I read this despite being disappointed by the first book in the series -- so that's a tribute to Elkeles right there! She knows what she's doing and this sequel is actually better than the first book (which is rare, I think): if Carlos is still fairly stereotypical, at least Kiara is not. She's an interesting and unusual character with her quiet poise and competence. Her whole family was well written and engaging too, so I think it's the Latino characters and storyline that end up feeling over-simplified.