What do you think?
Rate this book
The Carnival of The Damned #4
The Ringmaster’s Requiem
A Gothic Novella of Blood, Loss, and Resurrection
In the shadows of the carnival’s cursed tents, Visha stands alone; crowned in blood and velvet, her heart shattered but unyielding. Haunted by a fractured friendship and the ghosts of promises inked in pain, she is both prisoner and queen of a world built on broken trust and blazing grief.
Each step she takes is a dance of agony and defiance, every scar a testament to what she sacrificed to rise. As the carnival’s dark pulse quickens, Visha confronts the silence between rings, the crimson dance of memory and betrayal, and the hollow applause that follows a love turned to ash.
Corvan, the silent witness and shadowed guardian, kneels beside her in the ruin of her storm, a quiet presence in a world screaming for blood and redemption.
This is no tale of forgiveness. This is a requiem for the fallen, a final performance where grief twists into gold, and pain becomes the fiercest kind of power. Visha’s story is a call to anyone who has been broken and dared to rise again.
Step inside the tent. The show is about to begin.
In the shadows of the carnival’s cursed tents, Visha stands alone; crowned in blood and velvet, her heart shattered but unyielding. Haunted by a fractured friendship and the ghosts of promises inked in pain, she is both prisoner and queen of a world built on broken trust and blazing grief.
Each step she takes is a dance of agony and defiance, every scar a testament to what she sacrificed to rise. As the carnival’s dark pulse quickens, Visha confronts the silence between rings, the crimson dance of memory and betrayal, and the hollow applause that follows a love turned to ash.
Corvan, the silent witness and shadowed guardian, kneels beside her in the ruin of her storm, a quiet presence in a world screaming for blood and redemption.
This is no tale of forgiveness. This is a requiem for the fallen, a final performance where grief twists into gold, and pain becomes the fiercest kind of power. Visha’s story is a call to anyone who has been broken and dared to rise again.
Step inside the tent. The show is about to begin.
- GenresAmazon
78 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2026
2 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Visha Graves
13 books30 followersVisha Graves writes blood-soaked love stories where desire turns deadly and every emotion demands a price. A dark romance and horror author, her books straddle the line between passion and perdition—infusing haunted carnivals, twisted obsession, and theatrical vengeance into every page. Off the stage, Visha is a devoted wife, proud boy mom, and dog mama who finds magic in the mundane. Whether she’s baking in a storm-lit kitchen or sketching nightmares beneath the stars, her life is a balancing act of beauty and brutality.
Every book is a ritual.
Every scene is a stage. Every ending is a sacrifice.
Every book is a ritual.
Every scene is a stage. Every ending is a sacrifice.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Probably my favourite book of Vishas yet, its dark, poetic and Bleeds heartache.
February 14, 2026
This gothic novella absolutely wrecked me… and I mean that in the best possible way.
From the first step inside that cursed carnival tent, I was completely mesmerized. The atmosphere is thick with velvet shadows, blood-soaked grief, and the kind of aching beauty that lingers long after you turn the last page. Visha is not just a protagonist — she is a force. Crowned in ruin, forged in betrayal, and rising through agony like something reborn in flame, she commands every scene with devastating grace.
The carnival setting feels alive — pulsing, breathing, watching. It’s less a backdrop and more a character in its own right. Every ring, every hush between performances, every flicker of applause carries weight. The imagery is lush and haunting without ever feeling overdone. It’s poetic, yes — but sharp. It cuts.
And Corvan? That quiet, shadowed presence beside Visha in her storm? Perfection. He doesn’t need grand speeches to matter. His silence speaks volumes, and the dynamic between them adds a layer of depth that feels intimate and raw.
What I loved most is that this isn’t a neat redemption arc. It’s not about forgiveness wrapped in a bow. It’s about transformation. About grief turning to gold. About standing in the wreckage of what broke you and choosing to rise anyway.
This story feels like a dark lullaby for the wounded — for anyone who has lost, burned, shattered… and still refused to stay down.
Step inside the tent. Just be prepared — you won’t walk out unchanged.
From the first step inside that cursed carnival tent, I was completely mesmerized. The atmosphere is thick with velvet shadows, blood-soaked grief, and the kind of aching beauty that lingers long after you turn the last page. Visha is not just a protagonist — she is a force. Crowned in ruin, forged in betrayal, and rising through agony like something reborn in flame, she commands every scene with devastating grace.
The carnival setting feels alive — pulsing, breathing, watching. It’s less a backdrop and more a character in its own right. Every ring, every hush between performances, every flicker of applause carries weight. The imagery is lush and haunting without ever feeling overdone. It’s poetic, yes — but sharp. It cuts.
