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Elemental Dragons #1
Blood and Water
Being an elemental is hard.
Just ask Hazel Adams who at fifteen finds herself being sent off for the next step in her training where she will receive her dragon egg. But, the camp harbours many dangers in disguise, she will soon find out that not all dragons are born equal.
Soon Hazel, along with her new family and friends, will have to learn to navigate the shifting political alliances and social castes that come along with being an elemental. But, among the political turmoil an even greater danger lurks. One that hasn’t been seen in centuries.
Will Hazel be able to raise her dragon and prove that it’s more than meets the eye or will she be defeated by the dark forces working against her?
Just ask Hazel Adams who at fifteen finds herself being sent off for the next step in her training where she will receive her dragon egg. But, the camp harbours many dangers in disguise, she will soon find out that not all dragons are born equal.
Soon Hazel, along with her new family and friends, will have to learn to navigate the shifting political alliances and social castes that come along with being an elemental. But, among the political turmoil an even greater danger lurks. One that hasn’t been seen in centuries.
Will Hazel be able to raise her dragon and prove that it’s more than meets the eye or will she be defeated by the dark forces working against her?
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2019
104 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Turnbull
17 books13 followersI am an author who mainly writes Young Adult Fantasy. However, I am hoping to branch into Sci-Fi, Horror and New Adult.
Books got me through my darkest years as a teenager, and I hope that one day mine will inspire young people to keep going.
I live in the UK with my two cats, Rocky and Mishka.
Books got me through my darkest years as a teenager, and I hope that one day mine will inspire young people to keep going.
I live in the UK with my two cats, Rocky and Mishka.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 25, 2020
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Elemental Dragons Book 1: Blood and Water
Author: Jessica Turnbull
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 16
Stats
Editing: 7/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 7/10
Cover: 8/10
Of the 20 readers:
14 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the cover was good or excellent.
19 felt it was easy to follow.
14 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
14 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
14 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘If you like dragon books, this is pretty good. There’s plenty of adventure and a host of interesting characters. I liked that the girl had a scar; it made her more real.’ Male reader, aged 15
‘I must admit, it would be cool to parent a dragon all the way from the egg! Fun story. A light, easy read. Plenty of dialogue which I enjoyed. I felt I didn’t really get to know Hazel but I’m happy to follow her in later books.’ Female reader, aged 16
‘Surprisingly dark, particularly the second half. The cover, although it looks professional, looks too ‘teenager witch’ for me. It needs a darker cover to reflect the story. Hopefully, in the next book, it will get darker still.’ Male reader, aged 15
‘A twisting plot. Teenagers who enjoy magic/fantasy type books will enjoy this. It’s not particularly thought-provoking but that’s okay. I think this author will keep getting better and better!’ Female reader, aged 16
To Sum It Up:
‘An exciting beginning to a new fantasy adventure. A Red Ribbon Winner and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Elemental Dragons Book 1: Blood and Water
Author: Jessica Turnbull
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 16
Stats
Editing: 7/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 7/10
Cover: 8/10
Of the 20 readers:
14 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the cover was good or excellent.
19 felt it was easy to follow.
14 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
14 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
14 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘If you like dragon books, this is pretty good. There’s plenty of adventure and a host of interesting characters. I liked that the girl had a scar; it made her more real.’ Male reader, aged 15
‘I must admit, it would be cool to parent a dragon all the way from the egg! Fun story. A light, easy read. Plenty of dialogue which I enjoyed. I felt I didn’t really get to know Hazel but I’m happy to follow her in later books.’ Female reader, aged 16
‘Surprisingly dark, particularly the second half. The cover, although it looks professional, looks too ‘teenager witch’ for me. It needs a darker cover to reflect the story. Hopefully, in the next book, it will get darker still.’ Male reader, aged 15
‘A twisting plot. Teenagers who enjoy magic/fantasy type books will enjoy this. It’s not particularly thought-provoking but that’s okay. I think this author will keep getting better and better!’ Female reader, aged 16
To Sum It Up:
‘An exciting beginning to a new fantasy adventure. A Red Ribbon Winner and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
December 29, 2025
Blood and Water is an engaging YA fantasy that blends dragons, elemental magic, and political intrigue into a coming-of-age story about identity, loyalty, and hidden strength. Jessica Turnbull creates a world where power is structured, dangerous, and deeply tied to social hierarchy and where young protagonists must grow quickly to survive.
