Wow. I liked this book a lot more than I expected to. I was intrigued by the description but I didn’t totally love Dolan-Leach’s We Went To The Woods (the young adult characters were meant to be precocious but mostly came across as obnoxiously pretentious) so I went into this one with lukewarm expectations. I was pleasantly surprised that I totally lost myself in this novel, picking it up every chance I could and happily reading for hours at a time.

Dark Circles is the perfect intersection of a thriller and literary fiction, the two genres I read most. While there are some inconsistencies, and the equinox/solstice thing was a little lame, Dolan-Leach spins a compelling whodunnit full of interesting and (surprisingly) believable characters. I really appreciated that while Liv was a bit of a mess (former starlet trying to revive her career, daughter of a narcissistic father, mother went missing when she was 16, substance abuser, tumultuous relationship-haver), she wasn’t portrayed as hopelessly damaged, even if she saw herself that way at times. Instead of just being a stereotype, Liv is written to be quick and intelligent, resourceful, funny, and was ultimately a narrator I really connected with.

While the spliced in podcast segments could have been gimmicky and induced eye rolls, it actually worked as a fun little device to keep momentum. There is just enough of it that it keeps the story moving at a quick clip without bogging it down or overshadowing the actual story, which is about more than the apparent murders of four young women at the hands of a cult that is equal parts Rajneesh and NXIVM. Just like with real podcasts, though, I skipped the podcast ads. I think they were meant to be funny but just one would have been enough for the cheeky joke to land, having multiple ad segments was annoying.

Finally, one small qualm I have with this author (I noted this in my review of We Went to The Woods, too) - she uses phrases no American would ever say. For instance, Liv repeatedly refers to her Manhattan apartment as her “flat”. As someone living in NYC I can assure you no one calls their apartments flats. It’s confusing, too, because while the author attended university in the UK, she’s from upstate New York 🤷🏻‍♀️

Anyway, overall, I loved this novel, and I will be recommending it to friends when it is released. Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for the eARC in exchange for the review. All opinions expressed here are honest and my own.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Olivia needs a break and is told to go to on vacation to a place where she can relax. When she arrives she is told that strange things have happened at this place. This book kept me interested from the start.

This one has all the elements of a good thriller - signs of serial killer, signs of a cult, and lots of signs that not everything is as it seems. I appreciated the level of suspense that remains up until the last chapter. What was harder for me to appreciate was the way the story unfolded. Flashing between present and podcast episodes made it hard to follow in the beginning. There were also flashbacks to events in the past that seemed superfluous. Overall, this is a quick read that kept my attention but in the end I felt like it could've been told in a more straightforward way.

This was a look at fame, infamy and cult life. There is a mystery woven within that launches actress Liv to start a podcast, revolving around the House of Light facility. It is well crafted and engaging story. Set in the Finger Lakes of NY...which is basically my backyard so that was a bonus, albeit a distracting one for me as it kept taking me out of the narrative.

"Dark Circles" may not develop a cult following, but it does follow a cult. Olivia (Liv) Reed is an actress with a penchant for self-destruction. After her latest public meltdown, her friend and manager Jessica sends her to a spiritual retreat in upstate New York called House of Light. Shortly after she arrives, the body of a young woman is retrieved from a rowboat on the lake that borders the House of Light property. The woman, Hannah, turns out to be a former client of the House of Light. One of the current residents at the retreat is a local woman, Ava, who has a reputation as a drunk and conspiracy theorist (though Liv does not realize it at the time). Ava tells Liv about the deaths of other young women in recent years, occurring on an equinox or solstice. Some of the deaths have been ruled suicides, but Ava is convinced that the women have been murdered and that the House of Light is involved. Liv is not sure what to think, but when Rain, the woman who runs the House of Light, kicks Liv out after only a week for betraying the trust of the House of Light and being too focused on death, not wanting to focus on addressing her "shadow self", and after she reviews the information Ava has gathered, she decides to proceed with the idea of a podcast proposed by Ava. Jessica wants nothing to do with the project, thinking that Liv is projecting (as her mother disappeared when she was sixteen and has never been found) and that this project will hurt the efforts to get Liv's career back on track. Therefore, Liv pitches the idea to another industry source, who loves the idea of a true crime podcast and connects Liv with a local producer, Naia, who helps her produce "Vultures."

The story alternates between snippets of the podcast episodes, Liv's time at the House of Light, snippets of Liv's past, and her investigation into the deaths of these women, as well as the disappearance of other women with connections to the House of Light. The more she investigates, the stranger things become and the stronger the pressure from the House of Light for her to cease the podcast. Vultures proves very popular, especially as the investigation into the suspected crimes is happening in real time, and there are lots of armchair detectives and conspiracy theorists who are happy to provide their assistance and theories. One of the neat aspects of the book is the contribution from listeners. While some of their ideas/theories are out in left field, some of the listeners are able to discover information that aids the investigation.

The story has plenty of suspense and mystery. The author does a good job of keeping the reader guessing, especially as she weaves elements of Liv's past, the tv show she is known for, and the strange dynamic between Liv and her father into the story, as there are aspects of her life and acting career which color her thinking about the deaths of these women and the House of Light. Furthermore, the House of Light has some really strange ideas, and the mystery behind the deaths of the four women is probably not what the reader will suspect.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Liv Reed is a mediocre actress, faced with a public breakup and the poor media press the comes with it, needs a break. Her manager checks her into a retreat/rehab at The House of the Light in upstate New York. While settling in for what she thinks is a month of green juice and yoga, Liv discovers the checkered past of the HOL. Missing and dead women, pagan rituals and a history that makes Scientology look good.

Hoping to turn her investigating into a new profile spin, Liv starts a podcast about her time at the HOL, and the history of the cult - dating back to 20 years, when it was mainly just a hippie commune. But the more Liv digs, the more she finds out - and a lot of it puts her own life on the line.

I found this novel really slow to get going but really pulls together around 65% (e-readers). But the ending has me scratching my head after reading it 3-4 times, which is why I bumped it down a star.

Olivia Reed was a successful television celebrity when she has a VERY public melt down about her love life. The PR becomes unbearable and she is sent on a spiritual retreat in upstate New York. This book very much so gave 9 perfect stranger vibes. While there she realizes that this retreat is not exactly what meets the eye and she wants to expose them. But will she able to get it out before they take care of her? This book was really fast paced and intriguing, it just was not something that I needed to keep reading and I did not really love any of the characters.

I was so excited to get approved for this book. I love anything true crime related and all the podcasts out there intrigue me to no end. So when I saw that 'Dark Circles" was about a minor celeb who hits rock bottom in her personal life and ends up in a new age type rehab/spa-like place but discovers a deadly cult and turns the story into a podcast ..Well, of course.. I was all in. Then, I started reading the book. Horrendously unlikeable Liv is the main character-and she is incredibly self absorbed and as well as an extremely shallow young woman who is just really dumb!! The twist was obvious from the beginning Liv.. sorry. The storyline about Liv's disappearing mother did get me to empathize with Liv and her selfish father and I wanted to find out what happened to the missing mother so I forced myself to finish this book. That conclusion was just as unsatisfying as the whole House of Light Cult storyline. I think Caite Dolan-Leach is a very descriptive writer or this book would have been a DNF for me.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Olivia Reed, famous actress is told she is out of control and needs some time away after the tabloids get hold of a scandalous story. She finds herself at a spiritual retreat that seems a bit odd to say the least. Olivia becomes embroiled in a crazy conspiracy theory attached to the "House of Light". What a thrilling, mysterious cult twister discussed in a podcast format. Great characters that have you guessing who you can trust. Although I had a feeling who was behind the reason Olivia is at this particular facility, the ending is a wild ride. Very enjoyable read.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you @randomhouse for allowing me to read this book.

Really loved the sharp, funny, and witty dialogue in this book along with her thoughts as she encounters each aspect of the retreat/recovery center. It was at times hilarious while also building with suspense. A great read!

TV star Olivia Reed has had a rough few weeks. Her agent feels that it would be best for her to take a break at the House of Light. It's not a rehab - not exactly. But it is a place where Olivia can relax and get centered. At least, that's what Olivia thought... until one of the other women at HoL begins to share her theories with Olivia. At least four women who attended the House of Light have ended up dead in mysterious circumstances that were all determined to be suicides or accidental. Olivia decides that she needs to look into the deaths (via an investigative podcast) and determine if the HoL is more than just a retreat... are they murdering young women? And if so, why?

If you say the words "cult" or "podcast" as a major feature of a novel, it's almost a definite guarantee I'll be reading! Additionally, I read a previous book by this author, We Went to the Woods, and loved it, so all in all I came in with pretty high expectations. This book did not disappoint. Additionally, if you've read the author's book Dead Letters, you might recognize some characters from that book (it's already been added to my TBR, naturally). This book is a bit of a slow burn, but I could not put it down - I had to know what secrets the House of Light was hiding!

