Thank baby Jesus millennials are finally writing memoirs. This was jaw-droppingly funny. Even though some of the things the “Hipster Grifter” pulled off (identity fraud, bad check cashing) weren’t nice, and I didn’t always “like” her, I always respected her perspective as a transnational adoptee from S Korea raised in LDS and determined to shoot her shot in all the ways once she finally came of age. Insider stints at Vice and, well, prison were entertaining and insightful, never exploitative.

While I am a millennial, I didn't have any previous knowledge of the "hipster grifter." This was quite the introduction to Kari. I have to say, I devoured this memoir. I thought it was definitely well done and appreciate that we get to see some growth from Kari. The most interesting parts for me was the time in which she spent incarcerated, because I do think that it actually help reform her and change the trajectory of her life. There were times that the story was a big drug down on minute details that could have been skipped, and I do feel like it wrapped quite abruptly, but I still have a fun time reading this book and look forward to learning more about Kari as an activist, a true change from her life of grifting. I really enjoyed getting to hear Kari perform this audiobook herself. It made the story seem much more rooted in reality. It is heartwarming to see that even when faced with adversity, people can truly change their lives for the better.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

*You’ll Never Believe Me* by Kari Ferrell is a witty and heartfelt memoir chronicling her transformation from the infamous "Hipster Grifter" to a voice for redemption and activism.

Adopted into a Mormon family in Utah, Kari's struggles with identity led her down a path of theft, deceit, and viral notoriety. The book candidly explores her rise in NYC's indie sleaze scene, her internet infamy, and the personal costs of her actions.

Ferrell's irreverent humor and vulnerability shine as she unpacks themes of self-worth, truth, and reconciliation. A wild yet redemptive ride that's as entertaining as it is thought-provoking.

I had no idea who Kari Ferrell was, but was drawn in by this title's description and cover. This memoir spotlight's Ferrell's childhood and then the time in her life where she was basically a horrible human being conning her friends out of money and lying to every single person that she met. While the first half was mostly entertaining, she glosses over what she actually did besides steal and how it impacted those around her. The second half mainly takes place in jail where Ferrell makes like she was queen of every jaail that she was in, though also makes it seem like the only real friends that she's ever had were those from jail. There were passages every so often that were surprisingly crude and threw off the flow of the story for me, but all in all her story was enough to keep me listening. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion.

“My first jailhouse demand; I felt like such an adult” --I think this quote is a good starting place for the theme of this memoir. I was unfamiliar with the "hipster grifter" whose true crime story is at the heart of this memoir. I enjoyed most when the author explored the why for her devious cons, like her time seducing the men of Williamsburg and taking their money (ok, as a resident of this Brooklyn neighborhood, and a single gal who has to deal with the men who populate it, I'm kinda here for this). She had some really fun, quipping and punny bits like “Merry band of buttheads” and the hilarious incident of sharing sexy NSYNC fan fiction at a Mormon girls camp in Utah.

I would like to have learned more about how she left the relationships she had with the people she hurt/grifted. A where are they now kind of penance if you will. The last portion of the book kinda lost me especially when it was just about making her tv show, Covid, BLM and creating a production company. She didn’t really bring it home for me. Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the gifted copy.

I had never heard of Kari Ferrell or the "hipster grifter" before listening to this audiobook.

I hate to admit that I was "hoping" for more drama than screwing over your own friends by writing bad checks and snatching cash from people she hooked up with in clubs. While her crimes were real and her punishment seemed just, I wish she would have dove a bit deeper into the stories of the crimes themselves or how she came to start her scamming to begin with. Besides being lazy and not wanting to really work for an honest wage as she makes it seem. There have to be underlying reasons, and I think that could have made the book a lot more interesting. Some more introspective if you will, especially as she was discussing her time in therapy.

Overall the audio production was good. There were occasional segments where you can tell they edited or dropped in new audio but overall the audio was decent.

Thank you Net Galley for the complimentary copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Kari Ferrell, "the Hipster Grifter," tells her story in a positively snarky tone. She was adopted from Korea by a white family and grew up in a Mormon community in Utah. She was teased by the white students for being different and, as she was raised by a white family before there was more social pressure for honoring different ancestory, was often confused when people asked her things with the assumption that she was knowledgable about Korean culture. She and her group from school made games out of shoplifting and that began her life of crime. She graduated to stealing from her friends and people she picked up. She details her time spent in jail and what it was like once she was out and trying to live a crime free life.

Before reading this, I was unfamiliar with Kari's story. She narrates the audiobook so it feels and sounds like a friend is telling you her life story. A friend who is entertaining enough that you let her talk for that long! I do wish she had let her guard down a bit more and thought about why she had done the crimes or gone into how she felt about some more of the events. She was almost dismissive, as if what happened happened and now she just packs up and moves on. At the end, she does goes into more detail about some of the things that she is working on now to make things better, especially for incarcerated women. If you're a fan of Inventing Anna, you will probably enjoy this as well.

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During the rise of the "Hipster Grifter," I was happily living in Europe with a deployed husband and a new baby, so it wasn't a news story that reached me. I actually prefer memoirs where I don't already know all the details about someone's past, so in hindsight, I think that was a good thing.

