My thoughts



Narrative and Plot

Revenge of the Beast continues to amuse with its whimsical tone and quite endearing narrative with Ebenezer and Bethany. Right from the start, it pulls you into this world where a "beastly yard sale" is a means to do some do-goodery. Or you could just do laundry. The opening itself piques your interest regarding Ebenezer and his relationship with the beast that we saw in detail in the first book. Here though, under all that goofiness and silly actions, there is a nuanced interpretation of what the beast stands for and how does one like Ebenezer could cope with the knowledge of its existence and still be himself. The narrative is the strongest point of the book because somehow you buy this world where a parrot with purple feathers doing her own show or laying magical eggs is a completely normal thing.

The plot is quite well structured. It takes the first half to set things up and everything comes back. Even the things you brushed past as silly comedy comes back at the most unexpected time. And that is good storytelling. 




Characters and Conflicts 







With the way the first book ended, it is easy to imagine a happily ever after for Ebenezer and Bethany except for a few obvious hiccups. However, Revenge of the Beast explores how the characters move forward with their life after such a huge change in their lives. Bethany - a reformed prankster and Ebenezer a reformed "unbeaster". Things are not as easy as one would imagine. Living without a beast that vomits out all the precious things in the world is hard and Ebenezer struggles to cope with that. While Bethany on the other is ready to do anything to undo her prankster day deeds.







With a wise parrot like Claudette , Ebenezer and Bethany try hard to reform their ways. The question is how sincere are they in their attempts. Because it is so much easier to just flip the switch and be that awful person they used to be. A conflict that intense, when told in such a light and fun tone, makes it easier to take in. For a middle-grade book, it serves its purpose not just for kids but for adults too. Add some creative illustrations to those pages and you bring life to quite an imaginative beastly story which is as entertaining as a Disney movie. 




Conclusion




Before I bog off, I will say that if you are debating whether or not to pick up this book, I would say give it a go. It is definitely worth your time. A witty, whimsical and fun ride, The Revenge of the Beast is a must-read if you have already started The Beast and the Bethany series. The ending as always leaves you wanting for more. Indeed there is a next book coming and this one sets it up perfectly for the next story.

4.5 stars

The Beast and the Bethany was quite the adventure filled with a lot of laugh out loud moments. It's a quirky story, but so much fun. Add in some amazing illustrations and you have a really fun middle grade adventure. Revenge of the Beast is a sequel that continues right where the first book left off, so I definitely recommend reading that one first.

Revenge of the Beast didn't disappoint with the humor and laugh out loud moments and the illustrations. We're back with Bethany and Ebeneezer after Claudette ate the beast. They're trying to get rid of the last signs of the beast and wanting to be good, but that's easier said than done. I love that this book does focus on friendship and changing.

Bethany is a fun character. She's starting to realize she doesn't have to be bad or annoy others to get attention or what she wants. Being good can also be fun and rewarding. I liked that this book showed that trust has to be earned and after some of the pranks she pulled people had a harder time believing she was being honest. But people can change and Bethany definitely proves that.

My favorite part of this book was Ebeneezer's story. We got to see more of his childhood and how he started his life with the beast. Some of this story definitely pulled on my heartstrings and I do understand him a bit more. I also love the way he discovered that being good isn't so bad and his time with Bethany really was teaching him things.

The only aspect of this book I do want to mention as something that didn't sit completely well with me was the new character we were introduced to - Gloria. She's at the orphanage, because he parents don't like her. Gloria bullies the other kids and is portrayed as bad basically. In the end I don't feel like this side of the story was resolved. I could understand that this may be harder for some readers to see in a story like this.

If you're looking for a funny, quirky middle grade adventure with some amazing illustrations I definitely recommend Revenge of the Beast. The ending made it clear we can expect more of this story and I'm excited to see where the author takes us to next with this story.

I’m so excited to be back on an adventure with Ebeneezer and Bethany after book 1 was the most fun I’d had in ages. My daughter and I are currently listening to it on audio too and I cannot recommend it enough.

Revenge of the Beast has two main plots and a dual timeline. In some chapters we get to learn about Ebeneezer as a young boy (over 500 years ago). In the present, Bethany, Ebeneezer and Claudette are trying to be good people and de-beast their lives but are struggling to figure out how to do so. In addition, Ebeneezer is secretly missing having the beast around to provide for him and various issues are beginning to appear and then there is Gloria.

