The early works of Diane Duane are excellent; most especially, the first two volumes of her Young Wizards series, and to a lesser degree the third.

They're all about dealing with pain without letting it warp or twist your spirit. (Yes, I know that's a vague encomium, but I don't know how to explain it any better.)

The later books 'wimp out' in my opinion, written mostly because the author needed to make money, and so the inherent message is changed from a challenging to a comforting one.