I absolutely loved this book! Did I think I would love a monster romance? No. But I absolutely ate this one up.
So refreshing to have an fmc not in her early 20s and who was so witty and sarcastic. Loved the world building, would have wanted a bit more depth for the side characters.
Can’t wait for the next and can’t wait for my order to arrive!

Will we all now be obsesses? YES! Here we go, another romantasy. However this one should go to the top of everyone’s reading lists.

Voidwalker is an imaginative, evocative enemies-to-lovers (not to mention spicy) romantasy that immerses you in a wild world domain of interlinked reality dimensions based on seasons, ruled over by a carnivorous race of immortals with a taste for consuming human sacrifices in exchange for their benevolent rule. S.A. Maclean continues to show how superbly exquisite her writing is to create the imaginative, immersive plot featuring heists, back-stabbing treachery, and truly dastardly villains. The writing will keep you on the edge of your seat with its juicy twists, snarky-witty humour, and fast-paced action. The world-building blends a pinch of science fiction and a splash of steam-punk ambiance that is swirled into a dark, decadent fantasy base that gave me chills for its originality and innovative lore.

I absolutely loved the diverse, bad-ass, messy, dangerous cast of morally grey characters. I’m bewitched by the bad-ass, 32-year-old, protagonist Fionamara (Fi) who is a formidable force of rainbow coloured hair, powerful tenacity and sharp, sarcastic wit that she wields as her shield to survive each day with her insecurities, haunted by trauma of being sacrificed by those who should have protected her and her fear that led her to betray the person she loved most in the past. Antal is an enchanting complex character who is an intelligent immortal enemy and deadly predator with sharp teeth, antlers, and tail, who covers up his softer, lonely side with threats. He’s desperately in need of lots of hugs and love.

An unputdownable read that I advise preparing snacks ahead of diving in to read, as you won’t be able to tear your eyes away once you start. Thank you, S. A. Maclean and Gollancz for approving my request for an digital ARC of Voidwalker. This book knocked my socks off and I loved every moment of it!

4.5 stars
Voidwalker is a truly addictive, spicy, and fiesty romance that I found myself flying through! I loved MacLean's debut novel, The Phoenix Keeper, and knew I was going to love this one despite how different the two books are! MacLean creates fantastic characters and magical worlds that just have you hooked.

I really loved our main characters, Fi and Antal, and their chemistry and banter were brilliant. Fi is a protagonist that you can't help but root for. She's fierce, stubborn, and at times reckless, but her heart is in the right place, and I really enjoyed watching her grow as a character and heal from her past. Antal is a dark and incredibly reserved character at the beginning, so it was nice to see what lies beneath and how much he actually cares, and it was so endearing to see! The romance between the two was done so well, with realistic flirting and tension that had you just eagerly turning the page, wanting more.

The world-building and magic system in this one are quite interesting, and I loved learning more about the world MacLean created. I'm really intrigued to see how it develops in the next book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

The cover of this book looks really cool, and it's one of the highlights for me. I'm always attracted to strong covers; this one did the job.

Unfortunately, I ended up DNF'ing this because I just wasn't vibing with the world-building. It kind of surprised me, as I enjoy epic fantasy and space opera, but I was just crawling through the mud trying to understand what was going on here. There are multiple dimensions, and we're able to hop between them, alongside human-eating creatures who are feared by all and who are the ultimate authority.

The premise is solid, and I was excited to read it, but I just couldn't get into it. Many people did love this, and it got picked up for a subscription box, so it will be out in a lot of people's hands. Maybe you'll enjoy it more than me, and I hope it finds its way to the right audience!

Not quite the monster romance that was advertised but still a solid fantasy with unique characters and a rich world.

Yes. I will be devoured, please and thank you!

I loved this. I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like it and reading my way through such an original world was joy.

Antal (Antlers) was such an amazing character. I love a pathetic, wet cat MMC, and honestly every time he climbed into the rafters I just loved it! I loved seeing the change in him as we progressed through the book, and seeing him fall so hard for Fi was actually adorable, if you can call a carnivorous monster adorable!

