ARC books

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 day 2 ! 🙂 Hilarious, satirical and absolutely adorable! The author has taken a contemporary topic like tech addiction and brought a very fresh look at surviving in the 21st century without the help of modern tech. The romantic angle is delightful without seeming forced!

Highly recommend!

  • Title â€“ Logging Off
  • Author â€“ Nick Spalding

REVIEW SCORE = 5/5 *****

This is another ARC thanks to #NetGalley. I requested the book without even realizing that the author was a bestseller. Happy to report that I went in with minimal expectations, but the book proves why Nick Spalding is so popular!

I will certainly be buying his other books to read in the future! 🙂

As a digital native myself, I totally relate to the panicky feeling at the thought of being completely cut off and having to rely on my “rusty brain” and personal judgement to navigate the world. We’ve almost forgotten the simple joys of life – like taking a joyride to nowhere, sitting in silence without a meditation app or taking a walk in the park to delight in the sounds of nature. This book reminded me to try those more often.

The book is set in the UK, but readers from any country will find it appealing. Giving too much importance to online “influencers” without vetting them, over-reliance on online reviews, GPS map, preferring meetups to talking to plain old friends, etc. The author weaves all these topics into a coherent and entertaining chronicle. Yet, there are scenes to show that technology and hyper-connectivity can have positive outcomes. I appreciate that the author does not take sides in demonizing technology or glorifying it!

Similar Works:

  • Books – “Notes from a Big Country” by Bill Bryson. Other books by Nick Spalding – start with “Checking Out” or “Dumped Actually”.
  • Movies – Late Nights.
  • TV Series – Stand up series by Jim Gaffigan or Amit Tandon.
  • Genres – Humor and Satire, Romantic Comedy, British Humor.

Until the next book, Happy Reading!

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This year’s reading goals have been quite easy thanks to #StayatHomeLife. I realize how privileged I am to have a job that allows me to work remote, good health (no sniffles yet) and and an amazing family who use tech to keep in touch everyday and prevent any depression from a month-long isolation period.

Apart from reviews, I’ve also decided to add monthly reading stats. That way even the books which don’t receive a blogpostat at least receive an honorary mention. Plus, it is a good reminder to me to add reviews on Amazon/Goodreads.

Monthly Reading Stats

  • Audiobooks: Just one book for 08:51 hours.
  • Ebooks: 10 books. Of these, 5 were Advanced Review Copies (ARC) all thanks to #NetGalley! 🙂
  • Books: 7 books totaling 2,556 pages.
  • Avg. Rating: 4.55*

Audiobooks

  • Women Still Dont Get the Corner Office. 5*

Ebooks

  • Squeezed 4*
  • Head over High Heels 4*
  • Hype Yourself 5*
  • Creative Careers 4*
  • How to Handle a Crowd 4*
  • Thailand 5*
  • Island Affair 5*
  • To Winter at Wildsyde 5*
  • The Side Hustle 4*
  • Make Money from Non-Fiction Books 4*

Physical Books

  • Presence 5* 352p
  • You are a BadAss 4* 244p
  • Why Not Me 5* 240p
  • Beyond Indigo 5* 392p
  • House of Spies 5* 576p
  • Capture of Earl of Glencrae 4.5* 448p
  • Husband Material 4* 304p

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