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Veridian Sterling Fakes It
In this colorful and humorous tale, a hopeful young painter finds herself embroiled in the world of art heists…and possibly responsible for the counterfeits needed to cover them up.
Freshly graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, Veridian Sterling is ready to hang her work in any of the countless New York galleries that are sure to give her a show. The problem is only one will, and they’re not interested in her art so much as her personal assistant skills.
No glitz, no glam, and definitely none of the money she needs to help her struggling mother finally realize her dream of starting her own business after having sacrificed everything for Veri to go to art school. So when she overhears her new boss discussing the impressive finder’s fee for a lost Van Gogh, Veri takes matters into her own hands. Maybe her own artwork isn’t celebrated, but she knows how to copy what is, and maybe those skills can help lead to a discovery.
But when a famous art dealer takes her under his wing (and his charming driver takes her interest), Veri realizes she’s in deeper than she expected, and quite possibly with the wrong people. With her mother’s dreams and her own future at stake, Veri will have to pull out every trick she can think of to wipe her canvas clean and erase the mess she’s created before she goes down for someone else’s crimes.
Freshly graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, Veridian Sterling is ready to hang her work in any of the countless New York galleries that are sure to give her a show. The problem is only one will, and they’re not interested in her art so much as her personal assistant skills.
No glitz, no glam, and definitely none of the money she needs to help her struggling mother finally realize her dream of starting her own business after having sacrificed everything for Veri to go to art school. So when she overhears her new boss discussing the impressive finder’s fee for a lost Van Gogh, Veri takes matters into her own hands. Maybe her own artwork isn’t celebrated, but she knows how to copy what is, and maybe those skills can help lead to a discovery.
But when a famous art dealer takes her under his wing (and his charming driver takes her interest), Veri realizes she’s in deeper than she expected, and quite possibly with the wrong people. With her mother’s dreams and her own future at stake, Veri will have to pull out every trick she can think of to wipe her canvas clean and erase the mess she’s created before she goes down for someone else’s crimes.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2024
1869 people are currently reading
5881 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Gooch Hummer
3 books131 followersJennifer Gooch Hummer is the award-winning and best-selling author of Veridian Sterling Fakes it, Girl Unmoored, and Operation Tenley.
Jennifer has worked as a script analyst for various talent agencies and major film studios in Los Angeles. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their three daughters.
GIRL UNMOORED has been awarded:
Maine Literary Awards, YA Fiction 2013
Moonbeam Children's Book Awards 2012, YA Fiction Adult Themes.
Reader Views Kids Award Winner, Best Teen/YA Book of the Year, 2012
Reader Views Winner, Best Teen/YA Fiction 2012
Foreword Book of The Year Finalist, YA Fiction 2012
Indie Excellence Awards 2012, Winner Cross-Genre Fiction
Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2012, Winner YA Fiction
USA Book Awards, Finalist Best New Book 2012
USA Book Awards, Finalist Best Cross-over Fiction, 2012
Paris Book Festival Awards 2012, Winner YA Fiction
San Francisco Book Festival Awards 2012, Winner Teenage Fiction.
Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2012, Finalist Chick Lit Fiction
International Book Awards 2012, Finalist Best New Book
International Book Awards 2012, Finalist YA Fiction
Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2012, Best Cover Art
Please visit her at: http://jennifergoochhummer.com/
And her book blog at:
http://allstorygirl.wordpress.com/
Jennifer has worked as a script analyst for various talent agencies and major film studios in Los Angeles. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their three daughters.
GIRL UNMOORED has been awarded:
Maine Literary Awards, YA Fiction 2013
Moonbeam Children's Book Awards 2012, YA Fiction Adult Themes.
Reader Views Kids Award Winner, Best Teen/YA Book of the Year, 2012
Reader Views Winner, Best Teen/YA Fiction 2012
Foreword Book of The Year Finalist, YA Fiction 2012
Indie Excellence Awards 2012, Winner Cross-Genre Fiction
Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2012, Winner YA Fiction
USA Book Awards, Finalist Best New Book 2012
USA Book Awards, Finalist Best Cross-over Fiction, 2012
Paris Book Festival Awards 2012, Winner YA Fiction
San Francisco Book Festival Awards 2012, Winner Teenage Fiction.
Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2012, Finalist Chick Lit Fiction
International Book Awards 2012, Finalist Best New Book
International Book Awards 2012, Finalist YA Fiction
Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2012, Best Cover Art
Please visit her at: http://jennifergoochhummer.com/
And her book blog at:
http://allstorygirl.wordpress.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 449 reviews
June 7, 2024
I didn't hate this book. In its favor, the book is short, so it's a quick read. The New York setting was incredibly lively and felt very intentional. And, in theory, the look into the art world (both the ethical and unethical sides) was interesting. Unfortunately, a lot of the execution just ultimately fell flat.
Veridian was a disappointing main character. It felt like the author was trying too hard to make her interesting to a point that it didn't feel natural. Her name is unique and unusual, she's got a random Augustus Waters-type quirk, and she's awkward in an adorably relatable way! All of that is wonderful, but there wasn't enough substance to back it up. Outside of her designated idiosyncrasies, she was bland and passive and clueless. Other than Veridian, the other characters were either caricatures, boring, or just plot devices.
Character issues could've been managed, but there were a ton of plot issues that really took me out of the story. I love the idea of a somewhat goofy (in a good way), lower-stakes (not murder) mystery, but I don't really think that was intentional. It seemed like I was meant to be stressed for Veridian, but instead it seemed like the author was just unsure what book we were writing.
