I've started reading again this year after university really burnt me out and I didn't touch a book for 6+years.
I've established a routine I enjoy around it, experiment with different genres, and number wise I've been hitting it out of the park (71 since March).
But I've lost that feeling of real immersion. I think it's because I'm at that age now where I've "seen everything before". I enjoy what I read, but it feels a bit … detached? I don't love them like I used to love books. I never NEED to know how it ends. I don't lose myself in it. I don't feel with the characters.
The only exception was a brief stint with historical romance at the start of the year – maybe because it's inherently more character focused?
But it makes me wonder – is that normal? Do you lose that emotional investment as an adult/does it get rarer? Do you only feel this with certain authors or story types?
by bnny_ears