Fi was also an amazing character, she was just so incredibly badass and her confidence, even when she didn’t know what to do, was astronomical! I also kind love that she has a thing for horns, because seeing her be just as feral as him was just perfection.

I really enjoyed the plot and finding out more about the Daeyari and their culture and traditions was really fascinating, as well as learning what death can do to them. There were so many breadcrumbs dropped along the way in here, because what dislikes anything with horns? What comes now? I was actually shocked by what happened towards the end, how could you do that to that character? I am so eagerly awaiting the next book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I loved The Phoenix Keeper so was expecting more cosy fantasy... boy was I wrong! But as a fan of the Maas-verse and romantasy in general, MacLean still had me hooked. The character development in this was great and that made the romantic plot all the more believable. I also appreciated that the secondary characters were pretty well-rounded too. And MacLean did well at developing a fairly original fantasy world, with a good amount of world-building for a first installment. Can't wait for the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

No but this book had no right to be this good?? I really thought I was walking into another romantasy that had some extra layers of bite to it. What I didn’t expect was to cry reading it?? Voidwalker is like a sci-fi colliding with a fantasy, while it's scorched by a romance plot that is both touching and full of sparks. Fi is a brilliant FMC, full of bravado. It just takes a literal monster to peel back some of the layers and allow her to be vulnerable. In Antal we have a complex immortal MMC who needed to be shown how to embrace his softer side. Brilliant read, highly original world, loved it!

Content warnings: graphic violence, explicit sexual scenes, blood and gore. Check extended warnings before reading.

Voidwalker is a welcome addition to this genre. It’s a long but easy read and I enjoyed it. Not quite high fantasy, but also not too young in its scope, it’s definitely got plenty going for it. Recommended.

It took me a long time to get into this book - more than 30% - because I really struggled with the worldbuilding. Some of it, including the lightsabers, the snarky tone and language in things like the chapter titles, is very modern, while other elements seem more medieval/fantastical. The main character, with her rainbow hair and OTT girl boss personality, was a real turn off for me too. But I persevered, largely because I’m starved for bi M/F rep, and I did end up enjoying the romance a fair bit, though I never quite clicked with the overarching plot or Fionamara’s snark. Three and a half stars, rounded up.

“And there came that treacherous whisper again: would it be so bad to be devoured?”

It’s been a long time since a book has swept me away so completely and held me in its clutches from beginning to end. This book is ADDICTIVE and one of the best and most refreshing new releases I’ve enjoyed all year!

The world-building is gorgeous and truly transports you to another dimension. Beautifully written, evocative descriptions of the world are contrasted so well with the brazenness of Fi, our sharp-tongued 32 y.o. FMC (who I challenge you not to fall completely in love with). The characters are incredibly well-written and layered (seriously, these characters have BAGGAGE!!!) Antal - our temperamental house cat of a monster with ANTLERS - is the most PATHETIC yearning gorgeous beast of a ‘man’ I’ve ever read, and we need more pathetic men in fiction!! I’m obsessed with the way the author takes familiar tropes and subverts them.

The romance in this book is some of the best I’ve ever read. Not only is the bi rep amazing, but the way the romance develops feels so authentic and NOTHING is hurried or out-of-pocket. If you like stories about broken people finding each other, Voidwalker is YOUR GUY!!! Whilst this is marketed as a romantasy, the romance does not completely dominate the plot and nothing is compromised for the sake of intimate moments. I believed in the romance between these characters and was actively rooting for them, and every interaction was charged with so much tension! Outside of the romance, the plot was perfectly paced and packed with revelations which felt earned.

