Lizbeth really seemed to drift from the strong capable woman we saw at the beginning of the series. And the people around her seemed to stop believing in her as well. I didn’t hate the storyline until the ending. The ending really soured the rest of the book for me. The romantic drama seemed juvenile and even when the points might have been valid they were still dealt with in a juvenile way. And there really isn’t ever a good reason given for the characters to behave the way they do. Ugh! Very frustrating for a series that started to good.

The Last Wizards' Ball is set in an alternate history and I have truly enjoyed the whole series. It's a little bit western with magic and a 1930's-40's vibe. I was a little disappointed when I saw that this was the final book but was interested to see how Lizbeth and Eli's story ends. Well... it's not quite what I expected but that's all I'm going to say about that!

If you've read the previous books in this series, you'll want to read it. But it wouldn't work as a stand-alone because there is so much more to these characters and their lives. I can't help but wish we could get another glimpse of Lizbeth's future!

I read/listened to the audio. Eva Kaminsky is a great narrator.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 22 July 2025

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of The Last Wizard's Ball by Charlaine Harris in exchange for an honest review. This book was a really nice finish to the stories of Lisbeth Rose and her sister, Eli and his family. I loved that it was set against the backdrop of the beginning of World War 2 and all the tensions that went along with that. It also set Felicia up for more stories with her, if Harris wants to write more.

This is the final book in the Gunnie Rose saga, and it was just as fast-paced and action-packed as all the previous installments. Lizzie and Eli are, we'll say, chaperoning/guarding her sister Felicia at the Ball, where she will hopefully meet a powerful wizard to marry. The only problem is that danger is afoot, and Felicia seems to be at the center of it, which means as her protector, Lizzie is constantly in the crosshairs along with her.

Along the way in the series, we've had books that follow Lizzie and books that follow Felicity. I'm happy with this one, we're back to Lizzie. She doesn't have magic, but she has instincts she has honed for years as a Gunnie that they don't have, and I love watching her use those to keep the ones she loves safe.

Over the last few books, I feel like the series has taken a bit of a darker, sadder turn, especially with Eli and Lizzie's relationship. I had hopes for the way this one would end, and while I can say I was not happy with the turn of events, it did track with the way the series was headed. I think Charlaine Harris did an amazing job of bringing this alternate history of America, along with its people, to life. It's full of action, magic, and gunslingers, and most importantly, family. And while I was not a fan of the ending (just about the relationship I've been shipping since book 1) I've had a great time with this series overall, and even though everything wrapped up nicely, I'm sad that this is the end.

5/5 stars: This is the sixth and final entry in Harris' Gunnie Rose series, which is an Alternate History Urban Fantasy set before WWII which follows a gunnie and her grigori husband who must protect her sister, a powerful death wizard, as she attends the Grand Wizards' Ball to find a suitable match among the world's dangerous wizard society. With war and violence are on the rise in Europe and German and Japanese wizards courting her sister and some refusing to take no for an answer, she'll find herself navigating the arcane world pulling her sister and husband into a dangerous dance with death that could change the world as they know it. Harris' fast-paced, non-stop tale is set in a thoroughly interesting magical world and will leave you on the edge of your seat until the final page. Smart and sly, Harris' writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Lizbeth's been through so much and has grown in so many ways and I loved reading her journey. Additionally, I love the vast, complex cast of characters we've met along the way. Harris' world building is top-notch. Set in an alternate history in a divided United States that's bracing for what's shaping to be WWII. You'll find plenty of wizards, gunfights and exiled Russian royalty. This is the final book in the series, so you'll want to pick up book one, An Easy Death, so that you can experience this great series from the beginning.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press | S&S/Saga Press in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

This is the first book I read in this series and I was able to follow along just fine. I enjoyed it and went back and read the previous books in the series,but wish I had found it far sooner.

