i really loved the idea of this book and i enjoyed majority of it! i liked the magical elements and the politics of it all. the beginning started off very strong and i was intrigued! the introduction to the world and the characters was pretty solid. the conflict in the story was something that kept me engaged, but i got a bit hopeful about it and it unfortunately wasn’t fulfilling in the end. the pacing slowed down at about 40%, but around 80% it picked up again! i think the ending could’ve been longer and more fleshed out though.

i swooned over the Hellbringer but i really wish there was more of him! more romance would’ve been nice too. i would’ve loved to get his pov, or even the pov of the other characters that played significant roles throughout the book.

3/5 stars, not bad at all! i’d still recommend this and i look forward to reading more of this world 👀

thank you to berkley, ace, and netgalley for providing me with the arc!

revna is the only member in her royal family without a magical ability, which, in her kingdom, makes her very poorly regarded, both inside and outside of her castle. her father is more than happy to pawn her off to another kingdom, but revna turns down her arranged marriage to compete in the bloodshed trials, a competition where the last living sibling wins the throne. against her godtouched brothers, revna doesn’t have much of a chance…until she’s kidnapped and trained by the hellbringer, the general her country’s greatest enemy. as she learns from the hellbringer, she begins to wonder if his tough exterior is hiding a kinder man underneath.

this was a captivating book! plenty of bloodshed (as the name would suggest), romance, and royalty/war throughout the book. also, revna was such a motivated character, which i loved to see. as a godforsaken royal, she did what she could to use her position as princess to help other godforsaken like her. the romance between her and the hellbringer was so tense, and i could not get enough!

i did think the world building was kind of lacking, but maybe we’ll get more insight into it in book two. besides that, i thought this was an interesting book. i can’t wait for the sequel!

Dark, gritty and full of fun twists, I really enjoyed this book! This was a solid fantasy read and felt like a fresh take on a lot of classic fantasy tropes.

Some of the character’s motivations/decisions, both the main and side characters, felt a little iffy for me and I wasn’t quite sure I could stand behind them, but overall I loved our main character and found myself rooting for her in the end. I loved seeing her triumph over her aggressors!

I think if we had gotten to see a little bit more of her relationship with her friends and her people, I would’ve more easily been able to believe that she would risk everything to save them. It also would have made it easier for me to connect with the characters and their stories.

Another reason this wasn’t a 5 star read for me was the pacing. Both with the overall plot and the romance. There was not a lot happening in the middle of the book, or it was a lot of the same. It felt very repetitive and left the plot feeling a bit underdeveloped. The romance also developed pretty slowly, and then suddenly all at once, and it felt forced at times.

All of that said, I am still so excited to see where the next book goes and I LOVED the last 10-15%. I was on the edge of my seat! Will absolutely be recommending this one.

Top Pick - 4.5 Stars

“Let them cower before the soul goddess in that arena. She may have been a figment of a zealot’s imagination, made real only by the thousands who worshipped her, but she was a symbol of something real. Power. Power was tangible, Power was a crown on my head, the snowy path to it soaked in Erik’s and Bjorn’s blood. It was my unwilling father relinquishing his hold on the godforsaken; whether he let it go willingly or at the point of my blade mattered not. When we attached the hilt to the blade, wrapping it with leather, I held it and marveled. I had created it from nothing. Brought it to life under the Hellbringer’s watchful eye. Aloisa. Goddess of the soul. Blade of the godforsaken princess. Symbol of the revolution. It was perfect.”

I’ve been in my romantasy era lately, and it’s what I’ve been enjoying reading for months now. This one started slow, and there was a lot of world-building, but once we hit around 30 percent, I was entranced. There was so much build-up with the Hellbringer, who he was, what he wanted with Revna, and what he was searching for, that I couldn’t stop reading for a moment. I had to know. The author did an excellent job of keeping me entertained enough to keep reading, but was not giving away enough for me to figure it out.

The Hellbringer is an enigma of a man, a ruthless warrior with magic to kill a person in a matter of seconds, the bringer of death. There are times when you wonder if he hates his gift and sees it as more of a curse than anything. He’s a weapon in so many people’s eyes and is used to gain the upper hand in war. To Revna, he is anything but that. He teaches her what it takes to win and become a queen to her people, so she can change how the Godforsaken like her are treated. Their bond is one built on mutual respect and friendship.

Revna is strong and sometimes misguided. She pushes the boundaries with no thought of the consequences to herself or to others around her. She pursues her goal with a single-minded determination, hoping to change the world for people like her. She’s been used as a pawn her whole life by her family, but now she’s ready to take charge and show them all how they’ve been underestimating her.

There are so many twists and turns within this story that I don’t want to give away too much, but I really enjoyed this one. I’m excited to see where the story will go in book 2.

If you’re a fan of Carissa Broadbent or Kaylie Smith, then I definitely think you’ll enjoy this one.

~ Michelle

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for a digital ARC of "Blood Beneath the Snow" by Alexandra Kennington, in exchange for a sincere review.

When I first read the synopsis, I couldn't help but be intrigued. A magical tournament to the death between siblings in a wintery setting? Yeah, count me in! A main character who is the only one in their family not to have powers? Double count me in!

However, as it sometimes occurs, the reading experience of the book fell short of my expectations. Whilst the trials are mentioned repeatedly, they are most definitely not the core of the book, which is what I was hoping for.

The first major problem I encountered with this dystopianesque world is how much of it is underdeveloped. There is too much that doesn't make sense. For starters, we are told our MC's kingdom is at war and not doing well and that her brothers are the best knights with powers (called Lurae). Nevertheless, this kingdom is to hold a trial to see who will succeed the king in which only one of his children will survive. Now, frankly, that is just a little silly. I was hoping to get some explanations and lore, but none were forthcoming sadly. It makes no sense to kill the best soldiers when you are losing a war, let alone all your other heirs. I mean, what if the winner can't have children for instance? The monarchy just dies.

The second biggest issue was the pacing. While it starts at a faster pace, it lulls toward the 30% and only picks up again at about 75%. This is because our main character is kidnapped by the love interest and has to learn how to fight for THAT long. It got boring very quickly and I was deeply unmotivated to pick up the book because even the fighting practice scenes were getting too repetitive. The romantic pace was also not to my liking since it is very one-sided until it suddenly isn't and we don't get to see the development at all.

The love interest, Hellbringer, does something pretty unredeemable at the end, but he was never very compelling to begin with so hopefully the series gets a new one thrown in.

As for our main character, Revna, I believe that her character development was a little slow and her motivations were not very compelling because quite frankly, we get very little in terms of backstory. She is fighting for the non-magical people because she's part of their gang, which makes sense. However, what makes her tick is her friendship with some girl we barely get a hint of. Frejda has no personality whatsoever and their relationship is just not sold well enough for me to believe their bond is THAT big. The reveal at the end was expected and I'm sure more of the world will be explored in further books, but I will sadly not be continuing with the series.

I will say that the writing is good though. I think Alexandra Kennington is most definitely talented and capable of setting a scene. I just think this one in particular wasn't for me.

Blood Beneath the Snow had an interesting magic system. The different kinds of magic along with how they varied within each kind, made the characters intriguing and allowed the reader to constantly be wondering what variant of magic would come along next. Although I enjoyed the magic and the storyline, I had a hard time with the writing style throughout the book. I appreciated that the author was trying to add diversity and inclusion into the story but I found using real world terms like "queer" and "bisexual" to not fit with the fantasy world. I usually find that not calling it out in such a way keeps the story flowing and doesn't disrupt it by including modern day language. I also found it frustrating that one of the biggest storylines, the trail for the throne, didn't happen until the last little bit. I could also argue that having the fmc receive actual training does make her chances of winning more believable though. Overall, this wasn't my favorite book but the overall plot and twists towards the end offered it some redemption. I thought this was a book that had the idea, but missed a little on the execution.

This was so good! I love the underdog character that everyone expects to fail. Revna is a princess but has no powers so she’s less than useless to her parents.
The Hellbringer was such a morally gray beast and I didn’t know what his end goals were but armor and a helmet. I’m in.
The fighting to the death within siblings for the crown is always cutthroat. She had all brothers, two of them allies and two of them aholes. To win she had to be the last standing and to represent the non magics.
I was not expecting the battle scene or that ending.
There are some spicy scenes, this is a romantasy - Revna was kidnapped and did some combat training and other stuff 😉

Blood Beneath the Snow pulled me in with its deadly competition, reluctant alliances, and a slow-burn romance that had me hooked. Revna, a magicless princess fighting for her place in the ruthless Bloodshed Trials, is a protagonist you can’t help but root for—especially when she gets tangled up with the feared Hellbringer (yes, the name is that dramatic, and yes, I loved it).

The tension, both in the trials and between Revna and Hellbringer, kept the pages turning. The world is brutal, the politics are messy, and the romance? Just the right amount of angst. My only gripe is that I wanted more—more of the trials, more depth in certain relationships, and a bit more balance in the pacing. But overall, this was a wildly entertaining read, perfect for fans of romantasy with a sharp edge.

If you love a strong heroine, a morally gray love interest, and high-stakes competition, Blood Beneath the Snow is absolutely worth picking up!

Have you ever seen stardust? There siblings have to compete for the crown? Thats this book! I thought I was beautiful and well written! I actually wish I read this a bit sooner, because it was perfect for reading and perfect to lose myself in!

DNF at 18%. I tried three times to read and enjoy this book, but I just couldn’t. Every time I’d started to get drawn in, some new continuity error or inconsistency or just plain ridiculous premise would crop up. Eventually that became too frustrating for me to keep spending time on it.

Okay, this book had so much potential... The plot? Great. The premise? Super promising. But the execution? Kinda flat. I kept waiting to feel something—to get hooked, to care about the characters—but it never really happened.

That said, if you’re into a straightforward fantasy plot and don’t mind a slower pace, you might like it more than I did! I got this as an ARC from NetGalley, and I really wanted to love it, but...

It really wasn’t bad, just… kinda bland? Like, everything was there, but it lacked personality. I just wanted more depth, more emotion, something to make it stand out.

This has forced proximity, a dark and mysterious love interest, and magic. I enjoyed those things. After reading multiple romantasies, I start to feel like some of them share plenty of similarities. Yet, this was still a great debut. I would've preferred a different ending, but events near the end still shocked me and makes me interested in reading the next book.

Have you ever felt like a black sheep? Couldn't fit in no matter how much you tried? If you have, you'll know exactly how Revna felt as the only magicless person in her family, treated like the scum of the earth all because she was different.

“You can’t save everyone, Revna.”

Revna has such a big heart, and that's what stood out to me the most while reading Blood Beneath the Snow. She puts herself, her life above her own and would do absolutely anything to help her people and those she loves. Her compassion isn’t a weakness, but her greatest strength, even when it means enduring cruelty, and impossible choices.

Another part of the story that totally captured me is her dynamic with Hellbringer, the enemy general who kidnaps her but, surprisingly, becomes her reluctant mentor. Watching their bond evolve, with moments of vulnerability breaking through their icy walls, had me completely hooked. It’s the kind of enemies to something more tension that keeps you flipping pages late into the night.

Alsoooo. That ending! The major reveal and betrayal hit me like a dump truck. Everything that had come to pass had devastating consequences, and it’s like she lost a part of herself. The weight of that loss hangs heavy, making her journey feel all the more raw and powerful.

Overall, this was a very captivating read! We ended on a mega cliffhanger and can’t wait to see how this story continues!

Alexandra Kennington’s Blood Beneath the Snow is a hauntingly atmospheric tale of magic, betrayal, and survival that pulled me in from the very first page. Set in a world as brutal as it is beautiful, this book masterfully blends dark fantasy with elements of folklore, creating a story that lingers long after the final chapter.

The protagonist, Varya, is one of the strongest aspects of the novel. Her journey is raw and filled with hardships, making every victory, no matter how small, feel deeply satisfying. I loved how Kennington crafted morally complex characters—there are no clear heroes or villains, just people navigating a world that demands sacrifice.

The world-building is rich and immersive, filled with eerie forests, chilling magic, and a constant sense of unease that kept me hooked. The prose is lyrical yet sharp, painting vivid scenes that made me feel the biting cold of the setting and the weight of Varya’s struggles.

One of my favorite elements was the way the book explored themes of power, revenge, and resilience. There were moments that genuinely shocked me, and the tension never let up, making it hard to put down. The slow-burn intensity of the relationships—whether friendships, rivalries, or romances—added even more depth to the story.

If you’re a fan of dark, atmospheric fantasy with morally gray characters, Blood Beneath the Snow is a must-read. It’s a story that feels both timeless and fresh, and I can’t wait to see what Alexandra Kennington writes next.

Oh how I wanted to love this book. Enemies to lovers? A badass Princess? Reylo vibes (aka my heart and soul)?! But alas, even trying this on audio didn’t make it better for me. A big issue is that after a strong start, essentially NOTHING happens for the vast majority of the book. Repeated (seemingly unnecessary) training sessions and dialogue dumps that are supposed to make us feel chemistry between the love interests (but I did not). The FMC had one dirty dream and all of the sudden was obsessed and horny for the MMC and I just could not buy into it. Also, appreciate the queer representation, but the conversations the leads had around it was so stilted and awkward. I couldn’t care less about what happens in book two.

I am so disappointed. I was bored throughout the entire book and didn’t buy into or care about any of the characters. I know the characters were young adults, but I felt like they were 15-year-olds and made erratic and impulsive decisions, without thought. On the surface, I thought I would LOVE this book- I feel like the synopsis made it seem like this would be an epic and action-packed book with enemies-to-lovers and a bloody trial plot. Instead, it was all just stereotypical characters and 60% was training, but not exciting montages either. It feels like the author just listed tropes that were popular and stuck them into the book but didn’t focus on their execution. I know that sounds harsh, but I'm bummed out and won’t be continuing with the series.

