Full review on my blog on 19th September.

This was such a sweet middle grade story that it actually pulled me straight out of a vicious reading slump as I read it in one sitting. Ebenezer Tweezer (best name ever, by the way) and Bethany had a delightfully Despicable Me dynamic that I adored. The development of their relationship feels really authentic and beautiful and I loved to see it happen. There’s something about reluctant caregiver turned found family that melts my icy heart!

Bethany vacillates between outright rude and hilariously cheeky, but I did feel like she was well-rounded enough that she didn’t feel like a naughty kid stereotype – and to be fair, her pranks were pretty funny at points. This book is actually far funnier than I ever expected. Other reviews called it hilarious, but for some reason I didn’t believe it. I was wrong. There were several laugh out loud moments, not least of them Ebenezer’s complete lack of awareness of the value of money. Big ‘It’s a banana, Michael’ energy, and I would thoroughly enjoy reading this to my nieces when they’re a bit older – great for adults and kids alike!

I didn’t actually know quite how Dorian Gray this was going to be, and as Dorian Gray is one of my favourite books, it was a great surprise. The premise is simple, Ebenezer will live forever, as long as he pleases the beast. The beast wants to eat a child. Ebenezer does not like Bethany. Sounds like an easy solution – but of course in the days Ebenezer spends with Bethany, things get a little complicated. The growing relationship between Ebenezer and Bethany is lovely to watch and while I think this works really well as a standalone, I’m excited to read the next book and see, hopefully, some wonderful and no doubt mischievous adventures with the newly created Tweezer family.

This review is part of #TheBeastandtheBethany #UltimateBlogTour hosted by TheWritereads, and I am so glad to be sharing my thoughts on this amazing book with you guys!
Thanks a ton, Dave from @TheWriteReads and the author- Jack Meggitt-Phillips, for giving me this opportunity of reviewing this amazing book! Thank You Netgalley for providing me a digital version of this book.

The Beast and the Bethany is a middle grade fantasy novel which, besides from being an extremely humorous yet a bit dark tale, is equally an emotionally influential journey of a man and a child.

Ebenezer Tweezer is a 511 year old man! Yes, you heard that right! 511! And what’s the secret behind such a long life? Well, he keeps a beast hidden in the attic of his 15 storeys tall house. This beast demands food of various nature from Ebenezer and in return the beast spurts out anything that Ebenezer wishes to have including an elixir which keeps Ebenezer young and charming.

We first meet Ebenezer and Bethany (briefly) at a local bird shop where Ebenezer buys a very rare and exotic Purple Parrot. Sadly, the parrot becomes a meal for the beast and this is where things starts getting a bit dark.

At the beginning, we follow a guileless and jolly plot, where we encounter the beast for the first time. The beast appears to be quite funny and gregarious (except the fact that it has a wobbly body, three eyes and two tongues, which makes it look gross) and the friendly Purple Parrot. However, things take a turn when a seemingly casual and chummy conversation between the beast and the Parrot suddenly snaps and the beast just gobbles up the parrot! That was something completely unexpected and sad!

Ebenezer is a kind of a man who seems to lack even the slightest bit of geniality, warmth or decency. He has no family, no struggle, no passion. Everything about the man is pretentious. His house and all his wealthy possessions, these are not things which he has passionately desired from the inner core of his heart. These are things which he has desired to possess only to prove himself to be superior, rich and unique compared to others. However, there is only one thing which matters to Ebenezer and that is the potion which keeps him young and beautiful. There is nothing in this world that he won’t do to have that potion. Fortunately enough for him though the only thing which he has to do to get that potion is to feed the beast whatever he desires. This time however the beast wishes to eat something different and something which might seem quite shocking- a child! Yes, the beast wants to feed on a fleshy and sweet human child this time! And that is when, for the first time we see Ebenezer getting a bit uncomfortable and reluctant, however not enough to stop him from his desire of having the potion at any cost.

And now Bethany enters! Bethany is like the most naughty and incorrigible child that I have come across in a book. She lives at an orphanage and constantly pulls out vile and dirty pranks on the other children at the orphanage. The head of the orphanage just wants to get rid of the girl however no one wants to adopt such an unruly child. Well, wouldn’t say “no one” because there IS one person who is exactly looking to adopt someone like Bethany and that’s Ebenezer. Yes, Ebenezer is looking for a child to adopt who is as notorious as can be possibly imagined!

Ebenezer and Bethany are such unlikable characters! One is downright selfish and the other one is an ill-mannered, impudent little girl. However, they do not remain that way throughout the story and THAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS BOOK! From the moment Ebenezer meets Bethany, Bethany acts in a churlish way as is her nature. Ebenezer doesn’t pay much heed at the beginning as his only goal is to take the child home and feed her to the beast. However, things are not that easy. Bethany is skinny and the beast wants some flesh and so it’s the beast’s order to feed the child to make her gain some weight. It is during this period of time that Ebenezer and Bethany get to know each other at a deeper level.

As we approach with the story, we see the gradual change in their behavior towards each other. The inner turmoils and the emotions of each character come to light and we learn that a person cannot be defined by any one definite adjective. Human beings are an amalgam of adjectives and emotions. Some are expressed or displayed right away but most are hidden within, which can only be unraveled over a longer period of time, under the influence of certain circumstances or by developing a relationship at a deeper level with that person. We see how these two incorrigible characters who at first seemed so detestable, have much more to their life and thoughts than what is portrayed at a glance. We witness how beautifully these two characters, through their flaws, desire to change their ways of living for the sake of each other’s happiness. Bethany being a miserable prankster by nature, chooses to minimize causing troubles to Ebenezer and Ebenzer being a selfish, heartless person chooses to be compassionate to Bethany. I really got to like Bethany and Ebenezer towards the end of the story, although I did find Bethany’s character to be full of humour from the very beginning. Even though she’s a notorious trouble maker, she has something quite funny about her nature and her Frank way of speaking also sometimes impressed me and made me laugh!

I tremendously loved the concept of how two repellent beings, when they come together, have the inherent capacity to bring out the better part- that has remained dormant, hidden within themselves- without any definite intention. This is an obvious proof that conscience is something which a person can never lack, it is there always just obscured by a darker side sometimes. I just LOVED the thought behind this story and I really appreciate how the author remarkably through this children’s story let out a much profound message which even the elders oftentimes find hard to cognize or comprehend. And so a MASSIVE 5 STARS TO THIS BOOK!

Albeit this is a middle grade fantasy novel, the dark and vile portions we encounter in this story, especially the deeds of the beast, might even shock the elders! So be careful children! This might not be a regular fantasy bedtime story! Besides all these elements, I loved the illustrations, they made the story more vivid. Also, a big kudos to the author for putting these fervent thoughts in the story, a story which can be completed within a span of 3 hours! I mean that is amazing, you can just casually complete reading this book before going to bed and yet you will have this perfervid sensation of enlightenment before dozing off! Ah, amazing!

The ending though! Just when we thought everything will follow a happy course from now on, we find that we are not that lucky enough! Yes! And that makes me more eager to read the next installment and find out what else is up with these people!

What becomes of the beast in the attic? Does Bethany become the beast’s most desired meal or is there a different turn to the story? Is the beast even corrigible?

The Beast and the Bethany is my first 5 STAR read of the year! I couldn’t find no flaws with this book. It just amazed me and kept me hooked so much so that whilst reading the book lying on my bed, I had the same posture from the beginning to the end of this story, I didn’t move or even, for once, got my eyes off the pages of the book!

The book is set to release on October 1st, 2020. I highly recommend this fantasy novel to anyone who has children and even to those who don’t. Read it for yourself and enjoy!

The Beast and the Bethany is a sweet story about a naughty child and the redemption of an old man. It speaks to themes of greed and friendship. We follow a 511 year old man named Ebenezer who has a beast residing on the top floor of his mansion. The beast grants Ebenezer's wishes in exchange for food. He has eclectic palette and demands exotic beings to eat. When the beast demands to try a child, Ebenezer goes looking for the naughtiest child that he can find. That is how he meets Bethany. But soon Ebenezer learns that there are many sides to a child and naughtiness hides many deep feelings.

Overall, this was an engaging story. It was funny, at times silly, and I bet my 10 year old brother would like it very much. It has illustrations that add to the story well! Personally for me, the plot was predictable. This book has a lighter tone than many other Middle Grade books that I have read. For a 511 year old, I did not find Ebenezer wise. But I guess his obsessions with youth has something to do with that.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, part of WriteReads blog tour. Full review and reading experience coming September 13.

THE BEAST AND THE BETHANY is a MG debut about a hungry beast, a semi-immortal man who's selfishly lost sight of life, and the orphan who's about to shake his whole world upside down. It's a very funny book, in the vein of Lemony Snicket's <em>A Series of Unfortunate Events</em> tone-wise.

The story is told by a very dry, somewhat tongue-in-cheek narrator. It means the book feels very deadpan (at least, that's how I imagined it being read), so these horrible events and terrible characters are delivered with a perfectly straight face. <em>Oh, alright then, I'll buy a child for you to eat. What's this, I don't have to pay for them? Even better - which one is the nastiest?</em>

The scenario is just so bizarre and unthinkable, but no one reacts to it like it's out of the ordinary. Maybe it's incredibly British of me, but the deadpan delivery made it all the funnier.

Unusually for Middle Grade, the narrator mostly sticks with Ebenezer (there's a few paragraphs that switch to other characters, but 95% of the focus is on Ebenezer). It's not quite a limited third person style that would constitute a POV, but it's close enough that Ebenezer is the main character - not Bethany.

Usually, I'd expect the kid to the main character in middle grade - you know, because they're the target market - but it works well here. Not only does it differeniate it but the choice also highlights how childish Ebenezer is in some ways.

He's never known hardship, frankly has no idea about the economy or the realities of life. Then he brings back Bethany and you can pretty much guess how well he manages to stay the course with a no-nonsense, attitude-y child in his life. I think the best way to describe this book is <em>A Series of Unfortunate Events</em> meets <em>Despicable Me</em>, which is a brilliant combination.

This is the first in a series, and let's see what Bethany and Ebenezer get up to next!

What a fun book! Yes, it's geared for kids, but I think even kids' books should be entertaining and fun for adults to read too.
First, we have Ebenezer, a spry 511 years old who is very self-absorbed and completely at the mercy of the Beast in his attic. He is very comfortable with his life and how he is living it. He likes being beautiful and young. And, he's willing to do pretty much anything to maintain the life he has created.
The Beast. A fitting name. Not only is the Beast a monster physically, but the Beast has no morals or ethics to be bothered with. As it grows bigger and bigger, its appetite grows along with it. Each escalation demanding Ebenezer to challenge his own ethics and morals.
Bethany. Bethany is a terror in her own right. She is not a favorite at the orphanage. And, pretty much no one will miss her when she's gone. She picks on kids weaker than her. Steals what she wants. And pulls pranks, just because. So, she seems like the perfect candidate to feed to the Beast.
Find out what happens when these three unlikely characters get together. Pure magic!

The Beast and the Bethany is a really easy to read middle grade that I would recommend all children.

Bethany reminds me of that scene from the first Nanny McPhee film were the children are always pranking the adults. Yeah, you know the ones.

However, there is more to Bethany than being the prankster she is. It’s known pretty much since our first encounter with her that she is currently living in an orphanage. We later learn that her parents died in a fire when she was still a baby so she can’t remember.

Although, I will have to say that I didn’t find the book particular gripping, which is why I gave this book three stars. Don’t get me wrong, the plot flows well and it’s interesting to see how Bethany’s and Ebenezer’s relationship developed and what they learned from each other. But I wasn’t intrigued; I could pretty much guess what was going to occur.

To conclude, The Beast and the Bethany is something that I would recommend to the right audience. The illustrations add an extra essence of life to the narrative, which is the perfect feature for the middle grade readership it’s aimed at.

What a fantastic, fabulous book The Beast and the Bethany is. I was hooked from the first page. To kick off the story with the statement that Ebenezer Tweezer is 511 years old but only looks twenty will undoubtedly grab your attention. We quickly meet Bethany and the Beast, although I wasn’t entirely sure which one was the beast. Bethany is an obnoxious orphan who will never find a family to adopt her with the attitude she displays.

The story moves at a steady clip that rarely gives you time to catch your breath, let alone put the book down. The humor is dark but so very entertaining. There are several twists to shake up your emotions while changing your idea of just where the story is headed. The book info says middle-school, but this grandma loved it. I think it will appeal to all ages from about 10 years old and up.

The book has wonderful illustrations provided by Isabelle Follath. They capture the essence of the story while adding a touch of reality to the scenes.

I sincerely hope you will order a copy of this book. Even though it won’t be released until later this fall, you don’t want to take a chance on forgetting it.

It’s that good!

Definitely enjoyed The Beast and the Bethany. Typically I don't read middle school books but the author has converted me. This book is cute, funny, and fast paced. I originally picked it up for a blog tour because the art work reminded me so much of Coraline and I couldn't pass up reading it. I'm glad that I did.
The plot is fast paced and entertaining. There aren't many characters but that's okay. This book was well done for not having that many characters at all. Two of the main characters are horrible people but you see a lot of growth with them by the end of the book. Wonderful book and worth reading especially if you want a quick read.

Imagine if you could live forever, in a huge house as wide as 12 elephants. And you could eat whatever food you wanted and have all the expensive art and anything else you heart desired. All you have to do is feed the beast whatever he wants. Easy enough when you have limitless wealth. Even the Beast's latest request, a child, doesn't actually bother Ebenezer that much. He doesn't particularly like children and anyway, one little child isn't as important as himself, is it?

The Beast is a huge, smelly, slimy thing with two tongues, Ebenezer Tweezer is an evil little man who cares for absolutely no one but himself. But probably the worst monster of all is Bethany. The naughtiest, rudest, meanest of them all! Ebeneezer picks Bethany as the Beast's next meal but unfortunately for him, things don't go smoothly at all. It's hard to say much without being spoilery, but over time Ebenezer and Bethany start an uneasy relationship. Grudgingly, they both find that they don't want to be quite as horrible to each other any more. The problem is how can they both survive the Beast?

This was so much fun to read, with just a touch of the ridiculous in the way of Alice in Wonderland. Apparently you only get 10 worms for a backpack, a flip-flop, a ruler and a half eaten biscuit. Not that you have much choice when the frog market is only open on Wednesdays. The characters are all well thought out, even the side cast who only get a few paragraphs. The illustrations are wonderful, really adding to the story.

Book source ~ Tour

Ebenezer Tweezer (hehe it rhymes) is 511 yrs old. Say what? Yep. You read that right. Is he a vampire? Is it magic? Nope and sorta. In order to stay young Ebenezer has to feed a beast who lives in the attic of his 15 story (!) house. Feed the beast and the beast coughs up a magical youth potion which The Ebmeister has to take once a year. The rest of the year, the beast coughs up whatever Ebbie desires. Sounds easy, right? And for a while it was. But then the beast started demanding more exotic fare which bothered Ebenezer a bit, but not enough to give up his youth. When the beast demands a child to eat, that’s when things fall to pieces. Not literally though I wouldn’t have been surprised.

So, who wouldn’t want a magical beast, no matter how gross and stinky, to barf up anything you want including potions to stay young and all you had to do was feed it things it considers nommable? Considering I cleaned up after six kids (not to mention many furkids) I think I could handle that. But feeding a child to it? Even one so extremely bratty as Bethany? I’d have to draw the line. Probably. I mean, definitely.

If you’re looking for a wildly fantastic tail tale that is reminiscent of Lemony Snicket then look no further. This is one middle grade fantasy that will entertain as well as horrify, has great characters, a decent plot, and splashes of humor tossed into the mix. In fact, I believe it would be perfect to feed to the beast. Quite unique and eminently satisfying.

The Beast and The Bethany is a horrible book, about a horrible man who tries to feed a horrible girl to a horrible beast. It's also absolutely brilliant!

Jack Meggitt-Phillips has filled this short novel with a really dark, macabre humour, the kind associated with Roald Dahl or Lemony Snicket. No punches get pulled. People and pets alike get eaten up with gleeful relish. (As in pleasure, I don't remember the beast ever actually using relish.) There is a definite shortage of sympathetic characters, with the supporting cast including a very mercenary and rather mean spirited pet shop owner and a thoroughly greedy, unpleasant lady who runs the orphanage. Bethany herself, the young girl desired as a meal, is mean, spiteful and bullying and Ebenezer Tweezer is really rather nasty himself.

There's something so fun about reading about such deeply unpleasant characters, and The Beast and The Bethany really pulls that off so well. The humour is spot on, and somehow it never feels unpleasant, no matter how unpleasant the subject material really is.

And somehow, despite all of their flaws, I couldn't help feeling for both Bethany and Ebenezer. That's the really clever trick in all this. Without excusing them or forcing them along redemption arcs, somehow I just didn't want Bethany to be eaten or Ebenezer to die of being 512 years old.

Most of the illustrations weren't included in my proof copy, sadly, but the ones that did were enough to see that a fully illustrated final copy will be quite awesome. I really like Isabelle Follath's art in here, and she really captures the rather manic, madcap feel of the story.

The Beast and The Bethany is darkly comic with a fantastic cast of perfectly horrid characters.

When I started The Beast and the Bethany I knew that I was going to enjoy this book, but I loved it even more than I expected. I finished this book in one sitting and it left a smile on my face. This story is a bit darker than I've read in middle grade before, but it's also filled with fun jokes and amazing illustrations. On top of that, what I love about middle grade books, this book is filled with many lessons but they're taught in a fun way!

One of our main characters is Ebeneezer and he's almost 512 years old (I know, how is that possible?!?). For as long as he can remember he's been helping the Beast. He's not the nicest creature and Ebeneezer has to steal and do a lot of bad things to fill his appetite and keep him happy, so that he can continue to get the serum that keeps him alive. Except this year Beast wants a child to eat. That's definitely not what Ebeneezer was expecting.

That's when our adventure begins and we meet Bethany. Bethany lives in the orphanage and isn't the best behaved child. We learn she lost her parents and that's just awful and definitely makes it understandable that she's having some problems. While Bethany lives with Ebeneezer before being fed to Beast, there is quite an adventure.

I love the setting of this book. The house Ebeneezer lives in is amazing and I would love to live in it. So many floors and all different types of artifacts. Learning more about Ebeneezer and Bethany was really interesting and it's clear both of them have had some hard times. There are so many lessons hidden in this book loss of a parent, grief, cruelty, bad behavior and found family. Ebeneezer and Bethany end up making a great team and I was sad when this was over!

I couldn't recommend this book more and loved it so much it's even hard to put into words. All I can say is you really need to read this book. Even though the Beast eats some odd things, I definitely got hungry while reading. I don't know if I'd eat everything that's mentioned, but Bethany definitely has some yummy treats. The Beast and the Bethany gets all of the stars. I loved the characters, setting, lessons learned and the humor. I couldn't put this down and I definitely see myself reading this again in the future.

The Beast and the Bethany will be available for purchase on December eighth (Psst! This would make a great Christmas gift!).

Take The Picture of Dorian Gray , and make it less gothic and more fun, and you’ve got The Beast and the Bethany. This book follows Ebenezer Tweezer, a 511 year-old who is ridiculously rich and remarkably spry for his age. His secret? He has a beast hidden in his attic. Ebenezer feeds the beast in exchange for a potion that keeps him young. At first, the beast wants small things, but as time goes on its appetite grows and…well, let’s just say that the beast is not a vegetarian.

Eventually, Ebenezer is asked to put a child on the beast’s menu. Ebenezer finds this vaguely upsetting, but not enough to keep him from bringing Bethany home. Bethany is a brat. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. Then again, can someone who’s planning on feeding his houseguest to a monster really make judgments? Ebenezer can handle her staying with him prior to the Big Meal. It’s only for a little while, after all. Then it’s bon apetit! But then something unexpected happens: Bethany and Ebenezer start to become friends! Whatever shall Ebenezer do?

This book is monstrously delightful! Bethany and Ebenezer are the most likable jerks that I’ve ever had the pleasure to read about. They’re good for each other, and it was wonderful seeing them slowly change (just a little!) and learn to appreciate each other. I particularly loved Ebenezer and seeing how he’s basically been going through a mid-life crisis for the last fifty plus years.

The way the story is told is perfect for older elementary and middle-grade kids, but it will keep any age group entertained. The language is simple and snappy, and the book is a quick read, though the concepts are most understood and appreciated by the slightly older crowd. My oldest will be reading The Picture of Dorian Gray in school this year and I’m adding The Beast and the Bethany to his curriculum. I know he’ll love it! I may have to make it a read-aloud so I have an excuse to enjoy it again.

Much like the beast, I gobbled this up and I’m hungry for more. This author is fantastic! I most definitely recommend picking this book up. If you have kids, buy this for them. If you don’t, buy it for you. It’s a great read!

This story is a mixture of Dorian Grey and A Series of Unfortunate Events, but with a twist!

When I first received the book, I didn't think that I would be able to be invested in a book which is less than 300 pages. In comes Bethany with her Tracey Beaker style "bog off" attitude! My heart was complete stolen by this girl who is angry at the world because deep down, she is hurt and doesn't know how else to show it.

Ebenezer quickly becomes attached to Bethany, which to me felt like it was a little too quick. The bond between the two characters seemed to jump from disliking each other to being almost best friends within a day. However, I can overlook this when I think of how heartwarming their loyalty and friendship becomes.

I cried, I laughed and I smiled something crazy! This book packs a punch in such a short amount of time and I absolutely cannot wait to see where book two takes us next!

Thank you to @thewritereads for giving me the chance to be a part of this fantastic tour and making such a welcoming and friendly environment for reviewers! Thank you to @meggittphillips for creating such a fun and heart-warming read.

This was a damn cute book, the writing style was immersive and really whimsical. I found myself getting lost in the writing style.

The Illustrations are damn good, they capture cute as as well as weird moments perfectly and the artist captured facial expressions perfectly.

Talking about the plot

We start with meeting Ebenezer Tweezer and the beast and we a glimpse of what kind of creature the beast it, he is an evil, greedy and hungry grey blog monster and we also get to know what sort of person Ebenezer is and the story begins. When the beast asks Ebenezer thathe wishes to eat a child in exchange of the youth potion, Ebenezer sets out to obtain a child to feed the beast and in comes Bethany.

This was a very whimsical story, at the beginning you could see how different both the main characters were, Bethany is a poor, orphan who used being mean as a defense mechanism whereas Ebenezer is a rich, spoiled brat who never had to work for a day in his life.

When their worlds collide, sparks fly between the undisciplined Bethany and kinda oblivious Ebenezer but through the story you see both of them grow, they find a friend in each other and connect in a way that they haven't with anyone and I loved reading about that.

My favorite part of the book was seeing how adopting a child changed Ebenezer from a brat to an actual human being and how Bethany went from keeping people away to letting someone into her life. Both the characters had a very positive influence on each other and I adored them so much.

The ending of the book did get quite intense, it had me at the edge of my seat of my seat wondering what was gonna happen to the characters and I adored the way it ended.

But the ending left the story open and set it up for a sequel, hopefully.

Overall, this was a very cute story with great characters, a good plot, some awesome character development and growth and a few magical sequences and I had a fun time reading it, I legit finished it in one sitting.

I would recommend this book to anyone look for a quick to read middle grade fantasy with a good and important message, I would recommend picking this up.

Ebenezer Tweezer has been harbouring a three-eyed, two-tongued beast in his attic for 511 years, exchanging a few measly meals for eternal youth. But suddenly the beast’s appetites start to grow… and only a child will do!

I want to start this off by saying how much I loved this book! It’s fantastical and fun, with talking birds to drooling beasts there’s always something to keep you on your toes. These creatures add in the perfect hint of magic to the story, balancing out the scariness of the beast perfectly. Paired with brilliant illustrations, I can see this story becoming a firm favourite with a lot of little bookworms. This story conjures up images of what would happen if Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket had ever had the chance to collaborate – there’s the same hint of misfortune as A Series of Unfortunate Events, but it’s coupled with two characters who start to help each other see the world in a different way.

Our main character, Bethany, isn’t like you’d expect. She’s not a polite little thing that finds herself thrust into a strange situation – she’s cheeky, she’s loud and she’s most certainly not afraid of anything. Bethany is bold and a quick thinker, even if she is a little rude. I loved that she was like this! It’s different to a lot of other middle grade books I’ve read and gives us the opportunity to see some real character growth. Only such a super force to be reckoned with could go up against the beast – and I can’t see what she gets up to in the future books in this series.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a modern day Roald Dahl-style story with a hefty dose of cheeky children and ferocious beasts!

Jack Meggitt-Phillips feeds us a delectable tale of magic and wonder in The Beast and the Bethany. This novel will be one of the classics of this generation.

The story tells the tale of a man whose only concern is staying young. He has a beast that grants his every wish stashed in the attic of his 15-story house. The Beast only grants his wishes if he brings him whatever he wants to eat, and the Beast eats bizarre things. Right now, he wants to eat a child, and it is up to the man to find one.

Characters
Ebenezer Tweezer is the man who wants to stay young and alive. He does the Beast’s bidding and is very vain with no conscience.

The Beast is very demanding and eats bizarre things. Everything from rare parrots to antiques.

Bethany is an errant child from the local orphanage. Ebenezer adopts her because she is mean and not at all likable, which would be perfect for feeding to the Beast.

My Opinion
The Beast and the Bethany is a fascinating book that offers more adventure than adult books in the genre. The middle-grade world is blossoming, and this novel is a wonderful addition to this newer to me genre.

Jack Meggitt-Phillips is a skilled storyteller. The Goodreads synopsis compares the author to Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket. I couldn’t agree more, but he has a talent that is very much his own.

Recommendation
I would be remiss in recommending this book to children only. There is so much to love about this novel that I must recommend it to every age. The kid that lives in your heart will love you for giving this one a read.

It thrills me to award 5 out of 5 stars to The Beast and the Bethany.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own. 

This book had me hooked from start to finish – I literally couldn’t put it down. One fabulous tongue-in-cheek humorous tale, with some thought provoking messages.
The plot is so unique and insatiable, featuring an outlandish cast of characters that I throughly loved them all.. even the Beast, and his terrifying appetite.
Ebenezer Tweezer is a narcissistic, vain man who wants to retain his youth and has lived an extremely long time. He is fast approaching his 512 birthday. He lives a treacherous, magical Beast, who has an insatiable appetite for all sorts of things. 
The Beasts gives Ebenezer a life extending potion for return Ebenezer seeks out all sorts of things for the Beast to gobble up. With only a few days away from Ebenezer birthday, the Beast has put in a special request this year. Ebenezer will definitely have a challenging time year, the Beast has requested a Child, in return for the magic elixir. 
Bethany is a precocious child living in an orphanage. This snarky wayward little girl is just the child to be fed to the Beast. Or so Ebenezer thinks, and what comes next is an hilarious.
Jack Meggitt-Philips delivers an exceptional written storyline with well developed three dimensional characters, that I enjoyed reading about. Wonderful rich atmospheric imagery, this delightful book is sure to become a classic. It’s written for a middle school audience, but will appease a large range.
A well-written, unique and twisty tale, a highly absorbing, compulsive read.

