What do you think?
Restarting
On a random-ass Tuesday night, Joe Schmoe's average life is flipped on its head when he's told he has one week to overcome his Life's Obstacle. That'd be easy enough - except for two problems:
1) He has no clue what his Life's Obstacle is.
2) If he doesn't overcome it - he'll be killed.
To help him on his quest, Joe's been magically gifted five "Restarts" that grant him the ability to rewind the current day. As he redoes moments throughout his week, he discovers each Restart affects more than just himself.
Armed with humor, a baseball bat, and a plethora of random sports references, Joe and an unlikely companion set off on their mission to save his life.
Phil Got Books' debut novella blends comedy, action, and sci-fi into one weird little fast-paced story filled with twists, turns, and tomfoolery. Fans of The Office, Shrinking, Workaholics, Dungeon Crawler Carl, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy should have a fun time reading Restarting.
1) He has no clue what his Life's Obstacle is.
2) If he doesn't overcome it - he'll be killed.
To help him on his quest, Joe's been magically gifted five "Restarts" that grant him the ability to rewind the current day. As he redoes moments throughout his week, he discovers each Restart affects more than just himself.
Armed with humor, a baseball bat, and a plethora of random sports references, Joe and an unlikely companion set off on their mission to save his life.
Phil Got Books' debut novella blends comedy, action, and sci-fi into one weird little fast-paced story filled with twists, turns, and tomfoolery. Fans of The Office, Shrinking, Workaholics, Dungeon Crawler Carl, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy should have a fun time reading Restarting.
177 pages, Paperback
Published April 22, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
May 26, 2026
I’ve struggled with posting this review because I didn’t want to leave a negative critique. I am incredibly proud of Phil for jumping in and writing his novella. I think that more people should take a dive into things that they are passionate about.
However, I think that the lack of time spent writing and editing the novella did it a great disservice. For what it’s worth, I think that there was potential. There was a quirkiness and humor to the novella that was enjoyable at first. But, the quality of the writing and editing was quite poor. It reads like a story written in a weekend. It reads like a draft more than a polished product.
I understand that self publishing places the burden of refining, editing, and reworking solely on the shoulders of the authors as opposed to someone working with a literary agent and a publishing house— which can lead to longer timelines. But, anything worth doing is worth doing with care. To me, it read conversationally and not in an intentional way.
I am leaving this review because there was potential. Again, Phil is incredibly quirky and funny and witty and that does shine through the writing. I just think that he should slow down and produce something better, because I truly believe he is capable of producing something better than what this turned out to be.
However, I think that the lack of time spent writing and editing the novella did it a great disservice. For what it’s worth, I think that there was potential. There was a quirkiness and humor to the novella that was enjoyable at first. But, the quality of the writing and editing was quite poor. It reads like a story written in a weekend. It reads like a draft more than a polished product.
I understand that self publishing places the burden of refining, editing, and reworking solely on the shoulders of the authors as opposed to someone working with a literary agent and a publishing house— which can lead to longer timelines. But, anything worth doing is worth doing with care. To me, it read conversationally and not in an intentional way.
I am leaving this review because there was potential. Again, Phil is incredibly quirky and funny and witty and that does shine through the writing. I just think that he should slow down and produce something better, because I truly believe he is capable of producing something better than what this turned out to be.
April 22, 2026
Gotta give my boy Phil that 5 stars! Super fun novella and quick read. I can definitely see myself picking this up to reread if I ever need a solid palette cleanser. Great humor, good message, likable characters, pretty solid writing for a first novella. Can’t really knock too much. Some things got a little repetitive with descriptions but that’s really the only thing that took me out of it.
Phil if you’re reading this, good luck in the future with everything ahead of you and look forward to another book if you plan on writing more!
Phil if you’re reading this, good luck in the future with everything ahead of you and look forward to another book if you plan on writing more!
September 3, 2026
First off, Phil is the man and without his youtube channel I wouldn’t have read Red Rising and became a better reader. I appreciate how his book has his exact humor.
This was a great little first story from him, had me smiling and laughing the whole time
This was a great little first story from him, had me smiling and laughing the whole time
April 27, 2026
Shoutout Phil for getting me out of a 5 month reading slump. Quick read and a fun old goofy time
May 5, 2026
Full video review here: https://youtu.be/hldeTPLxWLM
Restarting follows Joe Schmoe, who is harassed by a floating blob, Charles, and told he has to overcome his life's obstacle or he will face termination. He only has one week, and 5 restarts (jump back to any point in the day) to figure out what his life mission, and do his darndest to overcome it.
This book at its utmost is incredibly fun, pretty fast paced and quite a page turner. I read it through in two days but could easily have done it in one sitting had I dedicated a few hours in one go. It's pretty funny, and I enjoyed the characters along the way. The ending was pretty silly, takes after Mr.Phil quite well.
4/5
That's the short of it, go check out the long of it with the video review! :)
Restarting follows Joe Schmoe, who is harassed by a floating blob, Charles, and told he has to overcome his life's obstacle or he will face termination. He only has one week, and 5 restarts (jump back to any point in the day) to figure out what his life mission, and do his darndest to overcome it.
This book at its utmost is incredibly fun, pretty fast paced and quite a page turner. I read it through in two days but could easily have done it in one sitting had I dedicated a few hours in one go. It's pretty funny, and I enjoyed the characters along the way. The ending was pretty silly, takes after Mr.Phil quite well.
