3.75⭐️ rounded up

All her life, Inez Olivera wanting nothing more than to be able to follow her parents to the country they spent so much time in - Egypt. After Inez receives a letter from her uncle telling her of her parents sudden and mysterious deaths, she finally sails to Cairo in search of answers. Her journey there is filled with adventure, mystery, secrets, magic, and romance.

Ok I was going to give this 3.5 because honestly, the first 60ish percent was kind of slow for me. But once the plot twists started, I was hooked. And that ending?!? I went into this book fairly blind, assuming it was a standalone novel. But it obviously cannot because I NEED answers?!?!! OMG.

Despite this book starting off slow for me, I really enjoyed Inez and her spunky personality. She’s charming and funny, and a very fun character. I also adored the atmosphere and lush descriptions of Egypt - they truly painted a beautiful picture. The romance between Inez and Whit was fun also! Assuming this is the first book of a series, I will definitely be continuing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy!

I have read the previous book from this author which I did not like at all, but this book was a pleasant surprised. It was a good story, I like the aspect of magic engraved in ancient objects and how the MFC was having visions and see past events, as well as the ancient Egypt atmosphere. The last 1/3 of the book was the best part and the plot twist made the story more interesting. I really hate the mom, but was really necessary to kill the cousin? I didn’t see the point of this but maybe it was done to help Inez character developed. Since most of the characters in this book are morally gray and base on this fact is seem that Inez cousin will serve as her excuse for her character to become morally gray as well.

What I didn’t enjoy was the tone and majority of the dialogue of the book this is supposed to be a historical book and as such the tone and interactions of the characters should be different and if it weren’t for the date that the author provided I would have think that the story was set in modern times. Another thing that I didn’t like was the romance it felt too insta-love. Whit was such a jerk with Inez since the beginning and it didn’t change through the hold book. Yes he has his moments but not enough to convince me. I didn’t like his character at all. So I don’t root for their relationship. I Could have do without the romance in this book.

Overall the story was entertaining and I will continue I want to know what happens next. I already pre-order my physical copy plus I have my fairyloot edition coming as well. I loved the book cover.

DNF @ 14%. I try to finish advance reader copies, but couldn’t bring myself to read more of this one.

It’s written in that awkward first-person POV with third-person omniscience that I only see in YA, with lines like “I shook my head absently” and “my ever-changing hazel eyes.” By definition, if you are doing something absently, you aren’t aware you’re doing it. And does our main character spend hours watching herself in a mirror to know her eyes are “ever-changing”?

The premise sounds fun, but the awkward and extremely young-sounding POV, jarringly modern dialogue for a book set in 1884 (“Bold move, Olivera, bold move” and “Don’t try that shit with me again”), and our main character’s privileged background resulting in a sense of entitlement and impetuosity grated on me so much I didn’t make it to The Mummy knockoff part of the story.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary copy of this novel! This is Book 1 in the Secrets of the Nile Duology by Isabel Ibanez. It is a Young Adult Historical Fiction Fantasy novel and I loved it….5 stars! This novel is set in Argentina and Egypt in the early 1800’s. Inez Oliveria is an upper class young woman of Bolivian-Argentinian descent. When she receives devastating news from her uncle that her parents have died while excavating in Egypt, she is intent on going there to Egypt to find closure and hopefully some answers. Inez is a headstrong and determined young woman who won’t take no for an answer. When she arrives in Cairo, her uncle has sent in his stead a very handsome and mysterious man named Whit. Inez doesn’t know who she can trust. She finds a note and diary belonging to her mother, claiming her uncle (her mother’s brother), was maybe responsible for their deaths. Inez ends up disguising herself as a crew member to board the Elephantine, to travel to where her uncle and parents were excavating. Her uncle is trying to get her to go back home so she doesn’t meddle. Eventually, sparks fly between her and Whit, but Inez still doesn’t have all the answers. What happened to her parents? Why did her father send her a ring belonging to Cleopatra before he died? Who can she trust? AVAILABLE October 31, 2023!!! A 5-star read!!, This story isn’t over yet! I’m looking forward to Book 2 in the series!

This might be one of the best YA books I’ve read all year.

The whole story is impressive and had me engrossed from chapter one onwards. It’s a YA historical fiction (set in 1880s Egypt) and has a twist of magical realism and a small romance subplot.

Overall, the plot is engaging, the story is mid paced with lots of great writing, the main characters are lovable, and the setting makes you want to transport there.

Synopsis:
Inez Oliviera has lived in Argentina her whole life, splitting half the year with her parents and the other half at her aunt’s home while her parents venture to Egypt in search of ancient artifacts. At age 19, having grown up immersed in Egyptian studies/history, she dreams of getting to travel with them and participate in an archeological dig…that is until a letter arrives from her uncle in Egypt informing her of their passing. Inez, desperate to find out what happened to them and learn more about their other life in Africa, sneaks away from her aunt and books passage to Egypt. Upon her arrival her uncle and his employee (a handsome young man named Whit) try to send her back but to their dismay she manages to stowaway on their boat and makes herself invaluable on their search for the lost tomb of Cleopatra…all while trying to uncover the mystery of her parents death and figuring out who she can trust.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC. It was a joy to read!

There's a blurb that describes this book as The Mummy meets Death on the Nile and that's the PERFECT description. It's full to the brim with vividly descriptive history, action and adventure and all the romantic tension you can handle. It took me so long to finish reading because I kept stopping to look things up and investigate further!
When you think it's going to zig, the book zags. And just when you think it's going to zag, it zigs. There are so many exciting twists and turns and she never chickens out on pushing the limits. The epilogue - Oh. My. Goodness. What the heck?? Someone please read this so we can talk about the epilogue!! It's definitely set up for a second book. And I'm not mad about it! Do not skip the Author's Note. Lots of great information!

*immediately seeking out books set in Egypt!

This was a tricky one for me to gather my thoughts on! A first for me by Ibañez… and definitely not my last.

The setting was one I never knew I was yearning for in a book… she immerses you into the history of ancient Egypt and an archeological site to the point of feeling like you covered in dust and a bit claustrophobic. I enjoyed the characters as well as the plot. At times I felt the story would pique my interest and then quickly fizzle out for a bit and then pique it once more repeatedly… but don’t let that sway you I really enjoyed the book and I’m looking forward to book 2… that ending!!!

Thank you to the publisher for my advanced ecopy!

5⭐️

Ughh this book is going to be living rent free in a good way until I can get book two in my hands. That ending!!

I really loved my time with this book. This is my first experience with this author and I'm going to check out her past work.

This book is shrouded in mystery, adventure, and magical realism. Inez had traveled to Egypt in search of her parents. Her parents uncle, now appointed Guadian, does not want her tagging along and has put his associate Whit in charge of her. Which he is not really good at.

I loved the characters of this book. Tio was my least enjoyed character and Whit was my absolute favorite. He was charming and hilarious. Yet also so incredibly sweet. I couldn't get enough and I'm so sad I have to wait for the next book. Chefs kiss 💋

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I will be posting my review to my Instagram page the.floofs.booknook and retail sites close or on publication.

I kept hearing about this book and decided to give it a go without really knowing what to expect. I'm not an egyptophile and I don't know too much about the history of egypt so it was nice to get the initial timeline and some background information sprinkled throughout.

The relationship between the characters is a really great enemies to lovers dynamic and I knew from the moment Inez left Whit on the docks with her luggage it was going to be a fun ride.

The twists and turns in the plot are unexpected and made me not want to put the book down. I also had no idea this was a duology so the ending was truly devastating. I don't know how I'm going to survive the wait until the next book.

I have JUST finished reading this ARC and I have so many questions! I'm also very impatient for the second book to come out.

First, I am ashamed to admit that I was approved for this ARC almost a year ago and I just picked it up. 🫣

This was SO good!

If you liked the movie The Mummy, if had an egyptian/archeologist/pharaoh phase when you were young, this is the perfect book for you!

You got a strong headed female character trying to navigate a world she was kept from by her parents. Her uncle, the on with the answers, acts very mysteriously and keeps trying to push her away. The role of keeping her away falls in the hands of Mr. Whitford Hayes, a young british ex-soldier. But Inez does whatever she wants and she ends up following her uncle during an excavation.

You've got angst, you've got impossible romance, you've got history, you've got murder mystery.

I am now itching for book 2! 😩

As someone who's read and devoured Isabel Ibañez previous books, I went into What the River Knows thinking I would enjoy it.

