This historical fantasy is an enchanting blend of magic, mystery, adventure, and Egyptian mythology. The story follows Inez Olivera, a young girl living in Argentina while her parents work as archeologists in Egypt. After hearing about her parents' puzzling death, she escapes to Egypt to investigate, however when she arrived, she is sent back home by her uncle. We follow along as Inez disguises herself as part of the crew and embarks on an archeological adventure. What the River Knows is filled with fascinating quips, and unexpected twists and turns, making it a must-read for fans of forbidden romance and historical adventures.

Thanks to Wednesday Books for the ARC!

“It was a sobering thought. The Nile knew everything, has seen the best and worst of Egypt.”

I was obsessed with Ancient Egypt as a kid, so this book is RIGHT up my alley.

It’s such a fun adventure to follow Inez from Buenos Aires to Egypt, trying to unravel the mystery what happened to her recently-deceased parents. You’ll feel like you’re right alongside Inez on the journey experiencing danger, love, adventure, and magic as she sails down the Nile, navigates Cairo, and tries to uncover Cleopatra’s tomb. Inez is extremely headstrong and I loved her character, as well as Whit’s. Their playful back-and-forth was done so well!

The ENDING of this book, on the other hand, was infuriating because I DON’T HAVE BOOK TWO IN MY HANDS. That’s right, folks, this is not a standalone read, and there is a huge cliffhanger. I need more ASAP.

Inez, a young adult sets off to solve the mystery of her parents disappearance-presumed-death, departing from Argentina to Egypt by herself. Her parents were uncovering archaeological treasures, and kept her across the world at arm's length. Inez's curiosity and determination to understand what happened has her trying to connect with her uncle despite impediments galore, and she won't be held down.

This was a fun read with touches of history, adventure, and mystery - I'm excited to read the next book - especially after that ending!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC.

Not reviewing this or any other from SMP imprints until they acknowledge and apologize the behavior of their racist employee.

The Mummy meets Tomb Raider in this newest historical fiction romance set in 19th century Egypt from one of my very favorite authors. I've been looking forward to this book all year and while it was entertaining and very original/unique, it didn't have quite the same magic for me as her last book. Good on audio narrated by Ahmed Hamad and Ana Osorio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

What the River Knows is an atmospheric, mysterious, magical tale of a young woman searching for answers in the fraught world of Egyptian excavation.

Inez Olivera travels to Egypt in search of answers as to why her parents have mysteriously vanished, presumed dead. Upon making the journey from Buenos Aires to Egypt, she arrives to face the handsome, British, Whit Hayes, who promptly tells her she is to return home on her uncle’s orders. Inez won’t have it and insinuates herself into Whit’s and her Uncle’s lives, unaware of the grave secrets she may unravel. As the book goes on, Inez faces many dangerous challenges in her race to find the lost tomb of Queen Cleopatra, and her burgeoning feelings for Whit conflict with her loyalty to her family.

Ibanez created a rich and descriptive world, but the magic system never felt fully fleshed out. I found many things to be predictable, such as what happened to Inez’s parents, but I will admit, the ending was shocking, and I was not at all expecting it. Even now, after having a few days to process it, I’m not sure how I feel about the ending. The shock factor, the deception, it was just a lot. Definitely a major cliffhanger! 😱

It took me forever to read this one. I was so excited for it as it has so many of my favorite things! However, it felt very slow, the characters felt immature, especially Inez, and the side characters felt as if they were there as pieces to add to the setting rather than fully completed characters that added something to Inez’s journey.

Overall, this was a 3 star read for me. I didn’t dislike it, in fact, there were quite a few things I did like, but it never fully balanced out for me. I’d still recommend this to others. If you’re a fan of YA, historical fiction with magical elements, and slow-burn romance, you’ll probably enjoy this one. 🫶

Thank you to the publisher and the author for the complimentary arc. All opinions are my own.

As a history buff, I was super excited to get my hands on this book and it largely didn't disappoint. I loved Inez as a character! She comes from privilege and is very stubborn, but I also found her to be very capable. Whenever she got into situations, I felt like it was more due to her lack of knowledge/experience rather than pure naivety or a flaw in her character. This not only made me empathize with her more, but it also made her growth throughout possible. I felt similarly about the other characters in this book.

The plot itself is fascinating and there are many unexpected twists and turns. I really appreciated that these twists didn't feel forced and still made sense within the fiction of the story even when they were unpredictable at first glance. Be warned though: this book ends on a cliffhanger and the next one doesn't come out for quite awhile. If you are someone who wants a story that wraps up neatly at the end, perhaps hold off on this one.

Despite all of its strengths, I struggled a little with the writing style. Some of this might just be more personal preference than anything, but it kept me from giving this perfect marks. There are some spots that can drag on a little or where there is simply too much exposition. I understand the purpose for a lot of it, but something about the way in which it is done took me out of the fiction a little more than I would like. For all of its plot and character strengths, there were also a few things that were a little too 'on the nose' or otherwise awkward that had to be overlooked. Things got better as the story progressed, but I wish it had started off as strong as it finished.

Inez Olivera has it all as a pampered member of the upper society of nineteenth-century Buenos Aires. Or she would if only her parents would spend more time with her instead of abandoning her for Egypt at every chance. When she's told that they died in the desert without any more information, she runs away to Egypt in search of the uncle she barely remembers and some answers. What she finds are secrets and danger beyond anything she could have imagined and an alluring young man who gives her more questions than answers.
I'll start with what I liked. Setting the book in Egypt with an Argentinian girl in the lead is super original and brings a lot of interesting new twists to the historical setting of the story. It also acknowledges the fact that there are more countries in the world with people who traveled and did things right along with the English and Americans.
What I, unfortunately, didn't like is the way Ibañez kept dropping but-wait-there's-more moments in an attempt to add to the drama and intrigue but only adding unnecessary complexity. I get the impression that she was aiming for a tangled web of lies for Inez to get caught up in and overshot it a bit. Instead of being excited to see the next thing to happen, I just wanted to get anywhere with the story.
There are a lot of very cinematic moments in the story. It does deliver on the adventure, romance, and intrigue promised in the blurb. It just does it in a way that couldn't keep my interest.

Grateful to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the chance to read this wild adventure.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this book.

Inez Olivera is a young woman growing up in the wealthy upper class in 1800s Argentina. Her parents, distant but loving, leave her for long stretches of time to do archeology in Egypt. Some ancient objects are infused with magic, as Inez finds out when she puts on a golden ring sent to her by her father. Unfortunately, she soon gets words that her parents have died, but she is unable to get any details.

Inez travels to Egypt to try and discover the truth behind her parents' death. Her uncle and his assistant, the intriguing but hard living Whit, want her to go back home. Circumstances, and the pull of the ring, lead Inez on an adventure but also brings extreme danger.

What the River Knows is an interesting read, especially for someone who isn't aware of that time period or locations. Inez is kind of annoying, but I think that's on purpose. It seems like the book is set up for a sequel.

What the River Knows is my first book read by Isabel Ibañes. I was an extremely impressed with this story. It was an incredibly unique and beautifully written historical fantasy that describes ancient Egyptian mythology beautifully. I love anything with forbidden slow burn romance and this book gave me everything! I enjoy the characters but especially the fantasy aspect of the story with its historical representation. The ending was insane and it can’t wait to continue this amazing series. Thank you NetGalley for giving me this amazing opportunity. I already purchase a physical copy because besides the beautiful writing, the cover is absolutely stunning.

First let me say that the setting was absolutely magical. Definitely makes me want to go to Egypt even more! Although I feel like I want to go in the 1800s, in fact, I just want to time travel there, thank you very much. That's how this book made me feel! If you love The Mummy or Indiana Jones movies you will love this book!

This book was a unique mash up of fantasy, magical-realism, myster, and history. I adored it.

Inez is the definition of a plucky heroine! I loved her, and definitely want to be more like her.

Whit. Oh boy. I love him but definitely never trusted him. He is hard to figure out. It bothered me how many secrets he and Inez's Uncle kept secrets from her but just expected her to be okay with her parents dying and they wanted her to tell them all her secrets...

The author's writing really brings all 5 senses out and all the feels! I love when the author can capture what the main character feels so much so that the reader feels it too! The way she immerses the reader in the story... She is DEFINITELY one to watch!
I definitely need book 2 ASAP!

4.5⭐️

What a fun read this was! What The River Knows takes the reader on a classic adventure, filled with romance and intrigue, magic and suspense. There are complicated and well-drawn characters, some more likable than others. I could easily see this being made into a movie.

I enjoyed journeying alongside Inez, and definitely felt for her and everything she endured. But oh, that ending! I will definitely be reading the second in this duology as soon as it’s available (which is hopefully sooner than later).

Thank you Isabel Ibañez, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars.

This is adventurous historical fiction with a dollop of magical realism following Inez Olivera, a spirited young woman from Argentina, and Whitford Hayes (Whit), a disillusioned British ex-soldier who lost his way. 90% of the book is written from Inez’s POV, although several chapters have a short end cap from Whit.

In the late nineteenth century, Inez’s parents are presumed dead after going missing in the deserts of Egypt, and she is determined to discover what exactly happened. She joins her archaeologist uncle in Cairo, where she meets Whit, the man hired to help Tio Ricardo, and also to do his dirty work. Why does an archaeologist have need of someone like this? There is seedy business going on in the field, where there are those who would steal and sell priceless historical artifacts for personal profit, rather than preserve it for its significance to cultural heritage. This makes for downright dangerous business, and Inez’s tio immediately tries to send her back home to Argentina.

He tries and he fails (see the description of Inez, “a spirited young woman”). After repeating this cycle a few times, Inez successfully finds herself part of the team searching for the tomb of none other than Cleopatra. She is thrilled at the idea of assisting with such an endeavor, but her main goal is always to learn the truth of what happened to her parents.

This story is chock full of mystery, adventure, history, and magic. There is a prominent romance element as well. It was really a good deal of fun! The one thing I found irritating was that an easily avoided lack of communication was used to develop the majority of tension in the plot. Inez asks for information over and over again, and if people JUST TOLD HER THE TRUTH, so many of the things that go wrong in this story would have been avoided. This is always pretty frustrating to me as a reader!

I'm not sure why this is billed as YA, as the protagonist is 19 years old and the themes don't seem young adult in nature to me.

Also, BE FOREWARNED, it seems this is planned to be the first book in a series, because it does “end” with some pretty major cliffhangers, including one big twist,

The comparison of this story to The Mummy is apt (I couldn’t speak to Death on the Nile. I greatly enjoyed the Egyptian setting, although couldn’t say how much of the way it was depicted here is accurate (possibly very, it seems well researched, I just don’t know much about how it felt to visit Cairo in 1844). I really liked both Inez and Whit, so the romance piece worked for me as well. This is my first time reading a work by this author, and I was not disappointed.

I will post my review on my blog at jessicacrawfordwrites.com and my Instagram account shelfesteem101 closer to the book’s release date of October 31.

Hearing that this had The Mummy vibes immediately piqued my interest! And to that I say: Brendan who? My new boyfriend’s name is Whit!

What the River Knows follows Inez Olivera, a 19-year-old woman from the upper crust of 19th century Buenos Aires. Inez’s globetrotting parents have lived away from their daughter for most of her life and Inez would love nothing more than to join them, leaving her life of ball gowns and arranged marriages in the dust. When Inez receives a letter with news of her parents’ disappearance and presumed death, Inez bravely boards a ship to their last known location: Cairo. Upon arrival, she has a less-than-hospitable reception: from her newly appointed guardian Tío Ricardo who demands she head home to Argentina immediately, and from Whitford Hayes, the associate tasked with getting her back on that ship. But Inez has other plans, and no one can stand in her way of digging up the truth about her parents’ fate and finally having an adventure of her own.

The slow-burn romance was definitely my favorite part (no surprise there) and I thought the rivals-to-lovers was done so well. I love a roguish love interest and it’s even more satisfying that he’s paired with this fireball FMC who will put him in his place. A close second favorite element was the way that the magic works through historical artifacts. I hope we get a lot more of both in the next installment.

This was such a great adventure! The second half of this novel has so many twists and turns, with secrets and danger around every corner. Totally action-packed. Also - the very last cliffhanger?! Excuse me? That’s the kind of chaotic energy I love!

Thank you to NetGalley for access to this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2⭐️
DNF at 32% in.

I think this might be my fault for giving YA a try. But I was lured in by the marketing that it was similar to The Mummy which is one of my all time favorite movies. But holy cow Evie would never.

It is very clear that the author loves Egypt and did a lot of research and I could appreciate that. The setting was beautiful, the politics were intriguing and infuriating. But I could not connect to Inez at all.

I could understand wanting to know what happened to her parents, who wouldn’t? But her devotion to people who clearly didn’t care about her except for when it was convenient for them was maddening. She kept demanding to be treated like an adult while behaving like a reckless child. I didn’t find her charming, I found her frustrating.

Whit ran so hot and cold he was giving me whiplash. I also found the frequency with which he was drinking a bit odd.

I wish the magic played a more prominent roll in the story. Maybe it did later on but it was so infrequent in the chapters I read and was by far the most interesting part of the story.

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

4.5 stars!

Let me tell you, reading What a River Knows was an absolute treat and an honor I won't soon forget. This book was nothing short of amazing! It felt like I was right there in Egypt alongside our lead character, Inez. She's a unique mix of independent spirit and a dash of self-awareness about her sheltered life. Inez's journey unfolds after her parents leave her in Argentina for months on end to explore Egypt. Now, with her parents gone, she's on a quest for answers. She wants to know what really happened to her parents and why they chose this distant place over being with her. Inez's grief hit me right in the feels.

The romance in this story had a sweet, clever quality to it. Team Whit forever. Sometimes things seemed a bit unrealistic, and Inez, well, she came off as quite naive, but honestly, wouldn't she be, given her sheltered background? Though these traits also made the story drag a little in some sections, I still enjoyed her character and overall adventure. The love story in this book was a delightful whirlwind of first love, and I absolutely adored Whit as a character. As we look ahead to the second book, I'm hoping to see more complexity in both of these characters (a lot of their interactions or gestures were repeats and superficial). However, I have to say the lush storytelling more than made up for any occasional unrealistic moments or gaps in the romance that we encountered throughout the book.

I have to say, this is Isabel Ibanez's finest work yet. Her writing is absolutely stunning, and it's clear this story was a labor of love. She has grown as a writer and storyteller, and it’s such a pleasure to enjoy the fruits of her labor! She didn't hesitate to play with our emotions (that ending, still has me reeling), and it's evident she poured her heart and soul into this tale. Fun fact: Ibanez actually took a similar journey as her characters, which just adds a whole new layer of authenticity to her storytelling.

I'm now eagerly awaiting the sequel and can't wait to get my hands on a special edition of What a River Knows. This book stays with you long after you've read the last page, and it's a testament to Isabel Ibanez's powerful storytelling.

I enjoyed this historical Egyptian adventure story with a splash of magic thrown in. Inez is young and a little naive, but very resourceful. Whit is a very complicated person but never wavers in his determination to keep Inez safe (whether she likes it or not). The story itself has lots of twists and turns. I found myself thinking, “WHAT???” multiple times. It’s exciting but also full of historical touches from both the late 19th century and ancient Egypt. It’s clear that the author did a lot of research for both time periods.

I really liked the fact that Inez is from Argentina and brings a different cultural prospective to the narrative. Most books like this that I’ve read feature British or American protagonists. The chapter titles are written in Spanish and several non-English words are included in the story when appropriate, which adds to the atmosphere of the book.

What the River Knows immerses the reader in late 1800s Egypt as 17-year-old Inez investigates the disappearance of her parents. The atmospheric plot weaves in glimpses of Egyptian history as the mystery progresses and adventures ensue. This is the first in a duology, and I'll be eagerly awaiting the sequel!

When you don’t realize the book is going to be a series and you start getting nervous towards the end because there isn’t nearly enough time to wrap everything up and then the epilogue drops you to a puddle on the floor *sobs quietly*

This book is filled with lush descriptions, high key sexual tension, and tons of lies & deceit. If you love ancient Egypt the way I do, you’ll be instantly sucked into this gorgeous world of exploration and intrigue. There are parts I wanted to go a bit faster but the ending more than made up for the slow stage setting. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment.

I love anything having to do with Egypt and Egyptology, the weaving of ancient history into stories. I loved that this book was set in Egypt with a hint of magic. I had high hopes for this book, and they were matched wholeheartedly.

I would say that the description of What the River Knows being a cross between Death on the Nile and The Mummy is pretty accurate, as sometimes publishers’ blurbs don’t really deliver. It is easy to imprint Evie and Rick onto the main characters. I loved Inez; she’s so resourceful, strong-willed, and smart in a time when women were not seen as much else than pretty things or property. She finds ways to get what she wants, subverting all the men and authorities in the way. Along the way she meets Whit, who is the perfect counterpart to Inez. He’s a black sheep, a bad boy, who is always charming his way into situations by flirting and using his wiles and wits to get what HE wants.

I absolutely loved the first half of the book; it utterly charmed me. The journey Inez took to Egypt to learn more about the lives of her parents was well-done, and it was interesting to read about all the temples and cities she visited, although at times it did seem to be a bit of padding for the book; I enjoyed them, but at the same time, felt that some of the descriptions were superfluous and not needed.

The magic in the book is never truly explained, which I don’t mind. Sometimes you just need to let go and let the fantasy aspect take over. I’ll admit that’s a hard one for me, but I was able to immerse myself into the story.

The ending was a head-turner, as I did not see it coming. And while I wish I knew going into the book that it was the beginning of a series, I’ll be happy to read the next volume because the book ended on a cliffhanger. If you love historical mystery, you might want to start this Young Adult series, which utterly captivated me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Wednesday Books; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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