What the River Knows is an adventurous historical fantasy set in Europe. It is filled with mystery, a slow burn rivals to lovers romance, and well-written writing. I loved the main characters and I’m excited to see what else Ibañez will release in the future

This book has it all! Adventure! Romance! Family drama! Egyptian mythology! The Nile! Crocodiles! Magical sandals that light up! Treasure hunting! Villains! Scoundrels! Sahwoony moments!

But seriously it’s so good.

What I loved about this book:
-the writing is atmospheric, beautiful! I felt like I was on the Nile, in the tombs, wandering the streets of Cairo with them
-I stan Inez, she is brave, determined and loyal, to a fault. She goes through so much, but never gives up.
-Whit, love a morally grey love interest who you just can’t pin down but gosh is it shmexy
-the plot was fantastically done, never felt slow or rushed. Expertly paced!
-pretty much everything. It’s fantastic.

Magical objects, mysterious trips to far away places and an illustrious and spellbinding expressiveness, Isabel Ibanez hits it out of the park with What the River Knows. I’m completely under the spell of all things Egyptian and this historical fantasy tale, is absolutely brimming with intrigue, romance and adventure. Go Inez!

This books checks all the boxes. Romance, check. Fantasy, check. Adventure, check!
Such a fun read for anyone who loves historical fantasy.

Thanks to Isabel Ibañez, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for this ARC!

Set in the late 1800s, Inez Oliveria is residing in Buenos Aires when she receives word that her parents have mysteriously passed. Her parents have spent her entire life leaving her with her aunt, while they search for artifacts in Egypt. She is determined to find out what happened to her parents, ultimately sneaking past her aunt and traveling to Cairo to find the truth. There is a magic system with magic imbued objects, and a subtle hinting about looking for alchemy documents.

I loved Inez, and I felt so sad for her throughout the novel. Her parents were barely in her life, sending letters and visiting occasionally. She spends her time researching Egyptian history so that she can relate to her parents. She is intelligent, resilient, and naive all at once. I personally think it can be frustrating to see Inez making mistakes or trusting the wrong person, but who is she to trust? We have an innate instinct to trust our parents and loved ones. Her foundation is parents that are never in the same country. It makes Inez relatable, and I found myself admiring her.

Whit, whit, whit. Oh my goodness. He has the right amount of mystery, angst, and brooding. I knew he was going to be trouble from the beginning, and still love him regardless. Naturally, Inez falls for Whit quickly but the romance is still a slow burn.

As a final note, What The River Knows ends on a significant cliffhanger. Ibañez, you did NOT have to do that to us. It will be at LEAST a year for the second novel. I would’ve immediately bought myself the next book after reading that last paragraph.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My rating a 3.5

Very standard YA novel, which in no way is a bad thing( I mean that YA formula draws me in every times baby ;) ).

I honestly felt bad for Inez the whole time! My girl could not catch a single break. And while
the plot happened predictably, and was a bit slow in the first half and quite speedy the latter, I.Could. Not.Stop. Reading. Feeling bad for our heroine only made me root for her more and I just love how the author writes scenery. I was brought into Egypt everytime a room or landscape was described.
The magic system was definitely intriguing and new to me. A touch confusing but perhaps will be highlighted on more in the future? The limitations of it could definitely be explored more and I'd be interested to learn more about it!
The romance was between Whit and Inez was the classic independent heroine and sarcastic love interest (I eat it up almost everytime). While I loved their banter for the most part with some bits just striking me as odd and ¿Clunky? I guess. For the most part Inez's relationships were just a bit perplexing.

I had no idea the book was going to be a series, so I quickly had to adjust my expectations ( and I mean like suddenly seeing the word epilogue thinking I had 30 pages left quick).

With all that being said: Would I recommend this book? Yes, if you love YA, historical romance or The Mummy- Go for it!
Will I read the next one? Yes, of course. I have to know what's next for Inez.
Congrats and thanks to Isabel Ibañez for the great story and to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

This is so, so good. I’ve had this book about a week, and I didn’t have many opportunities to read it but when I did I devoured it. And that ending!! I need the sequel ASAP. A twisty, unreliable character book, with realistic mistakes, so good. The Mummy references are accurate, I definitely feel those vibes with this book. Isabel Ibañez, I NEED the sequel.

I recieved a free arc through NetGalley. These opinions are my own.
Amazing read! So many twists and turns. I wasn't sure what to expect. The story has the vibes of the mummy movie without the horror. the book has mystery and the tension and the main character is well developed and reminds me a Dontella from the Caravel series. It does switch pov with another character in the book and it makes it an absolute wonderful read. It you love historical mysteries with a touch of magic this book is for you. One of my absolute favorites and can't wait to get a physical copy and book 2!

The Mummy meets Death on the Nile? I don't think I've ever requested an ARC so fast.
I was obsessed from page 1. I took my time reading this only because I couldn't think about it ending and the long wait until we could delve back into the lush, historical world.
This is literally everything I've been wanting in a fictional book about Egypt. With the touches of magic and immersive landscapes, the book came to life with each turn of the page.
Inez was a bit naive but she was so headstrong. What wouldn't she do to find her parents? I couldn't stand how her Tio kept blaming her for the messes she found herself in, when if there had been honest communication, she wouldn't have even been in them! But alas, that is *always* the main issue in YA books...or any book. Communication. It's always going to boil down to it. And I'm always going to want to ring the characters neck not utilizing it.
Whit. I don't know where he falls in all of this. But he's book bf material. Good. Bad. Neutral. I don't even care at this point.
The magic with Cleopatra. I want more. I want a prequel of this Cleopatra and the world she lived so badly. The glimpses we got just simply aren't enough. I think Isabel Ibanez could really write the perfect Cleopatra historical fantasy book that I've needed my whole life.

So to put one final rave into this review. The way the author puts down into her characters how I feel about the artifacts removed from the tombs and resting places, just thank you. I can't believe history has desecrated these ancient places. It's one thing to go and visit and admire while leaving these places whole. It's another to remove anything from the grounds. Culture and history and beliefs were stolen from these lands and it's not right.

So.
This book was perfection for me. Pure perfection. The wait until we can dive back in will be agony as who knows when it will be since this one still won't be out into the world for months. But if there's anything I've learned, it's that the author is going to absolutely make the wait worth it.

This was so good! Whit and Inez were both likable, and fun to read about with their unpredictable natures and sense of adventure. I liked that they were both flawed, but trying to do what they saw as the right thing, whether Xavier would admit to that or not. I also loved the delicious descriptions of the Egyptian food they ate. Some of the magic seemed like odd choices to me (shoe candles?), but I really enjoyed this, and am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I fell in love with Inez and Whit from the first moment they walked on the page. Isabel Ibanez always creates such beautiful worlds and this book is no exception. I felt like I was on location at each dig. The twists and turns kept me guessing, and I need book two RIGHT NOW PLEASE!

A favorite read for 2023!!

This book will make my top read list of 2023 for sure. Isabel Ibanez is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors as i have also read her previous books, Woven in Moonlight, Written in Starlight, and Together We Burn.

What the River Knows is a historical fantasy that leans heavily towards the historical aspect of late 1800's Egypt that was engaging and educational. There is a magic component that brings ancient Egypt to life that I loved.

Cairo and the Nile is a vibe. Isabel described the setting so beautifully that I felt I was there. The hotel, the Nile, and the dig sites were so real.

Inez Olivera is living an upscale life in Buenos Ares, but her parents are gone half the time each year in Egypt, and she has never been allowed to go with. When she receives distressing news, she sneaks away from her aunt and two cousins, and boards a ship to Cairo, where she looks to meet up with her uncle. She is greeted by Whit, her uncle's assistant, with strict orders to send her directly back home.

Luckily for us, Inez does not give up that easily, and what ensues is an adventure, mystery, and a little bit of love. What stuck with me is the reality of the travesty of tourism, and man's greed. Based in fact, this high stakes adventure turns dangerous and has many twists that keep you pulling for Inez.

What the River Knows includes strong women in times that they weren't supposed to have opinions. I loved how the author told the story of Cleopatra as well. Strong women, love 'em!

I highly recommend this book to a multitude of genres and I will be reading everything Isabel Ibanez writes!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and Isabel Ibanez for an advanced reader's copy. I am writing this review voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

Thank you to St Martin’s press for the opportunity to read rage and review this arc which is available Nov 14,2023!

So the tag line is “ The Mummy meets Death on the Nile” it is an immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt but the main character is South American. It has adventure, fun banter, grip your coffee mug tight danger and a rivals to lovers trope.

However the story? The story was well researched and ebbs and flows with ease. I loved every single word. I felt every emotion the writer must have whilst reading this. Oh I loved it so much!

What the River Knows is Indiana Jones in YA form—and it’s my new favorite book!

This was SUCH a blast, my goodness. The slow-burn rivals-to-lovers was whip-smart and SO SLOW, it killed me (in a good way). Inez is a very lovable, fierce heroine, and Whit is a very complicated, messy love interest which is all I want in a book tbh. The setting and atmosphere were fabulous—Isabel really did her research, and she captured the world and feel of it so beautifully. The tinge of artifact magic was fun and fresh.

