I was happy to see the third in the Gunnie Rose series. This was a very strong entry and made up for some of the lack of character development in earlier books. Lizbeth learns Eli is in jail and drops everything to go save him in California. We get to meet more of Eli’s family and get to see Lizbeth interact with Felicia, which is great fun. I would love to see a spin off with Felicia; she is great. There was less onscreen time for Eli than I think some might prefer but I enjoyed seeing Lizbeth interact with his family and Felicia.

I jumped into this series three books in, and I think that was a mistake! Sometimes you can pick up a book in the middle of a series and still get everything you need to know about the characters and relationships and the world in which it is set. And sometimes each book relies so heavily on the previous books that you might easily become lost if you haven't read the previous installments. This books leans toward the latter.

Lizbeth Rose is a woman on a mission. She is traveling from Texas to California to rescue Prince Eli, her partner. Except that they aren't "Texas" and "California" anymore. They are Texoma and the Holy Russian Empire.

Looking at the map provided in the book, Canada has expanded its territory and has taken over some the former United States' northern states. Mexico's boarder with the U.S. has changed a bit, and the United States has been divided into five countries: Britannia, Dixie, Texoma, New America, and Holy Russian Empire. Why? I'm not sure. Either that information was provided in an earlier book, or it hasn't been given yet. But what's clear is that this is an alternate future and not all the territories are on good terms with one another.

We get the impression that Lizbeth is a fighter, a gunslinger. The few times that she is not permitted to carry a gun (or even a knife), she feels lost, uncomfortable.

Prince Eli is being held captive inside the Holy Russian Empire and Lizbeth manages to stop an assassination attempt on the HRE empress and gains an audience with the tsarina. She also manages to visit a school where her younger sister, Felicia, is studying. She finds she will need Felicia's help navigating through the HRE.

The tsar and tsarina had no idea that Prince Eli Savarov was being held captive - by their own guards - and promise to get him released.

Lizbeth and Felicia have 'Grigori' powers. They are descendants of Grigori Rasputin and now they are being hunted since Rasputin died. Rasputin's blood was keeping the Tsar alive. With Rasputin gone, the Tsar's only hope is that blood of his descendants will have the same powerful effect.

Charlaine Harris is a very good writer (I've enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse books I've read, as well as the Aurora Teagarden, Lily Bard, and Midnight, Texas books) and there is a lot going on in this book. But I definitely felt behind when I started this, and even further behind the more I read. I'd like to go and read the first two books in the series and see if this all makes more sense.

Looking for a good book? The Russian Cage, by Charlaine Harris, looks to be an exciting series, but as a stand-alone book, you can't help but feel you've missed something really important to understanding the story. Try the first book before reading this.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

THE RUSSIAN CAGE had all the trademark characteristics I love about this author, except, I was unaware…I know, my bad…that this is a mid-series book, leaving me floundering throughout, not quite making that investment I was expecting. I can say the series looks to be a good one and the characters are intriguing,

I think I enjoyed this book most of the 3 in the series so far. This book takes us to San Diego into the heart of the HRE for Gunnie Rose to save Eli. Without getting into the plot overly much, we get to meet the rest of Eli's family and how the politics work in the new Russian empire. I enjoyed getting to learn more about the Tsar and how the empire politics influences both the Rasputin school and the family politics in the area. We don't get to see much development between Eli and Lizbeth, but we do get to see the development between Lizbeth and Felicia which I loved.

This is the 3rd book in the series but I feel readers who haven’t read the first two books in the series can definitely read this without feeling lost. We get to know Lisbeth’s half sister in this series. And as per usual Lisbeth’s is to the rescue. I was pretty bored honestly too much inner dialogue for me. I will not be reading any more books in this series if there are more.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC to review.

Thank you NetGalley for my Arc. 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 love Charlaine Harris books!

More adventures with Lizbeth and crew. This was a fun story where we get to know some other players better. Including Lizbeth's sister, Felicia, and Eli's mother and sisters.

Though "The Russian Cage" is the third installment of the Gunnie Rose series, I felt like it really could stand alone in terms of plot. However - definitely read the first two first!

Overall - I found Lizbeth, the main character, very different from Charlaine Harris' other female protagonists. It was definitely a breath of fresh air, and really led to a solid addition to the series. There were some points that seemed to drag on in the plot, but not enough where I would lower the rating due to it.

Thank you Netgalley and Charlaine Harris for the ARC of this book.

Having never read anything by Charlaine Harris, never mind the first two books in this particular series, I was nonetheless completely caught up in this story. No doubt the earlier books would help round out the story, but Harris managed to explain the background without belaboring it, and the map at the beginning also helped. When Lizbeth Rose receives a coded message from her half-sister, the action moves quickly forward to the Holy Russian Empire (on the US west coast) where her friend/boyfriend has been imprisoned for murder. As Lizbeth navigates the politics, danger, and magic of the palace politics with Felicia's help, we are introduced to the royal family and the dangers of power and greed. This is a fast-paced page-turner that inspires me to read more of Harris's work, past and future.

