Daring heroics, passionate life-changing decisions, gut wrenching fates, and people you know more about than your very own family. These are just a few things we love about escaping into our favorite book series. We love the way the story envelops us for a while, making the story a world of our own. These characters embody everything we want in our own friends: humor, power, and even their signature shortcomings to make them unique and real. As an ultimate reader (we’re talking certificates for reading the most books in my class every year of my elementary school career, thank you very much), I've gone through every big-time book series fan phase and also some not so popular series. Here's a peek into 17 of my favorite book series that made me laugh, hurt, roll my eyes, and let me travel the world through their pages.

1. "Percy Jackson & The Olympians"/ "Heroes of Olympus" - Rick Riordan

A revamped history lesson that takes you on a ride through Greek and Roman Mythology; Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, Leo, Hazel, Frank, thank you for the adventure.

2. "Harry Potter" - J.K. Rowling

Come on, if you don't know about Harry, Hermione, and Ron you live under a rock. I’ll *always* defend the value of the wizarding world.

3. "The Heir Chronicles" - Cinda Williams Chima

Set in a small Ohio town. Power lies at the heart, Jack.

4. "I Am Number Four Series" - Pittacus Lore

John Smith and aliens in Paradise, Ohio. I don't know why Ohio is weird, but I like it.

5. "The Twilight Saga" - Stephanie Meyer

Vampires, werewolves, and again, you live under a rock if you don't know about the Cullens. Honestly sometimes people won’t appreciate a good thing even if it does literally jump up and bite them. #TeamEdward

6. "Shadow Falls" - C.C. Hunter

Megan keeps seeing this dead guy, so she gets sent to crazy camp. (I’m dead inside and got sent to college, so it’s basically the same thing)

7. "The Mortal Instruments" - Cassandra Clare

Shadowhunters are cool, angels kind of suck, and demons are trash.

8. "Fablehaven" - Brandon Mull

Basically, "We Bought a Zoo", but way better and way funnier.

9. "Kane Chronicles" - Rick Riordan

Egyptian Mythology that’s more than weird pictures on a stone. No, King Tut isn't in it. (Hey Rick, do you like ancient cultures?)

10. "Hunger Games Trilogy" - Suzanne Collins

Spoiler *Everyone Dies* sort of. Also, get out from under that rock bud, the movies are everywhere. But as usual, the books are better except for the Jennifer Lawrence part.

11. "Inheritance Cycle" - Christopher Paolini

“Dragons, Elves, Dwarves”, and it’s better than Lord of the Rings and its written by a 16 year old. (that doesn’t make me feel like a 20 year old failure at all) Saphira is awesome.

12. "Divergent Trilogy" - Veronica Roth

Factions divide a city; you're supposed to know yourself well enough to choose one by sixteen, good luck. It’s kinda like college: fit in and be successful or be homeless.

13. "Robert Langdon" - Dan Brown

Shocker, Da Vinci Code is actually the second book and the second movie.

14. "The Maze Runner" - James Dashner

Dylan O'Brien. The title gives it away; he's literally in a maze running. (I’d be running too if I was there and that’s saying something)

15. "Firelight Trilogy" - Sophie Jordan

Sometimes fitting in isn't all it's cracked up to be. Dragons are real. Why else would there be so many stories about them?

16. "The Iron Fey" - Julie Kagawa

Read "A Midsummers Night Dream" by William Shakespeare before this series. Also another Meghan, apparently I need to meet more Meghan's.

17. "Moon Series" - Jeanette Battista

Don't be afraid to be on your own. Don't stiff your waiters or waitresses, I can’t stress this enough.