“Bethany looked up at the fifteen-story house which was as wide as a dozen elephants. She shrugged her shoulders and returned to reading the comics.

“Aren’t you going to say ‘Whoa!’ or ‘Gosh!’?” asked Ebenezer.

“Nah,” said Bethany. “There’s nothing impressive about a waste of space.”

I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads, Egmont Books, and the author for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m going to be honest with you, reader. I’m having a difficult time starting this review. Why, you ask? Was it so ghastly that I can’t find the words to describe it? Was it so horrific that my mind boggles just thinking about it?

Well… yes and no.

It was ghastly and horrific but in all the right ways! In this book, we follow our main character, Ebenezer Tweezer, who is about to celebrate his 512th birthday. Yes, you read that right. How has he managed to reach such an unfathomable age? With the aid of the beast that lives in his attic. And all he has to do to receive the secret to eternal youth is feed it. Seems like an easy trade, right? Sure… until the beast starts asking for more and more exotic things to eat. Like performing monkeys, parrots capable of carrying on compelling conversations, and, now… a nice, plump child. Ebenezer, though, has it all figured out! He’ll just find a nasty, unlovable child that no one will miss and feed it to the beast. Enter Bog Off Bethany. She’s obnoxious, she’s cruel, and she seems the perfect meal. But, as Ebenezer gets Bethany ready for dinner (not hers, of course), pesky things like emotions and friendship start messing up his plan.

This book, with its tongue-in-cheek humor and its unlovable-yet-strangely-endearing characters, was just a treat! I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun reading a book. I loved the humor, I loved the sneaky references to other children’s tales, and I loved the overall tone. This is a book that even a reluctant reader would find hard to put down. It’s creepy, it’s scary, but it has a lot of heart, as well. I think it was the perfect blend of funny and touching, with a wonderful message squirreled away inside (though don’t let Ebenezer or Bethany know, okay?).

Speaking of Ebenezer and Bethany, it was wonderful watching them grow throughout this book. I loved both of their characters so much! I mean… as characters in a book. As actual people, I would probably stay far away from them. At least as they were at the beginning of the book! But I can’t wait to see more of them and watch their continued growth as the series continues.

Oh, and can we talk about the illustrations?! I had no idea I would be graced with such vibrant and lovely pictures throughout the book! They really helped to bring the characters to life. Any adult who says they don’t like pictures in their books is lying and does not remember what joy is. (Just kidding, you can hate pictures in books all you like, it’s your life!)

I will say that I have one teensy, tiny gripe and that’s the fact that this book felt too short! I know that there will be more books, but I was left feeling like I had left half the meal on my plate for no good reason. I was hungry for more, but I suppose I’ll just have to wait!

Final thoughts: This is a funny, dark, and gruesome book with two main characters you kind of want to strangle at first. It’s filled with wit, heart, and some stunning illustrations to make the reading experience that much more captivating! If you have a kid that maybe isn’t the biggest fan of reading, give them this book. I’ll bet they’ll be laughing out loud within the first few pages and begging for more! And, if you’re an adult that’s looking for a quick bit of fun, you can’t go wrong with The Beast and the Bethany.

Have you ever wonder what Tracey Beaker would have been like, if she'd come from the mind of Roald Dahl? Well no, me either...but we get our answer here in The Beast and the Bethany anyway! With all the charm and the horror of all my childhood favourites, The Beast and the Bethany is sure to be a real winner on middle grade shelves everywhere!

It's super silly, in an endearing way, and at times totally ridiculous. It will make you laugh and recoil in equal measures. I can't wait to see a finished copy with all the artwork complete, as from the few early pieces by Follath, you can tell it's going to make the book just that little more special.

There is a little bit of good and a little bit of wicked in each of these characters, well except maybe the big grey blob of a monster, but even he has some feeling. I liked that you could grow to like Bethany and Ebeneezer both, despite their many flaws. Even more exciting, there will be another book coming next year.

A wonderful middle grade adventure, full of all the things children love, including tons and tons of chocolate cake!