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.

Thank you NetGally for the ARC

This was honestly such a treat to read. I've always been a fan of the grand adventure through ancient and mysterious settings like the Mummy and Indiana Jones and this hit every mark.

4.25/5 stars

What The River Knows was everything my inner Latine child obsessed with ancient Egypt could have wanted in a novel. When I read the premise of this story I was immediately excited to see what could happen. This book delivered.

We meet Inez, a bold, tenacious, young lady at the beginning of her story and watch as she takes on all sorts of challenges. She travels from her Buenos Aires to Egypt and explores several places once there. I love that there is an interweaving of magic, history, and challenging norms in this book. I also loved that I felt similar to Inez in the book in that I was constantly questioning which characters we could actually trust.

The author weaves a tale of mystery, suspense, wonder, and suspicion that kept me engaged throughout the story, even in slower moments of history giving and world building.

If you love magic, intrigue, and characters with questionable ethics I strongly encourage you to pick up this book. I absolutely can't wait to read the cycle and add this book to my shelf! Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What The River Knows is an atmospheric YA historical fantasy, following our MC Inez as she travels Egypt for answers concerning her parents death.
This book was evocative, slow-moving, beautifully soothing, and contemplative. The writing absorbs you and claims your heart.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-ARC!

I hate to write a negative review, but unfortunately this book really disappointed me. This for me was definitely a 1.5 rounded up.

The first 75% of this book was fun, not the most amazing romance I had ever read but it was engaging. The setting was really intriguing, and I felt like the author did a great job with research and was able to set up a very vivid and alluring backdrop for the story. The characters were a bit flat in the beginning but I tend to feel that way about most romance stories I read. The magic system was also really flat, and honestly felt like an after thought, an easy mechanism to solve "issues" but it was charming and didn't impact how I was feeling about the story overall.

I was enjoying the ride...but then I hit the last 25%ish of the book and it went completely off the rails. I felt like every romance and action trope that exists was thrown into this section. Every chapter had a new "twist", which made it so hard to trust anything that was happening. I wasn't given the time to process something, and then all of the sudden something else came up. The whole ending was just entirely rushed, and the motivation for each of those actions suffered because of that. This also majorly impacted my relationship to each character as well.

I am genuinely disappointed in the ending of this book, and its so unfortunate because the potential is definitely there. I am hoping if there is a follow up that the magic system is better defined, the characters get more depth and the motivations for the action bits are a bit more intentional/thoughtful.

Isabel Ibáñez writes with such a passion. I loved how she incorporates such rich culture into a mystery and rivals to lovers romance plot. There is emotion and a strong main character.

This book is great for people who love historical fantasy. The suspense will keep you reading on and on because of the overlooming feel of disaster.

First off, I loved Isabel Ibanez’s other books. I was able to read an advance copy of What the River Knows with NetGalley. I thought the story started out somewhat slow and I ended up reading another book and then circling back. I am so glad I did! I love the Egyptian setting and the cultural elements she incorporated. I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the architecture and food.
Inez is a complex character whose headstrong, creative but sheltered by her family and society norms.
Whit is an even more complicated character who I could never really pin down because he is a chameleon. The last half of the book was full of plot twists that I didn’t expect and really loved! I hope this is the first book in a series that will unravel all these characters and give us more of Cleopatra and the magical elements in this world. In conclusion, I will be waiting impatiently.

I love the adventure that this story took me on! It takes place in 19th century Egypt where Inez Olivera travels to uncover some secrets about her family. She meets the brooding Whit, who is bothered by her presence and is not afraid to hide it. As the story goes on, they uncover these truths together, which also gives them a chance to learn more about each other. There adventures happen in the beautiful city of Cairo and island of Philae, which adds to the uniqueness of the story. Inez is a determined, smart character and I cannot wait to continue reading about her in the sequel!

“What the River Knows” by Isabel Ibañez was pitched as a “The Mummy” meets “Death on the Nile” and that very neatly describes it.

Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera is part of 19th century Buenos Aires’s high society, but she longs to be with her parents, who leave her behind on their travels. When Inez receives a letter informing her of her parents’ tragic deaths at an archaeological dig in Egypt, she inherits their fortune and an archaeologist as her new guardian.

Determined to find answers about her parents, Inez sails to Cairo on her own. Once she arrives in the bustling city, the old world magic connected to the golden ring her father sent her for safekeeping sends her down a path that reveals there is more to her parents’ disappearance than her guardian implied.

Inez utilizes the ancient magic in her quest to discover what really happened to her parents, despite being hindered at every turn by her guardian’s handsome—but frustrating—assistant. What she uncovers is a larger conspiracy, with stakes higher than she ever could have imagined.

I find myself unsure of what I thought of “What the River Knows.” It was beautifully written, with lush descriptions of everything from the setting to the clothes. The plot was captivating, especially near the end when I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen next.

But the main character, Inez Olivera, suffers greatly by being a 19th century character written by a 21st century author. Much of her dialogue with men, especially for the first half or three-quarters of the book is jarringly out of character for a young woman of that time. It regularly took me out of the story. Had it been her thoughts or maybe something she mumbled under her breath undetected, it might have worked better. But instead we’re left with yet another period heroine turned into a girl boss.

The book is also repetitive for the first half. Every man Inez meets she has the same conversations and arguments with: she will stay in Egypt despite being unchaperoned and she will follow her guardian to the dig site where her parents were last seen. Ibañez was trying to show how little agency women had during this time, but it fell short. Instead of reinforcing the struggles Inez faced, the repetition of these scenes just spun the story’s tires endlessly.

As frustrating as I found those points, the overall plot of “What the River Knows” is excellent. It’s a high adventure story with fun twists and quippy lines that would translate well to a movie. I found myself eager to find out what was going to happen next, and audibly groaned when the book ended on a cliffhanger and a shocking epilogue.

Overall, “What the River Knows” is a good book. It was clearly well researched and written by someone with a vivid imagination and a flair for the dramatics, in the best way possible. If not for the “girl bossification” of the heroine, it would have been a great book.

What an amazing, atmospheric book! From the moment I read the first sentence I was absolutely enchanted by Inez's story and her journey to discover the mystery of her parents and to understand their love for Egypt.

I loved the Rock and Evie dynamic between Inez and Whit, it was a slow-burn angsty forbidden love that made me giddy and wanting more.

The Egyptian history was a lot of fun to learn about, added with the elements of magic that made the book a perfect historical fantasy.

Although this book has mystery elements, to me this book felt very much like a cozy fantasy. I enjoyed every minute of the lush writing, characters, and dynamics. The ending left me with many questions so I can't wait to get my hands on the second book.

Thank you St Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

In full candor, I might be starting to age out of YA books.
The premise of the novel is absolutely fascinating and it's something we haven't read yet. By this, I mean the integration of a new world of magic with Egyptian history and an Argentinian heroine. There is so much culture and contextualization that could be detailed out in this story. I will tip my hat to the author's descriptive paragraphs once our heroine starts traveling throughout Egypt. However, it does lack that color elsewhere.

Overall the story's pacing is quite slow. While there is a lot that happens very quickly, we're not beholden to our narrator yet and so a lot of her decisions and attitude is quite annoying (i.e. ring/train incident). My interest in the story didn't really grow until she became a stowaway on the Elephantine.

The most successful part of this story is the dynamic between Whitford and Inez. The dialogue was a TRUE SUCCESS in this story and by far my favorite parts of the novel. Our heroine uses logic to fight against her attraction and in turn reveals a confidence often misplaced for our gentile, aristocratic protagonists. This doesn't mean that there isn't true flirting and attraction, we just don't have to wait 60% of the novel for our romantic leads to make some progress.

The ending was devastating and rather than make me excited for the sequel, made me anxious and a bit nauseous on the discourse to come. My hope is that the sequel will not make a hash of the best parts of the author's style: the romantic leads dialogue.

Wow, this book was awesome, I didn't realize how much I love and needed a fantasy set in Egypt.

The book flowed and transitioned so beautifully, I felt like I was there with the characters. The only thing I hate is waiting for Book two to come, and how it's going to be another year! Ah.

I adore Isbael's writing and didn't want this to end, and that cliffhanger omg. The anticipation is going to kill me, but I cannot wait to see this and book two on shelves.