Mona Lisa Eclipsing

Title: Mona Lisa Eclipsing
Author: Sunny
Series: Monére, Children of the Moon - Book 5
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Page Count: 320 Pages
Pub. Date: Published May 2011 by Berkley Trade
Rating: 5/5

~Book's Description~
From the time she was an orphan, Mona Lisa knew she was different. As a Mixed-Blood daughter of the Monère, she rules her domain in the Louisiana Bayou. But she’s about to become the hunted as her mind begins playing tricks, and no one is who they seem.

Roberto Carderas, a dangerous drug lord of mixed Monère heritage, arrives in Cozumel to eliminate a rival. But the jaguar-shifter has encountered a much more valuable prize on the island: Mona Lisa, the first female Monère he’s ever met—and one especially vulnerable in that she has lost her memory. Now, with all knowledge of her real life as stripped away as her defenses, Mona Lisa can be manipulated into believing…anything.

Convinced that Roberto is her kind and sensual protector, Mona Lisa thwarts all attempts at her rescue—including those made by her desperate lover Dante. As Roberto’s devious scheme gets underway, Dante can only hope that the touch of his warm flesh will reignite total recall in the body and mind of the woman he loves. But escape for both of them could be as forever elusive as Mona Lisa’s past.

~My Review~

I love that there were no spoilers for the last quarter of the book, it took me by complete surprise and I loved it. I was starting to wonder what more trouble this poor girl could get herself in without it being overkill, but as usual Sunny has a way of keeping things fresh and exciting. I love where the series is headed with this new plot-line.

The mexican memory loss craziness of the majority of the book was thrilling and I loved getting Dante back in the picture. It had been awhile since I last read the other books (a year since I read them all back-to-back) so I was drawing blanks right along side Mona Lisa, which was fun. But if you want the effect of knowing when she doesn't, you may want a refresher.

Great job Sunny, as always :)

You can read the first chapter on Sunny's website here

My Rating: 5/5

~ Other books in this series ~
#1 Mona Lisa Awakening, #2 Mona Lisa Blossoming, #3 Mona Lisa Craving, #4 Mona Lisa Darkening. Also there are two short stories in anthologies: Over The Moon “Mona Lisa Three” (Set between 2 and 3), On The Prowl “Mona Lisa Betwining” (Set between 3 and 4)


~ You'll like this series if you liked ~
Demon Princess Chronicles by Sunny, Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward, or The Demonica Series by Larissa Ione.


~Links 4 More~
Author Website: here
Add to your Shelfari: here
Add to your Goodreads: here
Buy it at Bookdepository (Free Shipping): here

B.J. Kenney

Children of the Moon Series by Sunny

Title: Monére, Children of the Moon Series
Author: Sunny
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Page Count: 272 (book 1)
Rating: 5/5

Plot in Under 10:

A mixed-blood Monére fights for her life, love and throne.

Summary for Book 1, Mona Lisa Awakening:

From the time she was an orphan child, Mona Lisa knew she was different—but she never knew how different until a man of otherworldly beauty arrived during her night shift in the ER. Gryphon is hurting and hunted…and he attracts her as no man ever has before. He is a Monère, one of the children of the moon—and what’s more, so is she…Long exiled from the moon, the men of the Monère serve—and mate—with imperious Queens, who can channel the rays of their far-off homeland. Gryphon believes that Mona Lisa is a Queen—perhaps the first of Mixed Blood ever known. But her introduction to the nighttime court of the Monère, simmering with intrigue, casual lust, and calculated cruelty, is far from smooth. The other Queens are infuriated by her potential powers, and they are all menaced by a group of rogue males who have broken away from the women’s sway. Even as she battles threats from within and without, Mona Lisa is determined to discover who she is, and to explore the limits of her growing power—and her secret desires…

My Review

I read this series because it was recommended to me, and the first in the series was on sale at the bookstore. The spicy scenes originally took me back, mostly because I wasn’t expecting them, but once I got into the story I was hooked.

The series follows a mixed-blood Monére (Child of the Moon - shapeshifter) Mona Lisa, the first ever mixed-blood capable of basking (drawing down the Moon’s rays to empower her people). The Monére mostly disslike their half-breeds, abandoning them at birth. Someone is always trying to kill Lisa or use her, and her heart is torn in many directions.

The 3 things I loved most: 

(I find it hard to pick these without spoilers!)
1) The plot twists, and there are quite a few. I never knew where Sunny was going to go next, so I was constantly on the edge of my seat.

2) The men. The books are packed full of hunky men of all shapes and sizes. She is very descriptive of the characters and I grew to love Amber and Gryphon in particular. Sunny doesn’t hold back on her steamy scenes!

3) Book 4, it’s my favorite so far, going into a whole other dimension and completely changing my view on a couple of the characters.

Downsides for me:

A few too many love interests. It gets more than a little confusing, but it makes sense to their race so by book 4 I was a little more comfortable with it. *edit* since expanding my reading view I now realize this series was a "Why Choose" before that trope was a thing. 

Unfinished series. I haven't been able to find out why, but Sunny stopped writing in this world.