And Corvan? That quiet, shadowed presence beside Visha in her storm? Perfection. He doesn’t need grand speeches to matter. His silence speaks volumes, and the dynamic between them adds a layer of depth that feels intimate and raw.
What I loved most is that this isn’t a neat redemption arc. It’s not about forgiveness wrapped in a bow. It’s about transformation. About grief turning to gold. About standing in the wreckage of what broke you and choosing to rise anyway.
This story feels like a dark lullaby for the wounded — for anyone who has lost, burned, shattered… and still refused to stay down.
Step inside the tent. Just be prepared — you won’t walk out unchanged.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a beautiful haunting story of feeling your pain and rising above it and knowing that you are not alone.
Corvin stays in the shadows but is always there watching. Silent, steady, unwavering.
I could really feel Visha's pain almost as my own. Heartbreak 💔
happens when we are betrayed, and promises are broken and you thought they would never leave you with their broken promises, alone with the raw emotions. Through it all we must survive and learn to burn the past feel the grief and rise above the pain and ashes.
Very very good story from the Carnival of the Damned Series.
Probably my favorite so far. Very excited for the next story.🤗🖤
Corvin stays in the shadows but is always there watching. Silent, steady, unwavering.
I could really feel Visha's pain almost as my own. Heartbreak 💔
happens when we are betrayed, and promises are broken and you thought they would never leave you with their broken promises, alone with the raw emotions. Through it all we must survive and learn to burn the past feel the grief and rise above the pain and ashes.
Very very good story from the Carnival of the Damned Series.
Probably my favorite so far. Very excited for the next story.🤗🖤
January 25, 2026
ARC review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Ringmaster’s Requiem is a haunting, lyrical gothic novella that reads like a dark poem stitched together with blood, velvet, and grief. From the first page, it feels less like a story you read and more like a performance you’re pulled into—slow, deliberate, and impossible to look away from.
Visha is a striking, unforgettable heroine. She is not softened by her pain or redeemed by forgiveness—she is forged by it. Every scar carries weight, every choice echoes with loss, and her rule over the carnival feels earned through suffering rather than granted by fate. The imagery of crowns and cages, applause and silence, gives her journey an almost ritualistic gravity, as if each step is part of a final act she refuses to bow out of.
The carnival itself is alive—breathing, cursed, and heavy with memory. It serves as both prison and throne, amplifying the themes of betrayal, broken trust, and the cost of survival. Corvan’s quiet devotion provides a haunting contrast to the chaos surrounding Visha. He does not demand or rescue; he witnesses, and that restraint makes his presence powerful in a world screaming for spectacle.
What sets this novella apart is its refusal to offer easy comfort. This is not a story about mending what was broken—it’s about turning ruin into strength and grief into something sharp and commanding. Pain isn’t erased; it’s alchemized.
If you love gothic atmospheres, poetic prose, dark feminine rage, and stories where survival itself is the triumph, The Ringmaster’s Requiem is a devastatingly beautiful read. Step inside the tent—but don’t expect to leave unchanged. 🖤🎪
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Ringmaster’s Requiem is a haunting, lyrical gothic novella that reads like a dark poem stitched together with blood, velvet, and grief. From the first page, it feels less like a story you read and more like a performance you’re pulled into—slow, deliberate, and impossible to look away from.
Visha is a striking, unforgettable heroine. She is not softened by her pain or redeemed by forgiveness—she is forged by it. Every scar carries weight, every choice echoes with loss, and her rule over the carnival feels earned through suffering rather than granted by fate. The imagery of crowns and cages, applause and silence, gives her journey an almost ritualistic gravity, as if each step is part of a final act she refuses to bow out of.
The carnival itself is alive—breathing, cursed, and heavy with memory. It serves as both prison and throne, amplifying the themes of betrayal, broken trust, and the cost of survival. Corvan’s quiet devotion provides a haunting contrast to the chaos surrounding Visha. He does not demand or rescue; he witnesses, and that restraint makes his presence powerful in a world screaming for spectacle.
What sets this novella apart is its refusal to offer easy comfort. This is not a story about mending what was broken—it’s about turning ruin into strength and grief into something sharp and commanding. Pain isn’t erased; it’s alchemized.
If you love gothic atmospheres, poetic prose, dark feminine rage, and stories where survival itself is the triumph, The Ringmaster’s Requiem is a devastatingly beautiful read. Step inside the tent—but don’t expect to leave unchanged. 🖤🎪
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow. This book brought up some feelings I thought had long passed. It was so easy to see parts of myself in the FMC, sometimes the worst heartbreaks come from friendships.
