Title: Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

Pages: 240

Genres: Nonfiction, Self-help

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (Feb. 6th, 2018)

Summary

With wry wit and hard-earned wisdom, popular online personality and founder of TheChicSite.com founder Rachel Hollis helps readers break free from the lies keeping them from the joy-filled and exuberant life they are meant to have.

Founder of the lifestyle website TheChicSite.com and CEO of her own media company, Chic Media, Rachel Hollis has created an online fan base of hundreds of thousands of fans by sharing tips for living a better life while fearlessly revealing the messiness of her own. Now comes her highly anticipated first book featuring her signature combination of honesty, humor, and direct, no-nonsense advice.

Each chapter of Girl, Wash Your Face begins with a specific lie Hollis once believed that left her feeling overwhelmed, unworthy, or ready to give up. As a working mother, a former foster parent, and a woman who has dealt with insecurities about her body and relationships, she speaks with the insight and kindness of a BFF, helping women unpack the limiting mind-sets that destroy their self-confidence and keep them from moving forward.

From her temporary obsession with marrying Matt Damon to a daydream involving hypnotic iguanas to her son’s request that she buy a necklace to “be like the other moms,” Hollis holds nothing back. With unflinching faith and tenacity, Hollis spurs other women to live with passion and hustle and to awaken their slumbering goals.

After hearing so much hype about Girl, Wash Your Face, I was so intrigued.  It’s not the type of book I typically read, but since it was the January pick for the Book Lovers Book Club, I was excited to give it a read and see what I thought!

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the writing style.  Rachel Hollis writes in a very fun and entertaining way.  it is as if you and her are just chatting over coffee, and I really enjoyed that.  She’s very charismatic, and it is no surprise to me that she is a successful blogger!

Some of what she wrote was incredibly motivating.  She shared her life story in a way that felt very honest and vulnerable.  Rachel admits that she’s not this perfect person, and I appreciate that she was willing to write about her triumphs and her troubles, struggles, and weaknesses.  I really enjoyed some of her advice.

I know some people have wondered if this was considered a “Christian” book.  I would say yes, it is, but I think it would appeal to Christians and non-Christians alike.  Rachel is very open about her faith, which I loved and appreciated, but it never feels over the top.  Also, while she talks about God and even includes a few Bible verses, I think it is important to remember, Rachel isn’t a theologian.  I’ve seen some reviews about Girl, Wash Your Face, and because it is published under a Christian publishing house, there are people under the impression that this book should be deeply spiritual, and then they get up set when it isn’t.  Y’all this isn’t John Piper.  Rachel Hollis is just sharing her life story and what has and hasn’t worked for her.  She doesn’t dig deep into scripture. It’s not that kind of book.  So, I don’t understand the hate she has received over it.

That being said, not all that she wrote resonated with me.  Some of her hard work and accomplishments came across more as humble brags as opposed to constructive, useful advice.  For example, at one point she basically says she’s successful because she never gave up and the reason why other people aren’t as successful as her is because they didn’t work as hard as her.  Yes, that is true in some cases, but there are many people that work just as hard – if not harder – and still don’t “succeed” as she did.  Some of what she wrote just had a very privileged attitude.

Also, the story of how she met her husband was rather unsettling to say the least.  There were all kinds of red flags going up in my head while I was reading about it.  I truly hope he has changed, as she says he has, and that they are as happily married as they claim to be.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book.  Rachel Hollis is motivating and I can understand why so many people like her.  That being said, I didn’t love everything she had to say.  I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a motivating read, but this wasn’t the life changing read for me that some people claim it to be.

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