The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker

The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker
Published: January 02, 2012
Publisher: Poppy

Synopsis: 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.

****

This book was a disappointment for me. I was SUPER excited when I got it from my library since I was hearing great things about it on Goodreads. I guess I had high expectation, but The Queen of Kentucky was … vapid. It was really hard for me to keep reading it, to finish it.

Rick Jo or Ericka as she wants to be called is a 14 year old who acts like a 3 year old. Yes, she’s a teenager but that’s not an excuse. Luke is 14 too but does he act like Ericka? Nope, and don’t say it’s because he’s a guy. If you say that what about Candace? She’s the same age, same class with Ericka and a teenage. I’ve never met a main character I hated so much ever; I even hated her more than some villains. She’s a snobby brat, stupid, selfish and annoying. This book is filled with her complaints. 

I kept reading this book because of Luke. I liked him more than Ericka. He’s so sweet, fragile and sad. It made my heartache to see him suffer in his own home. And it pissed me off to see Ericka complain because she doesn’t fit in while Luke is going through real life problems.

If it had been normal book size, I might have liked it, but it’s almost 400 pages. 400 pages of, I’m sorry I’m saying this but it was 400 pages of crap. On the bright side, the writing was okay. 

The Queen of Kentucky could have so much potential but it lacked everything I wanted from a contemporary novel. I guess you can say it’s not my cup of tea. I do not recommend this book, but if you want to read this book, more power to you. I hope you enjoy it more than I did. 

Rating: 1.5/5 (Give it a try, but DEFINITELY borrow it!)