Name: Katie B.'s review of Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz
Item: Dinner for Vampires
Rating: 5
Author: Katie B.

Bethany Joy Lenz

A deliciously witty and inspiring memoir by One Tree Hill star Bethany Joy Lenz about her decade in a cult and her quest to break free.

In the early 2000s, after years of hard work and determination to breakthrough as an actor, Bethany Joy Lenz was finally cast as one of the leads on the hit drama One Tree Hill. Her career was about to take off, but her personal life was slowly beginning to unravel. What none of the show’s millions of fans knew, hidden even from her costars, was her secret double life in a cult.

An only child who often had to fend for herself and always wanted a place to belong, Lenz found the safe haven she’d been searching for in a Bible study group with other Hollywood creatives. However, the group soon morphed into something more sinister—a slowly woven web of manipulation, abuse, and fear under the guise of a church covenant called The Big House Family. Piece by piece, Lenz began to give away her autonomy, ultimately relocating to the Family’s Pacific Northwest compound, overseen by a domineering minister who would convince Lenz to marry one of his sons and steadily drained millions of her TV income without her knowledge. Family “minders” assigned to her on set, “Maoist struggle session”–inspired meetings in the basement of a filthy house, and regular counseling with “Leadership” were just part of the tactics used to keep her loyal.

Only when she became a mother did Lenz find the courage to leave and spare her child from a similar fate. After nearly a decade (and with the unlikely help of a One Tree Hill superfan), she finally managed to escape the family’s grip and begin to heal from the deep trauma that forever altered her relationship with God and her understanding of faith.

Written with powerful honesty and dark humor, Dinner for Vampires is an inspiring story about the importance of identity and understanding what you believe.

Life on a Cult TV Show (While also in an Actual Cult!)

Dinner for Vampires

Katie B.

“We are all little cathedrals of contradiction.” 

Just wow. Bethany Joy Lenz’s story is truly unforgettable. The things she has had to overcome throughout her life and her journey to realize who she is and what she stands for is extremely powerful. 

🌞Laur🌞

It's so amazing to me how much someone can be going through, and you would have absolutely no idea at all. Bethany details some of the worst times in her life, while being completely vulnerable and taken advantage of. I don't usually read memoirs but I am so glad I picked this one up, and I won't soon forget it.

Angelina Nicole

This felt like a retelling of chronological repetitive events, most of which could have been summarized, with not much reflection. The narration was great obviously as she is an actress.

Bethany Joy seems to possibly still be evangelical which is arguably still a cult sooo. She also has some weird takes like just because her religious group owned a motel in disrepair doesn't mean (in her words) ALL motels are "only for s*x workers and Mountain Dew truck drivers". She also throws some shade on Catholicism several times but never elaborates on what her exact criticism is and I genuinely would like to know. 

Felt like I ended this without having really learned anything about her or her life.

Abigail

This felt like a retelling of chronological repetitive events, most of which could have been summarized, with not much reflection. The narration was great obviously as she is an actress.

Bethany Joy seems to possibly still be evangelical which is arguably still a cult sooo. She also has some weird takes like just because her religious group owned a motel in disrepair doesn't mean (in her words) ALL motels are "only for s*x workers and Mountain Dew truck drivers". She also throws some shade on Catholicism several times but never elaborates on what her exact criticism is and I genuinely would like to know. 

Felt like I ended this without having really learned anything about her or her life.

When I tell you that this book was actually wild, I mean it was WILD. I just want to figure out who the characters actually were and continue to hate them for BJL. I’m at a loss for words other than that.

Katie B. &
Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz

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Katie B. &Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz

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Katie B. &
Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz