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First let me say that the setting was absolutely magical. Definitely makes me want to go to Egypt even more! Although I feel like I want to go in the 1800s, in fact, I just want to time travel there, thank you very much. That's how this book made me feel! If you love The Mummy or Indiana Jones movies you will love this book!

This book was a unique mash up of fantasy, magical-realism, myster, and history. I adored it.

Inez is the definition of a plucky heroine! I loved her, and definitely want to be more like her.

Whit. Oh boy. I love him but definitely never trusted him. He is hard to figure out. It bothered me how many secrets he and Inez's Uncle kept secrets from her but just expected her to be okay with her parents dying and they wanted her to tell them all her secrets...

The author's writing really brings all 5 senses out and all the feels! I love when the author can capture what the main character feels so much so that the reader feels it too! The way she immerses the reader in the story... She is DEFINITELY one to watch!
I definitely need book 2 ASAP!

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4.5⭐️

What a fun read this was! What The River Knows takes the reader on a classic adventure, filled with romance and intrigue, magic and suspense. There are complicated and well-drawn characters, some more likable than others. I could easily see this being made into a movie.

I enjoyed journeying alongside Inez, and definitely felt for her and everything she endured. But oh, that ending! I will definitely be reading the second in this duology as soon as it’s available (which is hopefully sooner than later).

Thank you Isabel Ibañez, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

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3.5 stars.

This is adventurous historical fiction with a dollop of magical realism following Inez Olivera, a spirited young woman from Argentina, and Whitford Hayes (Whit), a disillusioned British ex-soldier who lost his way. 90% of the book is written from Inez’s POV, although several chapters have a short end cap from Whit.

In the late nineteenth century, Inez’s parents are presumed dead after going missing in the deserts of Egypt, and she is determined to discover what exactly happened. She joins her archaeologist uncle in Cairo, where she meets Whit, the man hired to help Tio Ricardo, and also to do his dirty work. Why does an archaeologist have need of someone like this? There is seedy business going on in the field, where there are those who would steal and sell priceless historical artifacts for personal profit, rather than preserve it for its significance to cultural heritage. This makes for downright dangerous business, and Inez’s tio immediately tries to send her back home to Argentina.

He tries and he fails (see the description of Inez, “a spirited young woman”). After repeating this cycle a few times, Inez successfully finds herself part of the team searching for the tomb of none other than Cleopatra. She is thrilled at the idea of assisting with such an endeavor, but her main goal is always to learn the truth of what happened to her parents.

This story is chock full of mystery, adventure, history, and magic. There is a prominent romance element as well. It was really a good deal of fun! The one thing I found irritating was that an easily avoided lack of communication was used to develop the majority of tension in the plot. Inez asks for information over and over again, and if people JUST TOLD HER THE TRUTH, so many of the things that go wrong in this story would have been avoided. This is always pretty frustrating to me as a reader!

I'm not sure why this is billed as YA, as the protagonist is 19 years old and the themes don't seem young adult in nature to me.

Also, BE FOREWARNED, it seems this is planned to be the first book in a series, because it does “end” with some pretty major cliffhangers, including one big twist,

The comparison of this story to The Mummy is apt (I couldn’t speak to Death on the Nile. I greatly enjoyed the Egyptian setting, although couldn’t say how much of the way it was depicted here is accurate (possibly very, it seems well researched, I just don’t know much about how it felt to visit Cairo in 1844). I really liked both Inez and Whit, so the romance piece worked for me as well. This is my first time reading a work by this author, and I was not disappointed.

I will post my review on my blog at jessicacrawfordwrites.com and my Instagram account shelfesteem101 closer to the book’s release date of October 31.

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Hearing that this had The Mummy vibes immediately piqued my interest! And to that I say: Brendan who? My new boyfriend’s name is Whit!

What the River Knows follows Inez Olivera, a 19-year-old woman from the upper crust of 19th century Buenos Aires. Inez’s globetrotting parents have lived away from their daughter for most of her life and Inez would love nothing more than to join them, leaving her life of ball gowns and arranged marriages in the dust. When Inez receives a letter with news of her parents’ disappearance and presumed death, Inez bravely boards a ship to their last known location: Cairo. Upon arrival, she has a less-than-hospitable reception: from her newly appointed guardian Tío Ricardo who demands she head home to Argentina immediately, and from Whitford Hayes, the associate tasked with getting her back on that ship. But Inez has other plans, and no one can stand in her way of digging up the truth about her parents’ fate and finally having an adventure of her own.

The slow-burn romance was definitely my favorite part (no surprise there) and I thought the rivals-to-lovers was done so well. I love a roguish love interest and it’s even more satisfying that he’s paired with this fireball FMC who will put him in his place. A close second favorite element was the way that the magic works through historical artifacts. I hope we get a lot more of both in the next installment.

This was such a great adventure! The second half of this novel has so many twists and turns, with secrets and danger around every corner. Totally action-packed. Also - the very last cliffhanger?! Excuse me? That’s the kind of chaotic energy I love!

Thank you to NetGalley for access to this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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2⭐️
DNF at 32% in.

I think this might be my fault for giving YA a try. But I was lured in by the marketing that it was similar to The Mummy which is one of my all time favorite movies. But holy cow Evie would never.

It is very clear that the author loves Egypt and did a lot of research and I could appreciate that. The setting was beautiful, the politics were intriguing and infuriating. But I could not connect to Inez at all.

I could understand wanting to know what happened to her parents, who wouldn’t? But her devotion to people who clearly didn’t care about her except for when it was convenient for them was maddening. She kept demanding to be treated like an adult while behaving like a reckless child. I didn’t find her charming, I found her frustrating.

Whit ran so hot and cold he was giving me whiplash. I also found the frequency with which he was drinking a bit odd.

I wish the magic played a more prominent roll in the story. Maybe it did later on but it was so infrequent in the chapters I read and was by far the most interesting part of the story.

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Thank you St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!

Let me tell you, reading What a River Knows was an absolute treat and an honor I won't soon forget. This book was nothing short of amazing! It felt like I was right there in Egypt alongside our lead character, Inez. She's a unique mix of independent spirit and a dash of self-awareness about her sheltered life. Inez's journey unfolds after her parents leave her in Argentina for months on end to explore Egypt. Now, with her parents gone, she's on a quest for answers. She wants to know what really happened to her parents and why they chose this distant place over being with her. Inez's grief hit me right in the feels.

The romance in this story had a sweet, clever quality to it. Team Whit forever. Sometimes things seemed a bit unrealistic, and Inez, well, she came off as quite naive, but honestly, wouldn't she be, given her sheltered background? Though these traits also made the story drag a little in some sections, I still enjoyed her character and overall adventure. The love story in this book was a delightful whirlwind of first love, and I absolutely adored Whit as a character. As we look ahead to the second book, I'm hoping to see more complexity in both of these characters (a lot of their interactions or gestures were repeats and superficial). However, I have to say the lush storytelling more than made up for any occasional unrealistic moments or gaps in the romance that we encountered throughout the book.

I have to say, this is Isabel Ibanez's finest work yet. Her writing is absolutely stunning, and it's clear this story was a labor of love. She has grown as a writer and storyteller, and it’s such a pleasure to enjoy the fruits of her labor! She didn't hesitate to play with our emotions (that ending, still has me reeling), and it's evident she poured her heart and soul into this tale. Fun fact: Ibanez actually took a similar journey as her characters, which just adds a whole new layer of authenticity to her storytelling.

I'm now eagerly awaiting the sequel and can't wait to get my hands on a special edition of What a River Knows. This book stays with you long after you've read the last page, and it's a testament to Isabel Ibanez's powerful storytelling.

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I enjoyed this historical Egyptian adventure story with a splash of magic thrown in. Inez is young and a little naive, but very resourceful. Whit is a very complicated person but never wavers in his determination to keep Inez safe (whether she likes it or not). The story itself has lots of twists and turns. I found myself thinking, “WHAT???” multiple times. It’s exciting but also full of historical touches from both the late 19th century and ancient Egypt. It’s clear that the author did a lot of research for both time periods.

I really liked the fact that Inez is from Argentina and brings a different cultural prospective to the narrative. Most books like this that I’ve read feature British or American protagonists. The chapter titles are written in Spanish and several non-English words are included in the story when appropriate, which adds to the atmosphere of the book.

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What the River Knows immerses the reader in late 1800s Egypt as 17-year-old Inez investigates the disappearance of her parents. The atmospheric plot weaves in glimpses of Egyptian history as the mystery progresses and adventures ensue. This is the first in a duology, and I'll be eagerly awaiting the sequel!

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When you don’t realize the book is going to be a series and you start getting nervous towards the end because there isn’t nearly enough time to wrap everything up and then the epilogue drops you to a puddle on the floor *sobs quietly*

This book is filled with lush descriptions, high key sexual tension, and tons of lies & deceit. If you love ancient Egypt the way I do, you’ll be instantly sucked into this gorgeous world of exploration and intrigue. There are parts I wanted to go a bit faster but the ending more than made up for the slow stage setting. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment.

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I love anything having to do with Egypt and Egyptology, the weaving of ancient history into stories. I loved that this book was set in Egypt with a hint of magic. I had high hopes for this book, and they were matched wholeheartedly.

I would say that the description of What the River Knows being a cross between Death on the Nile and The Mummy is pretty accurate, as sometimes publishers’ blurbs don’t really deliver. It is easy to imprint Evie and Rick onto the main characters. I loved Inez; she’s so resourceful, strong-willed, and smart in a time when women were not seen as much else than pretty things or property. She finds ways to get what she wants, subverting all the men and authorities in the way. Along the way she meets Whit, who is the perfect counterpart to Inez. He’s a black sheep, a bad boy, who is always charming his way into situations by flirting and using his wiles and wits to get what HE wants.

I absolutely loved the first half of the book; it utterly charmed me. The journey Inez took to Egypt to learn more about the lives of her parents was well-done, and it was interesting to read about all the temples and cities she visited, although at times it did seem to be a bit of padding for the book; I enjoyed them, but at the same time, felt that some of the descriptions were superfluous and not needed.

The magic in the book is never truly explained, which I don’t mind. Sometimes you just need to let go and let the fantasy aspect take over. I’ll admit that’s a hard one for me, but I was able to immerse myself into the story.

The ending was a head-turner, as I did not see it coming. And while I wish I knew going into the book that it was the beginning of a series, I’ll be happy to read the next volume because the book ended on a cliffhanger. If you love historical mystery, you might want to start this Young Adult series, which utterly captivated me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Wednesday Books; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

For more reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com

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4/5 ⭐
0/5 🌶️

What The River Knows was beautifully written and unexpectedly jaw dropping. It started out a little slow as we're getting to know the characters and the world. There's a lot of setup for their adventure as well. But as we hit the 65% mark things started getting exciting and I devoured the second half of this story.

I didn't realize this wasn't a standalone and was expecting a wrap up, but things just kept getting more and more wild. So many surprises had my head spinning, but nothing more than that cliffhanger epilogue. What. The. Fudddggge was that?! I can't wait to see what Isabel has in store for us with book two. I'll definitely be grabbing it as soon as possible.

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I seem to have rotten luck with the ARCs I've chosen lately. First with Scarlet Veil and now with What The River Knows. The blurb says The Mummy meets Death on the Nile but this book is NOT fun & charming like The Mummy. The first few chapters were interesting and then it went down the drain. The ceaseless and senseless arguing between the main characters got old real fast, the portrayal of the uncle, the overbearing machismo of the main love interest, a useless, senseless death to add some “grief and rage” (wtf) the supposed mystery — all of it overdone to death. The story just dragged on and on and on.

I rarely give bad reviews like this — I tend to always find some silver lining in a book that if I didn’t like, someone else might — but I hated this book and I hated the main characters and I hate that I read it just to get it done with and after I finished, I was seething with frustration that I wasted my time over it. It had so many plot holes and twists without any resolution.

This book was such a waste of time and energy. In hindsight, I should have stuck with my DNF policy and just dropped it. Oh, and let’s not forget how this looked like a standalone but had a cliffhanger that was completely out of context that supposedly hints at a second book. The worst part is that this story had potential but was very poorly crafted.

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I've always been fascinated by Ancient Egypt, and this book only fed that fascination. I always love Ibanez's writing. She creates such vivid, descriptive scenes.

Inez was a great main character. I loved her confidence and her no nonsense, go getter attitude. What I really loved was how I was never quite sure who was the "bad guy." Even up until the very last line of the book I was second guessing certain characters and whether I had them pegged on the right side. And boy, was that last line a doozy. I'm going to be anxiously awaiting the next book for that one to be explained.

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A genre bending historical fantasy with enemies to lovers romance. A clever concept and an easy read for its targeted audience. Pacing was off a bit but overall an interesting read

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I'm completely sold on Inez and Whit! I loved this story. It's adventure and mystery with just enough romance and it all works together wonderfully. The only thing I'm not super happy with is the major cliffhanger this ends on! It goes out with a bang, for sure, but with no information on when the next book is coming, it's a rough ending. If the next book were out, I'd be starting it immediately.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

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Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Isabel Ibanez for allowing me to review this fun book. This is everything it is being advertised to be. It absolutely is a fun, adventurous, mysterious, romantic, historical fantasy. The main character, Inez, gets wrapped into a mysterious adventure to discover what really happened to her parents who have disappeared. A magic ring leads her on this adventure and I loved every minute of it! I can’t wait for the second book in this duology. Thank you again for allowing me to review this magical book.

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Amazing!!!! Secrets, lies, mystery, romance and some magic!! This book is one of the best books of 2023 I have read. If you like Indian Jones this is perfect for you.

This is set in the 19th century. Inez Olivera is an Argentinian heiress. She has a good life although her parents are always in Egypt and refuse to bring her along. When she hears her parents have died, Inez inherits their massive fortune and her uncle is guardian over her, who she has only met once. Before her father disappeared he sent her a mysterious ring which she has no idea what it means.

She wants answers of what happened to her parents and decides to set sail to Cairo to meet her uncle. She realizes there is old world magic in the ring her that father sent her. She soon dicovers there's more to her parent's disappearance than what her uncle led her to believe.

From Argentina to Cairo to the Nile. This had me captivated the whole time. I am so looking forward to book 2! Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC for my honest review.

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As a kid, I did go through a period of obsession with Ancient Egypt, and I also enjoy adventure stories set during the Egyptology craze in the late 1800s. What the River Knows appeals to both of those elements, with the blurb describing it as The Mummy meets Death on the Nile. I like The Mummy well enough, but I don't have the nostalgic connection that will motivate many readers to pick up this book. I'm not sure that the comparison is quite apt, as this book is rather sprawling, which makes the adventure/mystery disproportionately better than the love plot. Once I finished the book, I realized that this was the first half of a duology, which helped contextualize my concerns about the pacing.

This book's ambitious plot makes the book rather dense. We follow Inez, a young woman who steals away from Buenos Aires to Egypt to get answers about her parents' sudden, mysterious deaths on her uncle's archaeological dig. Along the way, she meets her uncle's roguish but irresistible assistant, who's been tasked to keep an eye on her. The closer she gets to answers, the thicker and more complicated the plot. There's rather long exposition (100 pages to get Inez to Egypt and arrive at the dig site), which can feel slightly tedious, but once the story finally gets moving, it's rather interesting. The search for Cleopatra's tomb, the conflict between different interests in the Egyptian artifacts market, and the mystery of Inez's parents' deaths are the strongest plotlines. I especially enjoyed the critique of British colonialism in the antiquities context. The archeological discovery and the constant suspicion of everyone at the dig site (including a very twisty plot about smugglers and black market dealings) were easily the best parts of the story.

This story also includes elements of magic, which I found largely superfluous. Its primary function is to help Inez find answers despite her uncle's intense secrecy. I was also concerned by the narration: it's mostly narrated by Inez, with brief interludes narrated by Whit, the love interest. We really only get his POV to fill gaps in the plot, not to flesh out his interiority. As such, I wasn't particularly invested in the love plot. I don't buy their chemistry; I just rolled with it as part of the larger adventure. I wavered back-and-forth about my overall impression of the novel, but the sudden cliffhanger ending is enough to have me waiting very impatiently for the next book.

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I really enjoyed this book! It was so entertaining with lots of action and plot twists. I loved this lush descriptions of Egypt and the exploration of Egyptian history. The author did so much research and I was completely immersed in the setting and the plot. Inez was a strong main character who didn't fit the mold of the times in all the right ways. She was clever, snarky, and stubborn. Whit was a typical male character with a sarcastic and brooding exterior but a heart of gold. I did think both Inez and Whit could have shown more growth but I'm hoping that comes in the next book. I couldn't put this down because the plot moved so quickly. There were tons of plot twists, some of which I saw coming and others that shocked me. I can't wait to continue this series and see where it goes!

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Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book takes you on an incredible adventure from Argentina to Egypt, in exploration of lost tombs and family secrets. If you have an interest in archeology and Cleopatra, especially, you may find this a fun read.

1884 Argentina: Inez, receives a letter from Egypt that changes the course of her life. She travels to Egypt, the last known location of her presumed deceased parents, in search of answers from her archeologist uncle, Ricardo, who her parents worked closely with. She soon discovers her uncle is in search of the last Pharaoh of Egypt’s lost tomb, Cleopatra. The adventure brings her a love interest that will please fans of the enemies/rivals to lovers trope and puts her in some dicey situations.

I really did enjoy this book to a certain degree. The topic of Cleopatra’s lost tomb and ancient Egyptian artifacts interests me greatly, so I did find myself loving the unique fantastical elements Ibañez included in the book, classifying it as an YA Fantasy.

The pacing of the book is what set me back from being able to finish it. I usually only take a couple weeks max to finish a book of this length, but this one took me almost a month to get through. It’s a very slow burn to get to any action that sets the plot in motion. If you like a slow burn historical fiction, then the pacing may not bother you, but I thought it was difficult to keep interest when it takes too long for significant things to happen. However, I was hooked 60-70% into the story and looking forward to finding out how it continues on. The ending definitely indicates there will be a sequel and I will want to read on.

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