I struggled a bit with this book. Things started off with a bang, but it went downhill from there. I kept hoping things would pick back up, but that didn't happen. Lots of predictability, so that made it hard for me to stay engaged. The book definitely had potential, but it never really came together in the end.

What a wild ride! Olivia, Liv's, is an actress who had a bit of a breakdown and needs a break. Enter The House of Light, a spiritual center with yoga and meditation. When Olivia arrives and meets Ava she learns there's something strange about the place. Theres series suicides that are two common to be a coincidence. Olivia leaves the House of Light, does research and starts a podcast to try and figure out if or how the House of Light is connected to the deaths.

I very much enjoyed this story. I loved how the storyline went from present to podcast recordings, to conversations or interviews with people. True crime podcasts are so popular that I think that really appeals to readers. It's a cult-like story that is dark, mysterious, fast paced and engaging. It was such a fun read. I really liked Liv's character too even if she was a bit unlikable in the storyline.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the copy of Dark Circles. Liv was a great character even though she was self-centered, which fit in with her profession but didn’t make her likable or sympathetic. Her self-centeredness was a key to a lot of the incidents in the book, but it didn’t make it any easier for this reader to get engaged in it!
The story started out interesting but then I started to lose interest - was it about the HOL, Liv’s mother, the deaths? So many different things going on and they didn’t feel focused or cohesive to me. I was actually most interested in Ava and Wyatt even though they were pretty minor characters.
The final paragraphs seemed just tacked on to me. I will look for other books by this author because I thought this book had promise!
If you like books about cults and don't have a need to connect to or like the MC, you will probably love this book!

I recently reviewed a different book and complained about unlikable characters. My basic rule is that you can have unlikable characters, but they must be entertaining. Well, meet Liv Reed. If this were real life, Liv would have been murdered years before this book even begins. She’s…terrible. She’s arrogant, entitled, completely oblivious, and so much fun to read!

While the pacing does slow down once in a while, the mystery is compelling and Liv, terrible as she is, is simply a blast to read. I was not surprised by the conclusion – I mean anyone but oblivious Liv could have seen that coming – I still thoroughly enjoyed Liv’s realization that she’s kind of a tool.

Absolutely fun book!

*ARC via Publisher

An embattled actress turns to podcasting when she becomes entangled in a dark conspiracy at a spiritual retreat in this absorbing mystery about fame, violence, and our morbid fascination with murder…

Olivia Reed is an actress who needs some time off after a huge meltdown hit the tabloids. She goes on a spiritual retreat at The House Of Light. Liv soon learns its not all yoga and sunshine…

I found Liv to be an unlikeable character. She is a bratty starlet. I somewhat changed my mind about her after she started the podcast. She still had her shallow moments, but it seemed like the artistic change from TV to podcaster was what she needed.

I picked this one up and put it down a few times. The chapters are long, and that is just a struggle for me. Every time I felt like the story was heading in an interesting direction, it would take a turn and fall flat. I didn’t totally understand the point of Liv’s mom’s part in the story. Also - there is a strange ritual I was hoping would be explained that never really was.

If you are into mysteries that include cults or celebrity MCs this one would be for you! Thank you @netgalley and @ballantine for this eARC!

This book was so well-plotted and, much like the author's previous book, puts a different and interesting spin on a story centered around a cult. The development of the narrator and her backstory was really interesting and well-done. Definitely a suspenseful, quick read!

Actress Olivia Reed is a mess. She has tried rehab many times. Time to get off the grid with the House of Light.
Here she meets Ava and learns that Ava suspects the house has something to do with a series of murders .
Instead of light there is much darkness. Olivia is creating a podcast to try and expose the evil. Lots of mystery and twists to keep you reading.

This was another book about a cult that lures people in by preying on their vulnerabilities. It was a very slow story, broken up by excerpts of a podcast the main character, Liv, is doing on the cult and women that have died. I tried hard to get into this book, but it just didn't work for me. I also kept trying to figure out why Ava (from Dead Letters) was included in this book, but she really had no relevance and Liv's relationship with Ava and Wyatt was just odd. Unfortunately, the ending was not surprising at all and left a lot to be desired.

This book was a bounce house, with a main character that I could not stand. It took 50% of the book for me to finally become interested in what would happen and, how the book would end.
The first half of this book needs to be re-edited. The second half flows well. and reads like a good murder mystery should read.

After suffering a meltdown that is plastered across the tabloids; actress Olivia Reed checks into a facility known as the House of Light. HOL is not rehab center but rather a way to regain spiritual balance...exactly what Liv needs to cleanse her energy. Liv befriends a fellow "guest", Ava, who is convinced the center is behind a series of mysterious suicides involving women who were connected to the facility. Ava convinces Liv to use her notoriety to start a podcast exposing the HOL for what it really is.

Dark Circles is a mystery novel which centers on a troubled celebrity, Liv, and the new age cult-like facility that she is checked into. I really wanted to love this novel but honestly it just wasn't for me. I couldn't relate to any of characters and had a difficult time caring about their circumstances. The acolytes of the facility all have names like Rain or Dawn, the facility comes across as cultish from the start, and then there are the mysterious "suicides" of young women connected to the center. It was an interesting premise that just seemed to fall flat for me. This is probably a "it's me not you" novel which other readers will probably enjoy more than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this title.

Olivia Reed's career is in flux. After an unfortunate incident with her on again off again boyfriend, the actress is sent to House of Light, a remote retreat in New York. She thinks it will be all yoga and plant-based foods, but upon arriving she finds herself taken in by the mysterious deaths of four local women. Aided by a local woman named Ava, she begins a podcast about the deaths. The deeper she explores the mystery, the more danger she could be in. Were the deaths suicide...or something even darker?

this book was about 3.5 stars for me, so I rounded up. The narrative kept me locked in and interested for the entire book. I liked it, but for some reason, I didn't love it. Nevertheless, it's still a wonderful read if you're looking for something quick and snappy that will keep you interested!

"An embattled actress becomes entangled in a dark conspiracy at a spiritual retreat - and starts a true crime podcast to try to break the case - in this chilling novel about fame, violence, and our morbid fascination with murder, from the acclaimed author of Dead Letters.

Olivia Reed needs a break. She doesn’t want to think about her name plastered on tabloids or be reminded of her recent meltdown on a Manhattan street. Her micromanaging publicist has just the thing in mind: a remote retreat in upstate New York - the House of Light. It’s not rehab; it’s a Spiritual Center, a site for seeking realignment and personal growth. There will be yoga and morning meditation, soft bamboo-blend fabrics and no shortage of crystals to cleanse her energy.

But Liv will soon find that the House of Light is filled with darkness. A prickly local, Ava, informs her that something twisted is lurking behind the Light’s veneer. There have been a series of mysterious suicides committed by women caught in the Light’s web, and no matter who Ava talks to, no one believes the Center is involved. To find out what’s really happened and put her celebrity to good use, Liv starts a podcast, seeking to connect the dots and expose the Light’s true intentions. Because beneath the glowing skin of the Light’s inhabitants lie rotten souls, and Liv starts to wonder if anything - even her own life - is how it appears.

Caite Dolan-Leach brings her tantalizing voice, her gift for atmosphere, and a cast of delightfully devious and absorbing characters to this riveting novel of suspense."

True crime podcast arising from a murder and a spiritual retreat? This sounds like the Only Murders in the Building/Midsomer Murders crossover I've dreamed of!

received an advance reader copy of Dark Circles by Caine Dolan-Leach, and spent this stormy day happily immersed in this book.

The Description: An embattled actress becomes entangled in a dark conspiracy at a spiritual retreat—and starts a true crime podcast to try to break the case—in this chilling novel about fame, violence, and our morbid fascination with murder, from the acclaimed author of Dead Letters.

