Dreams of Verdure (Ndesa) by David Pariseau

He reached for the stars. The jungle claimed him instead.

Dashin grew up on a harsh desert world, always the youngest, always alone. When the chance for adventure finally came, he signed onto a mining ship to prospect uncharted space. But his search for freedom ends in disaster when he crash-lands on a lush jungle planet and wakes in a treetop village among a people unlike any he has ever known-some of whom wield gifts that defy logic.

He is thrust into a series of ritual trials, deadly ones he's entirely untrained for, even before the attempts on his life begin.

Alina grew up in a canopy village, yearning for something beyond the life she knew. That "something" may just have fallen from the sky. To follow that path, she must embrace the gift she's always feared and trust in impossible visions and an unlikely ally. And, she must do it before it all slips through her fingers.

Perfect for fans of found-family stories, rich alien worlds, and YA fantasy with a sci-fi twist. Dreams of Verdure delivers high-stakes adventure, a touch of romance (without spice), and the timeless question: What does it mean to belong?