I enjoyed reading and how Ebeneezer came to acquire the beast as a young child. I enjoyed finding out how he was manipulated, and it made me feel much more empathy for him, knowing how his childhood was. It really pulled on the heart strings and explained a lot about his character as this wasn’t explored in book 1. It was delightful to see Bethany maintain some level of her mischievous nature but was becoming more thoughtful and happier. As they spent more time together their relationship also develops, and I loved watching them grow together as people.

Full of little twists and loads of giggles, Revenge of the Beast is a fabulous middle grade fantasy novel full of crazy illustrations and I guarantee it will delight children and adults alike. I cannot wait for the next instalment.

It was a joy to be back in the beastly world of The Beast and the Bethany. If not for a beast of my own (and this thing called a job?), I would have sat down and gobbled this book up in one sitting - it was just so easy to consume.
I loved getting to see some more depth to both Ebeneezer and Bethany. By seeing the history of Ebeneezer and The Beast (i.e. how they met and what they’ve been through together), we feel more sympathetic to him, especially when he feels nostalgic to and starts to miss the life he had with The Beast.
Bethany was such a fun character again. I love how she maintained her mischief, but in a more… controlled way. She’s mischievous to have fun, rather than to make others miserable.
It’s no surprise Bethany and Ebeneezer struggled to Do Good. But it was hilarious to see them try. I can understand how easy it was for Bethany’s trust in others to waver at the slightest disturbance, so I liked how Ebeneezer supported her throughout.
I enjoyed the stakes of this story, the twists and the plot it followed. The illustrations were frightful too. It was a world I loved being part of again, I cannot wait to read the next book!
Thanks to The Write Reads, Jack Meggitt-Phillips and Farshore Books for a copy of this for review.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

When I picked up this sequel to The Beast and the Bethany (read my review here!), I was anticipating some laughs and gruesomeness. And, thankfully, I was not disappointed! This book was just as funny and strange as the first!

The story picks up right where we left off after book one. Which means, if you haven’t read book one, you might want to skip this review. Here thar (may) be spoilers! Ebenezer and Bethany are adjusting to life beast-free and have decided that the best way to move on is to become do-gooders. Change is hard, however, especially when it seems some force is trying to thwart them at every turn. Thankfully, they have their new friend, Claudette the parrot, to help them on their journey. But Claudette has been acting strange ever since she had an unconventional snack…

This book packed all the same irreverent humor, beastly hijinks, and beautiful moments of friendship that the first novel had and more! The aspect I will always love the most about these books is the humor. I genuinely laughed out loud quite a few times while reading. I will say it took me a little longer to settle into this book, though I’m unsure why that was the case. Perhaps because it had been so long since I read The Beast and the Bethany and you’re kind of thrown in like the events of that story happened just yesterday. But, once I settled in for the ride, I had a great time!

Bethany and Ebenezer continue to be compelling characters and I loved watching how their friendship is tested and grows throughout the novel. It was especially interesting to see how Ebenezer, who was with the beast for so long, adjusts to the de-beasting of his life. This story has a lot to say about friendship and change and I think it does a great job of saying it through the lives of our main characters.

I do want to bring something up that I’ve noticed in a couple of reviews. This is in regards to a new character named Gloria, the new orphanage bully. Gloria has been left at the local orphanage by her parents, who are still very much alive, simply because they don’t like her. A fact which is reiterated several times throughout the book and which is never really addressed at the end. When I was reading, I have to be honest and say that those parts didn’t phase me. After reading some reviews, however, I can see how potentially damaging this could be to someone who has dealt with or is currently dealing with the rejection of a parent or parental figure. So, though it didn’t affect me personally, I did want to mention it because I can see how potentially triggering that could be, especially for readers in the target age group.

Final thoughts: Overall, I had just as much fun with this book as I did with the first one in the series! The humor was on point, the beastly bits were perfectly grim, and I loved watching Ebenezer and Bethany’s friendship grow. I felt a little lost at the beginning, but swiftly found myself settling back into this world of evil gifts and do-gooding. I thought this was an enjoyable tale that had some important insights on friendship. I’m certainly eager to pick up the next book in the series!

What I Loved
After devouring The Beast and the Bethany extremely quickly and loving it, I couldn’t hold back from starting Revenge of the Beast straight away! After a long hard day, I couldn’t have asked for a better book to come home to and gobble up and let me tell you this isn’t just for the kiddies. It is such a fun and meaningful book that teaches many valuable lessons such as kindness and giving back but it is also extremely entertaining with beautiful illustrations that help add the story perfectly!

