If All the Stars Go Dark

by S.G. Prince

When eighteen-year-old Keller Hartman is recruited into the Legion’s most prestigious galactic unit, it’s a dream come true. He's worked hard for this. He’s ready to prove himself. The problem? His new partner—the beautiful, no-nonsense pilot Lament Bringer—wants nothing to do with him.

Forced to work together under Legion orders, Keller and Lament team up with a motley crew of specialists to investigate a mysterious visionary who can predict catastrophes. As they begin to peel back layers, however, they realize there's more to the story than meets the eye. With threats mounting and secrets unfolding, Keller and Lament will need to trust one another in order to stop the dangers at play. But with trust comes other feelings—ones neither of them is prepared for.

With the fate of the universe hanging in the balance, the only thing worse than failing their mission might just be losing each other.

Genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Young Adult, Queer, LGBT, M M Romance, Fantasy

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication January 20, 2026

About the author

I’m a character-driven SFF author who writes about magic, found family, and forbidden love. Enemies to lovers is my trope. Romance is my favorite genre to read, though I'm trying to branch out. I was born in Ohio, spent a few childhood years in Missouri, grew up in Florida, and have since lived in Fort Worth, Seattle, San Francisco and now the East Bay. I bake sourdough on Wednesdays and dessert on Fridays. I’m a hobby photographer. I have two distinct writing styles, one serious (adult), one goofy (YA), which basically reflects who I am as a person. My favorite words are always, surrender and headlong. S is my least favorite letter.

To stay up to date on book news and recommendations, you can follow me here on Goodreads.

For information on releases, appearances, ARCs, giveaways, and exclusive content, sign up for my newsletter at sgprince.com.

Instagram: @sgprince.books

Reviews

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Months ago, S.G. Prince asked if I wanted to join the cover reveal for If All the Stars Go Dark. I loved the cover, so of course, I said yes. A few days later, I found the book on NetGalley and requested it, but the thing is, I’m more of a contemporary reader than a sci-fi fan. So when the ARC landed in my inbox, a wave of dread hit me. Then I saw glowing reviews popping up everywhere, and the panic only grew.

What if I didn’t like it? What if I couldn’t wrap my head around the world-building? So, the ARC sat there on my NetGalley shelf, collecting virtual dust for months. I told myself it was because I’m a mood reader. But deep down, I knew it was because I was scared. Even though The Darkness Outside Us, another YA sci-fi, is one of my all-time favorites.

Finally, I decided to dive in… and that first chapter? I freaking loved it! The moment I met Lament and his distant, reserved vibe in the kitchen, I was grinning like an idiot. I immediately leaned forward in my seat. This was the kind of sci-fi I adore: banter, a slow-burn romance, a contemporary vibe, and more angst than I could’ve asked for. And the side characters? Amazing!

So, I read, and I couldn’t stop. Then, when the climax hit, I was sitting there, and I was like: Noooo!! S.G. Prince, why would you pile on so much extra angst? But honestly, I loved every minute of it. And Lament’s voice in the end? Just chef’s kiss.

Thank you, Macmillan’s Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley, for this awesome ARC!

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[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If All the Stars Go Dark was a very pleasant surprise.
This book is the perfect amount of heartwarming and heart wrenching, the characters were so profound and well rounded, all were necessary and played an important part. I imagine the author took such care to write this book, because it showed clearly in the details and just the way everything fit perfectly.
We follow Keller as he begins his journey in an elite team after graduation. By the way this is sci-fi but if you don't like the genre don't worry, neither do I and I loved it. We soon meet the other people in the team, especially the pilot who recently lost his friend in an accident. An accident that opened the position that Keller is currently filling, you can imagine how it goes.
What got to me mostly was the found family aspect, all these characters are family, and they absorb Keller into the fold so seamlessly. All the characters have their own personalities and quirks, at the end they are a little band of misfits and I love every single one of them so much. The only way I can somewhat explain it is by comparing it to the feeling I got reading the house in the cerulean sea and meeting the children, only here they are(mostly) adults.
The plot was a little cliche but that honestly is not that important here, the heart of this book is the characters and their relationships.
Add it to your tbr and read it as soon as you can(the release date is set for January 2026), you won't regret it I promise.

Thank you Netgalley and Godwin Books/Macmillan's Children Publishing Group for the ARC!

[S.G. Prince]

It’s that time! I’m so excited to introduce my debut YA and first ever space fantasy. I really didn’t know where this book was going to take me (just sit down and write with your heart!) and ended up concocting a twisty romcom-esque space opera with secrets and angst and my biggest cast of characters yet. We’re calling it a space fantasy because there’s magic that’s never explained scientifically (and because I still consider myself a fantasy author first), but it’ll just as easily fit on the science fiction shelves. The story is written from Keller’s POV and includes some of my favorite themes like found family, sacrifice, and learning to trust others. It’s meant to be fun, heartfelt, goofy, gritty. It’s meant to suck you in and maybe never spit you back out, and I really hope you love it.