Conflict only existed because of divine intervention. There were far too many coincidences that had to happen for there to be any sense of tension. We weren't watching Veridian's life play out, we were constructing a storyline for a book. Furthermore, it often felt like Veridian, when faced with conflict, would make things harder for herself every time. Yes, that means there's more happening, but it's ultimately drama for drama's sake. It made the whole book feel inauthentic.
The stakes themselves were unclear at best. Veridian treated everything with the same level of intensity, which doesn't work when one problem is slight personal disappointment and the other is a federal crime. I was often uncertain how seriously I was meant to interpret things. Is she literally going to jail for this? Or is she just being dramatic? I never got a good grip on the potential consequences, which made it a lot harder to care.
Ultimately this also just ... wasn't a mystery. Sure, Veridian didn't know things and there was a little bit of an investigation. But that's how book work. The whole "fake art" thing (which I don't think is a spoiler, it's in the title) was a side plot for the first half, and there was nothing to really solve. There are certain crucial elements that should be included in a mystery that were missing. The premise would've landed better in a different genre.
If you see the genre and read the description of the book, you're going to be expecting the mystery to be the main plot, when it doesn't even really take the stage until the second half. This makes the whole plot and conflict of the first half irrelevant, especially when the "mystery" falls flat on its own. I wish more time had been dedicated to the story I was pitched.
The ending was also unearned. Plots were wrapped up in a technically correct way, but none of it was because of something Veridian did. Things just happened to fall into her lap in the same way the conflict was created in the first place: divine intervention.
This book felt like it had all the technical ability to be good, but the actual execution fell flat. I spent so much of the short read time trying to figure out what was going on that I didn't really have time left to enjoy it. I almost think the idea needed to be sat on a little bit longer to work out all the details.
Veridian was a disappointing main character. It felt like the author was trying too hard to make her interesting to a point that it didn't feel natural. Her name is unique and unusual, she's got a random Augustus Waters-type quirk, and she's awkward in an adorably relatable way! All of that is wonderful, but there wasn't enough substance to back it up. Outside of her designated idiosyncrasies, she was bland and passive and clueless. Other than Veridian, the other characters were either caricatures, boring, or just plot devices.
Character issues could've been managed, but there were a ton of plot issues that really took me out of the story. I love the idea of a somewhat goofy (in a good way), lower-stakes (not murder) mystery, but I don't really think that was intentional. It seemed like I was meant to be stressed for Veridian, but instead it seemed like the author was just unsure what book we were writing.
Conflict only existed because of divine intervention. There were far too many coincidences that had to happen for there to be any sense of tension. We weren't watching Veridian's life play out, we were constructing a storyline for a book. Furthermore, it often felt like Veridian, when faced with conflict, would make things harder for herself every time. Yes, that means there's more happening, but it's ultimately drama for drama's sake. It made the whole book feel inauthentic.
The stakes themselves were unclear at best. Veridian treated everything with the same level of intensity, which doesn't work when one problem is slight personal disappointment and the other is a federal crime. I was often uncertain how seriously I was meant to interpret things. Is she literally going to jail for this? Or is she just being dramatic? I never got a good grip on the potential consequences, which made it a lot harder to care.
Ultimately this also just ... wasn't a mystery. Sure, Veridian didn't know things and there was a little bit of an investigation. But that's how book work. The whole "fake art" thing (which I don't think is a spoiler, it's in the title) was a side plot for the first half, and there was nothing to really solve. There are certain crucial elements that should be included in a mystery that were missing. The premise would've landed better in a different genre.
If you see the genre and read the description of the book, you're going to be expecting the mystery to be the main plot, when it doesn't even really take the stage until the second half. This makes the whole plot and conflict of the first half irrelevant, especially when the "mystery" falls flat on its own. I wish more time had been dedicated to the story I was pitched.
The ending was also unearned. Plots were wrapped up in a technically correct way, but none of it was because of something Veridian did. Things just happened to fall into her lap in the same way the conflict was created in the first place: divine intervention.
This book felt like it had all the technical ability to be good, but the actual execution fell flat. I spent so much of the short read time trying to figure out what was going on that I didn't really have time left to enjoy it. I almost think the idea needed to be sat on a little bit longer to work out all the details.
July 16, 2024
A book about the art world set in New York? Count me in! Unfortunately, it turned out to be more of a disappointment than a delight.
Veridian, the lead character, wasn't exactly the most likable; she came off as another try at portraying that relatable, awkward girl, but it just didn't hit the mark and ended up feeling dull. It's safe to say her only real talent seemed to be weaving lies. None of the characters were interesting or memorable.
While the character issues could have been addressed, it was the numerous plot problems that really pulled me out of the story. I was intrigued by the concept of a light-hearted, lower-stakes mystery, but it felt like that wasn't the author's intention. Instead of feeling the intended tension for Veridian, it seemed like the author was uncertain about the direction of the book. The "fake art" subplot, which is hinted at in the title, was barely touched upon in the first half, leaving little to engage with. Essential elements that make a mystery compelling were missing, and the story might have been more fitting in a different genre. Alison and her boyfriend's storyline? Phoebe and Derek? They both felt like unfinished puzzles that added nothing to the plot. Honestly, we could’ve done without it.
As for the ending, it left me conflicted—was it supposed to be a cliffhanger? Perhaps there's another book in the works?
