The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

Seph is a wizard without training, and his powers lead to the death of a close friend. He's sent away to a private school and finds the headmaster is also a wizard. However, the headmaster wants to bind their powers, and it doesn't feel right to Seph. When Seph refuses, the headmaster punishes him mentally and physically. After months of torture, Seph is rescued by a guardian he's never met, but danger follows him to Trinity, Ohio. There's a battle brewing between wizards and other groups of Weir, and secrets about Seph's past will be revealed.

This book is a sequel to The Warrior Heir. It's probably for more mature readers, since the main characters are in their mid-teens or are adults. Characters from the first book reemerge halfway through the plot and support Seph in his struggles. Most of the main characters are in their mid-teens. Reading the first book will help with understanding the relationships between wizards and the centuries-old feuds between the different houses. Seph is a powerful wizard, but his lack of training makes him an underdog in the book. His kindness and compassion for others makes him a very likable character. As in the first book, characters are manipulated, and wizards are scheming against each other. For these reasons, surprises pop up when characters seem to change sides or reappear after being forgotten. It makes the book interesting and entertaining.