I love that alien/monster romances are having their time in the spotlight and are finally going mainstream. Get it, monster f*ckers.
Voidwalker straddles the line of sci-fi and fantasy to create a story that is completely wacky in a laugh-out-loud way. Our protagonist, Fi, is a sword-wielding badass (with a terrible sense of self preservation), who smuggles goods across worlds using her ability to walk through 'curtains', and who inevitably leaves chaos in her wake. After a job-gone-wrong entangles her in the schemes of a power-hungry immortal daeyari, she is forced to partner up with a not-so-power-hungry immortal daeyari, who has the personality of a grumpy cat. But for all his red eyes, animalistic habits, and nightmarish horns, he's also a certified snack. Together, Fi and Antal have to figure out how to takedown a shared enemy and save their people, while battling the interspecies attraction between them. What could go wrong?

The worldbuilding in Voidwalker was the highlight for me. There is so much that makes it stand out from other fantasy stories: magical tech, seasonal planes of existence, immortal monster overlords - and that's just scratching the surface. Early on, the author establishes this world as queernormative and seamlessly integrates the FMC's sexuality as a part of her character. The queer representation in the story is done beautifully, with nary a hetero in sight. It's so refreshing to have a bi main character who is completely comfortable in her identity, especially when we have the added drama of an ex wreaking havoc in the narrative. Another of my favourite things about this book is how the author lets her characters be unapologetically messy; they make mistakes, take wrong turns, and do inadvisable things, which only makes them feel more realistic in a world that is so different from our own. Antal, who has a literal tail, is one of the most human characters in the story. His rough exterior disguises his true, deeply empathetic self, and getting to see him grow alongside Fi was so special.

For the most part, the writing is completely fun and bingeable! The only issue that nagged at me was, at times, the language could get a bit repetitive, and make me disconnect from the story. There are only so many times you can read about something being compared to a hare, or something smelling/tasting like ozone, before it makes you cringe. But all things considered it was a minor annoyance, and the book had so much to offer that it didn't bother me enough to make the reading experience any less enjoyable.

Voidwalker is a deliciously feral adventure perfect for fans of Ice Planet Barbarians, or those who just want some kinky monster smut in their romantasy tales (we listen and we don't judge).

4.5/5⭐

S.A. MacLean's debut 'The Phoenix Keeper' was one of my favourite reads in 2024, so her second novel 'Voidwalker' was a highly anticipated read for me in 2025.

Thank you to Hachette Australia & New Zealand and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

'Voidwalker' is a fantasy novel set in a unique world where planes of existence are fragmented, connected by invisible curtains that only certain individuals are able to see. Our main character Fionamarra/Fi is one such individual, who harnesses her talent to act as an illegal smuggler between planes. Humans in this world are reigned over by daeyari, demon-like creatures who feast almost exclusively on human flesh. The daeyari are able to use their powers to provide their human subjects with whatever they need - at the cost of a human sacrifice for every request. Fi finds herself unwittingly thrown into a conflict with one of the ruling daeyari when she is requested to transport a bomb right into their governing headquarters.

Solid standalone fantasy novels can sometimes be hard to find, so I have been absolutely thrilled to discover two from the same author. While 'The Phoenix Keeper' leans more on the cozy side of fantasy, 'Voidwalker' is much more action-packed and high stakes. It does have a side plot of spicy romance, but I found that it did not distract from the plot at all. The romance could be classified as 'monster romance', but I think there is nothing too out-there covered in this book and so it should be approachable by anyone - even readers who may not be usually interested in such a genre. The book was a little slow in the beginning as it had a lot of world-building to do, but from around 1/3 in I was hooked. Some of my favourite elements included the ethical dilemma of sharing a world with a species that is higher than humans on the food chain, the complicated but heartfelt family relationship dynamic between Fi and her brother Boden, and the simple fact that we have a kickass FMC in her thirties. I love the way S.A. MacLean writes her characters, their emotional reactions to different situations feel so much more realistic than those in other fantasy novels. I related to Fi's character a lot in the way she masked a lot of her inner anxious feelings with a strong facade that she presented to others.

I read this book as a standalone, but have also seen it advertised as the first book in a series called 'Beasts of the Void'. Because this one was so well encapsulated and the story wrapped up within the single book, I'm hoping that this indicates more books within the same universe but not necessarily following the same characters. The world was so vast and rich here that I could definitely see there being more stories to tell here.

'Voidwalker' is out now. Pick it up and join those of us who have been converted to Team Antlers!

Voidwalker was such a fresh take on the fantasy/romantasy genre.

It starts with our fmc Fionamara who works as a smuggler between realms/fragmented worlds so that her city doesn’t have to depend on the Daeyari (immortal beings).

The Daeyari consume human flesh to survive and in exchange of regular sacrifices they provide the humans with magic to keep their city’s thriving. When a heist goes wrong Fionamara ends up in the hands of our mmc Antal, and they begin a tentative alliance in order to overcome a bigger threat.

Voidwalker is absolutely full of banter and so many laughs while simultaneously having more tender and serious moments.

I saw the author describe the mmc as having the attitude of a wet cat and that couldn’t be more accurate. I think if you want something different from the traditional Romantasy roles you will really enjoy this one, it was refreshing to have a mmc that wasn’t invincible and really depended on our fmc to fulfil his goals. So much diversity within this book, the two main characters are both bi along with lgbt+ side characters.

This book would be perfect for people who enjoy Romantasy, monster romance, simping mmc, strong fmc, diversity and 50/50 plot/romance.

In ‘Voidwalker’ we follow Fi, a smuggler who has been running from her past for 10 years. Until she is pulled back into the world of man-eating daeyari after she comes across her vengeful ex childhood friend and lover, Astrid and unwittingly becomes a terrorist in her territory. Fi is then forced to face the Lord daeyari Antal, who spares her life but is soon to be deposed by another daeyari. Fi and Antal must work together to gain control of their territory again and make a better future for humanity.

The world was simple for a fantasy/sci-fi novel; there are shards that are lands people live on and the void that is the space between. Shards can be linked by bridges or people like Fi, a voidwalker, can traverse shards. Voidwalkers gain their ability by dying and coming back, allowing them to see curtains through the void. There was limited details provided about the world and the world building wasn’t a large part of the story.

Personally, I found the main point of view, Fi, to be insufferable. She continuously made stupid decisions and acted in contradiction to what we were told about her. I’m fine with characters making poor decisions but I want them to have a convincing motivation behind their actions, which Fi didn’t have. In the beginning of the story Fi is hired for a very suspicious job, in which, the clients have lied to her about the details numerous times. I am unsure why she kept doing what the clients asked of her when she was highly suspicious of them and she was not in dire need for money. We were repetitively told she has dyed rainbow hair, which is highly conspicuous for someone that is supposed to be in hiding and is also known as the best smuggler in the planes (and she does meet her clients in person).

Honestly, I would have preferred a novel written from Astrid’s perspective. Her character, although only in a brief number of scenes, was interesting and complex.

The cannibalism was uncomfortable, and I found it hard to believe that Fi, someone that was petrified of daeyari, could easily forgive Antal for eating people. While she was furious with Astrid for doing what Verne (the big bad) asked of her but was fine with being with a guy that literally was taking human sacrifices, and one was a sister of her friend. I particularly took issue with Fi’s reaction to Kashvi being angry with Antal. HE ATE HER SISTER!!!! The woman is not going to forgive him after a week and shouldn’t be expected to.

The writing was repetitive and I think the book could have been shortened. For instance, we were continuously told how Fi was ashamed for abandoning everyone and words such as ozone, and void were used very often.
 
Overall it was an interesting premise, but Fi’s character enraged me and she was our main point of view. I won’t be continuing the series.

oh this was sooooo good! I loved the Phoenix Keeper and this was so different but still so amazing! The premise is so unique and the writing style is so engaging !

