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Cover of Forest of Carnage

Forest of Carnage

by Candace Robinson

🌶️🌶️🌶️moderate·Once Upon a Wicked Villain #2
5.0 on Goodreads (4)

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Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

You get a twisted, satisfying HEA where the villain wins, delivering dark romance fans exactly what they crave.

Synopsis

Welcome to the dark world of Grimm, where the villains are as wicked as their desires. Sterling’s life is forever altered after the Prince of Carnage brutally killed her grandmother. From that pain, a new and stronger person is born. One who vows to hunt down the wicked royal. Her name is Red Riding Hood . Prince Winter is feared by all in his court—except one. The woman hiding beneath a red cloak, murdering his wolf pack one by one. Until he captures her. But Prince Winter won’t end her life just yet. That death would be too easy after the damage she’s done. Sterling must first become a spectacle worthy of her crimes and play in his deadly games. If she survives, he will do with her as he pleases. No matter the carnage. Forest of Carnage is a new take on Little Red Riding Hood and is part of a series of stand-alone titles of spicy dark fairy tale retellings where the villain gets the girl in the end. Each delicious tale can be read in any order and contains fierce females, enemies to lovers, morally gray males, epic stories, and scorching romance. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Laura Thalassa, Raven Kennedy, and Jennifer L. Armentrout. Please Previous edition Wicked Prince of Carnage, originally published in October 2025

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

A curator's note goes here with flavor that could spoil the plot.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

5.00 ★ (4)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

244 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2026

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Romantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Dual POV

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Medium Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

No audiobook yet

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Single Narrator (unspecified)

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
captive romancedark romancefairytale retellingvillain gets the girlblood feud romancesecret relationshipmonster romance
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

darkeerieintenseromanticseductiveunhingedatmospheric

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

darkatmosphericbroodingpunchy

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

fast

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

heavy

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

medium

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

Red Riding Hood retellingenchanted forestforbidden desiremorally complex

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

reluctant chosen onesurvivormorally gray fmc

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

villain/anti-heromorally gray mmcmonster mmc

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

forbidden love

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
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🌶️
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Spice Level 3

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

animalistic / primaldark / taboo styleprimal / feral style

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

praise kinkpossessive/protectivegrowling / possessive soundsmine declarationsneck kisses / neck touching

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

primal play (hunting/chasing)bonding/claiming/markingrough/aggressive intimacypossessivemarkingclaimingdominance
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (10)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
deathgoregraphic violencekidnappingmurderviolencebloodcaptivitydark themesdubious consent
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World & Setting

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World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

grimdark / dark fantasyhigh fantasy

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

forest / wilderness

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

werewolvesmonsterswitches/wizards/warlocksfae

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

the angst deliveredferal brain activatedvicarious thrill

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

autumn

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

in naturesummer eveningat nightcamping trip

Once Upon a Wicked Villain

Spindle of Sin

#1 Spindle of Sin

Forest of Carnage

#2 Forest of Carnage

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️🌶️moderate
PagesHow long the commitment is.244
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2026
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.5.00 ★ (4)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Once Upon a Wicked Villain #2
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