Books in Review: Girl, Wash Your Face

​I first heard about this book when my Facebook friend and book launch guru (Anna LeBaron, author of The Polygamist’s Daughter) shared about the book launch she was leading. At first, I thought the title sounded weird. But the more I heard about it, the more I was interested. It finally got the point that I was dying to read it, so I got it around my birthday. In the end, I was not disappointed and instantly knew why this book has become a New York Times bestseller. Rachel is fun and quirky, but also honest and vulnerable with her audience. She never tells you to do anything, but speaks from her own experience and allows that to help the reader along their own personal journey. That was enough for me, because I found that some of my experiences mirrored hers. And when they didn’t, she shares what happened in a way that’s relatable. Although I would limit the recommendations of this book to a certain audience, I personally really enjoyed the book and will use it to help me overcome lies in the future. I hope you can too ~ Bethel

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Lies. Lies surround us in our culture. Lies about who we are, what we can be, and what others perceive of us. The more we see these lies disguised as truth, the more likely it is that we will just accept that as truth. This seems to be especially true for women in our society today, with the air-brushed versions of womanhood we see plastered across billboards in Times Square. Believing these lies about our identity aren’t just bad, they are dangerous. They will hinder us from living our lives to the fullest and being the women that God wants us to be. They can steal our joy, our hope, our families, and our future. We can even let these lies define us and our identity. If makes us ask the question: how can I stop believing the lies about who I am?

​In her New York Times Bestseller, Girl, Wash Your Face, Rachel Hollis shares lies that she believed about herself so that her readers can identify them and make the choice to become who there were meant to be. Each chapter addresses one of these lies. Unlike other books in the self-help category, she break down how these lies became prevalent in our culture or share a bunch of statistics to make you change your perspective. Instead, she shares the good, the bad, and the ugly from her own life experiences, shared what she learned along the way, then she concludes each chapter with things that helped her overcome each given lie. From marriage to motherhood, from writing to weight management and so much in between, Rachel covers it all in a way that is honest and accessible. Although it’s subtle in its presentation, her faith is evident throughout the stories that have become her life. With her faith as a foundation, it becomes clear how she learned to overcome the lies she had believed for so long and it makes it clear that you can learn to do the same. This book is a powerful call-up call that is hard to ignore. It’s calling women of my generation to stop wallowing in the lies to hold them back and to replace them with truth. It’s a reminder that we have the power to change these perceptions for ourselves. It’s a chance to have a new beginning even after we’ve faced pain and difficulties. It gives us hope that we can become women who stand in our faith against all odds. It’s exactly what this generation of women need. Women young and old need to read this book, especially if you are married with kids. Get your copy today!

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Teen Rating. This book is geared specifically towards married women with kids. Chapter 7 is heavy on the sexual content, to the point that I would not recommend any teen to read that chapter. There is a few curse words used (one use of h*** and one use of p***). She also talks about her older brother’s suicide and struggles with drinking. If chapter 7 is skipped, a mature teen (16 or 17) could read the rest of the book and get a lot out of it.

Male Friendly-Rating. A married man could get a lot out of this book. There are parts of the book that could even be beneficial to a single man. However, chapter 7 should be avoided if you aren’t married.

Singles-Friendly Rating. Although I did get a lot out of the book, I was disappointed that this book didn’t do more to appeal to single women. I understand that Rachel was speaking out of her own experience, but I think that more could have been done to appeal to women who have never been married and don’t have kids. However, most of the lies she addresses do speak to those who aren’t married. I would still recommend it to single gals, but I would do so with the suggestion that they skip chapter 7 (which personally made me very uncomfortable)

Personal Rating. Aside from my personal discomfort about chapter 7 (which I recognize as being relevant and helpful to married women), this book is amazing. If you’re a women, you check it out!