I STRUGGLED THROUGH THE BEGINNING. I love all things romantasy and contemporary romance, as well as YA. The beginning of this book was a slog but once I got past the first 30 percent, I was hooked. I loved Fi and Antal so much. The dynamic between the two of them was amazing and the imaginative storyline in this book is awesome. I will definitely be buying this when it comes out! Thank you to S.A MacLean for the journey you took me on with this one. The romance and smut in this book is chefs kiss 😘

Tropes & Themes: Monster MMC x Human FMC, Unique World Building & Magic System, A+++ Banter, MMC Has a Tail (iykyk), FMC in Her 30s (WE LOVE TO SEE IT), Bi4Bi M/F Romance, Spice, Slow-ish Burn, Politics & Governance, God-Like Creatures in Power, Human Sacrifices.

Plot: Voidwalker follows Fi, a smuggler determined to keep her village self-sufficient and free from the blood sacrifices humans owe to the Daeyari - immortal, godlike beings who rule the world through power and fear. When a smuggling run goes wrong thanks to her ex-lover, Fi ends up forced into an uneasy alliance with Antal, a Daeyari fighting to reclaim his territory from a rival. But as Fi soon learns, Antal is nothing like the monstrous image his kind is painted with and working alongside him might change everything.

This story is packed with heists, political tension, family drama, and an emotional journey of two very different beings learning to trust one another. Their growing bond unfolds against a backdrop of rebellion, power struggles, and high-stakes danger - making it an addictive read from start to finish.

World Building & Magic System: The worldbuilding here is lush, layered, and unlike anything I’ve read before. Maclean carefully builds the setting piece by piece, letting it expand naturally as the plot deepens. I was especially captivated by the Daeyari culture and lore, brought to life through Antal’s perspective.

The magic system, based on energy currents introduced by the Daeyari, was fascinating, almost sci-fi in flavour. But my absolute favourite element was the concept of the Voidwalker. Humans who’ve brushed with death gain the ability to transverse and walk through the Void, which is where the Daeyari originally came from. Fi’s own Void experiences were some of the most compelling scenes in the book.

Characters: Fi, our 32-year-old FMC was an instant favourite. Fierce, flawed, and complex, she carries the weight of her past while navigating the impossible choices of the present. Her inner monologue had me hooked.

Antal, promised to be a grumpy, feral, wet-cat of a monster MMC, and honestly? He DELIVERED. His banter with Fi was gold, but it was the soft, vulnerable moments that made me fall head-over-heels for his character. He’s layered, morally complex, and refreshingly different from the cruel Daeyari norm. Together, Fi and Antal shine. Both confront their traumas head-on, showing real character growth as they wrestle with identity, trust, and leadership.

We get some absolutely phenomenal secondary characters in this story, specifically Bodin, Astrid and Kashvi, who all add layers to this book.

Romance: Fi and Antal’s chemistry is undeniable. While it’s more of a slow burn than other monster romances, it fits this story perfectly. The mix of banter, tension, tenderness, and spice had me fully invested - not just in their physical connection, but in the way they let their guards down around each other. The romance enhances the plot rather than overshadowing it, which made it all the more rewarding.

Final Thoughts: Voidwalker was such a pleasant surprise, I went in with no expectations and came out thoroughly impressed. It’s an imaginative, atmospheric monster romantasy that balances political intrigue, unique world building, and heartfelt character arcs with a romance that truly delivers. If you love banter-filled slow burns, monster MMCs with hidden softness, or fantasy worlds with inventive magic systems, you need to add Voidwalker to your TBR.

I loved The Phoenix Keeper, so when Voidwalker came up for request on Netgalley, I knew I had to request it, because there's one thing that S.A. MacLean can do, and that's write killer fantasy books with a delicious side of romance.

Voidwalker is no different. In this story, we follow Fionamara (AKA Fi), a voidwalker and smuggler who ferries contraband between worlds using secret doors between dimensions to keep her village self-sufficient - free from the blood sacrifices humans have paid to their immortal rulers for centuries. Fi is recruited for a job by an old lover, which escalates into a terrorist bombing and a coup against the reigning immortals. Fi and her home are caught in the crossfire.

Forming an unlikely partnership with Antal, the immortal being that overlooks Fi's home, they must reclaim his city.