And that is exactly what happened. Though I didn't just enjoy it, I LOVED the story. It has The Mummy vibes for sure, but what The Mummy lacked in details, What the River Knows makes up for. It's rich details regarding history, location and people will transport you to ninteeth century Egypt. The love story was slow burn and filled with lots of tension.

My only complaint is that the story leans heavily to historical and only has a dash of fantasy. I would have liked to see a little more fantasy.

Overall, it's still a 5 star book of me and I believe it's her best book to date, I would reread this again and recommend it.

This was my first novel by Ibañez and it won't be my last. What the River knows is a story that involves much magic and mystery. The adventure with the slow burn romance was so well done. I already miss these characters. I enjoyed that the romance was a subplot in this because it made the adventure and mystery aspect of this all the better. The story is gorgeous and has amazing prose. I recommend this to anyone.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARc in exchange for an honest review!

4.25/5⭐️

This was so fun!

A little Raiders of the Lost Ark, a little The Mummy, this epic adventure takes place in 19th century Argentina and Egypt as a young Inez Olivera travels to Cairo alone to discover how her parents died on an archaeological expedition with her uncle. She discovers clues that lead to unsettling conclusions. Can she trust anyone who knew her parents?

Wonderful adventure, suspense, twists and a slow-burn romance combine to make a very satisfying story, one that will be continued with a sequel (and yes, there’s a bit of an ambiguous cliffhanger).

Recommended.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing the free early arc of What the River Knows for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

What the River Knows is a captivating blend of magic and mystery, akin to a contemporary take on "The Mummy." Ibañez skillfully combines history, supernatural elements, and a dash of romance to create an engaging narrative that keeps readers hooked.

if you’d like a little murder mystery, romance, and magic to go with your ancient egypt childhood hyperfixation, then this is absolutely the book for you.

i believe this book is advertised as ‘death on the nile’ meets the mummy, and while it leans much more historical mystery than it does fantasy-mummy-brendan-fraser, it has enough of all of those categories to keep you invested. it’s reminiscent a bit (to me, at least) of rebecca ross' divine rivals, in that it exists in that gray area that is historical/fantasy/mystery/romance, though this one leans far more mystery than divine rivals did.

the romance feels a bit like a subplot in this, as isabel delicately builds the chemistry, but the bits and pieces we do get absolutely grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go. when i tell you i’d die for 60 seconds of banter from whitford hayes, i mean it. afterwards, entomb me like the pharaohs and bury me with this book so i never have to be without him.

truly, this is a gorgeous story — a little bit slow in the beginning, but the twists in the last third of the book really make the journey so worth it. i would’ve liked a dash more magic and mythology, but i suspect that will come more thoroughly in the sequel.

buckle in for a twisty mystery with this one, replete with delicious slow-burn, forbidden romance and a beautiful historical setting that will delight anyone with even a passing childhood interest in ancient egypt.

This type of love interest can be written 1000 times and I’ll always fall for them. I’d recommend What the River Knows for lovers of Divine Rivals and Stalking Jack the Ripper.

This book is first person dual pov and takes place mostly in Egypt with a bit in Argentina. I really loved Inez, I thought her character felt very realistic and relatable.

The ending is leaving me reeling and upset that I don’t already have the second book in my hands.

The only thing I didn’t really love was Whit’s pov, as it felt very unnecessary and didn’t really add anything until the very end.

Overall, I loved this and can’t wait to read the sequel! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martian’s Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

“What the River Knows” is a historical fantasy novel by Isabel Ibañez. The book tells the story of Inez Olivera, a 19-year-old Argentine and Bolivian heiress who sets sail to investigate the mysterious deaths of her parents in Egypt

I am absolutely devastated to give this book a low rating. Probably somewhere between a 2 and 3. I had such high hopes and, truly, it has so much potential. I looked for ways to rate this higher because was it fun? Yes. But was it a worthwhile distraction? Eeek, no, I'm really not sure it was. And here's why.

