The Ultimate Bookish "Pick Two": What Would You Choose?

We’ve all seen those bookish "this or that" games on social media that make you make impossible choices, but I recently came across one on Pinterest that really made me stop and think.

The premise is simple: out of six dream bookish scenarios, you can only pick two.

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Here are the six choices on the table:

One day a week fully dedicated to reading
Unlimited books for a lifetime
Never experience a reading slump ever again
Weekly book club chats with your favourite author
A month-long reading retreat to unplug
A personalised bookshelf that curates your next 5 reads

If I had to choose, my top two would be Option 1 and Option 3 without hesitation. Here is why they make the ultimate reading power combination for me.

1. One Day a Week Fully Dedicated to Reading

Between daily responsibilities, work, and household tasks, finding quality, uninterrupted reading time is always a challenge. The idea of having one entire day every single week carved out purely for reading, guilt-free and without distractions, sounds like total bliss. Imagine settling down with a fresh pot of tea, a stack of books, and zero items on your to-do list for a full 24 hours.

3. Never Experience a Reading Slump Ever Again

There is nothing more frustrating than wanting to read, clearing out time in your schedule, and then hitting a wall where no book seems to hold your interest. A reading slump can drag on for weeks, taking all the joy out of your favourite hobby. Banishing slumps forever guarantees that every single book you pick up hooks you from page one.

Why This Combination Wins

When you combine these two, you get the absolute best of both worlds: dedicated, protected time to read, paired with guaranteed momentum and enthusiasm every single week. A full reading day is great, but a full reading day where you are 100% locked into a fantastic story with no slump in sight is perfection!

Over to You!

If you had to choose from the list, which two would you pick? Would you go for unlimited books, author chats, or a month-long retreat? Let me know your choices in the comments below!

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Books: First Lines Fridays 30th October 2026

Ready for another First Lines Friday? It's that time of the week when we judge a book not by it's cover or even by its blurb. Instead we will be judging it's ability to hook us from the opening lines. Let's see if this week's pick will have you adding it to your TBR list or not.

I'm participating in First Lines Fridays as I think it's a great way to highlight more of the books that are on my bookshelves.

What is First Lines Fridays?

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book!

My Pick For This Week

The first lines of the book:

I watch them through my window. They are almost obscured by the big white van parked in the drive. But I can just about see the woman, directing the men as they lug furniture into the house. She’s smiling. Her husband walks over and slips an arm around her. They hug for a second. There’s a big grin on his face too. Well, I guess they would be happy, wouldn’t they? Moving into a lovely new home in a leafy neighbourhood, a stone’s throw from the river. Their little girl runs over and clutches the woman’s leg with one arm. The other arm is pulling along a rainbow-coloured mini suitcase. They stand for a moment, picture-postcard perfect, before the woman pulls away and starts waving her arms at their movers. Seeing that little family unit, I feel more alone than ever, my nose pressed against a glass door that won’t open. They thought they were going to have an idyllic life in their new house, watching their daughter grow up happy and contented. I take one last look, before forcing myself to turn away. Should have been me.

Do you know which book this is from? Scroll down to find out!

And the book is...

The Woman at No.3 by Rebecca Collomosse (book cover)

Book synopsis The Woman at No.3 by Rebecca Collomosse

The moment we moved in, I knew something was wrong.

We’ve finally found our dream home. It’s perfect for our little family: my hardworking husband Mike, my two-year-old daughter Poppy, and me. Three nice bedrooms. An Aga. A river view. And, best of all, a garden for Poppy to play in.

But something is off.

A cracked stove. Scribbles on the wall. The lights flicking off every evening — always at the same time. Our daughter crying in the night, pointing at the corner of her room. “She has no face.”

Then I met Josie, the woman at No.3.

Pale. Polite. Smiling. Obsessed. She knows things she shouldn’t. Offers to babysit my daughter again and again. And when I told her no — she didn’t like that.

Now the gifts are arriving. Notes through the door. A bottle left in the kitchen with no explanation. And my daughter won’t stop screaming in her sleep.

Everyone thinks I’m imagining it. But I know what I saw. What I heard.

We finally found our dream home. But what if our worst nightmare lives next door . . . ?

Where to find The Woman at No.3 by Rebecca Collomosse online:

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Have you read this book? On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do these opening lines make you want to read the book?

You might also like: Books That Take Place in Bookstores or Libraries

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Book Spotlight: He Loves Me (Not) by Máire Zepf

Today I'm part of a virtual book tour organised by The Write Reads for He Loves Me (Not) by Máire Zepf. The tour for ‘He Loves Me (Not)' will run from 28th October - 3rd November 2026.

Interested in featuring your book? You can book a Book Spotlight post to showcase your work to my readers.

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He Loves Me (Not) by Máire Zepf tour banner

Genre: Thriller

Age Category: Young Adult

Publisher: Little Island

Number of Pages: 224 Pages

Publication Date: October 8, 2026

New to virtual book tours? Check out my book Virtual Book Tours: Effective Online Book Promotion From The Comfort Of Your Own Home.

Book synopsis for He Loves Me (Not) by Máire Zepf

He Loves Me (Not) by Máire Zepf (book cover)

A chilling YA thriller told in verse about online romance, obsession and the dangers hiding behind a screen.

He made her feel seen. Then she vanished without a trace.

Daisy has always been quiet – the kind of girl who fades into the background. So when she meets a boy online who really sees her, she falls fast. He listens. He understands. He makes her feel special in a way no one at school ever has. Soon, Daisy’s world shrinks to a glowing screen. Her mum worries. Her best friend Erin is pushed aside. But Daisy doesn’t notice – she’s in love.

Then Daisy goes to meet him in real life. And she never comes back.

Left behind with guilt and unanswered questions, Erin is forced to confront the truth Daisy never saw. In a world where screens can lie and love can be faked, how can anyone know who to trust?

Where to find He Loves Me (Not) by Máire Zepf online:

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Add to your shelves: He Loves Me (Not) on Goodreads

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About the author

Máire Zepf has written over 16 books for children, from picture books to a YA verse novel. Winner of the Children's Books Ireland children’s Book of the Year, 5 Literature Association of Ireland Children’s Book Awards and 2 international White Ravens among many others, her books appear in 10 languages worldwide. Her Rita series of picture books with illustrator Mr. Ando has recently been adapted for television. She is screen-writer and co-creator of the celtic anime series ‘Lí Ban.’ The Co. Down author was the first Children’s Writing Fellow for Northern Ireland, based at the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry at Queen's University Belfast. Máire loves sea-swimming and crisps.

For more inspiration, take a look at 101 Blog Post Ideas For Book Bloggers to keep your content fresh and engaging.

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Are you looking for your next favourite read, blogging tips, or a new challenge? Click a button below to dive in!
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