Scam Goddess by Lacey Mosley is part memoir, part exploration of the way scams appear in our everyday life, part other scamming stories. if you like her podcast, you will definitely enjoy this book. The voice is so strong and very clearly her. It feels like she’s talking to you, not reading you a story. I really enjoyed the memoir aspects of this book. As a listener of her podcast, I had picked up some of these bits and pieces about her throughout the years, but having it all laid out, especially in this format, made it super compelling.

The format of the book is broken up into its different themes. The book works its way through her life by exploring different categories of scams. For example, the scam of religion or family scams or acting industry scams. She uses framework to both tell stories about her life, and also stories of other scammers in this area. I think my favorite story she included was when she was cast in this super sketchy movie and all the drama that surrounded that. Mosley manages to find the balance between incredibly lighthearted, but also covering more difficult topics with the seriousness that they require.

The audiobook was a super fast listen. The whole thing was under six hours, so I absolutely just flew through it. I highly recommend picking this one up, especially the audiobook version.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

OMG I love the Scam Goddess podcast! This book was just as good. I loved not only hearing about scams, but hearing about Laci's journey through Hollywood and how she encountered different scams as well. You get the same energy as the podcast as she's reading her book and I really enjoyed that as well. It felt like listening to an episode of the podcast. Great audiobook!

As a member of the con-gregation (a regular listener of Laci Mosley's podcast), I was naturally excited for the book! But I was also a bit skeptical; what new information could I, an invested para-social girly, get from the podcast companion book? Let me tell you, I was wrong for that skepticism. Mosely seamlessly weaves together memoir, true-con investigation, and, surprisingly, motivational advice that is way better than Girl, Wash your Face (will I ever get over the scam that is Rachel Hollis? Probably not).

The memoir sections are often funny, occasionally devastating, and always honest. Mosley is as open about her struggles as she is with her triumphs and the scams that brought her to both. Pairing these with another scammer story - and her commentary - works remarkably well, sorting thematically what might otherwise be a good, but expected, comedian memoir. Even the "self-help" sections, which are typically groaners for me, felt so earnest, in a way that acknowledges reality, I embraced them instead of being put off.

While I worried that listening to the audiobook might feel like an extended podcast episode, those fears were also misplaced. Mosley's narration is a fun listen, incredibly charming, and ample proof of her actor credentials. Less like listening to a podcast and more like being a guest on the episode.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Audio ARC.

If Laci Mosely has one trillion fans, I am one of them. Laci Mosley has one fan, it is me. If Laci Mosely has zero fans I must have passed away. So you could say I already knew this would be a five star book. Scam Goddess is an extension of her podcast by the same name—so it’s hilarious, on brand, and so much fun. It’s part memoir, part “how-to” guide, part “self-help” book. Her vulnerability is truly a gift to us all, and it was truly a pleasure to spend a few hours listening to her narrate these essays.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this audio ARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

Well, this was just too much fun.

Thanks, netgalley and hachette for this audio ARC, and thanks, laci for narrating your book- you are perfect and i love you.

A scam goddess for good (for real though) intersperse stories of famous scammers with her own hilarious hijinx, including going missing as a grade schooler and ending up trapped on a creepy millionaire's island while filming the most sus indie comedy/horror movie.

Full disclosure- i already knew i was going to love this book because i love the podcast, but this was something else entirely. I just loved it, and laci reading it was the best thing ever- you could tell when she particularly liked something she wrote because you could hear her crack a little laugh while she was narrating and i just love that so much. She brought so much joy and heart to the book and it felt like a friend telling you a story. Ideal.

Laci Mosley is so freaking funny! Scam Goddess is a podcast Mosley hosts about frauds and cons utilizing her own childhood to use as a backdrop when discussing the mentality of scammers and fraudsters.

I am 100 percent positive that this book is amazing but I think that the full experience with Mosley reading might be better! Her voice is perfectly teasing yet clear and decisive when discussing past experiences in rural Texas and Hollywood.
The premise is best summed up by the statements below, but come and listen for the jokes, the comedic moments and the lyrical voice!

“You see,” she says, (quite matter of factly) “everyone’s a scammer and everything’s a scam. Some people are better at it than others, but we all do it. The system wasn’t built for people like me. Scamming saved me and has taught me how to navigate a messy and unfair world while looking out for myself, too.”

#hachette #scamgoddess #lacimosley

Without expecting it, this was probably the best self help book I’ve read with actually hopeful and helpful advice. Maybe the best scam was the scams we made along the way. And in this book we get all the scams from Scam Goddess, Laci Mosley. Body scams! Confidence scams! Family Scams! Romance Scams! Both directly from her life and from the public realm.

I have really enjoyed Scam Goddess the podcast, but did not expect to find myself relating so hard to Laci's people pleasing tendencies at the outset of the book, a theme that repeats itself throughout. She talks about her days as an over-achieving student and how she feels that in order for people to like you, you need to have something to offer them. I had never thought about it that way and that really stuck with me, and is also part of how someone find themselves more likely to get scammed.

While I think it would be incredibly easy to become cynical in the face of scams, Laci advocates for the exact opposite. Empahsizing throughout that while "This book is about how to spot scams, but it's not about becoming cynical to the world, it's not about turning away from an opportunity to pay it forward...Everything is a scam, but not everyone is a scammer. Be vigilant, but don't close yourself off from the world and the people in it."

I had the distinct pleasure of listening to this as an audiobook and obviously Laci is an amazing narrator of her own book. I love her as a podcast host and she does not disappoint in reading her own memoir either.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Hachette Audio for the advanced copy of the audiobook.

DNF at 64%, I couldn't keep listening to her after the chapter about ozempic. I get it, you're on TV. I get it, you have money now. I get it, you're in Hollywood. What I couldn't stick around for? Implying that since <i>she's</i> in Hollywood she just <i>has</i> to keep striving to meet the ridic beauty standards. But for us peasants (lol OK I'm being a lil dramatic, but she really bothered me w this) we should just say screw em and live our lives in whatever way makes us happy. But <i>she</i> can't do that. Bc <i>she's </i> in Hollywood. Did you know she also has money now? And is on TV?

Okay I'm done being petty (nobody come for me plz). I was already really disappointed before the ozempic chapter, because I was expected way more scam, way less advice.

I didn't know Laci from TV or podcasts, so maybe I'd feel differently if my expectations were at least kinda close to what I got. Dare I go as far to say as this may be mismarketed? Probably not, since I didn't finish it. But if I <i>were</i> to go that far, I'd say this is more a memior in essays than a collection of essays about scams. Also maybe I'm just silly and didn't realize "life lessons" meant very memior-y? But the word SCAM is what popped out to me first soooo

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Laci Mosley and publisher for the Audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest (a key word, that one) review!}

I’ve loved Laci since Florida Girls! I’m so happy I got an ARC of this. This was perfect and totally on brand for Laci.

I absolutely loved this! It was like catching up with an old friend, and a super funny one at that. I loved the tips and her backstory. I highly recommend. Thanks NetGallery!