- sg

[⋆｡°·☁︎ sydney ⋆｡°·☁︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO. GOOD.
This book had an amazing plot and a fantastic story with characters literally TO DIE FOR!! Everything was so original and creative, I loved how the story was both soft, cute and funny, while holding onto very serious and hard topics and handling them with the utmost of care.
ALSO !!!
Both of the characters messed up throughout the story and resolved their problems like ADULTS (mature human beings!!) which led to lots of character growth and very cute relationship moments
Nothing but heart eyes for this book 🥰 ❤️ 😍😍
Ps, it saved me from my slump !!!
Tysm netgalley 💙
Appreciate yall

[Spiri Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This romance in this book is SO SO GOOD especially the way the friends/other characters react because it’s the same as the reader. THE YEARNINGG, THE BLUSHINGGG, my gay heart was bursting. They both have their weaknesses and are so good at recognizing and supporting each other. And it’s kind of enemies to lovers because one acts like he hates the other at the start.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
5/5⭐️

“I love you more than all the stars in all the universes multiplied a million-fold.”

Now this is how you do a space fantasy book! What a wonderful story this was! I enjoyed every single moment and could not put the book down. It was filled with thrilling space adventures, founds family and a romance that I adored.

This book was a nice pace and I never got bored. The style of writing was fantastic and easy to follow and understand. I loved every character. I liked reading the development and growth of everyone in the sixths and how they became true Family.

"Friends are the stars that guide us. And we must always lean on them."

I also really enjoyed Lament and kellers banter, it was perfect. Throughout the story you could really see how they were able to open up and trust each other and how their relationship bloomed.

I also liked the political aspect of the story with the determinist and thought it to be unique.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan/Godwin Books for sending me this ARC for an honest review ❤️

[Dana | Rainbow Romance Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

If All The Stars Go Dark is a fast-paced sci-fi adventure packed with weird space cults, cosmic mysteries, doomsday vibes, betrayals, friendship, and a beautiful queer love story at its heart.

When Keller joins the prestigious Sixth Fleet as their new gunner, he’s met with a frosty reception from his new (and unfortunately gorgeous) partner, Lament. The pair are forced to work together, alongside their quirky crewmates, to uncover the truth behind the death of Lament’s previous partner, all while investigating a cult leader who claims to have foreseen the destruction of an entire planet.

I don’t usually read a lot of sci-fi, but Prince’s worldbuilding felt effortless and easy to fall into. Across the story, we visit a range of planets, species, and customs, and I loved how distinctive each character felt while still complementing one another. The Sixth Fleet itself is a fantastic found family, a chaotic, loyal group whose banter and bond felt endearing to me. Their humour and unwavering support are exactly what I look for in stories like this.

Lament and Keller have great chemistry from the start. Their slow burn is full of tension, awkward vulnerability, and emotional restraint as both grapple with past trauma. I enjoyed watching them open up to one another, though their romance felt slightly overshadowed by the general plot.

The pacing is generally strong, full of twists and turns leading to the dramatic conclusion. However, the ending didn’t quite land for me, as it felt rushed and kind of emotionally manipulative. I could see it coming, which made it more frustrating than shocking.

Overall, this was an engaging and heartfelt read that I’d definitely recommend to YA sci-fi fans, especially those who love found family and queer love stories.


*I was given an advanced copy of this book for free, but I am leaving this review voluntarily*

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The slowest of burns with found family and great banter set in a sci-fi universe with political intrigue. 10/10.

Every time I picked this book up, I didn’t want to put it down. The perfect amount of action and plot, romance and character development. Loved all of the witty side characters too.

[Linn]

guess who got approved for the ARC! :)

[Victoria (Victoriabooklover) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lament and Keller are the best I ate this up 😭

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If All The Stars Go Dark is a sci-fi love story wrapped up in a tale of corruption, fanaticism, grief, autonomy and deception—and I adored it.

The story follows Keller Hartmann, a fresh faced, once in a generation graduate recruited to be the gunner in the Sixth—the Legion's most prestigious unit. His partner is meant to be Lament Bringer, who barely wants to look at him after the mysterious, tragic death of his best friend and former gunner—who Keller is meant to be replacing. The death of Lament's former partner begins to get tied up in a greater threat brewing in the galaxy; a fanatic cult following a man who claims to have come up with a simulation that can predict any tragedy, who only requires loyalty for his protection.

While the love story in this was absolutely superb, I first have to applaud the unique sci-fi world this story was set in. I loved the concept of the Legion, and its imperfections, and would love to see it explored more. The concept of "Determinism" was so intriguing—and realistic, where so many people even at the highest levels of society might have fallen for a man who claims to have knowledge of the future that might keep them safe. I'd love to have learned more about how he dug himself so deeply into this society. It was mentioned here and there that certain characters, like Bast's family and the Sixth's sergeant, had different tie-ins to the cult, and I hope to see this explored more, though I'm not sure if the book is a standalone or a first in a series (though I hope for the latter!). The side characters in the book (particularly the other members of the Sixth) were just as enjoyable and unique as the main duo, and I often found just as invested in them and concerned for their safety as I was for Keller and Lament.

Onto the romance—goodness, I adored these two. Keller and Lament felt like fully fleshed out characters who had their own stories and struggles outside of the affection that built between them. The way they fell together despite Keller's fear of abandonment, and Lament's grief and guilt. I was worried at first that the relationship might burn too quickly with how often Keller discussed Lament's beauty in the first half of the book, but it didn't—the progression felt natural and made sense for both characters. I'd read a dozen more books about them in a heartbeat.

The ending actually had me gasping—without spoiling anything, it enacts my favorite niche trope of all time. So maybe I'm biased—but the whole last 10% did a lot of good for me, and I would've loved to see it stretched out even more.

As a character driven reader, I find it hard to discover sci-fi that really digs in on character work instead of becoming a lore dump of world-building, and this book struck an absolute perfect tone. I can't wait to read it again—and I hope to see more in the universe from this author again someday!

PS: I usually love the part in the book where they say the name of this book, but I was crying when this one happened, so. Thanks for that, S.G. Prince.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

[⚡eli⚡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

If All the Stars Go Dark is a wonderful YA space fantasy (sci-fi with magic) debut, that blends cosmic adventure, action, humor and emotional intimacy.

The story follows Keller - a young and talented gunner, who is recruited into the Legion’s most prestigious galactic unit - the Sixth. Keller is ready to prove himself in his new role, but it may not be as easy as he thinks. There, he meets his partner - Lament. A pilot, who keeps everyone at arm's length. Or only Keller? He's prim and proper, no nonsense and closed off guy (does tend to break rules lately *khe khem). And he's still grieving the death of this former flight partner. His best friend. So, he wants nothing to do with Keller. The partnership is reluctant and their first meeting is nothing but hurtful. And as they are forced to work together, they soon end up in dangerous situations across the Romothrida Galaxy, that will test their trust, respect and maybe something much deeper.

Here's the thing. Even if you don't typically read sci-fi, this story will be easy to follow. The writing balances humor and serious topics, and the pacing is just right. The world-building is easy enough to understand for younger readers, not even talking about my old brain. There will be some things that are not explained, but I didn't mind. It was super easy to visualize the world and ''creepy mist'' with its victims. Even though the plot may seem predictable for some, it will not be an issue to continue the story (if you have guessed some major points). The concept of Determinists and Randomists was interesting enough (people who believe that the future is predetermined vs those who think it can't be).

The books strength lies in its emotional depth, where alongside the main characters, you will witness variety of emotions - grief, fear of abandonment, love and loss, and silliness. It also have one of my favorite tropes - found family. They are bunch of weirdos haha. As for main characters.. Just like Keller, I too tend to make serious and heartbreaking situations lighter using humor. Not always, but mainly. It's a weird coping mechanism you guys.. But, this made me understand him better. He's such a good kid. Goofy and honest too. The relationship between Keller and Lament is bumpy and organic, but it's filled with tender and slow-building vulnerability. So their moments together are even more meaningful. And if you are thinking of *those* moments - it's fade to black. As for Lament - he's a good egg. Stoic, smart, relatable and kind. And him and Keller compliment each other. The yearning, BLUSHING and bickering. Vera was basically us readers haha.

So, dear reader - if you enjoy space adventures, queer romance, found family, story about finding belonging, risking your heart, political tension and philosophical questions about fate and choice - this is for you!

Actual rating: 4.5

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan's Children Publishing Group/Godwin Books for this ARC. All thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

[Becks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rate the main characters and interpersonal relationships 4 stars, but the lack of realistic science and plot in a sci-fi novel combined with 1-dimensional side characters and basic prose brought this down a lot for me. Overall, I think this book is great for people interested in found family and MM romance who have little to no sci-fi expectations.

I think Prince did an excellent job sprinkling Keller’s dry humor throughout the narration, particularly in slower moving plot points. Sadly, the prose leans heavily on telling and not showing. While this makes for a quick read, it also becomes very repetitive. I think YA readers are capable of piecing plot together for themselves, and the repetitive, blatant hammering of plot points takes that experience away.

Furthermore, the plot has so many holes it might as well be swiss cheese (I refrain), and the plot throughout the book makes zero scientific sense, with the most egregious flaws at the climax (spoilers ahead). Keller pushes a collector made of “magma-resistant alloy” into some magma, and somehow “the heat of the magma destroyed the voroxide [gas] inside” without melting the collector, so that Keller can hide inside. Lots to unpack here. Technically, if hot enough, gas can decompose. But the collector is magma (i.e. heat) resistant, meaning it shouldn’t heat up, which is the reason Keller can hide inside. And if the collector doors were accessible to Keller, they were above the magma when opened which would cause the gas to be released and negate Keller’s suicide mission.

Maybe a romance book does not need a scientifically-sound plot, but a book marketed as sci-fi with an easily fixable end (Keller could’ve just pushed the collector inside the magma and attempted to leave, since the tunnel is not completely filled with magma, suffering some other form of death like suffocation or heat-exhaustion) is rough. Also it takes 5(!!!!) days before anyone goes to look for his body? - yikes.

I’m not sure, but I think this is the author’s first sci-fi novel, as she appears to specialize in fantasy romance. In that case, I think it’s a great effort as the ideas are fun and original, but just shows a lack of background knowledge. Personally, I do not think writing for a YA audience is an excuse for bad science. But her main characters have a lot of depth, and I think her sci-fi writing has a lot of future potential!

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolute delight. A queer YA mm scifi romance I never knew I desperately needed in my life. This feels very accessible to people who are romance readers who would like to try scifi and vice versa. A soft scifi with an interesting plot and a romance full of yearning, tension, and good banter. I laughed, I shed a tear. I enjoyed all of it. Thank you Macmillan Children’s Publishing group and NetGalley for this eARC.

[Amber J (Thereadingwitch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book on a giveaway, and started it days within it arriving. It was pretty good. Think YA MM romance, space-opera, romcom mix. I'm not a huge scifi fan but I do love MM Romance. No spice and lots of technical talk that I tend to let my eyes skim over lol. It had its slower moments. And the romantic chemistry felt off to me. But still worth reading.

