The House of My Mother by Shari Franke

 genre: memoir

Despite the glossy image that Shari's mom posted on her YouTube Vlog "8 Passengers," Shari was not living in the perfect family. Actually, from her perspective, it was quite the opposite. Shari's perfectionist mother Ruby Franke didn't only expect perfection in the videos she posted online, she expected it from every member of her family, with the consequences for any misstep only increasing as their fame increased. When things really went off the hinge, though? When Ruby met and became enamored with the enigmatic "therapist" and life coach Jodi Hildebrande. From here, Shari's story went from being upsetting to being a genuine tragedy.

I'd already seen some about this story, while only glossing the surface. When a friend told me there was a documentary now and then I saw that Shari had written a book, I decided to start learning more by hearing what happened in the words of the eldest daughter who'd lived it. It's very readable, not juvenile but not particularly literary either. It's all still quite raw for her, you can tell.  It was hard to see the way her faith and how her religion was taught to her growing up, led to some serious mental and emotional consequences. That brought up some feelings in myself, having been raised in the same faith. And that Jodi? What a piece of work. Mostly, I just felt so sorry for the way Shari was raised in such an emotionally abusive home. I wish for her to have peace and for her younger siblings to get the help they need to feel safe again.