The Story
Just when you thought that was it from the Beast, he strikes back in the most peculiar yet humorously gross way. With a new adventure and the beast even hungrier than before, we get to follow Bethany, Ebenezer and their new Parrot companion, Claudette as they take on a new mystery of why strange things have been happening to all the objects in the 15 story house that the Beast once vomited out.

Along with the beast bashing, do-gooding and spectacular theatre performances, we get more of an understanding of Ebenezer’s past and why he spent so many years serving the Beast. It does tug at the heartstrings when you realize what he’s been through, which we were all probably thinking about since the last book so I’m very glad the author delves into this side of his character. I couldn’t get enough of the story, there is never a dull moment within this book, it’s incredibly fast-paced, upbeat, funny and just a downright delightful read!

The Characters
Bethany is once again the star of the show for me. Even though she is known as a prankster and probably always will be a bit, however, with her desire to do good you can’t help but love and root for her on her journey. It’s incredible to see how much she has grown from the first book, trying to make amends with those who she treated wrong, make new friends and help protect the one person who helped her from the beginning even if he didn’t realise it!

Ebenezer continues to grow on me more and more and after living for 512 years it’s amazing to see him learn and grow to become a better person despite his troubled, sad past. It was a really nice insight to include some of his past as you can clearly see how he has become the person he is. By living as many years as he has, I can imagine it is not easy to change his ways. But, his friendship with Bethany is truly beautiful (when she isn’t calling him names) and so heartwarming they evidently have a big effect on each other.

Ebenezer, as well as the rest of the story and characters, are fabulously enjoyable from start to finish. It will make you wish you could forget what happened and read it all over again!

Overall Thoughts
Overall, The Beast and the Bethany: Revenge of the Beast is a remarkable sequel that lives up to all its entertainingly beastly expectations from the first book. If you’re looking for a quick, easy, laugh out loud read then look no further! Don’t be disappointed if you ate up these two books quickly, because there is more to come for Bethany, Ebenezer and the Beast this year!

Rating: 5/5

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S REVENGE OF THE BEAST ABOUT?
At the end of The Beast and The Bethany, Bethany, Ebenezer, and Claudette (the Wintlorian purple-breasted parrot) were sure that The Beast was vanquished and they could start living their lives in a new direction.

They're de-Beasting their lives—getting rid of just about everything that The Beast magicked into existence for Ebenezer over the centuries—and they're devoting their energies to do-gooding. Bethany needs to make up to people for all her pranks, and Ebenezer has a lot of karmic debt to pay off (and Bethany's pushing him). He also is doing what he can to stay off the radar of the organization that's been chasing the Beast for more centuries than Ebenezer's been alive. That'll be easier to do without magic items laying around.

But as the title of this book suggests, they were wrong. The Beast isn't done yet, and he's out to get back at those three—and anyone else who happens to be in the general vicinity while he's at it.

Their do-gooding efforts stumble, the items they tried to divest themselves of start to behave strangely—and dangerously—for their new owners. No matter what they attempt to do, something goes wrong. It's time for some drastic measures.

COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING, ARE WE SURE THE BEAST IS THE WORST?
There are a handful of new characters introduced in this book, which helps in a few ways—it shows how much Bethany has changed Ebenezer's life by expanding his social world, and it adds a little flavor to the series. But there are three new characters* in particular I want to single out: The Cussocks. Mr. and Mrs. Cussock run the theater that plays a significant role in the novel and their daughter, Gloria. Gloria reminds me of the TV version of Nellie Oleson, without the redeeming characteristics. Nellie knew how she should act and just didn't care. I don't think Gloria knows how she should act, she's pure id. Once you get to know her parents, a bit, you start to see why. I'm not going to get into it, but just know that Gloria lives in the same orphanage that Bethany used to live in, because they just can't stand her (and have no problem letting everyone—including her—know that).

* I'm pretty sure they're new, they may have played minor roles in the first book. But I don't think so, and I'm too lazy to check..

It'd be easy in a book like this to make The Beast the epitome of all evil, and every human and animal nothing more than a potential victim. Bethany and Ebenezer have some restitution to do and need to reform, but they're trying. But as long as people like the Cussocks are around, the reader has to remember that people are capable of the same kind of evil as The Beast is. They don't have magic to help, and they don't get their sustenance from eating humans—which almost makes it worse, you could make a pragmatic argument for a lot of what The Beast does. But the Cussocks don't have that going for them.