4/5
That's the short of it, go check out the long of it with the video review! :)
May 26, 2026
2.5/5
Phil, (if you read this), you’re my Booktube go to and honestly this book made me die laughing, and that’s all I wanted out of it. Great palette cleanser and can get you out of a reading slump any day. Love that your writing style is true to your voice, I was reading this whole thing in your voice and cadence lol. Great first novella, don’t let the 2.5/5 get you down - hard to rate any novella higher than a 3 in my opinion.
Phil, (if you read this), you’re my Booktube go to and honestly this book made me die laughing, and that’s all I wanted out of it. Great palette cleanser and can get you out of a reading slump any day. Love that your writing style is true to your voice, I was reading this whole thing in your voice and cadence lol. Great first novella, don’t let the 2.5/5 get you down - hard to rate any novella higher than a 3 in my opinion.
April 23, 2026
This is a strong debut from Phil Got Books—funny, weird, unpredictable, well paced and creative. There’s definitely room to grow; many of the characters felt like they shared the same voice, and the language didn’t always land for me personally. Still, it’s an impressive first effort for a broad audience, and I’d love to see him take a shot at a full novel.
May 12, 2026
Restarting is a hilarious, heartfelt debut that feels exactly like what you’d expect from Phil if you’ve spent any time with his YouTube channel. Phil got into books around the same time I did, and his videos were a huge part of what kicked my own reading passion into overdrive. That same goofy, earnest, and self‑aware energy shows up on every page of this novella.
Is it a little rough around the edges? Sure. But honestly, that’s part of the charm. The humor lands constantly, the pacing never drags, and underneath all the jokes there’s a surprising amount of heart. It’s unmistakably Phil’s voice, right down to Joe (the main character) having celiac intolerance and dropping random sports references like it’s second nature. It’s so him that reading it almost feels like watching one of his videos in book form.
As a first novella, it’s a blast. It's fun, fast, and full of personality. If you’re already a fan of Phil’s channel, you’ll love this. And if you’re not, this might be the thing that convinces you to check him out.
Is it a little rough around the edges? Sure. But honestly, that’s part of the charm. The humor lands constantly, the pacing never drags, and underneath all the jokes there’s a surprising amount of heart. It’s unmistakably Phil’s voice, right down to Joe (the main character) having celiac intolerance and dropping random sports references like it’s second nature. It’s so him that reading it almost feels like watching one of his videos in book form.
As a first novella, it’s a blast. It's fun, fast, and full of personality. If you’re already a fan of Phil’s channel, you’ll love this. And if you’re not, this might be the thing that convinces you to check him out.
May 23, 2026
Really good debut from Phil got Books. It’s a bit of “It’s a Wonderful Life” mixed with the snarkiness found in “The Murderbot Diaries.” It’s a very fun read about a guy dealing with the problem of being so average it hurts, and the challenge of breaking out of that rut. Great cohesive story with a very satisfying ending.
The only negatives I have to say are that it’s a very light treatment of very big topics, and all the modern slang is going to make the book feel dated very quickly.
I’m looking forward to following Phil and seeing how he grows into this territory, if he decides to pursue it.
The only negatives I have to say are that it’s a very light treatment of very big topics, and all the modern slang is going to make the book feel dated very quickly.
I’m looking forward to following Phil and seeing how he grows into this territory, if he decides to pursue it.
August 15, 2026
Funny little silly book. I enjoyed this and laughed a lot. I like Phil got books on YouTube so this was fun to read.
Read
August 14, 2026Interesting
May 4, 2026
Well, it was a very silly little book with aliens and monsters and a kind of magic that can rewind time. It had lots of sports references, they all flew over my head, but was explained enough for me to kinda know what's being talked about. lol.
After the first chapter my expectations were either that the MC accepts himself and his average life and/or finds a way to push beyond it in a meaningful way- all while having a really kick ass time doing it. Basically, acceptance of self, or finding a way in life to become a better version of one's self, both great options. In the end, it seemed to boil down to wanting friends, but erasing all the goofy (and then murderous) experiences it takes/took to learn how to get any kind of friendship off the ground.
There is talk of what it means of becoming a good person, though I think it is a bit incoherent. In the book, it equates it to doing more with one's time like lifting weights, or learning to play the harmonica in a week, with some sprinkles of helping others. Of course, the problem is, is that all of these acts of sacrifice come from a place of either guilt or a place of trying to save one's own life (and a blob's life too...). Ok, let's be honest, it's all about the latter of saving one's ass. Doing "good", "over coming life's obstacle"- what ever those mean independently and together- to escape impending death. That's technically still selfish, and not a pure and honest sacrifice... not doing or being "good" for good's sake. (You can blame my over analysis on philosophy, and I know this is just a silly little book, but I do take the conversation of what it means to be a good person very seriously).
I really enjoyed the voice of Joe and his interaction with Charles. Like a lot. However, the voices of the other characters did not differ enough from the MC, Joe. Because each pov was told in first person, I was getting really mixed up and had to keep looking back at the pov chapter heading. And the only physical descriptions I ever read were about the lesbians (is that PC, sorry). So all their voices sounded the same and I could not picture anyone distinctly. I found this to be frustrating.
The second best chapter starts on page 73 (the first chapter being the coolest). I just wish it didn't come at the expense of erasing yet another experience. As there are no do-overs in life, only one's ability to keep trying and keep getting better thru learning about what works and what doesn't...
