I tackled this book more than a year after its release and long after the buzz about it. I chose to 'see for myself.' I have not followed the author online or on social media before this so I came with a clean slate and no expectations...But I am happy to say that I think it lives up to the reviews and ratings. This book is based on the author's life which she relates in an easy to read way, yet the lessons that she hopes we will learn from are clearly stated. The insights at the end of every chapter on what helped her are truly helpful.

The book is very inspiring because of her vulnerability, and the wisdom she gleaned from her experiences. As opposed to just letting life happen TO her, the author has really been mastering the art of making things work for her in one way or another. She often does this by reframing the way she looks at things and she just keeps going, trying, getting up and doing it again. She seems to have the grit factor which will lift up and encourage others. Even the chapters that didn't relate to me (for example, parenting/mothering) had wisdom that I could appreciate as helpful for many others.
This book is very personal to the author so don't expect to relate 100% to her perspectives, beliefs, and experiences. However, the wisdom in many of her conclusions is worth reading. This is a book I would definitely gift to girlfriends.

A life changing book. I didn't know how much I needed this book until I read it.
I genuinely believe every women and especially every mother and working mother, needs to read this. It will change the way you think and open doors you didn't realize were closed in your own mind.

Girl, Wash Your Face is a witty and humorous look into Rachel Hollis' life, her personal growth, her setbacks, and her triumphs. The reader follows Hollis through her experiences in childhood, teens, young adult, and adult years. Each chapter focuses on a specific lie/misconception Hollis held as true and has since worked past. Through these reflections, she shares the life lessons that she has learned from each experience. Hollis' introspections and thoughts give the readers insight into her life and how it might parallel their own.
When I read this book, I had no prior knowledge of Rachel Hollis or her website. The book appealed to me on the description alone. Touted as personal development and self-help, Hollis makes many great points and I was able to relate to many aspects of the book. The draw back for me personally was that I was unable to relate to Hollis' thoughts on Christianity and motherhood.

First, thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an e-galley of this book. I appreciate author, Rachel Hollis's honesty in this book. She gives 20 lies that we tell ourselves, and how she has overcome them. I appreciate that she is so vulnerable in all parts of her life so we can see that we're all the same, experience the same things. This book causes me to thank the Lord for His guidance in my life, and for directing me to books like this.
#NetGalley #GirlWashYourFace

Wow. This is was one of the worst books I have ever read. There is a rather large dose of white privilege was tone-deaf, and had preachy undertones. I just was so unbelievably turned off of this book. I finished it because I wanted to make sure I could leave an honest thorough review. First off, I have never heard of this woman, or her “successful” lifestyle website. She mentions a lot about how successful she is. I honestly cannot think of a single person who could actually benefit from this book.

Not the book for me, felt that it was good advice to a celebrity or someone in the same position as the author, but not to the regular person doing every day things. Would try another book from her.
I will use in a challenge and remind chapter Chatter Pub about its release.

When I first finished this book I was in love. After thinking on it more and processing it, I'm sure I'm in the minority but it made me feel disappointed in myself and that I wasn't doing enough. I felt that her views weren't in line with most women I know personally. I couldn't finish it and won't be reading anything else by her.

This book was not for me. I had a hard time relating to Hollis and her,what could be identified as, "humble brags". I did enjoy some parts of this book but I just couldn't seem to get past the fact that everything she talked about lead back to how well her life was going now. I understood the point, but it just wasn't for me unfortunately.

I have a lot of thoughts about this book.

I liked Hollis’ voice and I appreciated her sharing the stories of struggle in her life.

However, I thought that the messages in this book were surface-level, a little ignorant, and even a little dangerous.

Her discussions on body image, romance, and even substance abuse were super troubling to me. Her overall message was that you can choose to be happy, but this overlooks anyone who may suffer from depression or who is less privileged than her.

I received this book from Netgalley as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book left me wishing for more depth, but I enjoyed the author's stories and examples. She did give some good nuggets of information, but for the person who truly needs this self-help book for motivation, some judgements could leave the reader cold and frustrated. Life isn't always as simplified as the author has stated, which is why so many people struggle. She needs to come meet her audience, the ones with problems and challenges, find ways to motivate them outside of the suck it up, buttercup wisdom she offers. I wanted to love this book, while I won't remember it in a month or two, I will say it was okay.

Well-written, entertaining and inspiring in parts, this book is well worthwhile for women struggling with their own self-esteem in the face of everyday domestic troubles. It does, however, come across as a little tone-deaf and privileged - many women in the world are dealing with problems that aren't so easy to overcome with a bit of positive thinking. It's impossible for a self-help book to be everything to everyone though, and this is a good start, if a little lightweight.

A year. Well, nearly a whole year. That year I had been meaning to get this book. I was so excited for it’s release but yet I never took it far enough to the check out line. I think sometimes (just like people) that books enter our life when we need them; and I am so thankful I read this book when I did. You see, when this book released last year I had so much ahead of me. My husband and I had just returned to our home state as he was getting out the military and we were going to settle down. One problem turned into another, we were essentially homeless, and it just seemed like everything was going wrong. My mental health took a dive for the worse and I was nearly to a depression and state I wasn’t sure I would be able to get out of. I wasn’t the mother I needed to be for my boys and I sure wasn’t the wife my husband needed coming home from work.
“When I say unhappy, I mean discontented, unsettled, frustrated, angry- any number of emotions that make us want to hide from our lives instead of embracing them with arms wide open..”

Well finally we got a call that our offer was accepted on a house and things could finally start looking up. That was at the end of august. We had moved home the following September. Nearly a year had gone by.
When I say this book entered my life when I needed it is an understatement. I had been feeling tons of “mom guilt” because now that we were settled into our new home, I wanted to do something for myself. I contemplated if I should get a job, finish my cosmetology license, or ultimately finish my degree in my passion.
Between child care prices for my young boys who are still too young for school and the hours my husband works, getting my cosmetology license was not a suitable thing. Getting a job, yes okay, do-able but it’d be nightshift and I can already barely stay up past 9pm taking care of the house, animals, kids, etc all day long. So, I called a school that had a good program for what I was looking for and I signed up. I sure did. I am now a full time (online) student and I couldn’t be prouder of that accomplishment I took.
“Your dream is worth fight for, and while you’re not in control of what life throws at you, you are in control of the fight.”
I read Girl, Wash Your Face in a day. I needed someone to tell me that my dreams are worth it. That my life matters and nothing in my past can change how I feel about myself or my dreams. This book was a god-send and exactly what I needed. What I love most was that this book didn’t coddle me. I get enough of that at home lol. This book was blunt, straight foreword, and tell-it-like-it-is. Rachel uses her own real life experiences that influenced her life and her path, and then told us how she overcame that to get where she is today.
She has been someone I looked up to for years, and again I am still not sure what or why or how that book never made it to the check out lane with me, but had I read it when it first released, I may not have had the same experience, or it may not had been the experience I needed. I hope that makes sense.

This was the flame to get me going. Now, I know everyone has their own opinions on this book and this is mine. Take it or leave it. I’ve literally always said how someone needs to be in the right place of mind for the right book. I related so much with this book and her stories, and the lies because I can understand them. I am and always have been a firm believer that hard work does pay off. Determination and motivation help. Lately I have just been feeling that since I am a mom I need to be 10000% there for them. Nobody has ever asked me what I wanted to do, what I wanted. If so much of me is for them, what left is there fore me? They will be small only for a little amount of time, so then what? What am I supposed to do with myself when they eventually move out and move on with there lives? So, like I said. This. Book. Is. What. I. Needed. It got me off my behind and I’m going back to school. I am more dedicated to my writing, my blog, my husband even and working on being the mother my kids need me to be.
You better believe that I pre-ordered Girl, Stop Apologizing which came out TODAY! Once I am done uploading this blog, that book will be in my hands and I will be devouring it as much as I did the first one. So, Thank you Rachel Hollis for being the motivator you are.
Much love and until next time,
DauntlessReading

I love this book.

Rachel's experiences resonated with me on a deep level. Her stories are at turns heart-breaking, inspirational, up-lifting and empowering. The way she approached her book, by addressing a different lie she told herself in each chapter, makes it easy for her audience to absorb her messages. It also means that you can go back and reference specific lies and lessons easily, without re-reading the book cover to cover.

I borrowed the audiobook through my library Hoopla account, but - and this is the first time I can ever remember saying this - I am going to purchase a physical copy of the book as well, so that I can read and reference the book over and over. Not because I can't get through the audiobook. I loved it. I just want a physical copy too.

Ya'll, that is how real this book is.

Rachel reads the audio version herself, and both the writing and her narration are superb. It feels like "real talk" with a trusted girlfriend. I don't find "ra-ra" cheerleader type self-help books to ever be applicable in my life. I'm too much of a cynic I suppose. Rachel's book is much more grounded in real-life examples that are easy to relate to.

If there is only one self-improvement title you read this year, choose this book.

Sometimes a person gets stuck in a rut. For me it is a mental rut, a blockage, something like a writer's block yet one for living life. This book helps with getting out of that rut in life. She is very encouraging and will be blunt in her words, but I get it. She takes basic lies that we have sort of kept in our minds or speak to ourselves, and discredits it. Her book is full of her stories and personal life accounts. Some of the her story is crazy! Like how she met her husband. She admits that she has faults and that she has made some not so wise decisions--and fully discloses her life isn't perfect. It makes her book and life very vulnerable to the critics because she is very open with her life. I do take this book as an example and maybe with a grain of salt, but overall I do appreciate her sharing her messy life stories with us all. It is very encouraging to know that I'm not alone in believing the lies that run a muck in my head. She does speak candidly, and in a way that is unafraid.

If you are looking for a book chalk full of bible verses--this is not it. If you are looking for a book that talks from her life experiences and how she surrendered to God and decided to live out her life to the fullest--this is it. It is encouraging overall.

I loved Girl, Wash Your Face. Like so much. I don't even know how to express how much I enjoyed the book. Maybe so much I went out and bought an actual physical copy to read and underline and have on my bookshelves to read again and again when I need a pep talk.

Chapters can be read randomly and all flow together really well. I love Rachel's writing style and how it's like sitting down having a coffee with her and she's actually telling you the story then and there. Rachel is so expressive and honest with her storytelling you just want to read more and more.

Honestly, one of those books you will read again and again and give copies to friends and family members for years to come. Which was how I felt with The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and it's been years since another book has made me feel that way.

Oh boy, this book was a trip. Let me start by saying that I received this book for free by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wanted to like this book. It's received so many positive reviews (especially from my friends). It just comes off as entitled and tone deaf. Very "first world problems". The only parts that sounded sincere to me are when the author talked about her brother. That felt real. I wanted more of that. But when she started describing how she met her husband and her initial relationship with him, I was literally cringing. This book was just a no go for me. Too superficial.

Overall, I am not a huge "self-help'" or "inspirational" book reader, unless the book is from someone I already know and trust or comes highly praised. With that said, my book club was reading this so I gave it a try. This ebook-ARC was difficult to read. However, overall, the book was decent. I think her attempts at humor or sarcasm, I enjoyed because I am that way myself, but I don't see that as suiting everyone. She makes some good points and overall it was an okay read for me.

I found it interesting, after meeting Rachel I wanted to read one of her books. I like how she narrates each part. It took me on a ride of her life and so I now know her a bit better to understand what she posts. This book has some inspirational situations, but most I think is funny, a great way to tell the story, it seemed we were getting a coffee. I will read another of her books, perhaps even get the audiobooks.

As the founder of the lifestyle website TheChicSite.com and CEO of her own media company, Rachel Hollis developed an immense online community by sharing tips for better living while fearlessly revealing the messiness of her own life. Now, in this challenging and inspiring new book, Rachel exposes the twenty lies and misconceptions that too often hold us back from living joyfully and productively, lies we’ve told ourselves so often we don’t even hear them anymore.

With painful honesty and fearless humor, Rachel unpacks and examines the falsehoods that once left her feeling overwhelmed and unworthy, and reveals the specific practical strategies that helped her move past them. In the process, she encourages, entertains, and even kicks a little butt, all to convince you to do whatever it takes to get real and become the joyous, confident woman you were meant to be.

I think after reading all of the hype for this book, I got too high of expectations and because of that I think I wanted to so badly like this book. I personally didn't really agree with or relate to everything she wrote about. The one quote that I did really like was "Someone else's opinion of me is none of my business." and the chapter about how we should love people regardless of their race, sexual orientation, religion, etc. I agreed with but everything else just seemed a little redundant and cliche. I felt like this should be an autobiography instead of a self-help book.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #GirlWashYourFace
Pub Date: 06 Feb 2018

I do not understand how this book has such high reviews. I'm guessing the author has asked her readers to all leave great reviews. I had never heard of her before reading the book, though she spends the whole book telling you how famous and successful she is. She uses words like "my tribe" to refer to her readers, who she says are in the millions and who adore her. Okay. The book is basically life lessons from her specific life that just aren't going to transfer over to most of us. Yes, she was able to create a big following online apparently, but she married a really rich husband who supported her all the years it took to get there.

I also feel really sad for her kids. She makes references to the way they parent like the fact that they work hard to be there from them "every day from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. " -- with a baby and other small children, you don't get to just shut their door and leave them on their own for 10 hours every day so you get sleep and alone time.

She also writes about when a social worker asked her little boy what made him sad and he immediately said, "when daddy scares me in the night." She says they realized it was because her husband put him back in his bed over and over again every night when he tried to come and get in bed with them, and that "daddy was grumpy" but all I could think is how sad and lonely that little boy must have been if even though his dad was angry and scary he still kept trying every night again and again to just be comforted. She writes that they found it "hilarious" afterwards. It's a good thing she's such a fan of therapy, as I have a feeling all of her kids are going to need it.