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, Hachette Audio, and Running Press Adult for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

3.5 stars!

Overall this was an enjoyable how-did-I get-to-where-I-am memoir in essays, with some life advice to readers on how to confidently navigate the world, peppered with a few true-crime scam stories in between. 
 
I would have preferred if this book was either all memoir or all true crime, the mix of both didn't really do it for me. I understand that she has a true crime podcast so wanted to do something different here, but the structure of this with the real scam chapters shoe-horned in between Laci's own anecdotes didn't add much for me.
 
I really enjoyed Laci's stories of growing up/moving to Hollywood, her exploits with the headshots and improv and getting an audition to making her first movie and dating etc etc... HOWEVER for all the talk about how she's a master scammer I kept expecting ...more? Maybe the emphasis should have been on how the world is full of scams and she is out here navigating them, rather than scamming people herself. 
 
If you want to read this I would definitely recommend the audiobook, because Laci is incredibly entertaining and I'm pretty sure I could listen to her read the phone book and still have a fun time. I have never listened to her podcast "Scam Goddess" before, however after reading this I might give it a go!

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!

This was fun! It was such an enjoyable listen, she's had such interesting experiences and she writes so compellingly. It was a bit on the shorter side and I don't know if she fully fleshed out what she meant by scamming, since it sometimes wasn't the typical use of the word, but it made me laugh so a win in my book!

Scam Goddess: Lessons from a Life of Cons, Grifts, and Schemes wasn't quite the book I thought it was going to be. I figured it would be more true crime, less memoir. That said, I enjoyed the actual book very much. I had never listened to the Scam Goddess podcast prior to listening to this audiobook, but you better believe it's now in my Pandora collection! Contrasting the two, I think I liked the less boisterous Laci Mosley who narrated the audiobook a little better than the Laci who runs the podcast. That's fine, they're really two different Lacis for two different, yet complimentary, works.

So, podcast fans, don't think I'm saying that Scam Goddess: Lessons from a Life of Cons, Grifts, and Schemes is boring. It's anything but, and I laughed a lot along with Laci. I also nodded my head in solidarity, wished I could give her a hug from thousands of miles away, and overall just thanked her for sharing. I wished it had been a lot longer, but Laci Mosley is still young. Plus, I've now got the podcast to enjoy. If Laci decides to write and narrate (because there is no one else who could've done a better job) volume two, sign me up!

I would like to thank Hachette Audio | Running Press Adult for allowing me to experience this NetGalley audiobook.

I picked up *Scam Goddess* because I’m obsessed with scams, MLMs, and all things related! Going in, I didn’t know much about the author, her podcast, or any of the stories shared here, which made the book a fun surprise. The vibrant, colorful cover instantly caught my eye!

I absolutely loved Laci’s storytelling style—she’s super engaging, and I’m now tempted to check out her podcast. While I didn’t agree with some of her commentary, especially when it didn’t align with my biblical worldview, she’s still incredibly entertaining and fun to listen to. Even with a few disagreements, I still found myself enjoying the book.

There were moments that raised some red flags for me, like casual mentions of drug use (she talks about showing up to a date on mushrooms). There was also some heavier content, including discussions of abuse. That said, Laci does navigate these sensitive topics with honesty, and I’m glad she shared her journey out of those tough situations. For those sensitive to these issues, just be aware of potential triggers.

Laci’s humorous take on scams was great, but what I loved most was hearing about her friendships. She speaks so highly of her friends, especially one (whose name I’m blanking on) that clearly means the world to her. Laci did a beautiful job of expressing her love and gratitude for those closest to her.

The book blends personal memoir, scam stories, and a documentary/podcast vibe, which was super fun. I’d definitely recommend the audiobook—Laci’s voice really brings it to life! If you love scams and humor with a touch of personal reflection, this is for l

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook!

I had not listened to her podcast before, but I will be a new listener soon! Loved Laci's perspectives on scams, both her own and those she has covered for her podcast. It is a nice balance of personal and public scams and if she agrees with them or not. Loved hearing about her childhood and the opening story about going "missing". Really set the tone of the story, it felt like you were sitting with a friend listening to her tell stories. Great quick listen!

In this delightful collection of personal essays, Laci Mosley shares her personal experiences with scams and cons while also highlighting notable fraudsters as well. The essays are structured in a biographical timeline, beginning with her childhood in Texas and following her as she pursues an acting career. Mosley uses her personal history to discuss different types of scams: financial, romantic, the beauty industry, Hollywood, etc. Her tone is open, candid, and often hilarious.

As a listener of her podcast, I appreciated the deeper dive into her own history but was slightly disappointed that there were not more stories about "historical hucksters". For that content, listen to the podcast, I guess.

Mosley's narration reflects her skills as a comedian and story teller. As you listen to this, you might feel like you're sitting with a world-wise friend while she shares her experiences over brunch. Her anecdotes are hilarious and her insights will help bolster self-confidence.

This one is for anyone who enjoys the allure of scams or reading about a Black woman breaking into the acting business. You don't have to be a listener of her podcast to give this content accessible.

This review will be posted to Goodreads on September 5, 2024 and to Instagram on September 6, 2024.

