I'm not usually a UF/PNR reader so I didn't pay much attention to this book when it came out. But I liked Clark's contemporary romance so much I wanted to read more by her.

This is a true crossover book; it has elements of SF, PNR, UF, and mystery. It's clearly a romance, because the romantic relationship shapes the storyline, but the mystery kicks off the plot and the book ends with its solution. The worldbuilding is very good. The setting is a dystopian US in the mid-late 21stC, where the Magic Born citizens are segregated and confined to zones away from Normals. The heroine, Calla, is a Magic Born with supernatural powers, while the hero. Nate Perez, is a cop assigned to solve the murder of a prominent scientist.

The way the Magic Born are identified is interesting: Normal parents can give birth to a child who has Magic Born DNA, in which case the baby is taken from the parents and confined within the Zone, either in an orphanage or with foster/adoptive parents. The Normal parents have no choice, no matter how rich or influential they might be. Obviously this creates a lot of trauma around the decision to have children.

The oppression experienced by the Magic Born has elements from a variety of real-life situations in US history and contemporary society, but it blends them in a way that makes them feel individual and distinct. I found the different aspects thought-provoking and I appreciated that there was no sugar-coating of the difficult future Nate and Calla would face. We see enough about each character to feel some confidence that they know what they're getting into, and that they truly love each other by the end, but it's not going to be easy.

Both characters are strong, smart, and competent. Calla has the powers to do things Nate can't (and to protect him at times), but Nate has the privileges of being both male and a Normal. Nate also has some of the cluelessness that comes with privilege, and the way he deals with it made me like him all the more.

The story drags a bit in places, and the ending is a bit too much in too short a space, but overall the novel works well. Recommended. ( )

I started out not too sure how I felt about the characters or the world that TRANCEHACK took place in only to end the book hoping that book 2 was close on the horizon.

In the world that Sonya Clark has created the Magic Born are second class citizens and treated like dirt. They are forced to live in government-run zones with no rights or freedoms. They test babies and if they are found to be Magic Born their parents abandon them or they are taken away to be raised in these zones. TRANCEHACK follows the POVs of two characters. Calla Vesper is Magic Born and was given up as a baby. She makes money by selling her crafted jewelry and using her magic to break into computers. When she encounters Nathan she sees him as just another police officer that doesn't belong in her world and is just there to cause trouble. She wants nothing to do with him or his investigation. Detective Nathan Perez is investigating the death of a well-respected doctor. His investigation brings him to the zone and he admits not knowing anything about the magic born or what they can do. It's also clear from the start that he is different from the other normals with his treatment towards the magic born. When he sees Calla he stops at nothing to get her to help him in his investigation and refuses to stop pursuing her even though they're from different worlds.

Although the relationship between Calla and Nathan is a big part of the book I felt the world itself was just SO fascinating and drove the story. Sonya did a great job with explaining details without drawing everything out. The world holds so much potential and I couldn't get enough of it. I have so many questions! Will Nathan and Calla continue to lead us through future books? Will the Magic Born stage and uprising? Will the family developments that came to light continue to develop? I will have to find out by reading Magic Born #2.

* This book was provided free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. ( )