Also, the second best chapter does a better job with inserting the authors thoughts (never giving up), rather than them getting spoon fed to us in the first chapter (men's health).
And I'm not sure why this happens so often, especially with Vic, but why is it that he is talking to himself in the past tense? That was very, very, strange. I kept asking myself, "are you talking to me, is this some 4th wall shenanigans, or does this character just go about their day monologuing their sorry past?", "Am I your imaginary friend?"... haha. Well, anyway.
It did feel like it would make a fun little guy movie. Good humor. And I can see the authors background for screen play storytelling come thru, as his dialogue was strong, and his plot was entertaining.
I just think the idea of what it means to be Good needs to be fleshed out, and the final restart needs to be able to allow the reader to be able to grieve all that happened before (all the mess ups, death, loss, erased experience, and every restart). He kinda tried, but it just left me feeling like, hell, I went thru all this just have two women think this guy is a freak and start a pity friendship (we'll see how long that lasts). Vik isn't even around anymore (what even was the point of his character?). Charles peaced out. So, Joe is back where he started, but with more trauma and it's something he can never speak of without possibly getting 51/50'd. I suppose now is a good time to circle back to the comment of men's health? Yeah? Yeah. Now that's a dark ending for you. And one I completely imposed on the book. But, it certainly is an interesting point, no?
After the first chapter my expectations were either that the MC accepts himself and his average life and/or finds a way to push beyond it in a meaningful way- all while having a really kick ass time doing it. Basically, acceptance of self, or finding a way in life to become a better version of one's self, both great options. In the end, it seemed to boil down to wanting friends, but erasing all the goofy (and then murderous) experiences it takes/took to learn how to get any kind of friendship off the ground.
There is talk of what it means of becoming a good person, though I think it is a bit incoherent. In the book, it equates it to doing more with one's time like lifting weights, or learning to play the harmonica in a week, with some sprinkles of helping others. Of course, the problem is, is that all of these acts of sacrifice come from a place of either guilt or a place of trying to save one's own life (and a blob's life too...). Ok, let's be honest, it's all about the latter of saving one's ass. Doing "good", "over coming life's obstacle"- what ever those mean independently and together- to escape impending death. That's technically still selfish, and not a pure and honest sacrifice... not doing or being "good" for good's sake. (You can blame my over analysis on philosophy, and I know this is just a silly little book, but I do take the conversation of what it means to be a good person very seriously).
I really enjoyed the voice of Joe and his interaction with Charles. Like a lot. However, the voices of the other characters did not differ enough from the MC, Joe. Because each pov was told in first person, I was getting really mixed up and had to keep looking back at the pov chapter heading. And the only physical descriptions I ever read were about the lesbians (is that PC, sorry). So all their voices sounded the same and I could not picture anyone distinctly. I found this to be frustrating.
The second best chapter starts on page 73 (the first chapter being the coolest). I just wish it didn't come at the expense of erasing yet another experience. As there are no do-overs in life, only one's ability to keep trying and keep getting better thru learning about what works and what doesn't...
Also, the second best chapter does a better job with inserting the authors thoughts (never giving up), rather than them getting spoon fed to us in the first chapter (men's health).
And I'm not sure why this happens so often, especially with Vic, but why is it that he is talking to himself in the past tense? That was very, very, strange. I kept asking myself, "are you talking to me, is this some 4th wall shenanigans, or does this character just go about their day monologuing their sorry past?", "Am I your imaginary friend?"... haha. Well, anyway.
It did feel like it would make a fun little guy movie. Good humor. And I can see the authors background for screen play storytelling come thru, as his dialogue was strong, and his plot was entertaining.
I just think the idea of what it means to be Good needs to be fleshed out, and the final restart needs to be able to allow the reader to be able to grieve all that happened before (all the mess ups, death, loss, erased experience, and every restart). He kinda tried, but it just left me feeling like, hell, I went thru all this just have two women think this guy is a freak and start a pity friendship (we'll see how long that lasts). Vik isn't even around anymore (what even was the point of his character?). Charles peaced out. So, Joe is back where he started, but with more trauma and it's something he can never speak of without possibly getting 51/50'd. I suppose now is a good time to circle back to the comment of men's health? Yeah? Yeah. Now that's a dark ending for you. And one I completely imposed on the book. But, it certainly is an interesting point, no?
June 30, 2026
I would like to start by saying that, generally speaking, novellas and short stories get docked points for me, and I wrestle with that decision often. It really came up when reviewing/rating Sixth of the Dusk and Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell, by Brandon Sanderson. As short stories go, they would be 6-stars, but as a book goes, I gave them both 4. I'm also grappling with the fact that this is a debut novella by an aspiring author and so wish I could artificially give it more stars. In the end, I feel it best to judge it as I would a full-length book.
Restarting by Phil Got Books is fine. It's funny and a super easy and quick read, and it's entertaining. For a debut novella, I'm thoroughly impressed. Every few pages I would giggle, either at the dialogue or structure. The jokes were good, though there were also times where the words were just... weird and a bit grating. Lots of dudes, mans, bros.
The story was fine. It definitely jumped around a lot, and could've done with more depth into specific stories, but that might also be a bit nitpicky. With all that happened condensed into so few pages, I can't expect too much more. And, really, it didn't need it, I just think getting us a bit more attached to Joe, Vic, and Cory would've added a star. I wasn't a fan of Joe, or Vic really. Joe was a self-suffering man who seemed like he was teetering on the edge of red-pilling, and Vic is just a dick. Cory and Abby are... present. There were typos, but its self-published. What do you expect? They don't detract from the reading experience in any meaningful way.
