I read this at a time that I had just separated myself from a 15-year relationship and needed ways to make myself feel better. Overall, though, this title was just pretty good. A lot of the self-help advice is common sense and nothing too novel about most of it. Some of it, too, I couldn't connect with personally (what with not having children, etc.), but overall I could see how this could be an empowering title for many women who feel like life is a slump.

Unfortunately, this book has a following, but it is not a book I can recommend. In the desire to be relevant and relatable, I believe the author misses the true calling of a Christ-like attitude and humble spirit.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in the review are my own.

Girl Wash Your Face is a fairly quick read that gives readers advice on how to take control of their lives. While it's not necessarily a bad book, it is full of the same advice that I'm sure most women have heard over and over again.

Before hearing about this book I had no idea who Rachel Hollis was. I didn't know anything about her website or blog, and to be completely honest I still don't, however the hype was so strong with this book I ended up giving in and applying for it when I saw it on Netgalley. I was really looking forward to the no nonsense girl love aspect that I've heard so much about. Unfortunately, it turned out to be so not my type of book. While the book is all about loving yourself and others it was just to cookie cutter self-help for me.

So I really loved this book.
I loved how down to earth and open Rachel was through the whole thing.
There were parts I was laughing out loud, cringing and really doing some deep thinking.
The only downfall for me was all the talking about God and religion
overall a great read and the audiobook was awesome too :D

I was looking forward to reading this title for quite awhile. There has been so much buzz, but I tempered my expectations to avoid feeling like it was overhyped. I enjoyed the format quite a bit. Rachel presents common lies that women tell themselves and uses her own anecdotes to try to dispel the lies. Although there was not necessarily a ton of new information and insight, it was a refreshing read with some good advice and support to encourage women to be their best self.

Really not my cup of tea. I heard great things about this book but I found it to be very one dimensional and hard to get through. Not interesting or unique.

I picked this book up after selling so many copies of it at my store. I wanted to know what was the hype was all about.

I have mixed feelings about this book, only because this is not my typical genre so I was already stepping out of my comfort zone when I picked it up. I do not think that this book should be considered a part of the Christain genre, mainly because I didn't feel like Christianity had much to do with what she was writing about and because of that I feel like it is keeping people from picking that book up.

I did like how candid she was with her writing, it was like being sat down by a good friend and getting told to straighten up.

Overall it is a decent book, one I am glad I got an arc through netgalley of vs owning since it isn't one I am likely to read again.

This was a good read. Took me awhile to read through it. She has a way with words. I thought it was a very Inspirational and uplifting book. Rachel Hollis motivates you to take a different look at ourselves I think. That we are doing well. You won't regret picking this book up. I have to get the book because I'm sure I will be highlighting and marking the pages.

Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

OK, first off, I loved the title of this book so much. I also appreciated the message, but I don't think I'm the right audience for this book. I'm not a mom and I felt that this book was a little preachy (or something).

Absolutely loved this book. I'm so motivated now. I feel like this is a book I will come back to very often and will be much loved. I 100% recommend this book!!!

Compared to some of the other "self-help" books I've read, I liked this one more. However, it still was a little repetitive. The message was great, the stories were funny, but the same lines were used many times, even within her own anecdotes. I get that it didn't tell her life in chronological order, but it didn't need to repeat.

Overall, it was a solid read and I can see how it speaks to a lot of people, women especially. She's a great writer and the book is inspiring.

Thank you for sending me a copy of this book to review. I tried to read it, but the formatting of the ARC was so terrible, I couldn't read more than one chapter. For some reason, the copyright information cut off paragraphs on almost every page. Sentences were chopped in half and moved around from one page to another. The end result was gibberish in many sections. I'm sure it's a fabulous book, and I love the romances this author wrote, so I hate to put it aside but I can't physically read this. Thank you for the opportunity! I opted not to crosspost this review anywhere, since I had to DNF.

I have very mixed feeling about this book. On one hand, the information is very informative and timely in helping women understand what they need to do to become their best selves. On the other hand, the author is rich and doesn't lead a normal lifestyle that most women have.

This is a very popular book, particularly in the online teaching community. There's no doubt that it's inspirational and engaging (if a little preachy at times). It's simultaneously relatable and quite specific. Definitely worth a read though.

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis is a self-help book. Each chapter, Hollis begins with a lie and she shares how in her personal experience she dealt with it and what advice she gives to others. Hollis is the founder of TheChicSite.com a popular lifestyle site.

I personally really enjoyed this book. Maybe it is because at this point in my life, Hollis’ words ring true in my experiences. Her writing is clear, and her descriptions allow the reader to see the scenes she describes come to life. Hollis has great metaphors and brings humor into many hard issues. I felt like many issues were relatable, even if they did not directly apply to me.