The third installment of the Gunnie Rose series does not disappoint! Picking up right after A Longer Fall, Lizbeth Rose finds herself on a quest to free her beau, Eli, from jail in the H.R.E. (Holy Russian Empire). And maybe even saving the tsar. This was a pretty quick read, especially if you're a fan of Charlaine Harris. Thanks goodness there even seems to be a 4th novel in this series coming in 2022. Make sure to read An Easy Death and then A Longer Fall before you dive in, though. The first 2 novels provide much-needed background info in order to fully understand the third. But reading them and this third book is well worth it!

*Special thanks to NetGalley for the e-copy of this novel!

I really enjoyed this book! I read the first two installments in the Gunnie Rose series about a year ago and I couldn't wait to get to read more of this fun series. I couldn't resist reading this book just as soon as it found its way into my greedy hands. I will admit that my expectations were pretty high for this book and I am happy to report that I was not disappointed in the least.

When Lizbeth learns that Eli is being held in jail, she knows that she needs to see what she can do to help him. Before you know it, she is in the Holy Russian Empire working to help in any way that she can. This will not be an easy rescue and she faces one obstacle after another. Things get complicated pretty quickly and there is more than enough excitement to keep things entertaining.

I had a lot of fun watching Lizbeth navigate a new environment while working towards her goal of setting Eli free. I love how unique each part of the country is in this alternate universe. There were some familiar characters back for this installment and we got to meet a lot of new ones as well. I especially enjoyed getting to know Eli's family and see them work together under pressure.

This is the third book in the Gunnie Rose series which I do think is best if read in order since events from previous books seem to come into play quite frequently. The relationship between Eli and Lizbeth undergoes some pretty big developments in this installment and I am eager to see how things will play out moving forward. This was a really exciting book that I found to be hard to put down so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Gallery / Saga Press via NetGalley.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The heroine, Gunnie Rose, is a professional guard. She usually works as part of a “crew”, a group of guards who get jobs such as escorting a few families and all their stuff migrating out of Mexico as they have been dispossessed, or escorting valuable cargo by train through a couple of countries in an alternate history North America.

These guards are called “gunnies” because they are all basically gunslingers, and always involves lots and lots of gunfights.

The alternate history is explained well as you go along, and there’s a map!

In this book Lisbeth is not being employed as a Gunnie, so it is a little different from the first two. She has to go to a country new to her, to rescue her lover. She has to navigate a very different culture, as well as the politics, and her lovers’ family.

There is no need to read the first two books (map!). If you have not, the only issue will be a pressing desire to read them ASAP.

These books are getting better and better as this series proceeds. I had no idea, while reading it, how on earth how it was going to end, and how various obstacles would be overcome. We meet more great characters, get to know Lisbeth, Felicia, and Felix even better.

This book kept me up until 8am to finish it, and I regret nothing. Unconditionally recommend this multilayered alternate history paranormal. Great characters, great plot and great world building.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is actually the third book in a series, and while I didn’t read the other two, I had no trouble following the plot. Lisbeth gets a coded letter from her 1/2 sister (who is away at a Hogwart-esqueboarding school because she is the granddaughter of the famous Russian Magician Rasputin), and tells Elizabeths her flame Eli, has been jailed.
Elizabeth takes off across the county by train to rescue him. Lisbeth is is a gunslinger, sort of Texas Ranger who can hold her own against any man. In a revisionist history Russia actually owns California and the Pacific North West. The rest of the US is carved into Texoma ( Texas and Oklahoma), Mexico got AZ back, Brittania is the New England and Mid Altalntic areas, and south is now Dixie, where the previous books took place.
After crossing the border in The HRE, (Holy Russian Empire) she teams up with her half-sister, Eli’s younger brother Peter and a past associate Felix. All with varying degrees of magical abilities. The book spends much time on political intrigue and just a bit on magic.
Unfortunately it takes forever to get things going- she doesn’t even get to the jail to see her lover until 40% through the book, and honestly not a whole lot happens before then. Things finally heat up and we learn secrets that each person is keeping. I cant give more detail or it would spoil the story. I liked the story, but wished it hadn’t dragged so much. Feels like this is a two book series is being stretched into a much longer series, but the content just isn’t there.

