Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader copy.

A very interesting look at how someone can fall into joining a cult. Lenz does a great job of telling her story.

3.5 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC.

Like most millennial white women, I was obsessed with One Tree Hill...at least in the early years. My best friend would TVR that, Grey's and Supernatural while I would pick up Chinese food after my classes ended on Wednesdays at the community college. I feel like I never once heard about Lenz being in a cult, so it was wild to see this pop up as a suggested read!

All told, Lenz is a pretty good storyteller. She wrote a memoir that felt relatable, like sitting down with a friend over a glass of wine. The trauma she experienced was heartbreaking. I'm so glad she made it out of there. It was put together really well with the story of her life broken down to three parts. Before, during, and after.

I think where the book has it's faults is that Lenz is a good storyteller, but could have done with a little bit more editing. Writing a memoir like an internal monologue meant that there was just so much information when there didn't need to be.

Dinner for Vampires is a captivating memoir where the author, actress Bethany Joy Lenz, reflects on her journey through life and the ups and downs of Hollywood, all while belonging to a religious cult. Through candid storytelling, Lenz reflects on the complexities of belonging to “The Family”, who seemed to truly care about and nurture her journey into stardom, while also guiding her in her religion. After ten years, Bethany realized that “The Family” is more than just a close group of friends gathering for Bible study. With a blend of vulnerability and resilience, she navigates her quest for identity and authenticity during and after her life in the cult. She shares insights that resonate with anyone who has grappled with the influence of community and the search for self. This is a must read for those enjoyed I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy or Down the Drain by Julia Fox.

I was a One Tree Hill fanatic and especially loved the character that Bethany Joy Lenz played on the show. I didn’t know much about Lenz’s personal story, other than the speculative rumors that popped up in entertainment gossip. When I saw she was writing a memoire, I knew I had to read it!

Bethany Joy Lenz did a phenomenal job of documenting her life, which made for an authentic and factual retelling of how she came to be in a religious cult as a young adult and its impact on her personal and professional life. Her recount of how she joined a seemingly harmless Bible study group which slow progresses into becoming a controlling and manipulative presence in her life was so heartbreaking. She had so much going for her and was constantly being held back and gaslit for the personal benefit of others.

Lenz told of her abusive marriage, a severed relationship with her parents, her loss of close friends and how 2 million dollars was stolen from her without her knowledge. As time passed and Lenz became more involved in her religious group, she so clearly lost more and more of herself and her individual identity. It took years before she finally came to understand the truth of what was taking place right under her nose. How she was deceived and corrupted under the guise of God fearing elders. Her strength when it came to finally standing up for herself and her daughter, leaving her loveless and abusive partner and “family”, was so impactful and empowering!

Overall I thought the story was very well written and the flow of the book was well paced. The author’s vulnerability came through the writing so clearly. I laughed, I cringed, I felt so much compassion for the author and others like her. This book had you feeling an array of emotions! This book was clearly written as a way to heal and help others who may be in similar situations or experienced circumstances resembling hers.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC!

There were so many times while reading this, that I had to just stop and weep. Joy went through so much, and it is so difficult to hear all the things she went through and how she was manipulated. I always feel a bit weird rating and reviewing memoirs because it's somebody's real life story, but this was incredibly written. With all that she went through, Joy tells her story with so much emotion, yet so much grace. I highly recommend this for anyone even remotely interested in memoirs, especially if you are a fan of One Tree Hill. I also highly recommend listening to the audiobook, as hearing Joy tell her own story and acting out some parts using different voices simply enhances the experience. Read this.

Bethany Joy Lenz's memoir, "Dinner for Vampires," is a captivating exploration of her life in a cult tv show and an ACTUAL cult. Mostly known for her amazing acting and music career, Lenz shows the vulnerable side of herself. Similarly to Haley James Scott in One Tree Hill, Bethany Joy Lenz is an incredibly strong individual who takes back her power and her life from the greedy, disgusting, TERRIBLE people who tried to dim her light. I loved this memoir and am so excited to get my hands on a physical copy.

Big thanks to Simon & Schuster for the copy to read!

I wasn't a super fan of OTH or Bethany Joy Lenz but I did watch it and like the show. I also find cult stories fascinating. This was a good mix of 'behind the scenes' of a TV Series and 'behind the scenes' of being indoctrinated into a cult.

I couldn't help but to feel terrible for Joy as she is so young and navigating the world. She seeks a deeper connection with her beliefs and ends up at a bible study group that turns into so much more. Reading of the slow process really makes you think how really anyone could end up in a situation like this with the right person saying all the right things: your family doesn't believe like you do, they're trying to hold you back, if you take that job it'll show weakness, etc.

Wonderful to read her journey to getting out too. The one thing I wished for was more of the process of her separating her life from theirs. The ending felt a bit rushed.

