There are a few things I will NEVER pass up when looking for a book to read. 1. Zombies. 2. Anything Jane Austen-esq, and 3. Stories about abuse. Now, while the first two are for very obvious reasons, (insane and obsessed) the 3rd is slightly more abstract.
I have always had this deep seeded fear of missing the obvious. Not hey-there’s-a-tree-don’t-run-into-it obvious, but a fear of not SEEING the person in front of me. Every morning I walk into my shop and say good morning to my guys. I then immediately ask them how they are, but instead of listening to their answer as I walk away (as most people do) I stop and actually listen. Why? Because what if this one time, is the time they have something REALLY important to say; they got into a wreck on the way to work, their mother is in the hospital, or better yet, what if it is the one time they say nothing at all but you can tell by their eyes that they are hurt. This is the reason I read so many books about abuse. So I can understand. So I don’t miss signs. So if I am ever needed, by anyone of any age, I won’t be too blind to see what is right in front of me. “Heart on a Chain” by Cindy Bennett is about this exact concept. 1 person stopping long enough to really see a person, who everyone else either ignored, or teased out of ignorance.
When Kate was a little girl life was beautiful. She had a loving family, a happy home life and a best-friend named Henry. Then one day… Henry moved away, things at home changed and instead of Kate growing up to be the lovely girl she could have been, she instead turns in to every-one’s joke. A broken girl too kick at will in order for others to feel more powerful. But all of that is about to change. Henry comes home. Noticing that Kate isn’t the same girl that he left behind, Henry makes it his personal mission to break her out of her shell, and just when he thinks he’s made significant progress tragedy strikes and send Kate back to square one. Will Henry ever find out what has happened to his beautiful, confident friend, or will she push him away like her nature demands.
This book had me hooked within seconds, and never let up. While the story isn’t exactly original, the depth of emotion Bennett displayed in her characters was. The “physical” abuse Kate endured throughout the book, (though prominent) was NOT the main focus either, instead, as a reader, you will find yourself drawn into the INNER turmoil caused by the years of physical punishment. I found no blatant flaws in this book, who knows, maybe I was too deep into the story to notice them, but I will go on record as saying, that (despite it’s less than appealing cover) this is one of the best indie books I have read in a while. It teaches a hard lesson, with a harsh reality, but in a truly beautiful way.
Get it, Live it, Love it, Pass it on.
Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: It only takes one person to stop a cycle. Make sure your eyes are open.
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[Rating:5/5]
