Somewhat funny(?), thought-provoking and a tad ridiculous. I loved the premise of the book and the takeaway of balance but that was about it. I couldn’t relate to Andy and the storyline lacked a defined plot. The “humour” was not my style. It was overdone, silly and trying to hard to be funny.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC eBook in return for an honest review.

Great story. Englishman logs off all the internet and cell phone after having a series of ailments and a doctor recommendation that all that looking down is causing his ailments.....
Previous to the diagnosis is hilarious as is much of the book.
And the results of the LOGGING OFF turn out both funny as hell and rewarding as well
Very much enjoyed this book

Content Warning: I don’t normally read books with so much cussing in them. (or any cussing for that matter) But we are facing crazy, unusual times with the deadly Corona virus; so, I took a risk and jumped at the chance to laugh out loud and escape the realities of life for a while. This book is just the ticket for that. It’s entertaining and funny as the author does a great job of allowing readers to view things from the perspective of Andy Bellows, an internet junkie who’s just gotten some bad news about some health issues. The Dr. said he’d have to do an unusual detox immediately.

In the beginning of the detox, Andy Bellows acknowledges he’s become a “potty mouth”. Lots of bloody hell’s, Damn, one “F” bomb I think, and some other colorful words thrown in the mix. I appreciated the fact that it calms down after a while with more bloody hell’s than I cared for near the end. All and all I enjoyed the story, the quirky characters and the great message at the end.

This author does an amazing job of giving readers an insightful peek at how Andy and friends at how connected they are to the internet. These people can’t make a decision about what to eat without help from Yelp, go for a drive without checking the traffic, weather, and set their course with their google maps app. Then there’s the useful sites to help self-diagnose what ails you. Andy concludes, “If the poo app thinks I should see a healthcare professional, then I’d bloody well better do what it says….“After all, if I trust apps to tell me what to eat, where to go and who to date, why wouldn’t I trust them when it comes to something like my health?”

Andy has IBS and is thrilled they’ve developed an app to track his poo! Ok, I wasn’t sure where the author was headed with this until Andy gets ready to go onto a job interview. I smiled as Andy Bellows checks online to get ready for this interview. After the interview he’s not feeling so good. He’s checked the three go to websites and then finally to Dr. Google and had a diagnosis. It was comical. This author had me laughing so hard as Andy has convinced himself he has Cancer.

Andy prepares himself to hear the Dr. say the “C” word when out of the blue he tells him he knows what’s wrong and it’s not cancer. The Dr. tells him he needs a 30-day break from the internet. His friend encourages him and says he’ll help him stay the course with accountability. He’ll write a weekly article. He’ll call it the Detoxification of Andy Bellows. Andy’s not too keen on it but if he were to give this a go, he’d need support.

He’s hungry about this time and wants to grab a bite to eat. Then he thinks, “How the hell are you supposed to know whether you’re getting good food or not, if you don’t have an app to tell you what the reviews for it are?” I laughed my way through Andy’s detox as he discovers new things about himself and the world around him without the use of the internet.

I liked Andy and the quirky cast of characters as I watched them grow stronger in their quest to be real, discover the truth, and seek a balance in life. The story is hilarious in parts, heartfelt and insightful, in others. I could overlook the cussing because I liked the main character and loved the message at the end. I liked what Andy and his friends learned as they faced the world without using their computers, and apps etc.

This is what the author said about his book, “Logging off is actually a book about people…don’t let all that talk about technology fool you.”…”I met my gorgeous wife Gemma online. “This means that, in my book, the internet is just about the best thing ever.”

As all of us are staying at home this is a great, funny escape with a satisfying ending (if you can get past the cussing.) LOL!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com

What a great humourous, positive, and great read. I absolutely loved this book! Come from a British author worried me at first but it was very easy to follow. I would recommend this book to all my friends. It actually is a subject that I do believe is very real issus with everyone.

