Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Romeo and Juliet set in a fictional country divided by apartheid. 13-year-old Sephy is a Cross, born into the privileged ruling class and daughter of the Home Office Minister. Her best friend Callum, 15, is a Nought, struggling to get a decent education in the face of discrimination and prejudice. The story begins with their first kiss and tracks their illicit relationship from both points of view. Can their love survive in a world torn apart by segregation, racial hatred and terrorism? A gripping, uncompromising novel.