I loved the idea of this book but unfortunately I wasn’t fully captured while reading. The chemistry wasn’t there between the main characters and felt forced. The trials could’ve been a more important aspect to the story, though I did enjoy the twist at the end.

I was so excited for this but I ended up dnf-ing it because by the time I got to the training sequences it just felt so repetitive and I was not feeling the chemistry in the romance. I do think this book will appeal to some romantasy readers though.

I thought the story was developed well and the secondary characters were crucial to this story although I didn't love them all. I thought Revna's relationship with her brothers was interesting and was glad that they weren't both horrible human beings. I do wish that when things are revealed for Revna, that because of her prior relationship, there wasn't such fear and anger toward her from those who used to love and trust her... but what can you do. There is plenty of action in this book but I will say I thought the training portion of the book could have been condensed...although maybe it just felt long to me. I don't know - it felt like it dragged at times.

Thank you for the chance to read early!

I was so excited for this but it was very slow. The middle was so repetitive with the training. There's instant lust but I didn't see the chemistry between them. The relationship dynamics with the FMC and her family was interesting. I think this book is good for people who like the famous romantasy tropes.

As far as debuts go this totally packed a punch! There's so much romantasy coming out right now it is hard to stand out, but this one really worked for me!

My favorite part was the family connections and the brothers. They felt fully dimensional and that's something that I really commend.

The pacing lulled at one point, but not in an unforgivable way. And the slide to the end was amazing. I was fully invested and bam, bam, bam.

I think this is a great fantasy read for any fan of romantasy trends.

I tried to get into this book, but I fear I had to DNF this due to romantasy fatigue and I didn't quite take to the story. It just felt like an amalgamation of a bunch of romantasy tropes, and while I love a snow setting and a classic tournament, I couldn't quite finish this one. I know die-hard romantasy girlies will eat this up, I just don't think this one was for me. I am so thankful to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

**𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘** 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒍𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒂 𝑲𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒐𝒏 (𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 & 𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒔 𝑫𝒖𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚 #1)

Release Date: March 11, 2025

4.5⭐️3🌶

Revna is the only Princess to her four Prince brothers. All of whom, are "God's Blessed" with magical powers of different sorts. She was born "God Forsaken" and her mother and father would never let her forget it. At the earliest possible opportunity, her father arranged a marriage to a Prince of a neighboring Kingdom in order to gain a needed alliance to win the war he's waging against the Kryllian army.

The Kryllian army has one significant advantage, The Hellbringer. The Hellbringer was god's blessed with the gift of killing people at the flick of a finger, and Kryllian on the battlefield to its full advantage.

Revna wants to make the world a better and safer placed for all the God's Forsaken; however, she must compete against her God's Blessed brothers in a under of trials and win in order to get the crown for herself.

Themes/Tropes:
🍁Falling for your kidnapper
🍁One bed trope
🍁Masked man
🍁Shadow daddy
🍁Lost Princess
🍁Unrealized potential
🍁Evil King
🍁Kidnapped Princess
🍁Priests using their power for Evil

TW:
✨Family disownment
✨Verbal abuse
✨War/battle scenes
✨Training sequences

3.25 stars rounded up.

There are spoilers below, so reader beware. :)

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The enemies-to-lovers-to-whatever they are now was done pretty well. A lot of the storyline was compelling, and Revna's arc was an interesting one. There is a lot to really like about this book.

Also, the last 25% of the book is an absolute rollercoaster, and was by far my favorite part of the book. It was devastating and heartbreaking and satisfying all at the same time. Seeing Revna be a total bada** was awesome.

My primary issues with the book stem from what felt like a drawn out training montage as well as unfulfilled promises. When reading the blurb for the book, it felt like the blood trials were going to be much more involved throughout the plot than they actually were. So when Revna doesn't even get accepted into the trials until 40% of the way into the book, then the trials don't happen until 90% of the way in, I felt a little misled, though it was still very enjoyable.

I wish I'd known going in (and this might totally be on me) that the blood trials were less like the Hunger Games and more like a sparring match (with more death). One is extensive, with multiple days and multiple opportunities for victory, while the other is just a matter of who can overpower whom at the right moment. If I'd had better set expectations, I think I would have enjoyed the beginning more.

