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The House of My Mother

A Daughter's Quest for Freedom

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The House of My Mother

Written by: Shari Franke
Narrated by: Shari Franke
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About this listen

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
Religious Religious Studies Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking

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Amazing read!!!

Finished this book faster than any other book I have ever read. My heart is left so heavy though, after years of watching the 8p YouTube channel it is still crazy to think this was the bts. This book made me truly think about the perspectives of those I had been watching for years on YouTube. I will definitely think twice about who I am watching/supporting online now. Overall this book is a great conversation starter about consent online, I truly think everyone should get a chance to read/listen to it.

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Very eye-opening and ABSOLUTELY worth the read.

I was a former viewer of the 8 Passengers channel. At the time, I didn't understand what was really happening behind the scenes. Most of the time I didn't like Ruby's parenting techniques cuz they seemed very strict to me and you could see the fear in their innocent children's eyes and how they helped each other to reduce the tension. I think that's what I liked most about this channel: the siblinghood. Discovering all the damage and pain these children have gone through breaks my heart. I am so proud of Shari for making her voice be heard and telling her story. I'm so glad She finds her way to fulling of healing and the wonderful people helped her in her path.
Her bravery, intelligence, and resilience is truly astounding. In her words you will find an incredible young writer who clearly articulating all that she endured with a lack of rancor. Clearly, she shows the highly intelligent that was developed in her therapy session.
Highly recommend this read: a testament to the strength. I wish her and her sibilings all the best in this life! And hope she continues her path of writing and shares her writing skills with the world.

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So inspiring!

Shari! you are so strong and inspiring you’ll make an amazing mother some day! i’m sorry you and your family went through that!

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The past behind and the future bright

Such a well written book that describes facts and feelings interwoven to reach the mind and hearts of others. My hope is that this book completes a path for Shari that puts her life in-front of others now on the shelf. I hope, that this closes the door on other’s gawking and judgement. I hope that this brings her peace and determination to now stay in the shadows of the world and to embrace her quiet and private sunshine. Blessings to you Shari. Thank you for your strength of character and courage to speak truth. I also hope that others will consider what kind of content we consume.

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Strength and recovery

I never followed the channel, nor even heard of the Franke family before R and E was rescued from Jodi’s clutches. The emotion that was held in for so many years was so strong and intense that it came across in carefully chosen words. Hearing them in Shari’s own voice made the entire book even more impactful. I wish I knew more, and that Shari was able to share more, but I respect her decision to not engage in public engagements because she’s entitled to her own private life and space.

Shari, if you see this: I want to thank you for being so candid, not shying away from sharing your darkest secrets with us. Through your words, I now know how hard it is for you to be so public, especially after the traumatic experience with publicity you had growing up. I pray that you continue to grow and become the best person you can be in God’s loving arms, and continue to be surrounded by people you trust and love in return. God bless you and yours.

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Unimaginable..

Memoirs/autobiographies automatically get 5⭐️
If you remember the Ruby Franke child abuse case, I highly recommend listening to this book.
Shari is brave for choosing love, growth and healing despite the horror she and her siblings went through.

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Amazing Book

I was sick earlier and I don’t fall asleep very well without sound, so I decided to turn this audio book on. When I was dosing off I could hear it and it was a very intriguing story. When I woke up I continued to listen and I loved it, but I wanted to listen to the parts I missed while I was asleep so I turned it on for a second time and listened to the whole book again. Even the parts I had already heard 3 times because of tiktok and the last 3 hours I had already listened to when I woke up. I used to watch them when I was a child and knowing the whole backstory to the things we never heard or seen, that they kept off camera makes all their videos on youtube make so much more sense and you can really see the signs of the abuse happing behind closed doors when you think back on their videos. Highly recommend, especially if you used to watch them!

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Very well written! I listened to the whole book in one sitting ❤️

This was the best book I've read/ listened to in a long time. Shari was so brave in sharing her story and the book was written sooooo incredibly well!

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the house of my mother

What an amazing book loved listening to it and I had to reread it again that’s how good it is

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Endlessly Courageous

In this shocking story of resilience and courage, I found myself proud of the amazing woman who fought through all barriers to overcome her upbringing.

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