9 Books to Read After Bingeing The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

In Bad Mormon, Heather Gay, star of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, shares her bold journey of leaving the Mormon Church and finding unexpected success in business, TV, and single motherhood. Raised in a devout Mormon family, Heather followed the faith’s expectations, attending BYU, serving a mission, and marrying in the temple. However, her marriage and faith collapsed, leading to a painful yet empowering transformation.

Through humor and heartbreak, Heather unveils the hidden struggles behind her once-perfect life, offering a raw, eye-opening account of religious indoctrination.

In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy shares her story of growing up as a child star and the struggles that came with it. Pushed by her mother to become famous, Jennette battled eating disorders, anxiety, and addiction. Her mother controlled every part of her life, from food to money, and even showered her until she was 16. After her mother passed away, Jennette quit acting and started therapy, finally taking control of her life.

Through humor and honesty, she tells a story of healing, independence, and finding happiness.

Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life.

Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

In A Well-Trained Wife, Tia Levings recounts her experience as a young wife recruited into the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement, where strict Christian Patriarchy rules demanded women’s complete submission. Isolated and controlled, she hid her family’s secret lifestyle from outsiders. Obeying the “keepers of the home” doctrine meant years of silent suffering and abuse.

As Tia realized her children’s future was at stake, she began questioning their way of life. Her resistance placed her in grave danger, leading her to a critical decision: remain trapped or escape with her children to safety.

In Cultish, Amanda Montell explores the powerful, sometimes unsettling influence of language in cult-like groups. Rather than relying on vague ideas of “brainwashing,” Montell argues that language is the true force behind extreme loyalty, shared ideology, and the “us vs. them” mentality. From notorious cults like Heaven’s Gate to modern-day communities on Instagram and in start-ups, she reveals how “cultish” language is everywhere. With sharp storytelling and original research, Montell offers a fascinating, darkly funny look at how words shape belief, drawing us to wonder: could it happen to me?

In Under the Banner of Heaven, Jon Krakauer delves into the dark side of religious extremism within Mormonism, focusing on the 1984 murder of Brenda Lafferty and her baby daughter in Utah. The killers, Ron and Dan Lafferty, Brenda’s brothers-in-law, claimed they were driven by divine revelation. Krakauer combines investigative journalism with the history of the Mormon faith, tracing how fundamentalist beliefs have fueled acts of violence.

The book explores the tension between mainstream and fundamentalist Mormonism, offering a powerful, unsettling look at faith, fanaticism, and the human need for meaning and certainty.

Brett and Kelly have always toed the line between supportive sisters and bitter rivals. Growing up, Brett was the problem child, living in the shadow of the brilliant and beautiful Kelly. In adulthood, all that has changed. Kelly is a struggling single mother and Brett has skyrocketed to meteoric success that has been chronicled on a reality TV show called Goal Diggers.

When Kelly manipulates her way onto the show and into Brett’s world, Brett is wildly threatened. Kelly, and only Kelly, knows her younger sister’s appalling secret, one that could ruin her.

Still, when the truth comes out in the explosive final weekend of filming, neither of them ever expected that the season would end in murder.

In the small Texas town of Edenberg, three women dig into the secrets surrounding a beloved local and her self-help company, Genetive, Inc., in this suspenseful Southern mystery. When teacher Nichole Miller finds 65-year-old Beverly Hoffman dead in the Guadalupe River, police dismiss it as an accident, but Nichole and her journalist friend, Jenny, suspect foul play. Alongside Beverly’s daughter-in-law, Robin, they uncover dark truths lurking within their tight-knit community. As they expose Genetive’s influence and lies, long-buried secrets emerge, threatening to tear the town apart.

Romance novelist Jacqueline Matthis, hoping for a career comeback, joins The 1, a hit reality dating show. As she vies for bachelor Marcus’s heart, she’s stunned to find her former one-night stand, Henry Foster, is a producer on the show. Sparks fly again, but soon Jac realizes she’s being cast as the season’s “villain.” With her secret plan unraveling, she faces tough choices: What if Marcus chooses her? Or worse, what if her affair with Henry is exposed? This smart, sexy novel explores what happens when chasing fame collides with real feelings.