Book Review: Heart on a Chain by Cindy C. Bennett

17-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, funny, outgoing girl he had known now timidly hiding in corners, barely speaking to anyone around her, suspicious of even him. Kate can't figure out what game Henry is playing with her - for surely it is a game. What else would the gorgeous, popular boy from her past want with her? Kate finally decides to trust Henry's intentions, opening her heart to him. Just when it seems he might be genuine in his friendship, tragedy strikes, threatening everything Kate has worked so hard to gain. Can Henry help her to overcome this new devastation, or will it tear them apart forever?

First, let me start by saying I'm not a crier. Ok, maybe on an occasional movie or TV show or possibly a sad commercial (like the Hardees commercial where the robot wanted the chicken sandwich but he didn't have a mouth so he couldn't eat it, that really made me sad) but I don't cry often and I've never cried reading a book. Until now. As I read this book and listened to this girl describe the bullying at school, heard her fear as she kept her head down walking down the hall afraid to make eye contact, as she fought just to eat her lunch without someone doing something to it, I was mad. I know kids can be mean but they were tortuing this girl for no good reason. Then for her to go home and have her mother beat her and send her to her room with no dinner, that was just too much for me. And the Thanksgiving scene, sigh, I'm reading and my throat is tightening up and tears are rolling down my face, I just couldn't imagine. This mother is abusing her child to the point of near death. And where is the dad? He floats in and out, mostly out, usually drunk. Heavy man, real heavy.

However, there is a silver lining and it's named Henry. He is a just a great boy. His family is awesome, mom, dad, sisters, grandparents, all of them, awesome. I was just crossing my fingers in the beginning, please don't let him be in on the others cruelty, please let his actions be geniune, this girl really needs a friend. I wasn't disappointed.

The one thing that Kate showed was strength, strength of character, strength of mind. She was timid and afraid but all she needed was one shoulder, one person to show her some compassion and she was able to use that to stand up. Cindy Bennett is a great writer. The topic was difficult but the writing wasn't. Kate's feelings and emotions were made plain. It was so easy to get lost in this book, even with the horrible subject matter.

Anyways, I recommend this book for EVERYONE. This was the first book I read by Cindy Bennett and after reading it I have to go get Geek Girl because if its have as good as this book then its a must read as well. GO READ IT!