A Final Farewell (+ book recs!)

    Summer 2020 was when I started posting with a dream that felt as wide as the horizon: to create a Common Sense Media-esque haven for bookworms like me. I knew there were others out there who didn't want to get sucked into reading a brilliant premise with a weak story. It started with me recommending books that took up my headspace, and then catapulted into a much bigger endeavor, hosting interviews with authors creating meaningful stories and participating in blog challenges that helped me to discover more of myself as a writer and a person. 

    But life, like story arcs, changes. In late 2021 I found myself unable to blog due to real-life activities. Then I struggled with a lack of motivation. I found myself forcing words to appear on the screen, worried about letting the small audience I had down. This past few year has been filled with more of the same, up to the point where I ended up going on multiple hiatuses, unsure about the amount of time I spent not blogging.

    While I still fully believe in the mission I had when starting this journey, writing on this blog has recently felt more like a chore than a joy. At this point I believe I've been so inactive that I've lost most of the audience I wanted to reach, and with new happenings in my personal and writing life I don't believe I have the time and energy to post enough to gain it back. So, I've decided to stop posting on Stepping Stones Book Reviews for good.

   I'm not blaming anyone but myself for the lack of activity on here. This also does not mean I don't consider myself a reader or a writer anymore. Simply, my priorities as a person have shifted. Like any of my finished or abandoned stories, I will always treasure the time I spent brainstorming and working on them. 

    My blog will remain up for future readers who want to enjoy what I've already posted.

    I'd like to say one last, heartfelt thank-you to anyone who interacted with this blog. Whether you scrolled through a post, allowed me to interview you (some multiple times!), or left me a comment, I deeply treasure you and wish you all the best going forward. Thank you for making my blogging years a lovely, wonderful memory.

    ~ JadeSky

(P.S. Below are a list of books that I planned to recommend in the future. Keep in mind that I have not reviewed these books for content, so please use your own judgement. I hope you enjoy!)

Update + Book Beginnings on Fridays/Friday 56: Nisei Daughter, and Book Blogger Hop

    Hello! It's been a while, hasn't it? Due to school, work, and other distractions I haven't had the time to get back on here and start regularly posting again. I'm so sorry about the wait!

    Looking at my schedule as of late, I don't think I'll be returning to weekly posts again soon. My own motivation to blog has considerably waned since 2021 ended. However, I do still believe in this blog's purpose and I do want to keep posting. That's why I've decided to aim for biweekly Friday updates: and if that doesn't work, trying to post triweekly. Stepping Stones Book Reviews may be less active, but in no way do I consider it a lost project. 

    I'm very excited to be coming back with another one of my book memes to restart my blogging schedule. This week, I'm pleased to spotlight Nisei Daughter! This is an autobiography that I consider an underrated classic. I read it for school, and was fascinated with the author's conversational style and personal experiences. 100/10 recommend!