But, in the end, Phil accomplished what he wanted to, and that is the important part. Restarting was funny, and a quick read.
Good job, Phil. Keep killing it on your YouTube channel, man.
Books: Sixth of the Dusk | Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell | Restarting
Authors: Brandon Sanderson | Phil Got Books
Restarting by Phil Got Books is fine. It's funny and a super easy and quick read, and it's entertaining. For a debut novella, I'm thoroughly impressed. Every few pages I would giggle, either at the dialogue or structure. The jokes were good, though there were also times where the words were just... weird and a bit grating. Lots of dudes, mans, bros.
““Can I be the 2016 Warriors?”
“Sure, Charles.”
His body jiggled. “Kevon Looney is my favorite player.””
The story was fine. It definitely jumped around a lot, and could've done with more depth into specific stories, but that might also be a bit nitpicky. With all that happened condensed into so few pages, I can't expect too much more. And, really, it didn't need it, I just think getting us a bit more attached to Joe, Vic, and Cory would've added a star. I wasn't a fan of Joe, or Vic really. Joe was a self-suffering man who seemed like he was teetering on the edge of red-pilling, and Vic is just a dick. Cory and Abby are... present. There were typos, but its self-published. What do you expect? They don't detract from the reading experience in any meaningful way.
But, in the end, Phil accomplished what he wanted to, and that is the important part. Restarting was funny, and a quick read.
"That being said, my number one goal was to make you guys laugh. The second goal was to make it easy and fun to read. If I did those two things, I did my job."
Good job, Phil. Keep killing it on your YouTube channel, man.
Books: Sixth of the Dusk | Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell | Restarting
Authors: Brandon Sanderson | Phil Got Books
May 9, 2026
I have a Booktube Channel! Video Review Below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01ovl...
Restarting by Phil Got Books — 3/5 Stars
I picked up Restarting by fellow BookTuber Phil Got Books with fairly modest expectations. This is Phil's first published novella, and anytime someone puts their creative work into the world, especially in front of an audience that already knows them, that takes courage. Whether a book works for you or not, I always respect anyone willing to take that leap.
At its core, Restarting follows a man struggling with the feeling that his life has settled into comfortable mediocrity. He is given five opportunities to "restart" from earlier moments in his life, but each restart comes with consequences and forces him to confront the obstacles preventing him from becoming the person he wants to be. It's a simple but compelling premise that blends science-fiction elements with a lighthearted, feel-good story.
You Should Read This if…
You Should Read This If...
This is the kind of book I would recommend to readers who enjoy humorous speculative fiction in the vein of Dungeon Crawler Carl, but are in a moment of enjoying something much shorter, more grounded, and more focused on personal growth than epic worldbuilding. Be weary though the humor is a bit more specific for its references and softer writing style.
The humor didn't always land for me, largely because this style of humor tends to be hit-or-miss with my tastes. I bounced hard off books like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and while Restarting worked better for me, the comedic voice wasn't consistently enough to elevate the story beyond average. That said, Phil's personality comes through strongly in the writing, and as a basketball fan I found many of the sports references genuinely amusing.
The strongest aspect of the novella is its plot. The restart mechanic is interesting, easy to understand, and used effectively to create challenges that push the protagonist toward self-reflection. The story moves quickly, and at only around 170 pages it never overstays its welcome. I was invested enough to keep turning pages and wanted to see how everything would resolve.
My biggest criticism lies with the characterization. The protagonist is enjoyable to follow and his struggles feel authentic, but many of the supporting viewpoints felt too similar. Their internal voices, humor, and narration often blended together rather than feeling distinct. In multi-POV stories, one of the biggest challenges is making every character sound like a unique person, and I think that's an area where future books could improve significantly. The supporting cast also could have benefited from deeper individual arcs tied more directly to the story's central themes.
Worldbuilding is understandably limited by the novella format. I rarely expect short fiction to create the same immersive experience as a full-length novel, and Restarting is more interested in character growth than exploring the wider implications of its speculative premise. There are hints of a larger framework behind the restart ability, but not enough for me to become deeply invested in the setting itself.
The themes are straightforward but effective. The book explores mediocrity, regret, self-improvement, and the feeling of being stuck in the monotony of everyday life. These are relatable struggles for many readers, and I appreciated that the story remained focused on them instead of trying to tackle too many ideas at once. The message is optimistic without becoming overly sentimental: growth requires effort, and sometimes the hardest thing is simply continuing to try.
Overall, Restarting is an enjoyable, easy-to-read novella that succeeds as a palate cleanser and a feel-good story. It didn't blow me away, and there are definitely areas where I think the writing could become stronger, particularly in characterization and emotional depth. But I never disliked reading it, I was entertained throughout, and I genuinely wanted to see how it ended.
For a debut novella, that's a solid accomplishment.
Rating: 3/5 stars
A fun, heartfelt story with an interesting premise, some enjoyable basketball-flavored humor, and plenty of room for the author to grow. I'll be interested to see what Phil writes next
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01ovl...
Restarting by Phil Got Books — 3/5 Stars
I picked up Restarting by fellow BookTuber Phil Got Books with fairly modest expectations. This is Phil's first published novella, and anytime someone puts their creative work into the world, especially in front of an audience that already knows them, that takes courage. Whether a book works for you or not, I always respect anyone willing to take that leap.
At its core, Restarting follows a man struggling with the feeling that his life has settled into comfortable mediocrity. He is given five opportunities to "restart" from earlier moments in his life, but each restart comes with consequences and forces him to confront the obstacles preventing him from becoming the person he wants to be. It's a simple but compelling premise that blends science-fiction elements with a lighthearted, feel-good story.
You Should Read This if…
You Should Read This If...
This is the kind of book I would recommend to readers who enjoy humorous speculative fiction in the vein of Dungeon Crawler Carl, but are in a moment of enjoying something much shorter, more grounded, and more focused on personal growth than epic worldbuilding. Be weary though the humor is a bit more specific for its references and softer writing style.
The humor didn't always land for me, largely because this style of humor tends to be hit-or-miss with my tastes. I bounced hard off books like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and while Restarting worked better for me, the comedic voice wasn't consistently enough to elevate the story beyond average. That said, Phil's personality comes through strongly in the writing, and as a basketball fan I found many of the sports references genuinely amusing.
The strongest aspect of the novella is its plot. The restart mechanic is interesting, easy to understand, and used effectively to create challenges that push the protagonist toward self-reflection. The story moves quickly, and at only around 170 pages it never overstays its welcome. I was invested enough to keep turning pages and wanted to see how everything would resolve.
My biggest criticism lies with the characterization. The protagonist is enjoyable to follow and his struggles feel authentic, but many of the supporting viewpoints felt too similar. Their internal voices, humor, and narration often blended together rather than feeling distinct. In multi-POV stories, one of the biggest challenges is making every character sound like a unique person, and I think that's an area where future books could improve significantly. The supporting cast also could have benefited from deeper individual arcs tied more directly to the story's central themes.
Worldbuilding is understandably limited by the novella format. I rarely expect short fiction to create the same immersive experience as a full-length novel, and Restarting is more interested in character growth than exploring the wider implications of its speculative premise. There are hints of a larger framework behind the restart ability, but not enough for me to become deeply invested in the setting itself.
The themes are straightforward but effective. The book explores mediocrity, regret, self-improvement, and the feeling of being stuck in the monotony of everyday life. These are relatable struggles for many readers, and I appreciated that the story remained focused on them instead of trying to tackle too many ideas at once. The message is optimistic without becoming overly sentimental: growth requires effort, and sometimes the hardest thing is simply continuing to try.
Overall, Restarting is an enjoyable, easy-to-read novella that succeeds as a palate cleanser and a feel-good story. It didn't blow me away, and there are definitely areas where I think the writing could become stronger, particularly in characterization and emotional depth. But I never disliked reading it, I was entertained throughout, and I genuinely wanted to see how it ended.
For a debut novella, that's a solid accomplishment.
Rating: 3/5 stars
A fun, heartfelt story with an interesting premise, some enjoyable basketball-flavored humor, and plenty of room for the author to grow. I'll be interested to see what Phil writes next
Did Not Finish
August 26, 2026There's a part of me that feels incredibly lame DNF'ing a novella that is less than 200 pages, especially one with short chapters that reads pretty quickly, and one that I was excited to check out. But gotta be honest, right?
I'm a huge fan of Phil Got Books the BookTuber. He's hilarious, grounded, and inspirational. And more than anything, I want to give major props because anyone who takes the time to craft a story and put themselves out there deserves praise just for the creative effort alone. I am not rating this book negatively; I am simply saying that it isn't for me.
While the sci-fi hook in this story is interesting and implemented well enough, the writing style is just too off-putting for me to want to continue. It's awkward humor. Intentionally cringey and absurdist. And very, very heavy on the pop culture references. Some of that was fun at first. What comes through blazingly bright is that Phil is in this book. You could not possibly confuse its author for someone else because the same basketball-loving goofy personality is right there on every single page. And sometimes, the balance between serious situations and intended character depth felt like it was going to be impactful. It very well may have ended up that way in the end. I just... I don't like this writing. I didn't like the way the characters talked. And even being a humongous NBA fan myself, I tired of what felt like an overuse of references.
There is no doubt an audience for this. Knowing that Phil was inspired by shows like Shrinking and books like Dungeon Crawler Carl, you can definitely feel that coming through. Compared to published, experienced authors, it's raw, and definitely could have used some revision, but who am I to judge someone's first ever attempt at writing a full story? If you like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the deadpan humor of The Office, any of the aforementioned media, and are an absolute basketball junkie - this still might be for you, and I think it's worth giving a chance!
I'm a huge fan of Phil Got Books the BookTuber. He's hilarious, grounded, and inspirational. And more than anything, I want to give major props because anyone who takes the time to craft a story and put themselves out there deserves praise just for the creative effort alone. I am not rating this book negatively; I am simply saying that it isn't for me.
While the sci-fi hook in this story is interesting and implemented well enough, the writing style is just too off-putting for me to want to continue. It's awkward humor. Intentionally cringey and absurdist. And very, very heavy on the pop culture references. Some of that was fun at first. What comes through blazingly bright is that Phil is in this book. You could not possibly confuse its author for someone else because the same basketball-loving goofy personality is right there on every single page. And sometimes, the balance between serious situations and intended character depth felt like it was going to be impactful. It very well may have ended up that way in the end. I just... I don't like this writing. I didn't like the way the characters talked. And even being a humongous NBA fan myself, I tired of what felt like an overuse of references.