Thank you to Ace for gifting me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars! Such mixed feelings about this romantasy because there were elements that I LOVED but some aspects that missed the mark.

The first 20% and the last 20% were incredibly captivating. I loved the world-building, and the magic system, religious order, kingdom politics, and war made for a great romantasy backdrop. Though the middle part of the book...I don't want to say nothing happened, but it got so repetitive. I'm glad I pushed through to finish it though because I was on the edge of my seat towards the end. And the ending was great. I also, based on the synopsis, thought the trials would be a much more prevalent part of the story, not just a few chapters.

Aside from the fantasy element, the romance didn't work that well for me. I think this was supposed to be enemies to lovers, but the characters didn't have those classic enemy fights/battles/tensions. They were enemies for a short span, then it turned to insta-love. As a whole, I think their relationship could've been built up better. Though I'm totally invested in the fantasy plot points, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book!

Thank you so much to Berkley for sending me a copy of Blood Beneath the Snow. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)

I admit to being a relatively new fantasy reader. I've always been more drawn to thrillers, to mysteries, to horror with an occasional dash of rom-com thrown in, but the world lately makes me crave escape, the kind that comes with dragons and magic, and, yes, romance. I'm in my romantasy era. Enter Alexandra Kennington's Blood Beneath the Snow. This book is absolutely everything that I wanted it to be and more. WIth a character named The Hellbringer, how could it be anything but? I loved the characters, the setting, all of it, and the fact that it's a duology makes me want the second book ASAP, because this one ended with a pretty shocking development. If I could give this book all the stars, I would.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 @acebooks & @berkleypub 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬! #BerkleyPartner #berkley

This book!! You know when you pick up the first book in a series and as you are reading, you order the next books because you are loving it so much? This is one of those for me! I am slightly devastated that after binge reading 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗻𝗼𝘄, I can’t continue the series immediately (I mean this one just published). So while I wait patiently for the duology’s second novel, I’ll highly recommend adding this to your immediate TBR!

Alexandra Kennington took some of my favourite romantasy tropes - enemies to lovers & trials- and gave them her own unique twist, so wonderfully! I was rooting for Revna from page one, while honestly hating most of her family (the hate added a lot to the story), and ultimately adoring the relationship between her and the Hellbringer.
Can’t wait to read the next one!

“If falling for him is your worst nightmare, you’re standing on the edge of a precipice.”

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: .5-1 🌶️

“I’ve craved you from the moment you first pointed your sword at me.”

Tropes
🗡️Enemies to lovers
🩸One bed
🗡️Forced proximity
🩸Morally light gray MMC
🗡️Secret identity
🩸Magical aspects
🗡️Captor & captive
🩸Rage

Thank you to NetGalley, Alexandra Kennington, and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb
Revna is a princess without magic (Nilurae) born to a family with magical powers (Lurae). Her family hates her with a passion, but she has found family in other Nilurae in the community. They form a plan to overthrow Revna’s family which involves her participating in The Bloodshed Trials - a competition where the last sibling in the royal family standing takes the throne. However, she gets kidnapped by the Hellbringer - her family’s most hated enemy and general of the opposing army. While kidnapped, he trains her to fight in the Bloodshed Trials on the orders of his queen due to the fact that the queen has her own reasons for wanting her.

Review
Let’s start off with the premise of this book. It was something I haven’t read before and I appreciated that. The siblings battle to the death for the crown and the last one standing becomes the new king/queen. It was a brutal idea and I was here for it.

However, I hated the way that Revna’s family treated her throughout the entire book just because she was non-magical. There were numerous murder attempts and lots of suggestions towards her father burning her and her body being covered in scars from the brutality.

I rated the book 4 stars due to the fact that there were a few things that I would have liked more of. I would have liked more family dynamics and more information about the side characters. I loved Frode and wished there was more about him. The pacing seemed fine to me. However, the book started out a little slow and it took me until about 25% of the way into the book to really hook me and draw me in. Once the story got going, I loved it and wanted more.

I loved the parts where the Hellbringer and Revna were together. What I didn’t love was the development of the relationship. I feel like there could have been more chemistry or more angst between them. There was definitely room to elaborate more on them.

I loved Revna! She was a tough FMC who didn’t take any crap from anyone. She would rather die than let her captor or her family take any more from her. And her ending 😳 It made me so happy. It was unexpected and worth the wait.

Overall, I enjoyed the storyline and the characters in the book. I look forward to reading book 2.

Review posted to IG on 3/17/25
Review posted to Amazon on 3/17/25
Review posted to GoodReads on 3/17/25