I have read, I think, all of Nick Spaldings books so far and so was looking forward to this one for some more laugh out loud hilarity. It certainly had its moments, but it didn't quite live up to the hype I had given it in my own head. At first, it's a bit annoying, to be honest - nobody is that useless, surely? Luckily the pace picks up and the connection with the hero becomes more stable and I started to like him better. If there are people out there this horrifically dependent on social media,
Spalding has a light touch, can draw pictures with words that have you giggling and comes up with clever concepts, it's just a shame he pushed this one to an unlikely extreme that is less relatable than his previous novels.

3.5 stars, possibly 4.

Entertaining and funny book with some thought provoking moments about the impact of social media in our lives and also the use of and dependency on the internet in general.

In so many ways the internet makes things easier but with that ease comes some traps of real difficulty and overuse/dependency.

Fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this galley edition. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved this book! Funny, honest, tells a great story and then ends with a life lesson we could all stand to follow!

Andy is a graphic designer who is addicted to the Internet. After a business meeting goes horribly wrong with Andy both being unable to speak and making an emergency run to the bathroom, he visits his doctor.. The doctor advises Andy that his various physical - and psychological - ailments all boil down to one thing; too much time spent on the Internet. The doctor suggests a digital detox. Along the way of his detox Andy becomes a reluctant minor celebrity, meets an array of characters, and tries to find ways to fill his time other than being online.

While Andy is allowed to use the internet for business purposes, some of the decisions he makes about when to use it or not are questionable. In one instance he chooses not to use his phone to map out a route to an area he is unfamiliar with. This causes him to miss an important meeting, and he ends up with his car in the shop. How is using a digital map to get you to a business meeting not a business need?

You’ll also learn a lot about Andy’s bathroom habits and GI distresses. A. LOT.

This story is certainly relevant to the time we live in, but takes it to an extreme in some cases. Andy’s travails are funny and mostly charming (except the bathroom trips - have I mentioned this book spends an inordinate amount of time discussing Andy’s bathroom exploits?), and overall this was an enjoyable read, if you are willing to endure some suspension of disbelief.

i was given this ARC from publisher and netgalley for an honest opinion and feedback

Do you use the internet to much? are you constantly flipping thru instragram, facebook, and emails?
that is what the story about, a doctor tells the main character to go to a digital detox to help alleviate his problems of not sleeping and other issues.
just the thought of this makes it scary to me. Andy actually is able to focus more on his surroundings, connecting with people and feeling better about himself. And of course there is love in the book
i enjoyed the book. it was a very quick read. i had plenty of laughable moments.

Did not finish. I didn't feel it was humorous at all and just seemed to drag on. Gave up after 30% of the book.

Is spending too much time with technology harmful to Andrew Bellows’ health and well being? On his doctor’s advice he logs off all technologies and the story takes off from there. Part humorous, part ridiculous, part insightful, and part heart warming, Logging Off adds up to a good read.

This book had a good premise but I found Spalding's writing laborious and infantile. The effort to come across as a stereotypical man made the book hard to read and did a disservice to men. However, I did enjoy the concept of the book and it made me think about my own behaviour regarding how much time I spend online. A quick read that doesn't take too much effort.

Thank you for Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book is utterly delightful and insightful.

It is about Andy Bellows, who is advised by his doctor to go on a tech detox to improve his health because he doesn't sleep, has pains and very interesting bowel movements (that last one is not my impression, Andy's bowels are actually very important to him and thus very important to this story, thank you very much).

He does go on said detox and I think you can probably guess what happens.

ABSOLUTE CHAOS.

I mean, I can absolutely relate and I don't even use the internet half as much as some of my friends. But a world without google? Without Instagram and maps and Whatsapp? And yes, even Goodreads... that just sounds EXHAUSTING.

And it is. But it's also so much better for Andy's general wellbeing. For one, he connects with his surroundings more. He also has to navigate a new city without an exact route on his phone. And he starts going on walks, gets more air and less sensory overload.

One positive about going on this detox: he meets the love of his life.
One negative about going on this detox: he has a friend at the local paper who wants to write about him. And Andy is way too socially awkward for that, isn't he? And what happens when he says yes and the article blows up and people suddenly want to meet him??

Well, I suggest you get yourself a copy of Logging Off and find out.

This novel is truly for every single one of us who uses their phone a tad more than necessary. It is a feel good novel, with lots and lots of laughter, romance, friendship and a very odd sense of a 21st century mind going "oh, same!" every couple of pages.

I laughed, I cried, it was lovely. And it even inspired me to leave my phone in the other room once in a while. Just to keep my concentration on things and people that matter in the moment instead of virtual notifications.

This was an amusing book about an almost middle aged man who discovers that his addiction to the internet is doing him no good. Following a visit to his GP he decides to detox.

I enjoyed this book. It is an extremely light book which takes only a couple of hours to read and while I didn't laugh out loud, I did smile a few times. The problem is there is too much that is unbelievable about it for me. The main character is 37 years old, yet appears to act like an adolescent in many ways. I found his obsession with following influencers quite incredible as this seems to me to be something for much younger people to be deluded by.

However it is a harmless enough book and lots of people will love it I'm sure. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

So I really enjoyed the idea behind the book. I like the authors style of writing, but the main character Andy Bellows wasn't my favorite.
Andy Bellows is a a lot of pain. Between his IBS and lockjaw, he also is having troubles coming up with ideas for his graphic design business. The doctor he finds suggests a 60 day digital detox. To be honest, i think most of the world could use one, myself definitely included in that.

If you want a humorous book that so makes some really good points, go read this! Comes out April 23rd! 3.75 stars from me.

I ‘logged off’ after the birth of my second child when I found myself saying ‘just one second’ to my eldest a little too often as I scrolled through social media sites wasting endless hours of time.
For this reason any book about stepping away from social media/digital content resonates with me.
Having read novels from Nick Spalding in the past I was hoping for a light hearted, laugh out loud, read and this book didn’t disappoint. It was just what I needed in the current climate to unwind and relax. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the book held my interest.
Thank you to netgalley for providing my ARC in exchange for my review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

I have to chuckle as I write my electronic review on social media about Andy, who is trying to detox completely from his addiction to computer social media sites and all internet activities. His doctor has suggested this detox as a cure for Andy's multiple ailments.

This tongue-in-cheek chronicle follows Andy as he has to adapt to the world without his phone, Google, and all of the modern conveniences which the modern world provides. He has to learn to accept life on an "old fashioned" face-to-face basis. Will he be able to do this?

This book makes the reader realize that everyone's normal is different and we have to find the balance in the way we live our lives.

This is a must read! I literally laughed out loud at this hilarious story about Andy. The story is set in England and the main character, Andy, who is having many physical problems that are wreaking havoc on his life. Finally, Andy sees a doctor who suggests that Andy give up all social media for 60 days. The hilarious predicaments that Andy finds himself in as a result of "logging off" are delightful! I could not put this book down. I would recommend this excellent read to anyone who has thought they might spend a little too much time on social media. Also, anyone interested in a humorous, light read would love this book!

A farcical romp about a digital detox. An over-the-top tale of one mid-thirties male experiencing physical ailments that are attributed to his addiction of the digital lifestyle. Andy Bellows, a graphics designer, has a blow-out with his bowels during a presentation which among many, many other symptoms lead him to a visit with his doctor. The doctor determines that his various symptoms could be related to overuse of digital products and hands Andy a pamphlet on digital detoxing.
Andy shares this news with his close friend, Fergus, who is a journalist. With Andy's permission, Fergus writes a piece on Andy's detox which blossoms into a movement of it's own. An analog-version of Instagram, if you will. Andy now has followers of his detoxing.
What ensues is a little too much discussion of Andy's bowels throughout the pages. But also some funny situations arise as Andy must rely on his own sense of direction both physically and emotionally. This introvert is thrust into the world of actual people where he has to navigate without an app. This is a light, and sometimes comical read.

An early copy was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Logging Off
by Nick Spalding
Amazon Publishing UK
General Fiction (Adult) | Women's Fiction
Pub Date 23 Apr 2020 | Archive Date 07 May 2020

Thanks to Amazon Publishing and Net Galley for my ARC. Quick read on how technology is effecting our day to day lives. Good read!

We live in a world where we have access to any information we want within seconds. Yes, this has made our lives more convenient but in living a more convenient and prepared life, have we begun to live a less adventurous one?

Alan Bellows has an addiction. He is addicted to the internet. His addiction has led him to live a life of having any and all information needed at just a few taps away. After suffering an embarrassing situation at a job interview, he visits his doctor who suggests a digital detox. Apparently all these aches, pains, poo problems, yes, poo problems, and sleepless nights he's been having are all linked to his addiction. Initially, Alan is extremely reluctant. How will he check the weather on all four of his weather apps before heading out? How will he do his food shop? How will he know which restaurant to order a take away from if he can't read their reviews or see their menu? I guess he's about to find out.

In this humourous book about living a life free of technology, Nick Spalding explores the type of life Alan Bellows (and us because I think there is probably a little bit of this character in all of us), could live when easy access to mostly irrelevant information is taken away from him.

One of the things I learnt from this book, because there are plenty of golden nuggets scattered between the ridiculous situations that Alan finds himself in, is that by disconnecting, we give ourselves room to be awed and surprised by the mysteries we invite in. Mysteries that will never appear if we continue to just Google it.

I was able to preview this book thanks to Netgalley. This is the first book that I have read by Nick Spalding, and I enjoyed it. He has a way of writing comedy that really draws the reader into a situation as it is happening. Usually, I do not like when a fiction writer addresses the reader in a comedic way, but I thoroughly enjoyed when he did it in this book. I will say that there were several moments where some interactions felt hyperbolic and unrealistic, which took me out of the scene, and interrupted the narrative flow. There was also a possible scene that was seemingly foreshadowed but never actually took place. That felt like an opportunity for character arc that was underdeveloped. I don’t think it will be a spoiler if I just say, “parents,” since it is a minor part of the story. Overall, it was an easy read, and though it was predictable at some points, it had several moments of depth and philosophical clarity, specifically in relation to technological addiction and , that was redemptive.

On a personal note, I did feel inspired to put down my technology at several points during this book (ironic since I was reading it on my Kindle app), but then I remembered that we are all self-isolating and I would be giving up my only link to the outside world. Maybe when all of this is over, I’ll be “Logging Off” myself.

Thank you, NetGalley, the publisher and author for the ARC of Logging Off in return for my honest review.

This book could not have come at a more perfect time! During this COVID-19 epidemic, the laughter the author provided was much needed! The very relevant topic needing to disengage from our phones and gadgets when life was "normal" is even more important now when we are secluded in our homes and being bombarded by constant news cycles. While it is difficult to turn away from the internet--Nick Spalding has provided the option by reading about Andy Bellows "logging off"

This is a fun, relaxing read for these stressful times!

Andy is a graphic designer who is way too reliant on technology. He spends his days on social media, the internet, and playing video games. He rarely even has to leave the house because he can order food online, meet dates on dating apps, and do all shopping online. Because of this, he hardly sleeps, has chronic neck pain, and has issues with going to the bathroom. When Andy goes to pitch a graphic design job things take a crazy turn for the worse, and he realizes he needs to make some changes. His doctor recommends a digital detox where he’ll log off of all technology for 60 days. Can Andy do it, and if so, will it be worth it?

This book has a great concept. I think most of us are reliant on social media, technology, and our smart phones. Personally, I think I spend way too much time on them, but don’t know if I could go as far as Andy did and cut them out completely for two months.

The book is definitely written with British humor and satire. Some of which was lost on me, but it did have some funny parts - driving without GPS and a duck pond come to mind! That was a funny scene. There were also some endearing parts mainly Andy’s relationship with Grace. I loved the part where they travel to Bath, and I’m glad they made a connection through him logging off.

I definitely think this is a book everyone who spends a lot of time online should read. It has a great message about balancing our lives between our digital selves and the real world.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.