A good read and an excellent addition to my library shelf within my classroom. A set of diverse characters with a riveting story. Students will be excited to read this one

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

I was very surprised by this book and how much I enjoyed it. I didn't love the first book written by this author duo and I was just so blown away by the book. It was a powerful and gripping story about family, regrets, racism, and forgiveness. Alongside this really interesting side plotline that got more and more intriguing as the story progressed. I'm so glad that I gave this author duo a second chance and read this book.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I loved this book! Originally picked it up because it was for fans of The Hate u give which I loved so I knew I wanted to read this one and it was as incredible as the hate u give.
Powerful, informative and overall the writing was wonderful.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this one. It was well written and engaging and I would definitely pick up more from this author

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite is about teen activist and YouTuber Kezi Smith. She is killed after attending a social justice rally. Her family is devastated. Her younger sister Happi begins to question how her sister is being immortalized. People say she was doing great things for the world. People say she was “one of the good ones”. Happi wants to know why people only deem the “good ones” worthy of being missed and remembered.

Kezi’s sisters Happi and Genny, along with Kezi’s two closest friends, embark on a road trip in her honor using an heirloom copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book as a guide of where to go. Kezi planned on doing this road trip for her YouTube channel. But there is a twist to Kezi’s story that will change everything.

This book is gripping and twisty. It explores themes of prejudice, racism, and humanity. Everyone needs to read this book.

ONE OF THE GOOD ONES is such a good book. I love the incorporation of the Green Book because it teaches teen years something so significant and historical that was once apart of Black American lives only decades along. I enjoyed the pacing, the character arcs, and the growth and trials and victories of Happi and Genny. Would highly recommend. This book needs to be in the hands of Black teens. 5 STARS

This book had me on edge. It was defiantly a page-turner. You often found yourself talking out loud to the sisters about what was going on. The reality of the situation hits like a brick because you hear about so many social media faces being killed or kidnapped, along with the brutality of the police. It's a thing where you can definitely relate but you also don't want to because of the trauma.

This is a story of friendship, family, and standing up and living for yourself and your family. The uncomfortable truths and realizations that hit this family was something that a lot of families face. Some make it and some don't but to watch the sisters grow through their own shortcomings and trauma was a beautiful thing. I highly recommend all to read this book.

One of the Good Ones is a powerful story that is incredibly timely. There's twists and turns, powerful messages and heartbreaking moments but it's a book that everyone should read at some point.

While I don't tend to read emotional stories very often (mostly due to the fact that I enjoy reading as an escape from reality), this book was still a page turner for me. It draws you in from the first page, despite how difficult it can be to read at times.

My trouble with this book however, is the number of POVs. It makes for a confusing read at times, which often led me to put the book down for small periods of time. Combined with the powerful emotions this book evokes, it was a slower read for me. I think I would have enjoyed this book ten times more if the POVs were paired down and in turn, it would've amped up the storyline (in my personal opinion.)

Overall, this book is a compelling read that leaves the reader thinking. It's timely and I think it's one that I will recommend to others in the days to come, despite my feelings on the number of POVs.

I'm looking forward to more of Maika and Maritza's books in the future.

A beautifully written story of Kezi's struggle for justice, not only as a young black student looking for others to recognize her views on injustice, but as a girl struggling for her physical freedom.
I was most impressed with the way the story was woven together between past and present generations of the same family, who all struggled with the same injustice and racism, despite living over 80 years apart.
Kezi and Happi share their true self and vision for their futures so well.

After seeing The Green Book in the synopsis, that was all I needed. And then I needed to know what the twist was because the “no one could’ve ever expected” made me need to know what it was. I had to know what it was. And trust me, you want to know what it is too.

Kezi Smith is a teen activist who got her start as a YouTuber. She is killed at a social justice rally and leaves behind her family, her two sisters and her parents. In her memory they decide to go on the adventure she wanted to go on, visit the spots listed in the The Negro Motorist Green Book. What her family and friends discover on their adventure, is something you won’t see coming.

This book was so different than any other book on social justice I’ve read. There’s rallies, police brutality, and a ceremony to honor Kezi as “one of the good ones.” Because Lord knows those that aren’t don’t get the same treatment. But then it came down to the twist, and I can’t lie, I was so startled. I remember saying that it wasn’t even realistic because of what happened. But when they explained it, I thought it made me more sense and I’m glad they did it that way. It was super sad that I immediately thought it wasn’t realistic tho. Definitely shows us how society is.

I also liked the use of the Green Book in this. There were 25523345616485151 things going on in this book (ok, not that many, but there were alot) and I was confused at some points, but as I kept reading, they made more sense. When I say there was a lot going on in this book, I meant it. There were time changes, there were more characters than I expected, there was some social media stuff (including trolls) included, a road trip, and more. Normally I like page-turning books like that, but this felt jumbled. It would have been better had some of this been taken out.

