i have conflicted feelings about this! joy's story is compelling, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking. she was a victim of unfathomable abuse of power. which is why it's all the more perplexing that she is still deep within organized religion, dedicated to causes in line with the far right. how can you escape a religious cult and then align yourself with a developing oligarchy? my heart breaks for what she went through, but i can't reconcile with what she stands for. and while i was able to compartmentalize while reading, i can't shake it upon reflection.

What an unexpected delight! This was not a conventional memoir like I am used to reading…it was funny, heartbreaking, and the writing really took me by surprise. Not another Hollywood memoir that was ghostwritten to make the “author” seem cool. Joy is authentic, profound, and inspiring.

I love a good cult story! I was not familiar with OTH and I enjoyed Bethany Joy Lenz’s story. I am happy she found the strength to break away and start a new chapter in her live for her and her child.

#Netgalley #BethanyJoyLenz #DinnerForVanpires

I love cult documentaries and One Tree Hill, so this book was a match made in heaven. I've always enjoyed Bethany Joy Lenz's acting and One Tree Hill is one of my all time favorite shows. I had NO idea that her life was so complicated and difficult. Her writing was so good and vulnerable, and I really enjoyed hearing her story and how she made it out the other side. I also want to listen to the audiobook because I love her voice. For anyone that loves One Tree Hill and stories of overcoming difficult situations (especially cults), definitely read this book. I received a free copy from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this book! I did not watch One Tree Hill but boy the stories I have heard. So bad. But I love her Hallmark stuff. I appreciate all you shares with us. Would recommend to anyone. Very interesting from start to end!

I really enjoyed hearing her story. The whole book was fascinating and I was more or less Entertained the whole time. I didn’t love that it just seemed to kind of jump from her being in the cult to no longer being in it.

Overall, I’m glad I read this one, it wasn’t the most ground breaking memoir ever, but it was a good one.

So compelling so well written and SO moving. I felt for Bethany at every juncture of this book and felt her triumphs as she moved through the decade she spent with the cult. She has a really unique way of piecing together ideas - in a way that makes me think she was born to be a writer.
If you love memoirs and learning about cults, this is a book for you.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I devoured this. While I was never a One Tree Hill viewer, my little sister was, so I knew enough about this show to be curious about her story. Now, I am simply horrified by what she experienced. She deserves so much better, and I hope that this book earns her the money she lost, the peace of mind she deserves, and more roles whenever she wants them.

And I sort of hope she kisses Paul Johannson some more. Good for her.

Really enjoyed this memoir! As a long time One Tree Hill fan, I appreciated the rawness and sincerity Bethany brought in telling her story. While it was hard to read at times, I learned about cults and how they come in all different forms and sizes. I admire the strength Bethany had to tell her side of this story and recommend reading it! Thank you for the ARC in return for an honest review!

As a one tree Hill fan, I was so excited to get this book as an arc. It was such an interesting and informative book. I watched one tree Hill after it aired, so it was interesting to learn everything that happened behind the scenes during the show.

It was weird reading a memoir that said my name a million times😂

I always love a book about a cult. And it’s crazy that a cast member from one of my favorite shows in high school was in one!

I definitely got more into starting with part 2. That’s when the craziness really set in and she hit the OTH set.

The audiobook was fantastic! She really utilized her acting chops to level it up.

I do wish there was more OTH tea, but this was a wild read!

I'm going to echo another reviewers statement. This book is tedious. That is not a reflection on Bethany Joy Lenz herself. I never watched One Tree Hill. My encounters with Bethany on the screen have mostly been with Hallmark movies. As cheesy as some people think Hallmark movies are, they are made worse when the acting is phoned in. I would never say that about her. If she's in a movie, I'm watching it. No matter the story, she truly brings life to her characters. But this is not about her outstanding acting skills. Bethany Joy Lenz was emotionally and mentally abused by predators who use religion as their shield, an excuse, and a mechanism for torture. The eArc I was given by #netgalley divides the chapters into 3 sections. The first discusses her childhood and her search for God and Godliness. The desire to find others who share her beliefs and faith. And the balance of her creative side while practicing that faith. The people that built the cult and recruited Bethany Joy preyed upon her faith and loneliness. The 2nd section reflects more on how they continued to hold on to her and her own validation to continue with the family. Even when she had doubts. The 3rd section shows her break from the cult, her husband and her recovery. Sections one and two are definitely about seeking out religion. There are snippets of her life with her family. And life with her friends. But it is definitely about her faith and practice of that faith. So I find this hard to call a biography. It is a biography, but with more focus on one part of her life. A big part. A part with huge impact. But I found I wanted to know more about the little snippets.