I really liked this one. The world-building was very unique and well executed. There was plenty of action, including heists, battles, and emotional scenes which will rip your heart out and take you on a roller-coaster. Plus, lots of tension and banter between our two main characters. The characters were well-rounded despite being very complex. It wasn't just our main characters; even some of our side characters were well-developed with compelling back stories. This is a duology, but this story doesn't end on a cliff-hanger (thank goodness), but does potentially allude to the next book in the epilogue.

My only issue I had with this book was the repetition of some of the same adjectives. I'm not sure if the reader needs to be reminded several times in the same chapter that the main character has rainbow hair or if the MMC smells of ozone...

In saying that, I immensely enjoyed this book, and I cannot wait to read more of this series and more books by S.A. MacLean. You're now one of my 'auto-buy' authors!

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette AU/NZ for sending me a copy of this one to review.

(Shared also on Goodreads but won't let me link the review)

This book has solidified my hearty respect for S A MacLean as an author, but damn, vore is not my thing. I thought being a vampire girlie would transfer well enough, but there was just something that didn't sit right with me. That being said, I loved the worldbuilding, the plot, the characters, the magic system, all of it! And I will continue the series! But there's an integral part to the story and the characters that just gives me the ick and I can't get over that - I'm never going to be as invested in the core relationship as I could be, and that's okay.

A whirlwind ride full of adventure, romance and very clever and intriguing world building. I haven’t read a monster romance in quite some time, and I’m so glad my first one back was this one.

The story is incredibly fun - just some awesome rogue characters bumbling their way through an epic story of betrayal and some rather quirky kinks. It wasn’t all fun though; there were definitely some deeper moments that really helped develop the character arcs and shape the overall story.

Fi is the type of heroine we all like to root for. She’s charismatic and fun and just an all round badass. Her personality really was the thing that propelled this book forward for me, as I just kept wanting to see what she would do next.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for this book and these are my honest opinions.

I had so much fun reading this!!

Just a flirty, fun, feisty, little romantasy book with wicked creatures, dangerous monsters, unlikely alliances, family trauma, queer representation and spicy romance.

The concept of the magic system and world building was so unique and unlike any fantasy book I’ve read. I loved the characters, they felt fresh, fun, full of life and emotionally complex, lots of deeper meaning behind their motivations and actions.

The story is compelling, adventurous, high stakes and super sexy. I wasn’t expecting to get so attached to these characters but here we are, obsessed. Tears at the end.

Adding Antal to the list of “Hear Me Out” fictional boyfriends…

“How unkind of you, Fionamara. If I’d wasted over two centuries without learning how to satisfy a lover, I’d have to throw myself into the Void.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️

I think I liked it?

I think what the issue with this is, it was trying to do too much. There were A LOT of tropes that I, and A LOT of romantasy readers, usually love, like:

- Enemies to lovers
- Forced proximity
- He trains her
- Sassy FMC x broody MMC

Throw in the monster romance and a world where humans are essentially governed by these carnivorous monsters who demand human sacrifices, you’d think it’d be a 5 star recipe?

Not quite.

It felt like the author was more invested in nailing the tropes than the story, the worldbuilding and the romance.

THAT BEING SAID.

This series has HUGE potential, and I found myself enjoying Voidwalker more at the 60-65% mark. Some highlights for me:

✔️ I did love Antal as the MMC. I think he’s a GREAT love interest for readers who are wanting to dip their toe into monster romances. He was equal parts dangerous, and equal parts hopeless (especially compared to his older neighbours).
✔️ This spice was WELL WRITTEN and the bedroom chemistry with Fi and Antal was 🥵 Had me sitting up straighter that’s for sure LOL.
✔️ I do love the world and the concept around walking through voids, different realities, creating curtains, etc. I’ve not read anything like it before, but I do wish we had A LITTLE MORE of it.
✔️ I think the author dropped enough breadcrumbs throughout this book to build intrigue in the sequel - Veshri, Tyvo, what’s going to happen with Antal and his territories, etc.

Will I read the sequel? I THINK so… Honestly I’m not sure. Still feeling a teeny tiny bit conflicted about this book.