Life experiences shape who someone is but what I took away from this book was, you choose how something affects you and how and if you move forward, even the most put together people do not have it together, and if you decide not to break promises to yourself, your life will slow down. Regardless where you are in your life, Hollis has advice on many topics.

Girl, Wash Your Face is an inspirational and uplifting read. I recommend it to women of all ages. An advance complimentary copy of this book was supplied by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I somewhat enjoyed this. It was pretty inspirational at times; however, I think that a lot of people (myself included) won't relate to it. At times it felt very boastful. I don't think she realizes what true hardship is for most people as she is quite obviously living a very privileged life (I mean, one of her life goals included a Louis Vuitton purse, finally getting it, and it being the "proudest moment of her life" <--not the exact quote, but similar). She casually mentions a couple of actual hardships (one being a family member's suicide) very briefly but seemed rather unfazed.

But perhaps what bothered me the most was the story of how she met her husband. I'm an honest person but I think I'd be a little ashamed of putting up with him and might keep that little gem to myself. Then again, he's rich, and that seems to be important to her.

She uses a lot of wise quotes throughout the book, many I've heard before; however she never credits anyone. She uses the quotes as though their her own. That's a bit bothersome in my opinion.

So, in summary, I enjoyed parts of the book. I don't dislike Rachel Hollis. I'd maybe even read future works written by her. I just think most people will have a very hard time relating to her or, at times, even taking her seriously.

I have completely fallen in Love with Rachel Hollis. She just has away of telling you how it’s with out being rude but that motivates you. She help you realize that we all feel less of a person at times. But we need to not worry about those imperfections. She also talk about how we need to treat ourself as well as we treat other people and stop put our selfs last. It like this but I feel like at time we need to be selfless and think of others. I feel like the world has become so much of a Me Me world instead of showing kindness to others. Don’t get me wrong I am a mom of 6 and I understand me time. But I also understand Stan the importance of doing for others. So we have to find that balance. Which can be very tricky. I over all loved this book and learned a lot!! Happy Reading!!
Thanks NetGalley!!!

*3.5 stars*
I actually enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. I read it in bits and pieces, as the chapters were nicely divided up into different topics and subsequent advice. I appreciated that it incorporated elements of faith without seeming too pushy or judgmental. I also really enjoyed Rachel's voice throughout the book; I know that she is a very popular blogger, and her personal touches and friendliness translated very well onto the page.
My complaints about this book are similar to ones I've seen many others express. For one, she brings up weight a LOT. Considering that weight loss is not the main topic of this book, food and weight were used incessantly as examples for problems you might be facing. Her alternatives to following her advice were often related to binging food, or skipping workouts. It was clear that she does not view being overweight as an acceptable condition. And, sure, while it usually isn't ideal, it's often not controllable and/or isn't as easy as motivating yourself.
There were many examples where Rachel seemed a little blind to those who didn't have a similar lifestyle to her, even beyond weight/physical capabilities. While she made an effort to acknowledge her privilege in some ways, even her examples to convince the reader that she was just like them felt out-of-touch. (Like, "Listen to this super embarrassing thing I did before I went to the Oscars!) I admired her confidence and believe that hardworking women should be able to show off their accomplishments without being frowned upon, but some of her "flexes" felt unnecessary, and served to make the reader feel inferior despite her goal of hyping them up.
I think if I had read larger chunks of this book at a time, these problems would've bothered me more. However, in small increments, I did enjoy returning to this book for interesting anecdotes and a pick-me-up throughout the day. And while some aspects of her life made me feel like mine was pathetic, I appreciated her honesty. Her openness about her marriage and struggles with drinking and sex were masterfully done and brave, especially in a somewhat Christian novel. But I think those topics are very important to discuss, and they were comforting to read about.
Overall, I'd say this is worth a shot if you're a fan of Rachel's blog or if it sounds interesting to you.

Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. I think so many women resonate with this book because we are tired and overwhelmed. Which then causes us to not make good decisions then feel guilty. It is a cycle.
Rachel takes each of the lies she has believed and shares in story format how she overcame it. Then she gives you bullet points at the end of each chapter that helped her and may help you if this is an area that you struggle.
I found several of her tips to be helpful.

I didn’t hate the book and I didn’t love the book. I think for the right person it could be very helpful. Some people are put off because she talks a lot about herself. But I think her goal is to try to help you resonate with her story. And she shares what she knows her life and how she was over able to overcome some things. I would recommend looking at the table of contents or maybe even getting it from the library to see if it’s something you would want to read before purchasing.
Sexual content: there is one chapter about sex.

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

A big thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an unbiased review.

2 stars - It was okay, but not for me.

Having combed through some of the reviews on Goodreads, I must say I resonate with what seems to be a common sentiment – I can see how this book might be good for others, but it’s not for me.

Let’s break it down, starting with the positives.

