Not too much to say, typical Spalding. Parts were really funny and parts of it were really draggy. I liked the overall premise, Andy is told by his doctor he needs a tech detox because of some medical issues he is having, and shenanigans occur.

I ultimately wish that the book had actually moved more into a direction of Andy's other interests (he started reading and walking more) instead of him acting like an ass because he couldn't look up what stars were up to via Instagram. I think that a lot of people take social media breaks. I have done so before and it honestly helps. When you read nothing but terrible news and people's perfect lives via social media it is going to skew your perspective. Spalding danced near that with Andy finding about a real life person he was following, but Spalding played it for laughs instead of actually pointing out how everyone does this.

Loved the Easter eggs to other books that he has written and I think this one's ending worked a lot better than the last book of his I read "Dumped, Actually."

I skipped away from Masked Prey because I am full up on Nazis in the real world. "Logging Off" had some wonderful insights and funny moments (typical Spalding). I do have to say thought that towards the end though things started to drag a bit and Andy (the main character) started getting on my nerves with acting as if he wouldn't be able to do certain things without technology. I love hiking and besides taking pictures with my regular camera, I just listen to the birds and whatnot and actually follow maps (gasp) without having a total breakdown about it. 

Good things were Easter eggs dropped about prior Spalding novels. Apparently the events in this one happened before the events in "Dumped, Actually" and we even get sightings from Jamie, Laura, and Poppy. 

Nick Spalding’s wry humor sweetens a strong lesson in Logging Off, his most recent novel and thinly disguised cautionary tale. The book is the farcical account of first-person narrator, Andy, a graphic designer whose addiction to technology and social media has resulted in some serious physical and psychological side effects.  When an important client meeting becomes disastrous due disturbing symptoms, Andy decides that he will embark on a 60-day “digital detox” to reset his health.  His best friend is a reporter who composes a feature about Andy’s experiment—the publicity acting as a reinforcement to his endeavor.  Andy soon discovers how completely obsessed with online activities he has become. The removal of these sources of security illuminate the life skills that have been underdeveloped and highlight his utter dependence on instant information and entertainment. The wacky “fish-out-of-water” misadventures and slapstick episodes that follow are entertaining, if a bit far-fetched. Along the way, a romance blooms and the protagonist finds himself the unwitting object of wide-spread admiration and attention. Despite being ambivalent about pursuing his “detox,” Andy feels compelled to continue by the pressure of his new “followers” and the irrepressible current of a movement he never intended to spark. As he struggles with feelings of hypocrisy and confusion, he also recognizes the benefits that the endeavor has brought. Logging Off is a bit too long and the humor at times is contrived and lowbrow, but the book remains a fun read despite its strong moralistic stance. Spalding’s attempt to preach moderation and life-balance is perhaps obvious and over-stated, but his amusing approach makes it a lesson that is easy to swallow.

Thanks to the author, Lake Union Publishing (Amazon) and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I need to get ahead of the books that I have finished the past week. Due to me being at training right now I just don't have a lot of energy to post reviews. Going to post as many as i can before I finally fall on my face.

So this book, eh, the main character got on my nerves. That's before the reveal about what a loon he was when you find out the backstory on his and his girlfriend's relationship. I used to watch "How I Met Your Mother" and over time, the narrator of the story, Ted Mobsy got on my freaking nerves. Ted went around talking about being in love, and wanting to be in love and even finally got his dream girl (Robin) who he just wore down into going out with him. Do you know how happy I was when they broke up? Because initially the writers got that Ted just loved being in love and wanted every woman he met to fit what he wanted. He didn't really give a crap about them as independent people from him.

So here enters the lead character, Ollie Sweet. Unlike with his other books, Spalding's writing wasn't funny in this one. I just knew where he was going with everything. Har har, Ollie goes to a spa and we know he's going to get waxed. Ollie goes off to the forest, gets bored, and ha ha masturbates in front of deer. I just felt annoyed through the whole book. The only reason why I gave this three stars is that the book moves rather quickly and shocker of all, Spalding doesn't go for a HEA that is fairly well telegraphed from the beginning of the book.

Ollie plans on proposing to his girlfriend at an amusement park on her birthday. Yeah that right there would have me dumping you hard. I am not a public proposal person. Good on you all that have the ability to not recoil in fright if you are the center of attention. So Ollie proposes, gets rejected, goes into a tailspin, and the editor at his newspaper tells him that he should consider writing about his heartbreak. The newspaper is doing low numbers and any day now they will get the ax. Ollie turns his heartbreak into "Dumped, Actually" a play on the movie, "Love Actually." 

