Vera by Carol Edgarian

 It's 1906 in San Francisco. Vera is the 15 year old daughter of a bordello owner and an unknown (to her at least) father, who was shipped off as a toddler to be raised by a Swedish widow. Vera is not particularly happy in her life because her adoptive mother clearly loves her real daughter, Pie, and not her. But she's coping. And then a massive earthquake hits San Francisco, and Vera and Pie find themselves on their own, trying to survive the chaos. 

Vera is a feisty girl, unlike Pie, who spends most of the book having the vapors and complaining. Vera finds them a place to live and cobbles together a way for them to survive. I don't want to give away too much of the story but it's a fascinating look at a tumultuous time and how people adapt in times of adversity. The book ends with centenarian Vera looking back on her life, and how it really began with the earthquake.