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.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 5 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

“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.

I didn’t know whether I would like this book as I had never read any monster
romantasy before and so was a little nervous, but I needn’t have worried as it was a
great read.
The main female character is Fi and first up she is in her 30’s which I absolutely loved,
so many romantasy leads are in their teens or early 20’s so this was a refreshing
change. Fi is spunky and sarcastic and not particularly sensible, she uses bravado as
a defence mechanism but ultimately wants to help people. She is carrying so much
trauma and guilt from her past and that is stopping her from really living and letting
people in. She is a great lead character with a fresh and funny voice.
Antal is written so well and has so many layers, the fact his tail or antlers weren’t an
issue for me was a huge surprise, as I had never read a character like him before. But I
loved him and loved the dynamic between him and Fi and how their interactions
developed.
I would have liked to see more from the side characters as they didn’t really feature a
whole lot until later in the book, and for me I generally like a book to have more focus
than just the two main characters, so I found myself searching for more interactions
with those side characters. And I adored the Void Horse and became attached to
them very fast.
The antagonists are fantastically portrayed and written with such variety and depth it
was really refreshing.
This book was such a fun adventure with great banter and a group of interesting and
varied characters and a truly unique world and magic system.

Fionamara is a smuggler caught up in a plot that she has no business being involved in. And when the newly deposed human-eating monster seeks her help to get back what she was mostly responsible for him losing, she finds herself embroiled in even more fraught circumstances than she could possibly have imagined.

Voidwalker has exquisite world building and is brilliantly written. The characters were captivating and I was a rollercoaster of emotions. A really brilliantly crafted fantasy!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I wanted to love this book but it just really wasn't for me. I can't think of anything specifically wrong with the book, so while it's not for me I think this is something a lot of readers will really enjoy so let's talk about the positives;

•The FMC- I really like Fi! She is such a unique character and I love the bisexual representation in both her and other characters. She has very interesting relationships with the other characters, she is both soft and strong, and her job is pretty awesome.

•The writing style- I can't find any faults with this, everything flows great, it's in third person which I love, and the dialogue was not repetitive or annoying.

When it comes to the world building I wasn't really a fan. It just felt like something was missing and I think that had an impact on me not connecting with the actual plot of this book.

If you're looking for something more character focused, this enemies to lovers monster romance will be a great read for you.

I do not understand why the people in this world are so upset by the demons eating them because id 10000% let Antal have a taste.

Demon smut WITH a good and strong political plot - yes please.

While it did take a while to get into the world building I thoroughly enjoyed it! It took me 30% of the book to understand the concept and then it just started flowing. I also didn’t feel let down by the ending which is always nice.

I absolutely loved this authors debut book The Pheonix Keeper and when I saw she was writing a darker and spicier book with more bite I knew I needed it!

It is VERY different from her first book but keeps so many of the elements I loved somehow. This is a book at its heart is the characters learning to heal from their past and the guilt they feel over what happened.

Fi is a women in her 30s!!! (Which is already a bonus point for me) who had carefully crafted her badass smuggler persona to cover some deep hurts and Antal is just an oversized disgruntled cat who happens to be a very powerful immortal who eats humans.

I was initially a little intimidated by how long this book was but honestly I could not put it down and absolutely flew through it.

I am nervous for what the author is going to put the characters through in book 2 but I appreciate that it doesn't end on a massive cliffhanger because waiting for the next book is already going to be painful.

I laughed, I cried, I kicked my little feet!

The Cruel Prince meets Grace Draven's Radiance in a world like Final Fantasy in a perfect mix of action, slow-burn romance and spice. Absolutely phenomenal, potentially the best read of 2025 so far. Straight to my favorities list (even though I keep them very limited and competitive).

I rarely request books over 500 pages in length, but I've made exception for this one because I saw it promoted on Instagram in some bi4bi romantasy book raffle. And I'm a huuuuge fan of "queer MF", give me your bi, pan, omni, ace, demi, genderqueer etc. protagonists. And while some of the "bi romantasy" I've read only had 1 of the leads specified as bi, while the other one's sexuality was never discussed, this one confirms the bi status for both leads.

The opening sequence was action-packed and I was waiting with bated breath for the usual "30% romantasy drop off" where the act 1 starts very plotty and hooky but then devolves into no plot just vibes and banter - this never happened here. The strong fantasy plot thoroughline keeps the tension and pacing together all the way to the very end. While there are breather moments to focus on the romance or found family or interpersonal conflict, the high stakes overarching plot and looming danger is never truly forgotten and often repops in the most unexpected moments.

The romance doesn't start immediately, it takes some time for the leads to meet, and it starts in if not enemies-to-lovers scenario at least in a heavy mistrust and suspicion. Humans and Daeyari are if not enemies, then having a strained relationship where lots of Daeyari treat humans only as prey, food or slaves. Both of the leads have already experienced the complex and painful history of both races together. Daeyari are immortal or at least very long-lived and Antal is considered young among his kind, but he's 250 years old. Meanwhile Fiona is 32, departing from the common stereotype of romantasy heroines being in their late teens or early 20s. And yes, she has rainbow hair, like on the cover. Did I mention this cover is truly stunning?

