Escapism at its finest.

I thought this book was a cute and exciting read. I loved the main characters Inez and Whit, one headstrong and stubborn, and well, the other just as much. All of the details and historical facts the author provided did a great job setting the tone for this book. I felt like I needed to wipe the dust, sand, and dry heat off me while I read. For a YA novel, this wasn’t as fast of a read as I anticipated, but I still really liked it nonetheless. I knew there was going to be a second book, but at the time couldn’t fathom how much more a second book could cover. But after reading the cliff-hanging ending, I knew I would have to pick up the second as soon as it becomes available!

A slow burn romance and an intriguing mystery, all set in 19th century Egypt- I couldn’t ask for more if I tried. The premise stated “The Mummy” meets “Death on the Nile”, and if that doesn’t get you hooked, I don’t know what will!

📖 Read if 📖 :
✔️ You like historical fiction mixed with mystery, thrill, and romance
✔️ Learning about ancient Egypt sounds delightfully interesting
✔️ You don’t mind books ending on a twisting cliff hanger!

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading. The setting is immersive, the characters felt real, the twists are shocking-it's a truly magical story (literally and figuratively).

It's 1884 and when learning of her parents death, Inez travels alone to Egypt to meet up with her uncle and find out the truth behind her parents demise. The story is told through 2 points of view: Inez (about 90% of the story) and Whit (about 10%). Inez is such a fiery character. I love her fierceness, her determination, and her ability to face her fears and trauma head on. My heart broke for her at points and I cheered her on at others. Whit is such a complex character and you never really know what he's up to. The banter between the two is amazing and I can't wait to see where there story takes them. There were some truly shocking twists and I loved every second of it...until the end. Going in I had no idea this was the first in a series/duology. The cliffhanger is MASSIVE and I cannot wait to see where this story goes next!

While there are magical elements (which I love) , this story reads more like a historical fiction (which I also love) and the details are meticulous. Diving into ancient Egyptian culture isn't something I have done and it was such a great setting for this story. The details make you feel like you are navigating the Nile and exploring ancient tombs with the crew. This book is truly amazing and while I was expecting this to be a standalone, I am excited to dive into this story again when then next book is announced.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday books for the eARC.

First and foremost thank you to publishers, and of course to Netgalley for the review copy of this book. I am a sucker for anything Egypt related and this book did not disappoint at all. I enjoyed the lara croft type feel to this book as well. I think its going to be a sleeper hit! The romance was subtle and still really fun. I am hoping for more from this author. I loved all the fun touches of adventure. Solid 4 stars

YA Historical Fiction with a splash of romance, a splash of fantasy, and a hearty dose of adventure.

This is a great read for anyone who loves Egypt, mysteries, a heroic MMC, and a strong-headed FMC. Our heroine, Inez, travels to Egypt to solve the mystery of her missing (presumed dead) parents, and ends up wrapped up in an expedition to find Clepatra's tomb, with a hearty sprinkling of danger along the way. The pacing in this one felt a little funny - starting off quickly, moderate speed in the middle, and then a runaway train until the cliffhanger at the very end. If you liked the balance of history, magic, and romance in Divine Rivals, I think you're going to love this. (I could have used a dash more magic, but I'm happy with what I got!)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

When I read the pitch for this novel — 'The Mummy' meets 'Death on the Nile' in a historical fantasy set in Egypt and filled with adventure, an enemies-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race — I was 100% in — and reading the book only firmed up that commitment. (You should also know that the book opens with a very sweet hand-drawn map of Egypt. BONUS.)

Our heroine Inez Olivera is a firecracker. Seventeen years old and living in 19th-century Buenos Aires, she's the only child of wealthy, adventurous parents who spend most of their time on expeditions on the other side of the world. When the story opens, she's hiding in an old potter's shed, waiting for a letter, and drawing in her sketch pad. Here's a bit of the prologue:

'I glanced at the sketch pad propped against my knees and made myself more comfortable in the ancient porcelain bathtub. The remnants of old magic shrouded my frame, but barely. The spell had been cast long ago, and too many hands had handled the tub for me to be completely hidden. That was the trouble with most magic-touched things. Any traces of the original spell cast were faint, fading slowly... but that didn't stop my father from collecting as many magically tainted objects as he could. The manor was filled with worn shoes that grew flowers from the soles, and mirrors that sang as you walked by them, and chests that spewed bubbles whenever opened.'

Sadly, when the letter arrives, she learns that her parents have died.

Inez inherits their fortune and then, convinced their death isn't the tragic accident it appears to be, she secretly sails to Cairo with her spunky attitude, her sketch pads, and a magical gold ring her father sent her for safekeeping. In Egypt, she checks into the iconic Shepheard's Hotel, beloved by British tourists of the time for its stained glass windows, Persian carpets, and lush gardens. In the book, it's where Inez's parents were last seen. With her home base at the hotel, she gets into mischief as only a precocious young lady can. There's old-world magic, unexpected romance, and the revelation of secrets.

Inez is the narrator, and she's an excellent companion for adventure.

I'll be featuring this book on the November 3 episode of my podcast The Library of Lost Time (https://strongsenseofplace.com/library).

Thank you Netgalley for providing me an electronic copy of this gem. This story starts in Argentina and moves to Egypt an the end of the 19th century. Someone mentioned that this book gave them The Mummy vibes and I would have to agree. Thombs explorers, secrets, lies and deceit, a little romance and a head strong female protagonist. What is not to love? Perhaps the huge cliffhanger at the end!? I need book #2 ASAP! 4.5 stars.

Heads up y’all: this story is addictive and ends in a cliffhanger, without its sequel yet published.

With her parents gone, our Argentinian main character Ines travels to Cairo, where they spent most of her life. In working alongside her uncle, trying to discover Cleopatra’s tomb, she discovers she knew very little about her parents. She flies by the seat of her pants and figures out how to make her way into an archeological dig in a foreign country, where she doesn’t speak the language and, where she’s been explicitly told she’s not welcome had me cheering for her intrepid spirit.

The book feels quick paced to start, lags a tad in the middle and then speeds to a break neck pace that will have you refusing to tear your eyes away from your reading. It’s full of adventure (escaping a crocodile! Explosives! Kidnap!) and so many richly described vibes that it felt like a completely immersive experience for me.

There is a PG love interest that takes until page 373 of 406 to come to fruition, so if slow burn and banter is your thing, run don’t walk. He’s completely smitten by her headstrong will and impropriety in service of her aim. But oh for the love of Isis, that CLIFFHANGER. I can’t wait for the next in the series!

I’d recommend this to someone who
- grew up watching the Mummy
- likes some class consciousness with their historical fiction
- loves a headstrong FMC and a roguish “take your hands off her” kind of MMC
- doesn’t need terribly strong scaffolding around the magic system

However please keep in mind that this author is willing to kill off her characters, so don’t get TOO comfortable (and check trigger warnings), as plot lines that begin rather lightly turn dark rapidly at the last 20% of the book.

What the River Knows is my first Isabel Ibañez read, but it will not be my last! Every word in this book felt magical. Inez is a fantastic main character and the chemistry between her and Whit was perfect! The air of mystery surrounding all of the characters really added to my intrigue and kept me invested in the book. I also really enjoyed the ancient Egyptian history that was woven throughout the story. The transitions between settings was very smooth and really exciting. I had so much fun reading this book, which is not always how I feel even when I enjoy a book. I enjoyed the sharp banter and the archaeological aspect that was prominent in What the River Knows. This book had a lot of twists and I truthfully did not see most of them coming. I am anxious for the next book to come out already because the last chapter left me sweating. I really enjoyed the unpredictability of this book and want to reiterate how much fun I had reading this!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the e-ARC of What the River Knows! I have already preordered my copy because I will definitely be re-reading this!

This was a solid 3/3.5. I loved the premise but was disappointed with the pacing, character development, and magic. The book started strong but dragged in the middle, especially for a book that clearly has a sequel coming. The cliffhanger ending made up for some of it, but I wasn’t as invested in Inez by this point for it to fully do so. She became frustrating, especially with obviously missing what I felt was an obvious “twist” and even more so for the “will they, won’t they” with Whit. Many of their time interactions felt cringy and forced when the more interesting part of the story was the history:
/artifacts, parents mystery, and politics. While I loved the historical society information and accurate portrayal of Egypt at this time, the magic added felt random and underdeveloped. I was intrigued right away by the power passing through objects, but this soon became a side note, used only when needed for the plot. I’m hooked enough to want to know more in the sequel but felt there were many areas to tighten up for a more satisfying read.

If you're in the market for a slow burn, banter filled adventure, with a touch of magic look no further. Giving The Mummy, Indiana Jones, and Death on the Nile vibes. This novel is immersive, humorous, high stakes, and full of betrayal. Featuring a slow burn yearning fueled romance with well written banter. Whit is the perfect swoony, exasperated book boyfriend.

Forced Proximity, Slow Burn, Spunky FMC

What the River Knows is a solid YA historical mystery with an okay romance.

First, let's get this out of the way: yes, this is being compared to The Mummy. Yes, I can absolutely see why it is. No, it is not worthy of that comparison whatsoever. In fact, that comparison does this book an absolute disservice, because all the reader (me) will do is imprint the main characters with Evie and Rick, and these young adults do NOT live up to those lofty expectations.

Inez is a headstrong young woman who leaves home and races off to Egypt when she receives word that her parents have died. Egypt kept her parents for half the year, leaving Inez at home in Argentina and yearning to be with them and their adventurous lives. When she arrives in Egypt, she is met with her Uncle (now her guardian) and his right hand man, the brawny and dashing Whit. Inez stubbornly finds ways to stay in Egypt instead being sent back home, and is wrapped up in the mystery of her parents' deaths and the treasure they sought.

It's a good story with a decent mystery and a little bit of magic to give it some fun flavor. Ibanez did a lot of research for the time period and it shows in the text; Egypt is rendered in loving detail. There is also commentary on the various practices of colonizer countries coming in and taking her history away, on how Egyptians themselves were pushed out of studying their own history and archaeology. Those were great positives for this novel.

The mystery itself was serviceable; about 50% through I could see where the majority of it went. I DO have to give Ibanez credit for doing a few things in the climax that truly surprised me. I didn't see a few big moments coming, and I was struck with the shock and weight of them and the effects they had on the characters.

As for the characters...that was probably my least favorite part of this novel. Inez was headstrong and stubborn, but at times she crossed waaaay over the line into ignorant and stupid. Whit was annoying in how obviously the author tried to make him seem dashing and charming but also hiding inner turmoil. After the tenth time he was described as leaning/lounging against a wall/doorway with arms crossed over his chest/stomach and his ankles crossed, I wanted to throw my kindle across the room. It's so plainly obvious that he's supposed to be a Rick O'Connell type, but unfortunately he has NONE of the natural charm Brendan Fraser had in the role.

The budding romance between Inez and Whit was okay. It felt forced at times because the characters felt like they were being forced into playing roles already set for them by the author instead of seeing it happen organically. I didn't care whether they liked each other or not, but it didn't really ruin anything for me.

I would recommend this book for anyone that finds the plot/ideas intriguing AND likes a strong romance. Like I said, the story and mystery itself is decent, and the character issues are things I've had issues with in any novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this! What the River Knows will be available on October 31st.

I'm going to go re-watch The Mummy for the 200th time now.

What the River Knows is an intriguing tale of magic, adventure and Egyptian mythology and romance. The tension (plot and romantic) was perfection. The characters are well written, both the good characters and the villains. I was surprised at the ending and can't wait for the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for my review copy of this book.

Isabel Ibañez writes in such color. Everything is being and vivid and I always enjoy picking up one of her beautifully written stories. The same was the case for this one

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This review may contain spoilers.

Let's start with what I didn't like: This was written in first person POV and the main character was SO, SO, immature and stupid. SO much angst, no character depth, repetitive internal monologue. I swear she was worried if she didn't think about her parents death once per page it was like she'd forget. I don't think there was any need to be italicizing words to get emphasis across in internal monologue, but it happened, quite often. The execution of the book was just tragic. I think it would have worked much better for me in third person, and if we had other perspectives. Maybe the mom and uncle? That could have made it really interesting. Some flashbacks to before her parents died? Besides her memories of her cousin. I mean useful memories. We got so much detail on the weirdest things and then not enough of the actual things that could move the plot along. Also the repetitive internal monologue. Annoying when things are repeated, isn't it? Her parents died.

It really grated on me that this 19 year old super wealthy girl from the pinnacle of Buenos Aires society in 1884 has very strong opinions about England ruling Egypt and paying laborers working wages... okay cool. that's... realistic.

Good: the plot was really creative (I do love Egyptian history) and I didn't predict most of the betrayal or twists and turns that occurred. I think there could have been more depth to her heritage and if she was going to get so up in arms about the English occupation she needed a backstory that made her worthy of that judgement. (More so than "my parent's believed....")

I loved the cliff hanger ending and how you couldn't trust anyone. The ending, which probably pissed everyone else off, bumped this book up a star for me, almost to the point I'd suffer through a second one just to see what happens next.

I received an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.

So the most important thing I think people should know is that this book is first book in a series. I had zero idea this was a series and thought this was going to be a standalone. The cliffhanger ending kind of dispelled that assumption. I checked on Goodreads and there's still no mention of this being a new series. I know that can be a dealbreaker for some readers so I wanted to make sure people are aware of that fact going into the book.

Alright onto the review. What the River Knows is a historical fantasy romance, which to be honest is light on the fantasy and heavy on the romance (and witty banter). Most of the time it felt more like speculative historical fiction set in Egypt in the 1880s. I've been to Egypt twice in the last three years and I resonated with how Ibañez described the settings. At certain moments it felt like I was back in Cairo or Philae. The descriptions were vivid and it's obvious Ibañez was writing from a place of love for Egypt.

My only major qualm with the book is that it felt like it was a bigger book that Ibañez was forced to cut in half. There weren't any plot arcs that were wrapped up in the first book and the ending felt jarring. But a hell of a cliffhanger.

I've seen What the River Knows categorized as young adult. But I don't really understand why it's being marketed as such. It felt more new adult rather than young adult. If you're predominantly an adult fiction reader who skips out on young adult fiction, you shouldn't automatically write this book off. Overall I'd rate What the River Knows 4 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed reading it up until I realized there were only 30 pages left and there was no way any of the plot points would be wrapped up. I wish I'd been mentally prepared for a series going into it. However, I'll continue the series when the second book is released.

This is a very entertaining historical fantasy. Inez is an Argentinian young woman whose life has already been decided for her. Marry the Consul’s son and have children. When her parents go missing in Egypt, she escapes to find out what happened. There, she will meet a dreamy rogue, her shady uncle and a whole cast of new people. She will also find untold treasures and the trail of an Egyptian Queen. I loved how atmospheric it is, how everything is described in loving detail in a way that it makes Egypt in 1884 come to life. The historical context is also rich and helps set the action. The plot is suspenseful and addictive. I wasn’t a fan of the modern sensibilities imposed on a character from the XIX Century. Yes, she is modern for her time but the anti-colonial opinions that she voices all the time are more suited for people today than back in the day. The author says that was her intent, though, so a little suspension of disbelief is needed here. Inez also causes untold damage with her recklessness and her trusting the wrong people. That said, she’s young and has lived a sheltered life so it’s hard to fault her. I can’t say I liked her at all, but I was still rooting for her. This may be a spoiler but I hope there will be a sequel.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books!

I really enjoyed the setting for this book. The Egyptian landscape was beautiful and was a great setting we don't see used often enough.
However... the rest was pretty much standard fare for a YA novel. Which this was sadly what it was intended to be,
Inez felt very young, and her decisions followed that youthful naivete that YA protagonist usually has.
The magic system was pretty straightforward and a bit bland. Certain objects can cause different things to happen, but no one seems to know how to DO anything more with that magic because nothing was ever recorded (or that information was lost) so there's not a lot more about it. It's just a quaint quirk in the world.

It was fine overall, but nothing spectacular.

Wow! That ending has me hooked for the next book! It can’t come soon enough! I loved Inez and Whit and I absolutely adored the setting! Ibanez does an amazing job describing Egypt and the ruins in a way that I feel I am there.

I do wish there was a little more emphasis on the romance and a little less on the descriptions of food, but all in all, it was a fun and exciting read!

Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Was excited to get an ARC of What the River Knows from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The book is set in the late 1800’s and is in the historical fantasy realm. It starts with the main protagonist, Inez, waiting for a letter from her parents to see if they grant her request to join them on their adventures in Egypt. They spend a majority of the year there and she has never been.

Instead of the letter from her parents, Inez gets other unexpected news, and decides to go on a solo quest to Egypt to find out what happened to them.

Inez is stubborn and somewhat naive as she travels alone to the foreign country and meets many untrustworthy characters along the way.

I enjoyed the Egypt backdrop, magical undertones and historical tidbits in this one and was invested at the beginning, but found my attention waning about a third of the way through.

I found the story to be pretty slow moving and while I admit I’ve been tired this week, this one took longer than most to finish because I kept dozing off! Lol.

I would have appreciated more action, more fantasy like elements and perhaps more steam in the romance department. Things pick up at the end and there were some twists and turns but feeling like there’s a lot left unexplained.

Overall feeling like not much happened in the book except for what seems like a long setup to a sequel, even though it doesn’t say now that this is part of a series. Not sure if I’ll continue if there is another.

After the unexpected deaths of her absentee archeologist parents, heiress Inez Olivera sneaks out of Argentina and sails for Egypt intent on finding the uncle who is now her guardian and learning more about the work. As one might expect from a naive girl out on her own for the first time, she immediately loses an important clue sent to her by her father then determinedly stumbles into one obstacle after another in her quest. Along the way she meets a variety of morally dubious (and well-built) characters, including her uncle and a swoon-worthy love interest, and begins to finally uncover some of her parents' secrets.

This is an action-packed and dramatic book, with great characters and world-building, but reader beware! It ends on a serious cliff-hanger and we'll have to wait for book two of the duology to know what happens next!