. How many of us are guilty of judging others? Do we turn our backs on the homeless, the weary and desperate people in this world? The story really opened my eyes to the horrible conditions people live in and I thank the author for writing about a subject that reminds us that we need to be His hands and feet. We need to show grace and mercy and not turn our bs is on people in need. The scriptures are beautifully placed in the story to draw readers to learn to trust and rely on Him.

The book is action packed with secrets, lies, gangs, drugs, murder, greed, forgiveness and redemption. The ending is a real edge of your seat thrill ride as the characters face danger. I can't wait till the author has another book coming out. She writes with passion and makes characters come to life with real problems that people face everyday.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from The BookClub Network. The review is my own opinion and I was not compensated for it.… (mere)