The Queen Of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker

The Queen Of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker
Release Date: January 2, 2012
Publisher: Poppy
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 384

Summary:Fourteen-year-old Kentucky girl Ricki Jo Winstead, who would prefer to be called Ericka, thank you very much, is eager to shed her farmer's daughter roots and become part of the popular crowd at her small town high school. She trades her Bible for Seventeen magazine, buys new "sophisticated" clothes and somehow manages to secure a tenuous spot at the cool kids table. She's on top of the world, even though her best friend and the boy next door Luke says he misses "plain old Ricki Jo."

Caught between being a country girl and wannabe country club girl, Ricki Jo begins to forget who she truly is: someone who doesn't care what people think and who wouldn't let a good-looking guy walk all over her. It takes a serious incident out on Luke's farm for Ricki Jo to realize that being a true friend is more important than being popular.

My Thoughts: One word to describe The Queen Of Kentucky: CUTE! Oh my gosh, it was so adorable!

We are introduced to Ricki Jo who is 14 years old and lives on her family’s farm. She has a mother, father, and younger brother. She lives just down the road from her best friend Luke and his family.

Ricki Jo is starting high school and she wants to fit in. She becomes a cheerleader, gets in with the popular girls and develops a crush on a popular cute boy named David Wolf.  She wants to be stylish so she starts reading Seventeen magazine. She especially likes the embarrassing moments and fashion tips.

She's just a regular old country girl trying to find herself and in the process becoming a whole new girl.

But, as this happens, she changes from one type of girl to another, and becomes more like the popular crowd and less like Luke.

This book is just the right blend of funny, cute, quirky, and adorable. Fans of contemporary romance will love it. It seems a little more Middle grade than YA to me, but I still loved it.  I usually don't read too many MG, I tend to stick to YA but I enjoyed this one so freaking much. I could totally relate to Ricki Jo and see things from her perspective.

Half of the time I felt like I was on her farm picking tobacco with her, going shopping with her, and enjoying fun sleepovers with her friends.

The other half of the time, I enjoyed spending time with her while she got to know Wolf better and enjoyed her friendship with Luke.

Things aren't always peachy, abuse and heartbreak happens in this novel, but those little happy moments will pull you right out of the sadness funk.

Oh my, what a wonderful debut novel and so freaking adorable.

Overall: Loved it! Its been awhile since I felt this way while reading a novel. It was just plain old happy with some sadness mixed in. At times I wanted to cry (like with Bandit) but others I just wanted to scream with giddiness from those magical moments on the farm.

The Queen Of Kentucky was an amazing read. Everybody wants to fit in, but nobody more than Ricki Jo.

Cover: Love  the yellow cover and how she is wearing a dress and cowboy boots! And look at the girls socks! This just screams, Cowgirl! This cover is sooo adorable.

What I'd Give It: