The Last Wizard Ball by Charlaine Harris
#6 Gunnie Rose
Alternate History, Fantasy
Publisher: S&S/Saga Press
Published: 7.22.25
Pages: 272
Rating: 3 stars
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Sellers: Amazon
ADD TO: GoodReads
GoodReads Synopsis:
#1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Charlaine Harris returns with the sixth and final installment in the critically acclaimed Gunnie Rose series as sisters Lizbeth Rose and Felicia must face their fates at the last Wizards’ Ball.
Lizbeth Rose’s sister Felicia attends the Grand Wizards’ Ball, and as one of the most powerful—and beautiful—death wizards in a generation, she is highly sought after as one of the belles of the ball.
However, war and violence are on the rise in Europe as German and Japanese wizards are also courting Felicia…and some are refusing to take no for an answer.
As the façade of genteel wizard society turns deadly, Lizbeth must learn to not only protect her sister, but also navigate the arcane world that is pulling her sister and husband into a dangerous dance with death that could change the world as they know it.
#1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Charlaine Harris has crafted a murderous and magical family drama in this sixth and final installment to the beloved and bestselling Gunnie Rose series.
Sophia Rose's Review:
The synopsis mentions it twice, but I don’t want to believe it- final book struggles here. Things were building to something big over the course of the series and I was all anticipation to see just what that ‘big’ would be. Charlaine Harris has crafted an impressive alternate history world that includes those who wield magic and places where the wild west is alive and well.
The Last Wizard’s Ball is the sixth Gunnie Rose installment and continues the storyline that started in book one. Definitely not a good place to dive in.
The Last Wizard’s Ball opens with Lizbeth and Eli in San Diego living at his family home with Felicia to escort her around to all the society function related to the Wizard’s Ball. Things are tense when the first event is interrupted by a hail of arrows all directed at their group including Felix with Felicia as the target. Other incidents mount up and tensions between certain factions add to it. The Germans and Japanese are allied in efforts to go to war against England and her allies and this carries over to the magic users at the Ball.
Lizbeth feels hampered by her lack of knowledge and sophistication needed to navigate this world and keep Felicia out of danger and from making a mistake with her love life. Her frustration rises when she realizes Eli and even Felicia are keeping secrets from her again. The world is a powder keg waiting for a match and this includes Lizbeth and Eli’s marriage.
The Last Wizard’s Ball was a book for which I had high expectations. I appreciated the diversity of this alt-history world and the excitement of the wizards of the world coming to one place- all the political intrigue and power matches getting ready to take place. Felicia is powerful and has come into her own- she’s the belle of the ball and that comes with its own dangers. Lizbeth, Eli, and Felix have to stay alert for danger to come from rivals or from those who covet Felicia for power.
To explain (somewhat) what I really thought of this one, I will need to venture into the outer edges of spoiler land so continue on your own recognizance. Buckle up, because my emotional reaction was acute.
My first qualm came from the introductory note promising messy drama. I’m never a fan of unnecessary drama and any actual warning before the book starts about drama just seems ominous.
My second check came from the realization that Eli is at his secret holding again, sneaking off to secret meetings, not explaining even when his loyalty should be to Lizbeth.
Lizbeth is back to turning into a pressure cooker and getting the hives over having to be in Eli’s world so she’s constantly cranky, looking for fault, and refusing to see anyone’s perspective except her own. She does a tit for tat and keeps her own secrets and flings ultimatums while she’s het up.
And, my wariness mounted as events and behavior unraveled further. I wondered if they were under some curse or something because it was like they were trying to destroy their relationship and, even for them, they were exaggerated versions of their worst moments. Even Felicia wasn’t behaving consistently with how she’d earlier been portrayed and was trying to burn down her relationship with her sister.
But, it got worse for me. I’m frustrated because I can’t give examples and speculate on all that I questioned because of spoilers.
This book went directions that left me amazed and not in a positive way. But, I went beyond frustration to loathing when I got to the very last pages where so much that was previous in the first five books was exploded and tossed aside with this big wide highway of open-ending. I was left with one big why??? Let’s spend five books getting you to fall in love with these characters and establish these relationships and then toss it all into a windstorm and see where it falls.
I get it. Authors write the book and it’s their story to tell. But, a reader/listener gets vested, too. I really wish I could unknow that last chapter- that I could have hope of an alt-ending for an alt-history series. Or, even better that all the stuff that was introduced in this one could get a more complete feeling with the addition of one or two more books. I don’t need everything tied off with a neat bow, but conflict in the series’ central relationships and large series plot points? Yes, they need to feel resolved.
I’ll conclude by reiterating that I’m only one reader reaction and I know anyone who made it through the previous book will feel compelled, like I did, to grab this one up. Hopefully, their experience will be pleasanter than mine.
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Author Bio:
Two thousand twenty-three will mark Charlaine’s forty-second year as a published writer. She has written two stand-alones, and her series include the Aurora Teagarden mysteries, the Lily Bard mysteries, the Sookie Stackhouse urban fantasies, the Harper Connelly urban fantasies, the Midnight, Texas novels, the Cemetery Girl graphic novels (with Christopher Golden), and the Gunnie Rose books, set in an alternate history America. Charlaine has also written many short stories, and together with Toni L.P. Kelner she edited seven themed anthologies (and had great fun). Her books have sold over 39 million copies worldwide.
The television series “True Blood” was based on Charlaine’s Sookie Stackhouse novels. Hallmark Movies and Mysteries is still showing a series of movies created about the Aurora Teagarden character, and for two seasons “Midnight, Texas” was on the air. Two of her other series are in production.
Charlaine belongs to several professional organizations and is an avid reader. She and her husband live on a cliff overlooking the Brazos River with their rescue dogs. Charlaine has the joy of being a grandmother, and she attends the Episcopalian church.
Website: https://charlaineharris.com/
Sophia’s Bio:
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments, restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophia.rose.7587
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiarose1816
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose
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