The House of My Mother, Shari Franke
The House of My Mother, Shari Franke
27 Rating(s)
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.20
Club: $9.99

The House of My Mother
A Daughter's Quest for Freedom

Bestseller

Author: Shari Franke

Narrator: Shari Franke

Unabridged: 7 hr 9 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/07/2025


Synopsis

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“Heart-wrenchingly personal…dizzying.” —Rolling Stone

From eldest daughter Shari Franke, the shocking true story behind the viral 8 Passengers family vlog—now the subject of a new Hulu docuseries—and the hidden abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, and how, in the face of unimaginable pain, she found freedom and healing.

Shari Franke’s childhood was a constant battle for survival. Her mother, Ruby Franke, enforced a severe moral code while maintaining a façade of a picture-perfect family for their wildly popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers, which documented the day-to-day life of raising six children for a staggering 2.5 million subscribers. But a darker truth lurked beneath the surface—Ruby’s wholesome online persona masked a more tyrannical parenting style than anyone could have imagined.

As the family’s YouTube notoriety grew, so too did Ruby’s delusions of righteousness. Fueled by the sadistic influence of relationship coach Jodi Hildebrandt, together they implemented an inhumane and merciless disciplinary regime.

Ruby and Jodi were arrested in Utah in 2023 on multiple charges of aggravated child abuse. On that fateful day, Shari shared a photo online of a police car outside their home. Her caption had one word: “Finally.”

For the first time, Shari will reveal the disturbing truth behind 8 Passengers and her family’s devastating involvement with Jodi Hildebrandt’s cultish life coaching program, “ConneXions.” No stone is left unturned as Shari exposes the perils of influencer culture and shares for the first time her battle for truth and survival in the face of her mother’s cruelty.

About Shari Franke

Shari Franke is a vibrant content creator, storyteller, and advocate for authenticity in the digital space. Known for her engaging and relatable personality, she first gained recognition through her family's YouTube channel before branching out to carve her own path. Shari combines her passion for creativity and personal growth to inspire others to embrace their individuality. With a love for sharing life lessons, adventures, and everyday moments, she continues to build a community centered on positivity and self-expression. When she's not creating, Shari enjoys exploring the outdoors, experimenting with new hobbies, and connecting with others on a meaningful level. She is currently a student at Brigham Young University.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Brady on February 06, 2025

SO impactful and important! This is exactly why i am so anti family vlog channels and any social media pages that use children for some type of income, before they are mature enough to understand what they are signing up for. this quote from chapter 48 stuck out to me the most: “I wondered how the p......more

Goodreads review by Gabby on January 07, 2025

fuck mommy bloggers......more

Goodreads review by avery on January 07, 2025

UPDATE: I am SO GLAD Shari finally got to tell her story, without news outlets and social media exploiting her family. This had me in tears, my heart was racing for her. She is stronger than I could ever hope to be. I hope anyone who reads this can learn the patterns of abuse, that Shari lays out in......more

Goodreads review by Haley Jean on January 21, 2025

rating based on my personal reading experience as someone who was raised LDS and grew up in the same hometown as Ruby, this was as harrowing as it was relatable. homophobia, abuse, grooming, manipulation, and coercion all under the guise of being sweet little mormons? sounds about right!! this book w......more

Goodreads review by Emma Griffioen on January 12, 2025

"In the end, ConneXions didn't change Ruby's tactics, it just gave her a manual to refine them." This was so unbelievably heartbreaking. I'll post my full review in the morning!......more