Heart on a Chain

What the fuck? I cannot understand how people are giving it 5-star reviews because this was one of the worst things I've ever read.I couldn't believe the whole book was so black and white. Kate, a victim of horrible abuse at the hands of her mother, has been ridiculed by her peers for her appearance for years. In fact, they physically abuse her too (wtf that scene)! But her knight on a white horse comes to her rescue in the form of Henry, her friend from childhood who has recently moved back to [...]

Heart on a chain is such a beautiful book, let me just start by saying that I rarely ever cry during books. I cried reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and that was about it. I am not saying that I never cry. I cry. I cried watching despicable me, for goodness sake. I saw it in the theatres and my friend was silently laughing while these silent tears rolled down my cheeks. I went into a hysterical fit while watching Bambi and Dumbo. I even laugh so hard I cry at the dinner table; yep I’m a [...]

This was a book that I walked away from feeling like it had made me a better person. Heart on a Chain reminded me to stand up for those who are unable to stand up for themselves and to never judge a "girl" by her cover. Masterfully written, emotion-invoking, and a happy ending. This was book love for me.

If you feel like torturing yourself, go ahead and read this. Heart on a Chain is as heart-wrenching, gut-clenching and tear-jerking as it gets. I devoured this in almost no time; ending up a sobbing mess more than just once. Kate’s fate is awful and her story painful to read but on the other hand there are a lot of beautiful moments and Henry truly is an angel. I really enjoyed this, even if the story got a little overdramatic at times but altogether I’m glad I’ve read this.

I loved the character development and the slow reveal of what happened to the main character. At the beginning, Kate just seems shy and meek. Eventually you find out that she has a lot of issues that she has kept hidden for such a long time. When you feel like this poor girl just can't keep going, finally there is relief with the appearance of Henry. Henry's persistance and good nature is a welcomed sunshine into their gloomy life. Sadly, the terror comes to a head, but Henry and his family step [...]

A YA story about surviving child abuse, about learning that everyone is worthy of love, and about the strength of forgiveness. Henry grew up in school with Kate. He fell in love with her on the first day of kindergarten when she befriended him, and with a big smile, made him feel welcome and since then they became best friends. Until, one summer, his family moved away.Six years later, its the senior year of high school. With an alcoholic father who is too drunk to notice that her prescrition-dru [...]

Cindy C. Bennett, you know how to make me cry. I'm not much of a book crier, but you've made me weep through not just one book, but TWO. You have some magic button that just unleashes my tear ducts so that I find myself sobbing while reading. And then, you add these crazy-good, awwww endings that make me smile through my tears. May we have some more, please?I devoured Cindy's book Geek Girl and couldn't stop thinking about it. Her writing and characters draw me in and make me feel like I'm prese [...]

My apologies to the author, because she has accomplished more than I ever will just by publishing a book. And it takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there. I really had high hopes for this book from all of the glowing reviews, and normally I love a good, angsty love story, but this? I couldn't even finish. This story is just trying too hard at everything. This Poor Girl's life is HORRIBLE. I get it. And the Hero Who Rides Back Into Town to Save Her is AMAZING. And the Poor Girl's mother and [...]

As his mouth comes down to mines, my heart lifts free of its burden and soars.I'm back where I belong5 STAR HEARTS~~!!!It gets me so giddy just thinking about it. And gosh dangit don't I love a book that leaves me all fuzzy and warm? Sends me on a roller-coaster, demanding I experience such a simple yet powerful read?This book gone and done itWe enter Kate, who's life is like living hell. All Kate wants to do is be invisible. Get through high school and away from the bullying she's subjected to [...]

Spoiler Free Review5 STAR READGenre: YA RomanceWarning- the subject matter in this book is very raw. If you can not handle reading a book with child abuse i would not suggest you read this book.Heart on a chain is about about a young girl named Kate entering her senior year of high school. Kate's mom is a pill popper and her dad is an alcholic. Home is no fun; dad beats mom, mom beats Kate. And it's not only at home does Kate suffer but at school she is bullied by both the male and female studen [...]

This is one of the most heart breaking books I've read. Going through the emotional and gripping journey with Kate was an experience. I found myself telling her to fight back and stand up for herself so many times through out the book. Despite all the heart wrenching moments in this book, there were moments that were so sweet and innocent (like the first time she sees the ocean). This is a very moving read and one that takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster. I'm thinking I need to read [...]

This was such a beautiful book. Heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, it had me tearing up in some parts and smiling like a fool at others!

Never judge a girl by her cover. The main character, Kate, has lived with abuse her whole life. She is very resilient and strong, wonderful qualities to see in a female character. She deals with her alcoholic father and drug-addicted mother on a regular basis, sometimes coming out the worse for wear. Some might see her refusal to stand up for herself as a shame and weak, and it might be; however, Kate is also a proud character, possibly a bad trait in this situation, but it works as a character [...]

Tissues are needed for this one17-year-old Kate has lived her whole life in abject poverty, with an alcoholic father and drug-addicted mother, who severely abuses Kate. At school, her second-hand clothing marks her as a target. Her refusal to stand up for herself makes her the recipient of her classmates taunts and bullying. That is, until Henry returns. Henry Jamison moved away six years earlier, just as he and Kate had begun to develop feelings for one another. He returns to find the bright, f [...]

