Book:Blood Beneath the Snow
Author: Alexandra
Series: Blood & Souls Duology
Publisher: Berkley/Ace
Length: 384
Overall Rating: 5

Revna knows difficulties as she has lived with it most of her life being a Princess in a royal family. Furthermore she is the only member in her family without any magical abilities. However she has made friends with other outcasts who are like her in her Kingdom.

Now two of her closest friends are in danger and she will do anything to save them. At what cost? She will enter the bloodshed trials. It is a competition where the last sibling in the royal family standing takes the throne and might just be the maximum price!

Unfortunately she is kidnapped by Hellbringer, the General of her family's biggest enemy. Will she be able to find a warm heart among his ice coldness? Especially when she discovers there are some who want her on the throne. Find out their fate.

A phenomenal debut book that is part of the duology. I can’t wait for the next book. I absolutely loved this book so much and highly recommend everyone to grab a copy now.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy and an advanced readers copy from the publisher. through netgalley. I voluntarily agreed to do a fair review and blog through netgalley. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.

Disclaimer: I received the e-arc version of this book, but I borrowed the finished copy from my local library. Support your libraries! All opinions are my own.

Book: Blood Beneath the Snow

Author: Alexandra Kennington

Book Series: Blood & Souls Duology Book 1

Rating: 5/5

Spice Rating: 2.5/5

Diversity: Queer character mentioned, Transgender character mentioned, gay characters, asexual character, bisexual FMC and MMC, non-binary characters

Recommended For...: Adult readers, Romantasy, Fantasy, Magic, Enemies to Lovers, Queer

Publication Date: March 11, 2025

Genre: Romantasy

Age Relevance: 18+ (religion, war, attempted infanticide, violence, blood gore, language, alcohol consumption, self harm attempt, suicidal ideation, sexual content, romance, child abuse)

Explanation of CWs: Religion (a made-up one) is in this book and the book focuses on the ill-effects of a political system based on that with bad players in power. There is war, violence, and blood gore in this book. There is an attempted infanticide for a sacrificial killing shown. There is some cursing and alcohol consumption. There is a self-harm attempt and some suicidal ideation talked about in the book. There is some sexual content and romance. There are mentions of child abuse.

If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: Say Don’t Go

Publisher: Ace

Pages: 416

Synopsis: A heart-pounding romantasy following a rebellious princess who must compete to the death against her siblings for the crown to ensure justice, while fighting her feelings for her country's most powerful enemy by debut author Alexandra Kennington. Revna is no stranger to struggle. As the only member of the royal family without a magical ability, she is seen as an embarrassing mistake to her kingdom and a blight on her family tree. Luckily, Revna has found family in other outcasts in her kingdom. But when her two closest friends’ lives are put in danger, she is determined to save them by any means necessary, no matter the cost. The Bloodshed Trials—a competition where the last sibling in the royal family standing takes the throne—might just be the ultimate price. Revna turns down her arranged marriage and commits to competing for the throne only to be kidnapped by the mysterious and terrifyingly powerful Hellbringer, the general of her country’s greatest enemy. He has the ability to rend souls with the flick of his wrist and is every inch as intimidating as the war stories say he is. But Revna wonders if there may be some humanity left in him—especially when he reveals there are other parties who want her on the throne for their own furtive reasons.

Review: I absolutely loved this book so much! I thought the book incorporated good symbolism in how others in power use religion to pretend they are divine/holier/know better and use that to discriminate or oppress others who aren't of their status. I thought the book also did good to incorporate religious and war propaganda. The trial aspect of the book is pretty much what I wanted from Powerless but didn't get and I loved the way the story played out. The book includes the one bed trope and the captive falls for the captor trope. The world building was amazing and the character development was as well. I'm anxious for the next book because I NEED MORE! Keep an eye out for this author, they make good books.

The only issues I really had is that I wish there was a tad bit more spice and/or romance in it, I think it needed it for the plot honestly to really drive home the gutwrench twist that happened. The only other thing I didn't like is the twist at the end. I wanted it to stay one way, but I will admit I don't think the second book would be worth it without the twist even though the book takes obvious influence from The Darksword Trilogy. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

Verdict: I loved this one and I can’t wait for the next book!

I really enjoyed this debut fantasy romance! It had a unique plot. Revna is a princess that has no magical ability but when her friends are in danger she decides to participate in the Bloodshed trials. It’s a to the death competition with her siblings and the last sibling alive takes the throne. However, she is kidnapped by her masked enemy. She has to navigate her kidnapping while worrying about her friends and her brothers. It was exciting, action packed, and had a great enemies to lovers trope! I’m looking forward to the next book!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Revna is our leading lady, she is the only member of the royal family without any magic, and thus, everybody hates her. She don't care though cause she's made her own family with other outcasts in the kingdom, she gets in trouble for constantly standing up for the weak and one day takes it too far. In punishment her besties are put in danger and the only way to save them is to join The Bloodshed Trials, a competition where the last sibling standing wins the throne. Enter Hellbringer, general for Revna's country's greatest enemy! He kidnaps her for reasons and helps her train for the trials, he is of course, tough as nails but perhaps has a hidden soft side. I think what I loved the most from this book is how willing Revna was to use her position do as much good as she could even when she was so belittled! Her and Hellbringer's romance was sizzling and I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel!

Thank you so much for the arc through Netgalley! I enjoyed this book. It has several romantasy tropes that I love - enemies to lovers and forced proximity, for example. The last 25% of the book left me speechless. I'm dying to know more and understand motives better. When is book two being released? I need to star that date on my calendar so I don't miss anything.

Blood Beneath The Snow was a thrilling debut with a unique magical system! I truly enjoyed this Romantasy and appreciated the creativity, prose, and descriptive writing! The story picks up at the 25% mark and by the end, I was truly hooked! That ending — woof! I am OBSESSED! I cannot wait to find out what happens next. This book is a solid 4.5 ⭐️for me! Thank you so much @netgalley and the author for this ARC!!!!

I had a blast with Blood Beneath the Snow. Revna’s chemistry with the masked Hellbringer kept me glued to every chapter. The worldbuilding felt epic and full of mythic magic, even if the training scenes sometimes dragged. That cliffhanger had me pacing the room waiting for book two. Despite a few pacing hiccups, it’s a fun, intense enemies to lovers romp I’m happy I picked up.

I also loved the way family politics and brutal trials added real stakes to Revna’s journey. Watching her go from powerless princess to determined warrior was really satisfying. Hellbringer’s tougher moments gave way to surprising sweetness that kept me rooting for them. There were times I wished the pacing held steady, but the big twists and dramatic reveals more than made up for it. All in all, this book left me eager for more magic, more intrigue, and more of Revna’s story in the next installment.

Gave my blurb earlier, Loved this enemies to lovers masked man romantasy. Can't wait for book 2 to come out!

Thank you to @BerkleyRomance & @alexkenningtonwrites for the free #gifted e-copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Blood Beneath the Snow
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Alexandra Kennington
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬:Blood & Souls Duology #1
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬: 416

𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙖 - A “godforsaken” princess who is the only one in her family without magic.Her parents are arranging her marriage to a prince from another kingdom but she wants no part of it. She would prefer to battle her brothers at the Bloodshed Trials to win the crown and become the Queen of the people.
𝙃𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 - The masked villain. He works for the Queen of the “enemy” kingdom. She has him kidnap Revena to train her so that she has a chance to win the trials battle.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐬:
Romantasy
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Secret Identity
Magic
Slow Burn
Trials for the Crown
One Bed
Cliffhanger

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: I really enjoyed this book. There are some big content warnings so be sure to read the author’s note in the beginning of the book. I loved the MC’s in this book. Revena had such character growth and was such a badass! I am not sure how she could deal with her family growing up but thank goodness she had a couple of allies in the castle. Hellbringer was questionable at times but I really enjoyed seeing his softer side with Revena. I do wish we would have gotten a little more details with the characters. I feel like the trials were talked about so much in this book but the actual Trials were such a small part of it. This made the trials feel rushed to me. I thought there were some pacing issues and some repetitiveness that could have shortened the book a bit but overall, I was hooked. I loved the twists & turns throughout the book. That ending, really??? I am so impatient with cliffhangers! I cannot wait for the next book!

I don’t know why I waited so long to start this book—but I’m so glad I finally did. If you're a fan of slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance set in a deadly, god-soaked fantasy world, then this is absolutely the underrated gem you've been searching for.

From the very first page, I was hooked. This debut novel introduces a richly layered world brimming with mythological depth, evolving gods, and political schemes sharp enough to draw blood. It's not just world-building—it’s world-breathing. You feel the pulse of the realm in every chapter.

At the heart of the story is Revna, a hidden royal who was never supposed to be part of her family's brutal trials for the crown. Without magic, without strength, she was meant to be bartered away in marriage. But Revna dreams of a better kingdom—one where those like her aren’t powerless. So when she chooses to step into the deadly competition between her siblings, the stakes rise immensely.

Her one hope? A forbidden, unlikely alliance with Hellbringer—her enemy, her stalker (lowkey), and now… her secret trainer. Yes, that Hellbringer. The god-touched warrior with a tragic past and an attitude sharp enough to cut glass. The chemistry between them is explosive. Every shared glance, every training session crackles with tension. And while they may be enemies bound by ancient laws and royal bloodlines, their connection feels fated.

This isn’t a story that rushes romance. The slow burn is painfully perfect. The romance grows in the shadows of the trials, with loyalty and betrayal hanging in the balance. You’ll root for Revna—not just to win the crown, but to survive long enough to claim her place, her power, and maybe… her heart’s true desire.

⚔️ Deadly sibling trials
💔 Forbidden love
🔥 Tension-filled enemies-to-lovers
🌌 A living, breathing mythological world

This is the kind of book that leaves you wanting more the second you finish the last page. Thankfully, it’s only the beginning of a series—and I already know I’ll be following Revna and Hellbringer to the very end. If you’ve been sleeping on this one, wake up. You need this in your fantasy romance collection.

im sorry, I can’t do it.. dnf @ 35%

the fmc and the writing itself is getting on my nerves. the plot is so atrociously uneven and the characters all feel stiff. I just don’t care about anything unfortunately.

Sadly this one wasnt for me. I had high hopes for this one as well but it fell flat and I just couldnt keep interest in the story. It started off somewhat strong then just started tumbling downwards and I got bored. Pacing of the story wasnt good. Lots of repetitiveness and just too much for how long the book was.

It took me a while to get into Blood Beneath the Snow. Often times, the world building that a fantasy novel necessitates makes it harder for me to get through. However, I found Revna to be intriguing enough from the beginning that I was sold. And by the latter half of the book I was absolutely riveted.

Revna's brutal, bloodthirsty family, the maltreatment her chosen family faces for not having magic, and the seemingly never-ending war with an country she knows so little about sets the book up for devastating results, and Kennington delivered on that. I appreciated the foreshadowing throughout. While there were certainly twists that I was anticipating, the way they came about still had me shocked.

I also appreciated seeing how Revna's relationships changed throughout the book. Her loyalty to Arne, Freja, and Halvar. Her love for two of her brothers, and hatred for the other two. Her initial distrust but overwhelming desire for the Hellbringer. She is a main character with depth and I appreciated that. I am eagerly awaiting book two!