Overall, I felt that You'll Never Believe Me by Kari Ferrell stayed fairly surface-level for a memoir. She touches on her experiences as an adopted daughter from Korea and being raised in the LDS church. She emphasizes how the church gave her the tools to become a con artist because the religion requires members to present themselves in a singular way. However, I found myself wanting more details about her family structure and the day-to-day life that shaped her upbringing.

Kari does a good job of outlining all her crimes, even naming many of her victims, and for the most part, she comes across as remorseful. However, there isn’t much depth when it comes to the "why" behind her choices—though perhaps she doesn't fully understand her motivations either.

The transition between Chapters 13 and 14, especially in the audiobook, was particularly jarring. One moment, Kari is describing a sketchy situation where she’s living, and in the next sentence, she’s waking up in a strange room and bed. A smoother transition would have helped bridge the story, especially since this section ultimately introduces us to her future husband.

Kari raises important points in her book about second chances. From the dehumanizing aspects of prison to being fired from jobs after employers discovered her past, her experiences highlight just how difficult it can be to get back on your feet after being convicted of a crime.

Overall, I found the story interesting but lacking depth. If Kari's goal in writing this memoir was to set the record straight, I think she succeeded.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the gifted ALC.

I feel like it’s a crime that I haven’t heard of the Hipster Grifter until now.

I’m always interested in stories about former Mormons (like me) more specifically how high demand religious impact different people. And this story! Invested.

Ferrell did a great job painting a vivid tale spanning her young life to adulthood and how her choices ultimately landed her in prison as The Hipster Grifter.

Definitely go with the audiobook. The author narrates the book and did a great job.

Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan audio for an alc

I listened to this one. I thought the narration and writing were both very good. However, based on the book description, I was expecting something very different than what this was. I was expecting there to be more humor and mental health discussions. Maybe I don't have the right sense of humor for this. I do think others might enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Kari Farrell’s memoir is a hilarious tell all that chronicles her life from as early as being adopted and growing up as a Korean American in a Mormon family to when she became internet famous after scamming her way to the title of the “hipster grifter” and ultimately landing her in jail. Kari’s writing is engaging, witty, and brutally honest. I was fascinated by every phase in her life and I flew through the audiobook because I needed to know what would happen next. Thank you to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the ARC!

"You'll Never Believe Me" by Kari Ferrell shows glimpses of potential but ultimately falls short of delivering a truly compelling memoir. While an easy and entertaining listen, the book suffers from a lack of depth.

Initially, the author's wit draws you in, but the humor soon becomes forced and overdone. The memoir also frustratingly skims over potentially rich material - a deeper look at Ferrell's adoption story, unpacking her separation from the Mormon church, the finer details of her involvement in various scams, or a more profound critique of the American criminal justice system.

Perhaps most disappointingly, the book lacks a meaningful redemption arc or evidence of personal growth. Rather than offering genuine reflection or remorse, it reads more like an attempt to maintain relevance. Still, Ferrell shows promise as a writer and you (kinda) have to admire the hustle.

Dear You'll Never Believe Me,
I didn't know anything about the Hipster Grifter before I read you, but you were extremely interesting. The perspective and distance that Keri was able to take from her experiences was so compelling to me and I found your writing easily accessible and friendly. It is hard to judge a memoir because of how personal the story is. But over all you were a unique and interesting story and it was fun getting to know your story and Kari for the first time. You were a down to earth story of a sensational experience.

Wow! From the moment I started listening to this memoir I was drawn into Ferrell’s life growing up Mormon, spending time in prison, experiencing some seriously frightening moments and more.

Ferrell is such an excellent storyteller and narrator. The humor throughout was my favorite along with how she worked to regain control in her life.

Highly recommend grabbing a copy!

Thank you MacMillan Audio for this gifted copy.

YOU’LL NEVER BELIEVE ME by KARI FERRELL hits shelves on Tuesday, January 7th. Kari narrates the audiobook which definitely elevates the story and adds pitch perfect humor to the story. I love a memoir read by the author.

Before Anna Delvey, before the Tinder Swindler there was Kari Ferrell. Way back in 2009 she was dubbed the Hipster Grifter in an article that exposed not only how she scammed her way around Brooklyn, but that she was wanted for felony fraud in Utah.

Internet infamy followed, along with gossip, fetishization, exploitation + jail time. She committed petty theft + check fraud. Simultaneously charmed + duped people. The fascination with Kari’s story grew as people came forward with tales of deception and the public’s obsession with this mysterious con woman took on a life of its own.

But those stories didn’t tell the whole truth. They didn’t even get all of the stories right. And they didn’t tell Kari’s story. Did she do some awful things? Hurt people in the process? She’ll agree that she did. Were lines blurred and crossed by the media? Absolutely.

YOU’LL NEVER BELIEVE ME is Kari’s turn to set the record straight, to bring the reader behind the curtain & into her world, her motivations and her life today.

Full disclosure, before I read this book I’d read some of the online stories. And before I read those stories I was one of those corporate world work colleagues she mentioned that loved working with her. It feels like a lifetime ago — really it was a decade, which kind of is a lifetime.