Olivia Reed needs a break. She doesn’t want to think about her name plastered on tabloids or be reminded of her recent meltdown on a Manhattan street. Her micromanaging publicist has just the thing in mind: a remote retreat in upstate New York—the House of Light. It’s not rehab; it’s a Spiritual Center, a site for seeking realignment and personal growth. There will be yoga and morning meditation, soft bamboo-blend fabrics and no shortage of crystals to cleanse her energy.

But Liv will soon find that the House of Light is filled with darkness. A prickly local, Ava, informs her that something twisted is lurking behind the Light’s veneer. There have been a series of mysterious suicides committed by women caught in the Light’s web, and no matter who Ava talks to, no one believes the Center is involved. To find out what’s really happened and put her celebrity to good use, Liv starts a podcast, seeking to connect the dots and expose the Light’s true intentions. Because beneath the glowing skin of the Light’s inhabitants lie rotten souls, and Liv starts to wonder if anything—even her own life—is how it appears.

Oh my…this was so good…5 stars from me!

I was hooked from the first page, completely drawn into the story. There are twists and turns, and surprises and shocks. It is very well written…and (importantly) it is easy to read. The mystery is so compelling that I found it difficult to put the book down, even for a few minutes.

A huge thank you to Caite Dolan-Leach, Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley. Dark Circles will be out 4/19/22 – soon!

I love this story. So interesting and it really kept me wondering what was going on. I did not see that end coming. I definitely want to read other books by this author.

Olivia Reed is a tabloid celebrity/actress who is sent to a retreat in the Finger Lakes. The House of Light is a cultish spiritual center where there is more going on than yoga and meditation. Olivia learns that several young women have died in suspicious circumstances. She starts a podcast to investgate the deaths and shed a light on what is going on. This is a fun read and I enjoyed Olivia’s snarky voice. The book does drag a bit in spots but overall it had enough twists to be a good suspenseful read.

Dark Circles has a rather unique structure. Told by Olivia (Liv) Reed, a former starlet who’s developed some personality disorders stemming from her childhood and her mother’s mysterious disappearance, the story is split between her POV and that of the scripts of her podcast called Vultures, which include ads for new wave cosmetics, etc. The book does a superb job of showing Liv’s character: she is snarky, rude, egocentric, self-destructive, and somewhat humorous. She does have a nice character arc, though.

When her manager sends Liv to the Finger Lakes region of New York state for a “retreat” (AKA, rehab without being rehab), Liv finds a friend, Ava, who tells her how four young women have committed suicide, all somehow related to the retreat the House of Light and to astronomical events (equinoxes and solstices). Liv breaks out of her retreat and starts the podcast in an attempt to solve what she feels are mysterious deaths.

I enjoyed the structure of the book, the wise-cracking voice of Liv, and the setting in what should be placid upstate New York. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in the part of the state and know how peaceful it can be. Dark Circles makes those tall pines sinister and foreboding.

Twisted and dark, Olivia, the main character, slips farther and farther into the web of a cult she had unwittingly turned to for help when her tv star life began to unravel. I enjoyed the podcast interviews as a way to tell the stories of those involved, and didn’t see the ending coming. The change in Olivia as she works to solve the deaths of young women, and her own personal mystery adds to the satisfying end. I appreciate the advance copy I was able to read from the publisher and NetGalley, I’ll look for more from this author.

Meh. Wasn’t my cup of tea. There were parts where I felt really into it but then it dragged way too much and too often. The ending wasn’t satisfying.

Not a big fan of books with cult-like entities, but this one worked. Story held my interest throughout. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Not 100% sure how I feel about this book yet, but I’m running out of time to review. I’m holding off my post on Goodreads so I can let it sink in a bit longer.

First, the premise of the book is fantastic. Unfortunately, the beginning/middle were so slow had this not been an ARC I would have given up on it. There were many errors, but I understand it’s an unedited arc.

I don’t think I liked Liv at all, even as an unlikeable character. The twist I did not see coming, but it wasn’t something spectacular either. I will definitely be rereading it again now that I know the ending to see if I enjoyed the slow burn of the novel or not. I did enjoy the authors writing style, and despite maybe not enjoying this novel, I will be checking out others by them in the future.