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Goodness! What a book....4.5

What Worked:The House of My Mother was an unexpected read. To be honest, I forgot that this book was even releasing this year, but I wanted to make sure I got to it this month. There isn't much that I can say about this book that Shari doesn't say for herself. I knew a little bit about the family based on information that was in the media regarding the case. However, I don't think that I realized what these kids experienced at the hands of someone who was supposed to be a provider and nurturer. And based on what I've learned about the laws in Utah, I highly doubt that Ruby will serve enough time to fit the crime.

This isn't the last book that we're going to see from kids of "mommy vloggers" or "family vloggers." Exploiting children for money and fame has detrimental consequences and the children who are forced to endure this abuse will not remain silent forever. It takes a certain type of strength to relive that trauma and expose it to the world in the hope that you gain control of the narrative. I hope that Shari gains some peace from this and is able to move forward with her life. While I do think that she has some reckoning to do with her church, especially as it pertains to abuse, this was a personal journey that Shari needed to take without the assistance or influence of anyone else. I was particularly proud of her for not sharing the stories of her siblings as she felt that was their own story to tell. Exploiting their experiences with abuse for this book would make her no different than Ruby.

Overall, this was an impactful and powerful read. Shari did an excellent job writing this book.