A huge, huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for 'What the River Knows' by Isabel Ibañez.

Due to the setting being in Egypt during the 1800's I knew this book was for me. I know for sure I would have been one of those following the Egyptology craze back in the day. The history is so rich, and the architecture, and artifacts are so stunning. This book has been on my want to read list for awhile due to this. I've already had a copy pre-ordered, reading it ahead of time was just a bonus.

Inez Olivera receives word about her parents deaths, and sneaks off the Egypt, but once arriving there slowly starts to realize not everything is what it seems. The mystery and deception in here was phenomenal, and when I finally thought I had it all figured out I was left with more questions.

Bonus: I also really liked seeing the items being seen as historical artifacts instead of treasures. <3

My only real complaint is that it would actually take up to 5 minutes or longer for chloroform to render someone unconscious... it wouldn't be instantaneous.

But also.... when is the sequel for this coming out?! That cliffhanger at the end...

Overall 5/5 - I can't wait to recommend this to everyone.

What the River Knows

Isabel Ibañez

I like the main character Inez. She is feisty and I like feisty women. But I struggle with some of the other characters. I know I am to dislike Whit, but I dislike him intensely, which may be a problem as he turns out to be the love interest. Also, Tío Ricardo keeps referring to the character Abdullah as his brother-in-law but I don’t understand the relationship. He’s not Ricardo’s sister’s husband because they are Inez’s parents and we know they are dead. So is Abdullah his wife’s brother? That means Ricardo must be married to an Egyptian, but we haven’t been told that.
Ms. Ibáñez uses Egyptian and Spanish words without translating or defining them. I think that will leave some readers confused.
What redeems the book from its tedious tussle between Inez and everyone else in the world is the idea of old magic. But then it is almost spoiled again by the author’s overly florid writing. Inez’s uncle doesn’t just kiss her cheek, he “swoops down” and kisses her cheek.
I think perhaps someone who enjoys a different style of writing than I do will enjoy this book more. It is original, and I did want to finish. Those are both good things. I’m grateful to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Isabel Ibañez's "What the River Knows" is a true masterpiece of historical fantasy, an enchanting world filled with magic, mystery, and romance. The story follows Inez Olivera, a strong-willed young woman from nineteenth-century Buenos Aires, as she embarks on a quest to Egypt in search of answers about her parents' tragic deaths.

Inez's determination and curiosity make her a relatable and admirable protagonist, drawing readers into her journey of self-discovery. She constantly outsmarts the men around her, in a way that makes you think "why is anyone ever leaving her alone?" Her electric chemistry with Whitford Hayes, her guardian's enigmatic assistant, evolves into a slow-burning, enemies-to-lovers romance, brimming with witty banter and undeniable chemistry. The plot is a thrilling rollercoaster of twists and turns that challenges readers' assumptions, seamlessly blending historical elements with magical realism. The vivid descriptions of Cairo, the Nile River, and ancient artifacts create an immersive and enchanting world. The use of Spanish adds authenticity, and the narrative skillfully integrates family dynamics, social and cultural politics, and Egyptian mythology, making it both engaging and thought-provoking.

Inez's character development is beautifully portrayed, and the diverse cast of characters adds depth and intrigue to the story. The book concludes with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger but don't worry, the sequel is in the works. In summary, "What the River Knows" is a brilliant, sensational, and phenomenal historical fantasy, deserving of every one of its five stars. It immerses readers in a world of magic, adventure, and romance, leaving them hungry for more. Isabel Ibañez has crafted a must-read novel that will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the top literary treasures of 2023.

3.5 stars rounded to 4. The setting of this book is rich in culture and imagery of Egypt. It definitely lives up to its tagline of having vibes from The Mummy with ancient magic and looking for lost treasures. I enjoyed the mystery of it all and the plot twists (of which there are several) were surprising. Inez is an interesting character with spunk and drive but all too trusting and naive. With all that said, I’m a romance reader and this fell flat for me in that area. I was expecting Rick and Evelyn level chemistry and I just didn’t see it. There was definitely some good banter in the beginning but that part didn’t continue to pull me in as the story progressed. While I think this was the idea, I was just very confused by the ending. Perhaps Whit will have some growth in future books that make me want that connection. The pacing was also a little slow at times for my taste. I kept reading expecting to get hooked based on other reviews but it never happened for me.

Content Notes: Gun violence, passionate kisses, loss of parents, kidnapping

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Inez’s parents have left her behind in Buenos Aires, Argentina while they search for artifacts and hieroglyphs in ancient Egypt. The only thing Inez wants is to be with her parents, be a real family again. When she gets word that her parents have passed away, she must make her way to Egypt. Her uncle is her sole guardian now and he’s not what she remembers. Secrets lie at every turn and Inez has difficulty trying to figure out what’s right and wrong. Enter Whit, her uncle’s right hand man who has a whole host of secrets of his own. While Inez is trying to figure out what happened to her parents, the unexpected happens and she must figure out what is the truth is while figuring out her next steps in life.

This book was so good and I couldn’t put it down. Ancient Egypt isn’t usually a favorite to read but this book might have changed that. Inez was sassy and sarcastic and I love her wit and determination. While she made some not to smart choices, she was following her heart and what she thought was correct. I absolutely love her and Whit and cannot wait to see what happens. That ending made me almost throw my kindle across the room - cliff hanger leading me to ask more questions about what’s to come. Highly recommend this book for Egypt, historical fantasy, magic and a great romance.

I, good to honest, do not know how I feel about this book. I don’t know how I feel about this book so much that I’m not giving it a rating. Which is rare because I’m an <i>incredibly</i> judgemental person. Also thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the ARC.

Featuring:
☆ Anti-colonial Archeology
☆ Egyptian Girlboss Pharaohs
☆ A snarky ‘will they, won’t they’ romance
☆ and historical fantasy set in non-white settings

<b>The Good</b>
What the River Knows, while an easy read, is an incredibly fun one. While I found parts of the plot predictable, enough of it surprised me, yet <i>worked</i> that it kept me incredibly engaged.

While reading this, I could tell the love and research Isabel Ibañez had for Ancient Egypt. She did a fantastic job looking into Cleopatra’s history, and I found the way the plot centered on her incredibly interesting.

The story, while slow at first, picked up at about 30-40% of the way through the book, and from there the story flew by, as more stakes were introduced. However Ibañez far from overwhelms, while she introduced just as many things in the second half of the novel as the first, she paces and balances them so well, that you barely notice. I was honestly so impressed.

Finally, her characters are all incredibly well characterised and distinct. I loved getting to read them and know them as the story went on, and while dialogue did blur together a bit sometimes, the various personalities and goals of everyone were so believable and well done that I just really enjoyed everyone. Even when I hated them.

<b>The Bad</b>
My biggest complaint about this book is that while the main character was Argentinian, nothing about her felt Argentinian. She was a cultureless blank slate. She could’ve been a Spainard and it would’ve made no difference for anything in the novel. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I think when writing anti-colonial historical fantasy, the culture of the character matters, and Inez wasn’t Argentinian. Which is a shame, because I quite honestly picked up this book because I wanted to read some fantasy about an Argentinian girl, and this wasn’t it.

The main romance of the book also lacked chemistry. While the banter was cute, they didn’t feel particularly attached to each other beyond friends, and every time they kissed it took me by surprise. The romance did nothing for me, added nothing, they could’ve been friends and it would’ve have almost the exact same effect. And as far as romances go, that’s not good.

Finally, while the book was well written, the plot… wasn’t. Much of the book requires on bad communication, stupidity plots, and deus ex machinas. And even with that, there are plot holes abound. I enjoyed the story and plot, but Ibañez honestly could’ve used another one or two editing passes.

<b>The Ugly</b>
So while this book markets itself as anti-colonial, and I think it is, I’m not sure the actual politics of the book match what I think it was going for. The main character and her family who are at the center of this book, are all incredibly wealthy and archeologists. And while their intentions are to find things and leave them there to protect them from the British, if it was white people doing this we’d say it’s a white savior narrative. This isn’t a story about colonized people protecting their history, it’s a story about colonized people going to another country and acting on what they would do to protect their history but for a different group of people. And personally, that just felt kind of weird. There was this assumption from these incredibly wealthy Argentinians and Bolivians that they know what was best to do, and then just… went out and did it.

In conclusions What the River Knows is a fun history fantasy romance, best for people who like Rebecca Ross’s books. But while it’s a fun book, I’m not sure it’s actually a good one.

Isabel Ibañez’s debut What the River Knows follows Inez, daughter of two Egypt-obsessed parents who travel there without here half the year, finally going to Egypt in search of answers about her parents. There is rich historical detail, some romance and fantasy, and a unique combination of Latine and Egyptian culture. The 19th century Egyptian setting crossed with some magic is a fascinating and fun choice for Inez’s adventurous tale.

Admittedly, I didn’t know this was the first in a series when I started it, and for the length and pacing, I wish it was a standalone and more contained story, but that might be personal preference. I also felt like the writing style and voice could have been aged up a bit to match the characters’ ages, something I noticed early on and had some trouble adjusting to.

This book captured everything that I love in a story: magic, a bit m of romance, a helping of family drama, mystery, adventure, and wrapped it all into a beautiful bow of culture and history.
I love everything to do with Egypt and having an adventure book about archeological dig sites and magically infused items plus a handsome partner for fun adventure was exactly what I didn’t know I needed.
This story while a little slow at the beginning had me racing to finish. I felt gripped and I cannot express how much I loved Inez and her fierce, unapologetic nature.
I cannot wait for book two! I need it!

YA historical fantasy set in Egypt. I was expecting to be utterly obsessed with this book based on it’s description and vibes but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. I wasn’t invested in the characters or romance and the plot dragged. However, many seem to be loving this book so maybe it was just a timing problem with me?! I can’t recommend this book but please, don’t let my review alone deter you from diving in if interested. Super intriguing setting and premise!

Thank you to netgalley and publisher for a review ecopy!

A charming and captivating story of discovery and grief, set in the beautiful country of Egypt. Its rich culture and history draws you in as we set off on an adventure to discover the long lost tomb of Cleopatra.

Inez Olivera receives a mysterious letter from her father that contains an ancient ring seeped in powerful magic. When she receives news of her parent’s deaths, she sets off to Egypt to discover the secrets of their mysterious demise. Inez soon meets her uncle Ricardo and his annoyingly charming British assistant Whit. Together, often reluctantly, they use the old magic of Egypt to discover its secrets, all while suspecting betrayal and deceit from each other and those around them.

This story has love, mystery, betrayal, and history. If you are fans of The Mummy, or just had an Ancient Egypt phase as a kid, this book is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

Isabel Ibañez created a lush, beautiful world in What the River Knows that's pitched as Death on the Nile meets The Mummy, but is so much more. At its heart, this is a story about family--and it sucked me right in!

Isabel's atmospheric writing transported me to Egypt in the past. She did a great job marrying setting with action and tension, a difficult task. Inez is just the heroine I wanted to read about. And she felt so real! Driven, but also unsure at times. Spunky, but also concerned. She did a great job capturing a spirited teen who was out of their element. And Whit! The scenes between Whit and Inez were dynamite. The banter was fantastic. I'd have read this book if all of the scenes were just these two.

I will admit that the book started off a bit slow, but it more than made up for it later, so I'm not docking a star for it. (I will also acknowledge that this could be me, since I was overanxious for her to get to Egypt, for reasons you'll understand when you read the book.) But the ending! I don't want to spoil anything, but the ending is perfection.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loved complex family relationships, action-packed scenes, and swoon worthy romance. I CANNOT wait to get my hands on the next installment.

Many thanks to Wednesday Books for the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬” 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

An interesting YA historical fiction with fantasy and mystery.

𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘢𝘯-𝘈𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘦𝘻 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘉𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘴 𝘈𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵: 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴―𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴, 𝘐𝘯𝘦𝘻 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘰, 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘱𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵’𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥.

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯’𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯, 𝘐𝘯𝘦𝘻 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴―𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳.

This book has a such a wildly unique premise compared to any of the other fantasy books I’ve read, and I loved the culture and setting of it. Ibañez really wove a magical story and makes you feel as though you’re actually in Egypt, and it was so fascinating. Another aspect I really enjoyed was the banter between Inez and Whit, it was so fun and their chemistry was great. The pacing was the only real problem for me at times, as it got pretty slow in places. And I’m still on the fence about the ending but I’m really looking forward to book 2 and seeing where this story will go.

Thank you to @wednesdaybooks and @netgalley for my review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! What the River Knows is the first book I've read by Isabel Ibañez and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work. She's definitely a talented author and I really enjoyed her book! If you were obsessed with Ancient Egypt as a child, love The Mummy, and you enjoy adventures & historical romances, this book is for you! Honestly, if even one of those categories fits you, get this book!

I think the main characters, Inez and Whit, are well-written and engaging! The book is advertised as a rivals-to-lovers romance and I found that to be an accurate description. I did like their dynamic from the very first time they interacted and enjoyed seeing how it developed from there.

For the most part the plot is great, though the pacing could've been better. I think the book could've been a tad shorter. But overall it's a pretty strong and enjoyable story. Just know that after a great start, if you feel it's dragging a bit, I'd say don't worry because it absolutely does pick back up! But hopefully you won't feel that way at all! There are fantasy elements but it's not a major part of the story. At least so far. As it happens, this book does end on a pretty enticing cliffhanger, which definitely has me excited for the next book! I had no idea this wasn't a stand alone until basically the last page, so I'm mentioning that just in case others aren't aware either.

The strongest aspect of this book for me was the setting. Isabel Ibañez has done a great job bringing 19th century Egypt to life and I adored it. What the River Knows is worth reading just for how immersive an experience it is! Really beautifully done!

I saw the comparisons to The Mummy and Death on the Nile, but having never seen either of those I didn’t know what to expect. I was expecting more fantasy and romance, and this wasn’t that. It was an adventure historical mystery - which isn’t typically genres I enjoy.

There’s a slow burn romance, lots of secrets, strong FMC, and a major cliff hanger.

Fun, fresh, and for fans of the Mummy. Vivid writing brings interesting characters to life readily, and the plot is clever and rockets along easily. May feel a tad long at times but a fun storyline and a great ship make for easy reading. A definite winner of the year, no matter when you read it.

The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in this beautiful historical fantasy, and it’s nothing short of phenomenal. What the River Knows has a little bit of everything: secrets, lies, mythology, magic, ancient artifacts, history, and rivals to lovers.

It’s been a minute since I wasn’t able to put a book down, but I read through this one in 24 hours because I needed to know what happened next. I also need to know what the cliffhanger means right now because I can’t wait for book two!

Our main character, Inez, has grown up with parents who spend half of their time in Egypt without her. She receives word of their tragic deaths and sails to Cairo hoping for answers. But when she gets there, old world magic pulls her in directions she wasn’t expecting. She also wasn’t expecting to deal with her Uncle’s brooding assistant

I loved the description of this book was Death on the Nile meet The Mummy, because that sums it up perfectly. Archaeology has always been intriguing to me. Indiana Jones was my hero! (Yes, I am that old.) :)
As much as I enjoyed Inez's character, Whit stole the show for me. Charming and swoony to the max. They were a great match. I was also fascinated by the setting, Egypt. The author does a great job with this.. With mummies, action, magic, secrets, what isn't to love. The book is quite the adventure and WOW the ending.
Huge thanks to the publisher for the Netgalley approval.

Beware the cliffhanger! I am so frustrated by it because I KNEW we couldn't trust this character, and so did Inez, but it seems she just can't help herself.

It really bothers me that the most important people in Inez's life at this time all lie to her. Some really terrible things could have been avoided if her uncle and Whit had just told her the truth from the beginning. She's constantly having to fight them and prove to them that she deserves a place in Egypt, and I hated that her uncle blamed her for something that could have been avoided if he'd just been honest with her about her own family.

So that's me being emotional about the story. I really enjoyed the setting and the descriptions, and that Inez is headstrong and hard-working. What I didn't like was there were some instances in the story that felt like plot points were only there for shock value.

Inez is too trusting, and one of the characters even tells her that, so I hope that in the next book she learns how to trust herself instead of others who clearly, constantly, let her down. She gives her heart, but doesn't get anything in return. She deserves the respect of those she was working with in Egypt, but her uncle gives her none (and see aforementioned rant about said uncle). I have so many feelings!!!

Robin's Rave Reviews

Are you one of those armchair archeologists, a wanna-be like me? Get your fix with What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez, a great book with intrigue, twists and turns, Egyptian history, archeological digs, adventure, and danger. Just to sweeten the pot, throw in a strong female protagonist, magic, romance, constant questioning of who can be trusted, and exotic settings including in Cairo, on the Nile River, and at a dig site in the desert. Although What the River Knows is labeled as YA, it's also perfect for adults.
This is book 1 of a duology. Be prepared as you approach the last pages; not everything will get wrapped up. It ends on a major cliffhanger. Other than that, the book was 5 stars for me!
Summary:
19th century Buenos Aires - Inez's parents have left her behind six month out of every year for as long as she can remember. Since her parents are actively involved in the archeological digs they fund in Egypt, Inez has grown up living with her aunt and two cousins. Now nineteen-years-old, Inez receives news that her parents are missing and presumed dead. She devises a plan to go to Egypt to get answers from her uncle.
A woman traveling alone in the 1800s is considered inappropriate and dangerous, and yet, Inez, pretending to be a young widow, sails all the way from Buenos Aires to Cairo. Whit, her uncle's handsome assistant, meets her at the docks. Her uncle's orders are to immediately send her back. Inez has other plans and slips away.
When she finally finds her uncle, he doesn't want her to be there. He puts Whit in charge of keeping tabs on her until he can arrange another passage home. Having opposite goals puts Inez and Whit in conflict with each other, yet there is undeniable chemistry between the two.
Inez learns there is much more to her parents' deaths/disappearances, but Whit continually blocks her attempts to discover the truth. However, when the men realize Inez may be useful to them in their pursuit to find Cleopatra's burial site, they allow her to join them.
Other parties, also interested in Cleopatra's final resting spot, add danger to Inez and her uncle's group. Who are the responsible archeologists and who would simply profit from the black market? What happened to Inez's parents? Can Inez trust Whit? Can she trust her uncle?

Isabel Ibañez is the author of multiple novels including Woven in Midnight which is listed among Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books Of All Time. If you love fantasy, check out the list! To learn more about Isabel Ibañez and her books, go to her website here.
What the Rivers Knows comes out October 31, 2023. You can pre-order from your favorite bookstore or click here to order from bookshop.org. (They support Mom and Pop bookstores across the country.) Or, when you visit your local library, ask them to buy a copy!
If you liked this book review, check out my other book reviews here.
Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press for the ARC of What the River Knows. The opinions are my own.

Thank you, NetGalley and Wednesday Books, for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book for review.

"What the River Knows" is a captivating blend of adventure, mystery, romance, fantasy, and historical fiction, all expertly woven into a single book. The story follows Inez, a stubborn and headstrong protagonist whose curiosity becomes her greatest strength and weakness. As she navigates through various challenges, she discovers a longing to uncover the truth about her parents, realizing that she never truly knew them.

The book not only entertains but also introduces readers to the enchanting world of Egypt, where the race to preserve ancient tombs clashes with those who seek to exploit their discoveries. The narrative is enriched with historical references to Cleopatra, skillfully intertwined with elements of magic and fantasy, creating a truly mesmerizing plot. However, I find certain parts of the book slow in pace, impacting my reading experience.

The romance in the story is a slow burn, with opposites attracting and adding an exhilarating dynamic to the narrative. The cliffhanger ending further intensifies the excitement, leaving readers anticipating the next installment.