I second the recommendations of Ursula Le Guin's books - her sci fi (she wrote fantasy too). The Dispossessed is probably my all time favorite book. Also, The Left Hand of Darkness.

And a living author: Nancy Kress. Not as eloquent a writer as Le Guin, but her stories are really smart, and like Le Guin, she likes to tweak humans and then explore how those tweaks might then change humanity.

Ella, I am sorry about the difficult childhood you had. I had some similar challenges, but not as bad as yours I think. I am happy that you came into your own. Your mind is your most precious belonging.

Oh one more thing. My all time favorite book - even more than the Dispossessed - was an obscure little book called Edge of Time, by David Grinnell. It was the book that, as a child, made me think beyond the bounds of what we know.