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!

Wow I had absolutely no idea the life she was leading- incredibly moving and well written- I am hesitant to read books by actors and actresses but Bethany has a fantastic relatable way of writing!

I was a huge One Tree Hill fan growing up, and the character of Haley James Scott was one of my favorites on the show. So when I saw Bethany Joy Lenz was writing a memoir, I was already interested. Add to it that she was writing about her experience in a cult, and I was hooked. Her account is poignant, honest, and heartbreaking at times to read. I loved her narrative voice throughout the book, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this one. This is not just for fans of OTH, but if you are a fan you will have a deeper appreciation for her and her story. Absolutely recommend.

Bethany Joy Lenz takes her audience on a tumultuous journey through her experiences in Hollywood, where she found herself entangled in a religious cult that exploited her during the height of her career. While some aspects may seem implausible, her narrative is crucial to understand, as it highlights the stark contrast between perception and reality. Ultimately, she emerged from this ordeal, offering a powerful testament to resilience.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and getting a chance to read her story!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book. And what a heartbreaking story. As a big One Tree Hill fan, its incredible to look back and see everything her character had gone through, thinking she is so strong, and then realizing how Joy, the actress playing Haley, was in a literal CULT and had no control over her own life throughout this entire series!!! Highly recommend reading this book, buying it, supporting Joy.

i don’t typically give a star rating to memoirs because it feels weird to assign a rating to someone telling their own story, however i was provided this book as an arc from simon and schuster via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

while the story of bethany joy lenz’s life to this point is interesting and heartbreaking, the book itself was somewhat disjointed and hard to follow. i feel like she could have used some more time on the other side of this cult experience before writing about it. her feelings seem so raw and conflicted still and she hasn’t appeared to fully untangled herself from the beliefs that she shares with the cult.

definitely worth the read but i’m interested to see if her belief system continues to evolve.

Holy cow, what an anxiety-filled ride this book was. From the start, it’s easy for readers to forget that Joy ends up coming out on the other side of this monstrosity. Dinner for Vampires was wildly captivating; I’m happy to know more about her story, but I’m incredibly sad this was the reality she (and many others) faced for years.

I remember when I was 18 and went to see Bethany Joy on a OTH Tour and just being in awe.

Dinner for Vampires isn't quite the book I ever expected from Bethany but boy am I glad that she wrote it. I felt like it was a brave book to write and I wish that she hadn't gone through half of the situations mentioned in the book. I feel like I look at OTH and this book's timeline in parallel and I'm so glad that she still showed up everyday to be such a light on the show.

I would recommend this book to anyone but especially those that think they know everything about their favorite celeb. I don't think we ever really know anyone's full story unless they are brave enough to tell it. I'm so glad Bethany was!

Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I both read and listened to Dinner for Vampires, which I personally think is the way to go. Half of the book's charm comes from hearing Bethany Joy Lenz narrate her personal experience. Joy is charismatic, infusing so much of her passion into her writing. As a One Tree Hill fan that was devotedly watching the show in real time - who has distinct memories of hashing out Nathan and Haley's latest story arc with my best friend as we waited to head into homeroom - I was super intrigued to discover that Joy was in a cult throughout the show's duration.

Joy's performance on One Tree Hill was a huge factor in why I enjoyed the show at all. Learning that she didn't connect with her cast mates and, instead, was intentionally isolated from them, adds a certain complexity to the viewing experience. I'm glad that she has managed to reconnect (or, in the case of certain others, like Paul Johansson, stay connected) and reflect back on that experience through the Drama Queens podcast (regardless of whatever animosity is currently being reported about the hosts). And so, I understand that One Tree Hill insights are more likely to be shared on that platform. But... I really wanted more content on it within these pages. I was so excited to hear Chad Michael Murray, Tyler Hilton, Paul Johansson, and (of course) James Lafferty make guest appearances on the audiobook. However, that excitement was short-lived, given how brief their appearances were.

The title of this suggests that equal time will be paid to the cult Joy belonged to and the cult TV show she appeared on. That just isn't the case. The book is primarily centered around Joy's religious beliefs, as well as her involvement with The Big House Family.

It was an easy listen. I was just hoping for a slightly more balanced read (with more time spent on OTH).

Bethany Joy Lenz leads her readers on a wild ride exploring life in Hollywood while being in a religious cult that manipulated and took advantage of her during the prime of her career. At times unbelievable, it is an important story to hear because what you see and what you want to see are very different, and she was able to make it out on the other side.

If i could give this memoir more than five stars I would. I grew up watching OTH, so naturally, I was giddy when I saw Bethany was coming out with this book. I'm a avid reader of really anything cult related, it's just a fascinating topic so that was just the proverbial icing on the cake for me.

I found myself on a roller coaster of emotion while reading this, from getting frustrated at her for choices to devastated for her because of her circumstances. You can tell this memoir was handled with a lot of love and care and it must have been so difficult for her to recount her life from back then and how she mustered the courage to get out.

I'm sure there are a lot of people who don't want to read this because they think it will be OTH content heavy but I think there was just the right amount. The majority of the book focuses on her family & life outside of the TV set with little sprinkles of the show here and there.

This was a truly incredible book & i think people who may not regularly indulge in a memoir would find this one easy to get into.