Title: Eternal Huntress: Shadows of Otherside #5
Author: Whitney Hill
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Benu Media
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781737631101

 

 

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Summary: The gods are ready to ride.

As Arden Finch races to fulfill the prophecy that will enable her to stop the Wild Hunt, a new clue leads her down a desperate path. Her search for answers takes her somewhere no mortal should go: the gods’ plane, where more than one danger awaits.

With treacherous gods on one side and rioting mundanes on the other, there’s plenty to deal with already. But old enemies and new have plans that will test the fragile alliance, and this time it’s not just Arden in their sights. It’s Troy and the Wild Hunt too.

With her options narrowing by the day and time running out, Arden must make the ultimate choice about what she’s willing to do to save the world.

Content Warnings : murder, blood, gore, and sexual content.

My Review

Narrative style: First Person | Perspective(s): Single |

Tags: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, BIPOC

First Impressions

I could not wait to get my hands on the last installment of The Shadows of Otherside series. I pre-ordered as soon as it was available and devoured the pages in less than two days. This book started off strong and kept right on going, hit after hit after hit and it did not disappoint. 

And since we all know I’m a sucker for good covers, this one was gorgeous. Arden looks like a powerhouse, a badass woman who isn’t gonna take shit from ANYONE. Those gods better watch out, because Arden is ready to take them on. 

What I Loved About Eternal Huntress

There is so much to love about this final book, from the development of the character arcs (especially compared to book one), the love story (more on that later!), to the action and fighting and Arden finally getting their well-deserved happy ending. I had a major book hangover at the end because of just how much I loved it. 

First up, character arcs. Talk about beautifully done! Arden’s growth from Elemental to now was such a joy to read. She’s come into her power and her position in Otherside. She’s learned to trust and rely on other people, which after the abuse she endured from Callista is a feat in itself. Then we have Troy, you know the elf that tried to murder Arden in Elemental? Yeah that one. Holy crap. If you want the definition of someone willing to put in the work to grow and change, look no further. Troy breaks old habits, cuts ties with his toxic family, earns forgiveness (and eventually love) from Arden. I absolutely loved how the two of them grew both separately and together throughout the series. 

This series had probably the best enemies to lovers slow burn I’ve ever read. They deserve their happy ending and then some. They learned to trust and love each other, even though they’ve both been so hurt and betrayed. They listened to each other, helped each other work through problems, took care of each other. In all honesty, god damn look at this healthy relationship. I love seeing those in writing. 

Okay I’ll stop waxing about Arden and Troy (Ardoy?) for a moment because the action WAS WILD. We have the gods forcing their way onto the plane, forcing Arden onto theirs, Callista coming back in for a moment, and of course the battle royale between Otherside and the gods. What. A. Show. That finale was intense but Arden and her allies stood strong and did what needed done. In the end, they turned out victorious, but it was a close call. 

So of course we had all of that up there, but we also had political intrigue, some backstabbing and espionage, more Mundanes butting in where they shouldn’t (because of course!). I could not have fathomed this ending when I first started this series. There are so many twists and turns throughout the books that you are constantly guessing.

 

Is Worthy Of Bookish Valhalla?

This is one hundred percent worthy of Bookish Valhalla. I recommend the series to almost everyone I talk to and cannot wait to introduce my niece to Arden when she’s a bit older. If you like fantasy, badass strong women, the slowest of slow burns and a cataclysmic apocalypse, then this is for you. I cannot rave about this enough, Whitney has crafted a masterpiece and I cannot wait to read more of their work.