Dark Circles is the story of Olivia Reed, an actor who needs a break from the spotlight and ends up at a spiritual center called the House of Light. She soon discovers that there is something wrong with how the center operates and decides to investigate further. I didn't enjoy this book for two main reasons. First, it spent almost the whole time building up how shady and creepy the House of Light was only to have no real pay off or consequences for the people involved. There was no real climax, which was disappointing. The second reason is that I just couldn't stand the main character. She spent too much time pitying herself and acting as if other people owed her their attention or time. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a really interesting book. The main character, Liv, seemed pretty shallow and unlikeable at the beginning of the novel. As the book progressed, she slowly becomes more sympathetic due to great character development. The plot about a dangerous cult masquerading as a self help program was fascinating and timely. I really enjoyed this thriller.

Sadly this book wasnt for me. I like the concept and where the book wanted to go but it didnt take me there

I was hooked by the premise, which hinted at a cult-like retreat and an actress trying to expose their secrets. However, I struggled to stay engaged with the writing. While I appreciate Liv's sarcasm, it was so consistent that I couldn't differentiate the humor from sincerity.

Additionally, the way the story jumped from the main timeline to the podcast, with occasional asides, added to the distraction. (That said -- I've read thrillers with podcasts woven in throughout the plot and it can be done successfully. It just didn't work for me here.)

There's a lot of interesting elements to the book, so hopefully other readers will connect with it more than I did.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Enjoyable read, intriguing, kept me entertained until the end.

I mean … Zelda was the most interesting person in town, and she’s dead (to begin with) in the first book. Bummer that this 2nd visit to the vineyard by Caite Dolan-Leach still can’t master a character study as good as Zelda’s would be. If the author is going to revisit the town anyway. Bet she’s bummed she killed off the star of the show so early. I would be. And as a reader, I guess I still am! Also I hate that her books have generic AF titles and covers. When I wanted to reread “Dead Letters” I had to Google the plot points. And I remembered so many of them! Just not the basic ass title. Oh well. I’m glad I got the ARC, even if I really just hate-read the whole thing in a day. Thanks!

This was an intriguing read. Original plot, developed characters that manage to keep you guessing until the reveal. Definitely a worthwhile read!

I really enjoyed this domestic drama with its
cult-ish atmosphere. The characters were great and made it easy to get invested in this story. Nice timeline and several good twists.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

“Dark Circles” is a mystery narrated in the first person by Liv Reed, a minor celebrity with a series on Netflix. Her friend and manager, Jessica, sends Liv to a “retreat” in rural upstate New York after Liv is photographed having a melt down in front of her ex boyfriend’s New York City apartment. The retreat has cult like qualities, with solitary confinement in private rooms, interspersed with group and individual therapy sessions presided over by robe clad employees with cult-sounding names like “Rain,” “Devotion,” and “Dawn.” The first day of Liv’s residency, she and her fellow inmates witness the body of a young woman being dragged from the lake by the police. Shortly afterwards, Liv is accosted by her neighbor at the compound, Ava, who says that this latest death is one of four that have occurred over the last several years, all of which were ruled an accident or suicide but which are connected in some way to the retreat. Ava tries to convince Liv to start a true crime podcast, capitalizing on her role as a minor celebrity to involve the public in solving the crimes and uncovering the retreat’s involvement in the deaths.

I have a general rule when reading books—if they don’t engage my interest by the first 25%, I abandon the book on the theory that life is too short to read books that I don’t enjoy. When I’ve requested a copy of the book from NetGalley and the publisher, I usually make an extra effort to push through my initial negative reaction and finish the book out of a sense of obligation. With that in mind, I made it to 47% before throwing in the towel.

Unfortunately, I found the book somewhat tedious, repetitious and boring. This could be in part due to the limitations imposed by a first person narrator with focus on one character, but it was also due to the uninspiring setting—a rural retreat that focused on meditation, yoga and grunt work such as kitchen duties and “earth work,” which became tedious fairly quickly. Then when Liv’s released from the retreat, the book focused on the drudgery of her internet and library research, where she dug through social media posts and old newspaper archives. Moreover, the “F” word was sprinkled liberally throughout the book, and while its use in general doesn’t offend me, its repetitive, gratuitous use was just another example of the tedious nature of the narrative. The book just felt flat to me and as a result, I didn’t feel invested in the character or the storyline. In fact, the character was not very likable as she was narcissistic and manipulative.

There may be others who will enjoy this book, but it did not appeal to me.

(Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me an ARC copy for my review).