4.75 ⭐️ This is genuinely my favorite romantasy in a LONG time. It gives that feeling of diving right into a romantasy, not fully understanding it all but being so invested to find it all out and having the most fun doing so! It’s so freaking cool with the parralel dimensions and season locked planes. The void and the creatures that came from it. Carnivorous overlords that take willing sacrifices in exchange for technology/energy, help and protection from other Daeyari. The writing portraying it all so effortlessly immersive
It was perfectly up my alley! A sassy badass Bi 32 year old fmc cross dimensional plane smuggler with rainbow hair running from her past ?? YEPPP
A Bi immortal monster man who loves it when she’s vicious. Who thinks he’s in charge but secretly loves it when she gives orders. He’s got antlers, a tail and freakish charm that you can’t help but love. Who will sulk in the snow or sleep in the rafters of her cottage rather than her couch😂.
Can’t forget the way they fight to top eachother 🙂‍↕️👏🏼 Their chemistry is top tier! The tension and connection as strong and hot as the smut. 🥵It had me gasping for breath. Like, SO hot! Plus the way they open up for eachother over time and look out for one another is lovely.

It was also quite refreshing that while she IS confident, she isn’t frustratingly stubborn and does her best to communicate well with those dearest to her.

It has messy as hell history and relationships and dynamics amongst many of the characters. I love the sense of community and rebellion, the little quirks of the town, the history of the world and the people that make it feel so real. Yet there’s so much more I wanna explore in the next book!

The only things that really annoyed me were the repetitive use of certain phrases at the start and while some parts were predictable, I was so attached to these characters and this world that when I thought what was gonna happen, actually happened, I was still very much affected. 😢

It had a satisfying ending with no cliffhanger but so much more to look forward to! The choice to make this a duology is perfect with the pacing it’s got. 🤌🏼

Thank you NetGalley & gollancz for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
Pub date: August 26th 2025

This book was soo good!! I hadn't read anything like this before with the void walker aspect in it! Love Fi, she was soo cool & loved her character development. This is also my third book reading about a mmc with a fall, I must have a type haha
The world building & story were all really good too! I'm excited to see where this story goes

Thanks Hachette for allowing me to read this one.

Unfortunately it just wasn’t working for me and I DNF’d 36% in.

I thought the world was interesting and at the start I was intrigued but the writing was very repetitive and the characters felt like cardboard cutouts from other popular romantasy slapped into a new world, which is dissappioting from this author as I found their debut really refreshing and unique.

This is definitely the right book for readers who don’t mind their books being samey or perhaps for readers new to romantasy with nothing to compare to, but I’m looking for more depth and diversity in my characters.

What if your fave morally gray smuggler girl could slice through dimensions with magic knives and the monster on the other side wasn’t the danger, but the love interest?

Voidwalker gave me everything: interdimensional chaos, forbidden magic, found family that made me SOB (I never thought hearing “I forgive you” could break me like that), and a romance that’s pure enemies to soulmates slow burn perfection.

And Antal? Peak “terrifying immortal predator” vibes on the outside, but deep down? A pathetic little housecat with trauma and a very cool tail. I love him. I fear him. I want to put him in a blanket.

The only reason this isn’t 5 stars for me? His diet. If it were literally anything else, I’d be gone for this man. 😂 I couldn’t get pass this I’m sorrryyy xxxxx

If you love:
✔ morally gray FMCs
✔️Sci-fi meets monster smut
✔ feral monster boys with soft centers
✔ found family that wrecks you
✔ slow-burn tension that BURNS

…then let the Void consume you.

I am ✨obsessed✨ with this book so please read it, it's truly so much fun. I've only recently started getting into monster romantasy, and this book hits alllll the spots. Our MMC is also quite humanoid, so it sort of falls more in the middle of the spectrum if you're not a huge monster romance fan.

This story follows Fi, a spunky and full of life 32-year old who operates in the lucrative business of smuggling goods across the Planes, thanks to her abilities to travel through the Void. When a job goes disastrously wrong, she is offered up as a human sacrifice to the Daeyari - Antal - in charge of the territory. Think carnivorous immortals with antlers and tails and magic, who rule over the humans and offer their protection in exchange for sacrifices to keep them sustained. But Antal is curious about Fi, and when they discover that the bombing that occurred was a setup and betrayal from his own, the pair strike a bargain to help each other instead.