Lizbeth is at it again! After receiving a weird letter from her little sister, she realizes that Eli has been jailed in the Holy Russian Empire. Usually, she guards cargo, but something is clearly not right. With the help of Grigori, will she find out what the heck is going on and save a man she cares deeply about along the way?!
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I’m loving this series more and more as I get further into it. It’s more grisly than her other series but it adds something. Lizbeth is a straight shooter (in more ways than one) and total badass. Plus we start getting more about her little sister who hasn’t been around since the first book. I hope we will get more of her and her story in book 4, although I don’t really want to wait till 2022 for that! The magical elements are more readily utilized in this book which is fun, but even three books in, Charlaine has found a way to keep the cast of characters roaring and the story fresh!
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If you are looking for a book with alternative history, magical elements, a kick-ass female lead and a rescue mission, this is your book!
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I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Title: The Russian Cage
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Gunnie Rose
Pages: 304
Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press
Date: February 23, 2021

Summary:

Picking up right where A Longer Fall left off, this thrilling third installment follows Lizbeth Rose as she takes on one of her most dangerous missions yet: rescuing her estranged partner, Prince Eli, from the Holy Russian Empire. Once in San Diego, Lizbeth is going to have to rely upon her sister Felicia, and her growing Grigori powers to navigate her way through this strange new world of royalty and deception in order to get Eli freed from jail where he's being held for murder.

Russian Cage continues to ramp up the momentum with more of everything Harris' readers adore her for with romance, intrigue, and a deep dive into the mysterious Holy Russian Empire.

Review:

Gunnie Rose used to have a simple life . . . at least by her standards. She transported and/or protected goods, whether they were living or not. She definitely kept out of the way of politics and magic users. Now, in spite of herself, Lizbeth Rose becomes involved with the politics of the Holy Russian Empire. Since that is where the magic users are trained, that means she is also involved with magic users known as Grigoris.

This is the third book in Harris’ Gunnie Rose series and I think it is the best one so far. The world building is pretty much done and the focus is more on the plot and relationships. I love that Lizbeth is developing a closer relationship with her newly discovered sister Felicia. I am also enjoying finding out some of Felicia’s secrets.

Of course, I would recommend this book to anyone who is already a fan of Charlaine Harris’ other series. Having said that, the plotline is totally different from her other works. I think I have read everything she has written and this series is definitely one of her best.


This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Russian Cage is an action packed alternate history/paranormal romance that hooks you from page one. Charlaine Harris has always been one of my favorite authors and when I saw she had a new book coming out, I just had to read it. Then to my dismay I realized it was the third in a series, and for full effect needs to be read in order. Lizbeth Rose is a gunnie, a hired gun for hire that will protect people or cargo for the right price. In this alternate history story, Lizbeth travels to the New Russian Empire (California area) to save the love of her life Eli. The world building is complex and enthralling while the characters catch the imagination and carry the reader around on a wild ride. I will not get into the major plot points JUST READ THIS SERIES if you love magic, tough chicks, and a touch of happily ever after. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

The Russian Cage picks up a few months after Lizbeth Rose, gun for hire or "gunnie", returned home from her latest job in Dixie. She married Prince Eli at the end of A Longer Fall, but he returned home to the Holy Russian Empire (California in this universe). Gunnie Rose receives a cryptic letter from her half-sister, Felicia, who supplies blood to the hemophiliac Russian king. Eli has been imprisoned in San Diego and no one knows why or how to get him out. Gunnie Rose boards the train to San Diego in hopes of getting to the bottom of the problem. Guns aren't allowed on the street in the Holy Russian Empire but magic runs rampant and politics are labyrinthine. In the course of freeing Eli Lizbeth meets Eli's family, the Russian queen/czarina, and a lot of really bad men. This is third in a very fast-paced, entertaining series by renowned author Charlaine Harris. True to form, Harris has created another fasciniating alternate universe populated with compelling, likeable characters. You could probably pick up the Russian Cage without reading the first two books in the series, but why would you?! I recommend the Gunnie Rose novels to anyone who enjoys a fun, exciting read. If you liked the Sookie Stackhouse novels, you'll love these, as will fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and other alternate uniiverses. I appreciate the chance to read an advanced copy.

With her signature pithy, no-nonsense style, Harris distills suspense and action alongside romance into this well-crafted conclusion to Gunnie Rose’s arc toward love that started with book 1. In first person POV, we follow our gunslinger protagonist as she travels to a new Russian empire on the erstwhile American west coast to rescue her lover from imprisonment. An absorbing read, with an old-fashioned Western climax and an unsentimental but satisfying romance ending.

This series made me like Charlaine Harris again. The Russian Cage is brilliant. The magical/western/dystopia is so well done that despite all the hardship that Rose and Eli go through, I want to live there. Also since I live near Sweetwater, Texas, I can vouch that this is believable.

Lisbeth Rose is out of her element. Finding out that Eli is in jail she travels to San Francisco to try and rescue him. Lisbeth has to part with her guns and using her wit save the man he loves.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I'm curious if this is going to be the end of the series or if Eli and Lisbeth will have more adventures together.