There is no doubt an audience for this. Knowing that Phil was inspired by shows like Shrinking and books like Dungeon Crawler Carl, you can definitely feel that coming through. Compared to published, experienced authors, it's raw, and definitely could have used some revision, but who am I to judge someone's first ever attempt at writing a full story? If you like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the deadpan humor of The Office, any of the aforementioned media, and are an absolute basketball junkie - this still might be for you, and I think it's worth giving a chance!
May 17, 2026
I will start this review by saying I am a major fan of the Phil Got Books YouTube channel. Phil is the reason I started reading again in the first place, and I’m well aware that it’s his first book.
Let’s start with the characters. It felt like Joe was the only character that felt really developed, which as the main character makes sense I guess. My problem with the other characters was that their voice sounded almost identical to Joe’s. There were many times where I would have to pause and ask myself who was talking, which as a screenwriter myself is something that a lot of beginners struggle with. I really liked the dynamic between Joe and Charles (gave me Project Hail Mary vibes).
As for the plot as a whole, I found it enjoyable and suspenseful at times. I will say the lack of urgency from Joe was a little bizarre, considering the consequences. I think the idea of restarts is great, however the use of them and more importantly the outcomes of them left a little to be desired. Particularly the last one. At the end of the day, I’m not really sure what the theme or message of this book was supposed to be, there didn’t seem to be much of an arc with Joe.
Overall, this was a quick fun read that I would recommend to guys who want to maybe start reading.
I know this review seems negative, but I tend to voice my critiques more than praise. I hope Phil continues to write because he has a lot of potential and I can’t wait for what’s to come.
Let’s start with the characters. It felt like Joe was the only character that felt really developed, which as the main character makes sense I guess. My problem with the other characters was that their voice sounded almost identical to Joe’s. There were many times where I would have to pause and ask myself who was talking, which as a screenwriter myself is something that a lot of beginners struggle with. I really liked the dynamic between Joe and Charles (gave me Project Hail Mary vibes).
As for the plot as a whole, I found it enjoyable and suspenseful at times. I will say the lack of urgency from Joe was a little bizarre, considering the consequences. I think the idea of restarts is great, however the use of them and more importantly the outcomes of them left a little to be desired. Particularly the last one. At the end of the day, I’m not really sure what the theme or message of this book was supposed to be, there didn’t seem to be much of an arc with Joe.
Overall, this was a quick fun read that I would recommend to guys who want to maybe start reading.
I know this review seems negative, but I tend to voice my critiques more than praise. I hope Phil continues to write because he has a lot of potential and I can’t wait for what’s to come.
May 4, 2026
As a fan of Phil Got Books' channel, I'm glad I got a chance to read his writing debut! In my opinion it's a solid entry in the world of published fiction. I had fun reading this book and it was a quirky, snappy read with lots of action. I was a fan of the dialogue between characters and I appreciated the overall message of the story Phil told us.
I feel like some of the language used was a little obscure at times which made the book feel less serious. It's fitting for the tone of the book but sometimes interrupted the flow of reading. I had a harder time separating the characters as I feel like they had similar character voices and humor. I particularly liked the way Vic's introductory chapter as I feel like it gave me a good sense of his character, motivations, and flaws. I think the story could have benefited from a little more showing and less telling, but it still managed to deliver the plot in a fun and unpredictable way, and weave the characters together in an interesting manner. The whole premise was a fun concept with a heartfelt message woven into a ludicrous adventure.
Overall, I applaud Phil for the dedication and effort put into completing a quality novella. I am also grateful that the novella is available to read through Kindle Unlimited. Congratulations on your accomplishment, Phil, and I'm excited to see what other stories you bring to us in the future!
I feel like some of the language used was a little obscure at times which made the book feel less serious. It's fitting for the tone of the book but sometimes interrupted the flow of reading. I had a harder time separating the characters as I feel like they had similar character voices and humor. I particularly liked the way Vic's introductory chapter as I feel like it gave me a good sense of his character, motivations, and flaws. I think the story could have benefited from a little more showing and less telling, but it still managed to deliver the plot in a fun and unpredictable way, and weave the characters together in an interesting manner. The whole premise was a fun concept with a heartfelt message woven into a ludicrous adventure.
Overall, I applaud Phil for the dedication and effort put into completing a quality novella. I am also grateful that the novella is available to read through Kindle Unlimited. Congratulations on your accomplishment, Phil, and I'm excited to see what other stories you bring to us in the future!
June 10, 2026
Phil Got Books? More like Phil GOAT Books.
Restarting was the perfect palate cleanser after some heavier reads. It has everything fans would expect: trials, tribulations, tomfoolery, whimsy, and enough shenanigans to keep things moving at a fun pace. The characters felt relatable, and the story never overstayed its welcome.
The hardest part of reading this novella wasn’t turning the pages, it was convincing my brain to stop hearing every line in Phil’s voice. By the end, it felt less like I was reading a book and more like Phil had broken into my house and was personally narrating it from the corner of the room.
As this is Phil’s first published work, you can definitely tell at times. There are a few rough edges and moments that could use a little refinement, but that’s also part of the fun. Nobody comes out throwing 100 mph fastballs on their first outing. The potential is obvious, and the fact that I was having such a good time made it easy to overlook the occasional bumps in the road.