I won't go into more detail about all the plot holes to avoid spoilers, but the story felt quite random and disjointed. Overall, it was a decent read and somewhat enjoyable, but it's likely something I'll forget about in a few days.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Veridian, the lead character, wasn't exactly the most likable; she came off as another try at portraying that relatable, awkward girl, but it just didn't hit the mark and ended up feeling dull. It's safe to say her only real talent seemed to be weaving lies. None of the characters were interesting or memorable.
While the character issues could have been addressed, it was the numerous plot problems that really pulled me out of the story. I was intrigued by the concept of a light-hearted, lower-stakes mystery, but it felt like that wasn't the author's intention. Instead of feeling the intended tension for Veridian, it seemed like the author was uncertain about the direction of the book. The "fake art" subplot, which is hinted at in the title, was barely touched upon in the first half, leaving little to engage with. Essential elements that make a mystery compelling were missing, and the story might have been more fitting in a different genre. Alison and her boyfriend's storyline? Phoebe and Derek? They both felt like unfinished puzzles that added nothing to the plot. Honestly, we could’ve done without it.
As for the ending, it left me conflicted—was it supposed to be a cliffhanger? Perhaps there's another book in the works?
I won't go into more detail about all the plot holes to avoid spoilers, but the story felt quite random and disjointed. Overall, it was a decent read and somewhat enjoyable, but it's likely something I'll forget about in a few days.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 1, 2024
The author has a very readable, light and fun style - but that doesn't make up for her complete lack of research.
Pretty much everyone in this book mentions that they went to RISD - but there is not a single detail mentioned about the school, what it's like there, what Providence is like - anything.
There's a scene at an auction at Sotheby's, and again - pretty sure the author never attended one.
Also quite sure she never worked at an art gallery or requested a portfolio review.
Equally convinced that she has never worked with law enforcement, nor did she actually look into the world of art forging in preparation for this book.
The protagonist might not the the brightest bulb, but I failed to believe that a college grad would not think to do a quick Google search to find out about the existence of expedited passports - and then, it never comes up in the book that such a thing exists and that she got scammed, either!
Oh, and I'm not even getting into the author's shaky grasp of how NFTs function. (See also: computer databases, &c.)
And to top it off... I expected some kind of explanation for the unconventional spelling of the character's name... but instead, the book mentions - I think, three times - that her name is "the blue-green color." Umm, that's "Viridian" not "Veridian." Did the author and every single editor simply miss that this is not how the color is spelled?
The description of this book made it sound like it was in the vein of Iain Pears' "Art History Mysteries." That whole series is EXCELLENT. Go read those instead.
Pretty much everyone in this book mentions that they went to RISD - but there is not a single detail mentioned about the school, what it's like there, what Providence is like - anything.
There's a scene at an auction at Sotheby's, and again - pretty sure the author never attended one.
Also quite sure she never worked at an art gallery or requested a portfolio review.
Equally convinced that she has never worked with law enforcement, nor did she actually look into the world of art forging in preparation for this book.
The protagonist might not the the brightest bulb, but I failed to believe that a college grad would not think to do a quick Google search to find out about the existence of expedited passports - and then, it never comes up in the book that such a thing exists and that she got scammed, either!
Oh, and I'm not even getting into the author's shaky grasp of how NFTs function. (See also: computer databases, &c.)
And to top it off... I expected some kind of explanation for the unconventional spelling of the character's name... but instead, the book mentions - I think, three times - that her name is "the blue-green color." Umm, that's "Viridian" not "Veridian." Did the author and every single editor simply miss that this is not how the color is spelled?
The description of this book made it sound like it was in the vein of Iain Pears' "Art History Mysteries." That whole series is EXCELLENT. Go read those instead.
July 17, 2024
Do not read this book. I should have rage quit at 60% rather than finish it. Absolute waste of a day trying to finish this. There was no redeeming quality to any of the main or supporting characters. No character development or growth, just static, static, static. The problem of the book was entirely self inflicted by the main character, and she blames it on quite literally everyone else. The resolution was completely unbelievable to the point of being unbearable. At no point did any of it seem plausible. By the end, I wanted to gouge my eyes out. I’ll need to find a way to effectively remove this book from memory. Ugh!!
July 26, 2024
I expected to have fun reading this as I love all things art related. However, this novel felt rushed. I don’t mean in terms of the plot, but process. It seemed to need more of everything from research to editing. I believe there’s possibly a good book beneath, but it simply isn’t developed enough.
The novel itself is a short one, but the pace creeps and it takes until the seventy-five percent mark to find its shaky footing. I didn’t have the heart to DNF an art centered novel and I enjoyed the ending so I’m glad I didn’t quit even though I dragged myself there.
The main character’s name is Veridian after the blue-green color, but that color is spelled Viridian. Basic research…
The novel itself is a short one, but the pace creeps and it takes until the seventy-five percent mark to find its shaky footing. I didn’t have the heart to DNF an art centered novel and I enjoyed the ending so I’m glad I didn’t quit even though I dragged myself there.
The main character’s name is Veridian after the blue-green color, but that color is spelled Viridian. Basic research…
August 1, 2024
Ok so this book was creative but had the potential to be SO MUCH BETTER.
First of all - you can tell this author is a fan of Finlay Donovan is Killing It. The title is so similar, and the main character in this book goes by Veri while the main character in Finaly Donovan goes by Vero. And the plots are similar vibes (although Finaly Donovan does it much better). Too much of a coincidence to be an accident.
I found myself having to suspend my disbelief often for many chapters (passport chapter especially lol). Which I totally understand is necessary in some fictional books but it was almost too much for me to enjoy the story. (I would argue you have to suspend your disbelief for Finlay Donovan as well, but the author writes it well enough that you’re not annoyed about it.)
