E-book/Rural Fantasy: I really enjoy this series, but I still cannot figure out the year. I take into consideration technology lags, birth control, and social mores; as in there is no commercial air flight, there are not enough children & people with VD, and homosexuality is about as acceptable as it is in our present day. For this third book in the series, I am thinking the early 60s. I think.

In this installment, Lizbeth Rose is off to Cali to find out what is going on with her man, Eli, and check on her sister. Things are no calmer than they were in Texoma and revenge and/or murder are on everybody’s mind that she encounters. As usual, the body count is high. I like this book more than I did book 2.

Harris is an excellent writer. There are a lot more characters in this book with Harris giving personalities to all of them. I read this book in less than a week because it really captured my attention. I want to thank NetGalley for letting me read an advanced copy in lieu of and honest review.

Oh, how I love the delightfully straightforward Lizbeth Rose. Her internal dialogue is just too funny...like listening to a relative with no filter who finds little humor in the fripperies and folderol of "society". This third installment of the series features Lizbeth's adventure to the Holy Russian Empire to rescue her love, Eli. Along the way, we get to learn more about her sister Felicia and frenemy Felix. Although it feels like this series may be ending here, I'm hopeful for more...especially if Felicia takes over as the main character. I adore this quirky alternate universe and the characters that Charlaine Harris has created!

The Russian cage
Charlaine Harris

4.7/5 stars
**And there was bacon, That smell would wake up anyone in the world. If there’s such a thing as heaven, I bet it smells like bacon.**

Set on the Holy Russian Empire, which used to be California and Oregon once, the time or age seems to fit the modern age. Texoma which is Oklahoma and Texas as one is where our MC begins her mission.

The main character Lizbeth Rose is a gunnie which doesn't mean she's an assassin but that she'd do anything to safeguard her cargo. Now Eli is her cargo and to get him out of prison she's ready to do anything even wear dresses for it.
From what we first learn about Lizbeth she's a tomboy not because she wants but because she's had a hard life. She's independent but also soft when it comes to her complicated feelings for Eli. She sympathizes with Alice, Veronika, and Lucy even though she doesn't understand what they're going through. This book somehow shows a woman can be delicate yet hard around the edges. I fell in love with Liz almost the instant I started reading, she's such a intricately woven character who has more layers to her.

Felicia and Felix we're unique characters Felicia more than Felix. She loves her sis even though she abandoned her within two days of meeting her and she also lied about her age to everyone just because she could observe from the background. She's the epitome of innocence at first but we can she her smartness as the story progresses.

With tastefully crafted sentences, it's written with an eye to detail that is not burdensome or information overload. I also love how the author has given life and voice to every character, because of the depth of the main character we can see everything and understand everyone's POV.

Now about humor.... We have funny scenes wich would make u smile but not laugh outright because this is an intense book you have to be all in to get the full effect of it.

It's a book I'd very much recommend, if you love intense characters and more action then this is your book to pick!
It releases on 23rd February 2021!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this amazing book.

I was so excited for the third book in this series and I was not disappointed! I liked that this book was set mostly in the HRE instead of Texoma, I liked that it introduced new places for Lizbeth to kick ass. If you’re a fan of the Gunnie series or any of Charlaine Harris’s other series, you will love this one!

The book is a good sequel for the series, the characters evolve and we see lizbeth grow even more, it was a pleasing read if a bit predictable.

I jumped at the chance to read The Russian Cage because I love, love, love the Gunnie Rose series. I know the author is best known for writing the books that were the basis for True Blood, but this series was my first time reading Charlaine Harris and these books are so good! They are the perfect escape (even if the path that lead to Gunnie's world isn't something I want to ponder too closely) and The Russian Cage is an excellent third series entry and strong enough to be an introduction and great read for those who missed the first two books. A solid, well written genre book that has high crossover appeal and can serve as a series entry point.

The Russian Cage by Charlaine Harris is the third book in the unique and engaging series: Gunnie Rose. This book starts off where its predecessor, A Longer Fall, left off.

This is a great series. It is part alternative history, part science fiction, part fantasy, and part historical fiction. It is a whirlwind, and keeps me engaged with each additional book. The characters are flushed out and embellished on within this installment, and I think it goes a long way in that it adds depth and investment into this new and emerging series.

I look forward to seeing how things develop in the next installment.

4/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery/Saga Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

I haven't read any of Charlene Harris's work since the Sookie Stack house series ended, so The Russian Cage seemed like a fun read to try. With the help of the map in the front I quickly picked up on the characters and the setting: Elizabeth Rose, her sister Felicia, and Felix, a former member of her crew, who want to get Eli released from arrest in the Holy Russian Empire. Eli's mother and sisters are introduced and we get to know about his family as well as how the Holy Russian Empire works.

This was a fun romp, with one glaring consistency issue that struck me (spoiler alert.) After all the discussion of using nulls as guards where the grigoris are imprisoned, LizaRose successfully imprisons the null guard Hubble and Felix promptly uses magic to shut her up.

Other than that, this was a fun light read.

So I hadn’t read the previous books in the series, which I’m about to rectify, but I saw Charlaine Harris’s name and I knew I had to read this. I’m so glad I did because this was a great action packed story. I loved Lizbeths no nonsense character, and even though I missed her and Eli’s relationship in the previous books, you can still feel the emotion in this book even though their relationship isn’t the main focus in this story. I loved all the other characters, although Peter did annoy me sometimes and even though the ending was tidy, I feel like a forth book could be in the works.

I loved it! This series is excellent. Lizbeth is a quick witted spunky gal in a gritty world much like an old western movie that went sideways. She seems to be thrown into the role of peacemaker often which she's good at because she can settle any situation. Her friends and family are an odd-lot and she is extremely loyal to those ties. I enjoyed this book, and this author so much!

Lizbeth takes you for an unexpected journey to HRE. With the help from an odd friends, she quickly adapts and hysterically fails at time's to fit in. The historical fiction is a brilliant action filled, indulgent series.

The world is pretty chaotic now, and I really needed this latest Gunnie Rose installment by Charlaine Harris to take me away from the stressors and new cycles! I can't explain what I love out her books. It's not genre; I don't read other authors in similar genres. I think it's her voice and storytelling. I started with the Aurora Teagarden series (great shout out to short librarians with glasses, ty!), and have progressed through the other series, some I loved, some weren't for me. But I can count on Charlaine Harris in a way that I can't count on many other authors for wry storytelling and compelling characters. Anyway, if you are looking for specifics for this book, I much enjoyed the visit to Eli's hometown of San Diego, meeting his family, and especially the character of Veronica and Felix. I hope Felix makes a reappearance but soon! He might be the best character in the series.
Recommended for fans of Charlaine Harris' books, and also for those who have yet to discover her charms.

Charlaine Harris does it again! Each of the series’ she writes is so different but they are all amazing. The characters are so richly drawn and the relationships are developed in a way which seems real. Harris’ writing is always impeccable - she paints a picture, sets a scene, tells a story perfectly. It was great to get to know a whole new set of characters. Highly recommended for established fans and people looking for something new.

As always amazing. Packed with truly strong talented women, some great characters. The in-depth, detailed and interesting world building of this series is addictive.

I've come to really enjoy this alternate world fantasy series

The third installment has plenty of action and some romance. The author creates a believable world utilizing familiar historical characters as well as new ones.

It was nice to learn about Eli's family and his background.

The MC is extremely likeable despite her job as a "gunny." She is saved from being a villian by her ethical view, loyalty and sense of humor

The characters àre well rounded and the plot interesting.

I look forward to the next booķ

I read this in one fell swoop today and really enjoyed it. I hadn't read a Charlaine Harris in a while so this was a fun diversion from the more serious books I've read recently. I wouldn't say this was well written or even a great book but was fun and distracting.

I have always loved Eli and Lizbeth together. Lizbeth is such a strong and unique character. Glad to see the more emotional side of her in this book. I wish that there were more Eli and Lizbeth developments though. Their relationship has been building for such a long time while and it would be really nice to see more of them together.

The relationship issue aside... great plot as always. Everything all tied up at the end. Fast moving and suspenseful. All that you would expect from a Charlaine Harris book. :)

This is the most conventional story of the three so far. It's nice to see where Eli and his family live, but it's the most similar to our world despite being ruled by a Tsar.

I liked the story and the fact that Felicia, Lizbeth's sister, gets more development. I can see her becoming a force in future books. That said, this book would have neatly finished off the series if it was a trilogy. However, I see a fourth one planned.

If you are really into the relationship between Lizbeth and Eli, you may be disappointed about how little they actually do together here. Since this is not a PNR series, I was fine with that because we were able to get to know many of the new characters fairly well.

Not my favorite Harris series, but I liked this book.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

One thing is certain; this is a page turner.
From the moment Lisbeth receives a letter from her sister and decodes the meaning of it, she's on a train and her mission is to save Eli or rather get him out of prison, how, she doesn't know yet!
It's a very interesting read, thrilling and the characters some lovely others drunk in their power, and Lisbeth, has no patience for small talk or niceties.
Anyone coming into this story line, would enjoy the pace and adventure herein. So, it makes a good read for both Harris' fans and new readers.
Thanks for the eARC Netgalley.

I really anticipated this book and was so excited to get an advance copy.

Readers will appreciate learning more about this alternate-history California, meeting Eli's family, and seeing a more emotional side to Lizbeth.

However, this is all overshadowed by the fact that the plot is neatly tied up via a plot hole the size of Texas itself. While the central conflict is Lizbeth's quest to free Eli from prison, that plot takes backseat to political intrigue involving the tsar and a bunch of other characters I'm not interested or invested in.

Overall, it was a fun ride with a disappointing ending, but Ill probably pick up book 4 from the library, if there is one.

Your mileage may vary.