This book made me laugh, cry, and giddily squeal like a crazy person! It comes out NEXT MONTH and I will be pestering everyone to read it! I didn’t just devour this book, it devoured me!!! Thank-you endlessly to Gollancz and Netgalley for sending me this ARC/e-ARC, which ended up being one of my favourite reads of the year <3

My first monster Romantsy and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I don’t think this is a theme/ trope I will pick up often, however I found the world building easy to follow, lots of political intrigue and the slow burn was definitely satisfying. This book wasn’t really for me, nevertheless it was a good read and I can imagine for fans of this genre it will be a hit

DNF at 30%. I loved The Phoenix Keeper and was excited for this one. I really struggled to get into it and it wasn’t for me. There isn’t a negative aspect about this book. I think so many people will love it and I can see why readers would, it’s just not for me sadly. I will happily still read from this author again as I love their writing.

What a breath of fresh air!

I can’t emphasis enough how much I adored this book. This is what ACOTAR wishes it was!

The magic system was so unique, albeit a bit complicated and needed more explanation.

And the romance was impeccable and made me blush and smile. It’s not often I come across spicy scenes in romantasy that aren’t cringe and written well.

The characters are authentic and have different, but great, personalities. The banter between the two MCs was so fun! It was also refreshing to read a romantasy with characters in their thirties! And the queer representation was seamless!

As much as I adored the entire book, there was a lot of repetition (ozone, eye descriptions, etc.).

I cannot recommend this enough to romantasy lovers! Daeyari are the new Fae!

Thank you to netgalley, Gollancz, and S. A. MacLean for the chance to read this book early.

I haven't read anything by S. A. MacLean before, and I have to say I am in love with her writing and world-building.

I loved the magic and technology system, the different planes and the way they travel in between them.

I really appreciated the character dynamics and how they grew as the book/plot progressed.

I can not wait to see what comes next for Fi and Antal. And will also be reading Phoenix Keeper (S. A. MacLean's debut) very soon.

Have I forgiven S. A. MacLean for chapter 39 yet? I don't think so!

This was a really enjoyable funny read, but I was also sobbing at 2am. Gotta love a book that can do both!

Defo a must for everyone's TBR, August can't come fast enough so I can have a pretty trophy to add to my collection

Whilst there was a solid storyline I found it to be a bit young in its reading. The character is confident, independent abd powerful yet with that power she uses it in ways that are yes interesting but it just had the scope to be bigger and I found it to be a little predictable abd lackluster unfortunately. But still a solid read.

I did not have ‘loving a human eating carnivore’ on my 2025 bingo card but here we are. I am WEAK for Antal. Fi making jokes about him eating her will never not be funny.

This book had forgiveness at its core and it was a message delivered so, so well. The banter between the MCs is exquisite. Fi is such a relatable FMC and she’s firmly up there with my favourites.

I absolutely loved this book! It hooked me in right at the start with such an interesting story and also the fantastic characters the author created. I laughed, I cried and had a bloody good time reading this story. Get this on your TBR for the August release!

The world building in this book is so good. I loved the magic system / technology system in the story. It's different and fresh and added such a unique dynamic to the book. I loved the whole idea of the void and curtains used to travel to different territories.

The FMC in this book might just be one of my favourites. She's a survivor, a grafter and she is hilarious! She's witty, she's funny and the banter between her and the MMC is great. Fi's inner monologue had me giggling away. Especially when she's trying her hardest not to be attracted to Antal.

Antal is a great MMC. He doesn't try to hold her back and he matches her banter blow for blow. They are great together. He enjoys her being wild and challenging him because ultimately he wants to be better. He is incredibly likeable!

The different territories are ruled by different Daeyari rulers. Daeyari are scary and otherworldly and they demand a human sacrifice from their territories each year. After Fi is hilariously caught up in a coup in Antal's territory the pair are forced to pair up in order for him to try and claim back what is his, despite being against the Daeyari and their demands of flesh.

The romance plot in this book is so well done and the spice scenes are well written. There are also elements of sapphic romance in the story. There's fantastic side characters especially in the residents of Nyskya.

The way this book is written keeps you fully invested. I really enjoyed the children's rhymes and fables interspersed between chapters. It adds to the mystery and terror that the Daeyari instill in all the territories.