February 8, 2026
ACR
while I enjoyed this book I have to say I am a bit disappointed that the story was short but the meaning behind the story is very relatable. Hopefully there will be another book in the future
while I enjoyed this book I have to say I am a bit disappointed that the story was short but the meaning behind the story is very relatable. Hopefully there will be another book in the future
February 6, 2026
4 1/2 ⭐️
Wow! The Ringmaster’s Requiem was beautifully haunting. This is another wonderful book in the Carnival of the Damned series. With each book, we learn more about the people within this carnival and their trials that they have gone through and we go through a little bit more with them.
In this one we learned about Visha and what she went through to get where she is and somewhat of Corvan.
The betrayal of friends can sometimes be the hardest one. I related to Visha in this book, I think many of us can.
I cannot wait for the next one.
I received an advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Wow! The Ringmaster’s Requiem was beautifully haunting. This is another wonderful book in the Carnival of the Damned series. With each book, we learn more about the people within this carnival and their trials that they have gone through and we go through a little bit more with them.
In this one we learned about Visha and what she went through to get where she is and somewhat of Corvan.
The betrayal of friends can sometimes be the hardest one. I related to Visha in this book, I think many of us can.
I cannot wait for the next one.
I received an advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved this short read. I connected with the MFC is so many ways. Friendships are hard but when you're just left behind it can be worse. I've broken myself way to many times for others.
"This book is for the girl who thought love meant silence, sacrifice, and being willing to break herself for someone else." 🖤.
"This book is for the girl who thought love meant silence, sacrifice, and being willing to break herself for someone else." 🖤.
Review of advance copy received from Author
(ARC review received compliments of the author this is my unbiased review)
We all have those we expect to stay forever. The soul mate and promises sworn in hushed secrecy. In Youth those promises felt like power... they felt like invisibility and immortality. A friendship that would seem to last forever...
But words are so easily dismissed. Promises so easy to be broken. People deep down are selfish after all. The ones that feel more soul deep then blood oaths end up being the ones to betray. They are the ones that leave us behind to pick up the remains of a shattered and scarred spirit.
Where knive cuts and impulse tattoos cut deep in the core as the heart goes numb and grief becomes apathy. In these moments we learn no longer to trust. We learn to scoff and bare our teeth and snarl at the notion of friendship... of forever.
Nothing lasts.
Some of us shatter but some of us learn to step on our shattered pieces and rise again full of cold mirror shards and the burning embers of our rage. The burn of betrayal. The cold cut of grief... it is here we awaken and arise to wear our crown and lift our chin... jaw tight and eyes sharp as we dare someone to try us once more.
The Ringmasters Requiem is not only Visha's story but a story for any betrayed by a friend and lost the kinship we trusted. If you are one that experienced such loss and decided your requiem would not be a funeral dirge but your resurrection this is for you. Apply for your ARC now and preorder your copy. Come find what the Carnival offers
We all have those we expect to stay forever. The soul mate and promises sworn in hushed secrecy. In Youth those promises felt like power... they felt like invisibility and immortality. A friendship that would seem to last forever...
But words are so easily dismissed. Promises so easy to be broken. People deep down are selfish after all. The ones that feel more soul deep then blood oaths end up being the ones to betray. They are the ones that leave us behind to pick up the remains of a shattered and scarred spirit.
Where knive cuts and impulse tattoos cut deep in the core as the heart goes numb and grief becomes apathy. In these moments we learn no longer to trust. We learn to scoff and bare our teeth and snarl at the notion of friendship... of forever.
Nothing lasts.
Some of us shatter but some of us learn to step on our shattered pieces and rise again full of cold mirror shards and the burning embers of our rage. The burn of betrayal. The cold cut of grief... it is here we awaken and arise to wear our crown and lift our chin... jaw tight and eyes sharp as we dare someone to try us once more.
The Ringmasters Requiem is not only Visha's story but a story for any betrayed by a friend and lost the kinship we trusted. If you are one that experienced such loss and decided your requiem would not be a funeral dirge but your resurrection this is for you. Apply for your ARC now and preorder your copy. Come find what the Carnival offers
February 13, 2026
The Carnival has once again beckoned me to its blackened embrace and I willingly submit to its desires. This installment was beautifully written and hauntingly done. I was broken and rebuilt, just as our main character was. She came back stinger but stained darker than she was before. This novella may have been short in pages but it was anything but short in intensity and emotion. I felt her grief and sense of betrayal as if it was my own. But as with the Carnival itself, she could not be destroyed. She survived the requiem, emerging surrounded in power and pain. The heartbreak and raw emotion felt at this betrayal was just as deep and impactful as any romantic loss, maybe more so. This addition to the series had me in a vice grip from the first line and I couldn’t face escaped it even if I wanted to. There are no platitudes or plantations here, the Carnival offers us none. We feel the pain and loss, and pay the price to come out the other side right alongside the characters. Under Corvan’s watchful eye we must all pay our own price to the Carnival.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Growing up we have all had that one friend who we thought would never leave. Some pacts are made in blood and whispered words, some as tattoos living permanently in the skin but what they all have in common is the promise to always be around. So, what do you do with the pain when that one person leaves, and you are left holding the strings of that promise together? In this story our FMC is dealing with the anniversary of the day her person walked away to never return. You get to see the raw emotional struggle she goes through while learning to let go of the person and everything attached to their memory. She breaks herself down to the raw nitty gritty just to build herself back into something stronger. I loved this book and really did feel like I resonated with the FMC throughout the story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Ringmaster’s Requiem is a dark, gothic novella that promises a haunting and intense ride. From the moment you step into the cursed carnival, the story paints a vivid world of grief, betrayal, and resilience. Visha emerges as a striking figure—both fragile and unyielding—navigating a world built on broken trust and blazing emotion.
