Okay, so I'll start this off by saying that my expectations for this book were like, ridiculously high. I'm talking knocked out of the park, clears my skin, wins me the lottery high. I mean the comps are The Mummy meets Death on the Nile--there has literally never been a more perfect premise for me. Unfortunately, and this is really a me problem, but I don't know that the book itself could have ever been able to live up to what I had in my mind, and my reading experience suffered a bit for it.

The book follows Inez, an Argentinian girl who has recently found out that her parents have died in Egypt. They spent the majority of their time there with Inez's archaeologist uncle, who Inez barely knows. When Inez receives a mysterious ring from her father that is shrouded in magic, she sets out for Egypt on her own to find out what really happened to her parents. Cue the adventure, deception, and a love connection.

I found this book to be an enjoyable one. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I did, I felt compelled to continue reading, especially once they arrived on Philae and started getting into the archaeological stuff. The plot was fast paced, which kept the story moving, though at times it felt like some plot points and characters weren't fully fleshed out. This also ties into the relationship between Inez and Whit. I love a good hearted rogue as much as the next gal, and I enjoyed Whit as a character. I know he's being set up to have more of a reveal in the next book, but I kind of wish I had gotten to know a little more about him in this one, and at times the relationship felt a little rushed and needed some more development. I enjoyed seeing some real historical figures show up, and the subplot surrounding Cleopatra was interesting to me. I wanted everyone to succeed, and I knew I was invested when I started yelling at Inez to get herself together and realize she was being lied to.

And speaking of being lied to. THAT ENDING. I'll just say this about it: I'm stressed, and I'm mad that I'm going to have to wait so long for a sequel. And that's that on that.

Something I found that I didn't really love was the use of magic. Yes, I know it played a pivotal role in leading Inez to what her uncle was seeking, but I almost feel like there could have been another solution for that, and that otherwise I didn't find the magic to be that integral a part of the story. I'm thinking it will probably come into play a little more in the next book, but for now I'm left feeling like it was a little lacking. I also didn't love the use of "the f word" throughout the book. I know this word was used back then, but it almost felt jarring seeing it used here and took me out of the story a little. There was also one...slightly steamy scene? There was no sex, and it was all very vague, but I don't know that I would purchase it for my 9th grade library (especially with the book police breathing down our throats).

Overall, I enjoyed this. Anything dealing with Ancient Egypt, especially if you compare it to The Mummy, is going to get me every time. Unfortunately this isn't a new favorite, but I still think it's a worthy addition to your collection if the premise interests you.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

★★★★★ - 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
Book 1 - Secrets of the Nile duology
༘Spoiler free ༘
⭐️4.75/5
🌶️
Young Adult, Historical Fantasy, Adventure
Dual POV
➳ 🔮 magical realism
➳ 💘 rivals to lovers
➳ ❤️‍🔥 slow burn
➳ 🕸️ web of lies
➳ 🏺 archaeology
➳ 🔍 mystery

✨ “Everything was replaceable, but this chance? It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity. I snatched it with both hands.“ ✨
A delicious blend of mystery, secrets, history, magic and romance served up in an Egyptian setting with a side of plot twists and betrayals.

📚📚📚

It the opulent world of 19th-century Buenos Aires, Inez is a privileged Bolivian-Argentinian heiress, who seemingly has it all. Yet, she longs to be across the ocean in Egypt with her archaeology obsessed parents, who frequently leave her behind. When tragedy strikes, Inez is left as the sole inheritor of her parents’ immense wealth.
Overcome with grief and curiosity surrounding her parents death, Inez embarks on a journey to Cairo, armed with her sketchpads and mysterious golden ring from her late father. Her quest takes a mystical turn as the ancient magic bound to the ring pulls Inez into a world of secrets.
To solve the mystery, Inez must harness the ancient magic, uncover the truth about her parents past, or risk becoming a pawn in a larger and more perilous game.

❧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*❦*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧❧

“What the River Knows” carves its niche by giving us a blend of historical, magical, and romantic elements within an Egyptian setting. Ibañez excels at creating a sense of mystery and hitting us with plot twists. The magical system is tied to ancient artefacts creating a sense of archaeological enchantment.*More notes on the magic system in my “Likes” section.* Like other YA Fantasy novels, we have a strong and independent protagonist. She is determined, resourceful, and sometimes to her own demise fiercely stubborn.
You will feel the Nile come to life with Ibañez ability to conjure a fully realised-Egypt with her words. This book pulls you in with every sense. You will smell the scent of magic, and taste the flavours of Egyptian dining. You will feel the clothes worn by Inez, and hear the sounds as you travel along the Nile.
Ibañez delivers a feast of a reading experience, and I devoured every word of it, leaving no crumbs.
No detail was overlooked, Ibañez provides readers with Important dates in Egyptian history that are pertinent to the story prior to the prologue. “What the River Knows” blends fantasy with a rich historical backdrop. The fusion of history and fantasy set this story apart.
This book was a sloooooooooooooow burn, and I found myself urging the characters along as the story progressed. The characters were complex and beautifully developed. I found myself grateful any time we received a chapter from Whit’s perspective.

The search for truth and identify was a heavily expressed theme in this story. As well as the effects of colonialism and the repression of native cultures and rights. My heart ached for the Egyptian people. The protection of artefacts, and who they truly belong to also weighed heavily on my mind whilst reading this. Do they belong in a museum? Who makes the money off these items and the museum? Does it go back to the native people, or is it stolen by the oppressors?

The ending of this book … the massive cliffhanger… has left me eagerly awaiting the sequel. I thought the plot twists throughout the story were shocking, but I audibly gasped when I read the massive betrayal at the end. From 74% on this book was running full speed and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the pages.

10/10 Would recommend this read to anyone who has a love for mystery, fantasy, history, archaeology, magic, slow burns, and plot twists galore.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

💖
LIKES:
⋆🔮 Spellcasters in the past would create magic with rare plants and ingredients, and the spark of energy given off by this magic would cling to surrounding objects leaving an imprint of the spell. People no longer perform magic, the knowledge long lost. Ancient practices were forgotten. The magical energy leftover in objects from those ancient Spellcasters would sometimes transfer upon contact with someone or something else. Artefacts for destroyed & hidden by organisations that specialise in hunting down magic, and many of this old artefacts were buried and forgotten.
⋆ 🧩 The mystery and plot twists were next level. I was left in suspense and trying to solve the puzzle before Inez did throughout the whole book.
⋆ 🎑 This book pulls you in with every sense. You will smell the scent of magic, and taste the flavours of Egyptian dining. You will feel the clothes worn by Inez, and hear the sounds as you travel along the Nile. <b> Ibañez delivers a feast of a reading experience, and I devoured every word of it, leaving no crumbs. </b>
⋆ 🪝 The cliffhanger ending left me absolutely shook. I love a good shock and surprise.

❤️‍🩹
DISLIKES:
⋆ I would love the magic system to be more deeply explored, but think that might be part of the focus for the next book.
⋆ The cliffhanger is a like and a dislike, while I love a surprise… I also seek the resolution in the second book.

**Fantasy Scoring**
Worldbuilding ➷ ✅ 5/5
Foreshadowing ➷ ✅ 4.5/5
Plot ➷ ✅ 5/5
Relationships ➷ ✅ 4.5/5 (I’m hoping they are further developed in the next book)

Thank you to the Isabel Ibañez, St. Martins Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide my honest opinion on the ARC of this book.

This was my first Isabel Ibañez novel and it didn’t disappoint!

Blurbed as for fans of The Mummy, I knew I had to read this one. And it definitely has similar elements - Egypt, treasure hunting, secrets, magic, and falling in love amidst the chaos of it all.

Inez is a headstrong, determined woman in the 19th century - she will not be deterred from finding out what happened to her parents, who are assumed to be dead. She travels from Buenos Aires to Cairo, only for her uncle and guardian to try and immediately send her back home, via his right hand man, the very handsome and endlessly frustrating Whitford Hayes.

What follows is a whole lot of adventure, intrigue, secrets, and near death experiences. Inez’s initial feelings of frustration with Whit begin to grow into something else, even as she realizes everything she thought she knew was wrong. It’s the perfect fun, adventurous read, especially if you enjoy Egypt and lore and finding love amongst peril. I can’t wait for book two!

The history of Egypt is my personal Roman Empire, so going into What the River Knows, I knew I was going to love it – but it entirely blew me away. Inez Olivera was the perfect heroine – feminine and of society, but also brave and adventurous. And Whit! What a dreamboat. There was history, romance, adventure, and twists and turns along the way. What the River Knows was a 5 star read for me that kept me wanting more as soon as I finished.

4.8 / 5.0 Captivating and heartbreaking, this story will hold the attention of YA reader and adults like.

The characters are deeply flawed and yet essential to the story in every way. I especially enjoyed how tropes and themes, such as enemies to lovers (but not spicy) and dark academia, respectively, were used to create tension and stakes that carried throughout the book. I am also a big fan of the entire mystery and the author’s disapproval for how Egypt was stripped of her identity, freedom, and culture in the late 1880s.

Overall, this was fantastic and one of my favorite reads this year. The book ends on a significant cliffhanger and so I will be keeping my ears open for news of the next book in the series.

Until Next Time,
MC

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC for my honest review. I absolutely devoured this.

This book was so much more than I expected! The historical aspects of Egypt mixed with the hunt for ancient artifacts gave The Mummy vibes, and I loved it so much! This world was so fantastically immersive, and the storytelling was wonderfully done. The characters were intriguing, and you never quite knew who to trust. I really enjoyed our FMC, Inez. She was incredibly brave and stubborn. The slow burn with Whit almost killed me, but their chemistry and the buildup were so worth it! The number of twists and turns this story took throughout was incredibly thrilling and kept you on the edge of your seat. And speaking of plot twists, I was not expecting that cliffhanger ending. This was quite literally an adventure that takes you through all the emotions and leaves you absolutely baffled by the end.

Inez Olivera is a high society lady in 19th century Buenos Aires. She lives with her aunt and cousins as her parents spend half their year in Egypt. Since Inez was small she has begged every year to go with them and was turned down. One day a package arrives from her father containing a mysterious golden ring. As soon as she wears it magic rushes through her and shows her a vision of a beautiful woman. But with this package is a solicitor who tells her her parents have disappeared and declared dead. Desperate for answers Inez travels to Cairo to get them from her maternal uncle, who is now her guardian, and who worked with her parents. When she arrives she finds the magic is leading her to a secret kept hidden for over 2000 years, and is tied to her parents disappearance.

When I started this book I was under the impression it was a standalone read, but with a cliffhanger like that it can't be. Unfortunately though I know nothing about the second book. That being said, I very much enjoyed this book. The atmosphere of high society in Cairo mixed with the race of Egyptologists trying to uncover a hidden tomb was well written. I was drawn in as I myself love ancient Egyptian history. And Inez was a great character to read. She was smart, talented, and sympathetic. I did feel for her when the twist came near the end and am a bit worried about what will happen next. Despite everything I still feel like she can't trust anyone, but will have to wait for the next book to see. Can't wait.

Rating 4 stars
*I received a review copy from NetGalley for my voluntary and honest review

I really enjoyed this! I've read a lot of YA fantasy/historical fantasy and after a while the plots tend to all start to sound alike. What the River knows was unique and beautifully written! I really loved the main character, Inez. I found her to be a likable, smart, and capable heroine. The plot itself seemed a little basic so that was a little disappointing, but the other elements of the book (Egyptian setting, magical elements, archeology, likeable heroine) made up for the lack of intriguing plot. My overall enjoyment of the book coupled with the huge cliffhanger will definitely have me picking up the sequel when it comes out!

Look, when a book's dedication offers a hat-tip to one of your favorite fantasy authors, Rebecca Ross, you know you are in for a treat!

Ibanez's 19th century Secrets of the Nile duology book 1 was a smashing adventure and five star read for me. Her descriptive writing of the architecture, history/culture, FOOD, and people of Egypt was so transportive! From bustling Cairo scenes, to a long river boat journey on the Nile, to camping at archaeological dig sites searching for the lost tomb of Cleopatra, every scene was full of fast-paced dialogue, explosive adventures, and slow burn forced proximity romance. Inez is such a plucky, headstrong young heroine whose naivety often gets her into compromising situations that her guardian's begrudging assistant Whit must come to her aid. Whit's smirks, banter, and charm are smoldering and I fell so hard for this morally grey hero and truly adored his quick POV chapters at the end of each segment. Inez's growth arc was painful as she attempt to solve the disappearance of her parents, but I adored her curiosity, quick thinking, and magical capabilities. The TWISTS, jaw-dropping reveals, and cliffhanger ending have me aching for Book 2! I also appreciated the character diversity and author's inclusion of Abdullah's perspective on the dig team; there was appropriate commentary on colonialism and the important preservation of Egypt's treasures from the plundering and lotting of other nations. Overall, this book delivered on it's promise to immolate The Mummy plus Death on the Nile and I am so happy I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

This book was a solid 4 stars until the last 10%! The epilogue?! 5 stars. So many twists and turns and all set in 1888 Egypt. I’m impatiently waiting on the second book now, ahh!

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this ARC! Fans of Rebecca Ross will enjoy this book by Isabel Ibañez! There’s a dedication to Rebecca Ross that I was surprised to see at the beginning, didn’t know they were critique partners but I suppose talent attracts talent ◡̈

Really enjoyed reading this story, I sped through it. Every time I was called away from the book, I was so eager to jump right back into the story even though the series of misfortune events had me stressing. The fast pacing kept me on my toes but my goodness…my girl Inez could not catch a break. I was so mad at everyone who mistreated and betrayed her >:( I admired Inez’s driving curiosity and tenacity to find out the truth at all costs and loved her forbidden romance with Whit. I enjoyed reading Whit’s POV and seeing him resist falling in love with Inez. I laughed aloud at the many times Inez showed up and shocked Whit when she wouldn’t just sit by quietly and wait like he expected from a proper young lady. Their tension, banter, and begrudging admiration had me squealing and wishing for more chemistry.

I was very intrigued by the Egyptian myths and magic imbedded in the story, along with world-building descriptions of the land as the crew excavated buried secrets. The only part that I didn’t love was the ending and the fate of someone close to Inez, not because of any writing flaw, but because the scene just broke my heart and seemed like a senseless end, which I get is the whole point but I’m still upset over it :( The cliffhanger ending had me screaming since I had no idea this was a series. I’ll be eagerly waiting for the next book to read what happens next!

I wanted so badly to love this book but overall I found it exceptionally lackluster. The comparison to "The Mummy" did not help this title as it failed to deliver on almost everything that makes "The Mummy" such an iconic story. The first half of the book dragged while the second felt disjointed as we rushed from one event to another. The magic system was ill-defined and many of the twists happened so suddenly they felt forced. I struggled with Ines's constant recklessness and inability to stop and think for a moment. Whit's perspective never seemed to add anything. As for the romance between Ines and Whit, it felt just as disjointed as the rest of the story. I was exceptionally disappointed in the fridging of Elvira as well. The biggest positive this book had going for it was the diversity and commentary on colonialism.

Rating: Absolutely Loved It, 5 stars

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez follows Inez Olivares, the daughter of a wealthy couple in Buenos Aires who spend half the year every year in Egypt. She longs to join them and is awaiting a response to her latest letter asking to join them when instead she receives a letter explaining that her parents are, in fact, dead. Inez makes the decision to sneak away and make her way to Egypt so she can understand what really happened to her parents and better understand the world that called them away from her year after year. She finds herself wrapped up in a mystery that is far bigger than she originally expected, and also much more dangerous.

I had a fantastic time with this book. It is definitely historical fantasy, set in 1800s Egypt but with magic woven into the world. I am not super familiar with this period of time, but it felt well researched and like a well-realized world. The descriptions of food were absolutely heavenly and left me feeling hungry as I read!

I was completely wrapped up in the story that Isabel Ibañez was telling. I loved the intrigue and adventure, piecing things together along with Inez. I loved that we got to follow her. She is headstrong and naive, but she is also plucky, quick on her feet, and incredibly courageous. I greatly enjoyed her as a character. I also really loved Whit! I loved the small pieces at the end of several chapters, told from his perspective. He is a mystery, but it was so fun to learn more about him and glimpse more facets of his personality. I felt like the chemistry between the two was really well-written. It's definitely slow burn, and they start out disliking each other, but it never felt like true dislike. Just a poor foot that they started out on and then continued in for a while!

I also thought that the plotline with the archeology was absolutely fascinating. Inez's Tio Ricardo is searching for Cleopatra's lost tomb, and I loved going along on that journey. I also felt like his and his business partner, Abdullah;s, storylines brought up an important topic of the colonization and subsequent loss of a nation's historical record to plundering and looting. I am very intrigued to see where we will go next.

Overall, it was such a fun book to read and I am already greatly anticipating the sequel. I thought that the mystery was pretty compelling, even though the ultimate answer was not particularly shocking. I did enjoy some of the twists, although several at the end, while executed well, were not to my liking because they caused ~eMoTiOnS~

It ends on a pretty big cliffhanger, and it is one where I can either see the next book going off brilliantly, or a lot of things falling apart. I am choosing to trust that it will be just as good as this one though! I cannot wait for the sequel!

Overall, I had a fantastic time with What the River Knows and I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own. What the River Knows releases on October 31, 2023.

This was such a wonderfully atmospheric ride down the Nile River set in late 19th Egypt. It honestly made me desperate for more books like this. 🌊

I thought the historical side of the book was beautifully done with amazing attention to the architecture, food, culture, and people. The adventure element did not disappoint as Inez goes from site to site, and man did the last 20% of the book feel like a crazy ride. I also found the magic system nicely tied into the world and didn’t feel out of place like some historical fantasy books. 🐊

As much as the plot was incredibly fascinating, I found Inez to be a bit frustrating at times as the MC and narrator. She’s resourceful and plucky for sure, but her black and white view of people was honestly hard to take at times. Granted, she was a rather sheltered high-society raised girl, but still: how can you be so naive and trusting with people? 😬

Whit as a love interest was at first rather infuriating, but I came to really like his snark and wit (no pun intended). His backstory was very moving and I can see how this can change someone fundamentally. 😢

I have seen this book described as a slow burn YA romance, but in my opinion, it’s more forced proximity kind of romance. 🖤

In the end, I thought it was a fun The-Mummy-like adventure, but with stubborn teenagers. As I said before, the last 20% of the book was a WILD ride, and the epilogue did boost its overall rating up because of how jarred I felt with the realization of it all. 😦

Thank you again to @netgalley and @wednesdaybooks for sending this eARC in exchange for an honest review, and to @isabelwriter09 for writing a fantastic adventure set in historical Egypt! 🌴

Publication date: October 31! 🎃

Overall: 4.25/5 ⭐️

Surprisingly, this book was very middle of the road, there were things I liked and an equal amount of things I disliked. I may have gone into this with too high of an expectation though, as the author's previous book, 'Together We Burn', was a 5 star read for me.

Liked: historical Egypt setting, magical realism, nice writing style.

Disliked: Inez (I found her childish, immature, and naive), the romance (I didn't feel the chemistry), cliffhanger ending (Like 'Together We Burn', I thought this was going to be a standalone novel, some sort of heads up in the book summary would have been nice)

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book is like reading Divine Rivals if you could trust absolutely NO ONE. I really liked the setting, and the plot was mystery on mystery on mystery. Inez as a main character is very likable and you can’t help but root for her, even if I am very unsure about literally every other character in the book. The prose was generally fine with a few clunky spots and a handful of times where I had to go back and reread to figure out who was talking.

I was pretty devastated that it ended on a cliffhanger since I thought the book was a stand alone though.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book! I really enjoyed reading this book, more than I anticipated. I did have a few complaints, but overall I had fun reading this story and I read it in just a few days.

This story follows Inez who lives in Argentina with her aunt and cousins due to her parents continued absence in Egypt. Inez then gets a letter stating that her parents are presumed dead. Inez then wants to know what happened to them so she goes to her Uncle in Egypt to join him in his search for Egyptian artifacts while she tries to search for answers. Inez is constantly trying to not get sent home by her Uncle and his who team is trying to keep secrets from her; including the apparent love interest of Whit. Whit is a part of her Uncle’s team who also has secrets of his own.

This was the type of story where I kept wanting to know what was going on, and by the end of the book I was disappointed that I still do not really know what all the secrets are and the ones I thought I did also were unraveled with more. This is definitely not a standalone and while I do not mind cliffhangers, this cliffhanger felt very frustrating especially after what happened the page before it.

I enjoyed Whit and Inez together, I found Whit to be an interesting character and I am curious to learn more about him, but I did get tired of their repetitive moments; there were times where they had the same conversations over and over and it felt like the relationship building between them was more forced than genuine.

My main reason for not rating this higher was mainly my frustrating with the main character. Inez is really trusting and naïve and it can get a frustrating. There was one scene in the beginning of the book when someone steals something from her and it happened in such a frustrating and obvious way, I was so annoyed I had to put the book down for a day. Luckily her character does improve, but she does get swindled in other scenes as well…

While I did find the main character frustrating at times, I did enjoy reading this and because of that, I would recommend this book if you are looking for a fun read with an enjoyable romance plotline with it. I do wish the other books were out when I read this story, but I do think I would reread this when the other books do come out because I did find this read to be enjoyable.

This book started so good, I was intrigued by the mystery and loved the magical realism. Unfortunately it started feeling very repetitive. The details and long conversations got tiring and it started to feel very young and I lost interest.

I wanted to love this book. I am a super fan of the movie The Mummy and just recently watched Death on the Nile. So I would say I had some expectations when going into the book. Would I say I was let down because of my expectations? Yes, yes I was. I may have enjoyed it more if my expectations weren’t so high.

First off, I did love how this was set in Egypt. Being a lover of Egypt since I was young, I certainly enjoyed the setting this book was placed in. I really love Inez. Such a brave character that regardless of her situation, she pursues to find the answers she is looking for. She wouldn’t take no for an answer even though women in that time period did get that choice.

I love the idea of this being historical fiction with a hint of magic in the ancient Egypt artifacts. It gives a hint of whimsy in a setting set in the past.

The things I didn’t like too much without ruining the story for other readers.

I didn’t get a lot of magic. It was just a touch of those elements that left me wanting more of it.
The pacing was slow in this one. Nothing was really happening throughout the book. Yes, there were some dangerous elements to it. But it was few and far between. This storyline just dragged and wasn’t exciting.

Yes, there was a mystery behind her parent's death but there wasn’t much of Inez actually solving that mystery. There was a lot of I am not going to tell you what happened and her figuring out the mystery only because someone finally gave her some details. It was infuriating that a mystery wasn’t really being solved. It was just people constantly telling her that they were not going to tell her anything and her eventually getting details over time.

Now, I didn’t get The Mummy vibes other than this taking place in Egypt. I wasn’t fully convinced of the chemistry between Whit and Inez. Their conversations were between them, “I am not going to tell you,” “That's not true,” “I trust that person” and “Don’t call me by my surname.” Over and over again. No real depth to their conversations that left me wondering why they were drawn together. I wasn’t convinced basically.

All in all, if I didn’t see that this is compared to The Mummy, I may have enjoyed it more.

I need the sequel NOW. I absolutely loved this story! I grew up watching The Mummy and this gave me all the vibes. Inez is a great MC, I found her to be bold and daring, and just enjoyable! I loved the world building, little bits of magic and witty banter throughout. I will be eagerly awaiting for the next book.