As an avid fan of The Mummy, I was hooked by the comp alone. :) What the River Knows was a delightful adventure, equal parts thrilling and delicious.
At 17 years old, Inez Olivera discovers that her parents have died in Egypt. Having lived under the care of her aunt for most of her life, Inez has longed to see Egypt--the place that so captivated her parents that they abandoned her in Argentina. Inez decides to travel alone to discover what happened to her parents, reconnect with her uncle Ricardo and seek answers to her many questions.
The tension and banter between Inez and Whit is chef's kiss, and I look forward to reading the sequel to see how Ibanez resolves that cliffhanger!
I'm giving What the River Knows 4 stars because I think Inez's age didn't seem appropriate for the story, which pulled me out a few times. I also didn't understand why the death of a certain character (toward the end of the story) was necessary. That said, I loved the exploration of Egypt, the mysteries and twists, and Inez's spunk.

what the river knows is a historical fantasy set in egypt and in my opinion, it is much more interesting that the titles it's been compared to. inez grew up in buenos aires and she is half of her parents' heart. but the rest of their heart resides in egypt and when news of their death reaches inez, she sets off to find out what truly happened to them, handsome assistants to her guardian and old magic be damned! once she sets foot in egypt though, she quickly realizes there's more to her parents' story and her search for answers may reach an unexpected path.

this book was incredibly fun and interesting, so much so i'm ignoring that the side romance is NOT rivals to lovers (in fact i think we need to learn what rivals mean again!) and inez was just such a likeable and wonderful character, always ready to do things her way, defiant and headstrong, but full of love, she really truly was one of the strengths of this book. i enjoyed the brief snippets of whit's pov we got and that cliffhanger was evil. this book really covered loss and love and mystery with so much care and research going into portraying the cultures in egypt and the history behind everything accurately and with care, something i appreciated. but truly i cannot begin to explain how inez was just an amazing character to read about, never did i feel frustrated by her action (though i did get embarrased quite a few times) which is just so nice. this was just a very enjoyable book full of characters to love and the author's note at the end was also very interesting! overall i am very excited for the conclusion in the duology and i'm more excited to enjoy reading about inez again!

thanks to st. martins press and netgalley for the arc!

What. A. Book!! I absolutely adored What The River Knows and I have no idea how I'm going to wait for the sequel after a cliffhanger like that! This was such a hard book to put down, I was along for the ride with every twist and turn. Inez is everything I love in a female lead - strong, sassy, and smart! I was laughing out loud at her wit and loved seeing the dynamics between characters evolve throughout the book. And the banter between Whit and Inez is just next level, so so good!

I've had a copy pre-ordered for months already and can't wait for it's release in October so I can relive the adventure all over again!

I honestly couldn’t get into this book. That doesn’t mean that it is bad by any means, I’ve had books where it was hard to get into but ended up being five stars. The premise was interesting I just couldn’t vibe with the writing. This ended up being a DNF for me.

Isabel Ibanez starts her story of a young woman traveling to Egypt to uncover the mystery of her parent's lives with loads of great imagery and knowledge of a time rife with explorers into this ancient land. You can tell that the author has spent time researching so much about this time period and region, which is commendable. However, the number of characters in the story and twists and turns are so confusing that it's hard to really get invested in the story and follow along. I was also expecting more on the 'magical' aspect surrounding Cleopatra and was disappointed at how underwhelming any manifestation in the story turned out to be.

I'm assuming there is a second book for in the works for this but the first was so muddied, I don't think I would be continuing on.

What the River Knows follows Inez Olivera whom escapes her home in Argentina to Egypt where she intends to uncover information about the disappearance of her mother and father. Finding answers regarding their disappearance in Cairo comes with challenges from her uncle and his right hand man, Whitford Hayes, but Inez is resourceful and determined.

I love the world that Isabel Ibañez builds with her storytelling. Aside from the betrayals and mystery, I thought the magical element in the story was unique, but some explanations fell flat. Overall, it was an enjoyable, lovely, and transporting read. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book!

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

Themes: Historical, Adventure, Ancient Egypt, Magic

What the River Knows is about a girl who is trying to find out what happened to her parents in Egypt. She runs away and goes to her uncle in Egypt, who she hardly knows, and finds a whole new world she didn’t know existed. There is adventure, betrayal and even a little romance. I love anything to do with Ancient Egypt and this book was full of it. Going to archeological sites, hyroglyphs, artifacts and the gods and goddesses. It reminded me of an Indiana Jones or The Mummy break off. Inez was such a fun FMC and how strong and mischievous she is. There was a big twist at the end and I can’t wait to read the next book.

I received an arc and am leaving an honest review.

Firstly I mostly enjoyed this book. The plot was engaging, the characters are interesting, and overall it kept me reading. I do think the Egyptian lore felt a bit disjointed within the story sometimes, but as a YA book I actually think that’s fine. It’s part Indiana jones style mystery, part romance, and part family drama, so it has something for lots of people.

The main thing that was took me out of the story was the descriptive writing which was at times very heavy handed. I also wish that since the author chose to make the characters Argentinian and actually spend time there, I would have liked to feel the cultural tension more the characters and their Egyptian setting.

Overall though I do think YA readers and fans of new adult urban fantasy will enjoy this!

*trigger warning w/ mild spoiler

I do think a trigger warning should be added for an abrupt murder towards the end of the book. Especially in a YA that really has no violence of consequence or otherwise explicit content for the whole book, I found the unexpected murder to feel extremely jarring, so readers should just know that’s coming.

This book was an enchanting read, and the only thing that would have made it better would have been if I had known it was a duology. It was a riveting read and I cannot wait for more from Ibanez!

Overall, this read just felt confusing, like it couldn’t decide what it wanted to be. Let’s start with genre — is this YA (it has a young protagonist, but all other characters are adults), is it adult fiction (there is adultery and murder), or a brush with magical realism (the use of magic was fine, but the lack of understanding and inconsistencies was annoying).

Additionally, character development was lackluster at best. I do not like what the author did with her female characters. The protagonist, Olivia, endlessly swoons over an engaged man, not to mention is reckless and selfish. Her best friend/sister, Elvira, has no development outside of loving and eventually dying for the protagonist. And Olivia’s long lost and adored mother turns out to be a thief and adulterer who cons her own daughter. Like, what is this?

Lastly, the writing style didn’t work for me. The book alternates between Olivia and Whit’s (her love interest) POV. But Whit added nothing to the story; his narrative was almost always in reaction or response to something Olivia did. Additionally, Ibañez randomly incorporated Spanish into the story (I.e. chapter titles and the occasional phrase) but did little to develop the culture. In fact, she also incorporated French and Egyptian dialogue with little difference. In trying to do too much, the author actually did nothing.

Simply put, this read didn’t work for me. That being said, it worked for a lot of other readers. So, I encourage you to read a few different reviews before deciding if this is a book for you!

5 STARS TO THIS ENCHANTING STORY!

I'm in awe!!!!!! I still can't believe what a crazy story that was! At first, I was just entranced by how beautiful the writing was. It felt so atmospheric, and I loved how the author wrote in the era the book is set in. It just felt so real and tangible and beautiful. And for a moment there I did feel like it was dragging on slightly, I wanted there to be more happening, but I started just accepting that this was going to be a bit of a slow burn with a lot of layers underneath it. The second half/later half of this book is absolutely nuts in the sense that there's this growing tension and feeling that something's wrong. You really can't trust anything that's happening and the deceit and lies and secrets are just SO good. I was shocked and I felt like I was experiencing everything along with Inez.

ALSO. Whit!!! What a beautiful, haunted man! I loved their banter, I loved the way they antagonize each other. The tension was absolutely perfect.

The ending was...bad in the sense that I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE TO WAIT SO LONG TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!! THAT. WAS. INSANE. I'M ASLDFJLSDKFJASDLFKJALFKJ. I'd say that I think I know where this is going with the little snippet in the Epilogie, but I have no doubt that the author will have a million and one surprises.

This was such a wonderful adventure. It did feel like a slow burn, and it did feel long at times, but I"m so happy I stuck with it. It was interesting, felt well researched and understood, and was just complex...ugh what a dream a book. It felt so grounded in earth, but magical. The overall atmosphere and tone of this...perfect.

Can't wait for everyone to read this in October!!!!!! Please put this in your TBR!!!!!!

This was a great read! I loved Inez as a main character and found her to be a multi-dimensional plucky and relatable heroine. The romance is one of the biggest selling points of this book and I found their dynamic to be very endearing and fun - definitely reminded me of The Mummy (Brendan Fraser version). I also adored the Egyptian setting and the author's lush writing.

Thank you so much for my review copy of ‘What the River Knows’

This book follows Inez after her parent’s death. She decides to travel to Egypt to discover more about her parents and to explore. Inez has been pretty sheltered, but has fought against the rules held against her at every turn. I loved her independence. When Inez arrives to Egypt she meet Whit, and they hilariously bump heads.

This book is very much dialogue based, and I found myself losing interest at many intervals, due to the slow writing style. I wished there had been more balance of ‘talking’ to ‘action’, as my ADHD self couldn’t focus long enough on all of the dialogue that at times lasted an entire chapter.

Another thing that I couldn’t get past, is Inez’s attitude at times. She came off as a little annoying and fell for Whit way too fast. She came off as bratty at times. Her attitude, so little action, and extreme dialogue made me give up on this book.

I also LOVED The Mummy, and couldn’t wait to get into this book. This didn’t feel like how The Mummy made me feel.

Again, thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book, Netgalley & publishers, but unfortunately this one wasn’t for me.