Logging Off
I requested this book from NetGalley to bring a little humor into these days of quarantine and the onslaught of bad news. Andy is addicted to all his electronics, social media to the point that it is affecting his health. His doctor recommends a 60 day detox from all of that with the exception that is essential to his work as a graphic artist. I was not disappointed, had a few good laughs, which is what I wanted to get out of this book. I didn’t enjoy the British idioms and humor, but others might like it. The ending is predictable, everything in moderation.
Overall a three star book that brings a little laughter.

This was exactly what I needed right now, something to make me smile and laugh. Thank you to @AmazonPub and @NickSpalding for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Description 🔖

Everyone is dependent on tech and the internet in one way or another nowadays but Andy Bellows has a diagnosed addiction to his tech. When he starts to suffer from some quite concerning physical ailments, he consults his doctor and the prescription is a digital detox; six weeks with no phone, no iPad, no internet.

Andy doesn’t find this challenge easy, but soon starts to learn that there are benefits. Andy embarks on his detox with the hope of finding his own healthy balance in life and that doesn’t come without the odd hilarious sticky situation.

General Thoughts 🤔

I loved this story. It’s so relevant and I definitely don’t miss the irony that I read this book on my Kindle and I photographed the cover on my iPad, using my iPhone and I’m writing my review on my MacBook. We’re all so reliant on our devices but do we really have to be? How would life really be if it were all taken away? I think that there are a generation that would get by just fine, we grew up without it all just fine. But there are a generation that don’t know any different and would flounder.

Andy’s struggles had me absolutely howling with laughter and really made me pause to think about how I personally would cope. How would I order an Indian Takeaway without the telephone number for the restaurant or the internet to google it? How would I get from A to B with the ability to avoid traffic and redirect without my many navigation apps on my iPhone? It’s funny to think about it but also worrying to me that one day, so many people will literally struggle to get through normal everyday situations if they didn’t have their tech.

Characters 👫👭👬

Right from the off I fell in love with Andy. He reminded me so much of my partner (so no shock I loved him so much) and I think my partner could learn an awful lot from Andy. His sense of humour was fantastic but his vulnerabilities were what made me find him so endearing.

I have to mention Colin and Wilberforce. How can I not?! What a duo. Every chapter including these characters had me laughing out loud. I have worked with so many Colins and so many Wilberforces (not literally, I mean WILBERFORCE?!) and I feel like although their characters may have been stereotypes, they were brilliant.

Writing Style ✍🏽

The book is all written in the voice of Andy and it made me feel like I really knew this character and his personality and how he was feeling. The humour is so dry, so hilarious and it all felt very genuine.

I loved that this book was light hearted and funny but I also loved how relevant it was and feel like it’s really got a message that all of us could pause and take note of. Just like Andy wasn’t intending to become the leader of the “loggers off”, I’m sure Nick Spalding hasn’t written this book solely to preach about the psychological and physiological benefits of a digital detox, but the message is there and it definitely made me ponder.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

Needless to say, I would 100% recommend this book to pretty much anyone. Especially given the current circumstances of the world we’re living in at this very moment. So many of us are dependent on our tech more than ever right now and it’s no bad thing as it’s helping many of us I’m sure. However it is about balance and ensuring that we use tech as a means to an end, not a full time crutch. I’m so grateful for this book and the smile it put on my face this weekend.

I received a free ARC ebook from publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I was going to. There was a lot of laughs throughout. I thought it might be a bit much for me within the first few chapters but once the actual detox started I was hooked. It was fun seeing how much we do rely on the technology for mostly everything. Especially our calendars, I will admit that is a life line for me. I do recommend this book because it was a fun change of pace and it was interesting and fast to follow. I did laugh that I was using an app to read it though. It was ironic....don't ya think.

Highly entertaining. I think a lot of people feel overwhelmed at times with being slammed by technology. Therefore, most people can relate. Very funny!!

This book came to me at the perfect time. While I don’t spend nearly as much time on the Internet as the main character, I’ve known that I need to spend less time on it.

This book is very funny, easy to read and a great story. This and “The Girl from Widow Hills” helped me break out of my reading slump. I can easily see this be adapted to film. In fact I’m looking forward to watching it on the big screen.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy.

