I enjoyed this book and the conversations around why we feel like we have to label people in order to justify the things that happen to them, however I did feel like the twist in this book took away from the book a little bit. Overall, I enjoyed the book, the writing, and the characters, I just had trouble coming to terms with the twist.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for providing a copy of this ARC*

This was a wonderful, beautiful, and heartbreaking story which serves to further an important conversation, surrounding police brutality, generational/religious trauma, and internalized racism, while still containing an addictive plot and characters that feel as though they are real. I really enjoyed the structure of this book because it doesn’t seem to follow conventional narrative styles, as it includes many different perspectives and is woven together in a masterful, almost poetic way. In the ARC version, the Author’s Note is at the beginning and it feels almost like a thesis statement, explaining the authors’ reasons for writing the novel. They chose the title “One of the Good Ones,” because, as they say in the AN, it “is usually code for a person our country deems worthy. That importance is usually tied to level of education, income, class, zip code, gender identity, and sexual orientation. If most or all of those acceptable boxes are checked, then we care” (quoted from novel). I liked that in the final version of the novel they moved this note to the end because it allowed the reader to come to their own conclusions about the message of the novel before having this explanation.
I especially enjoyed the relationship between Ximena and Kezi. We got sapphic representation????? I’m in love. Especially with this quote “You’re the kind of girl you fight wars for. You’re the kind of girl you fight wars with.” Like what?? Amazing writing???? (I ywould love to see a spin off of their story as well 👀).
My only criticism is that it was slightly hard to follow with the different perspectives that would be included and then disappear. At first, I thought we were going to follow Evelyn’s story throughout the whole novel, but her chapters only lasted until about 30%. I think maybe it would have helped if the side POVs were told in letters instead? Maybe Kezi could have found the letters of her ancestors and then we could slowly read through them because I did really enjoy their addition to the story. Having a more concrete tie, however, might make the different narratives feel slightly more connected. I also admit that, although I knew Evelyn was related to them, I couldn’t quite figure out how, but that’s probably just my small brain energy at work.
Overall this was beautiful, highly-addictive, and important. I can’t wait to see what Maika And Maritza Moulite will write in the future!!

CW: police brutality, death, loss of family member, kidnapping, homophobia, violence, internalized racism, institutional racism, trauma

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of One of the Good Ones in exchange for an honest review!

One of the Good Ones explores police brutality, racism, and dives into the concept of "one of the good ones." Honestly, the sophomore novel of the Moulite sisters 100% deserves a spot in your 2021 TBR; not only is it extremely important & so freakin' timely, but it's also absolutely well-written and dives deep into the characterization of our three sister characters.

The synopsis reads that there'll be an unexpected twist & I'm to say, wow that 100% isn't a lie. It adds an extra layer & makes it even more intriguing to readers outside of contemporary (thriller fans, get on this.)

On top of that, there's a road trip, sibling bonding, and a non-linear timeline that pieces together so well! Please make sure to get yourself a copy of One of the Good Ones.

I was initially intrigued by the story behind the title of this book. The authors described how the phrase "one of the good ones" is used very much in the media and other places to justify who is worthy to be missed. The plot is at first very slow, with not much action but in the end it is very fast paced. We follow multiple people's perspectives as well as varying timelines. The main perspectives are that of Happi after Kezi's death and Kezi before the arrest. With the constant changing it was very confusing at times to adapt to what situation I was reading about. This caused some disconnect while reading and it took away from the story. I have to say that I did not see the end twist coming, it was definitely a surprise. I enjoyed the writing style which flowed well and was easy to read. My favourite character would have to be Kezi, I admire her dedication to justice, and I also related to her commitment to school and grades.

This book was the strangest, most perfect blend of coming of age story, psychological thriller, and commentary on police brutality in the United States. It took me a little bit to get a grasp of each character's voice, but it didn't impede upon my enjoyment at all. This was phenomenal

This book couldn’t hold my attention. I really wanted to like it, and the subject matter is so important, but I think it was just too much of everything. Too many POV, and parallel story lines going at the same time. I just couldn’t get into it.

Overall, “One of the Good Ones” was a great book, with engaging characters and a plot constantly pushing ahead. Some parts read too much like a history lesson, so if I had any such power, I would recommend the authors do a bit of editing to make those sections a little easier to read—only one or two though, which is why I still consider this a must-read book. Now the review gets tricky, because I don’t want to spoil the book; so suffice to say that there is something completely unexpected that happens around the two-third mark of the book which shifts it from one type of book to another. I would have thought such a shift would annoy me to no end, but something about the main characters engaged me at such a profound level that I not only accepted this twist like I have never accepted such a twist before, but I totally welcomed it. And while the twist seems superficial at first, even a bit out of the blue and just provocative, but it offers a lot to unpack about the relationship between people of colour and white wannabe allies who are actually doing more harm than good. Plus, sparse hints about this twist were available, so stay aware. The ending felt a little abrupt; there was a lot I would have liked to know about Happi’s reaction to the twist, and its effects on the project, but this is still a great read and certainly an eye-opening one.

Rating: 4.5 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷 and a half (rounded up)
Book: One of the Good Ones
Release Date: Available Now!!! (Released on Jan 5, 2021)
Author: Maika Moulite; Maritza Moulite
Genre: Multicultural Interest | OwnVoices | Teens & YA

Sipping Synopsis: Kezi is a teen social justice activist that gets killed mysteriously the day she attends a rally. Her family and friends mourn her while idolizing how great she was and the wonderful things she did in her short time alive. The only person not singing her praises is her younger sister Happi. And the more Happi finds out about her sister the more she thinks that maybe Kezi was not “One of the Good Ones.”

Final sipping thoughts: I went into this book not really knowing much or hearing much about it. I did not have high hopes for it even as I read the first chapter or two. But, boy, was I wrong! The story started pulling me in once the sisters got on the road to follow Kezi’s journey. I did not expect the twist that I got, and it just made me gasp audibly. The racial tension aspect of the story was very prevalent to todays time. I am so happy I read this book and would definitely suggest it!

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley, @InkyardPress and @maikamoulite and @maritzamoulite for an advanced copy of @OneOfTheGoodOnes

#OneofTheGoodOnes #InkyardPress #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #fiction #multiculturalInterest #OwnVoices #TeensAndYoungAdult

Who gets to be “one of the good ones” and why?

Maika and Maritza Moulite’s sophomore novel explores this concept and adds its own mysterious twist to it. One of the Good Ones packs a punch in its 300ish pages discussing a wide range of topics from family, social injustice, and the church.

One of the Good Ones weaves family generations in a story via an item, the Green Book, and I thought this was masterfully done. Using one object, tracing its history through the family, and creating a new narrative with was absolutely brilliant. The use of the Green Book allows for the explorations of several POVs, which span for multiple generations. This part of the novel took me by surprise. I was expecting the story to follow mainly the sisters, but instead it gave me a scope of their family history. You have one character speaking about an event and then such event is explained in the narrative. The reader gets the whole experience of the moment instead of the being told why this particular family memory is important. The story’s structure offers full immersion by showcasing family.

In terms of the characters my favorite was Happi. Her character arc was exquisite. The juxtaposition between her and Kezi exemplifies how society expects members of the Black community to be perfect in every way in order to be deemed worthy of remembrance. Happi’s personality very much reminded me of my own sister (I’m very much Genny out of all the sisters). They even share some of the same interests and sitting there reading about her grief prompted me to contact my sister.

The discussions of sisterhood left me with many emotions and solidified the authors’ message. Characters like Happi need to come in abundance, she became one of my favorites quickly. I rooted for her and I loved seeing her growth without changing her core self. She was not perfect and that was the beauty of her character because she felt real, she felt like someone I knew.

