The House of My Mother

"I want to start by saying that I don’t take lightly the trauma and abuse that the author and her siblings endured. What they went through—at the hands of their mother, Ruby, and Jodi, as well as the emotional absence of their father—is heartbreaking. No child should ever experience what they did. I truly hope the author finds healing, stability, and peace.<br/><br/>That said, this book felt premature and emotionally disconnected. As a reader—and listener to the audiobook—I found that it lacked the introspection and self-awareness typically expected in a memoir of this nature. It felt more like a recitation than a reflection. The narration sounded scripted and flat, and phrases like “mic drop” came off awkward and misplaced. There was a lack of genuine emotional depth, which made it hard to connect to her story—even though I went in wanting to empathize.<br/><br/>I also struggled with the way the book avoided engaging deeply with the core issues. While the sexual abuse revelation was new and painful, much of the rest felt like a retelling of things we already learned from the public coverage. For someone choosing to share such a personal story, the memoir felt both overly guarded and surface-level. If the goal was privacy, I question whether a memoir was the right medium at this time.<br/><br/>Furthermore, I believe the author is still very much influenced by the same belief systems—both religious and ideological—that shaped her trauma. That’s not a fault of hers, but it’s something that made the memoir feel unresolved and, at times, contradictory. She still seems to carry an undertone of elitism and a lack of full awareness about the role systems like LDS culture and Jodi’s teachings played in what happened. It felt like she hasn’t yet unpacked or deconstructed those influences, which made the narrative feel incomplete.<br/><br/>The way she spoke about her siblings—especially her brother—also felt condescending at times. <br/><br/>Lastly, I couldn’t help but feel that publishing this memoir so soon risks echoing the very dynamic she critiques: the exploitation of personal trauma for public consumption. <br/><br/>I believe the author has a story worth telling. But I also believe that time, healing, and deeper self-reflection would have made a world of difference. This didn’t feel like a memoir written from a place of growth or peace. It felt like a raw wound—understandable, but perhaps not ready to be shared with the world just yet."

"Sad, true story of abuse and trauma in a Utah family. Like a lot of the “celebrity” or “influencer” books, I had zero idea who any of these people were, but they were apparently famous YouTubers. The book is in the same vein as If You Tell, although not as insane. But it’s also very vague on details, which the author says is on purpose. It does take away from the story and your ability to understand the depths of what is happening."

"There are some really sick parents out there. Praying the kids can recover from such psychological turmoil. Shari, you are so strong!!"

"Heartbreaking. "

"The way she tells her story is amazing. The strength that took is absolutely awesome. You definitely a role model for me showing me how even in the darkest of times with the right dedication you can work for it to be better! 100% recommend you all to read this book and hear her story!!!"

"I have never read a book this fast. I was a returning fan of the family channel and never knew what was going on (even with the hidden abuse on camera). This book is an eye opener to me about many things (not just the abuse itself); faith, courage, and the wrong of family vlogging. I recommend this book 100%"

"I have A LOT of thoughts. <br/>All I’m going to say here is this: I have a feeling we are going to see more books like this soon from the children of “content creators”."

"1 Shari is an incredible writer. <p> 2 I hope her mother and Jodi rot in jail. <p> 3 I hope her siblings heal and live very happy, loving lives. <p> 4 Jodi and Ruby were ******* each other. <p> Ruby...Ruby, Ruby, Ruby. You were both women of god... <p><img src="https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExczVoNDZkNmhxb3hlaGkwd2Y0cW05a3FqZWkwdGxnMnk2MHMxbjF0ZCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/Fck6m7UVbUQhecDalo/giphy.gif"/> <p> You didn't have to lock your youngest children in a basement. You just had to get a divorce. <p> <img src="https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExbTRtZ3RpOHB5ZWl5MjhpbWZtMjMyeG5jcDllbHU4dzRpbnJ4ZjZpYSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/52FmnokM0kfcgFb5fq/giphy.gif"/> <p> Anyways, I am so glad your daughter was brave enough to speak out, but also I am so glad she was able to expose every single pathetic little lie of yours. I hope someone sends you letters in jail to let you know we are LAUGHING OUT LOUD, and praying for your kids, something you were not capable of doing yourself. <p> <img src="https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExOXV5dGprZjNtZGlueHR1cmx4cWFxOHlqZDdjd3Nic2FkODg2eDNlMyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/26ybuI7f7uI6Y7Uqc/giphy.gif"/> <p> PS: If what I said made no sense to you, google 8 PASSENGERS. The Utah Mormon Mommy vlogger who was arrested in 2023 for child abuse. She also ruined her children's life after she involved herself with a cult leader, con-woman named Jodi. I am unbelievably impressed at Shari's ability to rise from the ashes, to heal as a woman from what was done to her as a child, to still speak of her mother with kindness but HONESTY. And I am so proud of her for the work she has been doing to defend children in social media spaces. Children can't consent to being filmed, they shouldn't be your little money making machine. <p> If you liked I am Glad My Mother Died, you will also love this one."

"Wow. Just wow"

"Eye-opening. Society has finally arrived at the place where the children of these vloggers and families who exploit their kids can move the curtain and show us what it was like for them behind the cameras and without the veil of editing. "