GIRL WASH YOUR FACE
By Rachel Hollis
There are many things to love in this book. Rueful admissions of Hollis’ failure to succeed in work and in life. Many brave confessions of peeing her pants and being a bit rubbish, just like the rest of us.
But Hollis is founder of the Chic Site, a motivational speaker and CEO of a media company. She is hardly in the gutter. If anything, she is someone who seems to put herself under huge pressure to achieve more, only to then dole out advice on how not to be too hard on yourself. A media empire, four kids, running marathons and she still wants to adopt twin girls… I’m exhausted just reading it.
Then you get to the chapter when she describes the loss of a beloved sibling in her teens. It’s deeply affecting and the circumstances around his death have clearly galvanised Hollis to live her best life. She seems like a restless soul.
There are some great sections on being honest with yourself about food and alcohol consumption. And each chapter ends with useful tips called ‘the things that helped me’. But ultimately it’s hard to relate wholeheartedly to such an over-achiever. Especially one who uses corny-speak, like ‘Y’all’ and ‘rad’.
Marina Gask