If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read that will have you laughing and also looking over your shoulder, *Scam Goddess* by Laci Mosley is the one! I absolutely loved that Mosley narrated it herself—it adds so much personality and punch to the storytelling. She’s got this incredible energy that makes every scam story and personal anecdote pop.

The book is filled with humor, sharp wit, and some wild tales of scams throughout history. It’s like taking a fun crash course on grifting, conning, and hustling. Mosley’s personal stories blend in well. Highly recommend if you're in the mood for something light, fun, and a little bit mischievous!

I didn’t put two and two together that Laci Mosley was in the iCarly revival! I loved her role in the show (oh how I wish there was another season). So I went into this audiobook quite blind. I loved the concept of breaking the book down into different types of scams: childhood scams, religious scams, Hollywood scams, etc. Laci’s narration immediately captivated me. She had a way with words that drew me in. I look forward to checking out her scam goddess podcast!

Laci mixes in short vignettes of scammers with stories from her life which involve scams in some sort of way and inserts self help style “scam hacks” to win at life.

I just didn’t really connect with this. I enjoy Laci’s podcast when I listen to it but this book felt kind of disjointed and not fully formed. I feel like this book doesn’t fully know what it is. I do really find Laci’s mindset fascinating and she’s so right that life is one giant scam full of one tiny scam after another.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Laci is such a born entertainer and I'm so happy she scammed her way into getting this book deal. Yes, we all came for the scam stories but I love her perspective on her life experiences too. If you are a Laci and/or Scam Goddess fan, do not skip this one!

This is a hodgepodge of a memoir, with the author flipping between stories of her life, historical scams, and attempts to connect the two (not always successfully). While I enjoyed some of her life stories, overall I found this rather flat, with not a whole lot of substance. I’m a big fan of Laci’s podcast, so this was rather disappointing, but also not surprising considering how young the author is.

The audiobook narration is done by Laci and she gives a great performance as expected of an actress and podcast host, though sometimes it does feel very apparent that she is *performing* (particularly with the laughs she would sprinkle in).

A great memoir with short scam stories interspersed throughout. The memoir aspect was far more interesting than the (oft unrelated) scam stories, but it was a great read, and I finished it in a day because I didn't want to stop.

Laci Mosley’s Scam Goddess was an incredibly entertaining listen from start to finish. I loved the scam stories mixed with her own life experiences—it felt like sitting with your best friend over a good cup of tea. Laci was an incredible narrator and really added to the story. Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to listen to this book; these opinions are my own.

What’s poppin’, congregation? If you are not already familiar with Laci and her podcast, Scam Goddess, buckle up for a quick recap! Laci started her podcast in 2019, and has covered all types of scams over the years. I’ve listened to it for years, and she’s arguably one of the funniest podcast hosts on the air. So when I got an advanced audiobook copy of her book, I was thrilled.
The book is formatted as part memoir and part scam history lesson. In between anecdotes about her childhood and early adult life, Laci shares some of the most memorable scams she’s come across. And with each story, Laci shares another scam to keep in mind as either a life hack or something to be on the lookout against.
This book is a fun and easy read. My favorite part of Laci’s content is that it’s true crime adjacent. She covers scams at all levels of illegality, so there’s people scamming millions from the government and people scamming free meals on apps. But there’s never that uncomfortable moment where you have to stop and evaluate if the content is glorifying a serial killer.
If you enjoy Laci’s podcast, you already know you’ll like this book. But if you’re new to the world of Scam Goddess, this is a perfect example of what you’ll get when you start listening. And even if you don’t like scams, I can guarantee Laci’s personality will be enough to keep you entertained!!
Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the free advanced audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review! This was such an enjoyable listed 🙌 I was thoroughly entertained the entire time and really loved how there was a positive message throughout! If you’re not a regular non-fiction reader? This would be a great place to start!

This audiobook was great! The author/narrator is super engaging and interesting to listen to. I really enjoyed the format of the book with scam stories interspersed with her own life and experiences.

What! Laci’s book is such a thoughtful companion to her podcast, Scam Goddess. While the podcast is mostly giggles and poking fun at scammers, in her book she pokes fun at herself WHILE teaching readers how to scam themselves into believing in themselves. We love to see it. This will be an easy book to hand-sell both on audio and physical copies.

I had never heard of Laci Mosley or her podcast, but the summary sounded interesting so I gave it a try.

Her voice is very soothing and can see why she’s make a good podcast host. I enjoyed her humor when describing situations that I’m sure at the time were less than funny.

Great audiobook listen while driving.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm casually aware of the Scam Goddess podcast, but not a close listener. I'm not sure how much Laci Mosley's book overlaps with the material of the podcast besides the premise, so fans of the podcast might have a different reading experience.

As a novice to the Scam Goddess podcast, I really enjoyed this book. I suppose I would describe it as a memoir in loosely organized essays. It was less true crime than I expected, but I was impressed by how Mosley successfully shifts between the show's premise and the memoir sections. Mosley is a skilled storyteller, with a delightful comic point of view. Her authorial voice especially shins in her audiobook narration, which makes sense given her experience as a comedian and podcast host. The book covers a lot of ground, but it was narrated so well that I enjoyed the ride.