Academy 7/Aurelia

[Bonnie]

Okay, I need help. I bought Aurelia by Anne Osterlund last year because my library didn't have it. Huge mistake. It was YA drivel that gives YA a bad name (flat characters, tired plot, lame villain, mediocre writing). However, it's her first book and not everyone can write a A Curse Dark as Gold or an Ella Enchanted right out of the gate.

Fast-forward a year. Osterlund has a new book, Academy 7. The plot sounds just up my alley. And it's not too expensive at Amazon Japan ($8, which makes it one of the cheapest YA books on my to-read list on that site). Has anyone read both books? Does Osterlund improve? Is Academy 7 actually worth a read or should I save that $8 for something else?