Review Detail

I'm totally a fan of Alex Flinn! She cast a spell on me with her last two books, BEASTLY and BEWITCHING. Flinn is able to put her own twist on classic fairy tales and weave them into engaging stories.

In CLOAKED we meet seventeen-year-old Johnny, who works at his mother's shoe repair shop in Miami, Florida. Then Alorian Princess Victoriana asks him for help in finding her brother, who she insists was turned into a frog. Johnny doesn't believe her until she gives him a magical cloak. Then the real fun happens. There's also a device that helps Johnny be able to 'talk' to animals that used to be humans. With this and the cloak, Johnny goes on an adventure to find the missing Prince. On the way he meets some swans that ask for help in finding their missing sister; a fox, who might be more than he lets on; some giants in Key West; and of course, witches.

Let's just say the dialogue in this story had me in stitches. Hilarious exchanges take place between Johnny and some other characters from classic fairy tales. Meg, his childhood friend, isn't all she seems to be either. The chemistry between these two is slow in building but the reader can sense there is more to their relationship. If only Johnny can see this too!

The princess isn't the typical shallow, party going royalty figure but hides her own secrets. There's twists and turns throughout CLOAKED with a very satisfying conclusion.

Yet again, Flinn succeeds in capturing the essence of a YA with her own special brew that is guaranteed to keep readers wanting more. I know I did!