As the story starts with Fiona being roped into a failed heist turned terrorist attack, we think situation can't get any worse - but of course it does. The conspirators wanted to oust Antal, the Daeyari leader of the region, and one would think off with the oppressors if his place wasn't immediately taken by another Daeyari, one 10 times worse than him. So Fiona has no choice but lesser evil - help Antal take his region back while hoping to convince him to treat humans as more than food.

I'm a complete sucker for enemies to lovers or enemies to allies where both sides are getting their butts kicked by the plot / villains and have to begrudgingly unite over a common goal. Gotta love an underdog hero x2. So I was immediately sold. The banter was also top notch. The dynamics of both leads being outwards badasses, secret softies inside was insanely cute and I loved how Fiona was never a damsel or just a human object of adoration of her immortal lover, but she held her ground and was an equally important hero and partner in the plot.

I also loved that this book avoided another common romantasy pitfall - there's no insta-lust and there's no "I only want to be with him cuz he's hot". It's very slow-burn. The whole book is from Fiona's perspective and when she meets Antal first, she assesses him like a warrior assesses an enemy or a veteran assesses the risks / dangers. It takes her time to warm up to him and only when she sees he's not a cruel monster, she starts developing attraction. It took her over 200 pages to develop attraction and likely another 100 on top of it to turn that attraction into action. Once the slow-burn starts burning it's very sizzling, but all it of feels very earned. There are 3-4 explicit scenes that were higher spice level than my typical fantasy read but very in-line with typical romance. If you're scared the spice was "too monstrous", nope, it's not. It was all very tastefully done.

The worldbuilding is complex and unique, a science-fantasy / magic-punk where everything is fueled by special kind of magical energy and the world is made of floating planes and shards in the void, and travelling between them is a highly coveted skill and an important plot point. A bit Final Fantasy, a bit Planescape: Torment, a bit steampunk / Arcane, overall it's a breath of fresh air on the fantasy market. There are even lightsabers, sorry, energy blades.

The side cast was fleshed out and the overarching theme of guilt and regret over mistakes of the past was strongly woven through multiple characters' arcs.

I reckon this is a 1st in a series, but worry not, it can perfectly stand alone, the plot wraps up in a very satisfactory manner. Looking forward what the author writes next!

TW: Humans being eaten. Is it cannibalism if they're eaten by fantasy creatures rather than other humans? Not sure. It's plot-important, but if that's a hard nope for you, be warned. Also typical adult fantasy levels of violence and gore, and explicit open door spicy scenes.

Recommended for: Readers who want a strong mix of fantasy and romance in their romantasy, and who want to see a "fantasy race" that's more alien than just "pointy-eared humans". People who always thought Cardan's tail was cute.

Thank you Netgalley & Gollancz / Orion Publishing Group for the ARC!

Oh this was great, it had me drawn in from the first chapter.

FMC is a smuggler, who inadvertently smuggles a bomb into MMC (the ‘monster’ ruler) building. He then enlists her help to find out who was trying to overthrow him.

The magic system was great - I really liked the concept of the curtains. And the use of technology with the energy capsules was a nice addition that worked well (it made me think of Arcane a bit tbh). The world building was well done - it wasn’t dense, or overwhelming at any points, it was well paced and spread out as needed.

FMC and MMC relationship is brilliant, I loved how it developed. They’re enemies when they meet (as in, she’s a human sacrifice he’s supposed to eat), and the progression to lovers and the time it took felt appropriate and well-fleshed out. Their banter is top notch as well.

It’s well-written; funny without being cringe. There’s mention of a past FF and MM relationship, and the queer representation/aspect didn’t feel shoehorned in. Spice levels were good and not boring/repetitive.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC

5⭐️ 🌶️3

Fionamara, a skilled smuggler, utilises her unique abilities to navigate the hidden portals between dimensions, transporting contraband between worlds. However, a botched mission leads to a coup against the reigning immortal of her territory, putting Fi’s home in the crossfire. In a world where humans are sustenance for the Daeyari, the monstrous overloads wield immense power, exchanging sacrifices for feudal protection and essential resources. Despite the odds stacked against her, Fi finds her needs align with Antal, the overthrown Daeyari overlord, and they forge an unlikely partnership to reclaim what was taken. But as their plans gain momentum, surrendering to her intensifying feelings for Antal might prove to be her most dangerous undertaking yet…

Thanks so much to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

If I could give this more than 5 stars, I honestly would! I’ve read some really great books recently - I’m on a really good reading streak - but this was something else!

It’s a wild and romantic monster romantasy with detailed magic systems and a rich lore. The world-building is brilliant! It’s imaginative, evocative, and immerses you right from the beginning. It has an array of awesome characters and an exciting plot that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end!

Fi may be one of my all-time favourite FMCs. She’s witty, tough, and independent, but she also acknowledges and embraces her vulnerabilities (She’s also 32 years old - YES for a FMC in a fantasy book over the age of 30!). I absolutely loved her, and loved Maclean’s style of writing her point of view. Antel is also not your typical dark and tortured alpha type MMC either; he’s a lot more complex and interesting. If anything, Fi is the more formidable and demanding one in many respects, and I love how their relationship evolves!

I got about 70% through the book before I panicked that it was a standalone and I was almost done. But worry not, it’s the beginning of a duology! I’m just not happy with how long I’ll have to wait for the next one now that I’ve finished book one so quickly!