Rachel Hollis is a force. She may be tiny, she may be uncompromisingly Christian, she might have overcome a lifetime of trauma and humble beginnings to launch an internet empire off the ground, but she’s a force. I like that. The messages of girl-power, liberal-leaning Christianity, you-can-do-it motivation, overcoming trauma, etc. which dominate this book were ones I enjoyed. I especially appreciated the courage with which she dove into the topics which aren’t often discussed in Sunday sermons – her grief over losing her brother to mental illness, her unhealthy relationship with alcohol and food, and the painful process of adopting her daughter. And yes, even though I know that many fellow readers groaned and grimaced at this one, I appreciated her deep dive into sexuality! Not because I necessarily resonated with her message, but because it was so deeply refreshing to hear a Christian author speak of sexuality as a good thing. And above all, I respect her gumption for building a company that not only benefits her, but also thousands of readers worldwide, as well as a passionate team of professionals. Her commitment to her passions is incredible, her tenacity is infectious, and she strikes me overall as a good person. She’s the sort of girl I’d love to grab coffee or after-work drinks with.

Which is why I wish I could say I resonated more with the book. But I didn’t, and here is why.

Hollis is a blogger, so it makes sense that the book reads like a blog. In all honesty, this is not my favorite brand of writing, especially for self-help or coaching books. The blog-style of writing oversimplifies issues which are complex and deeply personal. They take topics like depression, addiction, or grief, and boil it down to – “You’ll be fine! Just follow these three easy steps to overcoming the crushing despair that keeps you nailed to your bed in the morning! Now go run a marathon.” If only it were that simple. Many critics commented on the fact that Hollis’s writing can come off as tone-deaf when one considers the fact that most of her readers don’t have access to the same resources that she does. Many women don’t define success with the purchase of a coveted purse, but rather with the knowledge that they finally managed to feed their kids AND eat dinner themselves after working at three jobs. Others struggle for years to get a job, to find a healthy relationship, to build a better relationship with estranged relatives… and hearing a successful woman tell them that “no” only means something if you let it could be understandably soul-crushing. After chapters upon chapters of vulnerably discussing the difficulties of motherhood, Hollis goes on to thank her nanny in her acknowledgements. Now, there is nothing wrong with having a nanny – if you can afford that level of help, that’s great! But there’s something disingenuine about telling other mothers to just show up as they are, because nobody is perfect, while not even mentioning the help that one has received at any point in the book. Famous bloggers – they’re just like us! Except for when they aren’t.

Moreover, despite her genuine desire to write a book which appeals to a diverse base, I found that her experience was so incredibly specific that it was difficult even for me (a white, liberal Christian woman who grew up near Los Angeles) to identify with. She repeatedly refers to aspects of her lifestyle and culture which are absolutely impossible for a large swath of women to recognize in their own lives. Most of us don’t drink pumpkin spice lattes at the first hint of fall, or visit red carpet galas, or run 13 mile marathons. I know the type of women that do – I saw them every weekend at church with their perfectly Instagrammable offspring – and I knew I would never be one of them. If you fall into this very specific demographic, great! This book is for you. But most of us do not.

Finally, I had a moral issue with several of the stories in this book. Her husband featured in almost every single one of my quips. I must say, I am glad things worked out for them and it seems that he genuinely evolved into a good person. That is SO great, but SO rare. Even Hollis acknowledges that their initial courtship was so unhealthy that she had to cut him off. My concern is that young or otherwise vulnerable women might read this book and have hope that the guy who brings them to bars only to hit on other girls, or the guy who uses them for sex for almost a year, might suddenly blossom into Prince Charming. Moreover, she inserts several self-depreciating comments on how she should have known better, and how he wasn’t that bad to treat her as he did. Even when things are resolved, she presents certain elements of their relationship as wins, which strike me as red flags. A big one – they had to agree that an orgasm was important for both parties when having sex? This wasn’t just a given?? Moreover, there are references to hallucinations from diet pills which come off as comedic more so than as warnings, claims that weight loss is “easy” if you just take in fewer calories than you use up, etc. These messages struck me as dangerous.

I definitely got some good take-aways, but they functioned more as reminders than as novel concepts. For example – don’t judge people, be tenacious in your pursuit of your goals, aim to thrive rather than to survive, don’t break your commitments to yourself… Yes, this is all great, but we’ve heard it before. On the flip side, I just finished “The Subtle Art of not Giving a Fuck” by Mark Manson, which absolutely shifted how I saw the world. The author may have been more vulgar. He may have tried a bit less hard to be my buddy. But in the end, he offered a new perspective. Given the praise that this book garnered, I was hoping it would do the same.

In short, this book is a quick read and it may be worth your time. However, I do not think that it is a good fit for every reader. This being said, I would be open to reading more of her content in the future, as she seems to be an author who takes constructive criticism well, and I’d be curious to see her evolution over time.