Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'm very glad I waited on this to come to my local library (as I do with many books). I just can't understand how in the world this book gets so high of reviews other than the fact the author asks for them regularly. There really isn't anything ground breaking in here. In fact if you are alive you most likely have heard much of this stuff somewhere before. That is really what makes me scratch my head on these reviews. Do people think that if they give a great review they'll get to be Rachels friend? I'm afraid that is actually what people think. I was very turned off by her little incentives to write a review, screen shot it to send to her - as if anyone would not give 5 stars that way - and she'll send you a message back. For someone who claims to be a christian she seems to like the elevation of god status. Really have you ever heard an author ask for reviews so much? And often implying what kind of reviews she was ultimately looking for? As for the Christian part of this Christian book again I'm scratching my head. I even find it interesting the commenters who don't like the book because they feel it's too religious and they are not. For me I feel like it would have been better not to bill it as a Christian book and my guess is her next book will drop that tag. This book is far from a christian book. In fact it's quite opposite with all it's me, me, me stuff and "the power is only inside of you to get anything you want". The "I only got to where I am today because of me". Most Christian prefer to actually give God that credit instead of just what they've done. This me-centric approach is ultimately what made me put the book down. I just couldn't take one more page of it. Don't get me wrong I fully believe in self care and making sure I'm healthy in every aspect of my life. And I of course would be responsible for making the choices to do the things I need for that. However, I don't feel like the author and I are on the same path here. I'm very surprised that such a well-known Christian publishing house took this on as again I don't feel like it's a Christian book. Just because the author is a Christian doesn't mean the book she writes is. This book is void of Biblical truths and a Christ centered approach to life. It's sad so many Christian women can over look this. I've followed Rachel on instagram way back when she had a measly 20K followers. I found her by way of a foster care account and as a seasoned foster mom I always enjoy watching new families enter that world. I also enjoyed that she gave some very helpful (and affordable) fashion tips for mom friendly styles. While much of her helpful tips seemed to be common sense or taken from somewhere else I still enjoyed her blog. As time has past I feel like she really drifted away from how I first found her. She went from a lifestyle blog to someone who thinks she is a motivational speaker - hence her rise conference. When I found out from her own mouth that she doesn't actually eat the food in her first cookbook and then had to make a second one to show you what she feeds her family (and to rake in more money) my skepticism has grown. When I have to listen to her regularly tell her masses that the only way she can get through parenting is with her lcv I winch. Do you really want your kids to hear that you need to numb the day with alcohol because of them? How sad. Should you really cover anything on parenting (like even one page) in a self-help book if alcohol gets you through on the regular? I also personally witnessed on a post about lifting women up/girl power/being there for your sisters the author allow her lovely chic trip to tear apart a women who had a different option the the specific topic of that post. In fact she kinda started it. Um, so it's only ok to lift a sister up if she has the same thoughts as you? I also feel like (as also touched on in this book) Rachel feels like she since she has gay friends and black friends and hispanic friends that she checked off the list of what she needs to be connected to the masses and a good white women. I'm a white mother living in suburbia of Prideful Orlando and there really isn't much in my life and hers that have anything in common. Due to these options I must admit I came into this with a bias. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion of a book they have read. I'm really surprised though that this book gets so highly rated. In fact because it's so lopsided (really is any book that great) makes me feel like the author (and also her husband) should get five stars for being such a good hustler in making women believe she will be their friend in exchange for 5 stars. Personally I would want honest opinions of a book I wrote regardless if someone loved it or not. It could make me a better writer. I don't get the impression from her social media that she wants honest opinions, she's just looking for the 5 stars. To end if this wasn't labeled Christian I may have had a less scathing review - I'd still give 2 stars for a book written with just a lot of fluff - but to label that when it's not at all gets a star removed. I would not recommend it.