Girl, Wash Your Face book review

Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis
Published by Thomas Nelson on February 6, 2018
Pages: 240
Goodreads

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.

I have been on a little bit of a self-help kick for a little while and I had heard some good things about this book. All I will say at this point was that I should have read the Goodreads reviews. They are very telling and some of them hit the nail on the head so completely. If I was to sum up my experience with Girl, Wash Your Face, I would say that it was a brag-fest. I’m not sure I managed to glean any useful information about how to feel better about myself. I felt as though every anecdote was just another reason for Hollis to brag about her existence and her business.

I don’t know whether I was expecting something that was completely different or I was wanting to get something more from the story. I thought that by the end I would have an enlightened view or maybe a few things to contemplate, but actually, I couldn’t get past the bragging and her need for validation throughout the book. There was nothing that was actually concrete advice, it was all kind of “you shouldn’t think about this, so don’t”. I just don’t think Girl, Wash Your Face was actually a book that was actually all that insightful. It was missing the bit where you’re supposed to care about the reader as well as having the opportunity to brag about your success in life.

I feel like I’m being really harsh on the book, but I actually found the writing really problematic. Especially when she was talking about her relationship and then also her marriage. All the way through that part of the book I couldn’t quite understand what the point she was driving at. I also felt like she was justifying him forcing her into having sex because they eventually got married. I just didn’t understand what the point of it was, I don’t think it was running with the same theme that runs throughout Girl, Wash Your Face.

In terms of books and recommendations, I don’t think I would recommend Girl, Wash Your Face. I think it’s basically a book that’s one aim is to brag about her accomplishments in life rather than giving out meaningful advice and anecdotes. I was just very disappointed with the writing and the things that were being pushed within the book. I was expecting better and I was obviously disappointed when it fell short.

Have you read any books that are a more positive reading experience? I would love to add them to my TBR pile.