Let’s Talk Bookish: Immersive Reading – Yay or Nay?

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Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme that was originally created and hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books starting in August 2019, and was then cohosted with Dani @ Literary Lion from May 2020 to March 2022. Book Nook Bits has hosted since April 2022, with Dini at Dini Panda Reads as co-host from February 2025.

Initially looking at this topic, I wasn’t quite sure how much I’d have to say on it…but I’ve thought that before and it turns out sometimes I have more opinions than I realise! So, let’s dive in.

Let’s Talk Bookish 13th March:
Immersive Reading – Yay or Nay?
(Leslie @ Books are the New Black)

Prompts: Immersive reading is when you simultaneously listen to an audiobook while reading the physical or digital book. Do you do any immersive reading? Do you prefer it or is it not for you? Do you think it’s a good way to get everything from a book? Is there a genre that is better to do this with? What are your recommendations for immersive reading? 

I actually don’t do immersive reading – I have read audiobooks and wished I had an ebook or physical book in front of me, but really, it wouldn’t be practical! I tend to listen to audiobooks mostly when doing something else – working or chores or video games. If I’m reading text, I want to focus on the text in front of me, and I feel like it would remind me too much of listening to others read in class – I’d end up reading ahead, or dropping back a little to reread something.

I think for those who it works for, it likely is a good way to get everything from a book and make sure you don’t miss anything. I can totally understand the appeal! More than once, as I’ve been listening to an audiobook, I’ve found myself drifting out of it somewhat, and having to rewind to catch what’s happened. But for me, audiobooks and print offer two totally different things, and I think it would be jarring to listen and read at the same time, especially if the narrator maybe doesn’t quite match up to the voice I hear in my head!

Have you tried immersive reading? If so, how did you find it? Do you have any recommendations for books it works particularly well with?

5 thoughts on “Let’s Talk Bookish: Immersive Reading – Yay or Nay?”

  1. Pingback: Let’s Talk Bookish: Yea, Immersive Reading! – dinipandareads

  2. I’m more impressed that you can listen to an audiobook while playing video games cos I would completely lose my focus, haha! 😂 Fair points though, immersive reading won’t be for everyone. As someone who has a hard time focusing on just the audio with audiobooks, having the text helps me immensely, especially when starting a new book! I do find it frustrating when the narration doesn’t fit with how you’re reading the text though—there have been instances where I have to stop listening to the audiobook because of that, lol.

    Thanks for joining LTB today 🙂

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    1. It really depends on the game – if it’s story focused or lots of dialogue it’s trickier, but I quite like the Two Point series, Planet Coaster, and I’ve been playing Pokemon FireRed recently and those ones I can tend to listen and play. Not so much for something like Bioshock where things move fast and you really need to focus!

      I can definitely see that – I know I miss parts in audio sometimes, and there are books I’ve listened to I want to go back and read, but I don’t think I could do them at the same time! I quite like using audio for rereading though so I get a different experience.

      And no problem – thanks as always for all the work you put into LTB!

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