[YZ (wordwanderlust) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a while since I read an English mm romance this good omfgggg

[River]

what in the absolute hideo kojima are these character names. this has got to turn out either great or terrible

[RaqvelReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

: ̗̀➜ ARC review | Okay guys buckle up, my eyes are red and puffy, I'm high on whatever hormone makes you feel happy and excited, and I think I actually believe in intergalactic societies and cosmic love and magic.
(this might end up kind of long but heck, the book deserves it)

This is still bravery isn't it? Even if I'm afraid?

[Highlights | songs below] [NO SPOILERS]

If all the stars go dark (wait a second the title… omg that title transmits so much now, I’m feeling all mussy) we follow Keller, a recently graduated gunner, in the Sixth, his new unit, where is partner in missions, Lament, wants nothing to do with him or any other partner after his former one died in an unresolved and mysterious incident. The death of Lament's former partner begins to raise suspicions in the group as the circumstances of his death begin to resurface again and again. To it all adds the complicated space political situation, where the opposition in the universal belief of how the universe works starts posing a threat to all of the universe, a fanatic cult following a man who claims everything in the universe can be predicted by calculations.

I have to give my 10s to both main aspects of this book. The sci-fi side, and the romance side.

The romance was so perfectly developed, the yearning and the banter and the complicated feelings between them, complicated further by their circumstances... I loved specifically how all these gets put down beautifully by the author's writing. It's been the whole year of waiting, for me, to finally read my first book with a narration so well expressed in the ways of love and yearning, it makes me personally yearn. I missed the well done yearning so much guys…
The characters are emotionally deep and feel like real people do by their thinking process and how they act accordingly to each current situation. Their romance and relationship is tainted by grief and personal barriers but it flourishes nonetheless, and how the author gives it all life is truly admirable.

I was in awe from the very beginning by the book's extensive and well-developed world building. The author achieved this complex mix of new names, plot, lore and friend and love relationships perfectly. Nothing feels forced, no description, no explication of anything.
If you don't particularly like sci-fi, don't worry because this is deep in lore without being oppressive and feeling heavy.
I feel like it is so easy from an author point of view to get lost in futuristic creations for the book, but the beauty of this is that it is rich in futuristic shenanigans, but from an organic approach. You can understand what everything means when they're explaining scientific shit because it's based on basic concepts, just that, enhanced to a futuristic aspect.
And the structure of the book by which the author creates the rhythm of the plot - the action parts, private moments with the crew and between our main characters, and the more political and theoretical discourses - is perfectly balanced.
It literally felt like reading a space opera but at a YA level.
And in that note, saying I am so jealous of the young readers who are going to discover this and make it their whole personality. If I read this when I was younger I never would have shut up about it.
…What am i saying, i might not shut up about it now lmao, watch my be insufferable about this book on my ig.

In particular I wanna mention the way the book, against its 300 something pages, felt so so short (i never wanted it to end) and so so long at the same time. The way it has time and space (pun intended) to seemingless add so many moral points and themes of discussion. Maybe for someone else they are just superficially planted little points, but for me they added layers and layers to the plot and universe, and specially to our main characters who responded to them. It marvelled me in a way only long season series have achieved before because I wasn't expecting to feel something about them so strongly in here, but I just can't deny the way the author had my heart with its writing.

The book is constructed with such care, every detail you would like to know that adds to the depth of the story is delivered in such a well seemingless way, you can't escape the feeling it emanates of having been well loved and curated in its creation.

This has undeniably become one of my fave books of the year, if not of the last couple of years and in future. This has everything, and every aspect of the story is done just right.
I honestly can't mention a single flaw. Well yes, I wish it had been longer. (not necessarily longer but I wish a second part was in the thinking process already, because I can't part away with them so soon PLEASE).
Prince, I hope you know I'm in love with you from now on. At first your book caught my sight because of its cover, then it called me with its enticing synopsis. But the yearning I felt for it in the time it took me to obtain access to it, and to later start it (I wanted to read a couple of books before this one) put it 24/7 on my mind. And its simple because i just KNEW it, i knew i was gonna love it. But not just that, I knew this was gonna be a 5 star read of a good book. I guess you just simply know.
I would forever be grateful to you for reaching out to me personally.
And I'm so happy to see us now all in the reviews collectively agree on how fantastic of a book this was.

Thank you to the author herself and NetGalley for the ARC copy.
.
— If all the stars go dark | raqveel (playlist on Spotify)
♪ fair passage - Angus MacRae
♪ smells like sheep - Nicholas Britell
♪ Horse - jed kurzel
+
.
.

I don't understand his pain. I don't understand why the sight of it seems to call forth my own pain, pulling it flush to the surface of my skin.

—
What do I have, if not this?
What do I want, if not this?

—
He was right. I wanted a home. A future.
Something I could dig my fingers into, something solid and real that couldn't be taken and couldn't be lost.

—
I could sleep so easily right now. I want to. That's something everyone should experience at least once in their life, right? Easy sleep.

—
I want to touch him, make sure he's not a figment of my imagination. Because that's how it feels sometimes. Like I've dreamed him up.

—
I thought I knew about despair. I was sure I'd seen how deep it can dig its claws, how it pours itself into you, through skin and muscle and straight to the bone. But that was back when I believed there was actually still some hope for me.

—
I need to be strong enough to ask for what I want. Even if it opens me up to rejection. Even if it's really, really hard.

—
It can't always be about science and logic,
there has to be hope and love and fate, too.

[Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Life is the universe’s greatest marvel. It should be cherished and respected. If we keep the fireflies inside, they will be beautiful, but won’t they be more beautiful against the sky?”

