The House of My Mother

A Daughter's Quest for Freedom

De: Shari Franke

Narrado por: Shari Franke

From eldest daughter Shari Franke, the shocking true story behind the viral 8 Passengers family vlog 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.

©2025 Shari Franke (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

Beautifully written and devastatingly relatable

First, the book is well written, laid out, and respectful. And sadly, heartbreakingly relatable for me. I don’t think I have ever taken so many notes in a book before, marking little insights or tidbits I’d like to reflect upon more later. Although not LDS I did grow up in another closed, conservative Christian denomination, and related intensely to the cultural norms and expectations Shari experienced. All while balancing a two pronged existence with an abusive mother: one that looks perfect for the public, and the unpredictable fear and chaos of the ‘real’ one. I hope writing this out was cathartic and healing for her, and wish her only the good life has to offer.

Wow

For anyone who thinks they have had a dysfunctional childhood this is the book to listen to. Very well told, not overly sentimental. It shows the effects of religion and cults on families.

Captivating and Moving

I followed this family during their vlogging years. I was so devastated to learn what happened to their youngest children at the time of Ruby's arrest. I was so eager to read Shari's account of her upbringing as I was I proud to watch her navigate such a horrific situation. She is, without a doubt, a beautiful writer. I couldn't stop listening because I was captivated by each part of the story. I was inspired by Shari's resilience. I was moved by her tenacity to keep fighting for herself and her siblings. I was touched by her forgiveness of her father. I was also enlightened and motivated to examine my own parenting practices and to think about my own five children- their emotions, their preferences, and their gifts. I highly recommend this read!

Shari’s story is worth telling!

I loved this insightful story. Shari sounds like a brave young woman with a great head on her shoulders. My only gentle criticism would be that she is still building up the LDS church as a purely positive influence in this story, when in reality, Jodi was recommended by the LDS church, and she was on an official list of approved LDS therapists. She had a history of doing this before and the church knowingly silenced anyone complaining about her. This is documented in court cases. There was a chance to stop Jodi over a decade ago, but the church chose to support her instead. This story is deeply intertwined with LDS faith and culture, for better and for worse, and I hope someday Shari dan find peace with that and move forward.

Couldn’t put it down.

Easily one of the best reads I’ve had. I am very proud of Shari and I admire her strength so much. I will be purchasing a hardcopy as well. Shari if you’re reading these reviews, thank you for sharing your story with us and good luck in the future! We are your supporters.

Amazing story

I remember when the drama started with the chad bedroom thing. I never watched their vlogs but watched the abuse allegations and confirmation unfold. So disheartening to hear Sheri’s account.

Incredible is an understatement!

This was the most incredible book I’ve ever read. Sheri is so brave and writing this book shows how incredibly strong she is. I was genuinely glued to this book from the second I started it. Coming from someone who used to watch the channel (of course before everything happened) I found this the most informative and eye opening perfection of a book. Sheri explains everything so elegantly yet with so much emotion it’s palpable. I honestly am going to have to listen to it again to fully comprehend all that happened and of course because it is just amazing. I hope she realizes that she is a hero and the fact she was able to withstand all that she went through shows her incredible willpower and courage. 100/10 would recommend.

Raw and truthful.

Thank you Shari. This is an important story to tell. I appreciate your vulnerability. Wishing you the best life.

Heartbreaking story

Shari Franke does a wonderful job detailing the hell on earth she experienced created by her mother Ruby Franke. Although I gasped aloud several times and groaned from the heartbreaking parts of the story, it was so good to know that although there is much more work to be done, the Franke family is healing. Shari is an incredibly strong and brave woman.

Incredible!!

So well written and read by the author! Her story is a sad one, but she’s so brave to break the code of silence that is so common in the LDS community. Well worth your time!