One of the Good Ones | ARC REVIEW & EXCERPT
Updated: Jan 11, 2021
It is time for one of my favorite seasons: Inkyard Press' Seasonal Blog Tours 😂 Today is my stop and I am hyped to be bringing to you the Moulite sisters' latest book!! I have yet to read Dear Haiti, Love Alaine which is their debut duo but it's definitely on my radar now after reading One of the Good Ones.
This was truly a timely read with what recently went down in the US. It's truly disheartening to see how differently you can be treated simply based on your skin color. I wanted to take a second to say to all my BOPIC friends, I hope you know that this is a safe space for you.
Read below for my review and until the end for an exclusive excerpt!!
I seriously love this cover.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: One of the Good Ones
Authors: Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Published: January 5th, 2021
Tags: Teen & Young Adult; Prejudice & Racism; Siblings; Self-esteem & Reliance
Pages: 352
Find it on: Amazon, Goodreads, B&N, IndieBound, Books-A-Million, AppleBooks, Google Play
Summary:
A shockingly powerful exploration of the lasting impact of prejudice and the indomitable spirit of sisterhood that will have readers questioning what it truly means to be an ally, from sister-writer duo Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, authors of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine.
ISN’T BEING HUMAN ENOUGH?
When teen social activist and history buff Kezi Smith is killed under mysterious circumstances after attending a social justice rally, her devastated sister Happi and their family are left reeling in the aftermath. As Kezi becomes another immortalized victim in the fight against police brutality, Happi begins to question the idealized way her sister is remembered. Perfect. Angelic.
One of the good ones.
Even as the phrase rings wrong in her mind—why are only certain people deemed worthy to be missed?—Happi and her sister Genny embark on a journey to honor Kezi in their own way, using an heirloom copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book as their guide. But there’s a twist to Kezi’s story that no one could’ve ever expected—one that will change everything all over again.
I am working with Inkyard Press/Harlequin for their Winter 2021 Blog Tours of One of the Good Ones. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
THE REVIEW— overall thoughts: ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ —
I love that it was told in multiple perspectives with timelines switching before, during, and after the looming arrest that served as the catalyst for the plot. It created layers to the story and did a lot to build the relationships between the characters.
I am completely soft for stories centered around a family/community and this book about sisters, written by sisters, encapsulates all the emotions that I wanted it to bring.
An equally strong plot and character driven story that will get you lost in the writing.
If I were to describe the story telling style, I would say it’s closest to Daisy Jones & The Six wherein you go through the process of piecing together the details of the story as the narration goes on. Clearly, I have a type since I have read Daisy Jones four times now. I just find that kind of writing style to be highly thought provoking as a reader. With the fact that it managed to turn a usually-contemporary-plot into a mystery/thriller… I stan.
Truthfully, my favorite aspect of it boils down to the fact that you see the way everything builds up to the twist in the end. Then when it drops, you’re left wondering why you didn’t see it from the very beginning.
“But as I sit here and contemplate all of these things I know as confidently as my own name, I realize you probably have no idea why I want to pursue this degree in the first place. Well, it’s because I’ll be able to dig into our stories. I can do my part to help pull together the threads of our past to form a better view of our historical tapestry.”
PLEASE. Do you see this writing?? T_T
There were discussions on teen activism and exploration on socio-political themes embedded all throughout the plot of the story… while still being a highly enjoyable mystery/thriller that is borderline coming-of-age. And really, I am always enamored by well-written sibling/family dynamics.
There are times when I find characters in YA contemporary novels to be unbelievable because of how they interact with people their age… but this was not that. It’s so cleverly written and executed while still being relatable to young adults of this generation. You’re given the chance to be able to get attached to each of the sisters between everything that is going on (including side characters wink wink).
It’s an understatement to say that I was touched.
↣ A fast-paced, exciting, and emotional mystery/thriller that will bring you characters that feel like you’ve known them forever. ↢
This might turn into one of my most recommended books.
DOWNLOAD AN EXCERPTExcerpted from One of the Good Ones Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite © 2021 by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, used with permission by Inkyard Press/HarperCollins.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
MAIKA MOULITE is a Miami native and the daughter of Haitian immigrants. She earned a bachelor’s in marketing from Florida State University and an MBA from the University of Miami. When she’s not using her digital prowess to help nonprofits and major organizations tell their stories online, she’s sharpening her skills as a PhD student at Howard University's Communication, Culture and Media Studies program. Her research focuses on representation in media and its impact on marginalized groups. She’s the eldest of four sisters and loves young adult novels, fierce female leads, and laughing.
MARITZA MOULITE graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s in women’s studies and the University of Southern California with a master’s in journalism. She’s worked in various capacities for NBC News, CNN, and USA TODAY. Maritza is a PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania exploring ways to improve literacy in under-resourced communities after being inspired to study education from her time as a literacy tutor and pre-k teacher assistant. Her favorite song is “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire.
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