My biggest issues with this book are that it was incredibly repetitive and the plot didn't necessarily flow logically or develop consistently. As to the latter, yes, this means we were told, not shown. More problematically (to me), we were told one thing when it worked with whatever the author was trying to do (build the mystery or throw us off the scent of the baddie, for example) and then another thing when the author's purpose shifted. It was never clearly explained why Inez could not accompany her parents to Egypt (which did not seem dangerous and one character even said "it's so safe here!"), or at least visit, or why her parents didn't want her there (except in relation to very recent events). Multiple characters commented in the beginning of the book on Inez's missing mother and how much of a beloved prankster she was at excavation sites and among the excavation crew over the course of 17 years, but then it was later revealed that she preferred to remain in Cairo after the first year. Inez's uncle was prone to unexplained fits of rage. Character associations and relationships (excepting the romance and especially leading to the big bad) were simply revealed without any explanation of how we got there and/or why these people were in cahoots. Even the most central plot point-- Inez's parents going missing/presumed dead-- worked only insofar as it got Inez to Egypt, but then was an absolutely illogical result in terms of the things that got them to that point. Also there were a number of superfluous characters that just existed and did not otherwise drive the plot.

Re the repetition, the book repeated words, phrases, thought processes ("I know I shouldn't I trust this person, but he did these XX things" came up at least 5 times), and even explanations of historical facts. The battle of Actium and it's historical significance as the day Cleopatra lost everything was explained multiple times. The fact that Augustus renamed himself and the strategic political reasons why he allowed Cleopatra to be buried with her children was discussed/explained amongst the same characters twice within 5 chapters. I loved that this was a love story to Egypt, but I wish that these facts were integrated more cohesively and without so much repetition.

Those issues aside, I also felt that the novel-- like it's rebellious 19 yo FMC-- hasn't quite figured out what it wants to be when it grows up. The maturity of the writing and dialogue skews on the younger side of YA, and doesn't quite mesh with the more mature subject matter and violence in the book. It's labeled as a fantasy, but basically it's just a book set in 1880s Egypt plus magic (sort of). I love historical fiction, but I also didn't really feel immersed into the location or the time-period. There was talk of what Society would allow, for example, but none of the characters followed Society's rules (nor suffered any repercussions for their modern attitudes/actions) or otherwise acted as you would expect for the time. Also, the magic (GROAN)!

The magic was almost an afterthought, though I suspect it may come more to the forefront with future books. Magic apparently used to exist openly in the world, but has since been forgotten and now only exists via magical artifacts or objects. Magical objects serve some sort of purpose, a scarf that makes hot water for tea, for example, and then there are artifacts that *have* magic, but do nothing. Magical artifacts may or may "latch" on to a person that touches the artifact, helping connect them to other similar magical artifacts and the person who imbued the artifact with magic. Anyway, the magic wasn't developed or explained at all: why can some objects do things, or why does magic latch to certain people and not others, and what does that mean-- idk. It was instead used solely as a convenient plot device in the novel and didn't seem very well thought out or purposeful.

Anyway. as it turns out I had THOUGHTS on this book. I normally wouldn't get as specific or detailed (super hard to do without spoilers, but I tried my best), but the bones of this book are just so so good and it just felt a little bit like a draft to me. All that being said, I edit (not books) as a profession and people who might not be looking so deep will definitely enjoy this, or at least not find it unenjoyable. Certainly I am out outlier as I've seen multiple 5 star reviews for this.

Wednesday books/St. Martin's press have published some of my favorite books. Thank you to them for doing that and for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this one!

Next time I pick up a book because it’s compared to a favorite movie, someone stop me.

Inez has shared her parents with Egypt her whole life. Half of the year they are with her archeologist uncle, while she’s left behind in Argentina. When her parents unexpectedly pass while in Egypt, Inez sneaks away to visit her parent’s favorite place in hope of discovering what happened to them.

Oh boy. This is compared to The Mummy, but take that with a handful of salt. Outside of taking place in Egypt and magic artifacts, this book isn’t to the standards of The Mummy. The world building and plot were sacrificed for a very lackluster romance.

I didn’t mind Inez at first. She was curious and tenacious, which I liked. Her dumb decisions were the result of growing up sheltered. I slowly disliked her as she became obsessed with our love interest, Whit. She acted like she had a right to his personal life and information, constantly pushing his buttons to trick him into revealing more. Her lust (let’s call it what it was) for Whit overshadowed her desire to find what happened to her parents.

Whit was awful. His personality can be boiled down to drinking, lounging, and smirking. He flirted with Inez, but didn’t back off when he realized just how
impressionable she was. I love a good roguish scoundrel, but he had no essence or personality outside of that.