And THAT ENDING. What am I supposed to do with myself for ~2 years?! I’m wrecked.

Highly recommend this one. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy; it’s a need, not a want.

SO grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for blessing me with this fantastic read!

-A

When I was offered the chance to read this I immediately was excited! Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday books! The plot had caught my eye and it was already on my TBR for the fall. This is very much the mummy but centered about women. You can tell the author drew inspiration from it but made it her own.
Inez! She’s the sassy but naive heiress who wants to find all the secrets surrounding her parents death. Sweet Inez is just a lovable but the innocence she has is just written so well! The banter she has with Whit is just too notch! The tension and the will they won’t they really kept me guessing. But the bigger part of the story is finding a home. Inez deals with parents who are gone half the year and kept half their life a secret. Her mysterious uncle who might be connected to her parents disappearance. The discussion of cleopatra and her connection to the worlds magic system. It’s subtle but just enough to be an intricate part of the plot.
And that ending! Holy heck! I thought I knew it and was shocked by the last page… like she dropped a big cliffhanger. Sooo good but also going to kill me because I will be waiting for over a year to learn the answer. This will be a bestseller hands down.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC!

WHAT WAS THAT ENDING??? EXPLAIN PLEASE??

Oh my gosh I am so in love with this book! The cover is so beautiful, Egypt reminds me of home and the story was so damn intriguing. I loved the MC and even her stubbornness. The plot of this book is basically taking back what's ours and also not letting others take what's ours which I loved the most! The plot twists were amazing, I wasn't able to guess anything before it was revealed loll. The atmosphere of this book and the writing were all great. The only thing I didn't like was how the MC made some stupid decisions and how Inez was functioning perfectly well without a lover but after coming to Egypt she fell in love with Whit so quickly, I would've liked a slow burn. Other than that, I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would.

Rating: 4.5 stars

I’m not really sure how to classify this book! Historical romance? Mystery? Literary fiction? Magical realism? Whatever it is, it was good! I get the feeling there will be a sequels as everything was not neatly tied up in a bow and it seemed to end on a cliffhanger.

This is a better Indiana Jones type book. It was set in Egypt, there is adventure and enemies to lovers romance. I am completely obsessed! I would read books like this all day long. I will be getting a paper copy for my to keep shelf.
I just reviewed What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez. #WhattheRiverKnows #NetGalley
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3.5 out of 5 stars! Rounded up to 4 because I would definitely recommend it :)

A historical fantasy set in Egypt that involves both magic and archaeology — say no more! I LOVED the setting of this book, and the note at the end made it clear why: the author worked really hard to achieve historical accuracy of this country in the late 1800s, and I think she did a phenomenal job. I felt the streets of Cairo come to life!

This books was very safely YA in terms of plot and characters. We have a strong female lead who is determined to be independent when needed, and a sarcastic, attractive love interest (which is something that will reel me in every time). There was definitely a lot of exposition and moments of information dumps from characters that made the beginning (and some of the middle) drag a little, but I imagine this will be less of a factor as the story continues. I do wish the plot had moved a little bit further, or perhaps just more consistently, as we seemed to go back and forth a lot in terms of character motivations, trust, etc.

I’m excited to see these characters in particular continue to develop in the next book, and look forward to seeing where this plot and world go — particularly after that ending!?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book!

“what the river knows” is set in 1884 and follows the adventures of inez, a young woman from argentina who has been living with her aunt. inez’s parents have been in egypt for most of her life, searching desperately for cleopatra’s tomb. after receiving a letter from her uncle, inez learns that she is now orphaned. in an effort to find out what happened to her parents, she travels to cairo to claim her inheritance and uncover the truth.

while this is mostly historical fiction, there are elements of magical realism in this novel that i think have some serious potential in a sequel. cleopatra is both symbolic and godlike, the patron saint of women. this is first and foremost an adventure, and it was very thrilling. i found myself very engaged with inez and her strength. who doesn’t love a girl who drinks and knows her history?

it does become a bit hectic at the end, and i could tell the last quarter was setting up a sequel as the major reveals came at a quick staccato. yet, i did not predict the final cliffhanger. actually, the epilogue shocked me to the point of my jaw hitting the floor.

this is a wonderful YA novel. i usually strongly dislike YA, but this book was so damn good. yes, it had a few flaws that detracted from the story near the end. yes, i did not like the romance component. yes, i felt like the topic of stealing artifacts wasn’t completely and totally explored. but, i really enjoyed it. if you were an egyptology kid, you’ll love this novel.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!