Second books can be hard. I really wish I read The Hazel Wood again prior to this to familiarize myself with the storyline. I think it would have helped. Much of this book relies on you knowing the events of the first story.
The first half of the book meanders through Alice's life in NY and her "human" existence. So much is happening to ex-hinterlanders, and much like Alicd, the reader is kept in the dark. To me that gives me a disconnect from the story. It didnt really draw me in.

Its not until about 2/3rds of the way into the book that I finally felt drawn in.