Nick Spalding returns with yet another view on life – this one based on the pros and cons of life online. Written with his trademark humour you find yourself cringing and laughing whilst recognising your own behaviour (and wishing you didn’t!) throughout the novel. Spalding creates appealing and likeable characters with ease.

Andy Bellows has extreme IBS, severe neck pain and experiences lock-jaw during a very important interview for his graphic design business. His doctor suggests that he go on a 60 day digital detox, with the exception of checking e-mail for work. This means absolutely no social media for Andy. During his detox, he gets into hilarious and unbelievable situations that will have you laughing out loud.

If I'm being honest, this is not a book I would have chosen for myself based on the description; however, I am grateful the author let me read his e-book early. I would give this book 4.5 stars. I am a new fan of Nick Spalding, and I am looking forward to reading more of his books. I will admit that I felt guilty reading the e-book version when the character was going through his own personal digital detox.

At first, I was offput by the novel because I wasn't used to hearing the male perspective in a book. I was thinking that this would be a great book for my guy friends, especially those who are reluctant readers, but honestly it's a great book for all genders and readers alike. As the story continued though, I realized how refreshing it is to be inside the mind of the opposite gender (every girl's dream, right?). I also appreciated the touch of romance in the book, especially since it correlated with how Andy solved one of his conflicts in the book. No spoilers, but it definitely made my heart melt.

The plot is insanely unique and interesting to read during a time of quarantine, because who could survive without technology at a time like this? After reading this fictional tale, you might change your mind about how much time you are spending on the internet during quarantine. Maybe Nick Spalding is on to something....

Hilarious read with a tongue in cheek look of our reliance on the digital world. Outlandish scenarios but they just add to the whole experience. My younger daughter has given up social media for Lent and discovered that most of it is so unnecessary and is particularly grateful in today's climate of coronavirus. We all know that moderation, as with everything, is the key. Easy enjoyable read, fun and a wake up call on how we all rely on the internet too much.

4 hilarious stars!

I didn't know this was the book I needed until I started reading it. THIS is what I needed to read at this point in my life. With the Coronavirus pandemic happening and taking up all of my brain space, this hilarious book was such a joy to read. Truly, a joy.

I typically do not read comedy books. Give me the option to read an intense, emotional family drama and I am always going to pick that book up. The problem that I have with most comedy books is....that I don't find most of the funny. I usually just find myself cringing.

UNTIL THIS. PEEPS. PEOPLE. PEEEEEEEEPPPPS. THIS BOOK IS LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY. LITERALLY. YOU WILL LAUGH OUT LOUD WHILE READING THIS.

Honestly, any book that starts with a good bathroom joke, I'm in. Nick Spalding knows that there is truly nothing funnier than bathroom humor. And there was quite a bit of it in this book so needless to say, I was crackkkkkkkkkking up.

Anyway, this book is about a dude that spends so much time on social media/the Internet that he starts having a number of health problems. His doctor recommends that he do a digital detox and that is where the bulk of the story lies. We follow Andy on his detox journey which is both hilarious and heartwarming.

Like I said earlier, I'm not one for comedy books, or heartwarming books for that matter either, but this book was exactly what I needed at this moment in my life.

I highly recommend you read this one. Especially if you're in need of a laugh!

Many thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the ARC and wanting my honest opinion!

Now I'm off to download all of Nick's other books. TTYL!

This book starts off at a sprint. It seems sort of spastic and a bit hysterical. Until Andy logs off. And then the story allows you to catch your breath while walking through Andy’s digital detox. I wonder if that was deliberate. Our lives seem so fast-paced and the fever goes down once we set down our devices.
It has very funny moments, some moments that feel like someone’s trying too hard, but it’s a fun story to read. Andy is likable enough and the poor chap just wants to live his life! He gets himself into some predicaments discovering the downside to a digital cleanse but ends up the better for it.

I was asked to read this book and give an honest review. If you need something funny, here’s a book for you.

