Member Reviews
This book is an excellent extension of Ms. Mosely's podcast of the same name. It's fascinating to dive into the persona behind this brilliant podcast, her motivation, and her opinion on scams.
This felt like a great idea for a book, but it’s not exactly as advertised.
I was familiar with Mosley’s podcast, but the concept for this sounded intriguing so I was eager to check it out. Mosley is definitely funny and that goes a long way, as do some of the more clever theories about how everything is a scam.
Unfortunately the book departs from this frequently to something more akin to a memoir, and the structure and style of the book read like a podcast script. Which tells me that this is probably a podcast worth listening to, but that it shouldn’t have been turned into a book.
Mosley also engages in a lot of stereotyping that feels exclusionary and mean-spirited, which I didn’t love. And it’s too bad, because a lot of what she says aside from that truly is funny. In all, this is a miss, but it has some moments that are interesting and enjoyable.
In the hilarious candor and storytelling that we are used to from Mosley, we learn about the more vulnerable aspects of her life. The aspects that place humanity at the center of comedy.
I received this as a digital galley from NetGalley.
Another case of a podcast turned into a book but I had never listened to the podcast! So I enjoyed reading about the various scams because I had had not heard a lot of them.
Laci Mosley's Scan Goddess is a perfectly blended comedic and honest memoir that was un-put-downable. She's so unbelievably funny and a really talented writer, those unfamiliar with her work are sure to enjoy this one.
The strong comedic voice that Laci has shared on her Scam Goddess podcast shines through brightly in this memoir of the same name. She effortlessly weaves stories of her life's many scams in with some fascinating and notorious scams, grifts, and long-term lies that some may be familiar with. Through it all, Mosley wants us to know: to scam is to be human, there is no shame in getting scammed, and that she's better for the years she's spent dedicating her life to this illicit and illuminating art. As readers, we're better for having followed her for the journey.
4 stars.
Laci Mosley's "Scam Goddess" is a riot! I was unfamiliar with her before reading this book, but I am glad I have seen the light. Mosley takes on true crime, acting, college, job hunting, comedy and improv, the grift of religion, friendships, boundaries, social media, a little history, and, of course, scams, in this hilarious memoir. Her anecdotes had me laughing the entire novel. She clearly has natural talent for storytelling! I learned a little bit about a lot of scams while reading this book. I do think listeners of her podcast will have a leg-up on those who don't. I also think you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not listening to this via audiobook. Mosley's voice is perfect, her inflection an important tool for the way she tells her stories with engaging ease and frenetic energy. I dug it, and I think you will, too!
Thank you to NetGalley, Laci Mosley, and Running Press Adult for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Laci Mosley is hilarious. This book deftly combines her comedic manner of talking about scams with her personal history. She'll teach you why everyone is a scammer and about the different scams and the reasons behind them.
You don't have to be a devout member of Laci's con-gregation to enjoy this one! I have only listened to a few episodes of the podcast and found this to be really enjoyable- and, surprisingly, I actually found the stories from Laci's own life to be more interesting than the cons she mentions in the book. She is excellent at finding the stories and lessons from her own life and sharing them in a way that is relatable and engaging.
Maybe this book didn’t click with me because I didn’t know this author from her tv & movie roles & have never heard her podcast. It just kind of dragged on for me. I finished it, but it was a little bit of a struggle. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader’s copy.
Laci Mosley shares selected stories from her life, while giving the reader points on scamming. It's like an extension of her podcast. It's definitely written in her voice and I kinda wish I'd listened to the audiobook instead!
Laci is funny and her view on life through scams is enlightening. I found the book's tone casual and more suited to an audio medium like her podcast. As a long-time podcast listener, I understood and fully grasped the concepts but worried for others with less context.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.
I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC of SCAM GODDESS by Laci Mosley from a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and enjoy the rest of your summer!
This book was an absolute delight. Laci Mosley's voice is so much fun and her writing really shines through. I was expecting a bit more of the true crime scam aspects, but this is mainly a memoir with a short true crime story to relate to each chapter (which is fine, just not exactly what I was expecting). I have not listened to the podcast but I will now need to after reading this book! The way Mosley tells the true crime stories is so fun and I need more.
As a die-hard Laci Mosley enthusiast, I devour every episode of Scam Goddess with a zeal that's almost spiritual (wink, wink). When the news hit that my QUEEN was writing a book, I was all in because I support all of her scams. LOL, but this book is definitely not a scam. Speaking of the book, what a delight, as anticipated, but it's the scam-centric life hacks that really take the cake. Reading it, I was transported right into the podcast's universe, Laci's commanding voice guiding me through uncharted scam territories and personal digressions that were never aired. It was like wandering through an enchanting scammer's paradise. Proudly, I'm a card-carrying disciple of her CON-gregation, and for anyone who appreciates a charming ruse or a non-lethal lawbreaker, this read is a really good time.
This book wasn't what I expected. I saw 'scams' and said sign me up, but it turned out to be so much more than that. It's part memoir about Hollywood, part essay collection, part con stories, and part self help. And it's a WHOLE lotta funny.
I was not familiar with Ms. Mosley from her podcast, but I did realize I'd seen some of her acting. (I think must be one of the handful of people that saw the show Florida Girls). Anyhow, she is verrryyy funny and I loved her conversational, let me tell you how it is writing style. This book is a vibe and it's a great time. It was fresh and authentic voice while being we'll written.
(I say that because I recently read a finance memoir by a man who in an effort to highlight his humble roots came off sounding nearly illiterate.)
I liked how the book was broken down into sections and grouped scams in categories I wouldn't have naturally thought of. I liked how open and honest Ms. Mosley was sharing about her life and I straight up laughed out loud numerous times along the way.
Im so glad I was bale to read this book.
(Note, I'm not altering my review because of this, but the formatting was a bit of a problem at times.)
Loved this. The bite-sized real world scams were a delightful counterpoint to Laci's own hilarious and fun stories. Scams as life advice!
With author blurbs from Conan O’Brien and Amy Poehler, I knew going in that this book was going to con its way into my scam loving heart and it didn’t disappoint. Mosley organizes content by thematic chapters that cover different types of scams, from job to romance scams. For each category, Mosley shares an example ripped from the headlines and breaks down the system and structures that enable the success of each type of scam. Mosley also shares stories from her own experience to lend autobiographical authenticity that help the reader understand her background and mindset as an experienced scammer of hearts. If you love the podcast, you're going to need this book. Although it was a little more self help oriented than I expected, I found myself appreciating the advice and wishing that I had Laci on speed dial. The absolute best part was the writing. Mosley's voice translates on every story, every nugget of advice, and on every page. With confidence, grace, and hilarity, Mosley proves that she has earned the title of Goddess.
Thanks to Running Press & NetGalley for providing a copy for review!