(but to be clear, all four of them are truly reprehensible characters)

TRUE HORROR: THE FOOD
Sure, there's a magic being eating people, producing magical items, and inflicting all sorts of psychological damage; a possibly sociopathic little girl inflicting pain on her peers; and a centuries-old man wandering around in this book. But the true horror? The food designed by Bethany and others.

Bethany considers herself a sandwich artist. No, she'd probably be inclined to add the "e," she's a sandwich artiste. Some of the flavor combinations she comes up with would make me run start swallowing Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans by the handful without wondering/caring what flavors they'd be. They're fully at the intersection of incredibly imaginative and incredibly unappealing.

It's the kind of humor that an MG reader is practically guaranteed to enjoy.

ILLUSTRATIONS
I'm pretty sure neither of these books would be as successful without the contributions of Isabelle Follath. Her illustrations—sort of a mash-up of Eugene Yelchin, Quentin Blake, and Jules Feiffer—are attractive, eye-catching, and augment the text without being a distraction. I made more notes than usual about liking the artwork in this novel. Rather than further demonstrate how poorly I describe art, I'll just say that her stuff is great and leave it at that.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT REVENGE OF THE BEAST?
I know when I posted about The Beast and The Bethany, I was aware that it was the first of a series, but I have to tell you, I thought it made a great stand-alone book. So much so that I forgot there were more books to come, I got this one primarily out of curiosity about how Meggitt-Phillips would approach this, rather than a curiosity about the characters or story. I was satisfied with where the first book left things.

That said, if you're going to write an unnecessary sequel, this is the way you want to do it. Give some good backstory about the antagonist and one of the protagonists, and help the reader understand how they got started five centuries ago. Then while you're doing that, show how everything you thought happened at the end of the first book wasn't at all what was going on—so we need to read the sequel. It was really well-conceived in that way. But given the two that exist, we definitely need a third (which is, thankfully, on the way)

I think it's best if I think of this in two different ways, it's a creative way to tell this story, the morals are there for those who want to see them (again), but are easily ignored if that's what the reader prefers. The humor is a bit subtler this time out, but it's just as funny if you're looking for it. I was honestly surprised by a couple of plot developments, too. But...it just didn't work as well for me as its predecessor. Like I said with And Your Enemies Closer , a lot of that is likely just the way second novels in a trilogy strike me. But I don't think it's all of the reason why. I think it's probably a function of separating (for good and understandable reasons of plot) Ebenezer and Bethany for so much of the book. The series is stronger when they're together.

On the other hand, if I got this book when I was in Fifth Grade? I'd really dig it, and it would earn a spot in my Roald Dahl-Daniel M. Pinkwater-Norton Juster re-read cycle, right alongside The Beast and The Bethany, and I'd get it read at least four more times before the third volume is released. Since that guy is the one that Meggitt-Phillips is writing for, not the guy with four adult children—I figure that's good enough.

At least three of my four kids would've loved this when they were the right age (and it's possible that the fourth one would've, too)—and I'm willing to bet that whatever parents are reading this would find similar results in their homes. They should pick this up and see.


My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided, via Netgalley and Farshore.

Uh oh, is the Beast back???

At first it seems that Bethany is worse than ever, but then she and Ebenezer decide to attempt some do-gooding to change everyone's opinion of them. However, Ebenezer is distracted and worried about the mysterious Division, who were after him and the Beast many, many years ago. On top of all this, it looks like Bethany might actually have met someone worse than her, Gloria is the new terror of the orphanage. And what's going on with poor Claudette? She's not quite acting her usual sweet self.

There are loads of laugh-out-loud funny sections, particularly when Ebenezer and Bethany try to learn how to be good. As you can imagine, it does not quite go to plan. The story of how Ebenezer met the Beast, back when he was actually just a young, innocent boy, finally gets revealed. You've got to feel sorry for Ebenezer, who can blame him for turning out as he did with the Beast's influence all those hundreds of years. Just like in book one, there are plenty of wonderful illustrations throughout the book, just watch out for the slime!

Welcome to the blog tour for this fun title! I enjoyed the first book in this series about eighteen months ago, and I'm so pleased to be able to read the second one now!

So for a quick recap: Ebenezer used to have a Beast that would vomit out riches and gifts in exchange for living beings to eat. Over the years the Beast got more and more picky, eventually demanding a child. Ebenezer adopted Bethany, but baulked at the idea of actually feeding her to it, and together they defeated it instead. Maybe. Hopefully?

These are fantastic reads, full of action, adventure, magic, with a moral laid in but not too obviously, and with fantastic illustrations. They're a great next step after Diary of a Wimpy Kid - same reading level, same sense of anarchic humour, but slightly less illustrations. Bethany and Ebenezer are great - the sequence where they want to be good, can't quite figure it out, ask some advice and happily go home to do laundry and eat soup had me laughing along as I read.

These books are fantastic, funny, heartfelt, and could clearly run for a long time. I can't wait to follow along with them.

What’s it about (in a nutshell):
Revenge of the Beast (The Beast and the Bethany #2) by Jack Meggitt-Phillips is a creatively quirky story about an orphan, an immortal man, and a man-eating beast. In Revenge of the Beast, Bethany and Ebenezer are trying to start fresh now that the Beast is out of their lives. But changing minds is not as easy as they think it will be.

What I Enjoyed:

I enjoyed getting to know Ebenezer better. The look back at his life is fascinating. It provides the necessary layers that his character needed to be fully developed. I found it much easier to understand his connection to Bethany and willingness to conquer the Beast for her because of his story.

I have a real soft spot for Bethany, even when she is particularly frustrating and ingratiating. I admire her desire to do good just for the sake of the community, and I feel her frustration over people not letting go of her prankster past. She is no longer the angry little girl lashing out at anyone and everyone. She has found her place with Ebenezer, and she wants to share with everyone how that has impacted her.

The character-driven story is fast-paced, with plenty of suspense to spur it on. It is told through third-person narration and exudes the quirky charm inherent in the author’s sense of humor. The artwork is delightful and reflects the story perfectly.

Characters:
Bethany was developed well in the first book, and in Book 2, we learn a great deal more about Ebenezer. His past story is shared, and when added to his current reactions to the Beast, work together to create a well-developed, intriguing, sympathetic, and problematic character. I loved the complexity of this character.

Reminds Me Of:
The publisher compares this story to Lemony Snicket and Roald Dahl, and I can definitely see similarities. The dark, quirky humor is in keeping with both authors’ stories.

What I Wish:
My only wish is that this story entertains the middle-grade reader and gives them something to think about as they follow Bethany’s struggles in life made much worse by that dreaded Beast.

To Read or Not to Read:
The Beast and the Bethany series is perfect for even the youngest middle-grade readers.

With the beast gone (or not), Bethany's new job is to prepare Ebeneezer for his life after the Beast that have thoroughly owned his life. That includes doing away with anything that the Beast gave to Ebeneezer and getting him to do go things (maybe something to turn his karma around). But as soon as Bethany's plans are made, they goes up the flames. Ebeneezer is dealing with a problematic shirt of his own (yes, I did say shirt) and Claudette, the parrot seems to be losing her feathers and voice. Is this all the vanished beast doing?

I really loved how we got to see Ebeneezer as a boy and how the world has changed in the 511 years that he has been alive. And also how his need for friendship and acceptance led him to taking the beast in until it absolutely overtook his life! I have always said that ones most vulnerable time is childhood! The humour that I loved from the first book is still here and even better. We get to see snarky Bethany who is on a quest to prove she can Do Good and every attempt is just precious even when it is tarred by her past behaviour and the subtle lack of trust Ebeneezer had in her. It was fun to see them grow fond of each other, it was teeth-aching sweet and I loved every minute of it.

The artwork complimented the story and it was quite beautiful. The inner child in me was absolutely buzzing. The ending was so interesting and I cannot wait to see how these two characters progress in the coming books (Please let there be more books!)

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Revenge of the Beast was another fun and entertaining read that I couldn’t wait to pick up, especially haven’t loved the first book The Beast and the Bethany. It continues where the first book ends and we follow Bethany and Ebenezer as they try to adjust to life without the beast. However, things don’t quite go to plan as the Beast is about to make a return for revenge!

Like the first book this is well written and just as entertaining. It was nice to see characters from the first book make an appearance as well as seeing some new ones. I have to admit I did struggle with Bethany’s character a little in this book. I found her to be quite annoying especially in the first few chapters. In the first book I wasn’t too sure about Ebenezer’s character but in this one we get to learn about Ebenezer early years and how he came to be acquainted with the Beast. Also, in this book Ebenezer had been gifted with empathy, which makes him a much more likeable character, and one that I ended up loving.

Now although this is a great sequel and loved reading it I think I did enjoy the first book slightly more. None the less still a fab read and can’t wait for the next book (Hope there is one)!

Highly recommended!

