Rise of the Dragons by Morgan Rice

Rise of the Dragons is the first in the Kings and Sorcerers series.  

It primarily follows Kyra, a 15 year old girl, daughter of a famed warrior, who wishes to become a warrior herself.  She trains alone, perfecting her skills with a bow and a staff, with occasional help from some of her father's friends who encourage her to reach her goals, despite the fact that women are not to fight.  
Her adventure begins when the local evil lord wants to make her his wife, and her father's alternative (to marry a local boy first) is not what she wants either, so she runs away with her wolf Leo by her side.

The blurb says:

Kyra, 15, dreams of becoming a famed warrior, like her father, even though she is the only girl in a fort of boys. As she struggles to understand her special skills, her mysterious inner power, she realizes she is different than the others. But a secret is being kept from her about her birth and the prophecy surrounding her, leaving her to wonder who she really is.

Just as Kyra is coming of age, the local lord comes to take her away. Her father wants to wed her off to save her. Kyra, though, refuses, and she quests on her own, into a dangerous wood, where she encounters a wounded dragon—and ignites a series of events that will change the kingdom forever.

15 year old Alec, meanwhile, sacrifices for his brother, taking his place in the draft, and is carted off to The Flames, a wall of flames a hundred feet high that wards off the army of Trolls to the east. On the far side of the kingdom, Merk, a mercenary striving to leave behind his dark past, quests through the wood to become a Watcher of the Towers and help guard the Sword of Fire, the paranormal source of the kingdom’s power. But the Trolls want the Sword, too—and they prepare for a massive invasion that could destroy the kingdoms forever.

With its strong atmosphere and complex characters, RISE OF THE DRAGONS is a sweeping, romantic saga of knights and warriors, of kings and lords, of honor and valor, of magic, action, adventure, destiny, sorcery, monsters and dragons. It is a story of love and broken hearts, of deception, of ambition and betrayal. It is fantasy at its finest, inviting us into a world that will live with us forever, one that will appeal to all ages and genders.

I enjoyed this book.  Though I haven't yet bought the rest of the series (I really am trying to finish my challenge of reading the alphabet - this being my R book) I have added it to my wishlist, as I would like to know how it progresses and finishes.

This book is a book about girl power and the fact that women, even in a fantasy world, don't have to be restrained to living a life that society considers feminine, but are able to forge their own pathways through the world for life.  Added to that, there are the usual fantasy staples that we love - battles, dragons, trolls, magic, loyalty and treachery.  

The blurb says it will appeal to all ages and genders, I would say this really is aimed at teens and young adults, as it is probably too simplistic and easy for more mature fans of this genre of literature.