I Read, Therefore I Blog

Open The Cage, Murphy by Paul O’Grady

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 21:44:00 GMT

The Blurb On The Back:

Open The Cage, Murphy takes us on a roller coaster ride through a decade of Paul O’Grady’s life. Full of hilarious stories, extreme situations and outrageous one-liners, the book begins as Paul’s brilliant comic creation Lily Savage embraces success as to the manner born, and world domination beckons!

The action comes thick and fast. Paul is involved in a plane crash, gets caught up in the LA riots and has a close encounter with Madonna. He takes us to a gay-themed weekend at Butlin’s in Skegness, on a rowdy tour with Prisoner Cell Block H - The Musical and into the depths of the Australian rainforest, where he befriends a rare bird that can disembowel a man with a single kick. The cast of characters includes a family of dolphins, Charlton Heston and the ghost of Joan of Arc. And there’s a starring role for a certain remarkable dog, Buster Elvis Savage.

But whether he’s writing about star-studded Hollywood parties, the devastating loss of close friends to AIDS, or late night shenanigans at the end of Blackpool Pier, Paul’s wit and humanity never desert him. Open The Cage, Murphy is a genuine delight - all the more so for being delightfully genuine.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Paul O’Grady was a comedian, actor, TV presenter, chat show host and British national treasure. The last of his autobiography quartet picks up shortly after the death of his mother and tracks his career transition from drag queen host of the Vauxhall Tavern to TV presenter and national treasure set against a back drop of personal tragedy as the AIDS crisis strikes close to home. Told with his wit and warmth, it’s a bittersweet testimony to the man.

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Still Standing: The Savage Years by Paul O’Grady

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 21:54:26 GMT

The Blurb On The Back:

Lilian Maeve Veronica Savage, international sex kitten, was born on the steps of The Legs of Man public house, Lime Street, Liverpool on a policeman’s overcoat. Her mother, the lady wrestler Hell Cat Savage, had no such luxuries as gas and air. She just bit down on the policeman’s torch and recovered afterwards at the bar with a large pale ale …

Paul O’Grady shot to fame via his brilliant comic creation, the blonde bombshell Lily Savage. In the first two parts of his bestselling and critically acclaimed autobiography, Paul took us through his childhood in Birkenhead to his first, teetering steps on stage. Now, in Still Standing, for the first time, he brings us the no-holds-barred true story of Lily and the rocky road to stardom …

Paul pulls no punches in this tale of bar-room brawls, drunken escapades and liaisons dangereuses. And that’s just backstage at the Panto … Along the way, we stop off at some extremely dodgy pubs and clubs, and meet a collection of exotic characters who made the world a louder, brighter and more hilarious place. From the chaos of the Toxteth riots and the Vauxhall Tavern Raid, to the mystery of who shot Skippy and the great chip-pan fire of Victoria Mansions, Paul emerges shaken but not stirred.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Paul O’Grady was a comedian, actor, TV presenter, chat show host and British national treasure. The third in his autobiographical quartet charts the 1980s as he hones Lily Savage in Northern clubs (dragging Vera with him), overseas and London’s gay clubs and searches for love in all the wrong places. But tragedy isn’t far away as HIV starts to bite and O’Grady suffers more loss closer to home that even his sharp wit struggles to see the humour in.

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The Devil Rides Out by Paul O’Grady

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 23:31:17 GMT

The Blurb On The Back:

Birkenhead, 1973. The eighteen-year-old Paul O’Grady get ready for a big Saturday night out on the town. New white t-shirt, freshly ironed heads, looking good. As he bids farewell to his mum, who’s on the phone to his auntie, and wanders off down the street in a cloud of aftershave, he hears the familiar cry” ‘Oh, the devil rights out tonight, Annie. The devil rides out!’

The further adventures of Paul O’Grady - following on from the million-copy-selling At My Mother’s Knee - are, if anything, even more hilarious and outrageous than what has come before. As Paul struggles to get to grips with unexpected fatherhood and bereavement, he searches high and low for a job that lasts and somehow finds himself getting married in the process. Work takes him from an abattoir to a children’s home, from a hospital to a nightclub, and from penthouse to pavement. Along the way, he takes his first Savage steps on stage, tastes the exotic delights of Manila and invades Plans …

To say that The Devil Rides Out is action-packed is an understatement. Its extraordinary cast of characters includes lords and ladies, the legendary Vera, a serial killer, more prostitutes than you can shake a stick at and drag queens of every shape and size. Wickedly funny, often moving, and searingly honest, Paul’s tales of the unexpected will make your jaw drop and your hair stand on end. And you’ll laugh like a drain.

The Devil Rides Out - one hell of a read!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Paul O’Grady was a comedian, actor, TV presenter, chat show host and British national treasure. The second in his autobiographical quartet charts 1973 to 1980 as he deals with his father’s death, becomes a father, bounces between jobs, marries a lesbian, struggles to find a partner, travels internationally and starts to develop Lily Savage within the London drag scene. Told with O’Grady’s biting wit, it’s sad, thoughtful, horrifying and honest.

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At My Mother’s Knee And Other Low Joints by Paul O’Grady

Sun, 05 May 2024 20:13:33 GMT

The Blurb On The Back:

In this first volume of his multi-million-selling autobiography, Paul O’Grady tells the story of his early life in Birkenhead that started him on the long and winding road from mischievous altar boy to national treasure. It is a brilliantly evoked, hilarious and often moving tale of gossip in the back yard, bragging in the corner shop and slanging matches on the front doorstep, populated by larger-than-life characters with hearts of gold and tongues as sharp as razors.

At My Mother’s Knee features an unforgettable cast of rogues, rascals, lovers, fighters, saints and sinners - and one iconic bus conductress. It’s a book which really does have something for everyone and which reminds us that, when all’s said and done, there’s a bit of savage in all of us …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Paul O’Grady was a comedian, actor, TV presenter, chat show host and British national treasure. Warm, hilarious, horrifying and heartbreaking this is the first in his autobiography quartet, charting his life in Birkenhead from birth to his late teens and his relationship with his working class, Catholic parents and aunts. This 2018 reprint featured a new introduction by O’Grady where he says he’s softened some of the depictions of his family.

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Ten Minutes To Bed Little Library by Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 20:52:48 GMT

The Blurb On The Back:

Join Sparkle the unicorn and all your favourite characters from the Land of Nod in this TEN MINUTES TO BED LITTLE LIBRARY!

Meet all your favourite bedtimes friends in this Little Library. Perfect for younger readers, each chunky book will keep little hands occupied at home or on the move. And once you’ve enjoyed the stories, the four books come together to create a TEN MINUTES TO BED jigsaw!

Packed with colourful illustrations and fun rhyming interactions to the characters, this Little Library might just be too much fun for bedtime!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton’s Little Library of 4 board books for very young readers is a cute affair with each book being the perfect size for little hands. I wasn’t impressed with the jigsaw puzzle element (which I think will confuse very young readers) and I preferred the illustrations to the rhymes (which try too hard for me) but young readers will enjoy them and parents will be grateful for the message of going to sleep.

TEN MINUTES TO BED LITTLE LIBRARY was released in the United Kingdom on 27th April 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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Dread Wood – Flock Horror by Jennifer Killick

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 17:30:14 GMT

The Blurb On The Back:

Welcome to Dread Wood High.
It’s a scream …

Angelo and his friends have already defeated some seriously creepy creatures. But there’s no time to chill as a terrifying new enemy appears in the skies … giant vampire birds that feast on BLOOD!

Have Club Loser met their match with this fearsome flock of bloodsucking beasts? It’s time for the ultimate battle to take flight …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The third in Jennifer Killick’s comedy horror quartet for readers aged 9+ raises the stakes with Club Loser facing real peril and serious injury and the horror is gorier. I love how the diversity in this book is not a big deal here and a scene where Club Loser try on clothes for the school dance is a joy but I was less fond of how Killick introduces a conspiracy element to explain how the Latchitts are able to do some of the things they do.

DREAD WOOD - FLOCK HORROR was released in the United Kingdom on 2nd March 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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Dread Wood Fear Ground by Jennifer Killick

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 20:38:52 GMT

The Blurb On The Back:

Welcome to Dread Wood High.
It’s a scream …

Flinch is a game of fear. The more you scare your friends, the more points you get on the app. But things are about to get WEIRD …

Angelo and his friends start to investigate who is behind the game. Is it the people wearing the super-creepy clown masks? With adrenaline pumping and the fair arriving in town, it’s time for the REAL games to begin!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The second book in Jennifer Killick's comedy horror quartet for readers aged 9+ is a genuinely creepy read with some sharp lines and good twists. It helps if you have read DREAD WOOD as there are a number of callbacks to it (although I could follow the plot without having done so). I believed in the kids’ omerta about Flinch, while the parasites are suitably disgusting and the Latchitts menacing such that I’d definitely read more in this series.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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A Hero Born by Jin Yong

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 22:02:12 GMT

The Blurb On The Back:

China: 1200AD.

The peaceful Song Empire has been invaded by the warlike Jurchen tribes from the north. Meanwhile, on the Mongolian steppes, a disparate nation of great warriors is about to be united by a chieftain whose name will endure for eternity: Genghis Khan.

Our hero, Guo Jing, son of a murdered Song warrior, grows up with Genghis Khan’s army. He is humble, loyal, perhaps not altogether wise, and is fated from birth to one day confront an opponent who is the opposite of him in every way: privileged, cunning and flawlessly trained in the martial arts.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

This is the first ever English translation from Chinese of Jin Yong’s classic historical fantasy tale of kung fu masters and evil empires by Anna Holmwood. Originally published in 1958 (the first in a quartet), it has an action-driven, energetic plot and although the portrayal of grumpy kung-fu masters seems stereotypical now, it was innovative at the time and there’s a lot of fun to be had in seeing the various masters compete with each other.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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The Magic Misfits 2: The Second Story by Neil Patrick Harris

Sun, 27 Jan 2019 00:26:59 GMT

The Blurb On The Back:

Do you believe in magic?

With all six of them crowded into the secret room behind the rear bookcase in Vernon’s Magic Shop, they were practically bumping elbows in the dim light. None of them minded, though; they were practising what they loved most: magic.

This is Leila, escape artist extraordinaire. She shares all her secrets with her magical best friends, <>The Magical Misfits. But she can’t escape the mystery that’s heading her way …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The second in Neil Patrick Harris’s MAGIC MISFITS SERIES focuses on Leila with Harris and co-writer Alec Azam doing a better job of integrating the backstory with the main mystery and mingling the genuine magic with the illusions while maintaining a chatty narrative style. Kids should enjoy the magic trick suggestions and code games and Lissy Marlin and Kyle Hilton’s illustrations have a fun anime quality to them that adds to the story.

THE MAGIC MISFITS: THE SECOND STORY was released in the United Kingdom on 4th October 2018. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris

Sun, 31 Dec 2017 15:21:27 GMT

The Blurb On The Back:

Do you believe in magic?

Magic comes in all shapes and sizes and colours and tastes and smells and feelings.

Magic may even come in the shape of a book …

When Carter Locke runs away he’s never felt more alone. But then he finds a gang of other young magicians …

and THE MAGIC MISFITS are born!

Street magician Carter knows that magic tricks are just that – tricks. But when he runs away he finds himself alone and in danger from a dastardly carnival ringleader. He could really use some magic now …

A chance encounter with the mysterious Mr Vernon leads Carter to a gang of other young magicians. Can the Magic Misfits use their skills to foil the ringleader’s most evil scheme yet? And will Carter find the real magic hiding in this story?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Neil Patrick Harris’s debut fantasy novel for children aged 9+ (the first in a quartet) features great illustrations by Lissy Marlin and Kyle Hilton, a wonderfully chatty style and a diverse cast of characters while intertwining the fast-paced story with magic trick suggestions and games that kids should enjoy but the plot was a little unoriginal and the diverse supporting cast seldom rose above the page to achieve any real depth.

THE MAGIC MISFITS was released in the United Kingdom on 30th November 2017. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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The Midnight Peacock by Katherine Woodfine

Sun, 12 Nov 2017 23:00:52 GMT

The Blurb On The Back:

You are cordially invited to Sinclair’s Midnight Peacock Ball!

The festive season has come to Sinclair’s and Sophie and Lil are spending the holidays at snowy Winter Hall. As sinister secrets come to light, our intrepid heroines find themselves faced with a more baffling mystery than ever before!

With the help of their friends, can they uncover the truth in time to foil a truly diabolical plot? Or will Mr Sinclair’s Midnight Peacock Ball spell disaster on New Year’s Eve for the dauntless young detectives?

Prepare for the thrilling conclusion to the Sinclair’s Mysteries!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The concluding novel in Katherine Woodfine’s mystery series for children aged 9+ is a tightly plotted, enjoyable read that wraps up all of the relevant series arc storylines without descending into mawkish sentimentality, gives a good sense of period and leaves open the possibility of a prequel series (which I’d definitely read).

THE MIDNIGHT PEACOCK was released in the United Kingdom on 5th October 2017. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

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