Overall, Restarting was a fun, easy read that accomplished exactly what it set out to do: entertain. I genuinely hope Phil keeps writing because I’d happily jump into another one of his stories. Besides, now I need to know if I can ever read one of his books without hearing his voice in my head.
3.8/5
Restarting was the perfect palate cleanser after some heavier reads. It has everything fans would expect: trials, tribulations, tomfoolery, whimsy, and enough shenanigans to keep things moving at a fun pace. The characters felt relatable, and the story never overstayed its welcome.
The hardest part of reading this novella wasn’t turning the pages, it was convincing my brain to stop hearing every line in Phil’s voice. By the end, it felt less like I was reading a book and more like Phil had broken into my house and was personally narrating it from the corner of the room.
As this is Phil’s first published work, you can definitely tell at times. There are a few rough edges and moments that could use a little refinement, but that’s also part of the fun. Nobody comes out throwing 100 mph fastballs on their first outing. The potential is obvious, and the fact that I was having such a good time made it easy to overlook the occasional bumps in the road.
Overall, Restarting was a fun, easy read that accomplished exactly what it set out to do: entertain. I genuinely hope Phil keeps writing because I’d happily jump into another one of his stories. Besides, now I need to know if I can ever read one of his books without hearing his voice in my head.
3.8/5
May 9, 2026
I started watching Phil awhile ago on YouTube because it was cool to see a “sports bro” talking about books. I haven’t seen all his videos but every now and then one comes up on my feed and I watch a part of it. When I saw he wrote and was selling a novella, I thought that was pretty cool, and I wanted to read it. I could have gotten this for free through Amazon but decided to pay for it anyway to support him and I’m glad that I did.
Honestly, by my personal grading scale, this is probably 3 stars but I gave it an extra since it showed a really good baseline. It had problems, the “pacing” felt weird at places, like conversations felt sped up and bare bones. There wasn’t a lot of elaboration and was a lot of one sentence question and answer or comment then reply. Overall though it was an interesting story and was comical at parts (some that caused either positive or negative eye rolls) and was a good experience all the way from start to finish. I would be extremely proud if I was able to churn this out self published and I think it deserves that extra star just for that. Bravo Phil.
Honestly, by my personal grading scale, this is probably 3 stars but I gave it an extra since it showed a really good baseline. It had problems, the “pacing” felt weird at places, like conversations felt sped up and bare bones. There wasn’t a lot of elaboration and was a lot of one sentence question and answer or comment then reply. Overall though it was an interesting story and was comical at parts (some that caused either positive or negative eye rolls) and was a good experience all the way from start to finish. I would be extremely proud if I was able to churn this out self published and I think it deserves that extra star just for that. Bravo Phil.
April 29, 2026
The average Joe Schmoe and the blob with an absolutely bodacious booty. The duo you didn't know you needed.
Although goofy in tone, this book handles deeper themes of relationship pressures, dealing with life altering experiences, and the struggle of just feeling "average". Which is something that I feel isn't talked about enough or is often glazed over. This overwhelming and debilitating feeling of averageness. In a world where you can pick up the small computer in your pocket and see hundreds of hours of news articles, videos, and edits of people doing incredible things, its hard not to feel inadequate.
Even with those themes, this weird ass novella is above all, just straight up FUN. Pure stupid fun in the best way. Lines that make you chuckle, like Charles being cheeked up for no reason.
I've been a subscriber of Phil's for a while now, and have been waiting for this book. Happy to say it didn't disappoint. Thanks Phil!
Although goofy in tone, this book handles deeper themes of relationship pressures, dealing with life altering experiences, and the struggle of just feeling "average". Which is something that I feel isn't talked about enough or is often glazed over. This overwhelming and debilitating feeling of averageness. In a world where you can pick up the small computer in your pocket and see hundreds of hours of news articles, videos, and edits of people doing incredible things, its hard not to feel inadequate.
Even with those themes, this weird ass novella is above all, just straight up FUN. Pure stupid fun in the best way. Lines that make you chuckle, like Charles being cheeked up for no reason.
I've been a subscriber of Phil's for a while now, and have been waiting for this book. Happy to say it didn't disappoint. Thanks Phil!
June 5, 2026
This book was…fun. Kind of a quick palette cleanser on a day that was pretty chill for me schedule wise. However, the writing wasn’t entirely my favorite. To me, it felt like many portions of it felt forced. Like some of the chapters didn’t serve much of a purpose. This is not to say the book was bad, it wasn’t. It just felt…lackluster. Like I like the premise, it just felt too short to fully encompass that. Besides Joe, most of the characters undergo very little to no character change. Like Vic, Abby, and Cory just seem like filler. I honestly would have preferred just the Joe perspective.
I love Phil and would love to see how he continues to write because I could NEVER self publish and write my own book: it’s so difficult so seriously congrats!! The book was entertaining and a super quick read so I can’t really complain.
2.9 Stars
I love Phil and would love to see how he continues to write because I could NEVER self publish and write my own book: it’s so difficult so seriously congrats!! The book was entertaining and a super quick read so I can’t really complain.
2.9 Stars
May 1, 2026
I can’t justify anything less than 5/5 for this. This story was incredibly fun and entertaining, wickedly fast paced, and did an excellent job of drawing you in to the characters in such a short page count.
Is this story perfect? No, but neither was Kevon Looney in 2016. He didn’t need to be Steph, and this novella doesn’t need to be a literary masterpiece to be an excellent reading experience.