The book is written with wit, sharp humor — I laughed a lot — and a reflective nature. She can recognize the good, see where things went sideways and takes us through some dark moments. There’s a rawness to some chapters, a no holds barred look at her time in jail + the dark days that followed. It’s uncomfortable and vulnerable. It’s not every salacious detail, but it’s her audacious choices, her resilience and her determination to create something positive from the infamy.

The book reads like a friend telling you stories, as the cover says: a life of lies, second tries and things I should only tell my therapist. I’m glad she decided to tell us too!

You’ll Never Believe Me, by Kari Farrell is the true story of Farrell’s life as the Hipster Grifter. She outlines her childhood and goes into depth about the crimes she committed conning men and more. She also delves deeply into her experience in prison after she is caught.

I have to admit this I didn’t really enjoy this one. Farrell speaks about her actions without really taking responsibility for them, stating that she doesn’t really know why she did it all. It was an unsatisfying experience for a book that was about her reflections.

I listened to this You’ll Never Believe Me and My enjoyment of the audiobook was definitely impacted by the poor quality of the author’s narration. Her flat affect took me out of the action repeatedly. Just not the book for me.

I received this advance audio copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

A true crime memoir by the "Hipster Grifter." The story of a young woman raised Mormon in Utah became one of the most-wanted criminals of her time.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio of this!

I love when memoirs are narrated by the author. I just like feeling like I'm sitting down the the person and chatting about their life.

Kari's life as a Korean adoptee grabbed my attention immediately. I am also a Korean adoptee that was raised by a white family, in a very white town. I had no exposure to my Asian/Korean culture/customs growing up. I've taken it upon myself in adulthood to seek these kinds of things out and it definitely defines a huge part of me.

I enjoyed this, but the whole time I felt like I kept wanting more. I wanted more depth, more emotion, more information. I felt like I could have related to Kari a lot more, felt more connected - specifically about both being Korean adoptees - but felt this lacked any real depth.

I did not know about Kari's escapades prior to listening to this. Overall, it was enjoyable and kept my attention.

My thanks go to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the invitation to read and review. This book will be available to the public January 7, 2025.

The blurb for this book had me at hello. Korean baby girl adopted by Caucasian Americans, who then become Mormons; a childhood and adolescence rife with alienation, discrimination, and ultimately a life of crime; prison time, followed by social crusades, among them prison reform, which is hugely necessary. I was all in, but that was before I read this thing. My own daughter is half Japanese and has to listen to “Where you from?” a fair amount, so this is a sensitive area for me, too. Racial teachings within the LDS (Mormon) church are a veritable minefield, and indeed, I can see how Ferrell’s upbringing would have been fraught.

And yet, the memoir that I read was not what I expected. The memoir, the blurb said, would be laugh out loud funny; I chucked a few times at the outset, and then was mostly just horrified. I received both the digital and audio galleys, and halfway through I abandoned the audio, because Ferrell, who provides her own narration, sounds so ebullient, so proud of herself, that I couldn’t take it. Reverting to the digital made it doable, but I found myself finishing it from a sense of obligation rather than a desire to read more.

Ferrell’s friends during her adolescence are what most adults would consider to be the wrong crowd. Truancy, petty theft, lying, drinking, and drugs are hallmarks. But Ferrell neither stays there as an adult, nor reforms herself once she reaches adulthood, though her parents, even though they divorce, likely can provide her with psychiatric treatment or counseling. Instead, she escalates, and commences stealing and defrauding her friends, pretending to need an abortion, pretending to have cancer, receiving so-called loans and gifts from those that don’t have a lot of money but love her dearly, and then disappearing. Steal in Utah, move to New York City. Steal in New York, go home to the folks in Arizona. And it continues until, at long last, she is arrested, tried, and convicted.

I tried to put my finger on what it is that makes me edgy here. Why do I not believe she’s all that sorry? Partly, it’s that other people appear only briefly and vaguely here. Of course it’s Ferrell’s life that’s the focus, but I would have expected some passages that flesh out the people that have loved her and tried to help her, even if it is necessary to conceal their identities as a matter of their own preferences. What happens to them later? What hardships, if any, do they suffer because of her actions? Instead, all of them come across as shadows, and as if they don’t really matter. I would have expected some emotion around reconnecting with some of these people, trying to make amends and financial restitution, even if they don’t want to see or hear from her. She talks a fair amount about the realization that her behavior is a form of self-sabotage, cutting herself off from positive relationships, but she doesn’t talk much about how she has sabotaged, or even completely blown up, the lives of others.

Lastly, I’m disturbed by some of her assumptions. The one that comes immediately to mind is when she reminds us—as if this is well known—that lying is fun. What??

In order for a memoir to be successful, the reader must be able to bond with the author. I have been unable to do that, either because Ferrell enjoys talking about her crimes and betrayals a little too much, or because she is unable to convey remorse in her writing; either way, I cannot recommend it to you.

Readers of my age and interests are going to eat this up. I loved being back in this work and hearing about moments I remember through her eyes. I had a fantastic time with this.