The House of My Mother

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.

• The House of My Mother by Shari Franke
• Published: Simon & Schuster Audio on January 7, 2025
• Genre: Memoir, biography
• Listening length: 7 hours 9 minutes
• Dates listened: 12.26.25 – 12.28.25
• Format: Audiobook
• Narrator: Shair Franke
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• ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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I knew absolutely nothing about the Franke family, Jodi Hildebrandt, or 8 Passengers on YouTube (YT) when I picked this book. I had just made note of all of the Goodreads nominees and winners for 2025, and this was the winner for Readers’ Favorite Memoir of 2025. Likely because many people were already familiar with the family via YT. Admittedly, I was definitely not in the demographic for that channel. I would never have had any interest in watching a Mormon family with 6 kids living in Utah lol.

But wow, what a horrible tale. My heart broke for the author and her family. I loved how Shari told her story, and so brave to do it in her own voice! She told her story honestly, poignantly, beautifully, and rawly. I am in awe of her bravery. She writes well beyond her years, and that may be because daily journaling is encouraged in the Mormon faith. So she’s likely been writing her entire life, and it showed.

I noticed that she never referred to her father or her mother as “mom” or “dad”. It was always Kevin or Ruby, and that is a powerful statement in and of itself. I read someone’s review that said that they wished she hadn’t done that, and that blows my mind! Why? Why should she give them the honor? By not calling them ‘mom’ or ‘dad,’ it takes some of her power back from them. It takes way more than just genes to be a mother or father, and if you abuse your parental power, or you’re just a shitty parent, you no longer have the right to be rewarded with that title. I said what I said. You learn through her story that she now calls another woman and man ‘mom and dad’, because they cared for her and helped her when her own parents wouldn’t. So I totally understand why she refers to them as Kevin and Ruby. You go, girl!

Sometimes, family isn’t just what you’re born into—it’s also what you build in the aftermath of loss.

I imagine that most people who will be drawn to read this book are people who know about the family and what happened. Maybe the followers of their YT page, or those who saw everything on the news when Ruby and Jodi were finally arrested. So if you’re looking for some juicy, inside details about what led to their arrest, or about what was really going on inside that house, you’ll probably be disappointed. This was Shari’s story. She was very respectful to her younger siblings in that she did not share anything about the things that were done to them, and she never even used their names. I admire her for that. They are still minors, and they’re still healing. This book wasn’t about them. They have their own stories to tell, and they will tell them if and when the time is right. For THEM!

Shari knows that with over 2 million followers following their family on their YT page, people are curious. People want to know what was going on when the cameras weren’t rolling. And in this Memoir, she shares her side of the story. While I don’t in any way want to make it sound like Shari didn’t have it that bad, because she definitely did suffer in her own way, it seems to me that maybe the trauma Shari suffered through was more emotional and mental abuse by Ruby. Ruby was already a horrible, evil mother, but by the time Jodi came along and helped Ruby realize her full evil potential, Shari and the older brother Chad were teenagers. It sounds to me as if the younger children were the ones who suffered from physical abuse as well, but I could be totally wrong. Shari just didn’t seem to mention any that I can recall. Not that it matters in any way. Abuse is abuse. Period!

I thought that this was a beautiful Memoir, even though it was sad. I don’t even know Shari, but I am immensely proud of her for telling her story, and so proud of the kind of person she’s grown into. This isn’t just a true crime story about the dangers of cults and overzealous religious beliefs. It’s a warning about how crazy social media can get, and how it can destroy your privacy and your life. It’s also a beautiful tale of forgiveness and growth, and proof that there is hope and love following trauma. I truly hope that Shari continues to heal and accomplish amazing things in her life. I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of her just yet. She has so much to offer the world, and I hope she achieves all of her dreams.