WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS is a mysterious, atmospheric tale with pages filled with adventure and magic in which a girl and heiress sets sail to Egypt under false pretenses on a mission to investigate the deaths of her parents. Each year Inez's parents left her alone to travel to assist her uncle with his archaeology expeditions looking for magic artifacts. Wealthy in worldly goods, Inez wished for the one thing she couldn't have - her parents. And now they've disappeared. Guided by a magical ring sent to her by her father, Inez refuses to let her uncle and handsome assistant Whit discourage her or send her home. Eventually, Whit joins her on a mission in search of Cleopatra's tomb and with her newly discovered powers that push ahead. The author takes some time to build the tension and chemistry between Inez and Whit but the pace increases as the story unfolds through alternating points of view. With danger, secrets and lies hidden around every turn, it's a race against time.

Author Isabel Ibanez does an outstanding job of weaving historical facts from the nineteenth century into a magical, mysterious historical fantasy with larger than life characters. The cliffhanger ending leaves readers begging for the next book. Highly recommended to fans of historical fiction and fantasy with a touch of romance.

I enjoyed this book so much! I think this is the author's best writing yet. There is Egyptian history at the center of the storyline with magic woven into it. The witty banter and slow-burn romance between Inez and Whit is fun to follow along with, while trying to figure out the mystery of who he is. Speaking of mystery, just when you think you have something figured out and which characters to trust, a major plot twist happens; and you wonder again who Inez can really trust. The ending will leave readers excited for the sequel.

I found What the River Knows to be a light-hearted and engaging read, ending on a cliff-hanger that compels me to read the second book soooooon! Somewhat glad that I delayed reading and the second book is already out. I really enjoyed the historical fantasy, the culture, the banter between characters, and the back and forth on questioning who is actually the bad guy in this one?

Inez has always wished to go to Egypt with her parents. Every year they leave her, their only daughter, behind to dig in the ruins of ancient Egypt. And every year she begs to join and they refuse. This year she refuses a letter notifying her of her parent’s death. She is determined to sit on the sidelines no longer. She travels to Egypt on her own to find out what happened to her parents and what they were trying to discover that led to their deaths.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rich in ancient Egyptian culture and with a touch of old world magic, this story entranced me from the beginning. I always love a headstrong female main character that doesn’t take no for an answer. Add in a hardened love interest that only melts for her, kind of, and a mystery that you can never get ahead of and you have What the River Knows.

This left with an epilogue that was such a cliffhanger I don’t know how I’ll make it till November for the second book cause I have questions. Also there are some characters we met that I didn’t feel we were fully finished with. I’m sure they will crop up again in book two, or at least I hope they will.

Basically, it’s a yes. If you like mystery. If you like exploring/adventure. If you like a bit of romance. If you like a fight scene. If you like some historical fiction. I mean there’s something here for everyone. Highly recommend you take this ride.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for this ARC.

Loved this book! The magic system wasn’t too hard to follow, the characters are charming and the mystery is enthralling.

Let's start with how pretty this cover is 🦋 Oh, Inez! Truth be told, I found myself thinking that she is so darn stubborn, but I can't blame her!
First, I love reading books that include Argentina or Argentinian characters because if I'm honest, it's rare, so I appreciated this! Inez's character is great for many reasons, and quite frankly, she is one that can resonate with most readers. She is resilient, stubborn, wears her heart on her sleeve and is full of magic 💫
The story takes us on an adventure from Argentina to Egypt as Inez wants to discover the truth about her parent's death. In a time when rules were so strict for females, Inez takes risks and breaks them as determination and magic guide her to find the truth. This novel throws some serious curveballs, and it pulls at the heart strings a bit. I definitely enjoyed the time Ibanez took into researching for the novel as it made it flow easily and became so vivid as I read. The ending. Oh, the ending! I only hope there's is much more to come! A great read for sure!

Ibañez's vivid descriptions bring the Egyptian setting to life, immersing readers in the rich cultural and historical backdrop. The novel skillfully blends elements of adventure, mystery, and romance, reminiscent of "The Mummy" and "Death on the Nile." The dynamic between Inez and her guardian's assistant, Whitford Hayes, adds a compelling rivals-to-lovers tension that keeps the narrative engaging. The concept of "magic-touched" artifacts is intriguing, but the mechanics and significance of this magic are not fully explained, leaving certain elements ambiguous. Additionally, while Inez is portrayed as a determined and brave protagonist, her reliance on Whit in critical situations occasionally undermines her independence.

A wonderful engaging story! The world building is amazing!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this review copy

I loved this. The archeological atmosphere, the history, the culture combined all help aid in this Indiana Jones and the Mummy-esque story. This book could almost lean close to any genre - with blends of historical fiction, romance, and a magic system to boot. Inez was a fun character to follow. The only thing where this book struggled was the pacing! It was like a huge information dump, explanations of the magic system and all the history Ibanez could muster. To me, it was reminiscent of Brandon Sandersons "Sanderlanche", as the rest of the book in the second half chugged along pleasantly. The ending was a cliffhanger though, which I was admittedly frustrated with. However, that is to be expected when you commit to a duology!

What the River Knows is every millennial who had an Egypt phase’s dream. Inez and Whit give off The Mummy vibes with their banter and romance throughout the course of the book. The action is fast paced with multiple plot twists that keep you guessing. I was thoroughly engaged in the story and worked through this novel in a fraction of the time I usually spend on longer books. While a solid story, I’m not ready to give this a full 5 stars due to a few issues in plot progression. Remaining spoiler free, I felt a few holes existed in the narrative between how Whit’s character could have so many layers without the truth coming to light. It seems very off and unusual. Additionally, the inclusion of Elvira seems wholly unnecessary as a very disposable character to begin with. Yet, through it all, it’s a wonderful journey that delivers solely on entertainment.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of What the River Knows.

In What the River Knows, we follow Inez Olivera on a quest to Cairo to solve the mystery of her parent’s death, where we go on a journey of history, magic, romance, and family turmoil!

Overall, I think this could be a really great book for young adults interested in history or archaeology (you know, the kids who like that giant Egyptology book every school library had?). It has some cool atmospheric descriptions and has that “dusty” feel you see in things like Indiana Jones and The Mummy. Ibañez also clearly appreciates the cultures she writes about.

Where this book falls short is in the romance and magic system.

First, the romance.

I think there should not be any romance. It felt shoehorned and forced, and I really would have just preferred to read a cool story about a young woman going on an adventure and unraveling a family mystery! I think Whit is a fine character, but he doesn’t really serve any kind of great purpose and doesn’t add much to the story. He probably could have been removed, and the story would have worked just as well.

Next, the magic system.

I would have loved to see more magic! You’re telling me Inez is in possession of a magical ring that she can see visions through, and there are magic towels that produce hot water for tea? Tell me more! How does it work? What else can they do? How do they develop these skills? Drop the romance and bring on the magic!

So anyway, this isn’t a bad book. I just think it focused a little too much on uninteresting aspects in favor of much more interesting ones. Overall though, it was a fun enough read that kept me mostly interested until the end.

Three stars.

✨ Review ✨ What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

Thanks to Wednesday Books and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Things I loved about this book:
1. Inez, the main character is Bolivian-Argentinian, and travels from Buenos Aires to Egypt by ship in the 19th century
2. She's full of cleverness - poising as a widow on the ship to avoid being judged for traveling alone, and scores of tricking her uncle and co. to stay in Egypt to solve a mystery around her parents' disappearance.
3. The book's set in a peak time of archaeological exploration in Egypt but the main character is constantly questioning the ethics of this exploration and removal of artifacts from Egypt through their purchase by elites. The book sets us in the ambience of this time but is still grounded in questions of ethics and colonial power.
4. Exploration and adventure galore
5. A budding romance between Inez and one of her uncle's employees is just what this needs to link the book together
6. There's a sort of fantasy / magical realism component to this that also brought some extra dynamism to the story.
7. In a final touch, Inez draws, and so the book contains occasional illustrations that you could imagine coming straight out of her sketchbook.

I'm only sorry that it took me so long to finally pick this one up!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: YA historical fiction / f-m romance / adventure and mystery / magical realism
Setting: Egypt
Reminds me of: Agatha Christie meets contemporary YA adventure
Pub Date: 2023

It is a heartwarming teen story about a girl curious about her family and parents: as she explores her questions, she uncovers how adults sometimes twist the truth to keep them safe, while teens are eager to discover what’s real.

A globe-spanning yet deeply personal work of historical fiction for teens. Engaging leads, swoony romance, and lots of adventure.

Sadly I cannot stand to follow Inez longer than 19%

First I’ll start off with what I like, it’s obvious the author has knowledge about ancient Egypt. I can see that background building.

19% in and the only thing that’s happened is she went transatlantic without permission and men are being men of the 1800s

You’re telling me this audiobook is about 17 hours long and the first three hours is just Inez going back and forth on how much or how little Inez knows her parents and her uncle Ricardo?!


Also, major plot hole - HOW DID SHE EVEN GET ON THE SHIP IN THE FIRST PLACE??

I wanted to love this book so badly. As a child I was obsessed with the uncovering of Egyptian artifacts during this time period. I did enjoy the overall plot of the book, but something about the writing style of the author just felt clunky and awkward making this a really slow read. I will say I am committed e Ligh to the storyline to read the second book, but I probably wouldn’t read other books by the author.

Raised half the year by her strict aunt, Inez chafed at the expectations and restrictions imposed on her life. Bored with proper society functions in Buenos Aires she longed to join her parents on their expeditions to Egypt. Spurred by unanswered questions about their deaths, she runs off alone - traveling under the guise of a young widow - to find her uncle in Cairo.

She finds herself to be quite unwelcome in Egypt - a distraction to her uncle who pushes her off on his dark and dashing assistant, Whitford Hayes. Discovering more secrets and mysteries than answers, the determined Inez holds her ground and proves to be a strong opponent in her uncle’s battle of wills.

I love a YA adventure story! And I adored the spunky Inez as I followed her from Argentina to Egypt to learn the truth about her parents’ deaths. Filled with engaging banter, magical objects, and gasp-worthy moments, What the River Knows was a fun page-turner.

Read this book if you enjoy:

🐊Historical fiction with a touch of magic

🐊Smart and determined (yet sometimes foolish) young female characters

🐊Morally grey men as love interests

🐊High stakes adventure

🐊Anti-colonialism

Full review and links to social will be posted as soon as possible.

I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

From everyone's reactions, I just knew that I was either going to love What the River Knows or going to hate What the River Knows. Good thing, I truly enjoyed reading it. And you are going to love it as well.
Why will you fall in love with What the River Knows? If you fell in love with watching The Mummy movies, then this book is the one for you. It literally has all of The Mummy vibes plus more.
What the River Knows brings Inez looking for answers after her parents tragic deaths. She knows that there is more to the story when things aren’t adding up to what they said in their letters to her. Thankfully, Inez has wits and determination in traveling all the way to Cairo in order to get answers.
I truly adored Inez's determination in finding answers regarding her parents tragic deaths. They mean the world to Inez. I understand why Inez will look for answers. Hopefully, Inez knows that answers may be devastating to hear. No child knows all the truths regarding their parents until it is said or discovered.

What the River Knows
By: Isabel Inañez

Initially I read this book to about 30% and for some reason put it down and never picked it back up. I was truly charmed by Inez at the time so I'm at a loss as to why I let this linger. I recently picked it back up, skimmed that 30% and then finished the book. Once again, completely charmed by Inez! I enjoyed the relationship between her and Whit.
This book gave me the same "feels" I had reading the Amelia Peabody series (a favorite!).
I will definitely continue the series, although I think I'll try audio- I think this series would be a fun listen.

4 Stars