I'm always pleasantly surprised when I reach the end of a book in the series, by how much I enjoyed it. Harris has created a rich alt-US setting for a western mixed with a bit of magic. Some characters are more well-developed than others, but I wouldn't call any of them complex. The motivations are mostly simple and clear, but it's still fun to go along for the ride. I enjoyed spending time again with the characters and I like how each book so far is centered in a different region of this alternate-US. It keeps the series fresh and interesting.

In an alternate North America Lizbeth Rose is a gunsell
or a Gunny. A gun for hire usually taking on guard duty of valuable shipments moving through the violent landscape of her home Texoma.
So succinctly at 20 she is quite the badass.
Drawn into the intrigue and plots
around the throne of the new Holy Russian Empire
(the Tsar and his court fled Russia ahead of the Bolsheviks
and found sanctuary in San Diego, eventually replacing the
local government when the USA fell apart)

Eli Saranovov, Grigori in service to the Tsar
follows the threads of a plot to Gunny Rose's home hiring her for a job.

The plots continue to unfold in new and terribly ways that threaten Rose and the Empire.

Filled with rapid fire action and characters that are believable
and engaging. Harris has yet again created an incredible character and world.

This is the third book in the Gunnie Rose series and picks up right where A Longer Fall leaves off. After the cliffhanger of book 2 I couldn't wait to pick this book up. It did not disappoint

Gunnie Rose travels to the Holy Russian Empire when she hears that Eli is in prison. Mayhem ensues. ARC from NetGalley.

A big thank you to the author Charlaine Harris, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

This is an unique genre....alternate history, magic and sorcery, wild, and wild west all set in 1910's. It is a world in which there are guns for hire, a failed US government, and the Tsarists who have saved Nicholas and his family who have now established a new empire in Northern California. And don't forget the wizards and witches, called grigoris. This is the second of a series, so I had to play catch up a bit, but still a good yarn.

This is the third book in the Gunnie Rose series.

In the Russian Cage, the story shifts to a new setting. There is a lot of setting and world building, which was entertaining to see Lizbeth navigate, especially when she had to wear a dress. As with previous books in this series, there is a plethora of action sequences, well thought out character development and a good story arc.

I like the idea of this book and alternate history of the US, the type of fantasy that is grounded in a reality we know makes that fantasy more relatable. This is the third book in a series, so it should be read in order. I came to it because I liked Cookie Stackhouse, but they different.

Dystopian...Russia...Charlaine Harris crafts a world that is a treat to read and a world that I love to explore. Russian Case is urban fantasy at its best.

With The Russian Cage, I feel like I am settling into this series a little more. I am loving the characters, and especially how they grow in this book. Felix and Felicia are becoming two of my favorites, and I can't wait to see where they go in future books. Eli and Lizbeth have always been fun to follow, but I think they have become more interesting in this setting. The addition of Eli's family definitely helps this and gives him a more rounded identity for me. Seeing him more in his home culture was definitely part of this as well. Set in the Holy Russian Empire, this book is also the best backdrop for Lizbeth yet, as it gives her something to contrast more with and gives her a bit more of a challenge. While she did have challenges in the first two books of the series, I think this one was the most effective so far. I love the direction that this series is going and I can't wait for more!

Wonderful story, brilliant beginning to a series that I cannot wait to read more of. Absolutely brilliant. Charlaine Harris is one of my favourite authors.

When I received this ARC, i knew it was part of a series so I have been taking my time getting through the previous books before reading this one – and I’m glad I did because the story takes place right after its predecessor. This was an interesting novel, but I preferred the previous books in the series. I don’t know exactly what was lacking in this installment for me: maybe it was the decreased banter or the slow-going plot. Either way, whilst this was an interesting read with a good amount of violence, it wasn’t my absolute favourite. If you are a fan of the Sookie Stackhouse series like me, I think you might really like the Gunnie Rose series, so definitely check it out!

I really enjoyed the next book in the series about Lizbeth Rose. I am glad I started reading this series- it is a change from her other series, but she is such a fantastic author that the story line dragged me right in! Can't wait for the next one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery-Sage Press for the ARC of this book.
Charlaine Harris is a fabulous author who not only brings romance to her stories but suspense, danger and survival to her stories. This is the 3rd book in the Gunnie Rose series. The book begins with Lizabeth reading a letter from her half-sister Felicia. While trying to read between the lines she realizes that her estranged partner Eli is in trouble and needs her help. So Elizabeth takes off to what was once California but is now the Holy Russian Empire. After a four day train ride to the capital of the HRE, San Diego, she works on getting the lay of the land taking her sister to lunch from the school that she attends in San Diego and meeting up with Eli‘s mother, she begins to formulate a plan. Will she be able to save Eli? Has she done the right thing by sending Felicia so far away to school that is so different from her previous life? Who can she trust to help her get Eli back? The suspense is high and the plot twist are intense but some were so unexpected. After years of avoiding what I would consider Dystopian novels I really enjoy this series.

trigger warning
<spoiler> gun violence, gore, trauma, assault, mention of rape, mention of suicide, grief </spoiler>

Gunnie Rose recieves a letter from her half sister, telling her that Eli, Rose's partner, is in jail.
So Rose packs up her stuff and goes where she never tread before: The Holy Russian Empire, to see what's up, not even hoping she might survive.

This is the third installment in this alternate history western fantasy series.
The Americas fractured, and California is now the place where the Russian tsar resides. Since the HRE is nearly the only place where magic users are respected, that's where they all are going, and wizards in the Russian tradition are called Grigoris, because of Rasputin.

While in the first two books, stuff happened because someone hired Lizbeth, now she sets out on her own, despite knowing she'll be far out of her depth. She arrives pretty quick at her destination and sets out to investigate, but somehow no one seems to know what Eli was charged with, which is kinda against the law.
As if that were not worse enough, in the HRE it's not done to carry open firearms, which results in Lizbeth feeling strangely naked, no matter how many knives she manages to hide on her person.

We learn a lot more about the world, about Eli's family, and while prospects are looking quite grim, there are funny instances of our protagonist having to doll up to get stuff done - she does not like it, but she does it. And proceeds to fight in her new finery, because people keep attacking.

I like this series a lot, and would love to continue.
Gunnie Rose is a cool character, and an excellent example of a flawed person, and while bad things happen to her and the people around her, it is fun to see her react to various different circumstances - or, to be more clear, to see her thrown into situations she has no clue how to deal with, and trying her best to muddle through.

The arc was provided by the publisher. Sorry for the delay.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It took some time for me to review it, because I had to go back and read the first two books of the series before opening this one. This is an absolute must. This book is the third in a trilogy and does not stand alone. Definitely read the other two first. But that's not a problem, because they are all highly entertaining, imaginative books.

In short, I loved this series. Harris has always been good at world building and this series allowed her to really cut loose. Even though the series follows the same characters and has an over arching story, each book has a completely different setting. The first book had kind of a Old West meets "The Road Warrior" feel. The second focused on a country that was essentially the Jim Crow South if the Civil Rights Act had never come into being. And this third book takes place on the West Coast, but it's a West Coast where Tsar Nicholas, who escaped the Russian Revolution in this alternative history series, settled and developed his own country. It's an interesting blend of Southern California and Old Russia, with lots of royal titles and even more backstabbing.

This book doesn't have the body count that the other two books in the series do, but it's still action and suspense packed. It wraps up the story nicely, but leaves room for Harris continue the series if she wants to do that some day.

That being said the book (and series) wasn't without flaws. Number one is Lisabeth herself. Lisabeth is tough as nails, and pragmatic. She is one strong woman. However, that toughness and pragmatism also makes her come across as insensitive and hard for the reader to identify with at times. It's due to the culture she was raised in, but she sometimes comes across as a little heartless. Also, sometimes Harris spends a little too much time talking about mundane things; like making breakfast. I think the story would have paced better if some of those scenes and descriptions were shortened.