The Last Wizards' Ball is the 6th and final installment in author Charlaine Harris' Gunnie Rose series. Set in an alternate, fractured United States where magic is real and the country has been carved into regions like Texoma, Britannia, New America, and the Holy Russian Empire, the Gunnie Rose series follows Lizbeth “Gunnie” Rose, a sharpshooting mercenary with a knack for survival. In The Last Wizards’ Ball, the narrative shifts from the dusty trails of Texoma to the opulent yet treacherous setting of the triennial Wizards’ Ball, held in San Diego’s Japanese Friendship Garden.

This event, a supernatural equivalent of the Regency-era London Season, serves as a marriage market for the magically gifted, where deals are struck, spells are exchanged, and power plays unfold. Lizbeth and Prince Eli Savarov function as chaperones to Lizbeth’s sister Felicia during the week-long Wizards’ Ball, where young magical practitioners from across the globe hope to make a romantic match and strengthen alliances. The focus of the ball quickly becomes apparent.

Everyone wants to get close to Lizbeth's younger sister, Felicia Karkarova Dominguez, a powerful death wizard and belle of the ball, whose beauty and magical prowess attract dangerous suitors, including German and Japanese wizards tied to rising global tensions. Lizbeth is tasked with protecting Felicia in a world of arcane politics and deadly intrigue, far removed from her usual straightforward approach of shooting problems away. The backdrop of an impending World War II, reimagined in this magical context, adds a layer of geopolitical tension to the personal stakes.

Lizbeth remains a standout protagonist—a tough, no-nonsense gunslinger who is fiercely loyal yet out of her depth in the polished, manipulative world of wizard society. Her discomfort in borrowed dresses and low heels, navigating a setting where her gun skills are secondary to social finesse, is both relatable and endearing. Her internal struggles, particularly her protectiveness over Felicia and her strained connection with Eli’s magical world, add depth to her arc.

Felicia is a formidable death wizard and a vulnerable teenager caught in a web of unwanted attention. But don't underestimate her determination. The sisterly bond between Lizbeth and Felicia is the emotional core of the novel, delivering moments of tenderness and tension that resonate. Lizbeth's relationship with Eli is one that most readers will be discussing for a while, and perhaps not in a positive way. No Spoilers!!!

The alternate history, with a fractured U.S. and a looming World War II, adds intrigue, though it’s not without flaws. The integration of World War II and figures like Hitler into this alternate timeline is a bold choice. Certain subplots, particularly those involving Eli’s grigori duties and the international wizards’ schemes, feel rushed or underexplored. For me, the most disappointing part of this story was the ending and I don't want to discuss my reasons here for fear of spoiling what happens. Let's just say that after 6 books featuring Lizbeth and her sister, the ending was shocking, to say the least.

The Last Wizard's Ball is the last novel in the Gunnie Rose series. Lizbeth is trying to help her sister Felicia find a good match. However, nothing goes to plan in San Diego. Felicia is beautiful and powerful and someone is definitely trying to kill her. Lizbeth just wants her sister safe and will do anything to find her a match and protect her. Even at the cost of her own life.
This was very enjoyable and a good wrap-up of a fun series. I'll miss Lizbeth Rose.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press for this digital e-arc.*

Thank you to NetGalley, S&S/Saga Press, and to Ms. Harris for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

What happened here? This book was a train wreck of misery and sadness as Lizbeth’s life torpedoes in slow-motion. None of the characters I’ve enjoyed so much were themselves in this book. Lizbeth sulks and mopes and acts completely put upon to have to dress up and socialize, like it’s a fate worse than death. My God. I get that socializing “isn’t fun” but, as she herself points out, she did volunteer for it. And it’s TEMPORARY. Grow up, Lizbeth, you're being as immature as you accuse Felicia of being. Eli and Felix continue to make decisions FOR Lizbeth, as if she isn’t an adult woman with agency, willfully ignoring that she is *clearly* being hurt by their betrayal(s). As if saying “sorry” over and over will fix Lizbeth’s feelings, or mend the hole Eli is tearing in their relationship. Meanwhile, Felicia devolved into an ambitious, cold, vain, selfish, ungrateful girl, without any of the maturity one would expect of a person who thinks they're going to be an impactful player in a World War.

I really, really disliked that Lizbeth was relentlessly pursued by a man who knew she was married. I disliked that she allowed it. I disliked that Eli didn't notice... or didn't care, if he did notice. I disliked the way Lizbeth and Eli just sort of disintegrated. I disliked that the ending was so… underwhelming, so devoid of anything good. I don’t need a happy ending with a warm rosy glow but a bleak ending full of broken people is NOT what I expected for this series. I felt really let down by this ending, and disappointed that I didn’t stop several books ago. This wasn't a bittersweet ending, just a bitter one.

Our time with Gunnie Rose has come to an end! Though, she was so much more than a gunnie, and I loved reading her exploits and adventures. While I am sad the series is ending (it is my favorite from this author), it felt fitting end in so many ways I can't tell you about because that would be a spoiler. I love how the timeline stays connected to what we know as actual history. I always enjoy the slight twists on the real world and this was no exception. I will miss Lizbeth and wonder occasionally what she is doing. I know she is fictional, but she felt very real!

What a ride! The Last Wizards’ Ball is a fast-paced finale that pulls you straight into the action and never lets up. Charlaine Harris once again proves her talent for weaving unique magic systems and alternate history into a world that feels both gritty and captivating. The atmosphere? Immaculate. The world-building? Honestly, phenomenal. Every page had the weight of a final chapter, and the stakes were high in all the right ways.

That said… I’ve had to sit with the ending. This is the close of the Gunnie Rose series, and while I respect that not every story wraps with a neat bow, I couldn’t help but feel just a little let down. Gunnie herself? Her ending felt earned—true to the hard-edged, fiercely loyal character we’ve followed since book one. But Lizbeth’s arc… oof. It felt like all the growth she’d been through across five books got dialed back right at the finish line. After everything she endured, I was hoping for something more impactful, more reflective of how far she’d come. Instead, her transformation felt muted—there, but subtle to a fault.

Still, if you’ve been along for the full ride, this finale is absolutely worth the read. It delivers tension, rich world-building, and a sense of closure… even if it leaves you wishing for just a bit more.

I have very much enjoyed this series (as I have enjoyed all of CH’s series’) and I’m sad to see it end. What an ending it was, though!!
We’ve finally reached the Wizard’s Ball and it had all the action I was looking for packed into these pages! While the major plot lines were wrapped up, there seems to have been room left for a spin-off series of the author chooses to go in that direction (and I desperately hope she does!). I’ll certainly miss these characters and will enjoy revisiting them in the future.

Felicia is the belle of the blood-soaked ball, Lizbeth is one frilly dress away from setting the venue on fire, and I am emotionally clinging to the walls because this is how we’re ending the series? THIS?? I need Charlaine Harris to look me in the eye and explain why my chest feels like it got hexed by a betrayal spell, a heartbreak incantation, and a mild panic curse, all in one.

“The Last Wizards’ Ball” takes everything this series has been quietly building toward, like family tension, political chaos, and Lizbeth’s chronic inability to tolerate social bullshit, and slams it into one gloriously deranged week of magic, murder, and matchmaking. Everyone’s dressed like they’re heading to a magical Met Gala, but half of them are actively plotting a murder before dessert. It's like if “The Hunger Games” had a baby with “The Crown”, and that baby was raised by necromancers and war criminals in a ballroom with complimentary champagne.

Let’s start with Lizbeth. Our girl is feral in a corset and I mean that with love and fear. She has absolutely no business being in a ballroom, and she knows it. All she wants is her boots, her gun, and one solid reason not to uppercut a fancy wizard in the jaw. But instead, she’s playing chaperone to her magically gifted, emotionally unpredictable sister, who’s suddenly the hottest commodity in an international wizard marriage market where the line between flirtation and war crimes is paper thin.

Felicia, bless her homicidally ambitious heart, is in her girlboss necromancer era. She’s powerful, gorgeous, and vaguely terrifying. One minute she’s charming the German delegation, the next she’s giving "I could start a revolution if I wanted to" energy while sipping a cordial. She’s the teenage chaos demon we’ve been building toward, and she absolutely delivers. The girl is casually rewriting diplomatic norms with a smile and a death spell.

And then there’s Eli. My emotionally repressed wizard husband. My cardigan-wearing disaster man. I want to love him. I do love him. But he is allergic to open communication and it's killing me one quiet betrayal at a time. Every time he made a secret decision “for Lizbeth’s own good,” I wanted to swan dive into the story and shake him. They’re on opposite sides of the same battlefield, holding hands and pretending they’re not bleeding. It’s brutal. It’s beautiful. It’s giving “I love you but I don’t know how to stay.”

The backdrop? Oh, just the simmering pot of international wizard politics as the world teeters on the edge of magical World War II. No big deal. There are spies in evening wear, bombs under banquet tables, and absolutely no one is just here for the dancing. This ball is less Jane Austen and more “who’s gonna die before the fondue course.” And it slaps.

This is not a tidy finale. There’s no bow. No epilogue on a sun-drenched porch with a baby in one arm and a spellbook in the other. What we get is honest, raw, and sometimes agonizing. People make impossible choices. People break. People walk away. And it hurts like hell.

Four stars. You want heartache in formalwear? You want your favorite disaster couple tearing each other open with the softest touch? You want wizard geopolitics in a haunted dance hall? “The Last Wizards’ Ball” is ready for you.

Huge thanks to Saga Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this final entry in the "Gunnie Rose" series. I was not emotionally prepared, and I still haven’t recovered, but I’m deeply grateful for the trauma.

I have really enjoyed the Gunnie Rose series, as I binged read the entire five books last year. I'm really sad to see this series end as it was one of my faves. I love how Lizbeth is such a firecracker and a really quick with her guns. I lived for the moments that Lizbeth was fighting to protect the wizards she was hired to protect.
Lizbeth finds herself with Felicia and Eli in San Diego attending courting events and the Last Wizards' Ball. Aside from the courting, there are really some intense moments weaved in. There is trouble brewing on the other side of the world and it is slowly crossing borders. The German and Japanese wizards are circling around Felicia, and they don't want to take no for an answer. They want Felicia and the powers that come along with her. Will Lizbeth and Eli be able to protect Felicia at all costs?
I'm still at a loss that this is the last and final installment. While I'm glad we finally got the last book, I wish there were still more to come. I'm hoping that there is a spin-off to come. Easy death.

A very special thanks to S&S/Saga Press + Netgalley for the gifted copy.

Spectacular Ending To An Exceptional Series/ARC

Well, we’ve finally reached the end to a good series, and I’m missing it five minutes after finishing it.

A lot of activity happening surrounding the wizard’s ball that’s been hinted at in previous books. There’s also a lot of people to keep track of, as some from previous books make cameo appearances

For the number of pages to the book, the action is tightly packed in between those pages.

For one, I have so many unanswered questions. Although Harris gives us an out on everything that was part of the plot lines, it seems as if there’s more than a few endings that left you wondering about the future.

Without providing any spoilers, I can’t even bring up where the mysterious endings lead to.

I’m almost wondering if Harris is planning a spinoff from where this one ended. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

I can say I’ll miss Gunnie Rose for a while! I had almost begun to feel as if she was a real live person, brought to life through Harris’s imaginative and creative approach of drawing her out through words and imaginative dialogue. So long Gunnie.
Easy death.

Note: I received early access from NetGalley and the publisher, S&S/Saga Press, of this manuscript, and have at my own discretion and opinion, chosen to post this review.

I am always sad when I come to the end of a Charlaine Harris series! In this last installment of the Gunnie Rose series, Lisbeth is taking her sister, Felicia, to the last Wizard's ball in the hopes of securing her a husband and a good future. When they arrive, attempts start being made on Felicia life, who is a very powerful death grigori. When they learn that Hitler is starting a war with the help of Japan and Italy, they quickly realize Hitler wants Felicia for his side, or her death. Lisbeth's marriage is severely tested in this last book, and while I was sad it ended, I never liked Eli for her. I enjoyed that even though war was breaking out, Lisbeth is at peace at the end, and looking to start a new life.

I felt this was the bittersweet ending I crave from charlaine. Always keeping me wanting more even if I’ve read 7 books already lol. She just has this magic about her that no one else has and I’ve been in love with her writing style since the first sookie stackhouse book. In this story I am partial to Lizbeth because it’s the name of my grandmother which was passed down to me!! I also will always grab a story about sisters leaning on each other and who don’t love an independent bada** fmc.

Incredible! This finale has Lizbeth questioning everything. She is in her husbands world trying to guide her sister through the politics of the Wizards Ball and she is lost and uncomfortable. She is so far out of her wheelhouse. Lizbeth is used to being shown a problem, shooting it and boom it’s gone. Polite society is not so straight forward. Watching the world affecting Lizbeth’s reality was heartbreaking. But our Gunnie is a tough survivor and she will survive this too.
I have really enjoyed this series. Charlaine Harris is sure to give us a unique world and interesting characters.

I'm sad that this is the final book in the series. I found it to be a very satisfying ending though. I was very pleased with where Lisbeth was by the end.

Much of the story takes place in San Diego where Lisbeth and Eli are chaperoning her younger sister Felicia around the week of the festivities surrounding the wizards' ball, basically a marriage mart for wizards. Wizards from all around the world are there to make connections, particularly marriages. Everyone is dressed up beautifully and the young ladies are meant to be demure and ladylike as they are broadcasting their marriageability to other wizard families. Young men are similarly constrained although not as much.

An enjoyable twist on this very common theme is Lisbeth's point of view as a chaperone, who hates all of it and finds it all pointless. She is doing it at the behest of her sister. What occurs is strongly affected by events in Europe where Kristallnacht has recently occurred.

The story builds on what has gone before very well and makes complete sense for the characters. I am sad that this is the final book, but at the same time I'm not sure I want to read about these characters in their version of World War Two.

I'm looking forward to Harris' next book, whatever it may be.

I am a long-time Charlaine Harris fan and have enjoyed this dystopian series from the start. This book wraps up the series, making it bittersweet as I did not want to say goodbye to FMC Lizbeth Rose and her unique world.

This book is an alternate history urban fantasy set in a fractured United States where magic is real, but viewed with distrust. There are wizards, gunslingers, like Lizbeth, and in this installment, the beginning of WWII. Lizbeth accompanies her powerful half-sister Felicia to the Grand Wizards Ball in California, which is now the Holy Russian Empire. There is danger, intrigue, and secrets abound. Lizbeth, uncomfortable in high society, is on high alert to protect her sister while dealing with cracks in her marriage and news of a looming world war.

Like many series ending books, this one ushers in big changes and new beginnings. I had to sit with it for a while to think about how I felt about the ending. I decided it made sense to me in light of the landscape of the series and Lizbeth's hard scrabble life, even if I may have wished for something different.

I will miss Lizbeth. A strong, independent FMC, she is a badass in battle, yet kind and loyal to her family and friends. The supporting characters are also compelling. Some new characters are introduced, and I enjoyed the ones who were also at the ball as protectors and became allies with Lizbeth.

The world-building in these books is well done, and the events surrounding the Wizard's Ball were descriptive and fun, dangerous and action-packed. The books do need to be read in order to get the most out of them, as the story builds from one to the next. This wasn't my favorite of the series, but I still enjoyed it and will happily devour whatever Harris writes next!

Thank you to Saga Press Books and Netgalley for the gifted review copy!