As a student of archaeology, I cannot recommend this book enough! Inez is the hero I have always wanted. She is fierce, smart, loyal and actually respects the complex, beautiful history of Egypt. Plus, there is a thrilling romance that keeps you rooting for love to conquer all.

Five stars.

What The River Knows is hands down one of the best books I have ever read. As someone who has a special interest in Egypt and its relative archeology, exploration, and history, I was blown away by the clear dedication to research and late 1800s Egyptian history displayed in this novel. Then, you have an incredible amount of language and cross-cultural relations that pull you deeper into the immersive experience. This is a historical fantasy that truly FEELS like a historical work. Then you take all of that and add mystery, and a romance with the perfect amount of tension and angst?! Isabel Ibanez is truly a master of her craft. I need the sequel yesterday!

What the River Knows has Agatha Christie vibes. Olivera’s parents live two separate lives. Their daughter lives in Argentina, while they split time in Egypt. One day Olivera receives a letter letting her know that her parents have died. She’s determined to find out what happened to them. I loved the fast pace of the novel and the cliffhanger ending!

I literally just finished this book and I feel breathless. I had no idea this is the first book in a duology and that cliffhanger took me ABSOLUTELY by surprise.

Inez is such a relatable character. She's headstrong but naive. She has been delt quite the hand and seems to be traversing a whole new map about as well as any of us could expect to.

I loved the way magic was woven into this story in sublet but impactful ways.

I am 100% unsure how I feel about Whit.

The multi layers of betrayal in this book while knock the wind out of you, over and over again.

I’ve been obsessed with Egypt since learning about Ancient Egyptian culture in middle school so when I saw the blurb for What the River Knows saying it’s for lovers of the movie The Mummy and Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, I could not resist requesting an ARC!
While I feel like those comparisons are a little misleading, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I'm giving it 4.5-5/5 stars. It’s a young adult version of Elizabeth Peter’s Amelia Peabody series and that series is one of my all-time favorites.
What the River Knows begins in late 19th century Argentina with 19-year-old Inez Olivera learning about her parents’ disappearance and presumed deaths in Egypt. She’s always yearned to go along on their adventures to archaeological digs led by her maternal uncle, Ricardo, and now Inez takes the opportunity to visit him and discover what became of her parents. Chaos ensues as soon as she lands in Egypt and it’s one adventure after another!
I absolutely loved the story!! It’s such an interesting premise and Ibanez pulled it off so well. The only quibble I had was the love interest, it was a little cringey at his introduction(Inez finds out he’s British and asks him if he’s proud of what his countrymen have done by invading Egypt…literally the second or third thing she says upon meeting him!) and I didn’t believe their instant attraction. It gets better as it goes on and I liked him after awhile. The intrigue was a slow burn and I wasn’t able to put it down until I finished it only to find a cliffhanger!! From other reviews I found out this is to be a duology, whew!
Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending this book for review consideration, all opinions and thoughts are my own. I’ll definitely be ordering this book(and the sequel when it becomes available) for my library and recommending to our patrons!

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL ADVENTURE! This is the first of Isabel's books that I've had the chance to read, but boy did it live up to the hype. The voice of the character, and the emotion in the MC's POV, were what hooked me at first but Isabel has made the setting of this book feel like its own character - and it was her writing of the setting that kept me reading. It made me feel like I was there. Definitely a slow-burn romance but I enjoyed every minute of it. I'd recommend it to everyone!

Secrets, lies, intrigue, mystery and magic!!! This book has it all!

Set in Egypt, this historical fantasy follows 19year old Inez Olivero as she sets out to find out the truth behind her parents mysterious deaths. Her uncle, a famous archeologist is now her guardian but with his taciturn attitude towards her and his commitment to sending her home without answers Inez discovers she has a secret that may give her a place at the table. She has been imbued with old magic that is pulling her towards maybe making one of the biggest discoveries in Egyptian history and also getting the answers she seeks about her parents. Whit, her uncles hired man is supposed to be blocking her attempts at finding answers but their contentious relationship is more charged with romantic tension than either one of them want to admit but with his own secrets can Inez really trust Whit? And will she get the answers she is so desperately seeking?

I LOVED this book so much and for so many reasons. The writing in this book is deliciously immersive, I felt like I was in the markets of Cairo and on the Nile and on site at the dig to find precious artifacts. The use of Spanish throughout the book made my heart so happy and felt so authentic. The various family dynamics represented were complicated and filled with drama and very relatable. I enjoyed the fantasy aspects of the story and felt it was well balanced within it's historical representation of actual events. At times I did think that the book leaned to far in to descriptions of history where it began to feel like a lecture but it wasn't enough to effect my rating.

Inez is a new favorite FMC for me! I loved her determination and her tenacity. Her relationship with her parents definitely had me hurting for her. Her romance with Whit was the perfect slow burn and I appreciated a more mature representation of their romance. Their banter was top tier and I loved every second of their interactions. And that ending left me reeling and dying to know what happens next!! The large cast of characters that are all shrouded in some kind of mystery had my detective skills working overtime and had me guessing the entire time. I loved the atmosphere of the time period and the inclusion of social and cultural politics of that time period. This book just checked so many boxes and managed to feel very unique as a fantasy read. I am delighted to have had the opportunity to read it.

<i>Thank you to St. Martins Press, Isabel Ibanez and Netgalley for the gifted arc</i>

A fun mystery in the style of The Mummy or a classic Agatha Christie! The female main character was a bit overly frustrating, but I enjoyed the atmosphere of this book a lot!

HOLY CRAP
That’s all that’s coming to mind. Everything about this book was astounding. I had things to do, but instead I dumped everything and just read. I couldn’t stop reading. The detail of the characters, scenery, and plot was astounding. Isabel Ibañez is a master world builder. Her ability to combine history and fantasy astonishes me and I will forever love everything she writes. Inez’s character was so fun. I felt such a close connection to her and her quest to seek the truth. AND MY WORD- WHIT- what a man!! I mean, he’s so gorgeous. I do wanna slap him, but I’ll get over it. I felt like I was in Egypt, walking the streets and seeing the sights. I loved being able to read What The River Knows since I’m going to Egypt in January. Reading this book has only encouraged my excitement on going. Im so honored and thrilled to have been able to get an EARC.

**Review will be published October 26th on my site and socials!**

WHAT JUST HAPPENED.

This has got to be one of the best cliffhangers I’ve read in recent memory. When I tell you my jaw DROPPED and I frantically read the last page multiple times trying to figure out what happened, ohhhhh boy. That right there deserves a lot of praise. I love a good blindside. BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN.

The tension in this romance will send you to space. Whit and Inez are two planets orbiting each other but not quite close enough. AND I LIVED FOR IT ALL. Give me all of the build moments. I am a sucker. I loved both of them as separate characters too. Complicated backgrounds and trauma, learning to be open and lean on each other, just all the goodness I love seeing in main characters.

I thought the plot was fantastic and it sent me on multiple internet dives to read more about Cleopatra and Egypt. I loved the way that history was blending in with the fantasy and how lush and beautiful the words built the world. Immersive and daring and WILD twists and turns. I may have caught one, but in no way caught them all.

I NEED BOOK TWO NOW.

Overall audience notes:

YA Historical Fantasy Romance
Language: a little strong
Romance: heated make-out
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, murder, kidnapping, loss of loved ones, near death experiences

this book was a good read! i first saw it on barnes and noble’s website because they have a special edition, but the overall story was extremely enticing as well.

arc provided by St. Martin's and Wednesday Press.

this was a fun read! it's pitched as Death on the Nile meets The Mummy, and definitely leans more toward the latter of those; the mystery aspect is hinted at early on but doesn't pick up until at least halfway into the book. the archaeology aspect is the main focus of the book, and it's really well-grounded in the historical context of the time. this feels a bit more magical realism than fantasy, but it's very well researched and the setting is extremely immersive. the main characters were all interesting and felt like real people, but some of them didn't get the narrative time i felt they needed (really hoping Isadora gets more screen time in the sequel). i did feel like Inez had a bit of Feyre Archeron syndrome where she's headstrong and kind of clueless and gets herself into situations way over her head, but she's a sheltered ya protagonist and i can't really fault her for it. there were a couple minor continuity errors in places, but they didn't really distract from the book. overall, this was an enjoyable read and i'll definitely be picking up the sequel because this one's ending is a cryptic cliffhanger that i need to see resolved.

arc provided by St. Martin's and Wednesday Press in exchange for an honest review

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It is greatly appreciated!

Aspects of this book that I absolutely loved:
• The magic system- it is a very interesting concept and I’m excited to see where the author goes with this.
• The setting and historical aspects
• The writing was amazing, and immediately pulled me in.
• The MMC’s characterization (I can’t help but love him).
• The plot twist at the end- completely surprising and unexpected (but also, I need the next book immediately).

Aspects of the book that I wasn’t a fan of:
• The book was slow paced until the end where it seemed like everything happened at once.
• The FMC’s characterization was a point of contention for me. Endless questions at the worst times, nosy, brash, and all around annoying. I didn’t like how she didn’t respect the MMC’s request to call him by his last name or the fact that the world was imploding around her in various ways and she was still thinking of unnecessary questions to ask the MMC. I liked her at first, and her sense of adventure, but as time went on, I found myself becoming repeatedly aggravated by her. I am hoping in the second book she matures as she becomes exposed to more of what is happening around her.

The thing that immediately drew my interest regarding this book was the B&N special edition that will be coming out later this year. I loved the pictures of the main characters and immediately preordered. It’s gorgeous! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading the second one!

What the River Knows follows Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera as she travels on her own (😱) to Egypt to find out what happened to her parents in a world full of items steeped in the remains of magic. Set in 1884 What the River Knows is the Mummy meets Death on the Nile, and it definitely holds up to that!

This is the first book I've read by Isabel Ibañez, and I immediately bought another after reading this. I didn't know what to expect from her so there was something that happened that was completely unexpected which very rarely happens for me and made me love the story even more. And to give some perspective on that, if you've read Fourth Wing, I saw the whole thing coming before I was even halfway done.

What the River Knows is full of Egyptian history with a magical twist, witty banter, and an ending that will leaving you begging for its sequel (is there a date yet Isabel?). I keep having to remind myself that this book doesn't come out until Halloween because I'm anxious to find out what happens next...even more so than other anticipated sequels.

I'd love to say more, but I worry I'll give so many fun and exciting things away. This was a book I pestered my husband with, telling him the whole story as I read it even though he had no idea what I was talking about.

Go pre-order What the River Knows (BN has a beautiful exclusive edition I'll be getting!). And make sure to follow @isabelwriter09 now for news on the sequel because once you read this, you'll be asking for more!

It is very rude of authors to take time to write a second book because I want it now.

What I liked:
- the setting and vibes. Argentina and Egypt don't get a lot of YA love and especially not in the colonial era
- archaeology! I may be biased as I read it while on excavation
- the very last twist, my heart

What I didn't like:
- pacing was pretty slow until the end, when everything started happening at once
- Whit is a stupid name and his POVs were unnecessary. If it was equally weighted dual POV I think it could've worked, but the 90% Inez 10% Whit split was weird.
- there is magic. It is not explained at all. No one outside the protagonists seems to care. Expand on this pls

Thank you, Isabel Ibañez, for sharing this story and for perfectly wrapping up my main obsessions as a child. Magic, art, and Egypt!

"What the River Knows" ended up being more than I wanted and exactly what I needed to get me out of my spiral of re-reading. Colourful and fresh, the adventure this book brings you on has romance, danger, and betrayal to rage-cry over.

An amazing mc who's witty and playful and adventurous and a little on the machivious side, I instantly liked Inez Olivera. It was truly fun reading her travels into Egypt. Her on-the-spot thinking and ability to find trouble really pushed the story along. And Whit just compliments her character so well. Inez being someone who needs to find the truth and Whit being so full of secrets, their push and pull was super entertaining and had me smiling like a fool and kicking my feet.

It being based in Egypt the world in What the River Knows is stunning. You can feel the love for Egypt coming off the pages from the exquisite and almost poetic way it's described by the author. From buildings and artifacts, to pastries and clothes, it's all beautifully writen and colourful. The magic is fascinating in the way it's from the "old world" and clings to odd objects rather than be something people cast or create in the present times. It was a refreashing take and different from the usual (that I read anyway). The magic also wasn't some super complicated, overwhelming thing that took up 80% of the story. More like it moved along with the characters and the plot seamlessly.

The actual story line was very well explained and it didn't feel too jumpy or like it was missing anything important. Although a bit of it was predictable it was wonderfully written and was a joy to read. But that end though *chef's kiss* My Lord, that was out of left field and now I for sure need more.

Overall, it was a fun a quick read. I would read it again, I want it on my shelf, and I will be looking for the news on the next one.

I love to hate when an ending leaves me hanging. Particularly when the book is an ARC that NetGalley lets me read, and that means that THIS book hasn't been published, let alone the sequel! I may not be okay over here!

This book was intriguing and pulled me right in to the mystery of Egypt and the tomb of Cleopatra. I found myself deeply invested in the characters and the story. That said, it would have been so easy to make this a book I could hand off to a teen rigout a thought. There is some foul language in here that just wildly unnecessary, alongside a some suggestive descriptions. I just think it would have been so easy to keep this clean, while staying true to the story.

Overall, really enjoyed this book and will look forward to the sequel!

Review:
This book was awesome, I was sucked into the story immediately and couldn’t put it down. It helps that I am always a sucker for a stubborn and capable FMC. A cohesive blend of Egyptian and Greek mythology, British and Egyptian history, romance, crime, and freaking magic. Speaking of magic, I loved how the magic worked in this story and it was discussed so matter of factly since it is a matter of fact part of their universe.

I did find parts of the story somewhat predictable and the way Elvira’s story went really bothered me. Not for what happened but for how it was dealt with and told. But maybe it’s because it was handled so realistically instead of having a plot line rescue that wouldn’t happen in real life.

Also the ending. Omg. I need book two asap.

I ABSOLUTELY adored this book. The Egyptian setting in the past was so refreshing, and I loved seeing it from the perspective of a visitor who was respectful and in awe of the setting. I also enjoyed the creative way Cleopatra was integrated into the story. The romance was fun too, especially with how stubborn and slippery our heroine was!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.