The novella hints at deep tension between past friendships, lost love, and the cost of survival, with every moment charged with atmosphere and emotion.
Even in this brief tale, the story’s gothic tone and emotional intensity shine through. It reads like a requiem for the fallen, a darkly beautiful exploration of pain, power, and the courage to rise again. A gripping, evocative novella for fans of gothic horror and dark romance
The novella hints at deep tension between past friendships, lost love, and the cost of survival, with every moment charged with atmosphere and emotion.
Even in this brief tale, the story’s gothic tone and emotional intensity shine through. It reads like a requiem for the fallen, a darkly beautiful exploration of pain, power, and the courage to rise again. A gripping, evocative novella for fans of gothic horror and dark romance
Review of advance copy received from Author
When everything finally comes to the end and the ashes lay in silence .. will you find the strength you need to continue.. can you rise from the ashes or will the pain consume you till you blow away in the breeze.
The carnival of the damned has forced me to come to terms with things we often try to bury. But many the important thing is remembering that if someone is willing to hold the burden with you things aren’t so bad. From start to finish this is definitely something you don’t want to miss.
This book was given to me as an arc all reviews are truthful and my own opinion.
The carnival of the damned has forced me to come to terms with things we often try to bury. But many the important thing is remembering that if someone is willing to hold the burden with you things aren’t so bad. From start to finish this is definitely something you don’t want to miss.
This book was given to me as an arc all reviews are truthful and my own opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This a raw, emotion packed book. It’s not your typical love story, but one between friends. People underestimate the power of love between friends, and sometimes when those friendships and, they hurt worse than anything in the world.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This by far is a 5⭐️ book . I absolutely love the way the author brings everything to life . The perfect amount of details in her story . I’m so glad to have found this series !
A must read ! 5 ⭐️👏👏👏
A must read ! 5 ⭐️👏👏👏
February 19, 2026
The story is pure agony. Sadness on every page. You feel your heart being torn apart word by word and you stick around for the show anyway. Because that is how this author draws you in. She breathes life into the agony and forces it down your throat until you feel it with her.
February 7, 2026
I liked this! It's a novella about mending what's broken & rebuilding yourself stronger. She's been heartbroken & it beautifully represents going through all of it. Recommend this novella & author!
February 26, 2026
good gothic read
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
Release Date February 6, 2026
“In the ashes, you find your truth and the cold, precise will to burn brighter.”
Unlike the previous Carnival of the Damned reads,I found this story less gritty and more heat wrenching. A story of platonic love lost, I think that it will resonate with many readers. I don’t get the feels from many books but this one hit me wrote in my trauma riddles heart. The atmosphere is sullen and sadly hopeful. With each story, the Carnival of the Damned is stitching together beautifully. It will be amazing when I get to go back and read them all together.
Release Date February 6, 2026
“In the ashes, you find your truth and the cold, precise will to burn brighter.”
Unlike the previous Carnival of the Damned reads,I found this story less gritty and more heat wrenching. A story of platonic love lost, I think that it will resonate with many readers. I don’t get the feels from many books but this one hit me wrote in my trauma riddles heart. The atmosphere is sullen and sadly hopeful. With each story, the Carnival of the Damned is stitching together beautifully. It will be amazing when I get to go back and read them all together.
February 24, 2026
The Carnival calls again and we’re pulled into a story of pain, grief and betrayal.
Visha’s storytelling is pain wrapped in velvet, betrayal drenched in blood, grief covered in ash. Every story pulls you deeper into The Carnival until you can’t leave if you wanted to- not that you’d ever want to!
I’m utterly obsessed with this world and these stories. I always need more!
Visha’s storytelling is pain wrapped in velvet, betrayal drenched in blood, grief covered in ash. Every story pulls you deeper into The Carnival until you can’t leave if you wanted to- not that you’d ever want to!
I’m utterly obsessed with this world and these stories. I always need more!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Amazing again five star
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews