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 is a slow burn. However, it fits with who the characters are within the context of the world, and the relationship developed between Yolanda and the Hammer is something I really enjoyed seeing progress.
Needless to say I will be waiting on the second book in this series with baited breath.

https://thetravellingreader96.wordpress.com/2020/09/29/the-matriarch-women-of-the-dust-1-by-annabelle-mcinnes/

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3558597916

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.This book is available on Barnes n Noble, Amazon and Kobo on October 12, 2020. You can find buy links and more about the author here.

"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

The Matriarch super exceeded my expectations, I practically devoured it! I'm not super into romance, and there were moments that seemed a little bodice-ripper-ish for me, but it really kind of worked to illustrate the gentleness of the characters in comparison to their harsh world.
I think with a lot of good books, there's a wish for more - and I felt that with The Matriarch. I wanted to know more about the Horde and the world they survived in. I wanted to know more about their enemies and the cultures. I hope there's more someday!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

TW: Child abuse, war, hunger, mutilation.

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

Yolanda is the Matriarch of the Horde, struggling alongside her people as they are denied water and sustenance. They are on the brink of annihilation when a disastrous battle sees Yolanda in charge of the fate of the new king of a rival nation. She could destroy him. Or she could save the Horde - if only she could allow herself to trust him.

A sexy, post-apocalyptic tale with a heroine who isn't reduced to the stereotypical "warrior woman"? Yes please! I absolutely loved everything about this book. The world-building felt natural, the relationship developed at just right pace, and the writing was superb. I'm an instant fan of this series - I can't wait to read the rest of it. A perfectly gritty sci-fi/romance.

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

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 have to say I rather enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. It definitely is more of a guilty pleasure book (explicit sexual content) but a lot of times books like these are lacking in the plot department. I found the tale of an all women Horde fighting off the “man” and basically fighting for their rights to survive and flourish very interesting. While a lot of times an “alpha male” character is looked down upon, Sasha is also caring and supportive as well as being a swoon worthy alpha. The Matriarch does not lack in action or adventure. I would definitely recommend this title to others.