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 to St. Martin's Press for the gifted copy and MacMillan Audio for the gifted ALC.