I enjoyed reading Joy’s memoir and was equally fascinated and heartbroken by her story. The story is better than the writing, but my main complaint is the title and cover. It wasn’t until the end of the book that the title even remotely made sense. It should have been a theme throughout the book or called something else entirely. The cover is not good and not fitting. Still, it takes immense courage to share what she did, and I hope — despite the lacking title and cover — that putting this out there heals her a little more each day.

this was different from other memoirs I have read before. This was more like a story about her life within the cult and working in Hollywood and realizing that you are in a cult. She married the wrong person , and the cult drained her money. She was able to get back to working and taking care of her daughter. she also repaired many relationships. Yeah for her dad . Great book. I did watch one tree hill too.

A heartbreakingly beautiful and emotional tale about Joy’s decade long experience inside a “religious cult.” Thanks to her years of keeping journals, we are able to walk alongside Joy as she fights to discover who she is and where she belongs in the world. And let me tell you, Joy is a brightness in this world, indeed.

This book was incredible. I wish I had a word better than just ‘incredible’ to use. Stunning? Spectacular? Phenomenal? All of the above. First, I read it all in a single day. Once I opened it, I didn’t want to stop. Second, I think I’ve only cried over three books in my lifetime, but this one got me to shed a tear or two. “…that stupid sweatshirt became the heaviest thing he ever threw.” What a POWERFUL line. Had me wiping my eyes before chapter 1 even started.

My favorite thing about this book was being able to follow it from the beginning. We see her first starting to explore different bible study groups, then going to the meetings, then inviting friends, and then having strangers come into the group, and the next thing you know they are leading it. We experience the inner turmoil she faces as she struggles between what she feels is wrong, but is being told is right. We follow the rise, and eventual fall, of this cult. Or, as Joy so hilariously called it, “a bible study gone wrong.”

This was easily, without a doubt, a five star read.

Joy, I want to offer you a high five (i feel the same way about hugs) and tell you how strong, powerful and inspiring you are. What an incredible mother you are as well. Thank you for sharing your story!

Dinner for Vampires is everything I expected and wanted from this memoir but don’t be fooled into thinking this is a good time or a new Lestat story.

Growing up with One Tree Hill, I was absolutely enamored with our big three (Brooke, Peyton, and Haley) and it shaped my ideal for female friendships before Sex and the City ever could. It was so disheartening to see how those relationships weren’t able to transcend into the real life (on set) of Bethany Joy Lenz and to experience her first hand account of living in a cult.

I identified with this story more than I ever hoped also living in a very distinct branch of Christianity and the wild similarities between this religion and cult like mentality. We get to see how anybody can be targeted, coerced, and then ruined by these vampires especially when that someone is a growing star on one of the most exciting shows on television.

This story focuses a lot more on Joy and her time in the cult, her experiences that were shaped by them, and her struggle to get free. Don’t go into this thinking it will be like The Drama Queens Podcast at all or even Hillarie Burton Morgan’s memoir because the topic and her life is vastly different than what we have gotten to hear from these beautiful and strong women. But don’t let the heavy topic dissuade you from reading either. Through an incredibly strong voice, Joy is able to convey her story without begging you to understand but is still able to elicit so much empathy and kindness for survivors of all types. And the insights to her and Paul Johansson’s (evil Dan Scott’s) dear friendship was one of my favourite things to come from this recounting.

Thank you so much for this ARC as this was one of my most anticipated books this year and I was THRILLED to get this months before I had to start my countdown. I can’t wait for everyone to hear her story and all collectively give her a giant hug.

<i>**no star rating for memoirs**</i>

Don’t let my lack of rating mislead you — I really liked this memoir. Normally, I’ll start a book and read just a chapter or two, but this book pulled me in instantly and I read it in one day. The writing style is very easy to read and the subject matter was so outrageous I forgot for a moment that I wasn’t reading fiction.

I can’t believe everything that Bethany went through. One of the worst parts (for me anyway) was how innocuously it started. It was supposed to be a group of friends doing a Bible study/meeting up to talk about their Christian lives and it devolved into <b>THAT</b>!

A lot of it was hard to read (especially the estrangement from her parents and friends not in the cult) but I liked that she found her strength. I also can’t believe they stole $2 million from her! I was sad she didn’t get it back, but I understand why she let it go. They really were vampires, sucking money instead of blood.

I’m glad she did what she had to do for the sake of her daughter.