The plot was interesting, but I found myself trying to connect the dots a lot, and they often didn’t seem connected well enough. Like Allison and her boyfriend? I’m still so confused about where that came from.
I won’t dive deeper into other plot holes because of spoilers, but everything just felt very random and all over the place. I feel like I would have enjoyed it a lot more if the execution was better. But I will say the book was a little engaging. Probably the best book I’ve gotten for free from Amazon First Reads so far. (I’ve set my expectations low for those, so that I’ll be pleasantly surprised when it’s subpar lol.)
Not really a mystery even though it is marketed like that. I would qualify it just as fiction, maybe low stakes crime. I enjoyed reading about the art history and art heists.
Edit two months later (Aug 2024) - I just watched Juno for the first time. If you’ve seen Juno, you know they make her quirky and unique and “not like other girls.” As I was watching it, I noticed she carries a pipe around (but doesn’t smoke it) just for fun. I’ve only seen that in one other form of media - Veridian in this book lol. Must be inspired by Juno lol.
First of all - you can tell this author is a fan of Finlay Donovan is Killing It. The title is so similar, and the main character in this book goes by Veri while the main character in Finaly Donovan goes by Vero. And the plots are similar vibes (although Finaly Donovan does it much better). Too much of a coincidence to be an accident.
I found myself having to suspend my disbelief often for many chapters (passport chapter especially lol). Which I totally understand is necessary in some fictional books but it was almost too much for me to enjoy the story. (I would argue you have to suspend your disbelief for Finlay Donovan as well, but the author writes it well enough that you’re not annoyed about it.)
The plot was interesting, but I found myself trying to connect the dots a lot, and they often didn’t seem connected well enough. Like Allison and her boyfriend? I’m still so confused about where that came from.
I won’t dive deeper into other plot holes because of spoilers, but everything just felt very random and all over the place. I feel like I would have enjoyed it a lot more if the execution was better. But I will say the book was a little engaging. Probably the best book I’ve gotten for free from Amazon First Reads so far. (I’ve set my expectations low for those, so that I’ll be pleasantly surprised when it’s subpar lol.)
Not really a mystery even though it is marketed like that. I would qualify it just as fiction, maybe low stakes crime. I enjoyed reading about the art history and art heists.
Edit two months later (Aug 2024) - I just watched Juno for the first time. If you’ve seen Juno, you know they make her quirky and unique and “not like other girls.” As I was watching it, I noticed she carries a pipe around (but doesn’t smoke it) just for fun. I’ve only seen that in one other form of media - Veridian in this book lol. Must be inspired by Juno lol.
May 19, 2024
Entertaining, escapist fiction from an author I've loved since Girl Unmoored! Aspiring artist Veri is, indeed, a very (pun intended) likeable heroine we can't help but root for, especially as her life becomes increasingly complicated. Being unfamiliar with the art world, I found the references were all still accessible and I learned a bit, too.
As Veri's mercurial boss, Myra's Miranda Priestly-esque presence was ridiculous enough to add constant humor - but not so over-the-top as to be merely a caricature. I wish we'd had more page time with Veri's mother, who stole many of the scenes she was in ... in fact, I'd love a prequel detailing her own years in art school! Tate was giving me Alfie ("Emily in Paris") vibes, and I'd have loved more time with him as well.
A fun, quick and enjoyable read!
As Veri's mercurial boss, Myra's Miranda Priestly-esque presence was ridiculous enough to add constant humor - but not so over-the-top as to be merely a caricature. I wish we'd had more page time with Veri's mother, who stole many of the scenes she was in ... in fact, I'd love a prequel detailing her own years in art school! Tate was giving me Alfie ("Emily in Paris") vibes, and I'd have loved more time with him as well.
A fun, quick and enjoyable read!
July 21, 2024
3.5 - This was a light-hearted, fun sort of mystery that you have to go into knowing that you’re not going to get a lot of depth. The NYC art scene sets a fun vibe and as our talented main character Veridian learns, is also very competitive and unforgiving, no matter your talent.
At only 255 pages this one lacked some serious depth or explanations that would have rooted us in the story better (i.e. tell me more about NFT’s and how they are impacting the art world, and, are there really millionaire forgers?!). And it’s worth mentioning that this one doesn’t wrap up with resolution on some of the key storylines, which doens’t necessarily bother me personally, but I would love to see a book two as Veridian navigates her new normal.
Overall this is a quick one and I do recommend it if you’re looking for something easy and light, just know what you’re going to get.
At only 255 pages this one lacked some serious depth or explanations that would have rooted us in the story better (i.e. tell me more about NFT’s and how they are impacting the art world, and, are there really millionaire forgers?!). And it’s worth mentioning that this one doesn’t wrap up with resolution on some of the key storylines, which doens’t necessarily bother me personally, but I would love to see a book two as Veridian navigates her new normal.
Overall this is a quick one and I do recommend it if you’re looking for something easy and light, just know what you’re going to get.
did-not-finish
November 28, 2025October 2025, DNF at page 55. This one ended up being too much of a mixed bag for me. Veridian and her mother felt like ready-made characters straight out of a sitcom or network movie, and the whole setup echoed a thinner, slightly altered version of The Devil Wears Prada (the movie). On top of that, the writing had a surprisingly juvenile tone that didn’t match what I was hoping for based on the premise.
