Reviewed by Grace Masso for Readers' Favorite

Cloakers by Alexandra Lapointe is a great literary achievement, a tale that will strongly appeal to fans of young adult paranormal and science fiction novels. The author develops a compelling female protagonist in Crystia, a young girl who has unique gifts and shapeshifting abilities. She is a Cloaker and she trains under the Black Coats, an elite group that enforces order. Taken from her parents at birth, she is trapped in The Port with others like her. When the group decides they have had enough of the abusive Black Coats and plans to revolt, they set off a chain of events that will test their strengths and thrust them into an experience filled with peril. Meanwhile, the enigmatic Simone leads the resistance from outside The Port. Can they bring down the system of oppression that has always loomed over their heads?

If you are a fan of The Hunger Games, then you’ll be enthralled by Alexandra Lapointe’s debut YA novel. She builds a world where genetically mutated beings roam the streets and where children with shapeshifting abilities are exploited. It is very imaginative and, apart from the immersive world itself, readers are also introduced to characters taking up arms against oppression in a life-or-death battle filled with challenges and traps. Lapointe's ear for good dialogue augments the entertainment potential of the story, and the pulsating action and emotionally rich characters are amongst its many strengths. I was pulled in by the first-person narrative voice, which is masterfully crafted to cast a powerful spell on the reader. Cloakers is intricately plotted, the characters are superbly written, and the conflict is robustly portrayed to move the story in directions the reader could never anticipate.