Staying Power [Ann Somerville]
I first read this one when it was still available free from the author's website. It is the third book in the Darshain Tales series and follows Karik who was a baby in the first book (Kei's Gift) and a teen in the second (Falling From the Tree), the latter also follows him.
I'm not really sure why I re-read this one instead of going back and starting with Kei's Gift. After reading this one, I am thinking about going back and re-reading the first two as well.
There are so many things that could be avoided if Karik and Romi would just really talk to each other: Romi assuming that Karik is cheating on Jes's mother with Soza, Karik thinking Romi had said something negative about Jes and her mothers. The list goes on, but it all boils down to Soza being an ass and making them think negatively about each other. All it takes is a few words.
