Thank you, Dave, at The Write Reads for organizing and inviting me to be part of this blog tour. Thank you, Egmont Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start off this review by saying that I absolutely loved this book. I’ve been in a bit of a reading/blogging slump for the past month or two, and this book was a perfect combination of some things that I love, and it certainly helped pull me out of my slump.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Roald Dahl, Lemony Snicket, and Neil Gaiman got together to write a children’s version of The Picture of Dorian Gray? If so, you need to pick up The Beast and the Bethany because that’s the best way for me to describe this fantastic book. I thought that this book was the perfect combination of whimsical, dark, creepy, and suspenseful, and I cannot recommend it enough.

My favourite thing about this book is that it kept me on the edge of my seat while reading it. There were so many moments where I didn’t know what was going to happen, and I was glued to the pages to find out what would happen next. I also found that during the scenes where I knew how they were going to end, the lead up was suspenseful, and it was almost like watching something terrible happen in slow motion.

I was a huge fan of the characters in this book, and I thought that Ebenezer and Bethany made an excellent pair. I like watching both of the characters grow into better people, and I liked watching them try to figure out how to deal with their hungry beast problem. I thought Bethany was a very clever character, and she’s definitely a character that I’m going to remember for a while.

Finally, I loved that this book felt like a combination of some of my favourite things. When I was growing up, I was obsessed with A Series of Unfortunate Events, and I devoured every Roald Dahl book I could get my hands on. More recently, I’ve read a lot of Neil Gaiman’s middle-grade books, and I love the creepy vibes that a lot of them have. It felt like this book was the perfect combination of these three authors, and I think it’s the kind of book that could get someone hooked on reading and stories. I also loved that it had similar elements as The Picture of Dorian Gray because that’s my favourite classic.

Overall, I thought this book was fantastic. It was dark and full of suspense while still having an element of whimsy. I highly recommend checking out this book, and I can’t wait for the sequel.

This novel shows that a book doesn’t need dozens of characters to be great. Only a handful is enough – when done right. Ebenezer Tweezer is over 5 centuries old and still kind of behaves like a child sometimes: he’s stubborn, wants what he wants when he wants it, has no sense of what’s right or wrong. Or does he? Bethany is one of the rudest and boldest children I ever read about. She lives in an orphanage and is probably the least favourite of all the other kids and the woman who looks after them (or, well, let’s just say is supposed to look after them). She is speaking her mind and never lets anyone censor herself, she’s brave and headstrong. We learn that back at the orphanage, Bethany was bullying other children, and at first she doesn’t see any fault with that. But as much as Ebenezer is bound to learn, so is Bethany. And the journey to where they are both heading together – wanted or not – was a very special one to follow.

The beast… well, that’s a different story. The beast is very charming, very eloquent, it could make the impression of being not much of a monster at all – if it were not for his three eyes, two tongues and IMMENSE hunger. Ebenezer did a good job of feeding the beast for the past centuries, but now the beast’s appetite has gotten out of control. I loved seing the conflicting emotions arise in Ebenezer, when he realises what’s good for him and what’s good.

This excellently written middle grade is funny, entertaining, shocking, sad, dark, deep, and touches upon some very important topics. I raced through it and couldn't stop before I hadn't turned the last page, and now I cannot wait for the next book!!! This was a 5 star read from start to finish! I hope you pick it up, it publishes on the first of October, so mark that date in your calendar!!!

I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you so much to the blog tour organiser, the author, the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This is a middle grade fantasy with a really dark and sometimes quite sad atmosphere. We first meet the two main characters in a bird shop, where Ebenezer, a 511-year-old man has gone to buy a bird to feed to his beast. His beast isn't a normal beast, it's a magic beast and asks Ebenezer for special meals in exchange for presents and a serum he takes yearly to stay young and beautiful. This year, the beast has asked for something special to eat, and Ebenezer doesn't hesitate to go off in search of this meal and doesn't think anything of it, that is until he meets her.

This was my first time reading a book that was this dark and sometimes sad, but that also had such cruel, mean, badly behaved, morally grey characters and I loved it so much because of the evolution and growth throughout the book. Ebenezer is quite cruel and morally grey, the beast is downright evil and Bethany is very badly behaved. Bethany, our second main character is an orphan and is the worst behaved child you might read about, however, there is a lot more to his misbehaviour than you would expect. I really loved reading all about these characters and see them grow, most importantly, see them become better together.

This book has a really dark atmosphere and a lot of bad and cruel things happen, but there are also some very important and meaningful messages in this book and those are what really made this book special to me. Ebenezer has become cruel over the years, you could say he doesn't even have a heart or an ounce of decency and he has let himself be influenced by the beast for over 5 centuries, but Bethany's arrival changes everything and even his thoughts about right and wrong. This book also touches very importantly on themes such as the death of a parent, grief, greed, bad behaviour, and cruelty. It also shows that whatever bad you've done, it can be amended if you apologise and the wheel is constantly turning, so good will always win.

I loved the whole structure of this book and the illustrations in this book were just great and so much fun. It was so well-written, it was dark, it was even sad, but it was also funny, and snarky and had proper humour. I think that this was an absolutely great book, and I can't wait for book two.

I gave this book 5 stars, I loved it from start to finish and was hooked. I loved to see the characters evolve, the side characters were also hilarious and the house in which Ebenezer lives was so intriguing to me. I loved seeing how everything happened, the plot was so unique and great. I would highly recommend this book to children and adults alike, as long as you are aware of the cruel, sad and dark atmosphere at times!

A book that I absolutely devoured in less than 24 hours! A witty, smart middle grade full of humour and valuable lessons for children.

The Beast is a wonderful creature who is the perfect mix of evil and humorous, who charms and manipulates his way into Ebenezer’s life until he meets the wonderfully mischievous Bethany. She worms her way into his life with her pranks and squashed muffin sandwiches, causing Ebenezer to question his life decisions of feeding the beast everything that he wants.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants a lovely, whimsical and incredibly clever middle grade. Perfect for mischevious children and good bad people.

Im back again with yet ANOTHER blog tour organised by @TheWriteReads, im starting to feel well and truly apart of the gang now!

The Beast and the Bethany follows the story of Ebenezer Tweezer who is a 511 year old bit of an aristocrat who has a love for fancy things. He lives in a grand mansion with the Beast, the Beast is as the name suggests rather beastly, slimy and all together a little gross. Ebenezer sources unusual meals for the Beast and in exchange the Beast conjures up (by vomiting) something that Ebenezer most desires, a potion that keeps him youthful and wrinkle-free. At the beginning of the story the Beast demands that Ebenezer finds a child for him to eat, when Ebenezer refuses the Beast threatens to stop producing the potion that keeps him young, without it he will die. Ebenezer is then faced with an impossible choice to either find a child and feed it to the Beast or die of old age.

Ebenezer then sets out on a journey to find a child after many hilarious failed attempts he finds himself as a local orphanage to adopt a child. Ebenezer decides to adopt the naughtiest child in order for him not to feel so guilty, he then meets Bethany. Bethany's parents died in a fire when she was a baby and she has been in the orphanage ever since, she has a few failed adoptions under her belt as shes so misbehaved that no one can handle her. Ebenezer decides shes perfect to feed to the Beast.

This story is super fun, a really fast paced read that i couldnt put down! The illustrations are gorgeous and really add to the story, i get disappointed these days when middle grades dont have illustrations. I was delighted when i got to the end and realised that theres a second book coming out in 2021. This is yet another perfect book that i will buy and pass on to my 8 year old niece when shes old enough, im sure she would love it and find Bethany really fun to read about.

My only criticism really is that i would have liked Ebenezer to have been a bit more villainous, i was hoping for a Count Olaf from A Series of Unfortunate Events or Gru from Despicable Me vibe. The stakes felt pretty high that he needed that potion and i wanted him to try and trick Bethany a bit more.

Overall i was really impressed with the pacing, there wasnt a dull moment. I am really keen to see what misadventures they get up to in the next book. Thank you very much to Dave (@TheWriteReads), the publishers @egmontbooksuk and to the author for letting us read this book early and review it. Also very excitingly Warner Bros are making this book into a movie!!!