What are good book club discussion questions for The Lion & The Deathless Dark?

Spoiler-free questions to get the conversation going: Settle in and tell us: where did you do most of your reading of this one, and what made that your comfort spot?; What was the first moment in the story that made you feel cozy and pulled in, like you did not want to put the book down?; The whole book turns on a bargain between two wary people. When have you felt the quiet comfort of finally being able to trust someone you were not sure about?; Broadbent's Nyaxia world is dark yet strangely inviting. Which corner of that world would you most want to curl up in, and why did it feel like a place you could rest?; This is a story about someone carrying the weight of a past mistake. What moment made you feel most tender toward a character who was trying to make things right?.

What food and drinks should I serve at a The Lion & The Deathless Dark book club?

Food: Slow-simmered red wine braised short rib stew, Crusty torn bread with garlic butter and honey, and Dark chocolate and cherry skillet brownies. Drinks: Spiced blackberry and clove mulled cider, Mulled red wine with orange and star anise, and Vanilla and honey hot toddy.

Cozy night

The Lion & The Deathless DarkBook club questions, food & host guide

Carissa Broadbent

A cozy book club night for The Lion & The Deathless Dark by Carissa Broadbent. Includes 8 spoiler-free discussion questions, food and drink pairings, a playlist, and a host guide, ready to print and share.

a warm, romance-loving club that reads with a blanket and a candle nearby

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A bounty hunter on the run strikes a bargain with a vampire in Carissa Broadbent's lush Crowns of Nyaxia world, giving your club a swoony, high-stakes romantasy that is easy to sink into on a slow evening.

Why it works for clubs

A morally gray deal at its heart gives everyone something to root for and argue about gently
Rich, immersive world building rewards readers who love atmosphere over homework
Big feelings about trust, longing, and second chances that are easy to open up about
Part of a beloved series, so fans and newcomers can trade impressions

Themes & mood

romantasy vampires slow burn dark and cozy found devotion

Reading level

Moderate

Warm-up questions

1 Settle in and tell us: where did you do most of your reading of this one, and what made that your comfort spot?
2 What was the first moment in the story that made you feel cozy and pulled in, like you did not want to put the book down?

Digging in

1 The whole book turns on a bargain between two wary people. When have you felt the quiet comfort of finally being able to trust someone you were not sure about?
2 Broadbent's Nyaxia world is dark yet strangely inviting. Which corner of that world would you most want to curl up in, and why did it feel like a place you could rest?
3 This is a story about someone carrying the weight of a past mistake. What moment made you feel most tender toward a character who was trying to make things right?
4 Longing and slow-building closeness run through the book. Which scene warmed you most, and did it remind you of a connection in your own life?

Going deep

1 Without giving anything away, when did you feel the story shift from survival to something softer and more hopeful, and how did that change land in your chest?
2 By the final pages, what did this book leave you feeling comforted or moved about, and what small thing will you carry with you from it?

On the table

Slow-simmered red wine braised short rib stew

Deep, dark, and warming to match the blood-and-shadow mood of Nyaxia, but served as pure comfort food from a shared pot.

Crusty torn bread with garlic butter and honey

A rustic, hunter-on-the-road staple that feels homey and lets everyone tear off a piece and settle in.

Dark chocolate and cherry skillet brownies

Rich, indulgent, and blood-red at the center, a gentle nod to vampires while staying warm-from-the-oven cozy.

To sip

Spiced blackberry and clove mulled cider No alcohol

Warm, deep-purple, and nonalcoholic so everyone can wrap their hands around a mug.

Mulled red wine with orange and star anise

A dark, fragrant pour that echoes the shadowed elegance of the vampire courts.

Vanilla and honey hot toddy

A soothing, golden nightcap for a low-pressure evening of trading feelings by candlelight.

You're invited

Come curl up in the dark with us

Bring your softest sweater and your biggest feelings for a cozy night with The Lion and The Deathless Dark. Warm stew, dark chocolate, and gentle conversation by candlelight.

Trivia

1

This book is the fifth entry in which fantasy series?

Answer: Crowns of Nyaxia.
2

Who is the author of The Lion and The Deathless Dark?

Answer: Carissa Broadbent.
3

What supernatural beings are central to the Nyaxia world?

Answer: Vampires.
4

What is the profession of the main character who makes the fateful deal?

Answer: A bounty hunter.
5

The Crowns of Nyaxia series is best described as which popular blended genre?

Answer: Romantasy (romantic fantasy).
6

Nyaxia, which the series is named for, refers to what kind of figure in the world?

Answer: A goddess (of night and the vampire courts).
7

The earlier duology in this same world followed a heroine named Oraya; what larger book family does that duology belong to?

Answer: Crowns of Nyaxia.
8

What sets the plot in motion for the bounty hunter at the start of the book?

Answer: Committing a crime, which leads to a deal with a vampire.