Wow this book! This exceeds my expectation because the cover is the part that intrigued me at first.

Keller - I love his realistic character LOLL 😭😭 cause like as the best gunner it’s 1000+ aura and being an overthinker, makes jokes as a coping mechanism, selfless, able to melt this coldness in Lament, and actually care about all of his friends and family are 100000+ aura.

Lament - at first, he was pretty closed off and just like the typical love interest who has a traumatic past that makes him a lil bit cold to others and a lil bit disrespectful. But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t care about the Sixth. I can call him a tsundere LOL, but the character development is insane cause i can feel the gentleness within him after Keller. He can also be funny with his jokes so thats like 1000+ aura.

⋆. 𐙚˚࿔ Thoughts 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

I love how detailed the world building is in the space with the modern technology, and the author must have researched a lot of technical stuffs related to space and future technology because there are lots of futuristic features because DUH they are in a planet and such. It might start a little bit slow, but you’ll eventually get to the fun part later haha.

All of the characters are very well-written, I can connect with all the Sixth and really appreciate their natural and funny dialogues LOL. It’s safe to say that I love all of them and how each characters have their own uniqueness and have equal parts so it’s not like all about Lament and Keller. We have Jesper as the one who can dive deep to look for data through his helmet, Vera the mom of the group, Youvu Hums funny comments, Avi the smallest spy(?) and explosion expert and the biggest supporter of Lament and Keller LOL, and many more.

About the storyline, I lowkey can predict what’s actually happening and what the villain is doing so I just have to wait for them to realize. I kinda wish about Keller crashing out over his mom, BUT THIS IS A REALISTIC REACTION TO SOMEONE WHO ABANDON YOU. But despite that, I still enjoy the vibe of reading this book cause of the found family and just entertaining characters LOL like I love Keller so much man you don’t understand.

THEIR RELATIONSHIP THOOOOO UGH i love people who xan communicate and side characters that are just as important as the main part cause like without Vera, Keller and Lament might just not talk to each other broo im deadass 😭 AND THE SLOWBURN AND THE INTERACTION UGHHHHH I FOLD BROO

“Why are you on your knees?”

“I guess … because I’m about to beg.”

KELLER WAS CRAZY FOR THATTT.

Overall, I 100% recommend this to everyone who wants to read a futuristic life about experts that can ride rockets with modern technologies and beautiful romance and family relationships.

[Veronica Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ate this up like ice cream. Prince really nails the feeling of being mid-crush, when everything is kind of tortuous and embarrassing but also magic, and it was so easy to root for the novel's central relationship. This is technically an enemies to lovers romance--when Keller shows up to take the place of Lament's really deceased partner, Lament is furious--but the conflict comes from both characters wrestling with the ways their respective pasts have hurt them, and not from one of them being a jerk or from an inability to have a basic conversation. (If I read one more romantasy where the main character is like "Does he love me or does he want to murder me? Those are the only options, and I'll never be able to figure out which!" I will lose my mind). Everyone is really trying, which I appreciate, and it's adorable, which I also appreciate.

And look, there is a plot to this book. There are some space battles and a mystery involving a volcano and a cult and some truly illogical missions that strain credulity even in a YA novel about precocious space fighters. If you are looking for sci fi, this is maybe not your book. But if you are looking for gooey queer romance that just happens to take place in space, this is a good bet.

[Lucy Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would first like to start this book by thanking Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for providing a copy of this eARC for me to read.

I could not put this book down and I wanted to read it the whole time I was at work or with family. I was immediately hooked on Keller’s character from the first chapter, and I wanted to know about him and as soon as we met Lament, I wanted to know about him as well. The characters were all unique and interesting as well as very dynamic. Outside of the romantic tension between Lament and Keller from chapter one – the plot itself was just very tense.

The whole plot line was not only very well developed but had world building that I often don’t see in young adult science fiction. The world building very obviously began before the story started and typically when I read YA sci-fi there is this feeling that the world didn’t exist before chapter one where our reading of the story begins and that WAS NOT the case here. It was amazing! Also, the plot twists in this story are absolutely amazing and compelling. I was surprsied by a few plot twists and enthralled by the way the others were revealed. The spicy level was also a level 2.

Overall, I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 star rating – I would rate it a 6 if I could. I literally found myself crying as I read the last page and wishing that I could start reading it all over again for the first time just for the experience. 100% recommend.

[Kamiye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me go through all sorts of emotions and stages. First, I was not entirely convinced by the "they are enemies" part. I'm still not 100% but the rest of the book makes up for it.

I like the fact that it happens in space. This is cool. Spaceship, space stations, and strange planets for the win!

The plot: let's talk plot. It starts quite simply in a "I'm new" / "I don't like you" way. So there is the romance plot in there, but also a couple of mysteries our ragtag group wants to solve. And that's what makes this book so great.

The end broke my heart (you have to read it to understand it), and then it went better, BUT the roller coaster...Dear author, you had me there for a moment.

Pick it up for:
- MM Romance (close door)
- Sci-fi (space is cool people)
- Mysteries

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Godwin Books via Netgalley for the e-ARC. This review is my own, and I'm leaving it voluntarily.

[Alex Drzewiecki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.75/5 atars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, I enjoyed this one quite a lot. The writing flowed excellently, making the reading experience nice and easy. The plot had a nice premise to it, even it some of the points expanded beyond the realm of believability, even for a sci-fi book, and the plot was very predictable.

