The Shadows of Otherside by Whitney Hill

As some of you may—or may not—know, some of my freelance gigs are as a beta reader and editor, mainly for fiction. I have had the honor of reading many fantastic, lesser-known indie authors as a result of this gig. Today, I want to bring to you one of these authors and the series that I had the pleasure of beta reading: Whitney Hill and her adult urban fantasy series, The Shadows of Otherside.

In The Shadows of Otherside, readers enter a whole new world of vampires, werewolves, and djinn—all hidden within the seemingly ordinary setting of North Carolina. Follow PI and sylph Arden Finch as she struggles to survive in two drastically different worlds: one that doesn’t know that her kind exists (the mundane) and one that wants to see her dead (Otherside). Over the course of ten heart-racing novels, Hill takes readers on a high-stakes adventure filled with mystery, thrills, and supernatural politics.

Out of all the books that I have beta read and edited over the years, Hill’s The Shadows of Otherside is one of a handful that I have consistently looked forward to working on. Hill is a true writer and storyteller with something to say. Her messages of acceptance and working against prejudice are truly relevant to today’s world, and her depictions of people struggling to rise above everyday prejudice ring with painful truth. Sprinkled among these messages are also such worthy themes as self-care and self-acceptance. Most importantly, these themes are not played to death; they are incorporated naturally into the story for the reader to wean out.

One of the best parts of these novels is the well-developed characters. Characters that one would not expect to be three-dimensional, such as vampires and werewolves, have thoroughly developed personalities that are all their own. You might just find yourself falling in love with side characters. More importantly, though, you will fall in love with the main character. Arden Finch is a kick-ass protagonist with true emotions and genuine struggles that the reader will immediately attach to and want to see resolved. Although realistically flawed, she is still lovable and a main character that you will want to root for. Nothing about her journey feels forced or dragged out (which to me is a miracle considering how many books that this series covers) and will have you glued to the page.

In addition to Hill’s well-developed characters, my favorite part of these books has to be the work which she has put into the world-building. She has clearly dedicated hours of attention to the customs and habits of Othersiders, as well as how they interact with the mundane world. I love the fact that Hill includes mythical beings from cultures from all over the world, whether they play a major role in the novels or just make a brief appearance. It brings a universal element to the world-building that I often find lacking in many urban fantasy stories. She has created a world that is not just limited to Arden Finch’s corner of North Carolina; it truly is the entire world in which Arden is living.

I would be remiss if I did not discuss the plot. Often with such long series, the plot gets weak, holes start to appear, or the books just lose the readers’ attention. I did not find any of these flaws with Hill’s series. The plot remained consistent throughout the entire series, maintaining an overarching story line while also allowing each book to have their own complete plot. I never found my attention wandering, and Hill even incorporated enough material from previous books to remind me of what happened in those books without me getting bored reading the recap. Simply put, I could not put these books down.

This series was truly one of my favorite to beta read. It is full of tension, action, drama, and mystery. The characters are well-rounded and represent many corners of life. I don’t know if Whitney Hill plans on writing any more books in this world, but I certainly would be excited if she did.

If you are looking for an adult urban fantasy series with a strong female protagonist that will keep you on the edge of your seat, The Shadows of Otherside by Whitney Hill is for you. To read more about the series and grab yourself a copy of the book, here is a link to Whitney Hill’s website.