Book Bits: New Richelle Mead, Lover At Last excerpt, Anita Blake cover, more BDB, Group Read poll, more

Gameboard of the Gods Teases
As a Richelle Mead fangirl it isn’t exactly surprising that I’m excited to read her new series, Age of X. I’ve really adored her adult series, especially Georgina Kincaid (first book: Succubus Blues), and from what I see here Gameboard of the Gods is going to bring the awesome when it releases on June 4, 2013. The just-revealed cover is to your right, and the official blurb below. Sound off in the comments: Are you excited for a new adult series from Richelle?

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

Blay and Qhuinn Scene from Lover At Last
Cue muppet flails. If you’re anxiously awaiting the next Black Dagger Brotherhood and firmly Team Qhuay, then do I have a treat. J.R. Ward shared this snippet from Lover At Last on her Facebook page this week. So. Good.

Qhuinn followed, bringing up the rear in case anyone decided to pull a hi-how’re-ya-

From out of thin air, Blay appeared, the male suited up in leather, and as heavily armed as the rest of them. Qhuinn’s feet slowed, then stopped in the snow, mostly because he didn’t want to trip and fall like an asshole.

God, that was one grim motherfucker, he thought as Blay started walking forward. Was there some trouble in paradise?

Even though there was no eye contact, Qhuinn felt compelled to say something. “What’s…”

He didn’t finish the “doing” part of the sentence. Why bother? The guy just stalked past him like he wasn’t there.

“I’m great,” Qhuinn muttered under his breath as he resumed trudging through the snow. “Doin’ awesome, thanks for asking- oh, you having probs with Saxton? Really? How’d you like to go out and get a drink and talk about it? Yeah? Perfect. I’ll be your after dinner mint-”

Your First Look at Affliction
Laurell K. Hamilton has shared the cover for the next Anita Blake novel, Affliction. LKH fans, thoughts?

More BDB News!
The WARDen also released the official back cover copy for Lover At Last. Here we go:

Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has finally found an identity as one of the most brutal fighters in the war against the Lessening Society. But his life is not complete. Even as the prospect of having a family of his own seems to be within reach, he is empty on the inside, his heart given to another….

Group Read Poll
It’s that time again, readers. Six books made the poll for the November group read. Vote (and encourage your friends to do so), and we’ll announce the winner a week from today.

Carve The Awesome
I’m a big Halloween fan. I always have been, and I think it’s true for many of you as well. I actually got engaged on Halloween. My husband proposed via pumpkin, the tricky guy. Though he refuses, years later, to confirm HOW he did it, he had carved out the inside of the pumpkin and had the box with the ring inside. Then had me cut open to the top like we were going to carve a jack-o-lantern. This resulted in my looking at him, then the ring, then him, then the ring. Eventually, I said yes, there was kissing and then we carved an epic engagement jack-o-lantern.

This story isn’t just to tell you how great my husband is, but to point you in the direction of creating a truly epic (and probably nerdy) jack-o-lantern. ThinkGeek collects customer pumpkin carving designs, then tries them out in the office. The best of the best then get shared online. Right now you can see previous years’ winners and all the current entries. We’re talking Avengers, Boba Fett, Game of Thrones and more. It’s worth perusing.