What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez is a breath of fresh air in the saturated YA/NA fantasy market— lush, atmospheric, pacey and with a sharp and witty MC that you couldn’t help but love. Pitched as perfect for fans of the Mummy (count me instantly interested) and set in Egypt in the late 19th century, WTRK follows the story of Inez as she leaves her Argentinian home and heads to Cairo in search of her missing archaeologist parents. As a young woman, she faces both societal and familial challenges on her way to unravelling the mystery, fuelled by a strange magic linking her to the artefacts she’s tasked to find. Along the way, she meets Whit, the cagey, charismatic muscle to her uncle’s archaeological expedition of find Cleopatra’s tomb.

I loved Inez’s voice, she is sharp minded, sassy and headstrong— unwilling to have anything stand in her way. She was by far my favourite part of the book. I loved the magic system and how unique it was, and really adored how Ibañez wove the magic system into Inez’s character and the world around her.

The plot is well paced and kept me interested the entire time. Plus… that plot twist!! I’m literally dying for the next instalment, to put it lightly. The romance was cute and full of tension, though i felt Whit could’ve been a bit softer at times, as it felt like he genuinely wasn’t interested for most of the book, although it was refreshing to not see the “insta love” trope employed to their emotional relationship.

Overall, I really loved this story and think it will go down superbly within its readership. Can’t wait for the sequel!!

*Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for this free digital review copy.*

This book had a really interesting premise, and describing it to friends as I began to read it was easy to be excited about the story, but unfortunately the end really fell flat for me.

I thought the setting was super neat; it was new to me, and I don't know much about Egypt (especially late 1800's Egypt), so I had fun discovering a new part of the world. I enjoyed the main protagonist and her resilience, her boldness to travel alone from Argentina to Egypt determined to discover the truth behind her parents' disappearance. I enjoyed her will-they-or-won't-they romance, and the other relationships she built with people throughout her travels.

I also really enjoyed the magic in this novel. It was less prominent than I would have expected, and it felt like more could have been done with it. It felt very unique and special in a really intriguing way, and I'd love to know more about how it works and how different aspects of the magic could be used in the process of discovery and excavation.

The ending of the book just felt rushed to me and then was highly dissatisfying... apparently she is working on revisions for the sequel already, so hopefully we get that sooner rather than later, but I don't appreciate when books in a series don't feel sufficiently self-contained. And going into reading this, I didn't know it was the first of a series, so my expectations were skewed. I do think I'll probably read the next book because I enjoyed the characters so much, as well as other books by this author (I have one on my unread shelf already).

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for an e-arc of this book.

I love Egypt. I love archaeology. I love mysteries. I don't love cliffhangers, and this book has one. ARGH.

Anyways, back to the main point of my review, this book was excellently written. I feel like Ibanez has managed to evoke a certain feel of the times, and it very much reminded me of the Amelia Peabody series (which I adore) except slightly different, and more modern takes on some ideas (which I loved!).

It also had very much an Indiana Jones feel to the adventure and danger aspects which I also adored. The underlying mystery plot as well as the twists and turns were fabulously done. This was an EXCELLENT book, and I highly recommend it to people who enjoy archaeology, adventure and romance.

Oh yeah, there was an adorable romance as well. Honestly, I can't say too much about this book without giving things away, but it was honestly an absolute treasure to read. (Hah, I think I'm funny!)

I literally am going to be dying for the next book to come out soon. (I know it isn't, but I don't want to wait for the next book!)

I just adored Inez and Whit and all the other characters. Really, just a fabulous book to read.

I'm not a huge YA reader, but I've loved other books by Isabel Ibanez, so when the publisher offered this as a limited time "Read Now," I scooped it up.

What can I say? She's got some of the most beautiful covers in the business and the Egyptian-themed fantasy was perfect. What the River Knows is full of the lush, lyrical writing that I expected and I'd heartily recommend it to everyone, but especially those looking for a fresh YA fantasy.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for making this ARC available to read in exchange for a review on NetGalley.

The quick cut: A girl travels to Egypt looking for answers about her parents' deaths. She gets involved in schemes and intrigue on the way.

A real review:
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing the arc for an honest review.

A death in the family can be hard on anyone, but when that family is always leaving you behind? That is a pain even deeper. For Inez, it's a pain all too real when she's notified that her parents died in Egypt.

Inez has spent her life being left behind in Buenos Aires while her parents travel around the globe. It's a pain that becomes even deeper when she finds out her parents died a tragic death in Egypt, leaving her uncle in charge of her affairs. Inez is dedicated to finding out what happened and that starts with going to Egypt to discover what happened. Will she get the answers she's looking for?

