This book surprised me! I watched one tree hill some time ago and never saw this coming. Bethany’s writing is better than I anticipated and her story will stay with me for some time. She is strong

Loved this book! As a fan of One Tree Hill and someone with a special interest in cults, I ate this right up. Bethany really laid it all out and I applaud her for being brave enough to tell her story in such a public way. She was able to add humor to her story that was really refreshing too.

Open, honest, and beautifully written. I felt in Joy’s writing how easily it was to be persuaded in her situation and the isolation she felt. I appreciated that she gave details on her time at one tree hill but that’s not all this book was about it. It was so much more,

LOVE LOVE LOVED!

As someone who is NOT a diehard One Tree Hill fan (I've only ever seen a couple of episodes but knew who Bethany was from it), this book was SO good and not just for her fans. This is for anyone who is interested in seeing how someone can live through being in a religious cult (and how easily you can get roped into one) and make it out alive on the other side.

I highly HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook version of this, which is read by Bethany herself. It was great to hear her words through her own voice, and I found myself wanting to sit and listen to it for long stretches at a time.

Very well written, and I truly hope for nothing but good things for Bethany Joy Lenz in the future, because she sacrificed SO MANY opportunities by being in a cult. PICK THIS ONE UP!

I would prefer to not give a star rating since it’s a memoir and non fiction. But I’ll give my opinion. I thought it was an interesting read to hear about her story and all the things she has gone through. For some reason I expected there to be more and didn’t get that. But overall I’m happy I read it.

This is not at all the kind of book I normally read but I’m glad it did. Bethany Joy Lenz recounting her journey into and out of a cult was well-written and fascinating. It is heartbreaking reading about all the pain and hurt she endured and but the book gives an enlightening and frightening look into how intelligent and faith-filled people can be beaten down and groomed into believing horrific lies. The story is redemptive and powerfully shows God’s sovereign, loving, faithfulness.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read for my honest review.

"Dinner for Vampires" by Bethany Joy Lenz was one my most anticipated reads this year. I didn't watch One Tree Hill religiously but was still a fan and was intrigued to Lenz's story.

I did find this book to have a bit of slow start and put it down at about 45%. My thoughts are completely personal as I have seen many people love and rave about "Dinner for Vampires."

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for my digital arc in exchange for my review.

Celebrity memoirs are one of my guilty pleasures. This one seemed right up my alley. I LOVED One Tree Hill growing up and thought this would be more insightful into the show and behind the scenes. An of course the cult topic being super interesting--grabbed my attention. There was just something about the way this was written---or narrated (As I listened to the audiobook of this one) that just didn't vibe with me. It took more than 2/3 of the book to get interested in what she had to say which, honestly, is a personal preference only. This is her life experience so I don't really have a rating for that but based squarely on readability it was average to me. I think there is definitely an audience for this book and it does talk about important topics but it just wasn't for me.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz.

This was SUCH an interesting memoir, and I really applaud and admire Bethany for writing it. It's especially good that she wrote it because it also means that she is no longer the victim of a cult.

I love a good cult story, but they hit a little harder when they are true stories. Lenz is a rising star, finding herself on more and more TV shows, eventually landing herself a main character on One Tree Hill. But what a lot of people don't know about her is that she is in a high-demand Christian cult, a group that insists on her time, money, and endless loyalty. She finds herself constantly trapped between two worlds, especially now that she is married to the son of the cult leader. This is the story about how she found her way in, and out of the cult.

I really was on the edge of my seat the whole time I read this. Nothing incredibly extreme happens per se, no one is sacrificed or brutalized. However, it's the constant grooming of a charismatic leader, the way he is able to get his tentacles around Lenz, that's the part that is fascinating and horrifying, and Lenz does a great job unpiecing that experience. I'm so happy for her that she is on a new path.

As a fan of One Tree Hill, I was shocked to learn that Bethany Joy Lenz had been involved in a cult. The story of how she slowly, unbeknownst to her, got sucked into a cult was fascinating.

She started out in a religious group that met in the home of her friends. Slowly, Les and his family came in and started to manipulate those members to think that they were a "Family" and the "only Family" they could have. Eventually, Les has them all putting their time and money into the "Family".... and Joy took the biggest financial hit, especially when she agreed to marry his son. Reading how she had to try to unravel from them and start over was both heartbreaking and encouraging - no matter how low you are, you can always start over.

An intriguing read.

I've been a fan of Bethany Joy Lenz since meeting her in One Tree Hill. I loved getting to hear her story and how she made such a life for herself after getting out of a religious cult that she didn't realize was a cult until it was too late. Learning about her rise to fame and how she started acting and singing was just as impactful as the pieces about her time in the cult. Highly recommend as Bethany is a talented writer and this is for more than just fans of One Tree Hill. Anyone can find reasons to enjoy this story!

This is a difficult read but an important one. Joy's voice shines throughout it, and not only am I glad that she managed to escape her situation and start to find healing, but also that she's now in a place to share her story with the world.

I'm so grateful to have received an advanced copy of this amazing book. BJL's honesty and transparency was inspiring, and I learned so much about her journey. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced ebook.

I don’t usually attribute a star value to memoirs, but since this is an arc read I will. I read this book voraciously, I could not put it down. As someone who does not identify at all as spiritual, reading this was akin to watching a trainwreck. It’s hard to watch a retelling of how someone you’ve watched on TV, and held on a bit of a pedestal fall into a trap and the mental gymnastics required to be beguiled by a cult. It’s both disturbing and compelling how cult mentality takes over, and how Joy was able to compartmentalize her acting on OTH while so deeply embroiled in The Family. It makes me so sad hearing one half of Naley, our precious TV couple, was so unhappy in her own marriage, and didn’t get any of the romance she wanted and craved.
I wish we could have heard more about blue eyes and if she reached back out to mend that. I was devastated for her about Belle. This was probably the hardest part for me because god could take a hike if I got cast on Broadway. 😂

Nothing to do with the content or writing, but I hate the cover. I don’t care for the photo on the front. I would have loved more of something on point with the title with vampires. But that’s just me.

Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also in an Actual Cult!) by Bethany Joy Lenz is a raw, gripping, and darkly funny memoir that delivers on every level. Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC. This one was as entertaining as it was thought-provoking.

Lenz pulls back the curtain on her life with a candidness that’s both inspiring and heartbreaking. Her journey from Hollywood success to cult entanglement—and eventual escape—is told with unflinching honesty. It’s a wild story that could easily feel too surreal to believe if it weren’t written with such emotional depth and authenticity.

The writing is sharp, witty, and layered with Lenz’s unique voice. She balances heavy topics like manipulation, abuse, and trauma with a refreshing dose of humor and introspection. The blend of her life on the set of One Tree Hill with her hidden cult experience creates a fascinating juxtaposition, keeping the narrative both entertaining and poignant.

What I loved most is how Lenz frames her story not just as a tale of survival, but as a testament to the power of identity and reclaiming one’s faith on personal terms. Her journey is a reminder of the strength it takes to break free from manipulation and heal in the aftermath.

If there’s a critique, it’s that some parts of her time in the cult felt glossed over—I wanted even more detail about certain events and how she pieced her life back together afterward. But overall, it’s a compelling and brave memoir that hits hard in all the right ways.

Dinner for Vampires is a must-read for fans of Hollywood memoirs, stories of resilience, or anyone who loves peeling back the layers of a truly extraordinary life.

What an easy 5-star read!
I really appreciated it.

Reading DINNER FOR VAMPIRES was profound for me. It tapped into a fear I have about the fluidity of my beliefs and how, as I’ve changed over the years, I sometimes worry about the reliability of my own judgment. It stirred up questions about how deeply my desire to be known and loved might impact my ability to stay grounded or avoid overlooking things that I would otherwise be cautious about. The book almost felt like a mirror, reflecting back this inner conflict with empathy and insight.

Brought up these fears and questions that I hadn’t ever fully articulated or really even thought about - this fear that as my views and beliefs have evolved over time it might mean that I can’t entirely trust my own judgment. What is the shifts in my beliefs and worldview mean that I’m someone who can be easily persuaded or vulnerable to people who show give me connection and make me feel good about myself. I would honestly be afraid that I am someone who could really easily settle in a relationship, is something that I thought of frequently throughout this read.

LOVED IT. Love Joy Lenz.

I breezed through this engrossing memoir. I never watched One Tree Hill and knew almost nothing about it. I only had a vague recognition of Bethany Joy Lenz’s name. I think this was to my benefit that I had no biases or knowledge going into the crazy 15 years of her life when she was part of a cult. So many parts of her story made me so sad as I knew what she was building up to. Abandoning a chance on Broadway almost made me clutch my heart. Lenz just wanted love and acceptance and a community so much. She lost so much due to these manipulative and overall abusive cult leaders and worshippers. As she said in one part, if she was guaranteed she would have her daughter but could have eliminated all the rest, that would’ve been ideal. Sadly, life isn’t that kind sometimes. I was very proud of her when she started reclaiming her life and doing whatever it took for her child’s well-being. It takes a ton of strength and a village to get through those early steps. Now I’m genuinely curious about One Tree Hill and her acting considering she had to turn off her agony when the camera was rolling. Really fascinating life presented with humor and pathos, definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I have never watched One Tree Hill, so I didn’t know the background of the author. My interest was in her experience and escape from a cult.
I think this is a cautionary tale that may help people recognize that they are in a controlling, abusive and manipulative situation or relationship.
Her willingness to be open and move on will hopefully give someone else the confidence to do the same.

Bethany Joy Lenz’s Dinner for Vampires is one of the most eye-opening and emotional memoirs I’ve ever read. It tells the true story of how she spent almost a decade stuck in a cult while secretly filming One Tree Hill—and how she finally broke free. It’s a wild ride full of intense moments, but it’s also surprisingly funny and super inspiring.

One thing I really loved about this book was how personal and real it felt. Lenz doesn’t hold back when she describes what she went through, and you can tell she poured her heart into every page. I also thought the way she talked about faith was really interesting—how it can give people hope but also be twisted to control them. And honestly, her humor was such a great surprise. Even in the darkest parts of her story, she finds ways to make you laugh, which shows how strong she really is.

The only thing that held me back from giving it five stars was how much it focused on Christian theology. Some of the religious details were hard for me to connect with, and I felt like they slowed things down at times.

Still, Dinner for Vampires is an incredible read. It’s honest, powerful, and something I think a lot of people—especially those figuring out who they are—should check out.

Back in the day, One Tree Hill was the must-watch show for my friends and I, a beacon of teen angst and melodrama in an otherwise dreary world. I was thrilled to discover this memoir by Bethany Joy Lenz. Turns out she's been living a real-life plot twist - who knew she was in a cult and didn't even realize it? Reading her story gives us a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes drama of being on one of the top teen TV shows. I always envied the actresses and the teenage TV shows, as they seem to have it all - the fame, the fortune, and the perfect life. I was mistaken in my assumption that her life was perfect. Through this book, I gained a deeper understanding of her strength and resilience, and how she emerged victorious despite the challenges she faced. Thank you so much for this advanced reader copy!