I think the Lux series broke my ability to read books.
I mean I want to read books. I just don't care about the characters. Like I can't focus on what's going on, because it bores me.
I don't understand what's wrong with me. And it's annoying the crap out of me so much. Because I miss reading and just going into someone else's world. I've read and re-read a few Kenyon books, but that's it aside from the Lux series.
I don't get it. This is annoying and I'm so bored. But I just don't care about actually reading anything. I'll open up a book in my kindle and just try to read it and it's like I see nothing at all. I can't focus on the words.
I miss reading. Also, this is messing with my ability to sleep. Cuz I'm used to reading till I just doze off...
I've never read the Lux series but I think I've seen them at the book store and I've experienced similar experiences after going on a YA novel/Fan fiction BINGE
What you are experiencing is common, I spoke to a local librarian about it, and she explained it to me as... Fan fiction and books like lux (not all YA novels, but many) are built to have treats on every page (not really but I mean the plot has many climaxes) to keep you interested
Think of it as watching an episode of grey's anatomy vs. a movie, one is MEANT to keep you hooked and focused for just 30 minutes (big dramatic scenes, plot devices, pretty imagery, sex etc..) because they want you to watch the other episodes (/other books in the series), it's meant to be consumed quickly and deliciously (they are BUILT to get TEENAGERS into reading. Teenagers consumed by hormones and flighty emotions with no attention spans lol)
and the other is more about the overall experience, like eating a full meal instead of ice cream for dinner.
Sometimes, you do need ice cream for dinner! Feels good, sweet, you need comfort, it's what your brain craves because it's a book that's easy to immerse yourself. I'm not trashing those books or fan fiction.
But if you really want to read more, what I suggest is taking some time and working at it, because you CAN immerse yourself, it's just that right now your brain needs a minute to realize the story is BUILDING and you can't expect to be entertained on every page. You need to treat the experience of reading as
different, you aren't going to get the same consistent yumminess and drama from every chapter from other books you got from lux in every book, but they offer pleasures and feelings that are different, not less or more just different and still wonderful and IME with more depth
I took a really fun lit class on popular novels, and we read Fifty shades and a bunch of those YA series books and let me tell you getting back into reading "normal" books was HARD. My brain couldn't focus, I got bored, characters felt slow and boring... I thought I was broken too.
I just kept at it, kept reading, make my environment more and more boring, read on the train, don't skip pages, high light, remember that every thing you are reading is part of the story and try to learn to appreciate the small details again and picture what you are being shown, find more pleasure in the words used and not just the image in you are building in your head, have a glass of wine, and try not to compare books because they are very very very different.
Audio books are also great for this.
It's not that these books were BAD, it's that they are written differently. They take more time building the world and the characters, and like going straight from a romantic comedy to The pianist...it's going to take time to build appreciation for what the story is doing.
Keep at it. You'll get there!
There's also of course a chance the books you are trying just don't suit you! The Lord of the Rings books are an amazing piece of literature, I know many who couldn't get through them lol
I find it best to go from smutty teen book -> adult book I know I love -> new book. Like a pallet cleanser.
Learning to appreciate books for what they are, and immersing yourself in various kinds of stories (even slow ones) is great. It gives you more options, more stories, more characters, more authors, and gives you a chance to learn to fall in love with a book that maybe didn't "catch" you right away.
But it takes time. Like drinking scotch :rofl1: takes some getting used to.
You may never pick up russian literature and love it, but I know what the YA rut feels like, and as someone who got out of it...I'm happy I now can enjoy LOTS of books, while still going back to some fun series stuff lol