This book was a real roller coaster journey for me and in the end I feel somewhat lukewarm overall. The one thing I still feel passionately about is how this story inspires an interest in Egyptian history. I just wish it also inspired a love for the characters.

This book is broken up into 4 parts. The first intros the characters, the second really focuses on the Egyptian mythology & history, the third has more of a storyline push, and then the fourth is when the story kicks into high gear with twists and turns. From the start to the end, I definitely developed different feelings about the characters and at least one wasn't intentional by the author.

Inez is portrayed as motivated and headstrong in the beginning, but as the story continues that portrayal becomes less true. She's emotional, irrational, and truthfully makes terrible choices with little ability to take criticism. Where I adored her independent nature in the beginning, I hated it by the end. Albeit, the girl has also been sheltered her whole life, so I guess it's not her fault. She still irritates me in the end though.

While most of the story comes from Inez' perspective, there are moments with White narrating. I do appreciate the little snippets from him as they do provide more context. He has his reasons for doing what he does and the mystery about him helps to drive the author to wonder what more there is to know about him.

A story that will inspire a passion for Egyptian history.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

This book was the perfect blend between intrigue, romance, summer and well, EGYPT. I have always been interested in the Pharaohs of Egypt. Specifically Cleopatra, just because she is such an icon, she was a female ruler in a time when most of the world was dominated by men. Also, I loved her tragic love story; I kind of think it is parallel to our main character's love, it is tragic and bound to end badly; but it can't be helped, it is just love. I was a particular fan of the way some parts of the book, like the number of chapters are written in Spanish, to highlight Inéz's heritage and that Spanish is her first language. As a Latina myself, I loved how I could see myself in her. The way she spoke and how I could understand both the English and Spanish words that sometimes popped up in the book. To those who do not speak Spanish, do not worry, only little details are written like that.

Another thing that made this book even better for me was the little facts about Egypt, its culture and people and how it demonstrated a genuine love for its heritage. The way the British act in the book is a perfect portrayal of what was happening at that time. How they literally stole ancient and priceless artifacts and diminished the rights of the Egyptians themselves, while still claiming to be superior. The research was well done and adapted to the context.

The love interest was spectacular, I could not love him more even if I tried. Their chemistry was undeniable and the way that he was so charming and witty made him the perfect partner for this adventure. His characters were also filled with mystery and intrigue that I will not talk about much in an effort to not spoil this book. But their interactions always left me feeling eager for the next step in their adventure.

I would 100% recommend his book to anyone who was the time to read it. I LOVED IT

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for letting me have access to this copy of the book

4.5/5 stars

I loved this book! This book got me out of my reading slump. I feel that this book gives off some vibes from The Mummy. The protagonist, Inez, is desperate to find answers about her parents’ deaths and so she heads off to Egypt. When she arrives, she is met with more secrets and suspicions. It’s hard to trust anyone when everyone is keeping their own secrets, herself included. The romance is rivals-to-lovers with a dash of forbidden romance. I loved the tension and slow burn of the romance between the two main characters. The ending to this book is killing me and I need the second book to come out! Overall, this was a fun, exciting, and entertaining read. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

This book was wonderful. I was completely invested in Inez's story. It was adventurous and exciting, I was hooked from the beginning! The setting was so vividly illustrated in my mind. I absolutely cannot believe that ending and can't wait for the sequel! This was my first book that I've read by Isabel Ibanez and I definitely want to read more.

This is officially up there as one of my favorite 2023 YA books. I've been struggling to even talk about this book because I'm just at a loss for words and want to scream "JUST READ IT!" This book hit that perfect balance where a YA audience will adore it. However, a millennial adult (which, admittedly, we are all still obsessed with The Mummy) will also be captivated. If you enjoyed Divine Rivals earlier this year, I fully believe this needs to be at the top of your TBR.

I really appreciated the slower beginning to give us time to get to know Inez Olivera. She is a stubborn, resourceful young woman who is still very sheltered and naive, leading to missteps. It's incredibly frustrating to read but it felt genuine to the setting. Whit is such a fascinating character; my favorite aspect is just how constantly frustrated he is with Inez for not falling into the box she's expected to be in. The book is mainly from Inez's perspective but I appreciated the sparse use of Whit's POV to give the reader additional insight into his character and/or the larger plot that Inez is unaware of (and trying to figure out).

The setting and story are captivating getting this ex-pat in Egypt lense and looking critically at colonization and exploitation of Egypt and its culture. This is an underlining thread throughout the adventure story of looking for Cleopatra's Tomb that I thought was very well executed. Then you get The Mummy vibes of BEING AT A EXCAVATION SITE looking for lost treasure and it just filled my little adventure soul.

The fantasy aspect was very light and an interesting execution. Magic was once prominent in the world but has since fallen away. However, items hold "memories" of magic that slowly begin to fade with use. So there are little things (a handkerchief that you can get hot water out of) that are useful and some items that move the plot forward in crucial ways but blink and you won't even realize this is categorized as "fantasy."

What I really want to talk about is the second half of the book because it had me in a vice grip of action and adventure and suspense and romantic tension that I, quite literally, could not put the book down. I needed to know what happened next at the end of each chapter. I was screaming at the book by the end and will be counting down the days until the second book in this duology comes out.

4-⭐⭐⭐⭐

"How much trouble are you going to cause me?"
"I really can't say...it might be a great deal."

What the River Knows is the first novel in a YA Historical Fantasy Romance series follow Inez, a young woman desperate to unravel the secrets behind her parent's disappearance in Egypt.

Inez has spent her life watching her parents leave her, waiting for their letters and visits. Their love of Egypt keeping them there six months out of the year. When she received word they are dead and no explanation of what transpired she decided to travel to Egypt and seek answers for herself, despite her uncle's protests. I admire her tenacity and determination. She is confronted with barrier after barrier from sneaking out of her aunt's home to travel to Egypt to giving her uncle's assistant the slip but she pushes through, desperate to understand her parent's love of Egypt and what caused their demise. I consistently cheered her on but did find, on occasion, she was a bit naive

Whitford Hayes is our delightful male main character and, boy, does he leave an impression upon arrival. He's intelligent, devilish, and a little gruff at times but I loved seeing him melt for Inez as she challenged him at every turn. He has many secrets and slowly peeling them back endeared him more to me each time.

This novel is YA and while there is a romance component, has no spice. There is kissing but this is a SLOW burn romance. I felt the tension between the two main character was perfection with banter that had me smiling constantly. The challenge each other in all the best ways but when one is in danger they will do whatever it takes to save them. I will say their romance is still ongoing by the end of the book and has me so curious to see how it grows. I think I would have like a bit more romance but the overarching mystery does grab you.

"Have I told you how much I live in terror of your ideas?"
"That's rude."

The world building in this book is phenomenal. I loved the blend of fantasy and history that we see in this book, down to the lore of magic imbued in objects. I felt pulled into this world and did not want to leave. The book itself is marketed as The Mummy meets Death on the Nile and I would agree with this sentiment.

The story itself is a mystery that draws you in. The twists and turns in the adventure keep up the pace and I don't want to spoil much but you are in for a ride with hidden secrets, betrayal, adventure, puzzling solving, history, and more. The ending will make your head spin with the epilogue and leave you demanding justice for book two...I still haven't forgiven the author.

If you love a fantasy adventure with archeology, ancient history, and secrets to expose alongside a slow burn romance that is teasing you this will be right up your alley!

Thank you Wednesday Books for the e-ARC>

Like what the heck?!?! I’m still trying to pick my jaw up off the ground! The way Isabel dropped this bomb and just thought “ok that’s a good place to stop”. What am I supposed to do now? How will I survive? What am I to deduce from that ending? How could you do this to me? Just when I thought all my dreams were coming true? How dare you 😆😭

I loved the setting, the mystery, the magic, the surprises and twists. I loved grumpy, smirking Whit, and the unflappable, resourceful Inez. I could have done without the language, I don’t think it was necessary. And I’ll just tell you the ending alone deserved 100 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

I really wanted to love this book and thought it would be right up my alley, but I couldn’t stand any of the characters and struggled to get through the story. The dialog felt immature and the FMC’s flip flopping between love and hate of the MMC drove me bonkers. I think this may have been more of a me issue though and I bet I’ll be in the minority with my thoughts though.

4.5⭐️/1🔥

“And so I learned to behave, but once they left for Egypt, my rebellious tendencies flared. I thanked God for it.”

What to expect:
🤎 Egypt meets magic
🤎 rivals to lovers
🤎 magical artifacts
🤎 headstrong fmc
🤎 morally grey mmc

My Thoughts:
After spending her whole life only seeing her parents during their brief visits to Buenos Aires, Inez is looking forward to spending some time with them. But tragedy strikes and Inez becomes and orphan overnight. Determined to find the reason behind her parents death, she travels alone to Egypt in search of her new guardian, a Tio (unlce) she’s only met once before, and answers to her parent’s death. What Inez finds, and unwilling becomes attached to, is more than she imagined.

Magic meets ancient Egypt in this book and I loved every second of it. Inez is headstrong and fearless in her search for answers and won’t let her secretive To Ricardo and his right hand man, handsome Whitford Hayes, stop her. She’s mesmerized by the country her parents spent most her life living in and by the magic slipping through the sand.

I loved this book. I was blown away by the seamless intertwining of Ancient Egypt and magic. It wasn’t cheesy or forced – it made sense. The thrill of finding artifacts and sacred tombs was so much fun to read. Inez and Whit are rival forced to become allies, while also fighting the growing attraction between them. The wonder of adventure jumped off the page and made me feel like I was right there in Egypt deciphering hieroglyphics. There were so many twists, mixed in with heartbreaks, that it never felt flat or repetitive.

AND THAT ENDING! That ending threw me for a loop and I cannot tell you how excited I am for the next book. Thank goodness it’s a series because I just know that is one story I’ll never get tired of reading about. I will deff be purchasing the beautiful B&N purple edition once it releases. This is one book you won’t want to skip!


Favorite Quotes:

“For fuck’s sake, Inez,” Whit hissed in my ear.

“Bloody hell.” – Whit

“Have you seen the way he looks at you? So…possessive.”

“Why are we always finding ourselves in dark, enclosed places, Olivera?”

Thank you to Isabel Ibañez, Netgalley, and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC for an honest review!

i’ve literally been left speechless. genuinely so good. the mystery, the twists, the tension. the last 20% genuinely had me gasping every few pages.

i’ve always been fascinated by old egypt, but the way miss ibañez described cairo and philae felt so familiar, like i could really step through and be in 1880s egypt. rich in culture and lore, the little middle school egyptologist on me was jumping for joy. if you’ve ever had an obsession with ancient egypt, this is the book for you.

the relationship between the heroine, inez, and her uncle was really interesting and i spent the whole book hoping they would work it out. the connection and tension between inez and whit? had me by the throat. the END!? i need the next book now. i need to know what happens.

i will be seated for book 2.

I was so excited to read What the River Knows after reading and loving Together We Burn by the author last year. Ibañez is such a fantastic storyteller, and this mix of romance, adventure, and intrigue captivated me from the very first page.

The story follows Inez, a young woman from Argentina, who has recently learned that her parents died while in Egypt. Traveling to Egypt to meet her uncle, Inez is determined to discover what happened to her mother and father. I love Inez. She’s so determined and stubborn, and her love for her parents is as big as her personality. She is a force to be reckoned with, and though she isn’t as savvy as she thinks she is, she more than makes up for it in gumption, bravery, and devotion.

The story delves into interesting Egyptian history, especially in relation to Ancient Egypt, Cleopatra, and her tomb. It was so fascinating, as was the world-building in general. Ibañez transports the reader to 19th-century Egypt, from the bustling city of Cairo to a long journey on the Nile to an expansive archeological dig in a remote region of the country. It’s all vividly presented and rich in detail.

As the story deals with Egyptologists and others who have invested interests in unearthing rare artifacts, themes about the effects of colonialism and the theft of culturally important artifacts are strong and become major points of contention for a variety of characters. These themes, as well as themes of identity, truth, and honor, are subtly woven throughout the story as Inez becomes more and more immersed in the dangerous mystery of her parents’ deaths.

In Egypt, Inez is often accompanied by Whit, a young British man who works for her uncle. I adored Whit! Like Inez, he is a layered and complex character, and there’s an air of mystery about him that makes him all the more appealing. And the romance!! It is a slow-burning, forbidden romance with humor, tons of sexual tension, and some super swoon-worthy scenes! The banter between the pair is perfection, though their relationship is riddled with obstacles. I loved them together, and though their romance wasn’t the main focus of the story, it was a definite highlight for me.

I thought this was a fantastic read. It’s exciting and suspenseful, and the magical elements are as intriguing as the mystery. With richly developed world-building and characterization and brilliant storytelling, it is gripping and thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable. And that ending? I have no words because I AM STILL SPEECHLESS! I need the next book ASAP!

Special thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This book pulled me in on the premise, a mystery in Egypt with a sheltered woman searching for answers and an honorable rogue, and the Mummy vibes. For the most part it delivered. Inez is an excellent lead, naive and brave and angry, making huge mistakes but throwing herself into situations for those she loves. The rest of the characters aren't as fleshed out as I'd have liked, unfortunately. And that's the issue I had with the book. The pacing felt off and so some character decisions made little sense. The slight romance was obvious but also felt like something was missing.

This is clearly being set up as a series, because the ending rushed and then ended HORRIBLY. It's not enough to make me drop my rating, but im annoyed.

Overall, I enjoyed it, except the last 15%. But I'd have liked to see more development in plot, pacing, and characterization. It would have made the ending less jarring.

3.5 stars.

I picked up What The River Knows because I saw it compared to The Mummy and Death on the Nile, and I think it does give those vibes. It’s a fun YA historical fiction/romance novel with some fantasy elements, set in Egypt in the late 1800s.

Inez Olivera has grown up in Argentina, but her parents spend half the year in Egypt without her, involved in archaeological expeditions with her uncle. When she receives a letter notifying her that her parents are presumed dead, she travels to Egypt to find out what happened to them. When she arrives, her uncle and his infuriatingly handsome hired man, Whit, attempt to send her straight back to Argentina—but Inez is determined to stay and take part in their search for Cleopatra’s tomb.

This book was really fun. I found Inez to be a likable protagonist, and I also found the slow-burn romance in this book to be compulsively readable. And a good thing, too, because the romance felt like the main focus of the plot.

Unfortunately, other elements of the plot—the search for Cleopatra’s tomb, the tension between archaeologists and those intent on profiting off the sale of Egyptian artifacts, and the mystery of Inez’s parents—felt unfocused and not fully fleshed out. I would have liked to see the author lean more into the fantasy element of the story too, really showing the impact that the presence of ancient magic has on the world at large.

I also wish I’d known going in that this is not a standalone novel. It wasn’t until over 90% of the way through the book that it dawned on me that there were a lot of loose ends that were not going to be tied up. I think the story could have been a little stronger if just a few elements of the story had come to some sort of conclusion.

Overall I felt this book could use some edits but was still a very fun, enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader copy!

Content notes: some strong language; innuendo, but no sex; some gun violence.

This was a beautiful, mysterious, magical, intriguing story!

•I loved the setting! -Egypt and the tombs!
•I enjoyed the historical element - the history of Cleopatra and the current social issues of 1884 Egypt
•The magic element was fun, made sense, and was easy to understand
•Inez, the FMC, is strong, smart, stubborn, curious and creative
•Whit is mysterious, morally gray, and a bit broken. He's also a charming flirt. AND he's so secretive and I just NEED ANSWERS.
- all of the characters in this book were fantastic!
•this story definitely gives The Mummy vibes and a bit of Death on the Nile
•There's mystery and murder and betrayals and "who can she really trust?!"
•THERES ALSO A CLIFFHANGER ENDING

Absolutely enjoyed this story and can't wait for the sequel!!
Content is pretty consistent with the YA label - there's murder but its not overly gruesome, there is mild language through-out, mostly said by our MMC, including F words scattered here and there. I wish there weren't in F words in YA, but that's my personal opinion.
Romance is closed-door, it includes 1 passionate make-out, perfect! I HOPE THE ROMANCE REMAINS CLOSED DOOR!

2.5 stars.

There was a lot of potential with this book, but I don't think it managed to make everything as fleshed out as it could have. Inez was a difficult character for me to like. I felt like she was too rash with her decisions and at the same time, not emotional enough. There were many events that should have, and could have, been surprising but Inez's reaction to it was basically shrugging it off and going with the flow, regardless of the shock factor. This made the story quite flat. I would have enjoyed the book more if there was more mystery to it, but I also couldn't tell if it felt like there was a lack of mystery because of the content/events that happen or because Inez just doesn't have any reaction to anything. It was just a lot of "here's what's happening and here's what you need to do" instead of Inez figuring things out herself.

I did like where the story took place and it could have made for a much more exciting story if the characters discovered things themselves instead of being handed the discoveries/scenarios. I also wasn't convinced of the budding relationship between Whit and Inez. I don't even know when they started to "flirt" with each other and their conversations were quite bland. Overall, there were good ideas in this story but they need to be built upon more.

In the beginning I was a little bored, because of all Inez’s attempts to stay in Egypt. After she got on the ship, it picked up so much.

It had fantasy elements to it, such as the magical items, but it was mainly a historical fiction, mystery novel. Overall, I really enjoyed it! I will definitely be reading the sequel.