What the river knows- 4.5⭐️ 2.5🌶️

New Adult Romantasy
Historical fantasy
Magical realism
Egyptian Setting
Coming of Age
Hispanic Heritage
Mystery
Secrets
Grief
Banter

The magic system is mysterious and intriguing. I was hooked with the idea of a fading ancient magic and finding out what that meant. I wish there had been more of it. It seemed as if it was mentioned and used like an after thought rather than something rare and mystical. Magic was literally collected as junk items and trinkets. The excuse that the Magic’s history was lost would make it more desirous, I would imagine. It was odd the. To have it play such a big role as a plot tool was contradictory.

The political atmosphere and perilous nature of archeology during such a significant time period was so well done. Bringing topics to the forefront that should have never left or that are still relevant today. I adored the descriptions of the architecture and weight of Egypt’s ancient history. I also loved the intersection of cultures. The use of Spanish was purposeful and immersive.

The plot was fast and because of all the secrets being discovered. I ate up every bit of this story.

As a kid who grew up obsessed with Ancient Egypt, the movie The Mummy and all its sequels I officially adore this book. It wasn’t exactly the tone and flavor of the movie, and I appreciated that.

The romantic tension and banter in this book was chef’s kiss! The slow burn was burning! The banter is so perfectly done! I can’t help but picture a young Brenden Fraser as Whit and loved every morally grey second of it. Maybe he was a bit superficial… I’m sure we will learn more about him and his past in the next book.

Inez was a great FMC! Young and tenacious to a fault. I felt so much compassion for her complicated relationship with her family. It was also so satisfying to see her outgrow her naivety from the first half of the book and become a bit jaded, but still have the impulses of a 19yo girl.

My only true disappointment was in Elvira, Inez’s cousin. I think the author missed out on an opportunity. To keep this spoiler free, I won’t elaborate…

Can I just say that I didn’t know this was going to be a series and my brain flatlined when I read that epilogue. I NEED the sequel to be released immediately.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books for an Advanced eReader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tw:
Parental death
Alcoholism
Gun violence
Kidnapping
Death

Thank you Netgalley for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

The premise of this book is very intriguing. However, it took me a while to really get into it. For almost 50% of the book, nothing really happens. It’s monotonous with a lot of info dumps. However, I did love Whit right from the beginning — he is the exact type of mmc that I usually fall for! Inez, the fmc, was also a great character and I did like her a lot. While things did start to get interesting in the second half of the book, it was still slower than necessary. I was also slightly confused about how the magic works and wish she had explained it better. I was gonna rate it 3 stars but the plot twist in the end elevated my rating to 3.5-4 stars! Now I NEED to read the second book to know what’s going on!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What the River Knows is the story of 18 year old Inez Olivera, who stows away to Egypt from Buenos Aires in order to figure out what really happened to her parents. Upon arrival, she encounters much more than she asked for.

I really enjoyed the last half of this book- when all the action took place! The twists kept me from wanting to put it down, and I enjoyed the historical fiction elements of 1800s Buenos Aires and Egypt.

That being said, the pacing was so up and down, the first 50% or so felt like nothing happened at all, and then it sped up so quickly at the end, leaving on a cliffhanger. I'm not even sure if this is intended to be a series, but even if it is, the ending is too abrupt for my taste.

What the River Knows is a historical fantasy set in Egypt. It reminded me a lot of Death on the Nile, but with a fantasy aspect. Ibanez crafted the atmosphere of the story expertly. The mystery, the archaeological aspects and the mythical aspects all melded together to make this lush and vibrant story come to life.

Wow! So thankful for the opportunity to read the ARC of What the River Knows. Isabel Ibañez truly knows how to weave a story so intricately that it leaves you earning for more and more. I was consistently surprised with each chapter and fully enamored by the adventures and surprise twists and turns. I highly recommend this book to anyone who once wanted to be an archeologist in Egypt, anyone who enjoyed Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, or to anyone who wants a fun adventure where you forget that you’re reading and want so much more.

This book!!! I’ve been fascinated with Egypt since third grade and this fueled my desire to visit even more. This book had everything I needed. It was well written, well researched, had a little bit of mystery, and a little bit of romance. And that ending blew my mind. I still have no idea where it’s going. I’m completely hooked and cannot wait for book two.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez is a breath of fresh air in the saturated YA/NA fantasy market— lush, atmospheric, pacey and with a sharp and witty MC that you couldn’t help but love. Pitched as perfect for fans of the Mummy (count me instantly interested) and set in Egypt in the late 19th century, WTRK follows the story of Inez as she leaves her Argentinian home and heads to Cairo in search of her missing archaeologist parents. As a young woman, she faces both societal and familial challenges on her way to unravelling the mystery, fuelled by a strange magic linking her to the artefacts she’s tasked to find. Along the way, she meets Whit, the cagey, charismatic muscle to her uncle’s archaeological expedition of find Cleopatra’s tomb.

I loved Inez’s voice, she is sharp minded, sassy and headstrong— unwilling to have anything stand in her way. She was by far my favourite part of the book. I loved the magic system and how unique it was, and really adored how Ibañez wove the magic system into Inez’s character and the world around her.

The plot is well paced and kept me interested the entire time. Plus… that plot twist!! I’m literally dying for the next instalment, to put it lightly. The romance was cute and full of tension, though i felt Whit could’ve been a bit softer at times, as it felt like he genuinely wasn’t interested for most of the book, although it was refreshing to not see the “insta love” trope employed to their emotional relationship.

Overall, I really loved this story and think it will go down superbly within its readership. Can’t wait for the sequel!!

*Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for this free digital review copy.*

This book had a really interesting premise, and describing it to friends as I began to read it was easy to be excited about the story, but unfortunately the end really fell flat for me.

I thought the setting was super neat; it was new to me, and I don't know much about Egypt (especially late 1800's Egypt), so I had fun discovering a new part of the world. I enjoyed the main protagonist and her resilience, her boldness to travel alone from Argentina to Egypt determined to discover the truth behind her parents' disappearance. I enjoyed her will-they-or-won't-they romance, and the other relationships she built with people throughout her travels.

I also really enjoyed the magic in this novel. It was less prominent than I would have expected, and it felt like more could have been done with it. It felt very unique and special in a really intriguing way, and I'd love to know more about how it works and how different aspects of the magic could be used in the process of discovery and excavation.

The ending of the book just felt rushed to me and then was highly dissatisfying... apparently she is working on revisions for the sequel already, so hopefully we get that sooner rather than later, but I don't appreciate when books in a series don't feel sufficiently self-contained. And going into reading this, I didn't know it was the first of a series, so my expectations were skewed. I do think I'll probably read the next book because I enjoyed the characters so much, as well as other books by this author (I have one on my unread shelf already).

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for an e-arc of this book.

I love Egypt. I love archaeology. I love mysteries. I don't love cliffhangers, and this book has one. ARGH.

Anyways, back to the main point of my review, this book was excellently written. I feel like Ibanez has managed to evoke a certain feel of the times, and it very much reminded me of the Amelia Peabody series (which I adore) except slightly different, and more modern takes on some ideas (which I loved!).

It also had very much an Indiana Jones feel to the adventure and danger aspects which I also adored. The underlying mystery plot as well as the twists and turns were fabulously done. This was an EXCELLENT book, and I highly recommend it to people who enjoy archaeology, adventure and romance.

Oh yeah, there was an adorable romance as well. Honestly, I can't say too much about this book without giving things away, but it was honestly an absolute treasure to read. (Hah, I think I'm funny!)

I literally am going to be dying for the next book to come out soon. (I know it isn't, but I don't want to wait for the next book!)

I just adored Inez and Whit and all the other characters. Really, just a fabulous book to read.

I'm not a huge YA reader, but I've loved other books by Isabel Ibanez, so when the publisher offered this as a limited time "Read Now," I scooped it up.

What can I say? She's got some of the most beautiful covers in the business and the Egyptian-themed fantasy was perfect. What the River Knows is full of the lush, lyrical writing that I expected and I'd heartily recommend it to everyone, but especially those looking for a fresh YA fantasy.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for making this ARC available to read in exchange for a review on NetGalley.

The quick cut: A girl travels to Egypt looking for answers about her parents' deaths. She gets involved in schemes and intrigue on the way.

A real review:
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing the arc for an honest review.

A death in the family can be hard on anyone, but when that family is always leaving you behind? That is a pain even deeper. For Inez, it's a pain all too real when she's notified that her parents died in Egypt.

Inez has spent her life being left behind in Buenos Aires while her parents travel around the globe. It's a pain that becomes even deeper when she finds out her parents died a tragic death in Egypt, leaving her uncle in charge of her affairs. Inez is dedicated to finding out what happened and that starts with going to Egypt to discover what happened. Will she get the answers she's looking for?

This book was a real roller coaster journey for me and in the end I feel somewhat lukewarm overall. The one thing I still feel passionately about is how this story inspires an interest in Egyptian history. I just wish it also inspired a love for the characters.

This book is broken up into 4 parts. The first intros the characters, the second really focuses on the Egyptian mythology & history, the third has more of a storyline push, and then the fourth is when the story kicks into high gear with twists and turns. From the start to the end, I definitely developed different feelings about the characters and at least one wasn't intentional by the author.

Inez is portrayed as motivated and headstrong in the beginning, but as the story continues that portrayal becomes less true. She's emotional, irrational, and truthfully makes terrible choices with little ability to take criticism. Where I adored her independent nature in the beginning, I hated it by the end. Albeit, the girl has also been sheltered her whole life, so I guess it's not her fault. She still irritates me in the end though.

While most of the story comes from Inez' perspective, there are moments with White narrating. I do appreciate the little snippets from him as they do provide more context. He has his reasons for doing what he does and the mystery about him helps to drive the author to wonder what more there is to know about him.

A story that will inspire a passion for Egyptian history.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

This book was the perfect blend between intrigue, romance, summer and well, EGYPT. I have always been interested in the Pharaohs of Egypt. Specifically Cleopatra, just because she is such an icon, she was a female ruler in a time when most of the world was dominated by men. Also, I loved her tragic love story; I kind of think it is parallel to our main character's love, it is tragic and bound to end badly; but it can't be helped, it is just love. I was a particular fan of the way some parts of the book, like the number of chapters are written in Spanish, to highlight Inéz's heritage and that Spanish is her first language. As a Latina myself, I loved how I could see myself in her. The way she spoke and how I could understand both the English and Spanish words that sometimes popped up in the book. To those who do not speak Spanish, do not worry, only little details are written like that.

Another thing that made this book even better for me was the little facts about Egypt, its culture and people and how it demonstrated a genuine love for its heritage. The way the British act in the book is a perfect portrayal of what was happening at that time. How they literally stole ancient and priceless artifacts and diminished the rights of the Egyptians themselves, while still claiming to be superior. The research was well done and adapted to the context.

The love interest was spectacular, I could not love him more even if I tried. Their chemistry was undeniable and the way that he was so charming and witty made him the perfect partner for this adventure. His characters were also filled with mystery and intrigue that I will not talk about much in an effort to not spoil this book. But their interactions always left me feeling eager for the next step in their adventure.

I would 100% recommend his book to anyone who was the time to read it. I LOVED IT

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for letting me have access to this copy of the book

4.5/5 stars

I loved this book! This book got me out of my reading slump. I feel that this book gives off some vibes from The Mummy. The protagonist, Inez, is desperate to find answers about her parents’ deaths and so she heads off to Egypt. When she arrives, she is met with more secrets and suspicions. It’s hard to trust anyone when everyone is keeping their own secrets, herself included. The romance is rivals-to-lovers with a dash of forbidden romance. I loved the tension and slow burn of the romance between the two main characters. The ending to this book is killing me and I need the second book to come out! Overall, this was a fun, exciting, and entertaining read. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

This book was wonderful. I was completely invested in Inez's story. It was adventurous and exciting, I was hooked from the beginning! The setting was so vividly illustrated in my mind. I absolutely cannot believe that ending and can't wait for the sequel! This was my first book that I've read by Isabel Ibanez and I definitely want to read more.

This is officially up there as one of my favorite 2023 YA books. I've been struggling to even talk about this book because I'm just at a loss for words and want to scream "JUST READ IT!" This book hit that perfect balance where a YA audience will adore it. However, a millennial adult (which, admittedly, we are all still obsessed with The Mummy) will also be captivated. If you enjoyed Divine Rivals earlier this year, I fully believe this needs to be at the top of your TBR.

I really appreciated the slower beginning to give us time to get to know Inez Olivera. She is a stubborn, resourceful young woman who is still very sheltered and naive, leading to missteps. It's incredibly frustrating to read but it felt genuine to the setting. Whit is such a fascinating character; my favorite aspect is just how constantly frustrated he is with Inez for not falling into the box she's expected to be in. The book is mainly from Inez's perspective but I appreciated the sparse use of Whit's POV to give the reader additional insight into his character and/or the larger plot that Inez is unaware of (and trying to figure out).

The setting and story are captivating getting this ex-pat in Egypt lense and looking critically at colonization and exploitation of Egypt and its culture. This is an underlining thread throughout the adventure story of looking for Cleopatra's Tomb that I thought was very well executed. Then you get The Mummy vibes of BEING AT A EXCAVATION SITE looking for lost treasure and it just filled my little adventure soul.

The fantasy aspect was very light and an interesting execution. Magic was once prominent in the world but has since fallen away. However, items hold "memories" of magic that slowly begin to fade with use. So there are little things (a handkerchief that you can get hot water out of) that are useful and some items that move the plot forward in crucial ways but blink and you won't even realize this is categorized as "fantasy."

What I really want to talk about is the second half of the book because it had me in a vice grip of action and adventure and suspense and romantic tension that I, quite literally, could not put the book down. I needed to know what happened next at the end of each chapter. I was screaming at the book by the end and will be counting down the days until the second book in this duology comes out.

4-⭐⭐⭐⭐

"How much trouble are you going to cause me?"
"I really can't say...it might be a great deal."

What the River Knows is the first novel in a YA Historical Fantasy Romance series follow Inez, a young woman desperate to unravel the secrets behind her parent's disappearance in Egypt.

Inez has spent her life watching her parents leave her, waiting for their letters and visits. Their love of Egypt keeping them there six months out of the year. When she received word they are dead and no explanation of what transpired she decided to travel to Egypt and seek answers for herself, despite her uncle's protests. I admire her tenacity and determination. She is confronted with barrier after barrier from sneaking out of her aunt's home to travel to Egypt to giving her uncle's assistant the slip but she pushes through, desperate to understand her parent's love of Egypt and what caused their demise. I consistently cheered her on but did find, on occasion, she was a bit naive

Whitford Hayes is our delightful male main character and, boy, does he leave an impression upon arrival. He's intelligent, devilish, and a little gruff at times but I loved seeing him melt for Inez as she challenged him at every turn. He has many secrets and slowly peeling them back endeared him more to me each time.

This novel is YA and while there is a romance component, has no spice. There is kissing but this is a SLOW burn romance. I felt the tension between the two main character was perfection with banter that had me smiling constantly. The challenge each other in all the best ways but when one is in danger they will do whatever it takes to save them. I will say their romance is still ongoing by the end of the book and has me so curious to see how it grows. I think I would have like a bit more romance but the overarching mystery does grab you.

"Have I told you how much I live in terror of your ideas?"
"That's rude."

The world building in this book is phenomenal. I loved the blend of fantasy and history that we see in this book, down to the lore of magic imbued in objects. I felt pulled into this world and did not want to leave. The book itself is marketed as The Mummy meets Death on the Nile and I would agree with this sentiment.

The story itself is a mystery that draws you in. The twists and turns in the adventure keep up the pace and I don't want to spoil much but you are in for a ride with hidden secrets, betrayal, adventure, puzzling solving, history, and more. The ending will make your head spin with the epilogue and leave you demanding justice for book two...I still haven't forgiven the author.

If you love a fantasy adventure with archeology, ancient history, and secrets to expose alongside a slow burn romance that is teasing you this will be right up your alley!

Thank you Wednesday Books for the e-ARC>

Like what the heck?!?! I’m still trying to pick my jaw up off the ground! The way Isabel dropped this bomb and just thought “ok that’s a good place to stop”. What am I supposed to do now? How will I survive? What am I to deduce from that ending? How could you do this to me? Just when I thought all my dreams were coming true? How dare you 😆😭

I loved the setting, the mystery, the magic, the surprises and twists. I loved grumpy, smirking Whit, and the unflappable, resourceful Inez. I could have done without the language, I don’t think it was necessary. And I’ll just tell you the ending alone deserved 100 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

I really wanted to love this book and thought it would be right up my alley, but I couldn’t stand any of the characters and struggled to get through the story. The dialog felt immature and the FMC’s flip flopping between love and hate of the MMC drove me bonkers. I think this may have been more of a me issue though and I bet I’ll be in the minority with my thoughts though.

4.5⭐️/1🔥

“And so I learned to behave, but once they left for Egypt, my rebellious tendencies flared. I thanked God for it.”

What to expect:
🤎 Egypt meets magic
🤎 rivals to lovers
🤎 magical artifacts
🤎 headstrong fmc
🤎 morally grey mmc

My Thoughts:
After spending her whole life only seeing her parents during their brief visits to Buenos Aires, Inez is looking forward to spending some time with them. But tragedy strikes and Inez becomes and orphan overnight. Determined to find the reason behind her parents death, she travels alone to Egypt in search of her new guardian, a Tio (unlce) she’s only met once before, and answers to her parent’s death. What Inez finds, and unwilling becomes attached to, is more than she imagined.

Magic meets ancient Egypt in this book and I loved every second of it. Inez is headstrong and fearless in her search for answers and won’t let her secretive To Ricardo and his right hand man, handsome Whitford Hayes, stop her. She’s mesmerized by the country her parents spent most her life living in and by the magic slipping through the sand.

I loved this book. I was blown away by the seamless intertwining of Ancient Egypt and magic. It wasn’t cheesy or forced – it made sense. The thrill of finding artifacts and sacred tombs was so much fun to read. Inez and Whit are rival forced to become allies, while also fighting the growing attraction between them. The wonder of adventure jumped off the page and made me feel like I was right there in Egypt deciphering hieroglyphics. There were so many twists, mixed in with heartbreaks, that it never felt flat or repetitive.

AND THAT ENDING! That ending threw me for a loop and I cannot tell you how excited I am for the next book. Thank goodness it’s a series because I just know that is one story I’ll never get tired of reading about. I will deff be purchasing the beautiful B&N purple edition once it releases. This is one book you won’t want to skip!


Favorite Quotes:

“For fuck’s sake, Inez,” Whit hissed in my ear.

“Bloody hell.” – Whit

“Have you seen the way he looks at you? So…possessive.”

“Why are we always finding ourselves in dark, enclosed places, Olivera?”

Thank you to Isabel Ibañez, Netgalley, and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC for an honest review!

i’ve literally been left speechless. genuinely so good. the mystery, the twists, the tension. the last 20% genuinely had me gasping every few pages.

i’ve always been fascinated by old egypt, but the way miss ibañez described cairo and philae felt so familiar, like i could really step through and be in 1880s egypt. rich in culture and lore, the little middle school egyptologist on me was jumping for joy. if you’ve ever had an obsession with ancient egypt, this is the book for you.

the relationship between the heroine, inez, and her uncle was really interesting and i spent the whole book hoping they would work it out. the connection and tension between inez and whit? had me by the throat. the END!? i need the next book now. i need to know what happens.

i will be seated for book 2.