Overall, loved this!

I picked up this book because I knew the author from One Tree Hill. The book does not go into much detail about OTH. Instead, it focuses on her time with a cult. Names have been changed; however, Bethany was married to the cult leader's son and they had 1 child together.

The memoir starts with Bethany getting the courage to leave for the sake of her daughter due to the cult, and her husband being manipulative and physically abusive. Before she joined the cult, she details constantly moving and the toll her parents' divorce took on her. She was looking for a church home, which is how she ended up in the cult. They were the family she wanted, or so she thought.

Throughout the book, she details how the cult members kept her isolated from her family and friends and even stole her money to fund their lifestyle.

It's an interesting read, just don't expect much OTH in it.

I loved learning about Joy's experiences in this book. It was truly a wild ride. This book was well written, and it had me hooked from the first page!

This was such an open and honest memoir. This memoir focuses on Bethany’s time in a cult during filming of One Tree Hill, life after the show, her experiences and struggle to get out of the cult. I can’t imagine what Bethany has been through the past decade plus. I have always been such a big fan of One Tree Hill. This memoir does talk about her time on the show and some of the coworkers but it is not a juicy gossip behind the scenes. The main story is much deeper about her experience of finding what she thought was a genuine group of friends at a Bible Study that become her roommates but instead are just leeching off of her money and kindness. Thank you for sharing your story with others and I hope this helps others find their way out of a situation like this .

I had no idea she had ever been apart of an abusive cult. This kept me captivated from the start, and I could not put it down. I remember finishing this and just saying woah,. Joy is a great story teller, I smiled, laughed, and cried throughout the entire book. Would highly recommend.

This book does a wonderful job of capturing Lenz's time in a cult and escaping her situation. It is a must-read for fans of OTH.

Wow this was such an amazing memoir, I am going to be thinking about this one for a while. The story stayed engaging throughout the whole book and delved a fair bit into the many ways anyone could find themselves in a similar cult scenario. I loved every minute of this!

This book was well written and I am glad I read it. I was a fan of One Tree Hill and reading this book brought to light so much that I had no idea about. I felt Bethany's story in my soul and I am grateful that she chose to share her story in this memoir.

I forgot to give feedback for this one, but I bought a finished copy, and I can't wait to read it when my TBR gets less unwieldy!

This book was really compelling to me. I was not a fan of One Tree Hill and am not sure I've seen the author in any show as I'm not a tv watcher but I was intrigued by the premise of the book.

This book delves into the complexities of faith, the dangers of cult indoctrination, and the enduring power of human connection. Lenz's candid storytelling sheds light on a dark side of religious extremism and the importance of questioning authority.

Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz was informative insightful interesting funny and I love to see this side of this actress that I've grown to love over the years this is a great option for fans of hers and fans of One Tree Hill thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read this book early.

As a huge One Tree Hill fan and someone with a strong interest in books about cults, Bethany Joy Lenz's Dinner for Vampires is a wild, sometimes infuriating read. Joy’s account exposes how she was manipulated, groomed, and recruited rather than raised within a cult, adding a unique layer to the narrative. Joy’s story is distinctive and haunting in its portrayal of how adults, too, can be drawn into these dangerous dynamics. I highly recommend this book!

This book is a much-needed slap in the face, in the best way. I grew up on One Tree Hill, and therefore have followed Bethany Joy's acting and music career for almost two decades as she's transitioned into projects like Hallmark, which I also tend to watch religiously. I have always found her to be charming, talented, down-to-earth, and independent. Which is why I found it so shocking to hear she was part of a cult, and for so long! I couldn't wait to devour this book.

I am only about 50% through this book because I have to keep leaving it for awhile and come back after I've had some time to process. (And will come back and edit/complete my review when I've finished it). It's easy to get through, pacing is good, and Joy's writing voice is witty and enjoyable. The only reason I have to keep pausing is because I find it so triggering. Growing up with a lot of friends in nondenominational Christian churches, I recognize a lot of the phrasing, manipulation, and sanctimonious attitudes. It's also upsetting to know where the train is heading, but feel like a passenger who can't do anything but watch helplessly as it heads towards the cliff/climax. So far, a lot of my reading experience has been uncomfortable and upsetting because of the absurdity of these "church leaders" and their actual AUDACITY.

Although the majority of my time with this book has been anger-inducing, I would recommend to anyone who is interested in cult tactics or is deconstructing. Whether or not you have a personal stake in her story from being a fan, I would suggest this to a lot of my regulars at my library because it's interesting and eye-opening.

This was wild and I’m glad she got out with Rosie. You will see no victim blaming here, I felt so mad for her. Les and the big family were all pieces of work who knew how to say the right things and find the right people to take advantage of.