But my biggest issue with the series probably just goes back to me thinking too hard about things. It is the question of WHAT YEAR IS THIS TAKING PLACE? Harris created a great alternative history, but I had trouble getting the timelines to match up, especially if you take into account that the Russian Revolution took place in 1918 and Lisbeth is only 20 years old in the books. For example:

*Alexi Romanov was only 13 years old when he died in the 1918 of our timeline. In this book, Harris describes him as a man in is late 30s to early 40s. That would put the year of the story at approximately.1945 [1918 +27 years (40 years - 13 years)]. This would mean that Lizbeth was born about 1925.

*In this series, the USA dissolved following the assassination of FDR during his presidency. Well, in our timeline, FDR was in office from 1933-1945. Well, Harris describes her world as a time in which FDR has been gone for a long time. If our story is taking place in 1945ish, the he must have been assassinated early in his presidency. So let's say he was killed in 1933. But if he was killed in 1933 and Lizbeth was born in 1925, that would mean that she was already about 8 years old when he died. If our story takes place in 1945, then FDR has only been dead for 12 years.

*But the timeline doesn't fit
1.) The USA had had time to completely dissolve into several countries that are already well established at the start of the series.
2) Only the older generations remember the US and the time before the assassination. But if Lizabeth was born in 1925, she should have been able to remember some things. And her mother should have been able to remember everything.
3.) Society in Lizabeth's country has already devolved so much that she's never seen a domestic dog before, only feral ones (she's amazed to see one in book 2).
4.) The way Lizabeth talks, it seems like the assassination's took place at least 50-60 years ago. But if the story is actually taking place 50-60 years after the assassination, then HOW IS ALEXI ROMANOV ONLY IN HIS FORTIES?!!

See, I think about things way too much. But if you can put all of that to the side for a little while, this is a very fun series. Highly recommend. Just don't try to think about the details too much.

Review based on ARC (Advanced Review Copy received in exchange for an honest review).

When I first saw this book, I was "all in" based on the title and the cover. When I received it, however, I realized it was the 3rd book in a new series by Charlaine Harris. So I set out to acquire the first 2 to get up to speed. I'm glad I was already committed to the 3rd because I don't know that I would have picked up the Gunnie Rose series without having this obligation. But I'm SO glad I did! While I do think it is possible to read this 3rd book alone, I think it is a much better read, having had the background & story of the other 2 books.

I have read a couple other books by Harris and have not been particularly impressed -- not that I thought they were bad, I just wasn't pulled in the way others seem to be. But with this series, I felt Harris really upped her game.

First, I was impressed with her ability to present a sort of Western-feel to this alternate history series, while also presenting a very Russian feel to the magical realism side of things. The "alternative" aspect to the history was well-thought out and remembered (i.e., the reader doesn't forget where we are), and her characters are very well-written and unique. I feel like, I read a lot of books with a "strong female protagonist who goes against the grain of societal expectations," and they all really read the same - often self-indulgent, unpersuasive, and trite. This one was actually different. Although Gunnie Rose has her attributes that make her unique, I felt like her character was persuasive in the context of the book, notwithstanding some of the over-the-top situations she found herself in and how she handled them. All of her strengths and weaknesses were well-drawn and both fit well together as part of her personality and fit well in the context of the book & the other characters.

The story line itself: the first book is the most "western"; the second book deals with race and gender issues in the South; and the third is kind of all climax. Although it is also still dealing with some of the issues raised in the earlier books, it dives quickly into the heart of the plot and drives the reader forward in a rush. While we are still learning more about the world in which the books are set (and its characters -- Felicia, Lucy, Felix, Peter, to name a few), Harris doesn't waste time losing her reader in exposition. Everything we learn is part of something else and it is, really, expertly done. I think I read the 2nd half of the book while holding my breath!

And then there's the "love story." As someone who does not tend to enjoy romance novels and finds a lot of the love stories in books these days to be unpersuasive and a bit annoying, I thought Harris handled her characters' feelings so convincingly and so well. I was completely pulled in and I definitely wanted a certain outcome. But even more than that, I felt that the romance was handled so well because it *didn't* eclipse the rest of the story - rather, it was simply a part of it. Overall, a really enjoyable read -- all 3 of the books!