I’m going with a very conflicted 4.5.This is the story about Kate and Henry. They form a bond very early in life when they meet in kindergarten. Around 5th grade Henry moves away and Kate’s life is turned upside down by something more serious than his moving. Fast forward 6 years and Henry returns to find a very different Kate. She is the pariah of the school and is picked on by everyone. Henry tries to pick up as her friend but Kate’s insecurities and paranoia stunt the pace of their reun [...]

Okay - I bit and I'm glad I did. This book was a GR recommendation for me based on books I've rated. It isn't typical for me to read a YA, so was skeptical, but I read the book blurb and thought about my kids and some of their freinds and decided to try it. Very glad I did.The premise for this book is a childs courage in handling tragedy dealt by a parent. How the love of a freind can be comforting and redeeming. And, in the end, we can survive and come out on the other end, with the support of [...]

Just Wow! Such a beautiful and heartbreaking book. I cried like a baby reading this story, you spend the book in emotional highs and lows.I like the character development of Kate. She is strong and brave, and has a great capacity to keep going and forgive.Henry is the perfect guy that any girl in this world wants, it’s impossible to find fault to him. He is sweet and real, and his family is amazing.Totally recommended!

How I wish Henry was REAL!Damn, I fell in love with him, Hard.Sometimes I wish for a wand that with which I could make book characters I like real lolBeautifully written, the story and plot was amazing I found some things tooooo over hyped, but it was still not irritating. The book is emotions and dept! Loved it.The mother was a psychopath!! Like seriously woman, fucking crazy much!?Father was a fool.Henry's family was just EPIC!! Loved them!

Not a review. Just a reminderFrom Nov 15, 2011 Alex(view spoiler)[Ale** spoiler alert ** What the fuck? I cannot understand how people are giving it 5-star reviews because this was one of the worst things I've ever read.I couldn't believe the whole book was so black and white. Kate, a victim of horrible abuse at the hands of her mother, has been ridiculed by her peers for her appearance for years. In fact, they physically abuse her too (wtf that scene)! But her knight on a white horse comes to h [...]

A remarkable piece of YA Indie fiction. This book was a bit out of my normal parameters, which lean a bit more towards the paranormal and dark fantasy, but it's been receiving rave reviews on . After reading Tabitha Suzuma's Forbidden, I've been eager to venture into some of the grittier realistic YA fiction. This novel is certainly that. I found myself in tears several times throughout the novel, and as much as I wanted to blame the novel for being over-the-top, the sad fact is that the situati [...]

In all honesty, I am sick of these types of books, books that use abuse as a plot devices to trigger sympathy, but all its triggering is anger. This book is shallow, mediocre and an even worse replica of Barely Breathing, there were a lot of grammar mistakes, a lot of unnecessary scenes and a hell of a lot of scenes that are supposed to be heart-breaking, but all it got out of me is an eye-roll. Kate, our perfect MC, is beautiful, so beautiful that all the girls are jealous of her and beat her u [...]

I'll start by saying WOW, this is an amazing read! This is truly a roller coaster of a book. You never know where the story line is going. There is absolutely nothing predictable about it. Also, you spend the book in emotional highs and lows. Although admittedly, I spent most of the book crying. It was also so romantic and I loved watching their love form and evolve.The book was truly impossible to put down. There is something about the book that is so relatable, especially when it comes to the [...]

Wow! Thanks to my Kindle for putting me in touch with some fabulous books that I would have otherwise never found. This being one of them.This book was everything that previous reviewers have said so I can't really add much else, except to say - don't judge a book by it's cover - horrible cover, but the contents were outstanding.The whole story was sad and uplifting.The characters were wonderful and I couldn't put this book down.So, stop reading this review and download this book now!!! You will [...]

Keep Swinging Kate!Holding a scared little boy's hand to enter kindergarten and having that hand hold yours when you needed it most! Wow I loved Henry's love for Kate from the valentine to reappearing in her life and never taking no for answer! Great story of survivial, forgiveness and Love!

I've never cried so much reading a book. There were times I couldn't even breathe. I loved Henry, and Kate is such a powerful character. It breaks my heart to know this going on all over the world. How can people be so cruel.

Aghhh I'm sorry it's been a long time since I gave full reviews. I'm having a very busy term in school (I barely have time to read books! *sobs*) REVIEW TO COME!

Amazing, Amazing, Amazing book! Me being a single mom have no clue how a mother could EVER hit their child just the thought of it breaks my heart. although even though I feel that way I love how they made it the mom instead of the dad because to me, at least is uncommon. But when the dad would come home drunk and stand outside Kate's door my stomach would clench and I'd think stay out, stay out, stay out. I think he did it because he felt so bad for Kate that he would stand there and think how m [...]

Kate's life used to be normal, but now it's not. She is constantly bullied at school, and then comes home to a mom who is a drug-addict, and a father whose best friend is alcohol. After moving away for 6 years, Henry is shocked by what he finds when he returns. The girl who he had a crush on since he left is now completely different- and not in a good way. The more Henry tries to become friends with Kate- the more she pushes him away, what he doesn't know, is that it is out of fear. When I read [...]

This one was definitely a 4 to 4.5 Star book. Though it was incredibly SAD! One of the first books I really balled like a baby reading. But the story was so touching and your heart just broke for the main character. I was sucked in from the beginning and never let go. Definitely recommend.

It's been a long time since a novel brought me to tears. I cried like a baby reading this story. Highly recommend.