June 5, 2024
Absolutely delightful- I can't wait for a sequel
I loved everything about this book. The characters were fun and interesting. The storyline was unique and fast paced. The art references and NYC references were right up my alley.
I cannot wait for a sequel. I've found a new favorite author.
I loved everything about this book. The characters were fun and interesting. The storyline was unique and fast paced. The art references and NYC references were right up my alley.
I cannot wait for a sequel. I've found a new favorite author.
July 26, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Veridian Sterling Fakes it
By Jennifer Gooch Hummer
Thank you so much partner @booksparks @wunderbookspr for the gifted copy.
Blurb:
In this colorful and humorous tale, a hopeful young painter finds herself embroiled in the world of art heists...and possibly responsible for the counterfeits needed to cover them up.
✨ My thoughts:
A super fast read! I had a lot of fun reading it. I loved Veridian’s character and found the storyline to be unique and it held my attention throughout the entire thing. When Verdi’s mom was in the story she really stood out and I would have loved to see more of her. With the way the book ended, I wonder if maybe there’s going to be another book because there’s definitely a lot of story left to tell! Overall I enjoyed this story and I’m so happy it was listed on the summer reading challenge for Booksparks #src2024 #GameSetRead. If you’re looking for something fast, fun, and unique, you should really consider giving this one a read. Veridian Sterling Fakes it is out now!
Happy reading 📖 🎨🖌️🖼️
Veridian Sterling Fakes it
By Jennifer Gooch Hummer
Thank you so much partner @booksparks @wunderbookspr for the gifted copy.
Blurb:
In this colorful and humorous tale, a hopeful young painter finds herself embroiled in the world of art heists...and possibly responsible for the counterfeits needed to cover them up.
✨ My thoughts:
A super fast read! I had a lot of fun reading it. I loved Veridian’s character and found the storyline to be unique and it held my attention throughout the entire thing. When Verdi’s mom was in the story she really stood out and I would have loved to see more of her. With the way the book ended, I wonder if maybe there’s going to be another book because there’s definitely a lot of story left to tell! Overall I enjoyed this story and I’m so happy it was listed on the summer reading challenge for Booksparks #src2024 #GameSetRead. If you’re looking for something fast, fun, and unique, you should really consider giving this one a read. Veridian Sterling Fakes it is out now!
Happy reading 📖 🎨🖌️🖼️
October 19, 2024
So excited to read the fall pick for #BookSparksBookClub
A big thank you to @booksparks for sending this book my way. This was a solid read for me, and I really enjoyed every minute of it.
(I just may never look at an art museum the same way again, IYKYK)
Veridian Sterling is a young artist who gets caught up in the world of art heists, and she might just be responsible for covering them up.
Fresh out of art school, Veri dreams of gallery fame, but lands a personal assistant job at a local art gallery instead. With her struggling mom counting on her, Veri overhears a tip about a lost van Gogh and seizes a risky opportunity.
As an art dealer takes her under his wing and a charming driver (ahem, hi Tate) catches her eye, Veri realizes she's in too deep.
Now she must clear the mess before she's blamed for someone else's crime...
A big thank you to @booksparks for sending this book my way. This was a solid read for me, and I really enjoyed every minute of it.
(I just may never look at an art museum the same way again, IYKYK)
Veridian Sterling is a young artist who gets caught up in the world of art heists, and she might just be responsible for covering them up.
Fresh out of art school, Veri dreams of gallery fame, but lands a personal assistant job at a local art gallery instead. With her struggling mom counting on her, Veri overhears a tip about a lost van Gogh and seizes a risky opportunity.
As an art dealer takes her under his wing and a charming driver (ahem, hi Tate) catches her eye, Veri realizes she's in too deep.
Now she must clear the mess before she's blamed for someone else's crime...
July 2, 2024
The art aspect of this book pulled me in!! I really enjoyed the idea of this story plot line. Veridian just graduated art school and is wanting to get her art featured into galleries in New York City. Something that’s not always the easiest to do. She takes a job at a local art gallery and learns about a missing Van Gough piece with a nice reward. This money would help her pay off her school loans and help her mother. Loved the mystery accept of this. It’s light, fun enjoyable read. I really liked Veridian’s character and determination. Emily Lawrence does the audiobook narration. She captures the essence of the story, mystery and makes this a fantastic listen. I loved her ability to change voices and accents to bring in personalities of the characters in this book.
July 4, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! No murder. No sex. Just a twisty turny story about the underground art market.
June 7, 2024
I'm kind of ambivalent about this book. I liked aspects of it, but I don't think the description is very accurate, and that does the book an injustice. I came into this expecting more of a comedic romp, and while there is humor in this book, it wasn't what I expected. I also do not think this in any way qualifies as a mystery or thriller. This review will be kind of spoiler-y, so be forewarned.
My biggest critique is that I think the pacing in this book is way, way off. The description made it sound like Veridian got right into the world of art forgery, but that doesn't happen until pretty far along in the book. I also think the description makes her experience sound more ominous than it is. There is some shady stuff going on here, but she doesn't end up in the kind of peril I anticipated.
I do think there are interesting themes in this book, such as the disconnect between what artists are paid and what their art ends up being worth once/if it hits the mainstream. This is a conversation that truly needs to be had. Imagine how different, say, Jane Austen's life would have been had she received even a fraction of the money that's been made off her work for all these years. Society loves art but sure doesn't like paying artists for the work they produce.
I also liked the relationship between Veridian and her mom and found it quite thoughtful. How much do kids actually know about their parents and the sacrifices their parents make for them? I found the tension in that relationship real and relatable, and I liked that these are complex characters who do both good and bad things, even if the bad things they do are for good reasons.
Overall, though, my feelings about this book are pretty lukewarm.
My biggest critique is that I think the pacing in this book is way, way off. The description made it sound like Veridian got right into the world of art forgery, but that doesn't happen until pretty far along in the book. I also think the description makes her experience sound more ominous than it is. There is some shady stuff going on here, but she doesn't end up in the kind of peril I anticipated.
I do think there are interesting themes in this book, such as the disconnect between what artists are paid and what their art ends up being worth once/if it hits the mainstream. This is a conversation that truly needs to be had. Imagine how different, say, Jane Austen's life would have been had she received even a fraction of the money that's been made off her work for all these years. Society loves art but sure doesn't like paying artists for the work they produce.
I also liked the relationship between Veridian and her mom and found it quite thoughtful. How much do kids actually know about their parents and the sacrifices their parents make for them? I found the tension in that relationship real and relatable, and I liked that these are complex characters who do both good and bad things, even if the bad things they do are for good reasons.
Overall, though, my feelings about this book are pretty lukewarm.
May 8, 2024
Veridian is a recent RISD grad, and hoping to find her way in the art world. Nobody seems interested in giving her a gallery show however, only one would even meet her, and she was more interested in making her a personal assistant. Veridian sucks it up and takes the job, but manages to overhear about a possible Van Gogh that has been missing for years and never been seen. Can Veridian help figure out the mystery behind this painting?
I LOVE books about the art world! Having gone to Savannah College of Art and Design and graduated in the ever so perfect year of 2010, I could totally relate to Veridian’s struggles as a post grad! This book just had everything I love in an art book too! A monster of a boss, art forgery, and the true love of art! There was some craziness for sure, and I loved every second of it! Besides the art aspect, I really enjoyed the family story between Veridian and her mom, and how their secrets came out through the book.
I LOVE books about the art world! Having gone to Savannah College of Art and Design and graduated in the ever so perfect year of 2010, I could totally relate to Veridian’s struggles as a post grad! This book just had everything I love in an art book too! A monster of a boss, art forgery, and the true love of art! There was some craziness for sure, and I loved every second of it! Besides the art aspect, I really enjoyed the family story between Veridian and her mom, and how their secrets came out through the book.
June 8, 2024
Crime-Lite but Fun
Review of the Amazon First Reads Kindle eBook edition (June 1, 2024), released in advance of the official publication by Lake Union Publishing in paperback/eBook & Brilliance Audio audiobook (July 1, 2024)
I went with my gut selection of Veridian Sterling Fakes It for my June 2024 full-length choice of Amazon Prime First Reads. It was the "Mystery" selection. I liked the cover design with its hint of a Van Gogh painting peeking out (I don't recognize it as being from an actual painting, although the swirls in the sky hint at The Starry Night). The plot synopsis hinted at art crime and art forgery. Sign me up!
So it turned out to be pretty lite on the mystery and crime side, verging into cozy territory really. It was still entertaining for the peek into the world of high end art galleries, dealers and auction houses. The art crime and forgery aspect doesn't come into it until very late. The various trivia about artists and specific paintings and art heists from history displayed a considerable of research, which I found especially interesting to retrace.
Gauguin's painting "The Siesta", which becomes the inspiration for the fictional Van Gogh painting "Girl in Yellow on Beach" used as somewhat of a Macguffin in "Veridian Sterling Fakes It." Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Recent art school graduate Veridian Sterling can't find a gallery to display her work and is forced into taking a gallery assistant job from an ex-rival of her mother, who had also been an art student back in the day. Veridian has a talent for copying the masters, but can't get anyone interested in her original work. Various small mysteries occur, some are not even quite resolved or explained by the end, such as:
Why is Veridian making such large bank deposits for her boss even when the gallery seems to have no sales? What is the interest of the high end art dealer and his handsome and dishy (we are told several times) town car driver who regularly maneuver to meet her? Can Veridian find a way to help fulfill her mother's dreams after learning all that she may have sacrificed in the past to help her daughter? Is anyone ever going to ask her to fake a master's original painting? (Spoiler: ).
Most of those questions are answered by the end although it does take a deus ex machina surprise to assist in the resolution. So don't look for any hard and heavy crime & mystery here but a light fun adventure in the art world. A bit of a false advertising accusation may be leveled at the marketing here, but I was still entertained, so 4 stars it is.
Trivia and Links
This is the third novel from Jennifer Hummer. Her earlier books Girl Unmoored (2012) and Operation Tenley (2016) were YA and Middle Grade Fantasy. Veridian Sterling Fakes It does edge into adult fiction territory esp. with some occasional frank sexual references (e.g. I don't recall ever seeing DILF used in a book before 😳).
As mentioned above, the research into the background here was excellent. The references to the still unsolved (as of 2024) 1990 art heist at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin relationship (even the chair paintings Van Gogh's chair (1888) and Gauguin's chair (1888)), the Henri Matisse late-period cut-outs, etc. All well done!
Amazon Prime First Reads advance reading copies (ARCs) are available to Amazon Prime subscribers. They offer advance reads of books in Kindle eBook format one month before the date of official release. The current month's selection is available here (Link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
Review of the Amazon First Reads Kindle eBook edition (June 1, 2024), released in advance of the official publication by Lake Union Publishing in paperback/eBook & Brilliance Audio audiobook (July 1, 2024)
Buy any old painting from the eighteenth century done by some poor sucker that never made it, strip the paint, cover the canvas with gesso made from boiled rabbit skin, then sand it down, apply white paint, leaded but still available in Europe, and you got yourself an authentic canvas.
I went with my gut selection of Veridian Sterling Fakes It for my June 2024 full-length choice of Amazon Prime First Reads. It was the "Mystery" selection. I liked the cover design with its hint of a Van Gogh painting peeking out (I don't recognize it as being from an actual painting, although the swirls in the sky hint at The Starry Night). The plot synopsis hinted at art crime and art forgery. Sign me up!
So it turned out to be pretty lite on the mystery and crime side, verging into cozy territory really. It was still entertaining for the peek into the world of high end art galleries, dealers and auction houses. The art crime and forgery aspect doesn't come into it until very late. The various trivia about artists and specific paintings and art heists from history displayed a considerable of research, which I found especially interesting to retrace.
Gauguin's painting "The Siesta", which becomes the inspiration for the fictional Van Gogh painting "Girl in Yellow on Beach" used as somewhat of a Macguffin in "Veridian Sterling Fakes It." Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Recent art school graduate Veridian Sterling can't find a gallery to display her work and is forced into taking a gallery assistant job from an ex-rival of her mother, who had also been an art student back in the day. Veridian has a talent for copying the masters, but can't get anyone interested in her original work. Various small mysteries occur, some are not even quite resolved or explained by the end, such as:
Why is Veridian making such large bank deposits for her boss even when the gallery seems to have no sales? What is the interest of the high end art dealer and his handsome and dishy (we are told several times) town car driver who regularly maneuver to meet her? Can Veridian find a way to help fulfill her mother's dreams after learning all that she may have sacrificed in the past to help her daughter? Is anyone ever going to ask her to fake a master's original painting? (Spoiler: ).
Most of those questions are answered by the end although it does take a deus ex machina surprise to assist in the resolution. So don't look for any hard and heavy crime & mystery here but a light fun adventure in the art world. A bit of a false advertising accusation may be leveled at the marketing here, but I was still entertained, so 4 stars it is.
Trivia and Links
This is the third novel from Jennifer Hummer. Her earlier books Girl Unmoored (2012) and Operation Tenley (2016) were YA and Middle Grade Fantasy. Veridian Sterling Fakes It does edge into adult fiction territory esp. with some occasional frank sexual references (e.g. I don't recall ever seeing DILF used in a book before 😳).
As mentioned above, the research into the background here was excellent. The references to the still unsolved (as of 2024) 1990 art heist at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin relationship (even the chair paintings Van Gogh's chair (1888) and Gauguin's chair (1888)), the Henri Matisse late-period cut-outs, etc. All well done!
Amazon Prime First Reads advance reading copies (ARCs) are available to Amazon Prime subscribers. They offer advance reads of books in Kindle eBook format one month before the date of official release. The current month's selection is available here (Link goes to Amazon US, adjust for your own country or region).
June 3, 2024
June 2024
Kindle edition
Amazon first reads
Out of the June selection, this was the one that caught my eye. Gotta love the art forgery ones. It's slow going, Veri was a jealous, bitter character after fame and fortune, as well as a little spoilt. Things don't exactly speed up, but appear entangled with little way out. Veri gets a job with her mother's old roommate. From there its lies and deception, along with a touch of romance. The father thing was predictable. I didn't believe the FBI thing for a moment and I didn't at the end. I'm hoping he is who he says they are and when he does find out the truth, he won't shut her down.
I liked that Veri got what she wanted in the end, but not the things she did to get there. She never admitted things either. She was found out with the NFT and lied to her mother to cover the theft. Allison was a nice actress, but too indecisive with plans. Not exactly White Collar but an entertaining read.
Kindle edition
Amazon first reads
Out of the June selection, this was the one that caught my eye. Gotta love the art forgery ones. It's slow going, Veri was a jealous, bitter character after fame and fortune, as well as a little spoilt. Things don't exactly speed up, but appear entangled with little way out. Veri gets a job with her mother's old roommate. From there its lies and deception, along with a touch of romance. The father thing was predictable. I didn't believe the FBI thing for a moment and I didn't at the end. I'm hoping he is who he says they are and when he does find out the truth, he won't shut her down.
I liked that Veri got what she wanted in the end, but not the things she did to get there. She never admitted things either. She was found out with the NFT and lied to her mother to cover the theft. Allison was a nice actress, but too indecisive with plans. Not exactly White Collar but an entertaining read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2024
"𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒆, 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔…𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒖𝒑.
First and foremost I have to give a HUGE GIGANTIC shout out to @booksparks for this opportunity for my family book club - The Fireside Book Club, which we have had for over 20 years and spans over 3 generations of women - to read this as our November Book Club book.
Not only did they send a book for each member of the book club - but they also sent so many amazing goodies for us to get in the spirit of the novel. We cannot wait to do an art project together now that we have all read the book - thanks to the amazing supplies they sent us!
We are humbled and grateful for this and had an amazing time reading and discussing this book!
I personally would say this is a Findlay Donovan or Dial A for Aunties style book - set in the art world. It's over the top in all the best ways - with a fun, quirky main character who gets herself caught up in some crazy situations! It was fun, entertaining, the art world setting was super interesting, and definitely a fun one to discuss with others! I was able to sit and devour this one in a weekend! It wasn't my favorite book by any means but I enjoyed it while I read it.
Overall - the book club agreed that it was enjoyable but possibly forgettable.
I am thinking - like the books I compared it to - that this might be a series??? Is there a sequel in Veridian's future @jenniferghummerwrites ???