I've heard rumor there may be more coming... I'm still all in! A very strong 4 of 5 stars.

First, thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to preview The Russian Cage. This author is one of my faves and I will read anything she writes. I loved the Sookie Stackhouse series (not so much the TV version). The Midnight, Texas series was wonderful also, but too short. This Gunnie Rose series is something different - an alternative history starring an unusual character - a woman expert with a gun who is fighting desperately to keep her people alive after America's disintegration. In the new version of North America, it is important to know that magic now is an acknowledged but frowned upon power. The series has been called "The Dark Tower meets True Blood," but that does not begin to say how brilliant it actually is. If you are interested, you really should start with #1, An Easy Death, which introduces our beloved main character and explains the times. This one is #3, the Russian Cage, which picks up right after the ending of #2, A Longer Fall. But don't think these excellent novels end in cliffhangers, because each book ends only when the major issues of that novel are wrapped up...no actual cliffhangers here, people. From the five star rating I gave it, you can tell that I loved it. I can hardly wait for #4. The series was actually based on a new character, Lizbeth Rose, who first appeared in a short story, The Gunnie, published in 2016 by this same author. The first book of the new Gunnie Rose series came out in 2018. The series has a wonderfully strong and realistic female lead who is a gunslinger and very, very good at what she does, which is to accompany and guard things or people who are traveling anywhere in the fractured America. The stories are set in the 1940's in an alternative history which is part fantasy. I am purposefully not going to write about what happens in this novel, which explains itself as you read, because I don't want to spoil it for those who have not yet read the first two. What are you waiting for? Recommended... so get started!

I'm enjoying the series well enough to keep reading any additional titles in the series. Lizbeth Rose is a fun character overall. But sometimes it feels like the plot is a bit rushed, or small snippets are missing, especially in this installment.

Another fun entry in this alternative history fantasy. Harris continues to expand this world, this time sending Gunnie Rose from her home in TexHoma, to the Holy Russian Empire, California in our world. In an attempt to free her former partner, Prince Eli from false imprisonment for a murder he didn't commit. Gunnie is nothing if not adaptable, and before long has insinuated herself into the Imperial Court, and enlisted the help of the younger sister she has barely known. Fine audio performance. Rounded up from 4.5 (less)

More or less exactly what I expect from Charlaine Harris and this series. A bit more positive than the previous books; but that was okay. It felt like time some events and scenarios went Lisbeth’s way in her travels. Well besides her just surviving. The body count is not as high here as I recall from the last two books either.

Random Thoughts
Theres a little bit too much frivolity and fuss over how non-girly Lisbeth is. It felt overdone and unnecessary. Although it was fun to have all her fancy attire (dresses and the like) described. Clothing was very important in Russian Cage because of appearances at court/palace/whatever they were calling the Russian nobles housing.

I enjoyed all the new characters we met; and really enjoyed getting to know the little sis better. Being in the Holy Russian Empire territory/state was interesting as the rules are so different and our gunnie gal is definitely way out of her element. I’d have liked a bit more in-depth discussion on the politics and laws perhaps; but it was written at the level I expected given Harris tends to have lighter reads. The flow and overall pacing was on par with the previous two novels in the series and most True Blood books.

A decent read and definitely a good break from dense novels. What I would personally deem a ‘beach’ or summer read as I don’t usually read contemporary romance. Just enough romance in this to suffice my limited need for it; but enough violence to distract and create the fun. Although a lot more knives than usual; which is okay too (lol).

Firefly Comparison
This makes me sound like I desire the violence but really this series is set as a futuristic western; so gunflighting is mandatory. Think Firefly without being in space. I could totally see our lead gal as the Zoe type. Eli however is Simon with magic (not just medical capacity). The more I think on this comparison to Firefly the more it makes sense. We lack a Mal type or Anara type character; but the little sis is cute and quirky (River plus Kaylee-esque). Yep that’s how I will describe these books from here forward.

Reading Order
Last note, it’s worth starting this series from book 1 so you have character progression but it is not required. Harris does decent reminder/info chapters woven into the new plot well (without being info dumps). So you could jump in anywhere you wanted.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.