Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

Where Shadows Fall by Natalie J. Case is the third book in the Shades and Shadows series. Mason is dead. Alaric doesn't know how to be the leader his people need when all he can think about is getting his revenge against those responsible for the death of the man he loves. The Shades are under attack and people keep dying. The 8th Battalion has a horrendous plan in store for them, one they won't see coming. A plan that Alaric will do whatever he can to stop. To do so he'll have to unite Shadows, Shades, Shifters, and Sages. He breaks from his role as leader to enact a dangerous plan of his own, one that takes him straight into the middle of the 8th Battalion.

Natalie Case brings back the amazing characters from the Shades and Shadows series for an ultimate fight. Where Shadows Fall picks up after the events of In Gathering Shade as Alaric's people are hit by his grief over the loss of Mason. Alaric has to navigate his pain with his role as leader. His journey is a mix of grief and revenge as he's faced with being the leader his people need and taking the opportunity to avenge Mason. The emotional fall out after the end of In Gathering Shade sets up the tone along with a darker place for Alaric.

Case continues the series with another strong installment that deals with the consequences of the shocking and heartbreaking twists with even more surprises along the way. Several perspectives are explored through various dynamics and relationships, with all of the characters brought together in the ultimate plot to fight back. Sahara and Bryan's dynamic is explored more in depth as they face their differences, and support each other in their search for Alaric. Their scenes are full of chemistry and slowly progress through those differences. Several of the characters are dealing with trauma from their pasts and the present horror seen in society. Case uses these struggles to make the characters stronger as they fight back against the 8th Battalion. Case crafts an epic and satisfying installment that carries on the darker tone of the series with a lighter feeling and an end that finds hope for a better future. Where Shadows Fall has plenty of darker moments which include war, death, and torture with an honest portrayal of trauma and grief blended into a blunt commentary on social issues and the state of society through the guise of supernatural beings.