Logging Off
Nick Spalding
4/23/20
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a light hearted laugh out loud book! It’s a quick get away since life right now has been stressful. Meet Andy Gallows, he is addicted to the internet, social media platforms and his phone. His diagnosis is to detox from the digital world. We follow Andy on his 60 day challenge of giving up his phone and internet. A task that is not as easy as it sounds.... Andy is a funny, witty like able character and I found myself rooting for him. I felt the ending was thought provoking and a bit philosophical.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazing Publishing for the Advanced Readers’ Copy of Logging Off in exchange for an honest review.

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LOGGING OFF by Nick Spalding is classified as British humor and satire. There is some humor and satire in it so that seems to fit. Andy Bellows is a freelance graphic designer that is afflicted with headaches, neck aches, insomnia, muscle aches and gastrointestinal issues. With the help of his phone and tablet, he tries to self-diagnose himself, but ends up going to the doctor. The doctor tells him he needs to do a digital detox for two months and gives him a pamphlet to guide him. His only use of technology would be the minimum amount he needs for his work. How would he survive without texting, tweeting, online dating, and all of the social media that drives his days and nights? How would he even find food? Will it even help him? Can he survive?

Andy is an interesting character that you can root for and sympathize with, but I would not call him a compelling character. Humor and, especially satire are used throughout the novel. The language was a little stronger than I like at times, but I still enjoyed some laughs. The internal and external conflicts were well defined and the secondary characters had were nicely developed. Themes include digital dependence, physical ailments, romance, isolation and self-discovery.

Overall, I liked the book. It was well-crafted and I would recommend it to those that read this and think it might be something they will enjoy.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and Nick Spalding for a complimentary ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

Amazing book - i could not put it down, but then reminded myself that I did not want to end up needing a tech detox (like the hero) and finished it on day2 ! :) Hilarious, satirical and absolutely adorable. The author has taken a mundane topic and brought a very fresh look at surviving in the 21st century without the help of modern tech. highly recommend.

Andy is addicted to tech, and it's causing physical problems. His doctor recommends a complete digital detox, and Andy is forced to agree. Kept on the straight and narrow by his journalist best friend in the name of well-written soft news, he's amazed when his crusade actually seems to connect with people. Can he make real connections in an analog world?

There's an odd dichotomy about reading this on a kindle; I kept expecting someone to show up and remind me that I was supposed to be on a detox. That's how absorbing this novel is.

It's true that most people spend a lot of time on tech nowadays, And I'd easily believe that it's having physical effects. I liked that this book did not make any claims to easy answers; in fact, it made a point of explaining that detoxing is not a one-fits-all solution, may not help everyone, and that there are as many bad points to it as good ones. The world is not kind to people who can't access the internet nowadays and Andy has several problems that would have been easily avoided if he'd had his phone.

This is also a remarkably funny book, not preachy at all. I very much enjoyed reading it.

Although I found the first couple pages hectic and slightly chaotic, I soon fell into the rhythm of this charming story. It can be a bit silly, I thought the first chapter scenario would have the character waking up in a wild dream/nightmare but no, it was just the hilarious characterisations that feature throughout the novel. All the characters have exquisite names, and I loved the Britishness of the humour and the settings, I read this book when I was away and it made me very nostalgic. Often, despite the ridiculous situations the character ends up in, his thought process is totally relatable and what everyone else would be thinking in these situations. This novel is hysterically funny, from the duck pond to Herbert to Wilberforce, It was nourishing and upbeat and a joy to read!

This was a wonderful book to read. The Internet can be very addictive and Logging Off shows us what can happen if you let it take over your life. Some of the things that happen while he is doing the detox is so funny. But it shows all he has had to go through doing this detox. There was so much to this wonderful story and it did make me stop to think about how often I am online and what I have lost because of it. I am still laughing at some of things he went through still thinking about them. It is a book that I think everyone would enjoy. I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review and my honest review is I learned somethings, I laughed a lot and reading it brightened my day.