Our two main characters are an absolute BLAST together, and the banter was so much fun. I was laughing out loud at some of their antics, and the slow burn was absolutely divine. Some really deep themes were explored that highlighted Fi's character development, and I love how the pair really brought out the best traits in one another. The funny chapter titles were something to look forward to each page I turned. I could honestly go on and on about this book, but truly, it's something special and just a real fun ride. There is drama and action and so much tension (romantically and the 'please don't hurt the characters, I love them so much' kind). I will read this again and again.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for the eARC of this book!

Ahh man, the synopsis of this one sounded really interesting, but unfortunately the writing was absolutely not for me. The writing was lacking sophistication, and the main character came across as bratty and juvenile—certainly a disappointment as she is meant to be quite close in age to myself. A real shame, the writing style and childish asides pulled me out of the story, to the point where I was bored with the plot itself.

Every novel walks a fine line between expecting too much or too little of its audience. Voidwalker definitely struggled with that in the opening chapters, often expecting too much of the reader.



I found this insanely frustrating and even decided I wasn't going to finish it. Something, however, pulled me back to it. I can't say what exactly it was, but i'm glad it did.



After those inital chapters, I started to really started to enjoy it. It is an ememies to lovers, slow-burn romance with a strong female main character, though she probably doesn't need to mention her "void and rainbow" hair as much as she does. Also rainbow hair needs so much up-keep, I doubt a smuggler would waste time with that (so that annoyed me). It was hard to read at some points, overly wordy and descriptive. There were parts I had to read a few times to fully understand.



Overall, though the story was compelling and kept you guessing. It pulled you towards that ending and was hard to put down.

Notorious smuggler accidentally smuggles a bomb into a government building and ends up the babysitter of a carniverous wall cactus. Her words.

✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

Plot
The plot follows Fi, a Voidwalker, who while trying to carry out a totally normal smuggling job ends up stuck in the middle of a illustrious plot.
The world building in this is absolutely fantastic. I didn't really know what we were going to get with the whole 'void' concept, but it wasn't this. It's just so clever and I love that there's so much more out there for us to explore in future stories. I felt that the author gave me the perfect amount of information to understand this world from Fi's perspective, with just the perfect amount of showing and without giving too much away.
The pacing is quite fast, maybe a tad too quick, but this didn't bother me too much.

Characters
FMC
I like Fi. She's such a rascal and I enjoyed all of her antics, especially when they involved Antal. Fi is running away from her past, but after a brush with death (again), her past comes crashing back into her life and this time she cannot escape.
She does make some dumb mistakes at times, but rather than being annoying, I felt that this was within her character and actually added some depth.

MMC
I really really like Antal. I love that he's so different from the other Daeyari and wants to be a different ruler, I love that he sleeps like a cat, I love that he treasures those close to him and I love how he falls head over antlers for Fi. He pretends to be a stoic character, but Fi sees straight through this and unravels the slightly insecure but very lovable guy underneath.

The Rest
Astrid - Heck. She's such a complex character, with a history so clearly entwined along side Fi's. I really liked that she should have been a Fi supporter, but she's been so completely twisted as a consequence of Fi's actions that we have the characters presented to us now. I also loved the connection between her and the monster.

The other Daeyari - are so wonderfully evil or just plain self involved.

The Chemistry
These two have such great chemistry. What starts as some uncomfortable physical attraction quickly turns into a hot and heavy physical relationship, dotted with banter and bickering. I do maybe wish the build up had been a bit longer, but this did fit with the fast pace of the story.

The Good
This multiple plane (and shard?) concept with different species and cultures that can all be crossed in such a unique way. The life cycle of Daeyari that unravelled throughout the story.

The Bad
Overuse of the word 'void'.

The Ugly
Not an ugly anywhere.

The Wrap Up
Where can I get a pet void horse?

Thanks to Hatchett Australia & NZ for letting me get my paws on this ahead of release.