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Women of the Dust #1
The Matriarch
Her citizens are oppressed. His society is diminishing. In a frantic bid for survival, can their fiery union save their peoples?
On a scorched and barren future Earth, Yolanda is her people’s only hope. As Matriarch of an all-female nation, the battle-hardened commander fights an impossible war while desperately seeking a way to stop her subjects from dying of thirst. But when the enemy king is beheaded by his own warrior son, she’s offered a truce that will bring the water they urgently need… in return for leaving her populace defenseless.
With his father dead by his hand, the Hammer is determined to rebuild the shattered community the warmongering king’s brutality almost destroyed. In a bold move to strengthen his dwindling numbers, he offers armistice to a dangerous queen and her bloodthirsty horde of fighting women. All he asks in exchange is for her to accompany him to petition the Council to drop their poisonous sanctions…
As they uncover the truth behind the horrific war, Yolanda is surprised when her begrudging respect for her capable companion blossoms into unexpected desire. And though the Hammer learns there’s more to the impassioned fighter than her brutal reputation suggests, he fears giving himself to her could make him a traitor to his own kind.
When their united strength pits them against oppressive factions, will their growing bond become an unbreakable force?
The Matriarch is the thrilling first novel in the Women of the Dust dystopian romance series. If you like enemies-to-lovers, dynamic couples, and empowered feminism, then you’ll adore Annabelle McInnes’s gritty tale.
On a scorched and barren future Earth, Yolanda is her people’s only hope. As Matriarch of an all-female nation, the battle-hardened commander fights an impossible war while desperately seeking a way to stop her subjects from dying of thirst. But when the enemy king is beheaded by his own warrior son, she’s offered a truce that will bring the water they urgently need… in return for leaving her populace defenseless.
With his father dead by his hand, the Hammer is determined to rebuild the shattered community the warmongering king’s brutality almost destroyed. In a bold move to strengthen his dwindling numbers, he offers armistice to a dangerous queen and her bloodthirsty horde of fighting women. All he asks in exchange is for her to accompany him to petition the Council to drop their poisonous sanctions…
As they uncover the truth behind the horrific war, Yolanda is surprised when her begrudging respect for her capable companion blossoms into unexpected desire. And though the Hammer learns there’s more to the impassioned fighter than her brutal reputation suggests, he fears giving himself to her could make him a traitor to his own kind.
When their united strength pits them against oppressive factions, will their growing bond become an unbreakable force?
The Matriarch is the thrilling first novel in the Women of the Dust dystopian romance series. If you like enemies-to-lovers, dynamic couples, and empowered feminism, then you’ll adore Annabelle McInnes’s gritty tale.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2020
6 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Annabelle McInnes
6 books41 followersFrom the age of sixteen, Annabelle lived in a homeless youth refuge while she remained committed to her education. She spent two years within a section of society that most overlook.
Her experiences are the foundations that drive her stories and her characters. They fight for their freedoms, have courage in the face of adversity and always aspire for greatness.
Annabelle is the author of True Refuge, an International Best Seller and a finalist for the Australian Romantic Book of the Year (RuBY) in 2018. She is privileged to live in a small rural town in country New South Wales and writes to a distinctive Australian backdrop with its captivating change of seasons.
Outside of her love for reading, she spends her time with her husband, son and her fifteen year old poodle named Serendipity. She drinks her Whisky neat and can often be found at the local market hunting for blue cheese and artisan bread.
Her experiences are the foundations that drive her stories and her characters. They fight for their freedoms, have courage in the face of adversity and always aspire for greatness.
Annabelle is the author of True Refuge, an International Best Seller and a finalist for the Australian Romantic Book of the Year (RuBY) in 2018. She is privileged to live in a small rural town in country New South Wales and writes to a distinctive Australian backdrop with its captivating change of seasons.
Outside of her love for reading, she spends her time with her husband, son and her fifteen year old poodle named Serendipity. She drinks her Whisky neat and can often be found at the local market hunting for blue cheese and artisan bread.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 19, 2020
2.5 Stars
Another great premise, but the execution was not there. Such a miss for me. I loved the idea of an all-female nation where they were fighting men to survive. What we got, though, was a whole lot of talk and thinking and barely any plot. And when we did get plot, it took forever to be executed and did not have enough world building. None of the characters really felt developed and I am still very confused about the world. There were some big things that happened and then they were resolved by them just traveling to places and saying what was going to happen. I was just not impressed and more bored than anything with this book.
Another great premise, but the execution was not there. Such a miss for me. I loved the idea of an all-female nation where they were fighting men to survive. What we got, though, was a whole lot of talk and thinking and barely any plot. And when we did get plot, it took forever to be executed and did not have enough world building. None of the characters really felt developed and I am still very confused about the world. There were some big things that happened and then they were resolved by them just traveling to places and saying what was going to happen. I was just not impressed and more bored than anything with this book.
August 8, 2021
So I'm a bit conflicted with THE MATRIARCH, I personally had a lot of issues with the writing style and pacing but I do believe this book would work very well for other readers. In terms of what I liked, the world building was excellent and Annabelle McInnes really created the experience where I could practically feel the dust and sand of this post-apocalyptic world. I also liked the idea of a women lead warrior nation, the Horde, and how they've strived to create a safe place for women to grow and lead. I also respect that McInnes didn't make things so simple as all women = good and all men = bad. Instead it's much more complicated and there are good and bad for both women and men. Yolanda (a badass warrior) and Sasha (a big ol' cinnamon roll) were also really likable characters and I appreciated how sweet they were together. Yolanda's trust developed a little quickly considering the animosity between the two Nations but insta-love doesn't really bother me.
While I really liked that THE MATRIARCH wanted to show the strength of women, I thought it was an interesting choice to still make the hero the ultimate savior rather than the heroine. Almost everything successful that occurs after the death of the Hammer was made possible by the hero: he's the one that ends the war, helps Yolanda get access to the Council, and provides political protection to save her people.
My biggest struggle was the writing style and pacing. The writing has a lyrical quality that is just not my preference and I felt myself wishing things would move faster and be clearer. THE MATRIARCH's pacing was also stretched out because of this and a simple action or conversation would span pages and pages because we were so deep into Yolanda's every thought and emotion. There was also way too much repetition in language and descriptors that started to wear on me quickly. For instance, the hero is described as large, a mountain, a beast, a giant, etc. His size is brought up almost every single time he's mentioned. References and descriptors for things like dry landscapes, cracked lips, scarred chests, and writhing snakes in the belly were constantly used.
Overall, I saw the potential in the story but the things that bothered me made it hard to truly enjoy what was being created. For those interested in reading this, I would recommend reading a preview, if possible, to see if the writing style works for you.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Content Warning: References to abuse, neglect, starvation, torture, and rape; graphic violence
While I really liked that THE MATRIARCH wanted to show the strength of women, I thought it was an interesting choice to still make the hero the ultimate savior rather than the heroine. Almost everything successful that occurs after the death of the Hammer was made possible by the hero: he's the one that ends the war, helps Yolanda get access to the Council, and provides political protection to save her people.