It was a very interesting story and well written, but it was so incredibly long and didn't feel like a fast read. For those who like fantasy, it will be a very good read, but for others this book will seem to take forever to finish.

A shinning 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was SUCH an amazing read. The minute I heard about this book it was added to the top of my most anticipated reads for this year. I absolutely loved The Mummy (hellooo O’Connell) so sign me up for a book with that dynamic! I was lucky enough to get a digital ARC for this book, and it beyond surpassed my expectations and desires. It is truly the perfect mix of mystery, magic, romance, and historical fiction, packed tight with ancient Egyptian mythology.

I loved our main character Inez. She was the perfect mix of naive and young but still determined and intelligent. Whit was everything I could have wanted for the sarcastic and rude but endearing love interest. The banter and sarcasm was delicious, and the tension between these two was thick! They had undeniable chemistry together. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I will say that we spend the entire book slowly getting a picture of Whit, but the ending completely left me hanging on what would happen and what exactly Whit’s true motivations were.

This book had less action then I expected, but I actually ended up loving that. The writing was beautiful and I was loving following our characters on their journey as they traveled through Egypt. I felt like I could even smell the things the main characters were. While the books weren’t endless action, there were still plenty of moments that had me at the edge of my seat!

Overall this book completely surprised me. It was wonderfully crafted, with a combination of beautiful language and fun and detailed characters that together created a very immersive and enjoyable read. If you like murder mysteries and the vibes of ancient Egypt, with a romance that rivals The Mummy, then I recommend picking up a copy of What The River Knows.

The publish dates has been moved 2 weeks closer - Now publishes on Halloween!!

Spoiler/trigger warning: The book does have a few moments that are a little violent, and there is a romantic moment between characters that gets a little steamy (a heavy make out session)

Thank netgalley for my early EARC copy

✨Rating 3.5/5 ✨


Ok honestly where do I begin

I was super intrigued by the first couple chapters it seemed as Inez was very trouble by her parents always living her as well as then comes the worst part news of there death

She hops on a boat and goes to Egypt to look for them

She finds her uncle and Whit which is a super hot guy who works for her uncle they give her no information just to at her parents are long gone and missing

The book felt very repetitive and slow through out the first 70% I was expecting a lot more action like in the movie the mummy as stated

Some of the plots were predictable and I caught on much more quickly than I wanted to


The ending it’s what made it a 3.5 stars for me because I think I will absolutely love the second book significantly more

This was a bit more slow paced than I wanted it to be it may be great for you but I needed more which I believe the second book will give me just from the epilogue!

Raise your hand if as a child you watched every documentary on Ancient Egypt, read every archaeology related book at the library, owned that Egyptology kids book, and made and decorated a sarcophagus and canopic jars (a shoe box and baby food jars) for one of your stuffed animals.

...Anyways, it's safe to say I'm a sucker for anything Egypt or archaeology related in general. Growing up I adored the Amelia Peabody mystery series which is archaeology/Egypt related as well. I saw the description for this book and knew I wanted to read it.

Pros: It's a very atmospheric read and you definitely feel like you're in Egypt along for the ride. The twists in the novel kept me engaged, particularly the cliffhanger at the end! I also really enjoy the magical realism genre and I like how that was infused in the book along with Inez's culture. The characters felt like real people with dynamic personalities.

Cons: While I enjoyed the magic system, I hope in the next book the magic is fleshed out even more! More explanation of how it all works would make the novel feel more alive and cohesive. The budding romance was engaging but not overbearing, however, I felt like more effort was put into Inez's character development. Whit bordered on flat and too grumpy at times.

I'm definitely interested in the next novel and how all the characters develop. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I enjoyed the historical aspect of this book and Inez was a strong female character. Inez was persistent in making finding out what happened to her parents while also having an adventure. Towards the end the book was dragging and got darker then what I was expecting. It was still an enjoyable read.

I enjoyed the mix of fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction, as well as the multiple settings and dual POV. I would've liked a bit more depth to some of the characters. The story ends on a cliffhanger to keep thee reader holding on the a sequel. I appreciated the fact that the romance angle wasn't overpowering. I found the Egyptian details quite interesting. Some parts were a bit repetitive, but, since this isn't the final copy, perhaps that will change with the final edits. Inez was an easy character to engage with and root for, but I didn't feel quite the same about Whit. It's clear that a lot of research went into the story.

What the River Knows had been on my TBR list for awhile and I was so happy when I saw it on NetGalley! I read Death on the Nile and liked the story, but didn’t love the style or language it was written in. What the River Knows offers a Death on the Nile feel, mixed with The Mummy. On top of that delicious mixture there’s a forbidden romance plot as the icing on the cake. I only wish that I had known that this was the first installment of a duo series because now I’m dying to read the second one and have such a long time to wait until it’s finally released. I could see this book being picked up and made into a movie as well.