This is a real life story. Her life. Her family. Her friends. Even the lives of the abusers. And it is hard to understand. A young woman with so much hope, dreams, confidence, talent, artistic desire and support from loving and caring people and even support from the entertainment industry. And she is convinced at the same time that she is not worthy of it. And it happens to a lot of people. Not always in a way that screams cult. But always someone wanting to control another person. I wish there was a big superhero ending. Her cape is invisible but she is a superhero for her. For her daughter. And for anyone who is reading a little bit of their own lives in her story. We don't always get to see the bad guy punished. But sometimes it's more about the good guy winning in their own way. I hope she always feel that she did win. And continue to find that balance of hope and dreaming and creativity while still seeing the faith and love don't always mean sacrifice and pain. Thank you #SimonandSchuster for the eArc.

I grew up watching One Tree Hill so when I saw this book was coming out I knew I needed to read it! I learned so much about the characters and the show.

i have never seen one tree hill so i was unfamiliar with bethany joy lenz prior to reading her story. i found her story so engaging and interesting and hearing her motivation for public sharing her time in the cult made me enjoy my experience reading that much more.
I understand the focus of the book was primarily to highlight her time in the cult but i would have liked to see a little bit more of her life after, though when she was explaining the cult and its intricacies she included realizations and further explanations from her future self i still would have appreciated less of a time jump in the last chapter.
dinner with vampires is definitely one of the most unique and interesting celebrity memoirs i have read to date and would definitely recommend if you have any interest in reading about real life cults and some of the longtime effects on former members.

This book was wild. And so sad. As a big fan of One Tree Hill, I had no idea this was the life than she lived. So happy she got out!

As someone who watched One Tree Hill growing up, this was a truly fascinating read. Holding up the events of this book next to seasons of her life and the show really makes each one of the events hit hard. It's a perspective I don't know that I wanted, but I needed to hear. This is an important read for adults/people in the industry.

I love digging into a juicy celebrity memoir, partly because I just love gossip and partly because I just really enjoy learning about people’s life stories. Dinner for Vampires checks both of those boxes and is a must read for anyone who loves the memoir genre.

This book covers actress Bethany Joy Lenz’s life, spanning from her childhood and Broadway dreams, to her time on One Tree Hill, when she was also a member of a cult. I was a little hesitant about how much I’d enjoy this one since I’ve never seen One Tree Hill, but the book is really accessible for all readers, regardless of how familiar you are with her career.

When it comes to cult stories, it’s often easy from the outside to wonder how someone could get involved with groups that are so clearly problematic. But what Lenz does is really humanize the experience and show how getting involved could happen to anyone given the correct circumstances. She’s very open about her experience and doesn’t hold anything back, which makes for a really engaging and emotional read.

If you’re interested in memoirs of any kind, be sure to pick this one up! Dinner for Vampires is out now. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Truly a unique reading experience. I never watched One Tree Hill. I was in the demographic but TV is hard for me. Jumping into this solely on title alone. It was incredible. I was never lost. It was a new look at cults.
I loved her message near the end. Everyone always thinks it would never happen to them. But no one really understands for easy it really is to get sucked into something when it's disguised as love and family.

This was a very enticing read! I found myself reaching for it again and again to find out what happens at the end. Although I knew of the show, I hadn't really watched it myself but I was still able to follow along and be engaged in the story. I was angry for the main character, heartbroken for the manipulation of all the victims, and an eye opener for red flags in church/bible studies.

I recommend this read for anyone who loves. memoirs, books about cults, or the One Tree Hill show.

This was so good!! It’s wild how easy it is to get sucked into a cult without realizing it and Joy’s journey through it is a prime example. From the outside looking in, the red flags are so obvious but I can’t imagine actually being in that position and trusting people that are knowingly hurting you. Just such a good look into her life and I’m so glad she’s able to heal and talk about her experiences now!