All of that being said, this was a great debut from Alexandra, and I look forward to seeing what else she can do. Her writing is strong, her prose is good, and she made me feel things for the characters and the stories that she created, all of which lead me to believe she's got a good long career ahead of her.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5/5
This book was way too long. That middle 30–40%? Just the same stuff over and over. The fantasy parts were super interesting and had me hooked, and it actually hit a bunch of my favorite tropes. But the romance? Yeah… not doing it for me. I’m usually pretty easy to please with romance but this one didn’t feel believable at all. Still, the ending had me hype so I’ll definitely be reading the next one.

😮‍💨
Thanks NetGalley for the arc

This book starts off well. It does stall a bit in the middle, but it quickly picked back up. The ending was very satisfying and leaves the reader waiting for the next book.

Blood Beneath the Snow is the debut Romantasy novel by Alexandra Kennington. If you’re in your Fantasy Era this year (2025), you’ll definitely want to read this book. The synopsis caught my attention and compelled me to dive in. Just a fair warning: the story ends on a cliffhanger, and I'm uncertain when the second book will be released.

Blood Beneath the Snow follows the main character, Revna, who is considered godforsaken, meaning she is the only person in her kingdom without powers. Her family treats her poorly, with the exception of two of her brothers, because they view her as weak. Her father even prefers to send her away rather than keep her around, and in this book, he tries to arrange a marriage for her. However, Revna has other plans. Tired of being mistreated for her lack of powers, she refuses to marry. Instead, she decides to compete in trials against her brothers with the aim of winning the crown, which she knows she has no chance of winning.

Revna is kidnapped by the Hellbringer, the enemy of her family, just before the trials. He has his own reasons for taking her; he wants to train her to compete in the trials, hoping to improve her chances of winning. However, as she spends more time with the Hellbringer, she finds herself increasingly intrigued by him despite the fact that he is her enemy.

Blood Beneath the Snow had me hooked from the very beginning, largely due to Revna's character as a rebellious princess who is determined to defy her family. I appreciated the strength she displayed; even though she doubted herself, I knew deep down she had a real chance of winning the trials—especially after working with the Hellbringer, who turned out to be an intriguing character. Like Revna, I was eager to discover his true identity despite his questionable actions throughout the book.

The book primarily focuses on Revna's concern for her friend, who her father has imprisoned, as well as her training with Hellbringer, rather than on the actual trials themselves. However, this didn't deter me from reading; I was eager to find out whether Revna would triumph against her brothers. The challenges that Revna faced before the trials were incredibly difficult for her. Now, as far as romance, there was some, but it's not the focal point of the story. I have a feeling there will be more in the second book.

Overall, a great start to the Blood & Souls Duology, and I can't wait to read the next book, especially with how Alexandra Kennington left the story toward the end.

What to Expect:
♥️Romantasy
♥️Slow Burn
♥️Enemies to Lovers
♥️Captor/Captive Romance
♥️Forbidden Romance
♥️Forced Proximity
♥️Morally Grey MMC

3.25 stars - The concept of this book was so interesting but sadly ended up falling a bit flat overall. The initial set up was unnecessarily confusing and a lot of the major plot points were drawn out which made the pacing feel off. I really liked the concept of all the different powers and I'm always down when the main character is trying to overthrow a corrupt government/religious order, but Revna was so whiny it was difficult to root for her. Additionally, while I assume we'd get answers to any unanswered questions in book 2, the ending of the book frustrated me so much I don't know if I'd want to read the next one which just made the unanswered questions all the more annoying.

Thank you to the publisher for the free book - all opinions are my own.

This book was fine but it honestly wasn't anything special for me. 2.5 stars

On paper this book looks like everything I would normally enjoy, but I just struggled with this one. I received a digital ARC through NetGalley, but I did buy a physical and audiobook copy of this book in an attempt to power through.

The characters were all a little flat. Revna is the main character who is doing everything for her friends that are supposedly more like her family than her family, but the reader never really gets to see that, we only hear from Revna that she feels that way. There is also a love story that didn't work for me. I didn't feel the chemistry and the romance felt somewhat forced.

The plot, while exciting, was a little all over the place and didn't flow very well. The pacing was off and there were times were I was bored for chapters because nothing was happening, but then times where I had to reread a page cause things happened so fast.

It wasn't bad, but it was also somewhat forgettable. I probably won't continue with the next book in this series mainly because I probably won't remember much about this book when the next one does come out.

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 😉