One of the Good Ones is a wonderful exploration of the phrase which should not bound by one genre. The mystery of it will keep the reader on edge while providing a roller coaster of emotions. The use of valuable objects to depict family ties, the narrative structure, and the character work are just some of the amazing aspects of this novel. One of the Good Ones contains multitudes and should be on everyone’s TBR!

This was such A GOOD BOOK. I am so glad I ended up reading it since I'd initially skipped over it when I first saw it. It was a difficult but extremely important story about police brutality towards (mainly) the black community and how it's something that has been festering in our society for too many years.

The story is told in multiple POVs like Kezi, the youth activist who dies while being held by the police; her youngest sister Happi, who grieves over how she was the reason Kezi and her relationship was nearly non-existent; and their ancestors' who only wanted to live their lives happily and in peace but continued to suffer at the hands of whites. It makes you question what "one of the good ones" means and how people use this to excuse the murders and mistreatments of "the bad ones" and "the thugs" when really we are all just people trying to live. I honestly had to just stop reading a couple of times because you know what's coming, you get to KNOW Kezi, and it's very intense losing her. There are many lessons to take away from this book, but there are also many things the authors are trying to teach us, they give us a starting point to become good allies.

This is a must read, must buy, must pass on

Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with an ARC of One of the Good Ones in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Gist
I had to take a two-day break from reading after I made it through the first few pages. My heart had already broken into a million pieces.

A heart-wrenching beginning to a story that cuts to the core. One of the Good Ones is an eye-opening journey that gives voices to those, who have been silenced for far too long.

I am grateful I had the opportunity to read such a rich and powerful story.

The Details
Although One of the Good Ones had a few points of views, I appreciated Happi’s part of the narration the most.

Her emotional struggle not just coming to terms with her sister’s death, but also regarding her place in the family. It makes for a highly complex narrative I could relate to.

I was very invested in her part of the story and wanted to know more about her, her thoughts and feelings.

Reading Kezi’s side of the story, from her perspective intensified the meaning of what happened.
She is not just the character that died off-screen, becoming a statistic. No, the reader has the opportunity to get to know her. To learn and possibly understand her motivations.

There are a handful of other characters that take centre stage throughout One of the Good Ones that are equally compelling and worthy to learn about.

Yet, this brings me to the one of two points I need to address. There were a lot of characters to remember. Some of them didn’t show up until way past the hallway point in the story.

It got a little confusing and frustrating to keep them all apart. It pulled me out of the story as I mentally tried to create a little chart. I tried organizing them into their appropriate columns so that I can continue following the story.

Additionally, the other point I want to make mostly concerns formatting, but I assume this is due to the ARC I received. I’m quite sure this won’t be an issue once the book is ready to be published.

Letters and text messages should be italicized to help with the flow of the narration. And a few more pages breaks, or even just larger paragraphs spaces would help with jumps from scene to scene.

Also, there were a few inconsistencies in the narration. They are minor things, but they had me stop and take a second look.

Furthermore, the writing is very engaging. It was easy to get lost in the story. A very good thing. I just felt that the overall theme of “a good one” was a little too much emphasized throughout all of One of the Good Ones.

The Verdict
Overall, One of the Good Ones should definitely be on the must-read list of 2021. An engaging, heart-wrenching, richly told story that brings a lot of issues to the forefront.

It makes you think. It makes you feel.

I would absolutely recommend it.

I think this is a book hangover.

This book merges family history with social justice issues that are still prevalent today, a coming-of-age story about a teenager coping with grief combined with a thriller twist that I, personally, did not see coming. And I am glad I didn't. The way this book blew my mind when Things were revealed was wild, and even now I swear I'm having heart palpitations because of it.

All the characters are beautifully, brilliantly written. We follow several different perspectives in both the past and present and see how their stories intertwine. Each character is heartbreakingly REAL, with dreams and hopes and flaws. Knowing the premise of this book, I was sure I was in for some tears once I got to know them, but I underestimated how masterfully the Moulite sisters can weave a narrative. This is largely a character-driven book, with most of the actual "plot" and action happening in the later half. Before that, it's largely flashbacks to the inciting incident, as well as further back in the Smith family's history, and introspective grieving from Happi. However, I was more than happy to sit back and learn about these characters and their relationships.

