Hi y’all!

I am back with another review today on a book that I have heard a ton about but that didn’t change my life: Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. I have seen this book everywhere–Target, Costco, the grocery store, on blogs, on social media, on Hoopla. I like to read popular books, even trendy books, to see what all the fuss is about. So I decided to give this one a try.

I read the ebook on my Hoopla app on my phone. It was an easy book to read that way because the chapters are relatively short and easy to follow. I read it in little spurts when I had a few minutes here and there. It didn’t grip me in ways other memoirs/self care books have. This was not Brene Brown for me (and if you’re new here, I will just say I love Brene Brown’s work!).

For me, this book was just okay.

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis is part memoir, part inspirational, part self care book that helps women overcome the lies they tell themselves so they can become more confident, happier people. According to Goodreads, “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.”

Overall, I liked the concept of overcoming lies we tell ourselves about ourselves. Some of those lies were ones I have struggled with in my life. I would start some chapters really excited to read what she had to say about a particular lie. The chapters I appreciated most were on motherhood. I always appreciate feeling validated in some of my concerns and struggles as a fairly new mother. Others felt less applicable to me. Or perhaps I felt she was more vulnerable than I preferred. I think having fewer lies–maybe 10 instead of 20–would have helped the book not feel so long in the second half. I like the positive message to reach for your dreams and you’re doing better than you think. But it felt a bit repetitive towards the end.

Hollis has a fun, lighthearted tone that I enjoyed reading. She treats her readers like friends and is positive and encouraging in her approach to writing. I appreciated her writing style because it’s different than what I usually read. I liked the idea of switching up my usual genres for this one. And Hollis made it easy to get into her book with her stories and her “go get it, girl” attitude. I admire her tenacity, her faith in God, and her determination to succeed. Since reading this book, I have checked out her business and I admire her company and her. She is a positive, vibrant advocate for good.

I’m not sure how to rate this book because I’m still not exactly sure how I feel about it.  It didn’t blow me away. I finished it and felt bland about the experience. Some parts were good and others were boring or inapplicable to me. This isn’t a book was blown away by. But it was worth finishing. There were moments that I loved and agreed with. Moments I felt so motivated to change or be more confident or overcome weaknesses. But there were also moments that made me roll my eyes or feel uncomfortable because I felt like she was too vulnerable with very personal things. However, I respect her for writing this book and sharing her story.

Overall, this book isn’t my favorite. But this book is putting more faith, more positivity, and more goodness out into the world. And I applaud that.

What are some of your favorite memoirs? Inspirational books? Self Care?