I unfortunately did not enjoy this. The actual plot was OK, and as a high level read it was fine. However, I found it incredibly problematic which completely ruined it for me.
We have a new character introduced- Gloria. She is a new girl at the orphanage, and when asked what happened to her parents (who own the theatre in town) the answer is "They just can't stand their daughter." Later, at the theatre, Gloria has commandeered the stage and performed an awful song and dance. Her parents stand up and say "She may be our daughter, but we do not consider her part of our family." Not only were these horrible comments not addressed, but they were never redeemed. At the end when Gloria did a 'good' show, her parents take her back because she shows talent.
For me, this whole theme is not only problematic, but potentially really damaging to children. Any child who has any sort of abandonment issues could be really triggered by the depiction of parents abandoning their child because they don't like them, or the child is not "talented" enough.
I'm afraid I don't have much else to say, so will get into the ratings.

CAWPILE: 3.28 2*

Characters- 3: To be honest the characters all annoyed me anyway, however I think that children would enjoy them
Atmosphere- 4: the atmosphere was OK
Writing Style- 1: As per the rant above, I don't think it is acceptable to publish a book with this amount of problematic content in 2021
Plot-5: It was fairly interesting plot wise
Intrigue-4: I can see that children would enjoy it
Logic-3: theres a lot that I thought was a stretch of belief
Enjoyment-3: the rant above shows how much I didn't enjoy it.

I loved The Beast and the Bethany, with it's horrible monster planning on eating quite a horrid girl, so I was really looking forward to Revenge of the Beast.

It did not disappoint.

Bethany has largely turned her life around, as has Ebenezer. However the people of the town are having trouble accepting her as anything other than a troublesome prankster. I loved her attempts to prove to people that she really, really did want to be a do-gooder. Unfortunately, whatever she tries, it feels like there's something going wrong. The slow, subtle return of the beast was really well done, as you could feel his influence creeping out all over, building up to a dramatic, and horrific, climax.

There was a great new cast of supporting characters, with Gloria being a stand-out as a new horrid "orphan" girl who wants to out-do Bethany in the ghastly stakes.

I also loved seeing the flashbacks to Ebenezer's past history with the beast, and learning more about their relationship down the ages. This really started to flesh out the beast's personal mythology, and I'm hoping to see more of this in book three.

Fantastic, funny and horrible, I loved it!

If you've read the first book, you pretty much know what's about to happen in Revenge of the Beast. That is, largely humour, mingled with a few stomach-churning moments. The Beast is back, slowly rearing its ugly head, before a final showcase that will be sure to delight young readers.

I loved Bethany's attempts to do good, and found myself laughing along with this one, just as much as the first. The illustrations are the perfect touch, and compliment the story in the most wonderful way. Another excellent instalment, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

As you guys probably know if you followed me in 2020 (The Year That Must Not Be Named), you would know one of my fave reads was The Beast and the Bethany by Jack Meggitt-Phillips. It was just delightful with a deliciously dark edge of Roald Dahl to it. So, of course, I wanted to read/audiobook the sequel, The Revenge of the Beast. I am going to admit that when I did go into this, fearful that this wouldn’t be as fun as the first, but I dived in anyway.

Taking place a few weeks after The Beast and The Bethany, the youthful-looking 511 Ebenezer Tweezer is trying to come to terms of life without the Beast. But he has The Bethany, once notorious prankster, who is keeping him on his toes. She and her parrot friend, Claudette, are determined that she and Ebenezer must de-Beast their lives and do some do-gooding. But both are finding this trickier than they first thought: Ebenezer is missing the gifts that the Beast vomited, Bethany is finding that her prankster past is making it hard for her to do some good, and both aren’t exactly sure how to be good people.

Plus, there’s something off with Claudette. Even since she ate the Beast, she’s been … well, not herself.

Ok, you probably guess most of the plot of this middle-grade. But, you know what? I didn’t really mind – this was such fun! I audiobooked this in two days. Very rare for me to do blitz an audiobook is two days. But this was fun, silly with a slight bite to it.

I am intrigued to see where this is going to do (the final chapter gave a good hint of the direction, something that happened in the previous book and, normally, I hate this trick (if you read my review of the adult MM romance, Right as Raine, I loathe when this happens, but I did enjoy it in this series and not sure why), but I do hope the book doesn’t lose it selfishness. Both Bethany and Ebenezer, while wanting to be good people, can be awful: Bethany is quick to temper and can be cruel while Ebenezer is self-absorbed and quite materialist.