"So let this be a lesson, a fate to avoid. Futile to fight the beasts born of the void."

The ending is such that this could be a standalone and also there's plenty of material for there to be more books in this series. I seriously hope there is!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for the arc. This is my honest review of the book.

“The middle argument with a carnivore: not the ideal time for discovering kinks”

Where do I start? I don’t like having expectations before reading a book because I’m too often disappointed, but Void knows how it wasn’t the case here. Voidwalker delivered, point after point. (And, I’m sorry, my review will be so so messy because even after a month I remain mind-blowed)
From the beginning, I felt at a cross between Snowpiercer and His Dark Materials, my feet crackling in the snow, my eyes lost in the Auroras, my whole being tense because of the fears coming from the Daeyari. The writing is so immersive, the action so well mastered. Honestly, it has been (very) difficult to make this story last (a bit) and not inhale it in only one bit. The pace never let me down, and the story gave me all the possible feelings. I laughed (this book has the best chapter titles ever), follwed the cues, winced, shivered (in many ways), caught my breath (these action scenes!), yelled, cursed (and learnt to do it in another language), cried when my heart was full –or crushed.

Both Fi and Antlers –sorry, Antal… but team Antlers anyway– are amazing (so are side characters, Astrid especially), hot as he*l, with ARCs that answer each other like a mirror. From “nothing here is my fault” (right, Fi?), passing by “I carry the whole world on my shoulders” to “lets try to do the right thing”, they grew, a lot. They fought a lot, too. Between each other, against the rest of the world, against their fears and prejudices, against the established order. Voidwalker questions the most primal fear, the monster hidden in the dark, the bogeyman ready to eat you. What if you decide to confront him? But what if you dive into even more primal urges? What is the danger? The consequences? What if the predator becomes the prey? What if the dynamics change all the time? The fact that the world has its own cautious tales tells so much about it.
But the characters fight iin their own way. Fi does it with her energy sword and her (t)horny aura, Antal with the best irritated wet cat energy I’ve ever read. Like I TRULY pictured that while reading (I won’t ever see rafters the same way again).
I loved that the romance had such an important part in this, from fearful fascination to alchemy then vulnerability –and scorching hot spice. They turn around each other like starving big cats, then jump at each other, teeth and claws on display… If I’m being honest, I might have developed a bite and an antler k!nk. Sorry, not sorry, because this book was an absolute bi-panic (or more like a treat…)

It wouldn’t be a review from me if I didn’t mention the bestiary. The f*cking amazing bestiary. I loved the one in TPK, of course. But this one is something else. First, Aisinay has my full heart. The creatures are part of a whole ecosystem (that has such an importance in the plot), and have a major role to immerse us into the world adding depth to the world building and many visual elements.
Because everything in this book is cinematographic, thanks to the detailed world-building, and the way everything is written helps a lot.
As I said, the WB is a masterpiece: climates, architecture, cautious tales, spirituality, bestiary, ecosystems, energy, politics… Everything is perfect but sprinkled all along, so it’s not overwhelming at all. I almost started a drinking game for each time I said “oh… clever!” about the author’s choices. What she did about energy especially, all the interdependences, and the consequences of progress (where is the balance? what do you have to give up if you give in progress?) were the other questions that haunted me through my reading, beyond the very entertaining story (also, I wish I had “universal” energy capsules instead of body fat to mobilize my ATP… just saying). I can’t tell more here without spoilers, but that was one of my (many) favorite parts of the story. You can see some real world science dancing in that WB, but also some “fictional science” and that’s just jubilatory (and something that was in TPK already).


I said before I would read anything S.A. MacLean would write. That’s more than ever true. This is –by far– my favorite read of the year so far, and one of my favorite books ever. I can’t wait to have a hard copy (my precious!) for a new (new, new) read, and also to put my eyes (my hands, my soul) on book 2 –no matter how satisfying was this one.
In one world, BRILLIANT (and, despite its almost 600 pages, too short).

Many many thanks to S.A. MacLean and Gollancz for the eARC sent via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.