DragonKeeper Chronicles #1: Dragonspell by Donita K. Paul

My name is Kale, and my life as a slave girl has changed dramatically in the past few days. On my way to The Hall, I've learned of my ability to locate dragon eggs and have joined a quest with Dar and Leetu to locate a meech egg stolen by the evil wizard Risto. I'm not sure how much help I'll be, and I can't believe Paladin actually believes in me. However, the first egg I found has hatched, and I'm now able to help Gymn heal others. It’s still funny how the little dragon faints when he gets scared. My companions tell me Risto is jealous of my ability with dragons, so we're constantly on the lookout for his minions and creatures hiding in the wild. We've just entered The Bogs in our search for Fenworth. Dar says having this great wizard along will lead to disaster, but Leetu says it's best to wait and see. Maybe it's best if I leave and return to my journey toward The Hall.

This book is the first in a five-book series. I really enjoyed the story and was surprised the average score on Goodreads wasn't a little higher. There was a strong religious aspect to the book that apparently bothered some readers. Characters were constantly reminded to trust Wulder's plan and that he would know anything they did not. I'm not overly spiritual, and I didn't find the story preachy at all. It was nice to read a book full of characters with positive thoughts and a common purpose. The adventure included fighting and killing, but the author didn't dwell on details of the battles. The descriptions weren't gory and bloody. There was clearly something special about Kale that surpassed her ability to locate dragon eggs. Things happened during the story that were credited to her, even though she had no awareness of doing anything. This created a wonder about her true talents, and helped to keep my mind working. Overall, I recommend you give this book a shot, and I've already checked out its sequel DragonQuest. Lovers of dragons and adventures should enjoy it.