Synopsis: Bethany Joy Lenz shares her story of being trapped in a cult while filming teen drama One Tree Hill.

Thoughts: Bethany’s story is so fascinating! I was a huge One Tree Hill fan, but I didn’t know anything about this at the time. It was so interesting to learn more about her and how strong she was as she stood up for herself and escaped from a cult. As a fan of OTH, I also loved hearing about some behind the scenes filming and cast relationships. The cult aspect was really enlightening as well, and I felt for her as she described struggling to get away. While the topics are pretty heavy, Bethany writes with humor and wit, and I am so excited for everyone to get to hear her story!

Read this if you like:
🎥 One Tree Hill
🎥 Hollywood
🎥 cults
🎥 memoirs

One Tree Hill is one of my favorite shows of all time. I related so much to Haley as a character, and I just loved her relationship with Nathan. So I was so excited to receive an e-ARC of this book written by Bethany Joy Lenz, the actress who plays Haley. Add in the shock factor of her being in a religious cult for the whole decade she was on the show… I was ready to sink my teeth into this one.

It takes a lot of strength and vulnerability to share the parts of your past you’re ashamed of and embarrassed by. I thought Joy showed a lot of compassion for herself and others who went through this experience while still pointing out where they so badly erred in their judgement.

She shows how cult leaders preyed on, and in this case prayed over, the vulnerable. They latched on to deep rooted insecurities in seemingly innocuous ways at the start. And then over time, they took advantage of those weaknesses, asserted power and control, isolated the group members from their loved ones and ultimately sucked the life out of them. For Joy, not only did they bleed her dry emotionally and mentally but financially as well.

It was a really interesting read; however, if you’re expecting a bunch about OTH and her friendships with her co-stars, you’re not going to get very much of that. It’s there for sure and you can tell her time on the show made a huge impact on her, but it was overshadowed by the ever-present influence of the cult.

I’d definitely recommend giving it a read, and the audio is narrated by the author, which I think would make it even better! 3.5 Stars!

I partially watched One Tree Hill, however, I was always drawn to this actress. It was an interesting read to get a small glimpse into her life and I appreciated her sharing with the masses.

Thank you Simon and Schuster for this E-ARC.

I’m not super familiar with One Tree Hill, but this book grabbed my attention right away! She does a beautiful job at writing and conveying exactly how she was feeling throughout this book. A great read!

I am an original One Tree Hill fan, so when I saw this memoir was coming out, I just about squealed.

This was very interesting, Bethany Joy Lenz went through so much when she was on the show. I typically like to listen to memoirs, but I was hooked while physically reading this one.

Definitely recommend for One Tree Hill fans, or memoir fans.

Having loved the series One Tree Hill and the podcast Drama Queens I couldn’t wait to hear more about an actor who I loved watching growing up. I never knew she was in a cult and it was a wild story to read!

witty and inspiring. a strong memoir about being in and getting out of a cult. Does talk about Christianity a LOT. I am not christian, but I didn't find it too jarring, but still. Be aware. 4.5 stars ish

As a Christian woman, wife and mom, I found myself wanting to reach through the book and rescue Joy. I'm sorry she had to experience the ways of a false teacher, but am glad that she is able to share her story, not only as a warning but also as a testament of how "all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Often, Christians believe that life will be easy, but His Word says there will be suffering. Bethany eloquently, and sometimes humorously, writes about her suffering and how that has brought her to where she is today. It was like hearing a friend share her life story over a long, lovely meal. May He continue to bless her and her purpose for Him.

Bethany Joy Lenz's brave memoir fills in the gaps of rumors about her involvement with a religious cult (though she doesn't name names, it is pretty easy to figure out who almost everyone is with a little internet sleuthing) but doesn't really give much insight into her time on One Tree Hill. Though she talks about the cast and mentions the show, you're not going to get anything about the creator's abuse or his eventual downfall, you're not going to get a behind-the-scenes look at what went into making the show; this is truly just about Joy's upbringing in Christianity (fair warning: she talks about God A LOT) and how an unstable adolescence and early adulthood led her to be manipulated by this religious "family" she found her way into. Compelling and captivating.

Bethany Joy Lenz, one of the stars of One Tree Hill, became a cult member because of her belief that fundamental Christianity was the path to living a more God-centered life. Even though she had been raised to be an "independent thinker," she still was easily groomed into submission based on a deep desire to be closer to God.

As I read this book (very quickly, I might add) all I kept thinking was how easily someone could be taken in. When someone goes through a rough patch in their life, there are multiple directions it could go. I am no stranger to this, having gone through such a patch recently. You can collapse into misery and seek out a path of self-destruction because you can't see how anything you do can be better. You can put your head down, bear through it, and require intense therapy for a few years after the trauma occurred (my personal choice.) Or, you can lean into faith.

Though I was raised Methodist, as a young adult, I explored every religious path that I had access to. I wanted to feel confident in the choice that I made. I struggled with any religion where women were not welcome as ministers (we can give birth to men but not guide them religiously?) or encouraged to be "submissive" to their husbands (yet another way that radical Christianity encourages domestic servitude and limits a woman's autonomy to discover if another path is right for her.) Eventually, I settled into a religion that explores and welcomes all viewpoints (but definitely sounds like a cult.) But Lenz was taken in by the promise that she would only become a Godly woman by surrendering herself and waiting for God's guidance (or whichever male figurehead of her Bible study group was nearby.) The fact that she already felt that she was an old maid at the ripe old age of 23 is very telling. Most people haven't got anything figured out by that age. The whole idea of getting talked into a marriage because God would make it work...

The idea of "Let go, and let God" is one of absolute impracticality. I'm not getting closer to God by pretending problems don't exist and sit on my high horse, waiting for the rapture to expunge all of the people not Godly enough to ascend. I'm not getting closer to God by reading words that were written thousands of years ago and trying to determine what they mean and whether or not context or translation has impacted the meaning (not to mention the patriarchy of King James, picking and choosing which gospels he personally agreed with.)

If you truly believe the message wrought by Jesus, ministry is not proselityzing. It is helping meet the needs of another. I'm pretty sure nobody really needs to be told what they're doing wrong or how they are going to burn in hell for all eternity. Most people are self-critical enough to notice all they are doing wrong. The people who don't already notice that about themselves are not really likely to be swayed by others telling them that they are bad humans. The way that everyone SHOULD get closer to God is by helping their fellow man through real actions. The best way to serve your religious figurehead is not through trying to read or preach, but by actually doing something to improve life here, on Earth.

I get that faith is a cornerstone of most religions, but if that's the ONLY cornerstone, there's a problem. I could sit, staring stupidly into the sky, waiting for a sign from God. Or I could get off my ass and go help out at a soup kitchen or a senior center or a community cultural exchange. There's this saying floating around on fitspo boards that reads something to the effect of, "30 days from now, you can either have 30 days of excuses or 30 days of results." Why would I step aside and let something "be handled" by a divine being when I could do something to help ameliorate the situation myself that much quicker? Learned helplessness is not a Godly trait.

Sorry that turned into a major treatise on my feelings of indoctrination. I think what I started out with was a little more along the lines: there is nothing wrong with being raised in a particular church and wanting to continue down the same path. But I also strongly believe that by agreeing to another's interpretation, you are doing yourself a disservice. The subtle manipulation of Lenz's "Family" caused her to lose a substantial part of her life, give up on her personal dreams, lose almost all of her life savings, and almost lose her faith altogether. A gentle reminder that our vulnerabilities make us human, but they also make us prey.

First off, thank you Bethany Joy Lenz for sharing your story. I read this book in 1 day - it was hard to read at times, not for trigger issues, but because of what she went through. What she lost. I'm not going to say too much about the story itself because I don't want to give away spoilers, but also, who am I to judge someone else's life choices. Cult leaders are much like abusers, they prey on weaknesses and use psychological means to persuade people to believe what they are saying is true. Believing someone like this does not make you dumb, it makes you human.

I did not watch OTH, I know Joy from her Hallmark movies. Her story is a great example of not knowing what people are going through behind the scenes. People may have been worried about her during OTH, but I doubt being in a cult was the reason. I applaud Joy for getting out when she did; for choosing to walk away from the money and put her daughter first; and for questioning her so-called "family".

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an ARC in exchange for honest thoughts.
4.5 stars

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the free ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is out 10/22!

Memior. Bethany Joy Lenz, a star in the hugely popular One Tree Hill series, details the 10+ years of her life she spent in a cult. Joy talks about her lonely childhood, love of acting, Christian upbringing, and how what started as a small bible study group morphed into the Big House Family, a cult that controlled and manipulated her for 10 years (all while siphoning off her money).

I was a HUGE One Tree Hill fan growing up (#NaleyForever) and Joy as Haley was my favorite character so I was SO excited to read this book. I’ve also listened to her rewatch pod Drama Queens and had heard some reference to this, but the books goes so much more in depth. This was heavy on talk about religion/spirituality (expected when the subject matter is a cult) and while the Big House Family cult isn’t widely known and was quite small, that doesn’t make it any less sinister. My heart really breaks for Joy because all she wanted was connection and family, and sadly that made her a perfect target for a cult. It really detailed how they slowly took control over Joy’s life (and her millions) and I’m so happy she was able to break free of that. I wish she had talked more about her time on OTH, but understand that she maybe didn’t have as much to say since she was so isolated from the cast outside of work. If you’re into cults or OTH, I highly recommend.

Dinner For Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz was a really engaging read for me. Lenz’s memoir recounts her innocent introduction into a religious group that soon morphs into a cult. When things creep up on a victim in this way, with small daily things that fly under the radar, it can be difficult to realize that the big picture of things added up isn't a healthy and supportive one anymore, and this is precisely the dynamic that Lenz lays out in her memoir.

She describes many of the things that make cults into the treacherous communities they become, beginning with a unique and much needed love from a tight-knit community, made up from members who similarly lack this in their own journeys. A love that is touted unconditional and all-encompassing but soon becomes a very conditionally meted out reward, to be replaced by ever arbitrary punishments when the expectations of the cult leadership aren't fulfilled.

In Lenz’s story, some of the hallmark signs include the psychological isolation from her family and financial abuse as she hands over the reins of her bank accounts, and with them her hard earned cash from acting in a multi-year hit TV show.

I guess what makes her story a little different is that the community seems to grow into a cult under her watchful eye, and maybe it is precisely that which makes it so hard to pinpoint the damaging dynamic at the start or at any defined point in time.

I also found it interesting to read this story from the standpoint of a female professional who leaves the cult for long periods on set at a time. Presumably, this is tolerated because of the large cash flow it brings into the hands of the leader, although not without significant impingements on Lenz’s freedoms even on set, across the country. It does make me wonder if the role of other celebrity cult members (read: Tom Cruise) functions along a similar dynamic.

Overall, this book is wonderfully written, raw and honest, eye opening, and a page turner. I wish I could quote some of the author's witty writing, though I need to hold off since I only read an advance copy. We can learn so much from Lenz’s journey, as these exploitative tactics replicate themselves over and over not only in cults, but also in abusive relationships, unhealthy workplaces, and more, only to lure us in via an unmet need inside us that is worth risking ourselves for.

In gratitude to the author for telling her story, likely a difficult endeavor, and to Simon & Schuster for the Advance Reader's Copy, obtained via Netgalley.