My biggest struggle was the writing style and pacing. The writing has a lyrical quality that is just not my preference and I felt myself wishing things would move faster and be clearer. THE MATRIARCH's pacing was also stretched out because of this and a simple action or conversation would span pages and pages because we were so deep into Yolanda's every thought and emotion. There was also way too much repetition in language and descriptors that started to wear on me quickly. For instance, the hero is described as large, a mountain, a beast, a giant, etc. His size is brought up almost every single time he's mentioned. References and descriptors for things like dry landscapes, cracked lips, scarred chests, and writhing snakes in the belly were constantly used.
Overall, I saw the potential in the story but the things that bothered me made it hard to truly enjoy what was being created. For those interested in reading this, I would recommend reading a preview, if possible, to see if the writing style works for you.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Content Warning: References to abuse, neglect, starvation, torture, and rape; graphic violence
September 24, 2020
A dystopian view of a world divided into tribes or perhaps small nations. The main character Yolanda is the Matriarch of the Horde who are strong female warriors. She gets the opportunity to meet the King of her neighbouring nation who she's fighting a vicious war with but to her surprise his son the Hammer beheads him and offers her not just his father's head but a chance to save her people from thirst and ultimately death.
I liked the ideas behind this although will admit there's very little world building so it wasn't a perfect read for me. I would have liked more information about why they no longer seem to have much technology and also just why they are actually at war ! The second half had a couple of surprises which I really enjoyed and there is romance although it all seemed a bit quick to make declarations of love but I guess in times of conflict and war everything does feel more immediate. What I absolutely hated was the constant reference to Yolanda having snakes squirming in her tummy and yes I understand it was a way to describe her tumultuous feelings and trepidation but surely other descriptions could have been used ? It might not irritate others but sadly I found it repetitive and completely uninspired which was a shame because I did enjoy the overall story and particularly the twists.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
I liked the ideas behind this although will admit there's very little world building so it wasn't a perfect read for me. I would have liked more information about why they no longer seem to have much technology and also just why they are actually at war ! The second half had a couple of surprises which I really enjoyed and there is romance although it all seemed a bit quick to make declarations of love but I guess in times of conflict and war everything does feel more immediate. What I absolutely hated was the constant reference to Yolanda having snakes squirming in her tummy and yes I understand it was a way to describe her tumultuous feelings and trepidation but surely other descriptions could have been used ? It might not irritate others but sadly I found it repetitive and completely uninspired which was a shame because I did enjoy the overall story and particularly the twists.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
October 29, 2020
4.5 Stars Ms. McInnes loses half a star for all the little things that bothered me, but mostly for the snakes in Yolanda's gut. They got to me after about the third reference. And how many ways can you describe a man as big? We get the idea. That said, let's get on to the good stuff. This was a dystopian situation, post-apocalyptic, so we're looking at sci-fi. Anything can happen. Physically the land is dried up sand and rock and sun-baked. It lacks water, supposedly. It's people have congregated into small nations controlled by a council. Yolanda is the seventh generation Matriarch of the Horde. The Horde is a mostly female nation that has been banished by the Council and has no water access. The sixth generation Matriarch, Marta was warlike and aggressive. She made the Horde strong and the Council feared the Horde. Yolanda is more a humanitarian and wants to end the war and get rid of the sanctions against the Horde, get back their access to water, save her people. She's a strong and deadly warrior and a good leader, but she knows her people need peace and a chance to thrive or they will die.
As she goes to meet her neighbor in battle, the Axe, she discovers that all is not well in his nation either. Before the two leaders can exchange blows, his son, the Hammer, decapitated him and surrendered to her. The Hammer, Sasha, convinces the Matriarch she needs to meet with the Council to learn the truth of the situation. This starts them on a journey to the Council and a truth that will break Yolanda's heart. However, Yolanda and Sasha learn about each other as a man and woman and they quickly fall into a very close relationship that later evolves further into love.
Throughout this whole ordeal we are witness to Yolanda trying to find herself and her path in her mother's teachings. Her mother was feared and respected as Matriarch. Yolanda is respected and loved. Will her path keep her people alive? Her whole focus is on taking care of her people. She makes sacrifices for them throughout the book, small and great. She knows Sasha is right for her when he is so moved over the plight of his own people.
I am looking forward to seeing what Ms. McInnes does in the next book of this series. Recommended.
Triggers: Child abuse, Rape, Murder
As she goes to meet her neighbor in battle, the Axe, she discovers that all is not well in his nation either. Before the two leaders can exchange blows, his son, the Hammer, decapitated him and surrendered to her. The Hammer, Sasha, convinces the Matriarch she needs to meet with the Council to learn the truth of the situation. This starts them on a journey to the Council and a truth that will break Yolanda's heart. However, Yolanda and Sasha learn about each other as a man and woman and they quickly fall into a very close relationship that later evolves further into love.
Throughout this whole ordeal we are witness to Yolanda trying to find herself and her path in her mother's teachings. Her mother was feared and respected as Matriarch. Yolanda is respected and loved. Will her path keep her people alive? Her whole focus is on taking care of her people. She makes sacrifices for them throughout the book, small and great. She knows Sasha is right for her when he is so moved over the plight of his own people.
I am looking forward to seeing what Ms. McInnes does in the next book of this series. Recommended.
Triggers: Child abuse, Rape, Murder
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2020
Yolanda is the Matriarch of the Horde. She fights for her people against men who wish to subjucate and breed women in a world ruined by the abuses of man.
Sasha, the Hammer is the son of the Delasovian King. When Yolanda and his father meet for their final battle, he kills his father and surrenders to the Matriarch.
This dystopian world is filled with tragedies and the horror war and abusive leaders can bring but it's also filled with the hope and desires of a people who wish to restore their world and love.
McInnes weaves a rich, intense tale of a leader striving to be better than her predecessor, strong for her people and not lose herself to her fury over injustice. As Yolanda and Sasha join forces seeking an end to the sanctions and war amongst the Council of Six, they draw closer together.
I was pulled in from the first pages and could not put this book down. This book has all the feels and deep emotional connection I crave in a good story, with rich, details, and artistry, painting a picture so vivid I felt the dust, the sand, their thirst and their hunger. This is the kind of book that sticks with you, makes you want to read it again and share with your friends. I'm so grateful I received a copy of this book through Net Galley or I may not have ever discovered this amazing author and her incredible world.
There are some minor details that tried to distract me from the story but it was just too good to care. I can't wait for the second book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book and I'm voluntarily leaving a review. If you like my reviews I hope you will follow my blog. https://wyldheartreads.wordpress.com/
Sasha, the Hammer is the son of the Delasovian King. When Yolanda and his father meet for their final battle, he kills his father and surrenders to the Matriarch.
This dystopian world is filled with tragedies and the horror war and abusive leaders can bring but it's also filled with the hope and desires of a people who wish to restore their world and love.
McInnes weaves a rich, intense tale of a leader striving to be better than her predecessor, strong for her people and not lose herself to her fury over injustice. As Yolanda and Sasha join forces seeking an end to the sanctions and war amongst the Council of Six, they draw closer together.
I was pulled in from the first pages and could not put this book down. This book has all the feels and deep emotional connection I crave in a good story, with rich, details, and artistry, painting a picture so vivid I felt the dust, the sand, their thirst and their hunger. This is the kind of book that sticks with you, makes you want to read it again and share with your friends. I'm so grateful I received a copy of this book through Net Galley or I may not have ever discovered this amazing author and her incredible world.
There are some minor details that tried to distract me from the story but it was just too good to care. I can't wait for the second book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book and I'm voluntarily leaving a review. If you like my reviews I hope you will follow my blog. https://wyldheartreads.wordpress.com/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2020
Yolanda, Matriarch of the Horde, is frantically trying to save her people. They are oppressed and slowly dying from dehydration and starvation. When the enemy king is beheaded by his son, he offers her a truce that will bring water to her people. But first they have to uncover the truth of the war.
Wow! This book was so captivating and perfect that I couldn’t put it down. I loved this complex post-apocalypse world. It totally had Mad Max vibes but was better because of the dangerous women of the Horde.
Yolanda was a woman burdened with the survival of her race and the harsh teachings of her mother. Her mother was a warmonger but she is completely different. Yes, she is deadly but she dreams of a world that isn’t filled with death and suffering. I really loved Yolanda. She was a dangerous woman who struggled with being both a leader and a woman. Sasha, the Hammer, teaches her that she is both and needs to make time for all facets of herself.
“Love was limitless. It was vast and faceted. It could sustain a single tiny baby as well as save humanity.”
Sasha, also known as the Hammer, was a warrior who had been forged in the pain caused by his father. Instead of letting the trauma he suffered and watched turn him into his father he instead turned to compassion and justice. He is determined to save his people from his father's tyranny and greed. Sasha was the perfect hero. He was deadly, smart, and compassionate. All perfect traits for a king. But the thing I loved most about him was that he doesn’t try to push Yolanda out of her role as the Matriarch. He just continues to support her and works with her to better the futures for both of their people.
“You are a woman I cannot live without. A woman who breathes fire yet still cried salt tears. A woman who took my heart the moment she jumped over the bank of the Red River. You are my joy, my soul. My queen.”
This book was just the perfect blend of action, betrayal, and romance. I loved everything about this book and have already preordered the ebook, which is currently only $0.99. I can’t wait for the next book to see how the war plays out. Also I need more Yolanda and Sasha. They were just perfect.
Trigger Warning: war, graphic death and torture, starvation, child abuse and death
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Wow! This book was so captivating and perfect that I couldn’t put it down. I loved this complex post-apocalypse world. It totally had Mad Max vibes but was better because of the dangerous women of the Horde.
Yolanda was a woman burdened with the survival of her race and the harsh teachings of her mother. Her mother was a warmonger but she is completely different. Yes, she is deadly but she dreams of a world that isn’t filled with death and suffering. I really loved Yolanda. She was a dangerous woman who struggled with being both a leader and a woman. Sasha, the Hammer, teaches her that she is both and needs to make time for all facets of herself.
“Love was limitless. It was vast and faceted. It could sustain a single tiny baby as well as save humanity.”
Sasha, also known as the Hammer, was a warrior who had been forged in the pain caused by his father. Instead of letting the trauma he suffered and watched turn him into his father he instead turned to compassion and justice. He is determined to save his people from his father's tyranny and greed. Sasha was the perfect hero. He was deadly, smart, and compassionate. All perfect traits for a king. But the thing I loved most about him was that he doesn’t try to push Yolanda out of her role as the Matriarch. He just continues to support her and works with her to better the futures for both of their people.
“You are a woman I cannot live without. A woman who breathes fire yet still cried salt tears. A woman who took my heart the moment she jumped over the bank of the Red River. You are my joy, my soul. My queen.”
This book was just the perfect blend of action, betrayal, and romance. I loved everything about this book and have already preordered the ebook, which is currently only $0.99. I can’t wait for the next book to see how the war plays out. Also I need more Yolanda and Sasha. They were just perfect.
Trigger Warning: war, graphic death and torture, starvation, child abuse and death
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
October 13, 2020
Are you looking for a romance book that isn't so heavy on the romance? Something about a world so far in the future that where The Matriarch and her Hoard lives, all there is, is dust? What about a book that shows no matter what happens you still have to be strong? Than this is something you might want to check out. Though I do think as an adult, I'm too immature to read real romance books, this wasn't so hot and heavy, and more focused on the actual story, and that's what I really enjoyed about it. Once I started it, I didn't want to put it down.
Check out my full review here!
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Check out my full review here!
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November 1, 2020
Wow! That was... Intense. This was my first book by Annabelle McInnes and, just, wow! Intense.
The Matriarch is set in a dystopian world where...countries, factions, kingdoms, nations (Yeah, I guess Nations is right) fight for resources and for power amongst the other nations. Yolanda, the 7th generation's Matriarch of the Horde is in the last stages of the latest war. She is marching her horde of all-female warriors to defeat the King of Delasovia. The world is fraught with famine and war. There is little in the way of water or rations. The sun and dust pervade everything. The all-woman nation of the Horde is fighting for resources and against the abominable machinations of the King of Delasovia. Just as Yolanda has him in her sights, a mountain of a man claims her prize for himself and beheads the king himself. The Hammer, the former king's son and now the new king of Delasovia, then does the unthinkable. He surrenders.
There is so much going on here. The author's ability to capture the desolation, the arid conditions, the heat, the dust. It really does suck you into their world. I felt the depth of despair. I really enjoyed the theme of the story. Yolanda for being a strong warrior woman embraced the "female" attribute of feeling and mourning the atrocities of actions of war. She maybe dove straight into the deep end with all her emotions but hell, if I'd been in war for so long and had all that on my shoulders, I might just go straight for all the feels right out the box too.
The women of the horde were warriors of the highest order. They were tough and brutal and made no qualms about it. It really was quite refreshing to see such female badasses.
Sasha or the Hammer or the new king of Delasovia was quite a man. He was a giant mountain of manly support. I LOVE when authors pen a strong man that isn't afraid of a woman's strength. I loved his back story about where his mother came from and how he came about his mindset versus the environment he ultimately "grew up" in. I absolutely could not think of any other character than Jason Mamoa when he was in Game of Thrones.
cuz, uh, yum! but also he is just a big strong man that seems perfectly non threatened by a equally strong woman.
I will say that sometimes the writing, well, it got to be a lot. Not wordy but, well... This is the first paragraph...
"When the sun shattered the clean line of the horizon in a cascade of flame, sparks and tangible heat, Yolanda, seventh-generation Matriarch of the Horde, was meant to call for her army's advance."
It's so... descriptive. And I love it. It's great but stylistically, the writing was extremely picturesque and poetic but overall it ended up being a little too wordy? and sometimes reaching towards verbose? I know, I know. I'm a picky reader. I can't help it.
Also, you probably could have gotten extremely sauced if you played a drinking game with a shot for every time Yolanda said or thought "I am the Matriarch" OR mentioned snakes in her belly (which, just, eww... no!). I wouldn't recommend a drinking game for both because you would die from alcohol poisoning.
Overall, The Matriarch has the making of a very interesting and intriguing new series. I am absolutely looking forward to more from the Women of the Dust series.
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
The Matriarch is set in a dystopian world where...
There is so much going on here. The author's ability to capture the desolation, the arid conditions, the heat, the dust. It really does suck you into their world. I felt the depth of despair. I really enjoyed the theme of the story. Yolanda for being a strong warrior woman embraced the "female" attribute of feeling and mourning the atrocities of actions of war. She maybe dove straight into the deep end with all her emotions but hell, if I'd been in war for so long and had all that on my shoulders, I might just go straight for all the feels right out the box too.
The women of the horde were warriors of the highest order. They were tough and brutal and made no qualms about it. It really was quite refreshing to see such female badasses.
Sasha or the Hammer or the new king of Delasovia was quite a man. He was a giant mountain of manly support. I LOVE when authors pen a strong man that isn't afraid of a woman's strength. I loved his back story about where his mother came from and how he came about his mindset versus the environment he ultimately "grew up" in. I absolutely could not think of any other character than Jason Mamoa when he was in Game of Thrones.
cuz, uh, yum! but also he is just a big strong man that seems perfectly non threatened by a equally strong woman.
I will say that sometimes the writing, well, it got to be a lot. Not wordy but, well... This is the first paragraph...
"When the sun shattered the clean line of the horizon in a cascade of flame, sparks and tangible heat, Yolanda, seventh-generation Matriarch of the Horde, was meant to call for her army's advance."
It's so... descriptive. And I love it. It's great but stylistically, the writing was extremely picturesque and poetic but overall it ended up being a little too wordy? and sometimes reaching towards verbose? I know, I know. I'm a picky reader. I can't help it.
Also, you probably could have gotten extremely sauced if you played a drinking game with a shot for every time Yolanda said or thought "I am the Matriarch" OR mentioned snakes in her belly (which, just, eww... no!). I wouldn't recommend a drinking game for both because you would die from alcohol poisoning.
Overall, The Matriarch has the making of a very interesting and intriguing new series. I am absolutely looking forward to more from the Women of the Dust series.
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
October 30, 2020
A full of potential story that needs some improvements
Key words: Romance, science fiction, dystopia, war, destruction
I have very mixed feelings about this book. It is called “The matriarch” and hence, I was expecting a powerful book with a strong female character. I’ll admit I did not read the summary to know what the story was really about and I definitely should have. I was not expecting this romance at all and was kind of disappointed because of it. But first of all, I have to say I really liked the world in this book as it is very relevant with today’s climate and global warming issues. It shows a world of dust where trees don’t grow anymore and where water is scarce. It could be our future, who knows.
Now back to the romance. I thought it started way too early in the book, with many chapters about Yolanda realising she desires Sasha, the hammer, but fighting this urge. There were just too much repetitions. I know it is very difficult to edit a book but here, many parts could have been cut off and we would still have the same story, just less redundant. I think it would be considered a slow-build romance but there was too much romance for me. It feels like the whole book is about it and the adventures and challenges the characters go face seem just secondary and superficial. Moreover, maybe because of the characters always repeated themselves, I didn’t get attached to them, I’m not even sure I like them very much. I quite liked the women of the Horde though, all trying their best and being there for one another. A society like the Horde would be very interesting to see. They are strong and independent.
However, I was surprised by the story sill being “male-driven.” Sasha is the one ending the war and protecting the matriarch etc. It felt like Yolanda was just standing by. So yeah, that’s why I only gave two and a half stars. The story has potential and I would love to know what happens next but I think it should be re-written a bit. I don’t really recommend it for the moment.
2.5/5
Thanks to Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion.
Key words: Romance, science fiction, dystopia, war, destruction
I have very mixed feelings about this book. It is called “The matriarch” and hence, I was expecting a powerful book with a strong female character. I’ll admit I did not read the summary to know what the story was really about and I definitely should have. I was not expecting this romance at all and was kind of disappointed because of it. But first of all, I have to say I really liked the world in this book as it is very relevant with today’s climate and global warming issues. It shows a world of dust where trees don’t grow anymore and where water is scarce. It could be our future, who knows.
Now back to the romance. I thought it started way too early in the book, with many chapters about Yolanda realising she desires Sasha, the hammer, but fighting this urge. There were just too much repetitions. I know it is very difficult to edit a book but here, many parts could have been cut off and we would still have the same story, just less redundant. I think it would be considered a slow-build romance but there was too much romance for me. It feels like the whole book is about it and the adventures and challenges the characters go face seem just secondary and superficial. Moreover, maybe because of the characters always repeated themselves, I didn’t get attached to them, I’m not even sure I like them very much. I quite liked the women of the Horde though, all trying their best and being there for one another. A society like the Horde would be very interesting to see. They are strong and independent.
However, I was surprised by the story sill being “male-driven.” Sasha is the one ending the war and protecting the matriarch etc. It felt like Yolanda was just standing by. So yeah, that’s why I only gave two and a half stars. The story has potential and I would love to know what happens next but I think it should be re-written a bit. I don’t really recommend it for the moment.
2.5/5
Thanks to Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion.
October 12, 2020
This is a world I've thought about many times...a world run by women. And what better way than a story set in a dystopian world too. I really felt for the main character, Yolanda. When you've lived your life one way, and would do anything to save the people you love, you'd give your soul for them, even if it meant making unpopular and harsh calls. But then to come across The Hammer. *shivers*
All of the emotions he brings to life inside her. And, of course, the internal struggle of wanting to trust him with her heart, but everything inside of her screaming to listen to her head. All based upon narratives that she's been taught by her hard and unwieldy mother, the sixth matriarch, about other tribes, and in particular, men.
I loved the author's description of the characters and the world. Particularly on the importance of commodities, such as water, that describe where we're heading in our own world. Even though its set in a dystopian world, it's not too hard to believe that this world would exist in our future. Fighting over land, over power and dominance, and mingled across it all - love. *squeee*
I cannot wait to read what happens next for Yolanda and Sasha.
All of the emotions he brings to life inside her. And, of course, the internal struggle of wanting to trust him with her heart, but everything inside of her screaming to listen to her head. All based upon narratives that she's been taught by her hard and unwieldy mother, the sixth matriarch, about other tribes, and in particular, men.
I loved the author's description of the characters and the world. Particularly on the importance of commodities, such as water, that describe where we're heading in our own world. Even though its set in a dystopian world, it's not too hard to believe that this world would exist in our future. Fighting over land, over power and dominance, and mingled across it all - love. *squeee*
I cannot wait to read what happens next for Yolanda and Sasha.
September 29, 2020
I received this ARC from AKM Publishing Pty Ltd via Netgalley with thanks in return for an unbiased review.
"If we lose this war, we lose our independence, our sovereignty and the prospect of a safe future for every woman left on the planet."
Okay! Hello dear ones, this book is set to be published on October 12th 2020!
When I saw a book like this being written by an Australian author, I was SO excited as an Aussie reader because I have hardly encountered anyone writing a cool woman-ist centered, dystopian novel with romance at its forefront by a fellow Aussie.
Let's get into my iteration of the plot before I launch fully into this review:
This Land is forsaken.
After a nuclear war eradicated the ozone and squandered the earth's resources,
Hope is forsaken.
People are forsaken.
She is forsaken.
The Horde must prevail.
Yolanda is the 7th Matriarch of the Horde,
A title that bears more weight and grief than the crown of bones placed on her head.
Her people must survive, yet with the nations of men, threatened by their power, hope to destroy her nation of warrior women...
Who will prevail?
She must. Her horde will. Her soul will.
Though she may prevail at war, no one can safeguard her heart against The Hammer who will shake her very core.
Let's get down to my rating, 3 stars from Moi!
This book was very eloquently written. The phrases were so lyrical that I kept highlight...pretty much most sentences. Mrs. McInnes has a gift and a great mind for imagination.
Disclaimer: This book is not suitable for a teenager to a young adult audience.
New Adult to adult is perfectly fine, it has some graphic scenes and depictions.
Let's talk romance here.
"If being insufferable means I get to hold you, then call me the King of insufferance."
I have no idea if insufferance is a word, but boy did it sound romantic haha.
The romance within this novel was beautiful.
However, this book did lose some points from me because... well, while I knew I signed myself up for romance, it got to the point where I wished the characters would get a room and just get it over and done with so the plot could go on. the tension between the two was way too thick and it got to the point where I was like...people are dying! Move on! humans, no! Stop it!
The world-building was awesome!!! This story narrates a post-nuclear war land, where the nation of women have been exiled and forced to eat insects to survive, they have no water and they have wars to fight. I loved every moment of it, I wish we had more depictions of the landscape itself, were there any animals that changed? I wanted more depictions of the legal or judicial system. And why are there are certain people who have all the control? I didn't quite understand why and how they got to be in power...what's going on with the other kings, what about the other nations? etc... So missed doors of opportunity.
I just wanted more of that, not so many descriptions of the snakes coiling or her womb expanding (is that a thing?) within her belly at every other moment.
I also thought this author had a tasteful approach to feminism, it clearly illustrates that women aren't just the ones who can change the world, it was also men who were brought up in a world without toxicity, violence, and hopelessness. I stand for that!
Overall, it is definitely worth a read. I like the character growth and how Yolanda challenged her mother's words. However, I wish that there was a bit more than the extreme tension between the two characters for most of this story. That being said, the romance was really nice. The world-building was great but like I said I wish there was MORE to it than what was depicted. I'd definitely like to see where the follow-up novels to this book will go.
Stay awesome my lovelies!
Emmeline the Book Herald
follow me for more in-depth reviews!
"If we lose this war, we lose our independence, our sovereignty and the prospect of a safe future for every woman left on the planet."
Okay! Hello dear ones, this book is set to be published on October 12th 2020!
When I saw a book like this being written by an Australian author, I was SO excited as an Aussie reader because I have hardly encountered anyone writing a cool woman-ist centered, dystopian novel with romance at its forefront by a fellow Aussie.
Let's get into my iteration of the plot before I launch fully into this review:
This Land is forsaken.
After a nuclear war eradicated the ozone and squandered the earth's resources,
Hope is forsaken.
People are forsaken.
She is forsaken.
The Horde must prevail.
Yolanda is the 7th Matriarch of the Horde,
A title that bears more weight and grief than the crown of bones placed on her head.
Her people must survive, yet with the nations of men, threatened by their power, hope to destroy her nation of warrior women...
Who will prevail?
She must. Her horde will. Her soul will.
Though she may prevail at war, no one can safeguard her heart against The Hammer who will shake her very core.
Let's get down to my rating, 3 stars from Moi!
This book was very eloquently written. The phrases were so lyrical that I kept highlight...pretty much most sentences. Mrs. McInnes has a gift and a great mind for imagination.
Disclaimer: This book is not suitable for a teenager to a young adult audience.
New Adult to adult is perfectly fine, it has some graphic scenes and depictions.
Let's talk romance here.
"If being insufferable means I get to hold you, then call me the King of insufferance."
I have no idea if insufferance is a word, but boy did it sound romantic haha.
The romance within this novel was beautiful.
However, this book did lose some points from me because... well, while I knew I signed myself up for romance, it got to the point where I wished the characters would get a room and just get it over and done with so the plot could go on. the tension between the two was way too thick and it got to the point where I was like...people are dying! Move on! humans, no! Stop it!
The world-building was awesome!!! This story narrates a post-nuclear war land, where the nation of women have been exiled and forced to eat insects to survive, they have no water and they have wars to fight. I loved every moment of it, I wish we had more depictions of the landscape itself, were there any animals that changed? I wanted more depictions of the legal or judicial system. And why are there are certain people who have all the control? I didn't quite understand why and how they got to be in power...what's going on with the other kings, what about the other nations? etc... So missed doors of opportunity.
I just wanted more of that, not so many descriptions of the snakes coiling or her womb expanding (is that a thing?) within her belly at every other moment.
I also thought this author had a tasteful approach to feminism, it clearly illustrates that women aren't just the ones who can change the world, it was also men who were brought up in a world without toxicity, violence, and hopelessness. I stand for that!
Overall, it is definitely worth a read. I like the character growth and how Yolanda challenged her mother's words. However, I wish that there was a bit more than the extreme tension between the two characters for most of this story. That being said, the romance was really nice. The world-building was great but like I said I wish there was MORE to it than what was depicted. I'd definitely like to see where the follow-up novels to this book will go.
Stay awesome my lovelies!
Emmeline the Book Herald
follow me for more in-depth reviews!
October 7, 2020
Once again, Annabelle McInnes has created a gritty and shocking dystopian world that totally blew me away. The Matriarch is a gripping story of longing, survival, raw emotion, and empowerment. I can't wait to read more from the Women of the Dust.
March 5, 2021
I was actually shocked by how much I enjoyed this book. The unique and unpredictable story and engaging characters made The Matriarch something I would consider to be near perfection in terms of narrative prowess. Despite some of the difficult imagery I could not put it down.
My favorite aspect of the book was the near constant internal conflict of Yolanda attempting to figure out her own identity outside of the traditional beliefs of her people, and the horrors committed by her mother. Separating her behavior between being a ruler and being a person, all the while trying to forge a new path as both. It was certainly a different kind of character arc than I was used to, a more feminist one where finding strength is not the problem, but allowing others to see you without it is.
In terms of romance this was a slow burn. However, it fits with who the characters are within the context of the world, and the relationship between Yolanda and the Hammer is something I really enjoyed seeing progress.
Needless to say, I will be awaiting the second installment in this series with baited breath.
My favorite aspect of the book was the near constant internal conflict of Yolanda attempting to figure out her own identity outside of the traditional beliefs of her people, and the horrors committed by her mother. Separating her behavior between being a ruler and being a person, all the while trying to forge a new path as both. It was certainly a different kind of character arc than I was used to, a more feminist one where finding strength is not the problem, but allowing others to see you without it is.
In terms of romance this was a slow burn. However, it fits with who the characters are within the context of the world, and the relationship between Yolanda and the Hammer is something I really enjoyed seeing progress.
Needless to say, I will be awaiting the second installment in this series with baited breath.
November 11, 2020
I really didn’t see all the twists coming! Always refreshing to be surprised. And so many threads left to be explored and questions to be answered in the rest of the series.
October 8, 2020
Thank you firstly to NetGalley, to Ms. McInnes and to AKM Publishing Pty Ltd for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested although not required.
This book was a RIDE. I came into it expecting a sort of feminist Mad Max situation and frankly that's more or less accurate. Between the author's Australian nationality and the Mad Max vibes I also really envisioned this taking place in a post-nuclear apocalypse Australian landscape.
I've seen plenty of reviewers cover the basic plot, so I really don't think it's necessary to do so. Suffice to say, Yolanda, current Matriarch of her [mostly female] Horde is a terrific character who is exactly as tough, fearsome, independent, intelligent and capable as you'd need to be to succeed as a leader in this world. She also struggles with the more totalitarian and honestly, somewhat barbarian and excessive, teachings of her mother with which she's been indoctrinated. Yolanda sees a different way forward for her Horde than the way her mother taught her, a way that allows for occasional softer feelings and cooperation with allies, and she has to overcome her fears and mistrust to proceed. Her counterpart, the Hammer (or prince) of the Delasovian people, offers support and alliance but it's a big risk for Yolanda to (a) trust not just someone outside the Horde, but a MAN and (b) leave her Horde in order to get answers.
I enjoyed a lot of things about this story:
-the action level was definitely very high. The paced moved quickly and something was almost always happening.
-the feminist personality aspects of both Yolanda and her Delasovian ally (don't want to spoil anything) were excellent. In the circumstances Yolanda lives in, you can completely understand her outlook and point of view, and her progression to acceptance of the Hammer seems pretty natural for a female leader in her position. The relationship between them is beautiful.
-there wasn't a ton of worldbuilding revealed but what there was, I enjoyed, particularly Yolanda's horde's adaptations to feed, clothe and transport their members on such scant resources.
A few things to note:
-I would have liked more worldbuilding in general, maybe a little more about the nuclear apocalypse and the other nations' formations afterwards. More information about the Delasovian and Horde nations would also have been interesting: how and why did they "settle" in those locations? How did the nations and their governments form? I assume from the subtitle that this is going to be a series, so maybe these questions will be answered in forthcoming books.
-I would have enjoyed a little more meat to the ending. After so much time spent on the road the ending felt a little rushed and incomplete. Perhaps this too will be expanded in future books?
-I think this book may need a serious trigger warning for (war-induced) violence towards and death of children, as well as illness-related death of children. A few passages made sense plot-wise but were difficult to read.
-one more thing, and the author referred a couple times to "damning" of water. I can only assume this will be corrected in edits? Or maybe it's an Australian thing? I always thought the correct spelling was "damming".
Otherwise, I liked this book very much and would definitely be interested in reading more in this series. 3.5 stars happily rounded to 4 for GR.
This book was a RIDE. I came into it expecting a sort of feminist Mad Max situation and frankly that's more or less accurate. Between the author's Australian nationality and the Mad Max vibes I also really envisioned this taking place in a post-nuclear apocalypse Australian landscape.
I've seen plenty of reviewers cover the basic plot, so I really don't think it's necessary to do so. Suffice to say, Yolanda, current Matriarch of her [mostly female] Horde is a terrific character who is exactly as tough, fearsome, independent, intelligent and capable as you'd need to be to succeed as a leader in this world. She also struggles with the more totalitarian and honestly, somewhat barbarian and excessive, teachings of her mother with which she's been indoctrinated. Yolanda sees a different way forward for her Horde than the way her mother taught her, a way that allows for occasional softer feelings and cooperation with allies, and she has to overcome her fears and mistrust to proceed. Her counterpart, the Hammer (or prince) of the Delasovian people, offers support and alliance but it's a big risk for Yolanda to (a) trust not just someone outside the Horde, but a MAN and (b) leave her Horde in order to get answers.
I enjoyed a lot of things about this story:
-the action level was definitely very high. The paced moved quickly and something was almost always happening.
-the feminist personality aspects of both Yolanda and her Delasovian ally (don't want to spoil anything) were excellent. In the circumstances Yolanda lives in, you can completely understand her outlook and point of view, and her progression to acceptance of the Hammer seems pretty natural for a female leader in her position. The relationship between them is beautiful.
-there wasn't a ton of worldbuilding revealed but what there was, I enjoyed, particularly Yolanda's horde's adaptations to feed, clothe and transport their members on such scant resources.
A few things to note:
-I would have liked more worldbuilding in general, maybe a little more about the nuclear apocalypse and the other nations' formations afterwards. More information about the Delasovian and Horde nations would also have been interesting: how and why did they "settle" in those locations? How did the nations and their governments form? I assume from the subtitle that this is going to be a series, so maybe these questions will be answered in forthcoming books.
-I would have enjoyed a little more meat to the ending. After so much time spent on the road the ending felt a little rushed and incomplete. Perhaps this too will be expanded in future books?
-I think this book may need a serious trigger warning for (war-induced) violence towards and death of children, as well as illness-related death of children. A few passages made sense plot-wise but were difficult to read.
-one more thing, and the author referred a couple times to "damning" of water. I can only assume this will be corrected in edits? Or maybe it's an Australian thing? I always thought the correct spelling was "damming".
Otherwise, I liked this book very much and would definitely be interested in reading more in this series. 3.5 stars happily rounded to 4 for GR.
November 14, 2020
ARC from NetGalley
This wasn't really a bad book, it just didn't really do it for me personally. It was far too verbose. Too little happened, but the book was padded with descriptions that bulked it out. I had to skim because I would have stopped reading otherwise.
I found it hard to get into the dirty bits because of, well, their dirty bits. You follow? In this post-apocalyptic world of infinite dust and very little water, how often do you think they bathed? How often did they clean their teeth? They were on the "road" together for I'm not even sure how long, barely having enough to drink. Actually, rarely having enough to drink. It would have been better for me, since there was really only one sex scene, if that scene had waited until there was some water to perhaps scrub the junk with, you know?
The instalove was silly. It really pulled me out of the story. It can be done well, but it wasn't in this case. It was just like.. why? It made no sense. Not necessarily on her part but on his part. I just didn't get it. I also didn't get the diatribe at the beginning of the book about the me too movement when this book is pretty much all about a man saving the day. Yes, Yolanda suffered and wanted to work hard to save her people, but she couldn't do it without a man, and she kept on talking about how strong and manly he was, manly mannish man. MAN. Okay I get it, he smells like a man. AKA he needs to wash his balls because there's no water in this fucking world.
The plot was decent enough. It was an interesting premise. I did have one issue with the Asta situation.
A solid meh from me on the whole. I don't regret reading it, but I wouldn't recommend it.
This wasn't really a bad book, it just didn't really do it for me personally. It was far too verbose. Too little happened, but the book was padded with descriptions that bulked it out. I had to skim because I would have stopped reading otherwise.
I found it hard to get into the dirty bits because of, well, their dirty bits. You follow? In this post-apocalyptic world of infinite dust and very little water, how often do you think they bathed? How often did they clean their teeth? They were on the "road" together for I'm not even sure how long, barely having enough to drink. Actually, rarely having enough to drink. It would have been better for me, since there was really only one sex scene, if that scene had waited until there was some water to perhaps scrub the junk with, you know?
The instalove was silly. It really pulled me out of the story. It can be done well, but it wasn't in this case. It was just like.. why? It made no sense. Not necessarily on her part but on his part. I just didn't get it. I also didn't get the diatribe at the beginning of the book about the me too movement when this book is pretty much all about a man saving the day. Yes, Yolanda suffered and wanted to work hard to save her people, but she couldn't do it without a man, and she kept on talking about how strong and manly he was, manly mannish man. MAN. Okay I get it, he smells like a man. AKA he needs to wash his balls because there's no water in this fucking world.
The plot was decent enough. It was an interesting premise. I did have one issue with the Asta situation.
A solid meh from me on the whole. I don't regret reading it, but I wouldn't recommend it.
November 18, 2020
my review
The Matriarch, the first book in the new Women of the Dust series by Annabelle McInness, is a dystopian romance, set in the midst of two warring nations.
The world-building of this book was excellent. It was so well described that I often felt as if I were there. It was more than reading about a place. I almost experienced the heat, the dust and sand of the barren land. And the mythology of the story was really engaging. One nation was male-led, the other female. The Horde of women have struggled to create a safe haven for women and children, taking in only men of the Horde… those born of a Horde woman. They’ve been largely starved of resourse, forcing them to resort to less than humane, although resourceful, means to survive.
I appreciated the fact that the author created no perfect characters. While the story was clearly meant to showcase the strength of women, they weren’t created to be perfect or better than men. People are more complicated than that, so I’m glad that it wasn’t a clearly defined line between the two in relation to good and evil.
However, I was a little conflicted about some aspects to the story. There was a touch of instalove that felt a little bizarre to me. After all of the long-lived animosity between the two nations, it seemed strange that Yolanda would develop trust in Sasha so quickly. It’s not so much that I hate instalove, but that it seemed out of character for her. Second, as much as the strength of women was at the forefront of the story, there were some moments when the heroine felt more like the damsel in distress, needing the man to save the day.
But all of that being said, they were minor issues, nothing that stopped me from enjoying the book and looking forward to the next!
my recommendation: If you love post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction, this is an interesting read with a great premise.
However, there are definitely some triggery moments with themes of abuse and neglect, graphic violence (including rape), torture.
The Matriarch, the first book in the new Women of the Dust series by Annabelle McInness, is a dystopian romance, set in the midst of two warring nations.
The world-building of this book was excellent. It was so well described that I often felt as if I were there. It was more than reading about a place. I almost experienced the heat, the dust and sand of the barren land. And the mythology of the story was really engaging. One nation was male-led, the other female. The Horde of women have struggled to create a safe haven for women and children, taking in only men of the Horde… those born of a Horde woman. They’ve been largely starved of resourse, forcing them to resort to less than humane, although resourceful, means to survive.
I appreciated the fact that the author created no perfect characters. While the story was clearly meant to showcase the strength of women, they weren’t created to be perfect or better than men. People are more complicated than that, so I’m glad that it wasn’t a clearly defined line between the two in relation to good and evil.
However, I was a little conflicted about some aspects to the story. There was a touch of instalove that felt a little bizarre to me. After all of the long-lived animosity between the two nations, it seemed strange that Yolanda would develop trust in Sasha so quickly. It’s not so much that I hate instalove, but that it seemed out of character for her. Second, as much as the strength of women was at the forefront of the story, there were some moments when the heroine felt more like the damsel in distress, needing the man to save the day.
But all of that being said, they were minor issues, nothing that stopped me from enjoying the book and looking forward to the next!
my recommendation: If you love post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction, this is an interesting read with a great premise.
However, there are definitely some triggery moments with themes of abuse and neglect, graphic violence (including rape), torture.
September 29, 2020
I received an advance copy of The Matriarch through NetGalley and I am excited to review the book. I absolutely love the premise of the story! A society run by women, facing and surviving in impossible circumstances, and really showing women can be anything? Sign me up. I think the writing and the language were incredible and I highlighted some quotes in the book that just really stood out to me.
When speaking about men who put the Yolanda’s people, The Horde, in their positions, she says, “They talk of our oppression and the eradication of our rights. They talk of our inability to have our voices heard on matters that directly impacted us.” – This really stood out to me because this is a fictional dystopian novel, but we see this everyday when it comes to men in politics controlling women’s rights.
I do think there could be less information given in the plot summary (above) because it essentially gave me spoilers. The entire seen where The Hammer kills his father, I knew what was going to happen and the outcome before I read it, and I think it could have been better with a more surprise element for the reader.
I really liked the protagonists Yolanda and Sasha (The Hammer.) They both had a great duality of traditional feminism and masculine qualities that really showcased we are not one thing bound by gender stereotypes. There was a bit of insta-lust/ love between the characters where I would have preferred a more natural growth of a relationship.
McInnes had great world building and was very detailed. Almost a bit too detailed for me because I prefer a faster plot progression, but that’s just me. Some great plot twists were thrown in and the book held my attention throughout.
I 100% recommend this book to others and I am really excited to read the second book in the series.
https://thetravellingreader96.wordpre...
When speaking about men who put the Yolanda’s people, The Horde, in their positions, she says, “They talk of our oppression and the eradication of our rights. They talk of our inability to have our voices heard on matters that directly impacted us.” – This really stood out to me because this is a fictional dystopian novel, but we see this everyday when it comes to men in politics controlling women’s rights.
I do think there could be less information given in the plot summary (above) because it essentially gave me spoilers. The entire seen where The Hammer kills his father, I knew what was going to happen and the outcome before I read it, and I think it could have been better with a more surprise element for the reader.
I really liked the protagonists Yolanda and Sasha (The Hammer.) They both had a great duality of traditional feminism and masculine qualities that really showcased we are not one thing bound by gender stereotypes. There was a bit of insta-lust/ love between the characters where I would have preferred a more natural growth of a relationship.
McInnes had great world building and was very detailed. Almost a bit too detailed for me because I prefer a faster plot progression, but that’s just me. Some great plot twists were thrown in and the book held my attention throughout.
I 100% recommend this book to others and I am really excited to read the second book in the series.
https://thetravellingreader96.wordpre...
October 8, 2020
The writing and editing of the ARC version of the manuscript was clean, with no typos that I caught. The prose was and descriptions were excessively florid, in my opinion, which detracted from my enjoyment of the manuscript. The world building was competent. The characterization was okay, though neither hero nor heroine were vibrant, complex individuals. The development of the romantic relationship was natural and organic, though the hero was too perfect a man for my taste. He had no flaws. The plot and pacing was tight and exciting, but the florid prose was distracting enough that I did not finish this book in one sitting. There was low angst and high stakes in this novel, which tends to be one of my preferred narrative structures for a romance novel. This novel used the Enemies to Lovers trope, the Forced Proximity trope, and the Road Trip trope. The world building and plot were four stars. The pacing, with the florid descriptions, was three stars. The characterization was three stars and the development of the romantic relationship was four stars. I gave this novel a combined rating of three stars. This novel had a Happy For Now ending with some overarching plot threads left unresolved instead of a cliffhanger ending, so that was a plus. I recommend this dystopian romance also to fans of fantasy romance, because it had a very fantasy epic feel to it. I do not want to read the next book in this series when it releases, because of the florid descriptions, and I will not be buying myself a keeper copy of this novel.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 16, 2020
A beautifully written dystopian romance that’s extremely light on the romance thankfully. I was initially intrigued by the description of the dystopian world and the feminist based society at the centre of it. I should’ve read it a bit closer as I missed the romance part. Disclaimer: I hate romance novels. This one focuses more on world building and actual storylines, so the romance was tolerable if a bit laughable at times. I mean, who thinks about jumping someone’s bones when they’re potentially plummeting to their death?
McInnes has a very lyrical way of writing that sucks you in and keeps you wanting more. My only issue with the novel is the repetitiveness of parts. Every time The Hammer/Sasha/male protagonist is mentioned, he’s huge/a mountain of a man/enormous/a scarred god. Ok, he’s big. I get it. Other frequently repeated imagery includes snakes in the belly, cracked lips, and exhausted-but-I’m-the-Matriarch-not-a-woman-so-I’ll-rebuild-my-weak-shields-and-go-on.
Yolanda/the Matriarch is a solid main character. My only complaint was that she trusted and fell for Sasha far too quickly for someone whose people have been fighting for seven generations. Also, Sasha was completely in love right from the get go. Where’s the build up?
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
McInnes has a very lyrical way of writing that sucks you in and keeps you wanting more. My only issue with the novel is the repetitiveness of parts. Every time The Hammer/Sasha/male protagonist is mentioned, he’s huge/a mountain of a man/enormous/a scarred god. Ok, he’s big. I get it. Other frequently repeated imagery includes snakes in the belly, cracked lips, and exhausted-but-I’m-the-Matriarch-not-a-woman-so-I’ll-rebuild-my-weak-shields-and-go-on.
Yolanda/the Matriarch is a solid main character. My only complaint was that she trusted and fell for Sasha far too quickly for someone whose people have been fighting for seven generations. Also, Sasha was completely in love right from the get go. Where’s the build up?
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2020
I loved the world building and the characters, this is a great dystopian adventure/romance, well dystopian in that we hope doesn’t happen but feels all too possible.
That being said I had severe issues with pacing of the story. It’s interesting and the character build is on point for the reader to “feel” as the character feels throughout the book. However I thought it was a bit too slow at times. I soldiered on because I wanted to know what would happen, but almost skimmed at times.
It’s a slow burn romance in the way that it was written, but fast burn if you consider the book’s timeline.
One thing that bummed me was the ending, I expected more and felt it was somewhat rushed for a book that up to that point was exceedingly well explained and developed at times.
I got a copy of this book through Netgalley
That being said I had severe issues with pacing of the story. It’s interesting and the character build is on point for the reader to “feel” as the character feels throughout the book. However I thought it was a bit too slow at times. I soldiered on because I wanted to know what would happen, but almost skimmed at times.
It’s a slow burn romance in the way that it was written, but fast burn if you consider the book’s timeline.
One thing that bummed me was the ending, I expected more and felt it was somewhat rushed for a book that up to that point was exceedingly well explained and developed at times.
I got a copy of this book through Netgalley
July 31, 2021
I couldn’t put it down. Excellent world building. I really loved Yolanda. She was a dangerous woman who struggled with being both a leader and a woman. Perfect blend of action, betrayal, and romance. This book was a page-turner. You actively cheered for the characters. Though to be fair, I hate snakes and to have the character's feelings of anxiety and fear described as having snakes squirming in her tummy, well, I hated that part. The cons of the story was the excessively elaborate descriptions of everything that would go on for pages and to have the hero save everyone/everything and the heroine be just a side piece didn't feel right. The plot was left unresolved instead of cliffhanger ending was a plus. Tone down the flowery writing for the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 7, 2020
2/5 stars!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book has an intriguing premise and I liked the overall idea a lot. However, the execution and the writing style feels off to me. There are too many metaphors and flowery words used that it sounded overdramatic in my head and made me cringe a little. I kept noticing these nuances and thus, makes my overall reading enjoyment not great. In this instance, I think it's more of a "me" thing and it's no the book's fault I don't enjoy reading too much of metaphors and flowery words. I think other people who do not care for the writing style and is purely here for the story would still enjoy reading this though.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book has an intriguing premise and I liked the overall idea a lot. However, the execution and the writing style feels off to me. There are too many metaphors and flowery words used that it sounded overdramatic in my head and made me cringe a little. I kept noticing these nuances and thus, makes my overall reading enjoyment not great. In this instance, I think it's more of a "me" thing and it's no the book's fault I don't enjoy reading too much of metaphors and flowery words. I think other people who do not care for the writing style and is purely here for the story would still enjoy reading this though.
September 21, 2020
This was a pretty simple story. Even though it was about two warring nations and had pretty high stakes it focused mostly on the main couple. There was very little world building. It mixed some random modern things with a more primitive setting and there was very little explanation for what was chosen out of each category. I didn’t love the chapters, because they were too short. Usually I prefer lengthy chapters with more complex writing, specially in a Fantasy. Overall, this was a fun quick read. I enjoyed it.
I received an eArk via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an eArk via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 26, 2020
The Matriarch offers a thoughtful and intense read filled with creative concepts and characters who were superbly crafted. The skilled development of the narrative ensured this book was a page-turner. Wanting to follow the characters and their plights provided a strong incentive to actively cheer for the characters while remaining gripped and second-guessing.
The romantic side plot was as heart-pounding as it was tangible. I'm such a sucker for a love story, and the author weaved the romance beautifully through her post-apocalyptic world.
An incredible read.
The romantic side plot was as heart-pounding as it was tangible. I'm such a sucker for a love story, and the author weaved the romance beautifully through her post-apocalyptic world.
An incredible read.
October 27, 2020
The Matriarch isn't my usual genre so for this book to hook me in from the first page says something. I loved the kick-ass premise of this book - a feminist-run democracy! Yes! The world-building and setting were done brilliantly and the main character, Yolanda, was strong and feisty. I loved the romantic element which was filled with tension and beautifully written. Even if you don't usually read dystopian I suggest you pick this one up as you will be pleasantly surprised. And I'm sure those who do read the genre will be suitably impressed.
September 29, 2020
I was expecting a little more of a post-apocolyptic sort of gritty scene and this was definitely that, but also really romantic. I really enjoyed it! I hope there's more, I'd love to find out more details about the world. I would definitely recommend this to friends.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in return for a fair review.
CW/TW: war, famine, mutilation, child abuse, gore, some explicit romantic scenes.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in return for a fair review.
CW/TW: war, famine, mutilation, child abuse, gore, some explicit romantic scenes.
October 15, 2020
3.5 stars
Matriarch is my first story by Annabelle McInnis. I enjoy a good dystopian tale where the challenge to survive means more than just the physical. In a nation where woman rule, change is difficult to imagine, especially when it goes against family and leadership beliefs. Yolanda is a tough and intelligent character who’s motives are not always straight-forward, but has her people’s welfare at heart.
Matriarch is my first story by Annabelle McInnis. I enjoy a good dystopian tale where the challenge to survive means more than just the physical. In a nation where woman rule, change is difficult to imagine, especially when it goes against family and leadership beliefs. Yolanda is a tough and intelligent character who’s motives are not always straight-forward, but has her people’s welfare at heart.
December 30, 2020
Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book!
This was one of those books where, although I didn't really connect with it and it frustrated me immensely, I just could not stop reading... The premise behind it was solid, and I love the idea of a bunch of bad-ass women taking over the world! However, the writing style just bothered me. Too wordy and almost overwhelming. I could see this being a hit for some people, so give it a try- just not my style!
This was one of those books where, although I didn't really connect with it and it frustrated me immensely, I just could not stop reading... The premise behind it was solid, and I love the idea of a bunch of bad-ass women taking over the world! However, the writing style just bothered me. Too wordy and almost overwhelming. I could see this being a hit for some people, so give it a try- just not my style!
September 21, 2020
This was well written and had an intriguing storyline and I recommend it if you like dystopian storylines.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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