The first half was definitely my favorite. Getting to know the characters, watching the characters getting to know each other, seeing Keller and Lament grow closer in a very sweet way. But then the third quarter of the book it and I struggled quite a bit through that whole quarter for two reasons. The first being the plan™️ that they were going through with melt entirely unreasonable. Like, there was no big enough point for that big of a risk. It felt very unnecessary. And the second being conflict arising between characters after they had already passed major conflicts and were starting to bond. That combination put quite a damper on the reading experience for a good quarter to a third of the book. Which was a bummer, because I was truly enjoying this so much.

My greatest pleasure while reading was definitely the characters. Keller was such a pleasant main character. I adored him. His sense of humor, his insecurities, his kind heart, his love. He was such a good character. Lament, as well. If i had gotten more of his POV throughout the book, I think I could have taken to him even more than I did Keller. He was such a complicated, but eternity caring character. The walls built around him were incredibly thick, and his defenses due to severe trauma could make him rude at times when he felt scared or cornered. But author never made him cruel. He was never a bully or irredeemable in his mistakes. On top of them, the rest of the team was incredibly endearing and a pleasure to read about.

[sapphicallyreads ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

If All the Stars Go Dark by S.G. Prince is a Space Opera fantasy centred around a found family full of funny banter, rough edges, and genuine love.

Keller Hartman, a new recruit in the Legion's most prestigious galactic unit, teams up with a motley crew of specialists to investigate a mysterious visionary who can predict catastrophes. Keller’s ready to prove himself to the Legion, but there’s one problem – his new partner, Lament Bringer, refuses to fly with him. With threats mounting and secrets unfolding, Keller and Lament will need to trust each other, but with trust comes other feelings, ones neither of them is prepared for. With the fate of the universe hanging in the balance, the only thing worse than failing their mission might just be losing each other.

Prince’s worldbuilding is distinctly the work of a talented fantasy writer. We’re introduced to a strong variety of civilisations, planets and futuristic contraptions that bring her fictional world to life. There’s also a large cast of characters (the found family of the Sixth Fleet), whose characterisation and chaotic banter made them easy to love and worry about.

The plot was well paced, and while the twist was predictable, it leaned more towards dramatic irony (I swear I wanted to shake Keller every time they talked about the villain’s plot and didn’t even make a guess on what the twist was).

Now onto the romance: Lament and Keller’s relationship is a tension-filled slow burn. (Even though Keller definitely has the hots for Lament the entire book.) The build in their relationship is sweet, forced proximity helping them slowly open up and be vulnerable with each other.

If you’re looking for a sci-fi Achillean romance and the sweetest found family, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to S.G.Prince for the gifted ARC copy!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keller Hartman hasn't had the easiest life but after being recruited into the Legion's most prestigious galactic unit at 18 years of age after busting his ass to the best all through school, things are going well. That is until he meets his new partner, Lament Bringer, who wants absolutely nothing to do with him. They, along with the rest of their eclectic team, are working together to investigate a mysterious cult leader who seems to be able to predict catastrophes.

This book had me hooked right from the start! Keller has a very relatable habit of deflecting with humor. He's kind, lovable but also flawed and selfish at times. I feel like I could read a million books through his voice. Lament is like an onion, he comes off like an asshole at first but as you peel away those layers he makes so much sense. And the PINING THESE BOYS GO THROUGH MY GOD.

The action starts pretty quickly but it still doesn't hurt the world building or the complexity of these characters. Though this story does focus on Keller and Lament the rest of the team is delightful and fun to read. A few of the plot points were formulaic but it didn't even matter because because you could feel the love the author put into the characters and the story.

This story has something for everyone: enemies to friends to partners to lovers, pining, romance, found family, hurt/comfort. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ember · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is…frankly a crime that I hadn’t read any of S.G. Prince’s work before now. THIS BOOK, y’all - THIS. BOOK. 😭🤗
I laughed, I cried, I smiled like a dork.
This book is an absolute DELIGHT - it reminds me why I love reading. The thrill of a good space/adventure story, the plot making your brain itch, the characters with all their lovable quirks and the couple that you want to lovingly smack over the head and tell them to just SAY IT ALREADY!🤣😍🤗

It was tragic in the most small but irritating kind of way that I had to put this aside to research/shop for a used car in my spare time for 2.5 weeks, because my old one had the audacity to putter out shortly after I started this beautiful book.
Otherwise I would’ve easily read this in like…2 days. Maybe even one of I’d had time.
So please don’t take my long reading time as a sign this book isn’t good, because it’s sooo darn good - read it, you can thank me later😉

I love the way S.G. Prince wrote this book - first off, it’s just a fun story, but the character development and the raw humanity and tangibility of the characters is what really sets it apart.
Keller is a hilarious character, and reading from his POV was so enjoyable - these quotes made me laugh so hard, especially the garden gnome one😂

“I tell myself that's not what's happening, but the small garden gnome that moonlights as my brain refuses to believe it.”


And this gem:

‘“Damned if I do, damned if I don't."

"You're not damned."

"Good point. Turtles can't go
to hell."

"What?"’


There were also so many really touching moments and quotes:

“It was the only gift not meant for destruction. Rather, if you give your lifestone to someone you love, it's like giving them a part of your soul, and it can save them in times of peril.
‘What is this?’ Ecnatis famously boomed. ‘Why would I want to give my soul to another?’
‘Love is about sacrifice’, replied Thepatas. ‘It is stronger when it is shared.’”


And don’t even get me started on how called out I felt from this one:

"I'm accepting responsibility for the mistakes that occurred within my domain of duty."
"You're not accepting responsibility," I plead in a tone that is beginning to sound suspiciously like anger.
"You're internalizing the mishap like it's some sort of character flaw."
He pauses. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means exactly what it sounds like. You think you can control everything, like being in control means nothing bad will ever happen, and when something bad does happen, you use it as proof that you weren't trying hard enough, or being smart enough, or paying enough attention. You line your toiletries up at right angles. The clothes hangers in your closet are all spaced at perfect intervals. Have you ever seen your handwriting? It looks like a typewriter, and it takes you twice as long to take notes because you have to make every letter exact."


The whole cast of characters is a delight - S.G. Prince gave them all personalities and quirks, which would’ve been easy not to do with a cast this size in 330 pages, but it was done, and done well. I feel as though the Sixth Legion fleet is family to me too, now.
Looking forward to getting my physical copy and tabbing all my favorite quotes and moments🤗

I really enjoyed how the characters, also, weren’t portrayed as too young or too old - they were young, but they felt realistic to their age, given their life experiences. Not in an immature way, but in a believable way.
The raw uncertainty of one’s first great love, the wonder, the ache of wanting to belong and find your place in the world, all set alongside a fantastic plot that was a serious page turner.
The found family in this was so lovely, it brought tears to my eyes several times.
The romance was also believably done, Keller and Lament have a great dynamic and honest, 18/19 year old fumbling chemistry that I wholeheartedly adored (and maybe squealed over;)).

All the characters in this book - their friendships, arcs, relationships, and their personalities - just totally stole my heart. I would read a very long series about the Sixth, just saying🩵✨🪐🌑🖤
I can’t recommend this book enough, it was such a fun, heartwarming adventure of a book and I can’t wait to read more by S.G. Prince❤️

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan, and Godwin books for the opportunity to read an ARC copy of this book! This is my honest review.
Publication date: January 20th, 2026✨

[Elle Cheshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! It was an easy five star. It’s a story of corruption, fanaticism, grief and belonging centred around a truly beautiful love story. It made me so happy and had so emotional!

We follow Keller as he joins the Sixes, an elite division of the Legion (the force that protects the universe). Except the person supposed to be his partner Isn’t happy to see him. Lament recently lost his previous partner to mysterious circumstances and all he wants is to understand what happened and he refuses to fly with Keller.

Firstly, Keller was a fantastic character. He’s endearing, relatable, brave, kind and he just wants to find a family and his place in the world. He was so easy to love. And Lament, I just wanted to give him a hug. Their were both fleshed out complex characters with fully realised lives, histories, wants and flaws. The romance was an absolute joy - it stole my heart and I can’t recommend this book enough for it! It progressed perfectly - I was worried the romance might happen too quickly but it didn’t, It occurred so naturally and developed as they got to know one another and went through things together. Keller’s fear of abandonment and Lament’s grief were things they had to work through whilst falling for one another. They are the heart of this book and I adored every second of their time together. The yearning, the blushing… it had me in my feels. Every interaction was a delight. I’m gutted this is a standalone (I think?) simply because I’d love more books with these two. It’s the kind of romance that’s hard to put into words but become a favourite - it was just so pure and real.

The rest of the team were all wonderful and I liked the dynamics they added and the found family of it all. (Especially the not so subtle comments about the romance 🤣) They supported each other and didn’t hesitate to break the rules if that’s what their teammate needed. Every piece worked together perfectly and I just loved seeing the team adopt Keller into their family and all the ways in which he added to it.

The Sci fi world was super easy to digest. I sometimes find it takes a while to wrap my head around new sci fi world but this was very understandable and let me just focus on the story instead of having to parse through things. And I loved all the aspects included, from the set up of the Legion, to the space monsters and Determinist cult, it was all compelling and woven together really well. I actually would have been happy with more details on these aspect because they were all really interesting!
I did guess the twist early on but I read a lot so that’s on me and it didn’t hamper my reading experience at all! I still really enjoyed seeing the characters learn the truth and was on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how’d they’d react and how it would all play out. I’ll admit certain scenes had me tearing up especially when the title was said!!

It was just a fantastic reading experience! It had me laughing out loud, giggling and kicking my feet to heart aching and tears. Keller and Lament left a mark on me, their connection and romance so heartfelt and beautiful. The Sci Fi setting had thrilling high stakes moments with an interesting overarching story that navigated that growing cult and future predications and disasters. It was everything I wanted and more - if you enjoy Ya Sci Fi and a relatable emotional romance and character arc then you need this on your radar!


Thank you to netgalley for the eARC - this became a surprising favourite of the year for me!! - all thoughts are my own

[EJ Washington · Rating 4 out of 5]

eARC Review:

The YA sci-fi version of romantasy: Sci-mance. Ro-fi.

The sci-fi elements were overall well done, and the romance takes up a major part of the plot. The story is fast-paced, high-stakes, and a bit predictable.

It has galactic cults, conspiracy theories, giant sand octopi, mysterious mist, and multiple pages of Keller losing his mind over his beautiful, great-smelling, stubborn partner who refuses to let him be his co-pilot.

Also… this is not enemies to lovers (in my opinion). At no point are they actually enemies… Keller becomes obsessed with Lament way too fast for that label to make sense.

It’s more like… Keller immediately tries to force his way into Lament’s life (very Neil & Andrew coded), and Lament keeps pushing back while still giving in inch by inch.

And honestly, this book reminded me that yes, I do actually really like YA books.

The book can basically be described as: Lament dealing with trauma → Keller comforting him → Keller dealing with trauma → Lament comforting him. Repeat. Add in the fact that they’re also simultaneously trying to avoid eye contact with each other every other chapter, and that’s the dynamic in a nutshell.

NOW I can’t lie… I did in fact eat this up every single time. However, it did kind of distort their relationship a bit. Instead of actually liking each other, it sometimes feels like they’re just trauma-bonded.

I ended up giving this… 3.5 Stars or 4 Hearts

What went wrong:
The ending. Ohmygod the ending. I was actually SO surprised by how unsurprising it was.

What do you mean you didn’t know. Elite task force my ass. It was more like rookie mistake after rookie mistake. Well, it wasn’t THAT bad. But having to read through pages of dialogue about this “elite” team trying to piece together things that are painfully obvious was… frustrating, to say the least.

Also, without getting into spoilers, the reasoning or motivation for going through with the plan just didn’t feel strong enough. And of course, everything that was supposedly impossible ended up being very much possible.

Overall:
The writing and voice in this are well done and perfectly suitied fo YA. I also really liked the fact the author has their own unique writing style (I love when books are quirky).

I think this is perfect book to read if you want something sci-fi that’s not too technical and focuses more on the romance.

I still really liked this book and would recommend it! I enjoyed the author’s writing style, and the banter between the characters is where the story really shines. I’d absolutely love to read something else by this author and will definitely be on the lookout for any new releases.

“Why am I not flying with you?”

“I fly alone. As we’ve established.”

“Is this about the pancake?”

[becsbookcorner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGallery and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the eARC. This was my first time getting and ARC and I really appreciate the opportunity!

I wanted a home. A future. Something I could dig my fingers into, something solid and real that couldn’t be taken and couldn’t be lost.

If All the Stars Go Dark is a debut YA novel by S.G. Prince that explores the relationship between Keller, the new recruit to the Legion’s prestigious galactic unit, and Lament, the decorated pilot of said galactic unit. While the book focuses heavily on their will-they-won’t-they dislike-to-lovers banter, in the background it teases that things might not be all that they appear within the Legion, as well as a new threat within the galaxy. But unfortunately, that’s pretty much what it is, in the background.

While we get a clear focalisation of Keller’s character as the story is told via his point of view, we do gain a decent amount of insight into Lament as well. However, this is through a lot of telling instead of showing. It would have been nice to have more showing to create more nuance to his character and their developing relationship, as well as Keller’s discovery of his Lament’s true self. I personally found that these two characters were the only ones somewhat fleshed out, with the remaining members just sort of there when the plot called for them. We don’t learn too much about the rest of the team, which feels like a missed opportunity to not only develop them into more living breathing characters, but also to add more to the worldbuilding. In the end, they felt pretty flat, one-dimensional and not honestly really needed to tell the story. The aspect that I thought was well handled and thought out however was Keller’s abandonment issues. But overall, I wanted to know all the characters on a deeper level that just wasn’t present.

I also felt because a lot of the time spent building up Keller and Lament’s relationship, the actual plot started a bit too late for me personally. It felt like it had to take a back seat to allow more smaller missions and exchanges to take place before it got to its crux, when it should have been happening simultaneously. The pacing felt slightly off to me overall because of this issue and I did find it predictable unfortunately. While this book isn’t bad by any means, it just failed to connect me to the characters and the world and left me feeling on the indifferent side. However, if you’re new to the genre and want a cosy sci-fi where the romantic side takes precedence, this could be good for you.

[Meredith Katz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one wasn't quite a hit for me the way I'd hoped it'd be, but it's plenty cute! It's an adventure-filled sci-fi romance (with the emphasis being on the main romantic plot, and the sci-fi elements being secondary), and the main (m/m) ship is very cute. We've got the up-and-coming gunner protagonist eager to prove himself who falls in instalove for the love interest, and a know-it-all asshole who's been traumatized and is searching out very real conspiracies as a love interest.

Where this didn't quite win me over as much as I'd like was the ... I suppose not the world building itself, but the execution of it. It hit me a bit oddly on two levels. First, the actual beats in the story are CLEARLY pulp (ray guns, light flyers, giant sand octopuses, space zealots, etc) but the writing is solidly young adult flat patter. Nothing wrong with either option, but they don't go together very well for me; pulp is made for impact-sentences, and the quiet first person present tense ("I should have told them [...] but I didn't, so how do I bring it up now? Not that I want them to know. Not that I want to talk about it at all.") fits really weirdly with the elements we're being shown. Or often told about. There is a LOT of the world being flat out explained for sometimes multiple pages whenever any new sci-fi element is introduced, and the exposition can drag the pacing. Again, I think it'd be served by being more pulpy -- if it threw us into more things and relied on us to pick up details from context instead of telling us the whole socio-economic background of each situation. Basically I think that given that we're being given so many action elements, it's more interesting if the protagonist just shoots the octopus, rather than giving me several paragraphs of remembering the anatomically accurate octopus drawn on his wall at home and the lessons he was taught about where the brain was, since that just takes me out of the action and reassures me too fast that he WILL shoot it very well very soon. He could always circle back later after getting a confused but impressed "how did you know where to shoot"

Anyway, it's a genuinely very sweet and fun sci-fi story with some mystery elements that can be worth picking up for that!

Thank you to NetGalley and to MacMillian for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.