Review: The First by Sara Zaske

Reading Level: Young Adult
Self published
Source: Author
First book in a possible series (?)

Cassie Craig is not the chosen one. Not even close.

She's just an ordinary, 15-year-old California girl with a few problems. She talks too much. She has a crush on a guy in her school. She worries about her dad who is a Marine in Afghanistan.

Then, there's her new friend, Violet Starkey. The weirdest girl in school, Violet comes from a group of magical people who claim to be the first on earth.

When Cassie discovers that Violet has powers over nature, she will do anything to be her friend--all for the chance Violet might help bring her dad home.

But Cassie isn't the only one who wants Violet's powers, and she soon finds out just how dangerous it is to be the true friend of one of the most powerful magical beings in the world.

Cassie is a normal teenage girl. She has a few friends and a crush on a guy at school. Despite wanting more attention from her mom and to fit in better at school her only big problem is worrying about her dad in Afghanistan. Then she meets Violet Starkey. Violet is weird, quiet to Cassie's loud and Cassie can tell there is something different about her. When Violet invites her over and tells Cassie that she is one of the people who say they were the first on earth, whose lives are tied to parts of nature like trees and animals and have magical powers. At first Cassie doesn't believe her but when she does she realizes that being Violet's friend might help her get her dad back. From there everything changes. Her best friend betrays her for being friends with Violet and the rest of her friends turn their backs on her. She becomes an outcast at her school.

It turns out Violet is actually half  'First' and half human. This means that she had a tragic past and that she has more power than most of her people. Her grandfather knows this and wants her to visit him at his orchard. Violet's mom knows her dads true intentions and doesn't want Violet to go alone so Cassie agrees to come along. When they get there they find that Violet's grandpa is a creep and that the trees in his orchard are actually an army-one that he wants to use to take the earth back from the 'monkey people' and that he wants Violet to lead.

I liked Cassie. At first she kind of seemed like she was just Violet's friend for her own means but when everyone else left her she stayed friends with Violet and was always there for her. With her very outspoken personality she helped quiet Violet stand up for herself and speak her mind. I liked Violet too. I felt bad for her and all that was on her shoulders. Violet's grandpa was annoying. He thought way to high of himself and to low of humans. Violet's mom was fun to learn about and I felt bad for her and her tragic love story. There was a little bit of romance weaved in there with Cassie and a shape shifter named Kodi. Sadly I'm not sure if there is going to be a sequel so I don't get any more of their cuteness.

I really liked this book. It was nothing liked I expected it to be and it exceeded my expectations. The concept of the First people was really original and I loved learning about it. All the characters were interesting to read about and this was a very quick read for me. I'm sad to say goodbye to these characters.
5/5 stars

-Marissa