Dinner for Vampires was a fascinating story. I loved watching One Tree Hill and I’ve loved some of the Hallmark movies that Bethany Joy Lenz stars in so I was especially curious about her. I listened to the audiobook and I really loved hearing Lenz tell her story in her own voice.

Lenz starts at the very beginning. She explains some of her childhood experiences and how she became interested in theater/acting. She talks about her parents, her upbringing, and how she ended up participating in a group bible study that ‘went wrong.’ I loved how she was able to tell her story honestly, explaining how she felt in each moment. Obviously, looking back on things now, she can see where she was misled. But as she explains what happened and how she felt in each moment, we can comprehend what was going on in her mind and understand how she ended up in this cult. Her detailed accounts were eye opening. It was heartbreaking to hear how these people, who were supposed to be her friends, manipulated her in such a way.

As a fan of the show, I loved hearing about Lenz’s time on One Tree Hill. It blows my mind to realize that she was involved with these controlling people the entire time she was on the show. She talks about how, towards the end, she was basically a shell of a person and how she had a little relief from her own numbness playing Haley James Scott and being in a healthy, loving relationship with her character’s husband. I thought that was a very interesting perspective. I loved Nathan and Haley in the show.

Despite her hardships, it seems like Lenz has focused on the blessings that came from her experiences. I admire her for being able to tell her story so honestly. I also thought the title of the book was very clever. You’ll have to read it to understand. I really enjoyed listening to this book. I’d highly recommend it for anyone familiar with Lenz and her work on One Tree Hill.