I had to pick this up because I really liked We Went to the Woods by the same author. I found it well-written and compelling at first, so the average Goodreads rating confused me, but We Went to the Woods also has a low average so I brushed it off. I really enjoyed the setup, meeting Liv and the House of Light. Olivia is an actress who had a recent public outburst that prompts her assistant slash best friend Jess to send her to rehab. The House of Light is more of a spiritual retreat and Liv thinks she knows exactly what she's in for. Since this is a literary thriller of sorts, I think we all know that things end up taking a turn.

After the first third, this began to drag for me. I felt like the various elements didn't quite mesh and some things began to get repetitive. It was just missing that <i>something</i> to make it feel compelling. It was a bit of a disappointment for me because I did like the concept of integrating a podcast into the narrative (which I think was done well here) but I struggled with the novel as a whole. I also found one of the final twists to be unsatisfying and wasn't convinced by some of the character motives. I'm really hoping I get along better with Dolan-Leach's next book.

Book review: Dark Circles by Caite Dolan-Leach
Dark Circles is a suspense novel with a plot that centers around cults, mysterious ritualistic deaths and the popularity of true crime podcasts.

Olivia Reed is a successful tv actress that found herself in the headlines after climbing drunkenly on her boyfriend’s fire escape in front of the paparazzi. Her manager arranges for a visit to a rehab center (House of Light) which emphasizes clean living and spiritual awareness. But when one of her roommates tells her about the series of young women that were found dead after visiting the center Olivia starts her own investigation. After getting kicked out of the House of Light Olivia turns her obsession with the dead girls into a popular podcast.

Dark Circles has a really complex layered story which not only involves the ritualistic deaths of the young women around the solstices but also Olivia’s own family history and her mother that walked out when she was a teenager and was never seen again. Much of Olivia’s fascination with what happened to these girls is rooted in never knowing exactly what happened to her own mother. Dark Circles is fairly slow-burn with a lot of detail about Olivia’s searches for places to stay after she leaves the House of Light, her beloved dog, interviewing witnesses and her complicated relationships with both her friend/manager and her father. Readers that like a lot of action, juicy bits and twists would probably find these sections slow but I thought it added to the overall plot. Olivia herself could be snide and selfish and sometimes her demons got the best of her. This definitely wasn’t the sweet angelic main character who did all the right things for the right reasons but I found her entertaining.

Overall, this was an enjoyable slow burn suspense novel with a “ripped from the headlines” type cult. I enjoyed the podcast angle and Olivia’s backstory especially her relationship with her father and the unsolved mystery around her mother.

3.75 stars

In Dark Circles, Caite Dolan-Leach combines two of my obsessions - true crime podcasts and cults - with a fresh take on both subjects. Olivia Reed is a star, a paparazzi favorite with a history of acting out. When she gets sent away on a spiritual retreat to the ominously named House of Light, she encounters some dark secrets. With plenty of twists and a satisfying ending, Dark Circles checks all the boxes.

There’s something not quite right about the House of Light rehab center, where dead women keep turning up, and Liv is determined to get to the bottom of it. The premise of the story is curious, but I found I could not get into it as I would have liked. It was a bit slow and drawn out, and lost my interest rather early on I’m afraid to say. The writing itself is not at fault but the storytelling piece didn’t capture me.

Dark Circles by Caite Dolan-Leach is a hard to put down thriller. An actress hits rock bottom and heads to House of Light to regroup and ride out the storm. After hearing concerning things and seeing some herself, she is told to leave but cannot forget what she saw. Starting a podcast about what went on and what is probably sgill going on gets her into trouble and has to choose between her own safety and finding out the truth.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I enjoyed the atmospheric suspense of this novel! At times the story was a bit redundant with a lot of aide plots, but overall I found it engaging and a worthwhile read.

There's a pattern of books being written about cults lately, and I have been enjoying this take on society. I also enjoyed the podcast angle, as someone who really enjoys true crime/mystery podcasts. I really appreciated the addition of the Reddit threads too; so I would say this is a social commentary. The writing is very detailed, and I had a very hard time putting this down.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I requested this book mainly because I've always been interested in learning about cults and I read quite a bit about the LDS and Scientology so this subject matter intrigued me..
This turned out to be a fun read with engaging characters, an intriguing plot and plenty of atmospheric tension. I also pick up every book that incorporates modern culture (such as podcasting) in it. The podcasts components were well written and brought more to the story.The podcast sections were freaking fantastic, realistic, and fascinating, though I felt that the pace dragged a bit in places but it really picks up at the halfway mark. I enjoyed the mystery and the setting of this very readable novel with twists and turns that keep you absorbed till the very end. Additionally, I loved Liv. I really enjoy characters who are flawed and realistic. Maybe they drink too much, maybe they're a little selfish or rude, but they're always interesting and they have a lot of room to grow.

DNF at ~25%. I cannot quite pinpoint what I didn’t like specifically, but couldn’t get into the story. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for a review. Hoping my next read is more of a hit.

I really enjoyed this one! I have a strange fascination with cults, so this was right up my alley. I liked that there was so much more to the story than just an actress digging into a possible cult. It was also her personal story about her struggles, which just added to the drama of the mystery.

I'm new to the thriller/suspense genre, and sort of still just dipping my toes in. So take my feedback with a grain of salt, haha! There are a lot of characters and events referenced where I was left feeling confused, and I see after finishing this book that Caite Dolan-Leach has another book (Dead Letters) that maybe I was supposed to read first? But there's nothing in the blurb of this book that suggests there's a prior book, so I don't know, maybe it was just me. Sadly I didn't like this enough to go read Dead Letters and see if that would have helped.

*I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my honest review.*

A novel about a cult-like group, but this one seems to be plagued with suicides by members or previous members. And the person leading the investigation is a 20-something semi-washed out actress with a moderate drug problem. Characters were hard to relate to or to even like.

The cult and the learning model was interesting enough that it seemed like a new spin on spiritual learning. I would probably read this author again.

This starts out as your typical Hollywood type gets into trouble and has to go to rehab to clean up their act. But this story is much much more. Olivia finds out about 4 girls who have gone missing and are thought to be dead. She finds herself on a trail to discover what happened to the missing girls. What will Olivia uncover?
It is an intriguing story with an unexpected twist at the end.

Thank you to netgalley for complimentary copy.

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.

Dark Circles by Caite Dolan-Leach was my first by the author and after reading this I'm really looking forward to what else she brings us in the genre. This story is told through the POV of a celebrity actress and her podcast series she is creating to investigate the mysterious wellness center she has attended. When the secrets of her life all start to intertwine with the center, things really start to get messy. I found this to be more suspenseful than thriller, but never found myself losing interest. It started a bit slow but the latter half of the book was full of twists and red herrings. A lot of authors are starting incorporate the true crime podcast theme into their thrillers but this was a bit unique in that the main character was developing the podcast while also living her life after the center so the two plot lines were deeply intertwined. I thought this was very unique and that the ending twist was a bit predictable given the foreshadowing but that it was still shocking for the reasons behind it. Overall, I thought this was a really unique suspenseful novel and I would definitely recommend this to readers who love watching a story unfold through the lens of an investigative podcast.

Olivia Reed is a fairly successful actress on the brink of middle age. When she has a very public meltdown in Manhattan, captured by the paparazzi of course, her manager, Jess, suggests some R&R. Jess picks out a Wellness Center in the Finger Lakes region of New York for Liv to attend. A Wellness Retreat sounding more palatable than Rehab, Liv agrees to go.

Thus, leaving her sweet little dog, Richard, with Jess for the time being, Liv heads off to the House of Light. How bad can it be, anyway?

Liv is unsettled when not long after her arrival, a body is discovered in the water near the House of Light. After some discussions with another retreat member, Ava, Liv learns that this isn't the first young woman to have been found in similar circumstances near this location. In fact, young woman with connections to the House of Light seem to 'commit suicide' with shocking regularity.

No one seems to believe the House of Light is connected with these mysterious deaths, but Ava does. After hearing all of the evidence Ava presents to her, Liv is not so sure. Liv decides to investigate on her own and start a new project, a podcast that will look into these deaths, all of which happen to fall on pagan holidays. Coincidence or not?

This book follows Liv's time at the Center, as well as her investigation into the women's deaths and the production of her podcast, <i>Vultures</i>. Full podcast episodes are also included.

I'll admit to being a little nervous going into this one. From what I had read, it was receiving mixed reviews and even though the synopsis contained a lot of buzzwords for me, it's always hard to tell which side of the fence you are going to fall on. Hit or miss?

Luckily for me, this was a hit. I really enjoyed my time with this story. I was totally invested with Liv. Loved her as a main character. Even though the narrative is a slow burn that never quite hit bonfire proportions, I was completely captivated!!

I did actually end up listening to the audiobook and loved it as a medium to take in this story. The podcast sections were freaking fantastic. Completely realistic and fascinating.

Additionally, I loved Liv. I know that some Readers will not be into her, but I like this type of main character. What can I say? I like characters that are flawed. Maybe they drink too much, maybe they're a little selfish or rude, but they're always interesting and they have a lot of room to grow.

The House of Light, or HoL, as Liv calls it, has a very distinct cult-like vibe. This was super interesting. I always think I am going to enjoy books revolving around a cult and I often am disappointed. This one was probably one of the most interesting books that I have read involving fictional cult-like activities. Many of the aspects of HoL reminded me a lot of Scientology, which was even mentioned in the book; the fact that the two were similar.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It's the type of story that is going to sit with me too. Very well done by, Dolan-Leach. A little long-winded, but a super fun journey nevertheless. Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am looking forward to picking up more from this author!

An interesting read, not an absolute favorite, was not an “I can’t put this down” but drawn in enough to finish. I’ll have to read more of this author. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC opportunity!

I have been waiting for another ebook by this author since the first book yrs ago! I was so thrilled for this one! It didn’t disappoint! I am already set for another one to come out!! Couldn’t set this down read it in one day! LOVED IT!

I really enjoyed how Dark Circles combined a cult, mysterious death, a true crime podcast, and a troubled celebrity to make a clever, twisty story. While the main characters weren’t necessarily likable, they made things interesting. Full of suspense and mystery, I could easily see this compelling story as a movie or tv series.

I received an early copy of this book.

Olivia is an actress with some issues and her assistant sends her on a retreat that is anything but. Olivia meets Ava who convinces her there may be a serial killer and so Olivia starts a podcast in real time to try and find answers.

The book is written in an interesting way - part story, part podcast even with fake ads to read. Overall, an intriguing story and mystery. The ending was slightly confusing to me and Olivia is not a very likeable character. I’m not convinced everything was fully explained and tied together in the end. However, I did enjoy this book and would try others by this author.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley.