183 ratings | 53 reviews | avg rating:4.36

C.J.’s Year In Books

C.J.’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at C.J.’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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C.J. Aralore’s Followers (11)

C.J.’s Bookshelves

to-read (39)
currently-reading (1)
read (190)
coming-of-age (33)
dystopian (4)
fantasy (59)
gaysuperheroes (5)
homophobia-transphobia (16)
horror (14)
lgbtq (160)
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C.J.’s Friends (12)

Steven Gellman

637 books | 190 friends

Carla

1,220 books | 89 friends

briebriereads

1,191 books | 181 friends

Lily Laverick

1,783 books | 29 friends

Z.M. Celestaire

188 books | 42 friends

Elizabeth

78 books | 4,993 friends

Brianna Smith

477 books | 5,001 friends

Hope

297 books | 4,931 friends

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C.J. Aralore

Goodreads Author

Born

The United States

Website

http://www.cjaralore.com

Twitter

cjaralore

Genre

Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Member Since

September 2023

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/cjaralore

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The universe of CJ Aralore's stories exists within that transcendent space between absolute dark and blinding light, where every color of the rainbow resides.

CJ (he/him) writes speculative fiction, with a special love for romantasy. His writing is heavily influenced by constantly daydreaming as a child, searching for his soulmate as a teen, and building a life with the man of his dreams as an adult.

In addition to writing, CJ enjoys making crafts, drawing, dollhouse miniatures, music, and spending time with his longtime partner and their animal children. ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

Despite all the great queer adult books I've read, why do I keep coming back to YA?

C.J. Aralore Even as an adult, I feel like I relate more to YA relationships. I've only ever experienced first love. I've never had any exes. Sure, I'd had plenty …moreEven as an adult, I feel like I relate more to YA relationships. I've only ever experienced first love. I've never had any exes. Sure, I'd had plenty of crushes and experiences intense emotions, but only one person I loved that way ever loved me back. That sort of thing seems most common in YA.

It might also be because my own teen years were filled with religious trauma and self hatred and my mind wants to rewrite those years as having love and acceptance (which would be why I like romcoms and avoid tragedies).

That last point shows the importance of having queer books for all ages. So many queer youth are struggling as I did and giving them hope can literally save lives.

Love is possible, even for those who've struggled to love themselves. I'm proof of that.(less)

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Why do you avoid spoilers in your reviews?

C.J. Aralore The reason I almost never read reviews before starting a book is to avoid any potential spoilers. I like to go into a book knowing only what the summa…moreThe reason I almost never read reviews before starting a book is to avoid any potential spoilers. I like to go into a book knowing only what the summary tells me. I don't even follow the star ratings, since I've loved low rated books and not cared for high rated books.

So, for those who actually do read reviews beforehand, I try to avoid spoilers and make sure it's obvious everything is my opinion and why I personally would feel a certain way. At some point, I may start including a section to discuss a book further with spoilers, but I can barely find time to review a fraction of the books I read, so no guess when/if that will be.(less)

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Combine Editions
C.J. Aralore’s books

Average rating: 4.47 · 17 ratings · 12 reviews · 3 distinct works • Similar authors

	Rise: Queer Sci Fi's 10th Annual Flash Fiction Contest by J. Scott Coatsworth (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Jendia Gammon (Goodreads Author), Tris Lawrence (Goodreads Author) 4.80 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2023 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Gravity’s Fire 4.22 avg rating — 9 ratings — published 2024 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Gravity’s Rise 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

C.J. is Currently Reading

C.J. Aralore is currently reading

Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens

by Tanya Boteju (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading, romcom, lgbtq, queerromance

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Jan 02, 2026 12:51AM

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C.J.’s Recent Updates

C.J. Aralore is currently reading Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 02, 2026 12:51AM · like
C.J. Aralore rated a book really liked it Heated Rivalry (Game Changers, #2) by Rachel Reid	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 02, 2026 12:51AM · like
C.J. Aralore wants to read Captive Prince (Captive Prince, #1) by C.S. Pacat (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 30, 2025 04:01PM · like
C.J. Aralore is currently reading Heated Rivalry (Game Changers, #2) by Rachel Reid	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 27, 2025 11:50PM · like
C.J. Aralore is now following Steven Gellman Author of Somewhere in Nowhere
Dec 25, 2025 03:07AM · like
C.J. Aralore made a comment on his status in Somewhere in Nowhere " You're welcome! You're welcome! ...more "
Dec 25, 2025 03:07AM
C.J. Aralore rated a book really liked it Yesterday Is History by Kosoko Jackson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 22, 2025 03:44AM · like
C.J. Aralore rated a book it was amazing Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 19, 2025 05:28AM · like
C.J. Aralore wants to read Somewhere in Nowhere by Steven Gellman (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 16, 2025 02:26PM · 1 like · like
C.J. Aralore is currently reading Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 12, 2025 09:21PM · like

More of C.J.'s books…

Quotes by C.J. Aralore (?)

“You’re the sun to my earth and the light I want to open my eyes to every morning for the rest of my life. Even when you’re old and gray and cranky all the time, you’ll always be my soulmate.”
― C.J. Aralore, Gravity’s Fire

tags: love, love-quotes, soulmates

1 likes

“When the gravity of a star becomes too great, it collapses and its fire burns itself up in a huge explosion. That’s what it feels like when I talk to you, like my gravity is burning me up until I’m a billion stars. You make me feel like starlight.”
― C.J. Aralore, Gravity’s Fire

tags: love, love-quotes, romance, romantic-quotes, supernova

0 likes

“If only I were magic like him, then I could keep him without having to keep him in the dark.”
― C.J. Aralore, Gravity’s Fire

tags: longing, lying, magic

0 likes

See all C.J. Aralore's quotes »

C.J.’s Quotes

“If only I were magic like him, then I could keep him without having to keep him in the dark.”
― C.J. Aralore, Gravity’s Fire

tags: longing, lying, magic

0 likes

tags: love, love-quotes, soulmates

1 likes

“Before I realize it, I’m crying. So this is who I am now that I’m not Phoenix. I cry in front of men with giant mustaches.”
― C.J. Aralore, Gravity’s Fire

tags: crying, humor, identity

0 likes

tags: love, love-quotes, romance, romantic-quotes, supernova

0 likes

“I take a deep breath. I can do this. It won’t be like when I tried confessing to Raymond at last year’s school fair and got caught in the cotton candy machine’s vicious pink web. Or, like freshman year, when I gave Toby a valentine that caught on fire for no reason at all. I might always forget exactly what the boy I dream about every night looks like the moment I wake up, but this time is different.”
― C.J. Aralore, Gravity’s Fire