Jungle Beauty Goddesses Book Series Reviews
Author ~ Cassandra George Sturges
Jungle Beauty Goddesses Book Series Reviews
Author ~ Cassandra George Sturges
Reviewed By Grant Leishman for Readers’ Favorite
Jungle Beauty Goddesses – Book 3 – Dirty Ball is a continuation of the saga of the seven sisters, daughters of the creator of the Universe, who are tasked with creating and nurturing a blue planet in the far-flung reaches of the Universe – Earth. Author Cassandra George Sturges has created a cast of characters that seek to put a different slant on the creation of the Universe, the galaxies, the planets, and the sentient beings on them. In Dirty Ball we follow the machinations of the sister Afar who, after creating the first higher order being on earth – Mada, falls hopelessly in love with her creation, in direct contravention of the Sisters' oaths and their father’s rules. When Mada’s future mate comes into being, a woman called Sumeria, Afar’s jealousy knows no bounds. Humanity’s future is hanging by a thread and controlled by a Goddess whose sanity and good judgment must be severely questioned. What ensues is a complex tale that seeks, in some way, to explain both the human condition and the current state of our planet.
Despite not having read the first book in this series, I had read the second. Although excited by the premise and carried away by some of the author’s clever imagery, I was left with the feeling that still more could be achieved in this concept. In Jungle Beauty Goddesses – Book 3 – Dirty Ball, author Cassandra George Sturges does exactly that – moves the story to a new, exciting level. One of the true joys of being a professional reviewer is watching an author grow and mature over time and, in this tale, I was duly rewarded. I felt the mixture of myths, fantasies, and original thoughts achieved a new imagination high and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. The tale is not finished though and I look forward to more excitement in the future. What stood out for me the most in this book was the uncanny corollaries the author was able to draw between her fantastical story and the current human and planetary condition. I loved the spiritual side of the story and the deep thought that clearly went into some of the passages. The passionate sex scenes, although few, were beautifully handled and never crossed over that line of decency into crudity. All in all, this was an excellent read and one I can highly recommend. I now await book four with bated breath.
Reviewed By Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite
Dirty Ball by Cassandra George Sturges is the third book in the fantasy fiction mythological series Jungle Beauty Goddesses, preceded by book one, Pretty Blue Ball, and book two, Aquatic Ball. In this installment, the Jungle Beauty Goddess Afar is the star as her journey goes from youth through her evolution as an independent and dynamic deity—Goddess of Earth—and how she wields such an extraordinary responsibility and uninhibited power. As she sculpts and molds and creates, she finds that the one thing she cannot control is the free will of her creations...not their emotions, not their hearts. She also steps back and lets her children (the people of Earth) rule themselves, watching as they rise and fall by color and continent alongside her reluctant partner, Mada.
Dirty Ball is an interesting alternate story on the creation of Earth and all of us who inhabit it. Cassandra George Sturges weaves together the fabric of a history born of fantasy and a mythological tale that is unlike any other. While this is the third book in a series, it does actually read very well as a standalone, and Sturges is able to deliver enough sizzle to give the narrative an erotic overtone. Mada is written as an emotionally complex character and there were moments where I could sincerely feel his anger and pain, while still understanding Afar's as well (even if her actions made me gasp).
Reviewed By Asher Syed for Readers’ Favorite
Jungle Beauty Goddesses: Dirty Ball by Cassandra George Sturges invites readers to a new fictional vision of how the earth was populated and by whom. Afar is the Jungle Beauty Goddess who has authority over planet Earth. She is fairer than her sisters, the other Jungle Beauty Goddesses, and embodies the figure a reader would closely align with Eve (her Adam being Mada) as well as Mother Earth, or God Almighty, in feminine form. In love with Mada and he with her, she resists procreating with him and redirects him to another woman, Sumeria, with whom he falls in love. From the two, the African continent is populated and Afar exacts her revenge...using Mada against his will to create the “pink babies”, who are bent on destroying all Afar has been entrusted with...including herself.
It is always a privilege and an honor to witness the evolution of a series, particularly when that includes seeing the writing within the books strengthen with the story. Dirty Ball is one of these instances and I believe Cassandra George Sturges is an author worth following. Afar and Mada's arc is excellent and the way Sturges takes creation stories from different religions and positions Afar as the creator is really a cool perspective. Additionally, it is not easy to get a reader to like a character like Afar but Sturges is able to manage this and, when a shocking twist occurs, the entire story is elevated to another level. The book does end with a cliffhanger so readers should be prepared for one, but the loose ends as far as Afar and Mada's story are tightened nicely and set book four up with a solid direction for the Jungle Beauty Goddesses to take.