Logging Off By Nick Spalding

This book was a nice and light read, with some good moments of humour. I enjoyed the storyline and the main character. This book does give you food for thought thinking about online activities, although it will never make me delete my Google maps because my mishaps will be worse than those in the book 😂😂
While I read this as an ebook, I did listen to a sample of audio too, and think the audiobook might be even funnier.

Such a fun read! If you've spent too much time on the internet (my gosh, who hasn't??) then log off for a bit and give this a read! Funny, charming and even a tiny bit of romance thrown in! Really enjoyed it!

I received a free electronic copy of this humorous yet-should be required reading in mid-April from Netgalley, Nick Spalding, and Amazon Publishing UK. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read Logging Off of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Nick Spalding is always funny. And usually spot on with his off-the-cuff advice.

The timing of the arrival of this book was excellent, caught me actually flatfooted with the shut-in orders from my state on coronavirus pandemic, and the fear that I would have too much time on my hands. Not! It was appropriate, however, in that, I don't have enough hours in the day to get to all my special projects, household chores, and gardening preparations and maintenance even with social distancing and the necessity of remaining home-bound. My eyes are now wide open.

If you, too, find yourself with a crick in your neck, frequent debilitating headaches, trouble sleeping, and many and varied aches and pains, perhaps it's time to set limits on your internet time. I can't give it up as Nick Spalding did as I would NEVER hear from children if I did, but it is definitely time to more sensibly reevaluate my time online...

Honestly I had high hopes for this book but I just didn't like it at all. The characters are far from likeable, and the whole concept of the book is ultimately wildly erratic and improbable. I did finish it but I was incredibly disappointed, the concept held so much promise but the author seemed to take it as an opportunity to judge absolutely everyone's lifestyle choices, and this was enough for me to cement the one star review. I won't be reading any more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I laughed out loud many times while reading this book. It was funny but also thought provoking. It made me think about my technology consumption and how I could lower it.

Andy was a likable character who we got to see really grow as a person through the story. I could have done with less poop references though.

Andy is addicted to technology, using it in some form or another for just about every aspect of his life — I was exhausted by his use of apps in the first chapter alone. After a rough day, Andy experiences severe physical symptoms which lead him to believe something is wrong. Of course his online research confirms death is looming, so he makes a doctor’s appointment, at which his doctor prescribes a digital detox. Andy begrudgingly acknowledges his tech addiction and decides to give it a go.

Logging Off follows Andy as he attempts to navigates a digital-free world, using the phone to place takeout orders rather than ordering delivery through an app, not engaging in online arguments through social media, and not swiping right to find potential suitors. His best friend, Fergus, is a journalist for the local paper and writes a story about Andy’s detox, which prompts a movement of enthusiastic supporters. He meets some other interesting characters along the way too. The story has a solid dose of humor and I was curious to see how Andy would fare.

Logging Off reinforces that we could all benefit from a digital detox, at least from time to time. While technology is often convenient and offers many day-to-day benefits, it can also be an intrusive, constant distraction, among other consequences.

From the opening paragraph I was hooked and in stitches. I could really relate to Andy Bellows' bowel problems and although it isn't really funny Nick Spaldings description was spot on.. Andy is a graphic designer and off he goes to do a presentation. Poor Andy, his bowels in turmoil and then his jaw locks. His speech is undecipherable and he runs. On his return home he stats to Google all of his symptoms. Of course there are many diagnoses, all of which put his brain into muddled turmoil. Like a vast majority of us Andy spends a lot of his time on social media platforms. Playing games, following people on Twitter.. A visit to his GP doesn't go in his favour. It seems his bowel problems and lockjaw are all down to too much surfing on the net. He is told to do a two month detoxification. What follows is a hilarious, eventful detoxification. Does Andy manage to complete his two month? Read this fast moving and hilariously funny book to find out. You will not regret it. Apart from the humour this book actually got me thinking about my use of the internet. Maybe I should follow Nick Spaldings title and log off. Thank you to NetGalley and Nick Spalding for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is an insight into how our digital lives can affect our physical health. In order to alleviate some of his symptoms, Andy is forced to enrol in a digital detox- giving up all of his devices and his online life. We are taken on his journey as he struggles through.

The book seems to be a series of amusing, if not quite unrealistic, anecdotes. He meets some interesting characters, but the ridiculousness of the story meant I really struggled to get through it. If you need something lighthearted and silly, you will enjoy this. For fans of Sophie Kinsella and Meg Cabot.

First off, thank you to Netgalley and Amazon publishing UK for this digital ARC.
Okay, so this book was good, it just wasn't a perfect read for me personally. Andy was an interesting character, and the writing was hilarious at times, but something about the novel didn't quite connect for me the way books usually do. It was a fast read, just about a few hours in total. The theme of unplugging is incredibly relevant for today's world and while I could often relate to Andy's struggle, I just felt like I wanted Spalding to go a bit deeper with the idea of finding balance. Also, there were quite a bit of references to bowel movements which I grew somewhat tired of after a while.
Overall: a fun and easy read with likable characters and just a bit of raunchy humor!

Huge thanks to the publisher and author for the Advanced Readers Copy of this book through Net Galley!

This book was so much fun to read! I devoured it in 2 days, easy, and had a hard time putting it down. I laughed out loud so many times, I got some snarky looks from my family, but just couldn't' help myself. The writing was fun while being thought provoking.