First and foremost I have to give a HUGE GIGANTIC shout out to @booksparks for this opportunity for my family book club - The Fireside Book Club, which we have had for over 20 years and spans over 3 generations of women - to read this as our November Book Club book.
Not only did they send a book for each member of the book club - but they also sent so many amazing goodies for us to get in the spirit of the novel. We cannot wait to do an art project together now that we have all read the book - thanks to the amazing supplies they sent us!
We are humbled and grateful for this and had an amazing time reading and discussing this book!
I personally would say this is a Findlay Donovan or Dial A for Aunties style book - set in the art world. It's over the top in all the best ways - with a fun, quirky main character who gets herself caught up in some crazy situations! It was fun, entertaining, the art world setting was super interesting, and definitely a fun one to discuss with others! I was able to sit and devour this one in a weekend! It wasn't my favorite book by any means but I enjoyed it while I read it.
Overall - the book club agreed that it was enjoyable but possibly forgettable.
I am thinking - like the books I compared it to - that this might be a series??? Is there a sequel in Veridian's future @jenniferghummerwrites ???
November 7, 2025
not boring, but I was constantly thinking that nobody would behave like any of these characters
August 2, 2024
Cuter then I expected it to be - made more enjoyable that it's set in NYC and I read part of it while I was vising the city.
Read
July 25, 2024I am always a huge fan of books that center around art so this thriller book with humor weaved in and out, was a real winner for me!
Narrator was excellent, one of the best I've listened to in a long time.
So Veridian is a fresh out of art school artist and she wants her work hung in art galleries and on walls of patrons. Trouble is, her work isn't something anyone is interested in but when an art gallery offers her a job answering the phones, its better than nothing. When an art dealer takes a shine to her, she gets caught in a riptide of underground art and now she doesn't know which way to turn.
It was brillaint. I loved the characters and the plot! It was absolutely brilliant!
I loved how it ended too and all the little twists we got along the way made for a really riveting read!
5 stars
Narrator was excellent, one of the best I've listened to in a long time.
So Veridian is a fresh out of art school artist and she wants her work hung in art galleries and on walls of patrons. Trouble is, her work isn't something anyone is interested in but when an art gallery offers her a job answering the phones, its better than nothing. When an art dealer takes a shine to her, she gets caught in a riptide of underground art and now she doesn't know which way to turn.
It was brillaint. I loved the characters and the plot! It was absolutely brilliant!
I loved how it ended too and all the little twists we got along the way made for a really riveting read!
5 stars
July 18, 2024
A young woman gets caught up in the world of art forging duplicates. Very interesting with humor and twists and turns. I liked the characters and the story flowed nicely.
July 8, 2024
Great book!
I love this book! The characters are great and the story is very interesting, it keeps one reading. This taught me about another side of art.
I love this book! The characters are great and the story is very interesting, it keeps one reading. This taught me about another side of art.
June 16, 2024
If you want to read a book with no plot and no interesting characters, read this one!
June 23, 2024
This book was so fun! A light read with lots of surprises. I felt like I never knew what would happen next but couldn’t wait to find out! The storyline and characters are creative and fresh. Definitely felt like some decent research went into it too, which I was pleasantly surprised by! The taste of art history, thefts and various behind the scenes info of the art world were so interesting! I wish there was an “author’s note” at the end to provide a little more info regarding how much was based on truth vs fiction for those of us not in the know.
Absolutely one of my favorite Amazon First Reads ever. (June 2024). I’ll definitely pick up this authors next book and/or a sequel!
Absolutely one of my favorite Amazon First Reads ever. (June 2024). I’ll definitely pick up this authors next book and/or a sequel!
June 28, 2024
This was really unique. I definitely enjoyed it and will look for other books by the author. The ending felt a bit deus ex machina but it was still enjoyable and I didn't hate it.
June 16, 2024
Maybe one of my favorite books this year. An Amazon Prime first read that I just loved! Recently graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, the daughter of another artist, Viridian has enormous talent on her own and in copying the Old Masters (what better way to learn technique?). Unfortunately, she has been unable to convince a gallery to give her a showing of her original paintings. She inadvertently gets involved in the world of art forgery and heists when an unscrupulous art dealer spies her canvass of a Van Gogh. The author takes you on a ride through the New York art scene, and I learned so much about art auctions, forgeries and heists from museums. Viridian's relationship with her mother was fraught when she learned her mother had taken out massive loans to put her through college especially after she had been told she had received a full-ride scholarship. What will Veri do to make it up to her mother? Worth reading to find out!
June 4, 2024
a different look at the art world
A light and enjoyable read on a not-so-light topic. The last few years have produced some great novels about the seamier side of the art world - Horse by Geraldine Brooks, for example, and both Attribution and Five Days in Bogota by Linda Moore. Jennifer Gooch Hummer has a different take, with a very young and naive protagonist who quickly learns many things that weren’t included in her art school curriculum. The author has drawn a wide range of interesting characters (with some great nicknames) and has constructed an engrossing plot. And the title and cover are perfect.
A light and enjoyable read on a not-so-light topic. The last few years have produced some great novels about the seamier side of the art world - Horse by Geraldine Brooks, for example, and both Attribution and Five Days in Bogota by Linda Moore. Jennifer Gooch Hummer has a different take, with a very young and naive protagonist who quickly learns many things that weren’t included in her art school curriculum. The author has drawn a wide range of interesting characters (with some great nicknames) and has constructed an engrossing plot. And the title and cover are perfect.
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