Although this is a crying book, it is not entirely a sad book, and that is what strikes me the most. There is hope for change, if we are all willing to do the work.

This was an amazing book and I highly recommend it to everyone. This book made me think about many things related to racism and the BLM movement that I never would have though about before last year. I have learned a lot from this book and it was a real eye-opener. This book was a highly emotional read and my eyeballs were definitely leaking at multiple points throughout the story so be sure to grab some tissues if you read this book. The ending was not what I expected at all and had a pretty big plot twist that I did not see coming. The characters in this book were all beautifully written and the story was very inspiring. One thing I really enjoyed was how all the characters were somehow connected. Overall this was an amazing book and I am so glad I read this!

Kezi Smith knows that someone has to speak up in the world for those who are unable to speak out for themselves. She has her own Youtube Channel called generationkeZi. On her channel, she points out the inequalities bestowed upon black and brown people in the United States and she does her part to point out and try to change those inequities. On her 18th birthday, Kezi decides to do more than just speak out, she is participating in her first protest. Things don't go as planned, and her family has to end up burying their daughter. But her younger sister, Happi, doesn't believe the story they have been told about her sister's death. She and her other sister, Genny, along with Kezi's friends, embark on the journey Kezi was set out to participate in after her graduation. This trip will allow for Happi to get to know her sister better. Told mostly from the perspective of Kezi and Happi, we find out what happens when you lose a sister you thought you knew.

Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.




This book really touched me. As a mother to a little black boy and two black girls, this world is extra precarious for them. We want them to be able to speak up for themselves and for others, but not at the sake of their own lives. I don't know what I would do if I found out one of my children had been killed just for standing up for what is right.

There is a twist in this book that I didn't see coming and when it hit me, I nearly fell to the floor. The Moulite sisters have truly put together a book that will be remembered just as fondly as The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I look forward to reading more books by these ladies.

It’s pretty rare that I am shocked by a plot twist these days, but I audibly gasped a few times as the pieces of this story came together in the last 25% of this book.. It was an emotional ride from beginning to end.

Told from several view points at different points in time, this story follows a Black teen activist, Kezi, who dies in police custody and her family in their attempt to honor her.

While there are multiple narrators, the primary narrator is Happi, Kezi’s younger sister. She is especially shaken by the loss of her sister and retreats inside herself. While she is present with her family, she still pulls away.when things get emotional. She wants nothing more than to have her sister back so she can try to repair their relationship.

Leading up to her arrest at a protest, Kezi also narrates a portion of the story. She is passionate about changing the world, shining the light on systemic racism and putting an end to police brutality.

Other narrators include their great-grandmother and their grandfather, recalling their experiences with racism and The Green Book.

The bulk of the story follows Happi, her oldest sister Genny, and Kezi’s 2 best friends taking the road trip Kezi had been planning for herself and her sisters following the path her ancestors took using The Green Book along Route 66. Along the journey the four of them fight, and bond, and deal with the loss of someone they all loved.

Happi learns that there was a lot she didn’t know about her sister, and as they continue their journey, starts to question what really happened to Kezi in that police station.

This was so good. If you haven’t read it, you need to!

Disclaimer I received an eARC of this book as part of a book tour with Inkyard Press through Net Galley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"But we are more than the good ones. We are the bad ones. We are the okay ones. We are the amazing ones. We are the nothing-to-write-home-about ones. We are the beautiful ones. We are just...ones."

What a great book! Kezi is a popular YouTuber, a straight a student, a social activist, and the apple of her parents eye - she is “one of the good ones“. On Kezi‘s 18th birthday she goes against the wishes of her parents and attends a protest for a man who was recently killed by the police. Never expecting that after that day people would be marching for justice for her. Three months after Kezi‘s death her sisters jenny and Happi embark on a road trip that Kezi had previously planned out. The road trip is a journey down the famous route 66 using the Negro Motorist Green book. A Book 1st published in 1936 that gave the traveler information as to places that black people were welcome to Lodge, get gas, and eat. I fell down a little bit of a Google rabbit hole when I was doing some research on this book and it was so informative, I truly am quite uneducated when it comes to some of these things that were going on. For example there were towns that were called “sundown towns” where the black people in the town we’re not allowed out after dark or the unthinkable.

The story is told by both Kezi and her sister Happi. We get Kezi’s story leading up two her death. We also get Happi’s story starting three months after her perfect sister is killed. Both these characters had such big bold vibrant personalities that jumped off the pages. Kezi really wanted to leave her mark on the world, but she had her own flaws and secrets. Happi was struggling with the fact that she didn’t get to know her big sister Kezi when she had an opportunity to. The theme of “one of the good ones“ was touched on throughout the story. What makes somebody good or not? There upbringing? Their education? Their past? Their wealth? and if everyone knew all of Kezi’s secrets would they still think she was good? I really loved the road trip in the story and the places they stopped along the way - especially the big car circle ( I don’t know what it’s really called) and the black rodeo. There is also a thriller element to the story and a bit of a twist. I’m going to be honest I still am not 100% certain how I feel about that? for that reason I’m going to give this book 4.5 and round it up, so close to perfect. and the audio was exceptional!

This book in emojis 📱 📸 🚗 🎭 🐎 🌵 🏕

*** Big thank you to Ink Yard Press for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

This novel was even better than their first book! This story will get you feeling all of the emotions (empathy, anger, frustration). The authors highlight the important issue of police brutality as well as the treatment of black people by the general public. I found the historical part of the novel interesting. If you are looking for a diverse read this os one you need to pick up!

Wow! This is one of those books that when you finish, you just set it down with a big sigh and have to take some time to process what you just read.

One of the Good Ones, tells the story of Kezi, an 18-year-old Black woman who attends her first social justice rally, gets arrested, and dies in police custody. Her sisters, Genny and Happi, take a road trip that Kezi planned prior to her arrest in order to honor her memory. The emotions throughout are raw and honest and real. And the thriller plot twist? I did NOT see that coming. The story shows the interconnectedness between families over generations.

I am giving this book 4.5 stars. The only reason it doesn't get the full 5, is that it is told in alternating POV with alternating timelines. This seems to be the in thing to do in writing right now, and I find it difficult to read at times.

I really wanted to love this. I really did. But some big parts of it just didn’t click with me. So, pros and cons:

I really liked the family aspect of the book - I wish there was more flashback scenes of Kezi and Happi or even all three sisters to flesh out the dynamic.
I liked the fact that Kezi was an influencer and her sisters were trying to share the journey with her followers. That was really sweet.
The Shaqueeria revelation was heartbreaking and really well done. More of that please!

But.

I had issues with pacing and found it hard to keep up with.
There were way too many POVs. Evelyn could have been scrapped completely (maybe the girls could have found a letter or something if they really wanted to use the character) and Shaqueeria didn’t need any of those chapters to herself. I get what the authors were trying to do but it didn’t work for me.
The thriller storyline came up way too suddenly and way too late. There were some hints earlier on but not enough to make it count.
A lot of the characters were extremely one-dimensional and didn’t feel real.
I found there to be way too much info dumping, especially in Kezi’s chapters.

Ultimately, I do really like the message of this book and I think it came at a perfect time. I just think it’s trying to be way too many things at once.

I couldn’t get into this one. I liked the idea and the story was pretty solid but I felt like the characters were a little removed emotionally in an odd way. I felt the emotional scenes read cold.

I did really like the Green Book history tie in and the ideas in the book but it felt hot and cold to me. Maybe the two authors could have been edited together better?