Though I think I could have done with less talk of Andy's bowel distress and the talk of needing to 'poo' so much, I think the story did a good job of talking about a problem a lot of people face and how a dependency on technology can lead to read physical issues. I've read many articles that talked about the same issues that were illustrated in Andy, referring to technology use - and abuse. It's a good message, and it's wrapped up in a good way. And it was just fun to read!

The ending of the book felt just about right, as well. I enjoy books that show true character growth in the story, and I feel that we - and Andy - learned a valuable lesson quite a few times. And that balance is important in all areas of life - from social media and technology to hobbies and interests, to work, food, exercise. Lots of great lessons here, and I encourage you all to read the book and think about what you can learn from Andy. :)

A new to me author. I have loved this story! You know when you just feel like you've read the right story at the right time?
It was laugh out loud hilarity pretty much all the way through, but it also got me thinking.
Logging off and having time away from technology is just as important as using it to stay connected, even in a lockdown.
Definitely a 5 star read; it was fab! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm having a hard time giving this one a rating. I laughed out loud during several parts and really enjoyed the storyline. However it took about 50% of the book before I really got into it. Most of that was because of the amount of times the author chose to talk about poop. I can get behind a poop joke but the sheer amount, length, and detail was unnecessary. The characters were great Andy was a likeable guy who gets himself into pretty hilarious situations. Overall I'm glad I stuck this one out but wouldn't recommend it to a friend.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it made me giggle, a lot; and it was quite profound in places. Every week, when my iPad and iPhone update me on how many hours I have been on line, I start to feel a bit guilty and think I should be logging off more often! But most of my on-line time is reading and checking facts, honestly!

Andy is a freelance graphic designer, working from home, and uses his iPad and iPhone for everything you can think of. He is also a bit of a hypochondriac. He goes to visit a clothes design company with a presentation he has prepared for them. It all goes very badly, and he gets various awful bodily reactions to these very strange people he is trying to impress, and eventually runs away. When he gets home he Google’s his ‘symptoms’ ... not a good idea at the best of times! Google suggests he has seven different cancers, as well as other hideous diseases. It is time to visit the doctor - urgently! His doctor tells him there is nothing physically wrong, but he needs to spend less time on the internet, he needs a digital detox! The doctor provides Andy with a leaflet explaining what he should do, and suggests he returns after a month of detox to see how it has helped.

After a great deal of grumbling and panic Andy decides to try it, anything is better than his painful and diverse symptoms. He goes for a coffee with his best friend Fergus and tells him all about it. That might be a big mistake, Fergus is an award winning reporter on the local newspaper, and he writes about it in the paper, having taken all Andy’s internet attachments to save him from temptation. Andy has decided he will continue the detox for two months, and his surreal adventures begin. I think Nick Spalding has thought of every mishap that could possibly occur, and although some of them are quite bizarre you honestly can imagine them happening. But at the same time good things are happening, and Andy is becoming a stronger person.

Nick Spalding ends the story on a high note, but also suggests that we could all be better off by relying on the internet a little less, , and he is probably quite right!

Would you survive 60 days technology free?

The first chapter immediately opens talking about bowel movements… 🤔 At first I was like oh good lord what have I gotten myself into BUT I have a 12 year old boys sense of humor and I found myself laughing out loud at poop jokes.

This is the story of Andy, who, after seeking medical advice for a myriad of issues is told he needs to go on a technology detox. Can neck and back pain, IBS, lock jaw, insomnia, etc. all be solved by putting down the electronics. No more social media, no google, no texting, no screens. Andy has to * gasp * go out in the real world and talk to people. He wants to order dinner? He’ll have to CALL the restaurant. That’s when this book went too far for me. Talking on the phone should be a sin. Kidding of course but really if I can order something online or with an app I will do that 100% of the time instead of calling. I can feel Andy's pain throughout the book. It's very hard to imagine a life without being able to shoot off a quick text, scroll Facebook or googling something.

The stories that come from Andy’s detox are hilarious with very well timed humor. I honestly wish I could have lived his life over this time period. My god the interview at the beginning… I was literally laughing out loud. If anyone had seen me they’d have thought I lost my mind!

If you like potty humor, aren’t afraid of swear words, and crave an easy funny read then you need to grab this book! Thoroughly enjoyed it!

An interesting and fun read. Really makes you stop and think about how much time I spend on my devices. Very funny in places. Definitely worth a read.

Quite funny bits sprinkled throughout the book. It read very much like someone's true story. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

Cute novel, though at first I found Andy really annoying with a complete lack of self awareness. If you can get past that, he gradually improves, and there are some interesting points about just how dependent on the internet / technology we've all become.

This book had relevance to our modern time of being connected online excessively. I liked the plot and the charisma of the characters. Thank you to the publisher for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book. Andy Bellows is a thirty-something guy who lives in England. He finds himself with real physical problems IBS among them. As the story unfolds he comes to realize that his obsession with the internet and his smartphone might be adding to this problem. So a 60-day detox from the internet is called for. Little does he know that this will totally change his world. Ironically I read this book during the 2020 shutdown for Corona19 virus. I am on the internet way more than I ever was before haha. I found my self laughing out loud and shaking my head in agreement a lot while reading this wonderful book. Thank you Netgalley for giving me an advance copy to read and review. This helped me so much during such a surreal time in history.

A fun and quick read. The characters and storyline felt a bit one dimensional, but it did make me think about my own relationship with technology and social media.