“The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom” by Shari Franke

One afternoon about two weeks ago, the weather was really yucky, and I was in a true crime television mood.  I turned on a new Hulu docuseries, "Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke," on Hulu and watched all three episodes in one fell swoop. It is about a family of famous YouTubers whose viral vlog, called "8 Passengers" as a nod to their large family, had once been a wholesome internet sensation – that is until the mother was exposed and sent to prison for abusing her kids. The oldest Franke daughter, Shari, has just released a memoir documenting her side of the harrowing tale. I had to read it right away.

It is, at once, heartbreaking and awe-inspiring, recounting what life was like growing up as a famous social media influencer with some very dark secrets. Shari'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 her battle for truth and survival for the first time in the face of her mother's cruelty.

This book is not for everyone, as it contains graphic descriptions of physical and emotional abuse, extreme religion, narcissism, and cultish behavior. That being said, "The House of My Mother" is an eye-opening look at what growing up in the public eye – and under the watchful eyes of an abusive mother - looked like for the Franke children. I don't want to spoil anything, but let's just say that I'm not convinced that some of the players in this story weren't more aware of what was going on than they say they were – so whether you watch the docuseries or grab Shari's book, don't forget to pop over to @allison.the.reader on Instagram and let's discuss.