A review by tessa_talks_books
Blood Beneath the Snow by Alexandra Kennington

4.5

If you love your fantasy with a side of simmering tension, moral dilemmas, and a world so vividly crafted you can feel the snow and blood in the air, then Blood Beneath the Snow is an absolute must-read. This book delivers an enemies-to-lovers arc that will leave you breathless and a forced proximity setup that turns every interaction into delicious, unbearable tension.

❄️ Revna & The Tension-Filled Romance ❄️

Revna is sharp-witted, guarded, and carrying more emotional scars than she’s willing to unpack. When circumstances force her into uneasy cooperation with a person she has every reason to despise—tension crackles like a live wire. Their dynamic is a masterclass in slow-burning, hate-to-love intensity, where every glance, every argument, and every reluctant moment of trust pulls you deeper into their orbit. The romance is earned, full of complex emotions, and utterly devastating in the best way.

🩸 Blood Family vs. Found Family 🩸

One of the book’s strongest themes is the contrast between the family we’re born into and the one we choose. Revna’s relationship with her blood relatives is tangled and painful, steeped in duty and betrayal. But where the novel truly shines is in its portrayal of found family—the people who stand beside you not because they have to, but because they want to. Watching Revna navigate who deserves her trust, and who she’s willing to fight for, makes the emotional stakes feel raw and real.

🌙 Magic & World-Building 🌙

The magic system here is chillingly unique—rooted in blood, sacrifice, and power that always comes at a cost. It’s not just a tool; it’s a force that shapes the world and the people within it, adding layers of tension to every decision. And the setting? Kennington’s prose makes the snow-covered landscapes feel both hauntingly beautiful and brutally unforgiving. Every scene is rich with atmosphere, from the eerie silence of a frozen battlefield to the crackling warmth of a fire shared between uneasy allies.

🌟 Final Thoughts 🌟

If you love The Shadows Between Us, The Wolf and the Woodsman, or anything that makes you question who you’d trust with your life (and your heart), Blood Beneath the Snow is an absolute must-read.

✨ Enemies-to-lovers? Check.

✨ Forced proximity that makes you scream internally? Check.

✨ A richly built world that lingers in your mind? Double check.