Love or Something Like It

Mostly Miserable Life of April Sinclair #4

by Laurie B. Friedman

Now that April is officially going out with hot-boy-next-door Matt, she's head over heels. She loves how he makes her feel . . . most of the time. But one minute he's sweet and attentive, and the next, it's as if he's forgotten they're together. April just wants things to be great between them, like when they started going out. Now as summer approaches, she has to decide if she'll go to camp with her best friends, Billy and Brynn, or stay home and be with Matt. April wishes she could do it all--keep up with friends, have summer adventures, please her annoying family, and save her new relationship. But with Matt's affection running so hot and cold, she has some tough decisions to make.

Genres: Middle Grade

184 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2015

About the author

Laurie Friedman is the author and ghostwriter of over 300 award-winning picture books, easy readers, chapter books, and novels for young readers including the bestselling Mallory McDonald series, the Moose the Dog easy reader series, the Camp Creepy Lake and Wendy & Willow chapter books, and may picture books including Cows in the House and Love, Ruby Valentine.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review also found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! The expected publication date is April 1st 2015.

This story is definitely geared towards the younger YA audience, I would say the junior high age group. I am well beyond that demographic however as I was reading the story I could remember experiencing all of the same emotions that April went through.

This was all about young "love" and the emotional drama involved. I remember liking a boy and over analyzing every conversation and non verbal queue like it was the most important thing in life just as April did. I remember the highs and lows of crushes and utter feeling of euphoria when a boy I liked had liked me back. I remember when life did not exist outside of catching a glance of a boy I was interested in and how it consumed all of my thoughts. This is what the story brought back for me.

This is the fourth story in the series and although I had not read the others I could easily follow along. I thought the story was really cute and realistic for the demographic of a thirteen/fourteen year old girl.

I feel that this story will not appeal to the older YA audience as it may be too innocent and perhaps readers may not appreciate how truly realistic this story is for the age group but younger readers should enjoy it. For me it was fun to remember the drama of my younger years and realize how truly insignificant it was now that I am older. I was able to read this story in record time due to its simplicity however I appreciate the fact that it took me back to my younger years.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie needs to get out

[Fardowsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is Mays first time going to camp this summer and April wants to be there for her but she also wants stay home with Matt April makes a decision to go to camp but something happens between her almost cousin/ bestfriend Sophie and matt April and matt break up and Sophie is starting high school with April

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love or Something Like It is the 4th book in the Mostly Miserable Life of April Sinclair series. 14-year-old April's relationship with bad boy next door Matt Parker is running hot and cold. At night, he often sneaks over to visit on April's porch, but by day, April does not spend much time with him at all. It is true that Matt will have more time after baseball season is over, but April is scheduled to go to summer camp. Faced with a choice between a boy and her favorite summer tradition, April must decide which is more important to her, and which she may be willing to lose.

This book demonstrates Friedman's ability to write easy-to-read, addictive novels for girls. April has the capacity to bore and even annoy adult readers with her seemingly mundane interests and concerns, but kids will recognize her feelings and experiences as quite similar to their own. In this book, the April series moves away from its romanticization of Matt Parker and begins to explore how this relationship truly affects - and maybe even harms - April. Middle school girls who are in their own intense first relationships can easily learn from April's experiences. (It is worth noting, though, that for younger middle school students, the borderline sexual content might be inappropriate.)

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am, ever so slowly, warming up to this series. All of the uncertainty, fragile friendships, and high emotions (and drama) is pretty accurate for the protagonist's age (thirteen turning fourteen).

[Sharp's · Rating 5 out of 5]

You should make another book

Laurie should make another book because I read it in two days and could never stop but I had to because of sleep