I'll admit, I'm a millennial who has never seen an episode of One Tree Hill. So what made me read this? I love memoirs and stories about cults and Hollywood (is that redundant? hehe)
I requested to review the audiobook, which I assume I'd have preferred, what with my love of audiobook memoirs read by their authors. On the page, this wasn't quite what I was hoping for. I mean, it's Lenz's story of her experience, so it doesn't really matter what I was hoping for, but I guess I was expecting more 'cult' (it mostly feels like a very heavy-handed religion than a full-on cult, but maybe I'm just desensitized by knowing people who have been in similarly overbearing sects and by watching so many hardcore cult documentaries ) and/or more about how it affected her as she was trying to work on her show.

I love behind-the-scenes cult stories almost as much as I loved One Tree Hill, so I was thrilled to be approved for an ARC of Dinner for Vampires. The pacing in the first half was slow, and I had trouble getting into Lenz's story, but I'm glad I stuck with it, because from about 50% on I was completely sucked in, finishing the rest of the memoir in less than half a day. I'm proud of Lenz for her bravery in sharing her story and am interested to see what comes next!

Oh. My. Word. This book was insanely eye-opening. This book and her story epitomize the saying, “Everyone is going through a battle you can’t see.”

Being in an abusive and toxic environment can be difficult to escape, especially when that environment is your family, those that claim to love you the most. But to escape that, as a public figure, and then tell the world that you escaped this horrendously manipulative institution after falling prey to them, that is a whole other level of strength.

After reading this book, rewatching her storyline on Grey’s Anatomy brings a whole new level of emotion to it. I have to wonder if that role and its arc were somewhat therapeutic for her.

Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz tells the story of her time in a religious cult while also starring on One Tree Hill. I was a little young for One Tree Hill when it was airing, so I never watched it or had any nostalgic ties to the actors, but I found this story extraordinarily interesting and compelling. Lenz does a beautiful job of showing how someone gets slowly and progressively indoctrinated into a high control group, even while spending a significant amount of time across the country from them. She also takes us through her story of escape, which had the potential for serious consequences to her and her daughter. I thought the story was told with a lot of care and compassion for everyone involved.

This book was the perfect intersection of pop culture figures and fundamentalist religion, which is something I’ve been interested in lately. If you like the Fundie Fridays YouTube channel, Cultish by Amanda Montell (or the Sounds Like a Cult podcast), or just enjoy a well-written memoir, I would definitely recommend you pick up this book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy! Once I saw Joy was writing a memoir, I knew I'd want to read it.

One Tree Hill kept me company during some of my loneliest times in high school. I loved it so much and even though the show has been tainted by someone truly horrible, it holds a special place in my heart.

I liked Joy's way of writing and loved her vulnerability about growing up in a cult. Even the first sentence pulled me in.

If you pick this up because of your love of OTH, don't go in thinking it will be light or joyful. Joy talks about some difficult topics - but don't let that deter you either. She lets us in just enough to try and understand what she really went through.

This book was eye opening, powerful, and quite the heartache. While I have never seen a single episode of One Tree Hill, the idea of a celebrity getting sucked into a cult piqued my interest. And I'm happy I read this for it was incredibly educational. I feel like most people only think cults can be these massive movements with dire outcomes, but cults can happen on a much smaller level and this book points that out. We can all be susceptible to charisma and persuasion at any given point in our lives. The author was swept into the cult at a time when she was in need of guidance and certainty of her religion, and because of that she missed out on so many opportunities and happiness. The book isn't a happy read, and at times you just want to scream "give me a different outcome!" even though you know where it is going to end (because it's real life). I am happy for this author to have escaped and sad that it took her so long to do so, and I wish her nothing but peace for the rest of her life.

Writing wise, I felt that it was easy to read and I appreciated the author's remarks on her past from the present. I think she has a good grasp on how to write and makes it digestible for any audience.

I really wanted to yell at the book, the way people yell at movies. Things like get out now, turn back while you can, etc. I liked the premise of the book, but it didn't work for me. It could be the writing, my own religious trauma, or some other unknown variable. I think it's one of those that might be good for someone, but just not for me.