Overall, I enjoyed this fantasy adventure tale, pitched as The Mummy meets Indiana Jones and featuring a Bolivian-Argentinian female protagonist. I’m surprised that I devoured it as quickly as I did, but there is an undercurrent of intrigue and atmosphere of mystery that Ibañez successfully builds.

After the mysterious death of her parents who spend most of their year in Egypt on archaeological digs, Inez Olivera, who has never been allowed to accompany them, makes her first journey there to uncover what really happened to them. She stumbles upon a search for Cleopatra’s lost tomb and realizes that she alone perhaps possesses the key to finding it. Like Inez, we constantly wonder who can truly be relied upon as she begins to see that her parents’ disappearance might be related.

The author describes this as a “historical fantasy,” and while there are definitely some lush 19th century details, the setting feels somewhat like a sanitized version of itself. I was also thrown off at times by the overuse of cliched British expressions (“jolly”, how many times??). But on the other hand, I did appreciate that the story does lightly touch upon the interplay of Egyptian nationals vs. foreigners, criticism of British occupation, and the ethics behind archaeology and museum acquisitions– complex themes for a YA novel.

The magic is pretty minimal in this world: objects from the “old world” are imbued with leftover traces of spells, giving them magical qualities. It serves more as a plot device than a well-defined system. But in the end, I wasn’t really reading for the magic as much as I found the relationships between characters to be interesting.

Inez is a stubborn and intrepid protagonist, sometimes frustratingly so, but we understand early on that she is driven by her desire to understand the parents who have always been distant and enigmatic as well as her desire to break free from a sheltered life. One of the biggest sells of this story is probably going to be the romance between Inez and the brooding Whit, her uncle’s right hand man, whom we’re not sure we can trust. While sometimes the romance felt overly angsty, the banter was solid.

While I figured out the mystery, predicted the twists at the end (except for maybe the cliffhanger, setting up for the sequel) and maybe didn’t quite enjoy the final section as much as the rest of the book, I did still stay up until 2 AM reading this on a work night, which is something!

A female Indiana Jones from Argentina. After the death of her parents in Egypt, Inez travels across the ocean to learn the truth. She’s met in Cairo by Whit who works for her Uncle Ricardo. Her uncle tries to send her home, but Inez disguised herself and goes with them on an archeological dig. Inez doesn’t know who to trust. Both Whit and Inez have arranged engagements back home, but they can’t deny the attraction between them. Like Indiana Jones there’s lots of adventure, artifacts, and twists. The ending is a cliffhanger, so expect a sequel!

For my gentle readers, there’s a few f words and intimate touching.

Will post on FB, Insta, Twitter, and www.SamanthaHastings.com April 16, 2023

First of all, I love the cover. It’s what grabbed my attention. Second it has a great premise. A determined young woman traveling to Egypt to find the truth of her parent’s’ disappearance, a guardian she barely knows, and a rival tasked with keeping her in line. Good luck!

This story sounds great, but the writing style was not my favorite. There was a lot of dialogue that just didn’t sound very natural. Also, the magic wasn’t used to its advantage, in my opinion. It seemed like more of a way to make certain situations work better than an integral part of the story. Whit was a great character! He clearly has secrets, and his emotional struggles felt real. He’s a mystery, in the best way. I found myself frustrated with Inez though. Her actions felt inconsistent and childish at times. On a side note, I had trouble with one scene that was a bit brutal. The violence of it just didn’t seem to match the feel of the rest of the book. Maybe it’s just amping up the danger for the next book.

All that being said, the epilogue was quite mysterious and leaves the reader wanting more. Just not sure that reader is me.

* This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book was extremely slow-paced yet somehow by the end I found the beginning chapters to be the best part of the book. I had difficulty following the plot as it felt like it was going in circles for most of the chapters.
Did not connect with any of the characters as I felt disconnected from the main character and the characters I wanted to know more about…little was provided for those characters.
The world building was basic at best. It had similar themes to very popular YA books that have already tackled this genre.

4.5 stars, rounded up.
Wow. This book is adventurous, exciting, surprising, and so well done! The setting was absolutely perfect and made my 12 year old self so happy (as I was also obsessed with Ancient Egypt for a long while). The story, the antiquities, the artifacts, the expedition, and magic system all came together to create a wonderful story.

I wanted to shake Inez a few times as she so, so trusting, but I also really admired her gumption to just go for what she wanted. Whit is gorgeous and aggravating in the best way. Their banter is snappy and delicious. It's safe to say, I really liked this book. A lot.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary e-arc of this book. All opinions here are my own.

This book was so wonderful I struggled to put it down. The flow of the story was good and interesting, reading a story about Egypt was a nice change. The cliff hanger at the end has me very excited for the next book. I already know 3-5 readers who will also enjoy this book, I can't wait to share it.

WOW! WOW! WOW!

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez is an incredible, thrilling, YA adventure story. Set in turn of the century Egypt, nineteen year old Inez is determined to discover what happened to her parents. Her mother and father traipsed all around Egypt discovering priceless artifacts from ancient civilizations, until a tragic accident cut their lives short. Armed only with the mysterious gold ring her father sent her short before his untimely death, Inez travels to Egypt and joins her uncle along his secretive archeology expedition, However is not all as it seems and her uncle's expedition is on the precipice of discovering something that will shake the archeology world and Egypt forever.

I have no words for this book. A brilliant and exciting new release. Everyone should put this on their TBR immediately. Perfect for fans who love romance and adventure and romantic adventures. I can't wait for this release.

First off I want to say that I have been obsessed with the movie The Mummy since as long as I can remember. So when I saw that this book was The Mummy and Death on the Nile vibes I COULD NOT WAIT!

The setting of this book was absolutely beautiful. I love anything set in Egypt. The writing was fantastic. I think I would have enjoyed this even more if it wasn't YA but that's my own preference and nothing against the author. She did an amazing job! Whit was definitely my favorite character. Probably because I was picturing a young Brendan Frasier. A great book!

Thank you for the ARC!

I love Isabel Ibanez and this book certainly did not disappoint! I had never read a book that took place in Egypt, so that was a fun new adventure, all while incorporating several other cultures and languages as well. This book had little bit of romance, a little bit of magic, and a lot of twists and turns. My only complaint was that there were a few things I predicted (and I am usually easily fooled!), so I wasn't quite convinced about the nature of a few characters along the way. I will also say that I truly hope there is a sequel in the works - otherwise the ending is maddening. ;)

This was such a fantastic historical fantasy with the perfect Egyptian adventure vibes! Egypt has been a place I’ve always been fascinated with and lived off of The Mummy growing up, plus I’m a huge Agatha Christie fan, so this being pitched as The Mummy meets Death On The Nile, I could hardly pass it up.

Set in 1884 Egypt, Inez sets off from Buenos Aires after receiving word of her parents untimely death while in Egypt. A place she’s always wanted to be apart of after seeing her parents devote so much of their time to it and hearing the stories they’ve told. When her uncle tries to send her home without answers she becomes determined to find some herself.

Fantastic vivid setting, the writing was beautiful and really set the tone for the book. I loved the characters, Inez was head strong and I couldn’t get enough of the banter between her and Mr. Hayes. Their relationship was a slow burn with the grumpy sunshine trope that was such a delight to read. There’s romance, mystery, adventure, antiquities with inherited magic and mention of Cleopatra.

Well developed characters, a fairly complex plot, with a bit of a twist and a cliffhanger and I already can’t wait to read the next book! While I do think the pacing could have been a bit faster and the magic a bit more in depth, this was a solid historical fantasy.

Egypt is fascinating, especially in 1884. Just ask Inez Olivera. Every year her parents came from there glowing with love for it. They filled her with stories about the amazing archeological discoveries, the hieroglyphics to be interpreted, the bustle of the streets, the food, the romance of traveling in an ancient land.
But they had other plans for Inez. Every time that she asked to go with them, they told her no. So when she learns of their mysterious death there, she finally decides that she has to go anyway. Inez travels to Egypt to demand answers from her uncle. He gives her a cool reception. It doesn’t help that she is blocked by her uncle’s handsome assistant at every turn. Whit anticipates Inez’s tricks, orders her around, and turns out to be a vault for secrets. In a land where everything is for sale and the ruling British overseers cannot be trusted, it will take Whit to keep her alive. Inez finds herself in a web of unscrupulous treasure hunters, magical visions, and hungry Nile crocodiles, as her uncle hurries to uncover Cleopatra’s tomb.
Throughout the novel, Inez struggles over who to trust. The tension between her and Whit is well done. Inez truly makes a mess of things, but who could blame her? There’s anger and deceit and fear. It’s a journey that feels real, and it’s satisfying to see pieces coming back together.

What the River Knows harkens back to classic action adventure stories from years ago. The story is set in both nineteenth century Argentina and Egypt and follows Inez the daughter of two Argentinian archaeologists who have died under mysterious circumstances while working in Egypt. Inez decides to sneak away to the land of the pyramids, the exotic location of her dreams, in order to find out what really happened to her parents. While there, she accidentally becomes embroiled in a cat and mouse game involving her uncle, Egyptologists, and politicians, each with their own motives and suspicions.

I liked the beginning of the story because it felt like it was going to be a fascinating adventure full of magic and mystery. However, I was disappointed at the lack of magic. There was only a tiny bit of fantasy as the majority of the story was focused on the politics and complexities of the archaeological world in Egypt at the time. I would have liked a lot more magic because I found the story very dry and slow paced.

