Perhaps I would have found this particular book more appealing had I read the first part, but given the MC's continual references to her own poor behavior in the previous novel I am not convinced this would be the case. This falls into that strange subgenre of middle grade fiction that fixates on highly unpleasant and well to do characters becoming remotely more tolerable after continued to exposure to their less fortunate brethren. I find this particular trope unappealing (people are people, not props in other people's life lessons). I'm sure there are readers who will adore this book but I am not one of them.