After receiving a letter from her uncle saying that he parents have died, Inez goes to Egypt to get answers. When she gets there, she finds that her uncle is not telling her everything and must rely on ancient magic to help her learn the truth about her parents and her uncle. What the River Knows is a historical fantasy novel by Isabel Ibañez. This story takes place in Egypt in the 1800's.
This book was a bit hard to get into for me. Once I started to get into it, it was good and I enjoyed reading it. I was going to give it 4 stars but there were a few things about this book that made me change my mind. The first thing was the plot twist about her parents wasn't really a plot twist as it was easy to figure out. The second thing was the abrupt ending. I did not like it at all. Although I have to admit, I didn't expect it. I was expecting an ending that would leave me satisfied with questions answered, not more questions unanswered. If it had been easier for me to get into and the ending was better, I would have given it another star. I would still recommend this book to others. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The most ELECTRIC book I've read all year. I absolutely adored What the River Knows. It is a triumph in tension and romance. I read it so fast and I'm desperate for book 2. Five Fantastic Stars.

Guys. This was incredible. Quite probably the BEST ARC I’ve read all year.

Set in nineteenth century Argentina, Inez sails to Egypt after finding out her parents had died, to discover what really happened.

And let me tell you. I predicted absolutely nothing correctly. This book was seriously a wild read from start to finish.

Whit is the best love interest and I am HERE for the enemies to lovers trope 100%.

The ending made my jaw drop and left me fuming just slightly because WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!!

I am dying to know what happens next! 😭😭😭

The writing style was wonderful and I think this is definitely the best book Ibañez has written. I enjoyed reading Woven in Moonlight a few months back, but her writing is even better in What The River Knows. The dialogue is stronger and feels more natural, and the love interest felt more three dimensional too. I am so excited for Ibañez as a writer, I feel like she keeps getting better and better, and she was pretty fabulous to start with!

I’m not usually one to highlight quotes in a book, let alone annotate, but there were such good lines I couldn’t resist!!

Anyway, all that to say, this is an amazing book, add it to your tbr, get it on preorder and then message me when you read it so we can discuss the ending!!!!

This has themes of murder, archeology, ancient Egypt, betrayal, and enemies to lovers.

Thanks to @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for this advanced copy! You can pick up What the River Knows on October 31, 2023.

I finished this book in one sitting. It was so captivating from the start that I couldn't put it down, the characters leaping off the page and the central mystery snaring me immediately. I haven't read any other works by Isabel Ibañez, but she's undoubtedly a master world-builder and researcher.

I truly felt transported to 1800s Egypt. Everything, from the archeological sites to metropolitan Cairo, felt viscerally real. The attention to detail was incredible without being overwhelming, adding so much texture to the setting that it could've been me running around the city or digging in the tombs.

Inez and Whit had incredible chemistry, and their individual POVs helped us sympathize and relate to them so much. My one gripe is that I wish Whit opened up a teensy bit more, but I understand why Isabel made the decisions she did with his secrets.

And that ending? Criminal. I feel like Inez, left with more questions than answers. I can't wait to see how her and Whit's story will end in Book 2!

Isabel Ibanez' Together We Burn was one of the highlights of my reading journey last year. It was well plotted, with characters I could root for, and a satisfying ending. Unfortunately, What the River Knows has none of those things.

Inez Olivera has just found out her parents have died in Egypt, where they spent half of each year, leaving their daughter behind with family. She immediately embarks on a trip to find out what happened to them, as well as decipher the magic in the ring her father mailed her.

One of the worst choices made by the PR team or publishing company when it came to marketing this book was to compare it to the 1999 movie The Mummy, which is an iconic film with outstanding performances and many fun and clever moments. Unless a book was near perfect, it was never going to measure up to The Mummy, and this book is far from perfect.

“I can be incredibly loud and annoying when I want to be.” Unfortunately, this is our protagonist in a nutshell. She is the archetypal feisty heroine who antagonizes and snaps at everyone she meets, deciding she knows best even though she is in a land that is new to her, dealing with lies and betrayals she doesn't know about, and is basically on her own.

The attempt to ensure that the reader see Whit, the dashing assistant, as a worthy substitute for Rick O'Connell is so obvious - we are forever told about his long legs, his broad chest, the lock of hair that falls rakishly over his forehead - we get it, we get it, he's supposed to be a charming rogue!

I wish there had been more of the magic hinted at in this book, it was a clever way of including a fantasy element. The setting is vividly brought to life, Ms Ibanez has a gift for making a land leap off the page, and I could picture the scenes in my head as she described them. I really, really wanted to like this book but sadly not even the revelations and events toward the end made up for Inez's behavior.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The setting of Egypt in the 1880s felt immersive and rich, and the characters had depth to them. And this combined three genres I love (historical fiction, mystery, and fantasy).

The interactions between Inez and Whit were so fun to read, especially when they were purposefully aggravating each other.

I did feel like the last quarter of the book was rushed and didn't hold together as well as the rest did. Characters sometimes made big jumps in their arcs, scene changes would happen rather abruptly, and there were moments where the logic didn't quite work or things were repeated. That twist at the very end though! I need to read the next book!

Thank you to to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sharing this arc!

I honestly am so disappointed in myself that I waited so long to read this arc. This has turned out to be one of my absolute favorite books of the year.

What the River Knows is a historical fantasy with a lot of adventure, a sprinkle of romance, and a dash of magic. Set in 1884, our main protagonist Inez lives in Buenos Aires and receives the unfortunate news that her parents are presumed dead. As Inez travels to Egypt to uncover the truth, she finds that the tales her parents told her about the magical and mysterious land of Egypt are so much more than she expected. Along the way she meets up with her Tio Ricardo, an archaeologist and artifact connoisseur who Inez suspects has ulterior motives in discovering long-lost treasure. To make things even more complicated, Inez has to content with Tio Ricardo's right hand man, the suave, complicated, and ruggedly good looking Whitford Hayes, who seems to have secrets of his own. With a little bit of magic, Inez and Whit have to work closely to attempt to discover the mystery of the last pharaoh.

This book is full of adventure and feels like Indiana Jones, Death on the Nile, and The Mummy all rolled up into one delicious story. Isabel Ibanez has done an amazing job of bringing Egypt to life with rich storytelling in an incredibly detailed setting. I am so excited to see how this story continues with the second book in the duology.

This book was absolutely stunning. First of all, the author creates realistic and relatable characters. Second off, she weaves such a wonderful historical tale with a touch of magic I understand that many people were upset with the magical elements in this book, but I found them to be well written and pertinent to the story.

I will say, it took me about two or three chapters to really get into this book, but once I did, boy did I delve deep!

The only portion of the book I was unhappy with was towards the end where two characters got rescued but we were never really told how they were found. Maybe when the book comes out, I'll scope back through that part and see if it was just something I missed while reading it the first time.

I honestly felt like this book is one to be on the lookout for this fall! Definitely would recommend to anyone who loves ancient civilizations. The author really did her research and it just makes the book all that much better for it.

Inez has only longed for one thing, to join her parents on their excavations to Egypt, where they spent most of their time, away from her. When she learns of their sudden disappearance, she grows suspicious. Nothing will stop her from sailing from Buenos Aires to Cairo to find answers, joining her Uncle and his smashing assistant in their archeological endeavors.

What the River Knows, is a historical fantasy novel with adventure, deception, magic, and set in a thrilling setting as Egypt. The rich descriptions of 1880s Cairo and Alexandra felt like I was breathing the dusty air. When Inez stepped off the dock, I pictured Jane from Tarzan, with the outfits and bustle ready for an adventure in a new territory she has dreamed about visiting. This visit to Cairo is not a tourist visit, and Inez's drive to find her parents pushes the boundaries of ladies expectations at that time. The magic system surrounding ancient artifacts felt so natural as if it was something to be believable today. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and really anxious to read the next due to that cliff hanger ending!

This was really good! It was a bit slow tat first but I didn't mind because the heroine, Inez, was so gutsy I never knew what she would do next, which kept things interesting! Haha
Poor girl finds out her parents are dead and everyone is hell bent on keeping her from learning more about what happened. That doesn't stop her, of course. Even after she outwitted her uncle's man several times, he's slow to realize he can't get in her way lol
Love all the history tid bits and The Mummy-isk era this was set in, when exploration (and exploitation) of Egyptian treasures was booming.
Inez gets more than what she bargained for when she discovers her parents secrets. I enjoyed joinging her on her journey.
Only downside was....I didn't love her love interest, Witt. Never a fan of condescending men. And that ending! 😱
I was under the impression this was a standalone so I was like.....what?! This CAN'T be how it ends! 😵 So I immediately went to investigate and apparently it will be part of a duology haha
A touch of magic, gunshots, murder, secrets, treasure, betrayals, banter, carriage chases, history....of course I'm going to read book 2! I MUST know what happens 😂

This was an adventure story set in 1884 Egypt. Inez Olivera has just found out her parents are presumed dead while disappearing during an excavation in Egypt. Although only 18, Inez runs away from home and boards a ship headed to Cairo to discover the fate of her parents and her inheritance.
Upon her arrival, she discovers her uncle is full of secrets and has arranged for her immediate return to Argentina. Whit, a handsome young man, is in charge of making sure Inez leaves Egypt immediately. However, Inez is determined to stay and discover what is really going on.
It was a bit frustrating because Inez's uncle refused to share any details with her. The author also briefly would include some magical realism in the story that was never really expanded on. Inez could sense images from past when she held some ancient artifacts. That part seemed a little disjointed from the story.
However, the story was really good and kept my interest. By the end of the book, there were some characters who were extremely dangerous, and the storyline became a bit tense. But be prepared, this story leaves off on a cliffhanger! Hopefully a sequel comes out soon. I received a complimentary e-book from the publisher via Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Packed with potential but failed to deliver. It was very easy to read and I breezed through in two days. The writing was crisp, but for a setting like Egypt I couldn't help but wish for more. The possibilities for magic in an egyptian world are endless yet they weren't tapped enough.

Random woke remarks 'British bad' were just... there, maybe to remind us that that the mc has a conscience. She wasn't all that dumb, a little 'woke'. Yet the love interest is a aristocratic British white boy with blue eyes. 😐 My interest went down the drain. This whole book felt very Caucasian- oriented, with the only native Egyptian character, who was more than the hotel staff, showing up in the second half. It felt modern yet it was backward at the same time.

Inez was a carbon copy of IB's previous fmcs. Stubborn, brash and an exotic beauty. I guess this formula works for her because I wasn't all that mad. I like a bossy mc but the point of tired is approaching. Whit did not have a speck of appeal that most book bfs have. Arturo holds the throne still. The mysterious, pained aura got tired real quick. Kept us guessing his backstory for a good chunk, only for the reveal to be no surprise. The ending was the only part that worked in Whit's favour. I'm mildly interested in the sequel now.

If you go in with low expectations and want a light, entertaining fantasy book that doesn't require much thinking, this is a good choice.

A wonderful YA read!

The story follows Inez as she travels from Buenos Aires to Egypt hoping to find out how her parents died and to continue their work in Egyptian artifacts. Egyptian history and mythology are main concepts within the book, which I really enjoyed, however, I felt like the pacing was off and the book kind of plodded along slowly in some places. The romance between Inez and Whit was very typical YA and kind of cliché. They reminded of the romance in the movie series, The Mummy, between Evelyn and Rick, only the characters are younger. The book ends on a cliff-hanger so fans will anxious to read the sequel.

Overall, this was a decent YA read and I would easily recommend it to fans of Egyptian history and mythology, YA romance, suspense, and adventure.

Thank you to Isabel Ibañez, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Inez Olivera has been left behind her whole life. Growing up in a prominent family in Buenos Aires, Inez has everything a young lady of wealth could want except her parents, who are continually leading expeditions worldwide. She has always dreamed of traveling with them when she grows older, but that day never happens. Suddenly she finds herself at a crossroads, her parents are dead, her fortune is vast, and her thirst for answers and adventure leads her down a path that will change her future and, perhaps, uncover her past. Isabel Ibanez delivers an amazing series premiere in, What the River Knows with pages filled with adventure, intrigue, and even a potential love interest. Once again, Ibanez delivers a fabulously crafted novel worth reading repeatedly.

I really enjoyed the pace of this book and the mystery aspect. I loved the inclusion of mythology and Egyptian history and culture. This book blends together historical fiction, magic, mystery, mythology, and romance. Inez, the main character, is strong, independent, intelligent, and courageous, although naive at times. She is determined to solve the mystery and stand up for what she thinks is right. The competitive, dangerous, archaeological aspect reminded me of Indian Jones. The only reason I gave 4 stars and not 5 was because I did not completely enjoy the dialogue between the main character and the love interest. I enjoyed the romantic tropes, but the dialogue felt awkward, cheesy, and forced at times. Overall, I had fun with this book and can't wait for the series to continue!

This was such an exciting story from one of my favorite authors. Even so, here is my unbiased review:

The writing was for the most part, superb. I loved getting to know the characters, Tio Ricardo was interesting. As was Whit. As far as the writing goes, while the author used the protagonists voice to make valid points, they were modern points, and every time the author spoke about how the British obviously discriminated against the Egyptians when they occupied that country, it took me out of the story. It felt like one of those southern slavery novels so popular in the 1990s where everyone was against slavery even if that wouldn't have been how they really felt in the 1860s. . . It was tough because her points are true, but I found them unbelievable for an upper middle class girl of the era and this took me out of the story.

Even so, I loved the local. I love stories about both South America and Egypt and the actual tale, when the author wasn't using the protagonist to preach, was fantastic. I felt like I was in Egypt feeling the evening breezes in front of the Shepherd Hotel. I felt like I was a lost girl in the segregated restaurant. Going up and down the Nile in search of treasure is a dream.

So all in all, I loved most of it. 5 stars for setting, 4 for characters and 3 for preaching. Because even if someone's points are valid, I just don't buy that they would come out of the mouth of someone at that time.

Prepare to be swept away and swoon! I was entranced by Ibañez’ Egypt-inspired fantasy, and adored the wonderful combination of adventure, magic, and romance. Ibañez is an amazing world-builder––her food descriptions are to die for––and this one will pull you in and not let go.

The romance and mystery are all fabulous, but my favourite aspect of the story is Inez’ character arc. She goes through a powerful journey of discovery and Ibañez expertly plants clues and layers Inez’ growing awareness of who she can and cannot trust. Not to mention there’s Whit––did I mention Whit? He’s the book boyfriend you’ve been waiting for!

My only note is that I did wish there had been more sensitivity to the colonial nature of Inez' presence and work in Egypt, and that despite her being from Argentina, she is still participating in a colonial project.

I’m a huge fan of Ibañez and have read all her novels and cannot wait for the sequel!

4.5 stars

Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for the ARC!

THAT ENDING. What the heck, I’m going to have to wait for the next book to know what happens?!

This is the book for you if you were an Egypt or archeology obsessed kid like me. It’s so much fun, so we’ll researched, and will keep you guessing the entire time! The romance was swoon-worthy and filled with delicious tension. I literally fist-pumped at some points haha.

I also loved how the book addressed the problems with tourism, racism, and artifacts being destroyed/sold in 19th century Egypt by colonizers. This is something often glazed over in history classes.

Overall, I definitely recommend this one for a fun and fascinating read for every kid who ever imagined the excitement of opening up a an Egyptian tomb.

TikTok full review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT88hTE1s/

This book has everything that an archaeology. The Mummy, Indiana Jones, fangirl could want. There is romance. There is adventure. There is mystery. And there is a lot of Egyptian history and culture.

If you are into those things but are struggling with the beginning of this story- stick with it! It is definitely a slow start and I found myself wondering when the excitement would come. But don't worry, it does (at around the 30% mark).

I love Inez and her tenacity. No matter how many times she is told no, she figures out a way to do what she wants. Go girl! And Whit was a great love interest. I thought the other characters were well developed with unique personalities.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for providing an eARC of this book!

What the River Knows is a vibrant fantasy that will transport you back in time to Egypt. You will feel like you are on the dig sites with Inez, Ricardo, and Witt. Isabel Ibañez weaves a rich tapestry of mystery, murder, theft, and a love plot that makes it impossible to stop reading. I devoured this book when I should have been sleeping, reading into the late hours of the night multiple times.

The main character has her flaws, they are put on full display and they endanger her life numerous times which can be frustrating to read, but she's a young woman who is dealing with the grief of losing her parents when she only got to be in half their lives. I think remembering that through the book makes Inez's actions a bit more tolerable and understandable, as this book does explore the grieving process.