Hazel Adams is a relatable and determined heroine. Thrust into the next stage of her training and the responsibility of raising a dragon, she is forced to confront expectations, prejudice, and uncertainty long before she feels ready. The concept that “not all dragons are born equal” adds both emotional depth and thematic weight, mirroring Hazel’s own struggle to prove herself in a rigid system.
The camp setting works particularly well, serving as a microcosm of larger political and social tensions. Friendships form, alliances shift, and underlying dangers simmer beneath the surface. As Hazel bonds with her dragon and begins to understand the true stakes of the elemental world, the story steadily expands from personal growth into something far more ominous.
What makes Blood and Water stand out is its balance of fantasy adventure with themes of belonging, resilience, and challenging inherited power structures. A promising start for readers who enjoy dragon-centered fantasy with heart, mystery, and rising stakes.
Hazel Adams is a relatable and determined heroine. Thrust into the next stage of her training and the responsibility of raising a dragon, she is forced to confront expectations, prejudice, and uncertainty long before she feels ready. The concept that “not all dragons are born equal” adds both emotional depth and thematic weight, mirroring Hazel’s own struggle to prove herself in a rigid system.
The camp setting works particularly well, serving as a microcosm of larger political and social tensions. Friendships form, alliances shift, and underlying dangers simmer beneath the surface. As Hazel bonds with her dragon and begins to understand the true stakes of the elemental world, the story steadily expands from personal growth into something far more ominous.
What makes Blood and Water stand out is its balance of fantasy adventure with themes of belonging, resilience, and challenging inherited power structures. A promising start for readers who enjoy dragon-centered fantasy with heart, mystery, and rising stakes.
October 28, 2020
Hazel is a girl that lives in a world with dragons, she has to deal with her normal (magical/dragon) classes, some markings that appear on her back, a very stupid political party and discrimination against her economic status. The book is quite nice and everything is explained very well. The secondary characters are also nice, although i hate Wes, all the others do come across as lovable in some way. Hazel is not as lovable, she is quite innocent but sometimes she comes across as wayyy to naive. Especially when everyone knows Marco is in love with her and she is like "omg never, he lets me be close and puts himself in danger and in uncomfortable situations just cuz" But in general i do like that she is a quite character, not one to be impulsive or stupid.
I do like the plot, although i think some things are quite predictable (even if they havent happened yet, for example: some guys just seem like bad guys from the get go and them trusting them is stupid) but i dont mind, and i dont know yet if they are as predictable as i think
I do like the plot, although i think some things are quite predictable (even if they havent happened yet, for example: some guys just seem like bad guys from the get go and them trusting them is stupid) but i dont mind, and i dont know yet if they are as predictable as i think
December 3, 2020
Dragons and humans pair.
In Jessica Turnbull's work you will find many young people facing obstacles that are both unfair and dangerous. I loved the dragons as pairs. It seemed like they were a very important part of the couple. I enjoyed reading this extremely.
In Jessica Turnbull's work you will find many young people facing obstacles that are both unfair and dangerous. I loved the dragons as pairs. It seemed like they were a very important part of the couple. I enjoyed reading this extremely.
October 6, 2024
is alright
I liked it, I hated it, then liked it again., etc, etc. Is one of those books some will enjoy but others won’t. Lots of loose ends. I’ll pass on the 2nd book.
I liked it, I hated it, then liked it again., etc, etc. Is one of those books some will enjoy but others won’t. Lots of loose ends. I’ll pass on the 2nd book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews