Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

Charlaine Harris is truly a talented author. This was my first series of hers after reading the Sookie series. I was pleasantly surprised.

This book was intense, kept my interest immediately, and i couldn't put it down until i finished reading the last page.

Must-Read.

I haven't read the first book in this series, but I am hooked now. I will have to read the first book and can't wait to see where Lizbeth goes from here. Lizbeth has hired on with a new crew and they are on a train guarding a crate. When the train is blown up, people are coming from everywhere to get the box and Lizbeth doesn't know who to trust. Her friends are all gone and an old friend appears in the midst of the confusion. Eli has been sent to the area and finds Lizbeth there. Their missions are intersected and Eli really needs Lizbeth's help. Will they fail in their mission? Will they all die before it is completed?

I have to admit, I'm a Charlaine Harris junkie. Book #2 in the Gunnie Rose series is action packed, and brings the reader even more into the unique world we first explored in book #1. After a job ends in tragedy, Lizbeth lands squarely in the middle of a new adventure. Dixie is quite different from Texoma, and Lizbeth finds herself having to adapt to the new culture. Lizbeth is such a refreshing voice...I look forward to getting to know her even better in (fingers crossed!) the next installment.

This book has it all. Adventure? Yes. Humor? Check. Violence and general ass kicking? Yep, it's in there too, along with a good dose of romance. What more could you ask for?

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I think I've probably read everything that Charlaine Harris has written - if I've missed one, I guess I have something to look forward to! I was a little skeptical about An Easy Death, the first book in the Gunnie Rose series - I'm not a big fan of westerns, even alternative history westerns, so I wasn't so sure about a book about a gunslinger.

Never fear, though, Harris worked her magic and I enjoyed the book, so I was quite excited to read A Longer Fall, the second in the series. And it did not disappoint!

As always, her characters are interesting and well described. They make sense, in the context of the book, and that's important to me. I dislike a book in which the characters do things which seem seriously out of character, just for plot purposes - but that doesn't happen here.

The story line flows along smoothly, and it all hangs together. There are things we don't necessarily understand at first, because Lizbeth doesn't understand them, but things do become clear in their own good time. I devoured this book, reading nonstop, because I was enjoying the plot and the action. The story line flowed a little more smoothly, too, because the groundwork was set in the first book, so I already had a good sense of the political/social structure in which it was set.

This was definitely a "good read." I read something suggesting that it was to be a trilogy, and I wouldn't be surprised - while the book did wrap up, there are certainly plot lines left to be developed. I'll be reaching for book 3 when it arrives!

Charlaine Harris' newest gal, Lizbeth Rose, is a part-wizard, weapon wielding, hired gun. She lives in Texoma, an alternate area that spans across what used to be Texas and some other western states. The year is a little unclear, because there are cars and refrigerators of modern times but with the lawlessness of the 1800s. In this alternate reality, Texoma is one section of a now carved-up North America. Twelve of the thirteen colonies have joined with the UK to become Britannia, the former US South is Dixie, and the Holy Russian Empire occupies what was California and Oregon. My geographical knowledge of the United States was getting a run for its money.
This series has an alternate universe, Wild West elements, and… wizards.
I received a copy of An Easy Death’s follow-up, A Longer Fall, through Netgalley. I had more positive feelings toward this story than the first in the series. Freshly recovered from her first adventure, Lizbeth takes on another job protecting and delivering a chest to a town in Dixie. The train she and her crew are on crashes, and in the aftermath, the chest disappears. Lizbeth turns detective, staying in the strange Southern town that is leery of outsiders with her eyes peeled for the chest and adversaries also looking for this mysterious container. Dixie is such a hostile environment, and it’s not just the bad guys, it’s the pre-civil rights movement mentality that shocks their visitors and the reader. It was refreshing and a relief to have a more mysterious storyline, and the romance that was thrown in didn’t hurt (but I won’t spoil that part!).
I can see myself continuing with this series, especially as a faithful fan of Charlaine Harris.

Western gunslinger woman, Russian Mob type wizard, dead bones, train robberies, slavery, bloodhounds, backstabbing, dead bodies and alligators. The West is indeed a wild place in this series. A good continuation of the series with many open ends when it’s done.
Liz is back and she’s working to guard a box traveling on a train with a new crew. Things happen as they do often on trains in the Westerns, bullets fly, people die and Liz is left bewildered. Till Eli shows up out of the blue looking worse than the last time she saw him in Mexico. There are questions, but they’ll have to wait because somebody just got murdered and Liz wants to stay alive. This town they are stuck in is not welcoming. Together again, the pieces slowly come together in many ways.
I like Liz and Eli. I like them working together, each of them is different enough to make the usual unusual. The sex scenes are not up to Ms Harris’s ability, she choose to make them there but not interesting. I would have liked to see a little R rated sex, it was so PG. I will read the next book because of them.
It’s hard to place this in a time. My brain needs to nail it down, old west/modern/future. the mix of old West and modern throws me off sometimes. It felt forced in bits, trying too hard to be a Western and yet not. I’m not loving the world, but I love the characters.

I liked this book more than I did the first, but still only give it an OK rating. The world Harris is developing is quite murky. When does it take place? It has an old west feel, but in this one it seems a bit 1950's as well. Why are some areas of New America so deprived/backward and others not?

There wasn't much action until near the end, most of the page is spent on some investigation, but more about learning about the town of Sally and it's inhabitants focusing on the racial problems. It's really heavy on the black/white issue, gender inequality and xenophobia. Definitely not an escapist read.

I'm warming up to Gunny Rose, but she still remains a fairly one dimensional character.

There was also more time spent on the relationship between Lizbeth and Eli. True urban fantasy fans might find it a bit much. True paranormal romance fans probably won't get their needs met (heh) either.

I've read everything Harris has written, so I'm sure I'll read the next book in this series, but it's not hitting the spot for me setting or character wise yet.

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

I really enjoyed the first book in this series. It wasn't something different and slightly strange and a whole lot entertaining, which is why, when I saw A Longer Fall, I didn't hesitate to pick it up.

This had everything I loved in book one and just expanded on it. More magic, more danger, more adventure and more romance. I truly am in love with the world that Harris has created and so very glad that I decided to take a chance on this author again because this series really is one that all her fans, old and new is going to love.

I love the old timey western feel to it. The almost apocalyptic eeriness to the world she has created while still making it seem familiar and believable. The characters are rough and tough but still soft enough to be endearing and make you want to root for them to make it through one horrific fight scene and adventure after another.

Truly a stand out series that I am so glad I get to read and so glad I took a chance on.

Second Gunnie Rose book. Lisbeth gets recruited for a crew to take a crate to Dixie. Out of her comfort zone, she has to adapt when things don’t go as planned. ARC from NetGalley.

This is definitely a title that you have to read book one before reading this one because it gives you all the world building that you need to know for this one. I love Harris' writing and this one is no less amazing!!! I loved every page and I can not wait for the next title!! The world building is amazing and the characters are so perfect!! I loved the twists and turns and would recommend this to anyone who loves her writing!!

I received an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The book was good. It was a nice continuation of the series. I look forward to reading the next one. More of the world is filled in, and we get to know the characters better. The action is interesting.

If this was a brand new author, I would be over the moon at discovering her. I would be telling all my book friends about this fantastic new discovery.

But this is Charlaine Harris, whom I have been reading since her first sookie book - I hunted down everything she had ever written and devoured it, and have continued to do so ever since.

This book is up to her normal standard which means nuanced and thoughtful world building, nuanced likeable and thoughtful characters, great plot and lots to think about under the surface For reflection later.

I look forward to rereading the first book and this one. I may then amend this review.

This book picks up shortly after An Easy Death left off. Lizbeth "Gunnie" Rose has joined a new protection crew and is shepherding a mysterious chest to Dixie.

While the series takes place in an alternate America where the USA has split into several different countries, Dixie is clearly representative of the Jim Crow south and is oppressive not only in terms of race, but also gender. Lizbeth must set aside her blue jeans and holster for prim dresses and stockings.

The plot generally meanders and the action doesn't pick up until the end of the book. Despite being light on plot, the book is still very enjoyable. Lizbeth is a great character, she's sassy, clear headed and smart. She will shoot you as soon as look at you and likely won't feel bad about it. The other characters are interesting, as is the alternate world.

Despite the fact that Charlaine Harris’ A Longer Fall, the second novel in her Gunnie Rose series starts out with a literal bang, I had a hard time initially getting into the novel. Much of that had to do with getting used to the narrator, Lizbeth, whose diction sounded younger and more ignorant than that of a typical 19-year old.

Lizbeth is an odd mix of worldliness and ignorance, street smarts but not book smarts, which allows her to ask a lot of questions the answers to which provide much of the world-building in the novel.

One of the strongest aspects of Harris’ writing has always been her action scenes and in A Longer Fall that is no different. For me, the actions scenes balanced out the novel’s preachiness.

While the preachiness is well-intended and some of it definitely necessary, especially in light of rising hate crimes, the quantity stood out. The territory of Dixie is depicted as black and white, figuratively and literally, and what would have made it better was to invoke gray. The only touches of gray are from outsiders. A more powerful statement would have been to have someone native (a white man) to Dixie be appalled by the racism and misogyny. The abhorrence of outsiders never makes a strong enough case unless there’s an ample amount of preachiness. One insider brings hope.

Eli, introduced as a romantic interest in An Easy Death (see my review here), is back, and he and Lizbeth extend their relationship. But all is not roses for them because of a lot of stubbornness on both parts.

While not a cliffhanger, the A Longer Fall has an open ending, inviting the next book in the series.

A Longer Fall is not as fast-paced or as quick-reading as the first Gunnie Rose novel, but it’s still a good read.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Longer Fall starts slow, builds up speed and takes us crashing into a fantastic read. This book is better if you’ve read the first An Easy Death as the world building is better explained there. The author has created a vivid landscape where your imagination can immediately see what the author intends. This book is filled with beauty and horror and I absolutely loved it. I look forward to more in this world.

This is the first full Charlaine Harris book that I've read. I tried reading the first Sookie Stackhouse book years ago but couldn't get past the first few pages...but I absolutely loved the True Blood tv series. This book jumps right into the action with no world building whatsoever. The plot is entirely dependent on you having read the first book in the series. I knew that it was set in a dystopian Earth, but had no idea if it was the past or future. It made it really hard to focus on the story itself and enjoy it. I ended up stopping half way though and bought the first one to try to get a better sense of what exactly was going. The 1st book was very enjoyable, and having read it this book made a lot more sense...though a reader shouldn't have to do that in order to enjoy or understand a book.

Once I knew more about the world and characters, the story was far more enjoyable and enthralling. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the next book, but will make sure to tell anyone I recommend this book to that they need to start with the 1st book.

Unfortunately, A Longer Fall missed the mark for me, especially compared with the first book in Charlaine Harris's fantastical, Western alternate history series, An Easy Death. I love the world-building in these books (FDR was assassinated, which set off a chain of events that fractured the United States into several smaller countries, and California/Oregon was settled by the exiled Russian tsar and an order of magic users founded by Rasputin), and the first book was an action-packed ride featuring "gunnie" or hired bodyguard Lizbeth Rose as she took a job protecting two Russian wizards whose mission had a connection to her past.

A Longer Fall brings back Russian wizard love interest Eli, who I did find likable in the first book and who hires Lizbeth to help him track down a mysterious crate in the nearby country of Dixie, or what was formerly the American South. A Longer Fall is slower in pace, with not much of a payoff at the end, and a romance that quickly turns from interesting to stale. A central issue in this book is Dixie's pervasive racism and sexism, which could have been interesting for the story to delve into, but unfortunately I didn't feel that either topic was handled very well.

I love Charlaine Harris, and I hate that I'm not giving this book a higher rating, but ultimately it just wasn't as enjoyable for me as many of her other books have been.

I received an eARC of A Longer Fall courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.

A longer fall is the story of Lizbeth Rose a "Gunnie" or hired gun, who is hired along with a few others in a crew to protect a mysterious chest on a journey into a southern country called Dixie in what seems to be an Alt-USA. The story depends heavily on the existence of people who are some type of wizard called Grigori, trained in the old Holy Russian Empire, descendants of Rasputin.

I liked the book OK, I felt it was well-written, but then it is by Charlaine Harris, who is the author of the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) books, so we know she has writing chops.
The story moved along OK, but maybe I just suffered as a reader because this is book #2 and I have not had the opportunity to read book #1. Still, I do think books should be written to stand alone, and then enhance if you have read others in the series.

I also felt that the concept of the Grigori and why their vests were so important needed more explanation, but maybe this was accomplished in book #1. Same point for a character named Dan that seems to have some importance towards the end of the story- I didn't understand who he was or why he mattered.
I was also confused with the geography- A map of the various regions might be helpful- where is Dixie, Texoma, etc. I mean you have an idea from the names, but a map would be even better.
I read an e-version, maybe a print version will have one.

The action in the story moved along well, and action sequences were well-written, however, I know this author can write steamier bedroom scenes, so it must have been a conscious choice here to write the bedroom scenes in a very dry fashion. All in all this book was a fairly enjoyable read, not the worst or best of the year, but not bad.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC of this book, my opinions and reviews are my own.

The second Gunnie Rose book has Lizbeth hiring on with a new crew who has the job of delivering a crate into Dixie. Lizbeth doesn't want to go into Dixie which has reverted back to an earlier time period in its culture where women are only valued if they are married and dress appropriately and Blacks aren't valued at all.

Problems start right away when the train they are on is derailed and hired gunmen attack to steal the crate. Lizabeth is about the only one of her crew who survives mostly unhurt. It is up to her to find the crate and deliver it to its destination even though she doesn't know who hired the crew.

Lizbeth runs into Prince Ilya Savarov who she met in the first book and discovers that he is also on Bthe trail of the missing crate. After the events of the first book which left Eli and his family in disgrace, completing this mission is his only hope for salvaging his family's reputation. However, some of the grigori don't want his mission to be successful. Neither do some of the powerful white residents of Dixie.

I really liked this story. Lizbeth is an intriguing character - practical and pragmatic and intensely loyal to her own values. Because the story is told from her point of view, we don't have quite as clear a picture of what Eli wants and thinks which makes interpreting their relationship less clear. Lizbeth does love Eli but believes that they don't have any sort of a future because their lives are so different. She tries to convince herself to live in the present and not make plans for a future that has them together.

The world building is excellent in this story which tells of a fragmented United States with the Holy Russian Empire complete with its magicians controlling what used to be California and Oregon. Lizbeth's region of Texoma, Dixie being composed of the Southern States mostly east of the Mississippi, and Britannia which is the Northeast part of the former United States.

Fans of alternate history with magic and with an intrepid main character will want to read this series.

A Longer Fall is the second book in the Gunnie Rose series. Charlaine Harris is a master in world-building and her expertise is showcased in this book. This isn't a warm and fuzzy story, it's dark, complicated and fascinating. My only disappointment is that I need the next book now!

This is book two of the Gunnie Rose series. I didn’t read book one so I was a little lost and unfamiliar with the alternate universe in which this story takes place so I don’t think it works as a stand alone. I didn’t understand when this was. There was refrigeration, running water and ice cream but no air conditioning or telephones so I was confused. Gunny Lizabeth Rose is on a train with a team tasked with protecting and delivering a crate to a town in Dixie territory. The town is seriously backward. Woman expected to be in traditional roles and black people are virtual slaves. The train they are in is blown up and attacked and she loses most of her crew. The crate is stolen and she works to recover it to complete the mission. She is reunited with a former colleague, Eli, who seems to be on the same mission so they decide to work together. I liked the characters but they were not well developed. I felt their relationships were rather shallow. Lizbeth and Eli are good together but theIr working relationship interferes with their personal relationship. They never seemed to talk about important issues. I think I might have enjoyed this more if I’d read the first book. The thing that bothered me most was the writing style. The author tried so hard to make the narrative sound southern that it was a little strained. There was also strange vocabulary used that is not common. It felt forced. When mentioning tertiary characters there always was their first and last names, every time, it was strange. The people’s names and the names of the businesses were unusual or silly. The dialog was also unnatural. I liked the story but the writing style made the story less enjoyable. It was in need of a good editor. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.