4.75/5 stars! The cover for this book was stunning and I liked other books I've read by Isabel Ibanez, so I was excited to get the chance to read this one. This book read like an updated recreation of Brendan Frazer's "The Mummy" and that's a good thing. I loved the Egyptian setting and Inez is a strong character. The romance element was well-handled and I couldn't read this fast enough.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Inez Olivera wants nothing more than to leave Buenas Aires and join her parents, excavating in Egypt. So when she gets word of their deaths, Inez sails to Cairo to help uncover what has happened to them. Upon arriving, equipped with a mysterious, magical ring her father had sent her, Inez follows in her parent's footsteps from bustling Cairo to the treacherous waters of the Nile to the sandy excavation sites at Aswan. But there are many secrets to uncover and her parents may have been involved in more than she ever could have dared. With danger and magic at every turn (and her uncle's irritatingly handsome assistant thwarting her), Inez may run out of time before ever uncovering the truth - losing her life and her heart in the process.

What the River Knows was a fun, historical romance that I immensely enjoyed. Inez is a headstrong and determined character who refuses to back down from what she wants. I admired her bold spirit and willingness to learn. While the story was certainly enjoyable, I found the climax to be quite rushed, the dialogue a bit clunky at times, and the romance a bit fast-paced in my opinion. While Whit and Inez were certainly a pair I could root for, their story did not feel as fluid as I would have liked. There was also one action that happens towards the end that I felt was quite unnecessary and purely for the shock factor. Some characters were underutilized and underdeveloped and I wished I could have seen more of them. Some just outright disappeared toward the end. I think the premise was strong and had a lot of potential, but the execution, unfortunately, needed some more work.

One thing to note that I did appreciate was Ibanez's careful attention to detail when talking about Egyptian culture. I could tell that she had done her research and, as an Egyptian, was very pleased that she made sure to actually represent Egypt rather than only use it as a backdrop for her plot. I appreciated the anticolonial message condemning other cultures for taking over the excavation process in Egypt and stealing the artifacts. I think that could be explored further in future books and I hope that she will involve more actual Egyptian characters.
All in all, the book did not wow me but I still had a great time.

This book is amazing! The plot is incredibly immersive, it feels as if you're in Egypt with Inez. We also learn a lot of facts about Egypt, especially when it comes to the colonization by the British. The atrocities commited by t¹he British in Egypt were horrible, racism was at an all time high and it damaged the country greatly.
Inez is a great main character. She keeps suffering through the novel and doesn't get a break, but that never shakes her resolve. Despite all the trauma, she keeps pushing on.
Inez's parents are neglectfull. We see several times how she wishes she trully knew them and how she wants to find out why they loved Cairo more than her. They spent more time away from her than with her, so when they disappear it's obvious Inez tries to find out why and who they truly were.
Tío Ricardo is an unexpected mentor who Inez has a complicated relationship with. Now that she knows the truth about him, I wonder how they'll interact in the sequel.
Whit is such a charming character! He's mysterious, but he also cares a lot about Inez, going through great lengths to keep her safe.
There was also some pretty big plot-twists, that surprised me.
The ending had a huge cliffhanger, so I'm very excited for the sequel. It left me with a lot to think about!
Tw: death, murder, arranged marriage, Kidnapping, torture, disappearance, racism, sexism.

I absolutely loved this book! Inez is my favorite kind of MFC... not helpless but also human. And Whitford is extremely likeable 😂 I saw other reviews likening them to Evelyn and Rick from The Mummy and I can definitely see the likeness. If you like historical fantasy with some light romance thrown in, check this out! I would consider this more magical realism, which is my favorite. I thought it was a tiny bit slow to start, but once I was hooked, I couldn't put it down. I'm sad I will be assuredly waiting awhile for the next book! Beware, the conflict is not resolved in this book and it ends on a good cliff hanger :)

Amazing dive into latin culture and great story , characters are relatable and story is definitely engaging. Love Isabel writing and how is so authentic to the cultures she tries to represent even if is with fantasy.

What the River Knows is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. I’m obsessed with this book!! Isabel’s writing style was beautiful and the story was magical from the very beginning. I loved reading about Inez’s journey to Egypt and the ways she overcame obstacles that got in her way. Whit is, obviously, another character that I just adored. I hope he shares more about himself in the future and I can’t wait to read more about him and Inez in the sequel!!

ALSO, Isabel kept surprising me till the very end…. It was amazing.

Loved this book. A historical fiction set in Egypt during early exploration of tombs. The author sprinkled just enough magic within the story to keep it realistic and not overwhelmingly fantasy like. The beginning moves a little slow but once the main protagonist is in Egypt the story flies by to the very last page where I ended with a gasp! Will be recommending this book to others!

The Mummy - but make it bookish!

This book literally gave me The Mummy vibes which is one of my favorite movies. This book did not disappoint. It's adventurous, romantic, and just fun all around - minus the cliffhanger because now comes the wait!

This book is a little on the YA side, but because it's so much fun, I still enjoyed it! I was expecting it to be a little on the upper YA side or NA but that's alright! It's still a good book all the same. Percy Jackson readers would also enjoy it!

When I saw this book described as The Mummy meets Death on the Nile, I was immediately intrigued. I’ve always loved all things Ancient Egypt and I was super excited to be sent this as an ARC after seeing Rebecca Ross did a blurb herself.

The beginning starts out with Inez at home in Buenos Aires in the 1880’s and follows her on her voyage to Egypt where she eventually ends up in Cairo. The descriptions of the city and the historical sites that people frequented at that time were beautiful. I absolutely loved getting lost in the time period. We meet Inez’s uncle Ricardo and his assistant Whitford and an adventure explodes from there.

This book started a tad slow for me, but once it got going, I absolutely didn’t want to be interrupted. The twists and turns and the adventure had me hooked. I also loved the addition of the magical objects Inez comes across. They added a fun touch to the story.

I did not realize this was going to be a series and that ending caught me off guard. All I have to say is, Isabel Ibañez, how dare you? That ending killed me. I literally cannot wait for book two. I need so many answers.

If you enjoy, ancient Egypt, magic historical objects, enemies to lovers, not knowing who to trust, twists and turns, and descriptive imagery, I would highly recommend this book!!

4.5 stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for this ARC.

This book had everything I could want in a story: a strong female protagonist who is trying to grow into herself while navigating her place in the world, a magical system that is both relatable and complex, a dash of romance, and characters that spring from the pages and keep you hooked from beginning to end. This author is definitely someone you should keep an eye out for!

A big thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! What a read this book is. The characters are incredible and complex. The story itself takes place when Egyptology was all the rage. Traveling to Africa to explore and find pieces of history; this book captures the mystery and excitement of it all. I absolutely loved this story! Readers will definitely get an inspiration of The Mummy throughout this book, but it also has magic and a uniqueness all its own. I cannot even begin to express how much you need to read this! You won’t want to miss it.

Thank you Wednesday Books for the gifted eARC.

What the River Knows was a highly anticipated 2023 release for me - the cover and premise immediately caught my attention and I thought it would be a definite win for me. I did really enjoy certain parts of the book, but overall I just felt fine about it.

Here is what worked for me:
-The setting is rich and alive and I want more books set in Egypt now!
-Isabel Ibañez always has wonderful food, clothes, etc. descriptions
-Very interesting premise to the book
-The author clearly did her research

Here is what didn’t work for me:
-The pacing felt off
-The plot seemed to meander a bit
-Too many twists (most of which I saw coming)
-Whit as a love interest never interested me
-I just didn’t “buy” these characters

The magic system I felt mixed on - I liked the idea behind it, but it just didn’t really come together for me.

Okay this one pleasantly surprised me. It's a little out of my typical reading genre and I'm happy I took the leap because wow.

* more in depth review to come I'm still trying to find the words to express how much I really loved this.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I feel so-so lucky (like lottery lucky) to have been able to get a copy of this book! What The River Knows is an absolutely beautifully written novel, and I hope to the heavens that there will be a sequel. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

I LOVED this book. It gripped me from the start and I enjoyed the adventure. It's pegged as THE MUMMY meets DEATH ON THE NILE, which sold me immediately. The Mummy is one of my favourite films, and I've always longed for a book that would fill that void in my heart. I think this definitely met my qualifications. The main character, Inez, is feisty and stubborn and I found that I was on board with her behaviour for the entire book. I loved all the side characters too, and the romance between Inez & Whit. There were good twists that I wasn't expecting at all, which really impressed me! Although this is a historical fantasy, I found the magical elements really low-key rather than in your face. At times, I forgot I was reading a fantasy book - but this isn't a criticism; I actually found it refreshing to read!

#book33of2023 What The River Knows by Isabel Ibanez Egypt-crazed 6th grade me is literally jumping up and down repeatedly with excitement because the perfect book finally exists. If Woven in Moonlight wasn’t enough of a book to make this author a must read for me (it was, but still) this book just sealed the deal with the most perfectly written kissing scene to boot. This is extremely well researched with the scenic writing making the Egyptian winds flow through your hair as if you were standing on the deck of the Dahabeeyah facing the Nile with Inez herself. Inez Olivera is living in Argentina with her aunt and two cousins while her parents are in Egypt on secret business. Longing for adventure and knowledge of her parents goings on- she spends her time painting and dreaming. She’s devastated to learn of her parents deaths and is determined to find the answers no one is giving her. She boards a train dressed in black with one destination in mind- Egypt. Once there, she’s heartbroken to find a mysterious uncle eager to send her back to Argentina in the name of safety. Accompanying her is the gorgeous- I mean- obnoxious Whit. She’s no match and quickly sneaks away from him and manages (with great difficulty) to follow them aboard the Elephantine, a dahabeeya, bound for Philae and with any hope, Cleopatra’s tomb. Upon their arrival she finds history, secrets, magical objects, untrustworthy characters and danger. Inez pushes forward determined to seek the truth and perhaps a romance. And she thinks she’s solved the mystery, but has she? #kristalreads

A huge giant thank you to #netgalley #wednesdaybooks and especially to @isabelwriter09 for this ARC- I literally am waiting on baited breath to see what happens to Inez and Whit ❤️

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book**

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez is out November 13, 2023!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🌶️/4

What the River Knows is a historical fantasy, following Inez Olivera through her first visit to Egypt in 1884. Inez lives in Argentina with her aunt and cousins while her parents spend half the year in Egypt, always coming and going. When Inez learns of her parents disappearance and presumed death, she sets off on a journey to find out the truth about what happened. From smugglers, to amazingly slow-burn romance, to an entirely unique magic system, this book will take you on one amazing journey.

I cannot say enough about this book. It's easily a 5 star read for me, and I've been looking for a book to draw me in as much as this one has. There is so much Egyptian culture and history to learn about, which was something I've never read before but thoroughly loved. Inez is an extremely likable main character, who is strong and independent in the time when that was accepted by society. She is determined to see her goals through. Her heart is fragile, yet she carries the strength of her heartbreaks so well. Whit shows up fairly early and their banter is so fun and exciting. The slow burn was absolutely to DIE FOR. There were plot twists I wasn't expecting and this book was so beautifully written.

AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT ENDING?! I felt like my own heart breaking as I read those last few lines. The worst part about this book is that it's over and I have to wait for the sequel to be written.

I highly recommended picking this book up when it releases this Fall!

🏷️: #whattheriverknows #isabelibañez #advancereaderscopy #arc #newbook #bookreview #comingsoon #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #readingcommunity #readingchallenge #ilovebooks #kindlereads #kindle

I was lucky enough to win a free e Arc of What the River Knows, and was super excited to read a well researched Egyptian fantasy! It did not disappoint. There was great worldbuilding that I especially loved, as someone who was fascinated with Ancient Egypt as a kid. Plus, the magic system in this book was truly unique and interesting. Add in a swoony love interest and endless back and forth banter-- chef's kiss! Now, I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel. The cliffhanger ending shocked me and has me on pins and needles waiting for book 2!

There's Book 2, right? RIGHT?!!!!!

There's definitely stakes in this book and no one gets out clean. But there seems to be layers upon layers here and I just need to know more. I loved the snippets of Cleopatra and the clear love for Egypt (and lots of pointed remarks about colonialism) and its long history although I was surprised that Inez didn't learn more about the country outside of Shakespeare. Minor quibble. Recommended.

WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS by Isabel Ibañez is the first in a Young Adult Fantasy duology described as "The Mummy" meets Death on the Nile. Egyptology? Yes, please. Rivals to lovers romance? Of course! Isabel Ibañez? One of my favorite authors. This book was a whirlwind of a ride with beautiful and dangerous settings, compelling characters, a unique magic system, and a satisfyingly twisty plot. I adored it! Before I gush on more, let me tell you what this book is about.

It's the year 1884, and Inez's adventurous parents are away again. Inez wishes they would take her with them on their next trip to Egypt rather than leaving her at their estate in Buenos Aires, Argentina with her aunt and cousins. When she receives word from her uncle in Egypt that they are dead, she inherits their wealth and uses some of it to sneak off to Alexandria, Egypt to investigate what happened. She takes a ring her father sent her, and her sketch pads, thinking they might help her unlock the truth. What she discovers is beyond anything she (or the reader) expected. Thrown in the mix with her uncle who doesn't want her there is his handsome young assistant who has a chip on his shoulder about something he won't discuss. Inez must use the magic that connects her to an important archeological find to discover the truth about what happened to her parents while danger closes in on her from all sides.

What I loved most about this book:
- Inez is such a complex, beautifully crafted character. I was cheering for her from page one
- Whit! He's Whitty (see what I did there?)... no, but really, he's also a beautifully crafted character. There are discoveries about him that had my jaw dropping.
- The settings. Every single one was described with such fantastic prose I felt like I could be standing there.
- Egypt! I've always been fascinated by archaeological finds in Egypt.
- It was very responsible of the author to tell the story of the injustice of steeling precious pieces of history from the Egyptian people
- The romance was so so so good! Isabel, you did it again. You messed with my heart in the best possible way.
- So many twists, I didn't know who to trust

What didn't work:
- Honestly, I can't think of a single thing that needs improvement. Bravo!

WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS is a pacey, enjoyable read with a touch of magic, a slow burn romance, and a great cast of characters. I highly recommend it. Run, don't walk, to pre-order this fantastic novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for providing me with an eARC of this book for my honest feedback.