Every year I look for a reason to turn one regular tradition into something bigger, and this year my love of romantasy & fantasy books did it for me. BookTok has been breaking over some of my TBRs, titles like Kiss of the Black Flame, The Sweetest Fiend, A War of Wyverns, Dragon Cursed and Blood Bound. On top of that the wave building around the next A Court of Thorns and Roses release this October, makes it felt like exactly the right year to throw a proper dark romantasy party.
This dark romantasy book club party turned an ordinary meeting into a full event: hands-on fantasy activities like dragon themed Kindle charm-making, fantasy mug gifting, deep purple florals throughout, and a stack of the genre’s biggest reads setting the mood for discussion. The hardest bit was choosing which book for our book club to read!
It’s proof that your regular book club meetup can become a full event without waiting on a holiday. Give it a dragon, a little candlelight and a table dripping in gothic style, and the bookish heart of the night stays exactly the same.
This month’s book club pick: A Dawn of Onyx by Kate Goldenuca.
Why a Dark Romantasy Book Club Party Works So Well Right Now
A dark romantasy book club party works because it dresses up something you’re already doing without changing what it fundamentally is. You’re still gathering to talk about a book, just now under the light of the moon, with a Kindle charm to make and a room that feels like it belongs in the story.
It also makes good use of a genre that’s genuinely exploding right now, with more quality romantasy hitting shelves than ever. There are so many new titles to read and share with fellow Romantasy fans. WE already have our own group chats, waitlists and pre-order countdowns running, so a themed night gives that energy somewhere to land: a real occasion to celebrate the books everyone’s already obsessed with, plus a couple of hands-on stations to keep the evening moving between chapters of conversation.
Watch How the Dark Romantasy Book Club Party Came Together
Before we get into the details, here’s the full reel (coming soon) so you can see the table setting, the chocolate treat stand, the book swap cart and the Kindle charm station in motion. It’s the best way to get a feel for the overall romantasy vibe, layout and setup before you start planning your own.
Don’t forget to save this post for later, and follow along at fernandmaple.com for more book club party ideas and romantasy inspiration
What You’ll Need for a Dark Romantasy Book Club Party
This list isn’t exhaustive, so feel free to add to it to fit your preferences, your favorite romantasy series, or your own color palette.
Full DIY tutorials for the decorative elements of this party can be found here, including dragon-cutout treat cones, book page napkin holders (coming soon), and a book page wreath (coming soon).
Here’s the full list of items I used for my dark romantasy book club party, area by area: the dining table, the treat stand, the bar, the book swap cart, the mantel and the Kindle charm station. You can find a full shoppable list HERE (coming soon).
The Table
- Table Setting:
- Black charger topped with a soft purple check plate and a skull accent plate printed with handwritten prose
- Mystical moon phase napkin & cupcake at each seat
- Book page and dragon cutlery holder, get the DIY HERE (coming soon)
- Dark romantasy themed Morally Grey Book Club tote bag for taking home books
- ‘Morally Grey Book Club’ notebook and purple pen for book notes
- Gothic fantasy style tea pot and teacups for serving drinks
- Dark Romantasy Centerpiece and Runner:
- Soft purple cheesecloth and black lace layered with book pages as a table runner
- Custom romantasy confetti featuring dragons, fae and gothic skulls
- Favorite Romantasy books for stacking
- Deep purple and black florals in a black urn
- Dragon figures and other fantasy court decor
- Dragon head and other gothic of fantasy court decor
- Amethyst or crystal accents
- Dark romantasy book club confetti
Food & Drink
- Chocolate Treat Stand (full shopping list HERE) coming soon.
- Tiered treat stand
- Chocolates or mini treats, wrapped in dragon themed book-page cones (full DIY HERE)
- Deep purple & black florals
- Deep purple velvet fabric accent
- Dark fantasy decor (dragons, candles, black cats and paintings)
- Dark fantasy decor (e.g dragons, swords, hearts,skulls horns, wings and more)
- Dark and Dreamy Bar: (Full shopping list HERE) coming soon
- Skeletons holding a coffin-style drink cooler
- Dark fantasy decor (dragons, candles, black cats and paintings)
- Dark fantasy or gothic decor (e.g. urns, cauldrons, decanters, cats, dragons, candles, witch hats, wings and paintings)
- Black glass tumblers, black coupes or amethyst-toned tumblers
- DIY book page wreath with a purple bow, DIY instructions HERE (coming soon)
Activities
- Book swap cart:
- Books to wrap for Blind Date With a Book
- Wrapping supplies & bookish treats (e.g. bookmarks, paper clips, stickers, pens, page tags & more) to place in wrapping pockets (supply list HERE)
- Fantasy-themed mugs
- Bookish mug treat fillers (e.g. tea, lip gloss, hand sanitizer, bookmarks, stickers), you can find a supply list HERE
- Kindle charm station (full supply list HERE):
- Charms & Beads
- Charm Hooks for phones & kindles
- Jump rings
- Chain
- Small pliers
Decor
- Wall and mantle styling:
- Wood plaques, find the DIY HERE
- Book pages
- Crows, ghosts, garlands, candles, cats, witch hats, ribbon, velvet bows and more!
How to Set Up a Dark Romantasy Book Club Party
The heart of this party, and the part that makes it completely unique, are the bookish fantasy activities. Guests got to make dark romantasy blind dates with a book and build a dragon or sword themed Kindle charm. Two of my favorite dark romantasy book club party ideas! This is what separates a book club party from a regular meetup: hands-on stations built specifically for readers. Every guest brought a book to wrap and swap with someone else at the table, then built a Kindle charm to take home.
Set the Table
You’ll find the full supply list for this table set-up including the table runner & settings HERE (coming soon).
The Table Setting
Start with a black charger, then stack a soft purple check plate and a skull accent plate (I found with a handwritten prose around the skull) on top. The color alone does most of the theming work before anything else is added. Then set a mystical moon phase napkin under the plate with a book page accent. Next add a DIY folded book page and dragon cutlery holder at each seat, full DIY linked HERE (coming soon). Finish the setting off with a sprinkle of themed romantasy confetti.
If you want to go the extra bookish mile, add a dark romantasy book club tote bag (full tutorial HERE, coming soon) for guests to take books home, plus a ‘Morally Grey Book Club’ notebook and pen for taking notes during the get-together.
The Centerpiece
For the table runner, I layered a length of soft purple cheesecloth with black lace. Next, I layered in purple blooms, book pages and seasonal pumpkins in shades of purple. Then I added some skeletal bones, some black champgne glasses and a mini cauldron of black matches for lighting candles. On top of this I sprinkled some custom dark romantasy confetti.
For the table runner, I layered a length of soft purple cheesecloth with black lace. Next, I layered in purple blooms, book pages and seasonal pumpkins in shades of purple. Then I stacked a few of my romantasy novels to use as pedestals. On top of this I sprinkled some custom dark romantasy confetti.
At the center of the table runner I used a black urn as a vase and filled it with deep purple and black blooms.
Then on one side of the florals I added some skeletal bones, some black champgne glasses and a mini cauldron of black matches for lighting candles.
I pulled a small dragon figure up to one of the seats as a temporary guest, sitting right on a stack of books. A little silly, but it’s what actually finishes off the table and makes it a party.
On the other side of the florals I placed a dragon skull on top of the books and a gorgeous gothic teas set for serving our cocktails in a unique way.
Set Up a Chocolate Treat Stand
You’ll find the full supply list HERE.
To the left of the fireplace, a small tiered stand became the treat station for the night. This is where the chocolate cones live: mini treats wrapped in book-page cones, with a dragon cutout Guests grab one, add it to a dessert plate, or take it home as a favor. Full cone tutorial HERE.
Set Up a Dark & Dreamy Gothic Bar
Right beside the stand,I placed a selection of pretty dark & dreamy glasses for drinks. A gothic style drink dispenser and decanters hold spirits and cocktails. Next to this side board of bar essentials a pair of skeletons carry a coffin-shaped cooler between them, stocked with ice & drinks. Between the side board bar and the coffin, guests can help themselves all night without anyone playing host over the drinks.
Above the coffin cooler I added a wreath made out of book pages, which really made the space pop and drew attention to the bar and treat station. Get the full DIY instructions to make your own wreath HERE (coming soon). I reworked an old floral wreath, swapping its accents for a deep purple bow and adding rolled book-page scrolls throughout for texture.
Set Up the Bar Cart for a Blind Date With a Book Swap
You’ll find the full supply list for making a dark romantasy blind date with a book HERE.
The bar cart isn’t for drinks at this party. It’s where the Blind Date With a Book swap happens. Each guest brings a secret book from home, either pre-wrapped with pockets or by using the wrapping paper set out on the cart.
Find out how to wrap a book with pockets and make a Blind Date With a Book HERE.
Then guests fill the wrapping paper pockets with their choice of items set out on the cart: pens and markers, bookmarks, paper clips, stickers and more. They finish the wrap with twine or ribbon and add a short, playful teaser description instead of the title. Once every book is wrapped, guests swap and everyone takes home something new to read.
Then I propped a bow-tied skeleton right behind the cart, positioned like he’s the one pushing the whole thing around. Don’t forget his book bag, for the morally grey! A few extra book-themed pieces on the cart keep it in theme with the occasion.
I also added dragon and fantasy-themed stuffed mugs. These were gifts for my guests, and could just as easily double as prizes or another DIY activity to do together. Each one comes packed with bookish treats like tea, lip gloss, hand sanitizer, themed patches and stickers, magnetic bookmarks, and dragon-shaped sticky notes, plus a book recommendation tucked inside. Full mug gift tutorial linked HERE.
Set Up a Kindle Charm-Making Station on the Coffee Table
You’ll find all the supplies you need to make Kindle charms HERE.
The low coffee table in my living room became the Kindle craft station for the night. I laid out a tray of adhesive charm hooks and small fantasy-themed charms: dragons, swords, crowns, stars, and book stacks. Look for charms that fit your favorite series or the book club book! I also added jump rings, chain and a couple of pairs of small pliers.
Guests build their own charm and clip it straight onto their Kindle or e-reader before they leave. Find out how to make your own Kindle charm HERE.
This one works especially well for a book club, since almost everyone at the table also reads on a device in addition to paperbacks. It gives guests a one-of-a-kind favor that’s actually useful, not something that ends up in a drawer. Keep the bead and charm selection edited rather than overwhelming. A smaller, well-chosen tray moves faster than a huge bin guests have to dig through.
This one works especially well for a book club, since almost everyone at the table also reads on a device in addition to paper books. It gives guests a one-of-a-kind favor that’s actually useful, not something that ends up in a drawer. Keep the bead and charm selection edited rather than overwhelming — a smaller, well-chosen tray moves faster than a huge bin guests have to dig through
Style the Walls and Mantle
For the walls, I painted a set of wood plaques black and layered book pages onto the center of each one. Then I added black dragon and castle silhouettes cut on my Cricut. These were then finished with ribbon and velvet bows, they hang as a small gallery near the bar cart. Full tutorial linked HERE.
Above the fireplace, I hung a black lace table runner across the mantle. Then I added deep purple florals, a book candle, a skeleton fairy figure and a spooky typewriter styled with a book quote from one of the featured reads. Finally, I added two garlands made from bows, both in deep purple velvet.
On the other side of the mantel I added an urn of florals elevated on a stack of spell books, purple candles in serpant candlesticks, a skull lamp and black butterflies. I found the perfect piece of deep purple velvet to use as an accent and tie this area into the black and purple palette of the room. Moody and a little regal, exactly the romantasy mood I was going for.
Tips for Hosting Your Own Dark Romantasy Book Club Party
- Keep the book swap cart and the Kindle charm station within sight of each other. Guests naturally drift between the two rather than committing to one all night.
- Wrap a few extra books for the Blind Date station in case a last-minute guest shows up.
- Set out the treat cones ahead of time so the stand is self-serve once the party starts.
- Buy a couple of extra charms and beads. Someone always wants to make a second one.
- Have a few easy discussion questions ready to go. With this many stations going, it’s nice to have a natural anchor to pull everyone back to the book for a few minutes.
- Stick to finger foods. Guests are juggling a wrapped book, a charm-in-progress and a treat cone, so anything that needs a fork just adds friction.
- Let guests who didn’t finish the book join in anyway. The stations and the styling carry the night just as much as the discussion does.
- Give each mug or glass a small dragon charm. With everyone setting a drink down during activities, they won’t lose track of it, and a tiny dragon charm ties in nicely with the Kindle charm station.
- Print a few discussion questions specific to your featured romantasy read on a little card near the table. This carries the mood into the conversation too, not just the decor and activities.
- If your group is reading different romantasy series, use the party as a chance to introduce each other to new favorites, Fourth Wing fans meeting ACOTAR fans and swapping recommendations along with books.
Dark Romantasy Book Club Party FAQs
What supplies do I need for a dark romantasy book club party?
First you’ll need the romantasy book you’re going to discuss, whether that’s Fourth Wing, an ACOTAR title, or something like A Dawn of Onyx. Then you’ll need themed tableware, some candlelight, and deep purple florals and dragon accents. Use your own decor or use mine for inspiration.
Add a treat stand, a coffin-style cooler for drinks, and craft supplies for the Kindle charm and Blind Date With a Book stations. See above for detailed inspiration and supply lists.
How many guests work well for a dark romantasy book club party?
Anywhere from four to ten guests works well — small enough that the stations don’t get crowded, but large enough that the room still feels lively
Do I need to actually discuss a book at a dark romantasy book club party?
Not necessarily, though most book clubs will want to. The stations and the styling are designed to sit alongside a normal discussion, not replace it.
Can I do a dark romantasy book club party without the full DIY decor?
Yes, a good book and a few purple and dragon-themed pieces with candlelight to create atmosphere works too. You can also just do a portion of this decor: set the table and pick a single activity station, like the Kindle charm bar. It will carry the theme on its own if you’re short on time before the party.
What’s a good favor for a dark romantasy book club party?
The Kindle charm guests make themselves works well, doubling as a favor. The stuffed mug also works, and so does an extra chocolate cone from the treat stand.
Is this a good party to throw around a new book release?
It’s a great excuse for one. This party leaned on past BookTok favorites, titles such as Fourth Wing, Quicksilver, Spark of the Everflame & the ACOTAR series. It also takes inspiration from the current wave of BookTok favorites, titles like Kiss of the Black Flame, A War of Wyverns and Blood Bound.
Plus the excitement building around the next Court of Thorns and Roses release this October. Any big romantasy release date works just as well as a reason to gather. My current favorite new release is Buron of the Everflame by Penn Cole, the last book in the Kindred’s Curse Saga.
Shop the Full Party
For a shopping list of supplies visit my full list HERE.
You Might Also Like
Looking for more Book Club party ideas? Try out these book themed DIYs:
- How to Make Book Page and Dragon Napkin Rings (coming soon)
- How to Style a Dragon-Topped Chocolate Treat Stand (coming soon)
- How to Stuff Fantasy-Themed Mugs for a Book-Lover Gift (coming soon)
- How to Make Dark Fantasy Wood Plaque Wall Art (coming soon)
And these book themed activities (and gift ideas):
- How to make a Dark Romantasy themed Blind Date with A Book station (coming soon)
- How to Make a Dragon Kindle Charm-Making Station (coming soon)
- Top gifts for Dark Romantasy Lovers
You may also love this alternative book club theme for your next gathering!
- How to Host a Spooky Book Club Party
And for more Halloween party ideas check out my Halloween Sip N Paint Gothic Drawing Room Party HERE or How to Host the Ultimate Broom Making Party Activity the Halloween. Or decorate your house with inspiration from my Witch-Themed Halloween Home Entryway.
Happy Partying!
As a blogger, I sometimes receive compensation and/or products in exchange for my styling and crafting services. I also may earn a small commission from any sales that result from affiliate links on this page. As always, all project ideas and any opinions expressed here are my own. For further information on our disclosure policy please check out our disclosure page.
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