This part of the movie is still seriously messed up to me. I was maybe screaming at this point and wanted her husband to come out and kick his ass. Who does this?? Sorry, I am getting distracted.

Anyway, Ollie via emails from readers starts going through the things you do to get over a breakup. Get a makeover, go out camping, etc. Through it all though I just realized that Ollie is one of those guys who dumps his friends anytime a woman is around (he admits this) and he is obsessed with his parents happy marriage and wanting to have one just like it. Honestly, Ollie is a wanker. He's just one of those guys who is all, I am a nice guy. We don't get to read any of his writing, so who knows how good at it he supposedly is. But we just keep reading about his antics to get over his ex.

The secondary characters are developed in order to help Ollie learn more about himself. What made me laugh for all of his crap about his parents we don't hear much about them or his immediate family until his parents vow renewal ceremony. I think Spalding should have included more details on them. Just reading about Ollie doing things his readers suggest to get over his ex gets boring. He tries to throw in a side plot about the newspaper maybe being closed down and the terrible investor, but I don't want to get into how offensive I found that whole freaking thing and I don't feel like spoiling. Let's say, per usual nice guy antics, he can't just let his female boss handle things alone, only he and his words are there to save the day. 

The writing is typical Spalding, trying to make you laugh the whole way through, but just like "Dry Hard" I didn't find this one very funny. I hurt myself laughing while reading "Love....From Both Sides." The flow was wonky. The book honestly should have ended after Ollie has his heart to heart with his ex, but it lumbers along to the ending.

The ending as I said was a nice surprise. 

Well this was a shocker, I didn't like this one. Usually Nick Spalding can make me laugh until I hurt myself. "Dry Hard" really didn't work for me though because I think that Spalding left out some things that could have rounded out the book more. We hear about how badly Kate and Scott behave when they drink. And there's even references to their families realizing it and avoiding them. I think it would have been more realistic to have the parents and siblings back up Holly (their daughter) about how they behave when drinking. Instead Spalding seems focused on showing why YouTube stars are a problem, unless it's his characters reaping the benefit. 

"Dry Hard" follows Kate and Scott who though are happily married, wish that they had more time together. When both get stressed they like to drink. Unfortunately when they drink they don't have a stop button and it causes both of them trouble at work. When they finally turn into boozy messes on Christmas their daughter Holly films them and then posts it on her YouTube channel in order to get her parents to realize they need to stop drinking. So that's what Kate and Scott pledge to do. For a whole year, no drinking.

Of course we are supposed to laugh about them getting into scrapes and both wishing for a drink, but I didn't find it very funny. Both characters are alcoholics full stop. Every description of them thinking about drinking, drinking til they black out, and the remarks made by friends and family shows that they are not seen as sober/competent.  Unlike with the other couples Spalding has introduced us to over the years, I couldn't warm up to Kate or Scott. Them deciding to chronicle their non-drinking on YouTube seemed out of character and also stupid. Spalding does this to tie together the whole YouTube culture thing and it doesn't work at all. I get we are supposed to be rooting against someone, but the Kate and Scott were hot messes. 

The other characters get very little development. Even though we switch to Holly at times, I think Spalding could have included more of her issues with her parents drinking. We get mentions of why she never invites friends to stay over. You think her parents would realize that and also really really apologize for it. The therapy session scene we get once again sucks. 

The book wasn't that funny to me. I mean at first I was smiling, and then cringing the whole way through. Probably because I have a brother who used to drink to the point he would black out and wake up and accuse everyone around him of all sorts of things. I also had an ex who was a "functioning" alcoholic.  I just couldn't find the book very funny. I think I would skipped over this if the synopsis hadn't made it seem as if Kate and Scott don't really have an issue with drinking, they just over drink a bit and get caught in a viral moment. 

The ending was so unrealistic. I think we're supposed to cheer on how things end up. But I already have issues with so-called YouTube stars using their platforms and how it can leave bad impressions on teens and adults. I am not going to lie, I will watch a video on how to snake a toilet or fix a sink. However, based on all the articles about "BS influencers" and how some people selling products are pretty much blackmailed into giving these "stars" money or get bad reviews I just have a bad taste in my mouth about the whole platform.