Kindred: The Shadows of Night is an exciting introduction for what’s to come from Ellen Fisher’s Kindred series.

Hart is of the Antler Kindred and Katrina is of the Claw Kindred; apparently the Fang Kindred is out to destroy them both. Hart finds Katrina close to death and instead of leaving her there to die, he decides to save her. Katrina wishes he had left her to die, because now she will be shamed in the eyes of her people. When one of the Claw Kindred is hurt, they are to heal without interference. Not only has Hart shamed her, but now his father is holding her captive for leverage against the Claw Kindred and Hart has been named her keeper. Hart is not pleased with the recent turn of events, but he doesn’t dare go against his father.

Everything about Hart and Katrina has them on opposing sides. He’s a leaf-eater, she eats meat. His people detest violence of any kind; hers do what is necessary to survive. The Antlers live in a more civilized society and the Claws live in packs, close to nature. Hart and Katrina couldn’t be more different, but the one thing they have in common is a growing passion between them. Will Hart and Katrina give in to what they feel for each other and will they be able to bring together their two families in order to fight the looming threat against them?

Ellen Fisher shines in this fast-paced, rousing story. For all intents and purposes, Hart and Katrina hate each other. It’s interesting to read how they learn about each other and how wrong each side is about the other. Their misconceptions could allow them to stay enemies, but they are strong enough to admit they could be wrong. The banter between Hart and Katrina at times is laugh-out-loud funny. The secondary characters add depth and enjoyment to the story as well. One of the reasons Kindred: The Shadows of Night is so great is because it shows how three different species have co-existed and what happens when that balance is changed. I really liked this book and, as always, Ellen Fisher is a joy to read.

Reviewed by: Jaymi