I know it looks like I read a ton of books last month, but full disclosure: I technically finished the first series on the last day of July and didn't feel like remaking all of my graphics. And the last series I'll be talking about was short comparatively speaking. I dedicated most of my August reading to the two series preceding the Checkmate series I raved about last month, and at least the first part of September will be spent with the next generation. I'm still reading the Harley Merlin series, as well, but I don't if I'm sticking with it because I want to or because I feel like I've come this far so I might as well finish it. I was also able to cross two more books off my list of 30 Books I Want to Read, even if it was because I didn't get into them.

Author: Leia Stone and Jaymin Eve

Maisy accidentally releases the last of the Titans, Cronus, from the prison realm he had been trapped in for the last thousand years. Turns out everything humans know about the Titans is wrong, a false history planted by Zeus to gain power. Soon Maisy and Cronus set out to raise the other Titans from the dead and save the world from the nine (not 7) deadly sins.

I really enjoyed this series. Maisy was really entertaining to me. She was definitely a millennial, so intent on becoming a social media influencer that she thought in hashtags. It added so much levity to the story. I liked how Maisy was able to hold onto her personality while still fulfilling the role she was destined to play. It's not often you find a heroine like Maisy, and I found her so refreshing.

Author: Emilia Finn

Last month, I talked about the Checkmate series. When I discovered that there were two other series before that one involving the other core characters, I had to read them. It all starts with Finding Home, book one in the Rollin On series. This series is all about the Kincaids, world champion fighters, and the women who love them. Book 1-2 is Bobby and Kit's story; Book 3 is all about Jimmy and Izzy; Book 4 centers on Aiden and Tina; Book 5 is for Jon and Casey, a.k.a. Tink; and Book 6 jumps forward several years for Jack and Brittney's happy ending. Each of these couples goes through a major life-changing event, and all of these women are damn strong. I would gladly be adopted into this fictional family.

Without giving you any spoilers, I can tell you that book three will tie heavily into book four of the Survivor series, and book four introduces the overlying storyline for the Checkmate series.

Author: Emilia Finn

This series picks up right where the Rollin On series ended, but instead of following the guys of the Rollin On Gym, it follows the top cops and their not-necessarily-related-by-blood family. Book one is all about Alex, chief of police, and Juliette, a lawyer; Scotch and Sammy's love story is book 2-3; Chief Deputy Oz falls for Lindsey in book four; and we wrap things up with Marc and Meg, with a side of Luc and Kari, in books 5-6. As with its predecessor and successor, each couple in this series comes through a major life event (or two), and all of the women are super strong.

Author: Jaymin Eve

I've been avoiding this series for what seems like forever. It's marketed as a book about aliens, and I'm not big on sci-fi, but I am a fan of Jaymin Eve so I decided to give it a shot. First, aliens isn't exactly accurate. This series is about the co-existence of Earth and a parallel universe. Emma, Callie, Maya, and Avalon are the secret keepers. Together, the four girls, along with the leaders of the four sections of the other wold, can locate a magic crystal that's keeping both worlds balanced. The octet must come together to protect the crystal and prevent the destruction of both realms.

Each book is told from the perspective of a different secret keeper and the leader she's tied to. It starts with Emma, followed by Callie, Maya, and finally Avalon. As each keeper is found, she becomes a lasting presence in the subsequent books. Avalon is the only one to appear in only one book. I was surprised by how much I liked this series.