As for the characters, I didn’t like one of them, but it was because they were just so mean. I know I should give them points for growth, but it didn’t make me feel anything for them. In the end, I wish it was someone else who “got it.” You’ll only know what I mean once you read it lol

I almost didn’t want to mention the mystery part, because there’s not much I wanted to say about except one thing…. I didn’t care for it because they hardly mention the person whodunit. I hate mysteries like that. I’d much rather them be someone who has been introduced and is all there throughout the story and then BAM they pop up as having done it. But hey, in the end it was still ok.

Even though this had a lot going on, it still had an awesome message. Even the twist was an awesome message. If nothing else, I hope that you all can take away the importance from this book, even with all the things going on and the weird way the mystery was. I hope you all read and enjoy it.

This book was so well written and timely. I loved the perspectives of the sisters and the way the narrative follows different timelines. It deals with some heavy topics with such care and so beautifully. I will definitely be recommending this.

When high school senior and YouTube social justice activist, outspoken Kezi Palmer, tragically dies in a prison fire following her arrest after a protest rally, her two sisters Genny and Happi, along with Keziʻs closest friends, Derek and Ximena decide to take a road trip to honor Keziʻs memory, a route originally mapped by Kezi that traces key places of historical interest to the black community and acknowledging a tragic milestone in the Palmer family:s the lynching of an ancestor in Edmond, Oklahoma. The book is a terrific read: told via multiple narrators, well-paced and crafted, with great character development and focus on the complicated Palmer family dynamics, but also a serious, timely commentary on the pervasive spectre of systemic racism and how Americaʻs troubled racial history continues to haunt the present. Highly recommended.

Wow what an amazing read and it was the perfect book at the perfect time. I read the sister first book and absolutely loved it.
The writing style was superburb and definitely had my attention from the beginning to end. I think the Moulite sisters did a great job jumping from different timely and they came together very well. I have learned a lot about segregation era Greenbook and horror Black people had to endure. Each of the characters was well developed which is always a plus in my book.
The twist in the book was expected and GOD I wanted more of it.
I totally recommend this book.

Although this one took some time for me to get into, I really enjoyed it. I thought the authors {who are sisters, btw!} explored some important and relevant topics such as racism, police brutality, and family. There are multiple POVs, and it works well here...side note, sometimes I find this confusing, but not in this case! Buckle up because this book will take you on a wild ride; one that is both thought provoking and heartbreaking.

This book was absolutely phenomenal. I usually don't go for books with dual perspectives, but alternating between Happi and Kezi's points of view really adds to the story - we see what happened to Kezi on the day of the arrest, and how much she wants to be there for Happi. After the arrest, we see how Happi copes with it and her relationship with both Kezi and Genny.

It did an amazing job at discussing police brutality and what it's like being a social justice advocate, especially as a teenager online. The book focuses on numerous heavy topics, but each topic is handled with care and are able to get the points across. The importance of the Green Book makes me want to look into it more (and honestly, as a concept it's still something that could be used today).

One of the Good Ones by Maika and Maritza Moulite is a book that gave me whiplash, completely subverted my expectations while reading, and showcased an important family story at its center. When pressed to decide whether this book was more plot or character driven, I’d make an argument for both coming through in strong and dynamic ways. I particularly appreciated Happi’s perspective as she develops, grows, and strengthens the relationship with those in her life. I think it would be very easy to make her unlikeable, but we feel for her and understand more the complexities of what she’s feeling as the youngest sister. The book seamlessly blends multiple storylines which come together at the end in a really impactful way, creating a cohesive picture of events. It also covers vital issues with the way Black people are viewed and treated in this country, even from people who think they’re an ally, which includes the perception that there are “good ones” who you believe are worthy of your time and care. Even as I’m writing this review, I’m thinking of more aspects of the book that were so well done and just the layers of it all. I need someone to talk to about this, because it’s so hard not to spoil the experience of reading the book for yourself. Suffice it to say, this book is wonderful and I recommend it to anyone and everyone. And if you can, have a buddy reading it at the same time, so you have someone to discuss with.

Overall, I thought this was a decent read. It was filled with a lot of worthy-to-be-known history moments that were woven together through chapters based both in the current day and the past. I also thought that the story started off so strong with an heartbreaking premise and raw characters who were continuing on a legacy. However, I do think that the twist was very unsettling. For a story that I thought would be primarily based around activism, I thought that the twist didn’t fit and was not necessary. It’s almost as if we switched genres midway through the book and I didn’t enjoy that flow. I think that the book needed more pages to provide a deeper exploration and stable answers at the end of the book. Despite all my thoughts, I do think that it has a lot to offer in terms of representation, social justice, and Black History.

This is a must-read for all ages- multiple perspectives are masterfully written by the Moulite sisters and with a twist worthy of Tiffany D. Jackson, it will engage even the most reluctant of readers.

I absolutely loved this story. The sisters Moulite are some of the best storytellers there are out there. This book was fun at the same times as being heartfelt. I highly recommend their books.