Revna is the only member of her family without magic, and as an outcast, unites herself with others who rebel against her family’s rule. When she refuses her arranged marriage and instead petitions to compete in the Bloodshed Trials for a chance at the throne, she is kidnapped by the captain of her family’s most fearsome enemy, Hellbringer. As he trains her, she starts to realize there are multiple powers at play, and she begins to question everything she’s ever known to be true.

I enjoyed this one, it was an interesting fantasy with some romantic elements. I will say I didn’t really enjoy how she seemed to instantly fall for Hellbringer, I wish there had been a bit more of a slow burn for her feelings. The end was the most riveting part, and I am interested to see how it plays out in book two!

First of all, the book is gorgeous. Love the no dust jacket approach! The books started with a bang and I couldn’t stop reading it which is always a plus! The story slowed down in the middle and then picked up and then it was over! I get it, second book is on the works but I wish it would’ve been the same pace through out the whole novel. Loved the premise of the godtouched and godforsaken. I’m looking forward to the second book!

First of all, thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to review the title. Unfortunately, I tried to pick up this book a couple of times and the story was never able to capture and hold my interest or attention. I think there is a great premise here and the author is a talented writer, this just wasn't the story for me. This book was a DNF but this decision won't hinder me from trying the author again in the future. Thank you.

Blood Beneath the Snow threw us straight into the action, but quickly lost momentum. Even though the story was entertaining enough to keep my interest, I ultimately ended the book feeling like I had accomplished next to nothing.

I found myself immersed in this world, which is where most of my enjoyment stemmed from. While I still had questions, the world and its workings were fascinating. A lot of the lore that was included gave everything a depth I wasn't expecting but was absolutely here for. And the magic? So cool. The contrast between how Revna's country viewed magic versus the other countries was an interesting aspect that I would have liked to see even more of. I also loved the hints of what I believe was Norse mythology sprinkled in.

Unfortunately, the characters didn't stand out to me much. While there were facets of their personalities that felt new, there was just too much about them that was similar to every other romantasy I've read lately. The fierce, stabby female main character. A broody, morally grey male main character. Underdeveloped side characters that take a backseat the moment the two main characters meet. It's been done before, and it will be done again. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It's popular for a reason, and I also enjoy it. However, nothing about these characters truly sets them apart from the rest.

I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say that three-quarters of this book was a lust-filled training montage. Again, it was entertaining, but I felt like the plot got completely lost. The trials I was so excited for barely graced the page and were over before I realized they had begun. It was a massive letdown, especially after we had spent the overwhelming majority of the book training for said trials. It wasn't what I expected, and I was disappointed in how the plot played out.

While this probably read as a mostly negative review, Blood Beneath the Snow was not a bad book. Despite the plot and pacing being a little wonky, it was still immersive and engaging. However, I don't think I'm likely to pick up the next book in the series, despite the cliffhanger.

I received an advanced copy of Blood Beneath the Snow from Netgalley and the publisher and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. To my mind, this was the perfect New Adult book; it fits perfectly into the category. There is a bit of spice but it’s not wildly graphic and the writing is on an upper YA level. While it was more predictable, this story was absolutely gripping and had me still thinking about it the next day. I think the dynamic between Reyna and Hellbringer is interesting and I want to KNOW what is going on!!!!!!!! The last section of the book has motives entirely up in the air. Definitely will be reading book two.

'Blood Beneath the snow' is a gripping fantasy that thrusts you into a world where the powerless royal daughter Revna must enter a deadly competition against her own brothers to save those she loves most. The unexpected dynamic between Revna and the notorious enemy general "Hellbringer," who kidnaps her for his own mysterious agenda (which I am here for), evolves with perfect tension, transforming from captor/captive to something far more complex as they navigate political machinations neither fully understands. The training sequences occasionally dragged, which I normally LOVE training sequences so a bit of a bummer. However, I was obsessed with the royal family dynamic that avoids one-dimensional villainy with siblings that had genuine depth and complicated motivations that had me invested in them. That cliffhanger hooked me and I am READY for book 2.