I loved this. I can't oversell how much. The mummy vibes, the ancient magic, the suspense was killer, and the characters were just delightful. I love this authors writing style, it was captivating from beginning to end.

This book was sold to me as The Mummy meets Death on the Nile and I can't think of anything more specifically tailored to my interests. The story, setting, and characters were well-developed and delightful. I want more!

What The River Knows
🌕🌕🌕🌕/5
Summary: A historical fantasy set in 1884 Egypt. A young Inez Olivera has just discovered her parents have suddenly died while in Egypt and is compelled to investigate.
Headstrong, she travels from Argentina to Egypt where she must challenge her “guardian” uncle and his annoyingly handsome, secretive associate Whit. Inez is thrust into a society of swindlers and thieves.
Inez holds a magical affinity to ancient artifacts that some would kill for.

What I Liked:
- How ancient artifacts and magic were incorporated into the story.
- The adventure, suspense and major plot twists.
- Had a similar vibe to “The Mummy” series.
- Whit and Inez are interesting, multi layered characters. Both were flawed in a way that brought them together.

What Could Have Been Improved:
- The romance was a bit slow moving.
- I would have liked to see the magical aspect expanded into further details.
- Although the imagery and texture of the book was lovely, it overshadowed the dialogue and plot.

This is an adventurous read of complex characters with a soft enemies-to-lovers vibe. I am a fan of historical fiction so insight into the ancient civilization of Egypt mixed with a pinch of magic was perfect.
We witness Colonialism at its height with dire outcomes for human rights and independence. Although much was lost the magic of Egypt remains alive and never dies.

Thank you to St. Martins Press for the eARC

An absolute RIDE. Romance and adventure? I love this story. Couldn't put it down. WHERE IS THE NEXT ONEEEE!?!?!?!

5/5

Isabel Ibañez has done it again. She has wow’ed me in every sense of the word with the magic in her worlds and in her words. I didn’t think she could top Woven in Moonlight and Written in Starlight, yet here we are. This book gives us a lot: a complicated family, an angsty romance, and a glimpse into the underbelly of Britain’s pilfering in Egypt during the 1880s. I can’t wait to have a physical copy in my hands this November.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For a shortened version of my review and content (sex, language, violence) summary, check here:
https://www.novelnotices.com/what-the-river-knows//

Wow.  This was so unique compared to a ton of other YA novels.  I loved the setting, loved the characters, loathed and protested against the ending—it killed me and I need the second one to be announced.  The pacing of the romance bothered me at first, but that could just be because I have a harder time measuring the story arc when reading on an electronic.  Still, I loved the couple.  Whit and Inez are amazing and complex, just like all the rest of the characters.  

I saw some of the twists coming, but the way everything unfolded was spectacular. The plot felt extremely original and I really felt drawn into the 19th century Egyptian world. I would have loved a bit more explanation for the magic system, but I can live with what I got. Which is a very interesting and aspect in the world. I would also like to point of that I loved Inez's background. Her feelings toward Egypt and her parents (spawning from this background) were realistic and multi-layered. She and Whit both had their flaws, and that only made them all the more entertaining.

Can I also point out that they are pretty much the blueprint for banter? Sarcastic, witty, soft enemies-to-lovers—yes, please.

Here's to hoping the next one isn't too far into the future.

Holy hieroglyphics! What an adventure. It is a very good sign when as a reader you are torn between reading faster to get to find out what happens next and slowing down because you don’t want the story to end,

Our spirited and adventurous heroine Inez travels to Egypt to discover the truth about her parents mysterious death. She is met in Cairo by her Uncle’s handsome but enigmatic assistant Whit who is charged with returning to England. Luckily, for the reader Whit doesn’t succeed and from there the twists and turns don’t stop. There is a sparkling dialogue, some romance and a dash of magic to round out this very enjoyable book, which appears to be the first of a series as it ended with a cliffhanger.

This is categorized as a YA book and I would definitely recommend it for younger readers. If you want to become the favourite aunt/uncle it would be a great gift. It is also a great read for adults looking for a pleasure read or a bookclub wanting to mix up their genre choices.

Woah. This book was such a rush and I would totally make a joke about how I’m in de-Nile that it’s over but that would be super corny, so I won’t. What the River Knows is an adventure-filled, YA fantasy book with an amazing romantic line (with a pretty damaged love interest) and tons of betrayals and shocking twists, set in Egypt. I’ve loved learning about Ancient Egypt since I was little so this was the perfect book for me and has reignited my passion for the subject (especially Cleopatra, of course). Although it took me a couple of chapters to become engulfed by the book, by about 20% I couldn’t put it down. Ibañez grabs you and doesn’t let you go until the end, where she effectively throws you right off a cliff. Pick this book up as soon as it is released and preorder it now so I can have someone to rant about it with. Saying that I cannot wait for the sequel is an understatement.

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