I can’t recommend this enough to anyone looking for an incredibly enjoyable, entertaining, short read that’ll keep a smile on your face and get you thinking about your own Life’s Obstacles and how you can better overcome them.
Is this story perfect? No, but neither was Kevon Looney in 2016. He didn’t need to be Steph, and this novella doesn’t need to be a literary masterpiece to be an excellent reading experience.
I can’t recommend this enough to anyone looking for an incredibly enjoyable, entertaining, short read that’ll keep a smile on your face and get you thinking about your own Life’s Obstacles and how you can better overcome them.
May 5, 2026
I have to give Phil 5 stars for this first novella. It’s a fast, genuinely funny read—I laughed out loud multiple times, which is rare for me. The humor really lands thanks to sharp dialogue, absurd situations, and a bit of self-deprecating tone, all with great timing.
Abby and Joe’s dynamic especially stood out—their conversations flow naturally and carry a lot of the book’s charm.
The shorter format works perfectly here; it’s the kind of story I could easily revisit between heavier reads.
The characters are all likable, though their voices can blur together at times. Still, as a debut, this is seriously impressive.
Abby and Joe’s dynamic especially stood out—their conversations flow naturally and carry a lot of the book’s charm.
The shorter format works perfectly here; it’s the kind of story I could easily revisit between heavier reads.
The characters are all likable, though their voices can blur together at times. Still, as a debut, this is seriously impressive.
September 6, 2026
Phil was the YouTuber that opened the book door to me, and so without hesitation, I picked up his book. A part of me wants to hate this, as I think it needed more time in the bread oven, but equally I blasted through this in like two days and had a smile on my face the whole time. Very Hail Mary, very DCC but also wholly Phil. I think this is a great stop gap book. A popcorn book to break up those denser reads. That doesn’t mean there isn’t heart in it, it’s there in bucketloads, I just wish there more time taken on the writing and characters. That said, I’d be seated for a Restarting 2 or whatever Phil has cooking up in his brain.
April 24, 2026
Great book my only complaint that there was more of it!
The main character Joe is likeable and you can see yourself acting like him if you were thrown into this story. He isn't perfect, a little awkward ,but he's trying his best.
there's multiple points of view by the way and the other characters are well written and lovable too.
The book is funny and light hearted and does not take it self too seriously. Chapters are short and punchy and the main gimmick of restarting the day is done well.
Looking forward to more of Phil's books!
The main character Joe is likeable and you can see yourself acting like him if you were thrown into this story. He isn't perfect, a little awkward ,but he's trying his best.
there's multiple points of view by the way and the other characters are well written and lovable too.
The book is funny and light hearted and does not take it self too seriously. Chapters are short and punchy and the main gimmick of restarting the day is done well.
Looking forward to more of Phil's books!
April 29, 2026
3.75 ⭐ I've followed Phil Got Books on YouTube for some time now and appreciate his videos because they always make me laugh so when I saw he wrote a novella I knew I had to read it. After reading a pretty heavy book I needed a palate cleanser and thought this would be the perfect choice and it didn't disappoint. This was a fun and quirky ride. The banter between characters was great and had me giggling many times. Would recommend this one to anyone who likes humor, a little sci fi and just a great time.
April 30, 2026
So, overall 3.5 stars. I probably would of rated it 4.5 stars if it didn't have specific things I don't care to read about like COVID/pandemic, mansplaining, etc. I am just one who prefers not to read that stuff. I also thought there were way too many POVs. I can handle a few but this had so many it overwhelmed me.
The story itself was fun. Loved how things in the beginning popped up at the end and tied it all together. I enjoyed the banter, fun sports references and funny shenanigans throughout the story. Good first time novel.
The story itself was fun. Loved how things in the beginning popped up at the end and tied it all together. I enjoyed the banter, fun sports references and funny shenanigans throughout the story. Good first time novel.
May 5, 2026
I am a very big fan of the author of this small yet fine novella as he is a famous book YouTuber who makes great videos about books for guys, so i definitely recommend watching @philgotbooks. This is his first book he’s written and it’s honestly surprised me how engaging and funny the reading experience was, with hilarious moments and brilliant characters that all connected in some way.
The humour was a lot like the humour and the way he talks in his videos so I did indeed chuckle a few times which I’ve never done with any book to be completely honest with you.
Overall 4.18/5
The humour was a lot like the humour and the way he talks in his videos so I did indeed chuckle a few times which I’ve never done with any book to be completely honest with you.
Overall 4.18/5
May 6, 2026
First of all, shout out to Diet Coke. What would we all do without you? Congrats Phil! I appreciate all of the personal touches put in. This was a fun read & actually made me laugh out loud. It did get me out of a creeping slump. The tone is silly & straight up weird but with sincere themes of identity. I liked the different POV’s & how they meshed together but I think each character needed to differentiate from each other a bit more. This didn’t diminish my experience with the book at all. I liked the ending & I will certainly read a sequel if it were to come in the future.
May 15, 2026
As a fan of the Phil Got Books YouTube channel I knew going into this what the humor would be like. While the randomness of this book means some may not like it, I actually appreciated it. The part that made me laugh the most was the sourdough bread monster leaving the park when Joe had this life-saving theory that it could not leave the part like if it was a boss arena in a video game. I liked all the characters in the novella but Abby was probably my favorite. If you like silly or goofy humor this is a great book to read for fun or to get you out of a reading slump.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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