18 of the Best Coming-of-Age Books to Read at Any Point in Your Life

This female-centered story set in South Carolina in 1964 follows Lily Owens, whose mother tragically died in a blurry accident when Lily was younger. After her nanny, Rosaleen, offends three town racists harassing her, the two escape to Tiburon for safety and Lily gains a new sense of freedom along the way. In The Secret Life of Bees, Lily is taken in by three beekeeping sisters and learns about honey, bees, and the link between this town and her mother.