The colder weather is upon us, the perfect excuse for cozying up with a new book (as if you needed an excuse). But cuddling up to read doesn’t mean hibernating alone. The Mile High City is filled with book clubs of your fellow literary buffs who believe that reading doesn’t have to be a lonely hobby. So, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite Denver book clubs that will inspire even the most introverted introvert to get out and read with others.
Western Sky Book Coven
This readers collective meets the last Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Western Sky Bar & Taproom in Englewood. The club was launched by Whitney Bradford, co-founder and general manager of the bar. “I started the book club because I have always been a reader, and conversations about books would naturally happen at the bar,” she says. “What’s formed is a group of individuals who love to read, want to expand their perspectives and value community. We laugh a lot at our meetups and we value everyone’s ideas. The group is open to everyone, and we read a variety of genres. We love it when new folks join us!”
Bonus: there are a few upcoming special events outside of regular book club meetings! First up, a Holiday Party with a bookish white elephant exchange on Monday, December 16 at 6:30 p.m. Then for those who take their reading very seriously, a 2025 Reading Goal kickoff event on Saturday, January 4.
No need to register or RSVP. Just show up. For more information, check out and follow Western Sky Bar & Taproom on Instagram @westernskybarco or visit their website.
Fiction Beer Book Club
When the brewery has a literary-themed name, you know the book club has to be for real. The Fiction Beer Book Club meets at Fiction Beer Company’s Denver Taproom on the third Monday of every month, at 7:00 p.m. Christa Kilpatrick, the co-owner and managing editor of the brewery launched this very democratic reading group, where monthly reads are voted on in the club’s Facebook group.
“I started Fiction Beer Company Book Club in 2017 to share my love of reading and foster that sense of community that Fiction Beer is known for,” Kilpatrick says. The book club now dominates the taproom on meeting nights. “I’ve often wondered why this book club has been such a hit with people. Is it because we actually talk about the book? Or is it the variety of genres and the fun book themes each month? Or is it the sense of community, friendship, and belonging people get when they come? In the end, I think it’s a combination of all of these things. What I know for sure is that I’ve met some wonderful human beings throughout the years who share in my passion for reading and I love hearing their opinions about the book over a craft beer.”
Visit their website for meeting information and a list of current and past books, or follow along on social media on Instagram or Facebook to stay up to date with special announcements like the special book club events, like a Friendsgiving potluck and a December white elephant book exchange.
Edgewater Books
Tucked into a cozy corner of the Edgewater Public Market, Edgewater Books hosts an intimate book club every 4-6 weeks, perfect for book lovers who read in order to discuss. “What makes our book club unique is that it is open to anyone interested in attending the meeting,” says owner Phyllis Nelson. “We have some very committed members, but also have people attend just to discuss the specific book we’ve read.”
Meeting announcements are released in a newsletter, on social media at @edgewaterbooks, and on signage outside the shop. The club covers a broad range of fiction, including sci-fi, magical realism, history and other genre fiction.
Novel Strand Book Club
Another book-themed brewery with a fabulous book club, Novel Strand’s group meets in the taproom on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Chantel Columna, proprietor and general manager of Novel Strand Brewing, launched the book club in 2021 alongside her friend, Rachel Hier.
“The club has grown from an average of ten people in 2021 to our largest gathering so far last month with 36 people, which was really humbling to see,” Columna says. But she doesn’t want the increasing size of the group to scare away readers. “We discuss the book in smaller groups as we don’t want anyone to get intimidated about the size of the club—it’s pretty intimate once you get down to your smaller groups.”
Novel Strand’s Book Club is also well-connected to the library world. “Dodie Ownes from the Denver Public Library helps us with recs and other events with our book friends,” Columna explains. “We usually also have a DPL rep join the meetups, and they help people sign up for library cards if they do not have one already.”
The best way to stay up-to-date is to join Chantel’s mailing list to receive regular announcements, reminders and links to RSVP to the book club through Eventbrite.
Of course, bookstores are an ideal place to find book clubs, usually a variety of groups organized around genre or theme. Tattered Cover has a lengthy list of meetings and locations. Shop At Matter organizes book clubs around design, politics, and other meaningful conversations. Petals & Pages offers book clubs in different genres and queer lit. Denver also has its own chapter of The Gloss, a worldwide book club founded in 2008 with 150,000 members in 15 countries and 150+ cities across the globe.
Whatever type of group you’re looking for, whatever type of books you like to read there is a Denver book club–and a group of new friends–for you.
For even more Denver book clubs, check out these round-ups from the Denver Book Swap Society here and here.