Belted by C.J. Graves

Belted by C.J. Graves
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Chastity had the childhood most people dream about--in nightmares. After years of horrific abuse by her father, one day he injures himself on a power saw, and Chastity watches as he bleeds to death. She could help him, but she doesn’t. She could save him, but she doesn’t. The ugliness of her past and this decision overwhelm her. She can’t bear talking about it, so she decides not to talk at all. Silence becomes her shelter. 

Her luck seems to change when she meets Chuck, an aspiring cage fighter. At first, Chuck protects Chastity and takes care of her. He even introduces her to the martial arts, and Chastity discovers another side to herself--a stronger side.

Unfortunately, even blue skies can turn stormy. After losing a big tournament, Chuck’s moods grow dark, and he becomes increasingly violent towards Chastity. Chastity will need all her fight training to survive. But if she does, it may give her the power to change everything.

Juls Review
Part I
This is where the nightmare begins and never goes away. When your constant and protector turns against you, you are powerless. Especially when you are a child. Chastity doesnt know any better and at the mercy of her own father she is slowly broken and is pretty much left to fend for herself. Her mother is no help and its proven that she is a worthless mother again and again throughout the story.

Chastity comes home one day and all her troubles seem to go away. The blood seeping from her fathers wound is a way out and she can only stare in fascination as life leaves him. This tragic moment was both an escape yet horrid. It was so horrific that she decides to never speak again, maybe so that she cant reveal what she did.

Part II
Years later she is on her own living a quiet life. Until she meets Chuck. He's big and crass and instantly she is attracted. Their relationship seems solid. She's needed this. He's awakened a part of her that lay dormant for so long that she craves his vulgar behavior. But things go from bad to worse.

Chuck is a cage fighter and has the worst temper. Anything will set him off. The fact he take Karate made me think he would lighten up a bit. Karate isnt about beating people up. Its about having control of ones self. He doesnt have this, not one bit! Chuck introduces Chastity to karate and soon she has a new purpose. She has new friends and they dont treat her like a freak. She feel at home for once in her life.

Master Stone has silently watched her and his love for her grows. She's still with Chuck and things are worse than ever but when she is with Master Stone in his dojo nothing matters. That security leads her to believe that she is in love with him and she tries to pursue it without thinking of the consequences. Unfortunate events occur and that security blanket is once again pulled out from beneath her. She falls flat on her ass. But she doesnt stay down for long. She has plans. Those plans are shot to hell by someone somewhat unexpected.


Throughout this book I had hoped that Chastity would finally realize she doesnt have to be a victim anymore but she's been beaten so many times she doesnt know any other way to live. I think the final blow came from Master Stone. She saw small amounts of light coming through and with that she was able to fight for her life.

This book will test you and you will want to put it down at times and believe me i wanted to shake Chastity to get the hell out but even though it feels like you are being tortured its all worth it to see life come back into Chastity's eyes.

The end felt a bit rush and I kinda had a hard time with the way Chastity's mother behaved around her. I cant see a mother being so cold. But other than that this book was very powerful. I commend this author for writing scenes that can make you so uncomfortable and wanna squirm away to safety. Some of the trials were so hard to read about but more often than not, things of this nature occur to the most innocent.