White Oleander by Janet Fitch

When Astrid’s brilliant but dangerous mother is imprisoned for murder, the girl is thrust into a series of foster homes that range from the abusive to the tender, each shaping her into a new version of herself. Through heartbreak, betrayal, and moments of fierce grace, Astrid learns to survive—and to define love and identity on her own terms. Written in lyrical, haunting prose, White Oleander is a coming-of-age masterpiece about the bond between mothers and daughters, the beauty and cruelty of independence, and the struggle to bloom even in poisoned soil.