I was skeptical at first as to whether I would like Dragonspell or not... based on the cover and the summary I thought it might be a bit weird- but that was before I got the book and started reading! Don't "judge this book by its cover"! I started reading last night and found myself instantly captured by the book's well-written plot, memorable characters... and, of course, the baby dragon! :-) Fourteen-year-old Kale, a former slave, is on her way to the great city of Vendela to bring a dragon egg she has found to The Hall and to join Paladin's followers. On her way, she meets perilous danger. A group of Paladin's followers rescues her and they her a message- that instead of going to The Hall for her training, she is needed to join them immediately on a crucial quest to find and recover a rare and important meech dragon's egg, which has been taken by an evil wizard who, unless stopped, will use it for a devastating purpose.

This was a fantastic and well-written book, and I love how it's a fun and exciting story and also an allegory! This has been one of my absolute favorite books that I've gotten through the blogging program- did I mention that I only got the book last night and already finished it?! This book is one I would definitely recommend to others. I loved it!

Thank you to WaterBrook Multnomah for giving me this book free in exchange for my honest review!

Dragonspell by Donita K. Paul is a book filled with magical creatures, characters you will love, and of course a biblical point of view. Set in a land called Amara, a slave girl embarks to the capital city Vendela. Attacked by ogres she is plunged into a quest of urgency, to get back a dragon egg stolen by the evil wizard Risto. She travels with two companions, Dar and Leetu. She learns things about herself and even meets the most important man alive, Paladin.

Kale, still naive to her powers, didn't even know they existed utill one day she found a dragon egg. Kale thought it was just a mistake that she found it but the leaders of her town weren't as convinced. To make sure the dragon egg was properly taken care of the leaders sent Kale to the capital city, Vendela. She was turned off course when two warriors saved her from an attack. Still not knowing anything about her powers, Kale learned fast that it was no mistake she found the dragon eggs. Worried that she would never understand how powers truly worked she was encouraged by her friends. After accidentally triggering her powers Dar, one of her friends and questing partners, encouraged her by saying, "By all the light on the crystal sea, that was brilliant."

I really enjoyed this book. The amount of adventure and fantasy entrapped me. I received this book on a Friday and read three chapters at school, the next day I read four more chapters. By the end of Sunday night I was on chapter thirty-nine. It took me half of Monday morning to finish the rest of the book. I literally could not put it down. My family and I went to a friends house and the first thing I did after they invited us inside was sit on their couch and continue reading. I recommended this book to everyone I know and I think you should read it too. Personally I believe that this could become a movie in the next three or four years.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Dragonspell by Donita K. Paul was a pleasant surprise for me! The book is a fantasy story about a little girl named Kale who strikes out for The Hall after finding a dragon egg. I would have never guessed that I would enjoy a book so much, and would have never chosen one like this if it hadn't been for a review. I read it slowly and deliberately because of the story line. I was so intrigued I didn't want to miss a word.

At every turn the plot and characters would parallel something spiritual and throughout the book we could see how Wulder, the divine entity in the book, was the loving, caring leader that Kale needed to get to know and learn to lean on and follow. We were introduced to characters such as beater frogs, druddums, doneels, and emerlindians. It was a classic tale of good and evil, kinship, friendship, and character tests.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who would like to depart from the usual and enjoy some whimsy and adventure through the eyes of a little o'rant girl.

Blogging for Books provided this book for free to me for an honest review. I will definitely buy Paul's other books in the series and continue the journey with Kale!

DragonSpell is the first novel in a 5 book series by Donita K. Paul called the "Dragonkeeper Chronicles". It is a Christian allegorical fantasy in the tradition of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien and introduces you to a world rich with characters that will soon feel like old-friends. In a timeless tale of good vs. evil, adventure, self-discovery and eternal truths DragonSpell is destined to be a classic read and beloved by the whole family.

DragonSpell is the story of Kale, a young o'rant slave girl, who orphaned at an early age has lived among a village of marione's where the only things expected of her are obedience and hard work. Her life is changed drastically when she is drawn by forces beyond her control to a dragon egg. Kale is sent to deliver the egg to The Hall in Vendela and there she is also to be trained for service to Paladin.

"Are ye sure ye won't ride all the way into the city?"

That one question is the pivot point upon which Kale's new life in Vendela is diverted into a quest to rescue a precious meech dragon egg from the evil Wizard Risto. Afraid and with feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness Kale embarks on a journey to self-discovery, faith, and acceptance. A journey filled with untold danger, fainting dragons, teasing doneels, and an absentminded old wizard, Kale discovers she is not just a slave and that being in service to Paladin is more than being a servant.

I was surprised and delighted by DragonSpell. The story is rich in detail, full of subtle humor, adversity to overcome, lessons to learn and characters I didn't want to leave behind when the book was finished. I will definitely be putting DragonSpell on my "to keep" list and will be adding the rest of the series to my library as soon as I can.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group does not require a positive review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is book ONE in a great series with allegories that are directly related to following Christ. All of my children read and loved this five book series and want to have a set for their own children, now that they are grown. I am just re-reading them and am thoroughly enjoying them for the fantasy and reminders of how to walk with Christ. I highly recommend them for anyone old enough to read at this level!