Nick Spalding

Questo è il tipo di libro che ogni tanto ci vuole, quello che ti fa ridere ad alta voce e fino alle lacrime. Jamie e Laura ne passano di cotte e di crude prima di trovarsi e stabilirsi "prima che sia troppo tardi per farlo".

Jamie tiene un blog dove racconta tutte le sue (dis)avventure amorose, dagli appuntamenti al buio agli speed date. C'è davvero l'imbarazzo (molto, molto imbarazzo) della scelta: cercare la Donna Giusta sembra davvero un'impresa titanica e, per quanto si provi a far andare tutto alla grande, accade quella cosa che non avevi previsto...

MOOOFFOLAAA!!!!!!!!!!*

(*per maggiori informazioni su Moffola e la sua simpatica padroncina, leggete il libro)

Laura, invece, tiene un diario e anche lei annota le sue esperienze con l'altro sesso. Tra dilemmi amletici inerenti cosa mettersi e problemi con la Vespa, sarà davvero difficile per Laura trovare (e tenersi) l'Uomo Giusto... problemi gastrointestinali (memorabile la giornata del 5 giugno) e ritorni di ex sono sempre in agguato...… (mehr)

Andy Bellows is a 36 year old freelance graphic designer – and he is addicted to the internet. When his addiction leads to some physical problems, his doctor advises a digital detox…this means, no internet, no apps, no tech for 60 days (although he is allowed to use it solely for work purposes if necessary).

He quickly realises how much time he was spending on the internet and how different life is (in both good and bad ways) when you don’t use it. His best friend is a reporter who writes about Andy’s digital detox and suddenly Andy finds himself with loads of followers, all inspired to try a detox of their own.

If you have read any Nick Spalding books before, you will know that the initial set-up is a prelude to several absurd situations, and this story is no different. I won’t give away any spoilers but Nick Spalding writes comedy and that is exactly what this book is. I would say that some of the situations were possibly a little too over-the-top to be believable, but still made me laugh out loud on occasion.

It’s an undemanding read too but one that does actually have a serious message at its heart. How many times do you look around in a cafe, or on public transport, or just walking down the street and see the vast majority of people with their heads down, looking at their phones? People ARE addicted to their tech and to having the world at their fingertips. It’s so easy to lose a couple of hours a day just scrolling through Instagram or Facebook for example. On the other hand, it’s useful sometimes to have info as soon as you need it (e.g., I have a couple of days off work soon and thought I might head out to the cinema. It took less than a minute to find out what films were showing and at what times.)

Anyhow, I generally enjoyed the book a lot, although I did feel it maybe lost its way slightly towards the end. But I would recommend it and will definitely be looking out for more by this author.… (mehr)

Jamie Newman y Laura McIntyre son un par de jóvenes que han perdido toda esperanza de encontrar el amor. Tras una larga y desastrosa sucesión de citas hilarantes que nunca salen bien, de decepcionantes encuentros a ciegas y de conocer a estrafalarios personajes, han dejado de creer en la existencia de su media naranja... hasta el día en el que se topan el uno con el otro. Pero incluso las citas con la persona adecuada pueden convertirse en un cúmulo de situaciones ridículas y disparatadas...
¿Qué pensarías si estás a punto de atropellar a la persona perfecta para ti? ¿Y si, aún así, ésta accede a tener una cita contigo? ¿Qué sucedería si en esa primera cita sufrís una repentina y virulenta intoxicación alimentaria y en la casa solo hay un cuarto de baño? ¿Y si, por equivocación, vais a ver una sórdida película porno en vez de una de acción?… (mehr)

Thank you NetGalley and Nick Spalding for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bloody brilliant, isn't it? I laughed so much that my cheeks were sore from the journey. This story follows a young man named Jake who runs a business with his best friend, Sy. They have been nearly inseparable since they were children. Jake's loyalty to his best friend knows no limits. As Sy chooses what activities they should do for each of their business excursions, Jake complacently follows along.

When the dynamic of their friendship changes, inviting in Helena, who becomes not only a co-host to their business, but Sy's girlfriend, it feels like the absolute end of the world to Jake. Enough so, that I wanted to shake him out of his turmoil once or twice. He finds himself feeling constant dread at the shift in dynamic, the awkwardness of being the third wheel, and the unusual activities they now find themselves reviewing for their business.

This story made me reflect on how relationships can sometimes be very one sided in regards to give and take. Sometimes you have to stand up for yourself. Sometimes you have to say no.

Reading the misadventures Jake experiences as he tries to continue through life like everything is totally normal made me laugh, cringe, and nearly cry. This was, for the most part, a highly amusing story about the importance of friendship with an ending fit for a rom com.… (mehr)