Whit was ENGAGED the whole time Inez knows him, which made his flirting worse. After going too far, he finally established the boundary of being betrothed. I’d say good for him, but neither of them respected the boundary. He continued to flirt, and Inez pursued. I was waiting for Inez to give him the cold shoulder for leading her on, but this was too much to hope for. The whole back and forth act took precedence over a substantial plot.

The “mystery” could have been solved if everyone communicated. Whit and Inez’s Tio were unwilling to tell her the truth about her parents, which would have cleared up the mess Inez gets herself into. I don’t understand why her Tio was so against her knowing anything; from the beginning Inez made it clear she wouldn’t leave until she found out what happened. This resulted in a lot of bad decisions and dangerous scenarios that never had to play out. Mysteries need to be built on something more solid that people’s inability to just talk.

The magic system was not fleshed out. It’s never explained why certain things have magical properties, or how they came to be magical. It’s initially hinted that enchantments are relegated to artifacts, yet there seemed to be newer items that also had magical properties. I thought more people would be in a frenzy to claim these enchanted items, but outside of archeologists, no one seemed to care.

My biggest gripe is this isn’t a standalone. Nothing is wrapped up, but I don’t care enough about the series to continue on. Maybe the second book will flesh out our characters and magic system more, but I don’t have the patience for that.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Rounded up from 3.5 stars

What The River Knows will be published October 31. Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to receive this eARC because of the comparisons to The Mummy and Death on the Nile, the rivals-to-lovers, and the focus on ancient Egypt. Overall, What the River Knows was a solid read, featuring a side of slow burn romance, banter, history, and action and adventure, but stars were deducted for pacing and development.

The novel takes place in 1884, in the same historical world we live in, but with magical realism features. Items are imbued with magic (we aren’t sure how or by whom), but the special artifacts or items impart remnants of that power onto the wielded until the magic fades away. Our main female character is Inez Olivera, whose parents have been away excavating in Egypt off and on for 16 years, as she lives with her Aunt and two cousins in Argentina. When Inez turns 18, she receives devastating news that her parents are gone. She decides to flee Argentina and make the journey to Egypt to meet with her Uncle and find out what happened to her mother and father.

Enter Whitford “Whit” Hayes, a handsome Englishman who works for Inez’s Uncle, doing some shady side jobs. Whit and the Uncle try to make Inez go back to Argentina, but she has her own plans. Without giving away the plot, chaos ensues, and we are thrust into a vivid depiction of Egypt and trying to find not only the lost tomb of Cleopatra, but also the truth of what happened to her family.

I appreciated the descriptions of Egypt and found myself transported back to the age of exploration, being carted down the Nile on the Elephantine. I felt like I was seeing Egypt and the tombs as if I saw them in Inez’s paintings. The book addresses the plundering of tombs and stealing of artifacts by the English, and it was evident that Ibañez did a lot of research.

I wish the magic system was more thoroughly explained. Yes, there are magicked artifacts that give their power to the person who possesses them until the power is gone, but how does that process work? Who can impart the magic? Why did it stop? I thought the concept was very interesting, but I had unanswered questions.

I also wanted to know more about Whit’s backstory with his family because it would have given the a more complete understanding of his mood changes and the familial obligations he was under.

I liked that Inez was an obstinate, headstrong girl, willing to put herself in harm’s way to find out the truth. She was too trusting of others and not of herself, though, but I can understand why.

Whit was brooding, moody, and clearly struggling with what he endured in his past. But, the banter and chemistry between him and Inez was good. I’d read the second book if there’s more of his POV in it.

The pacing suffered from inconsistency. The beginning of the book was interesting, and then it slowed down in the middle for a while. The pacing picked up a bit again when Inez stowed away on the Elephantine, and then I felt the last 20% of the book was rushed. There was one particular character whose inclusion was only to serve a specific plot point, and I did not care to see the reunion cut short so quickly and graphically. I thought the novel and plot could have been better served in a different way with the same effect.

The epilogue was abrupt, and the cliffhanger was confusing. I had to use the search feature on my Kindle to remember a character, mentioned only once before, during an important scene. So, I wish there had been more of an emphasis or foreshadowing here because the cliffhanger wouldn’t have felt so far afield and simply a vehicle to set up a sequel.

Overall, I would probably read the second book. I thought it was a standalone when I received it, but it clearly isn’t. While this wasn’t a five star book for me, others really love it. If you like Egyptian history, magical realism, and adventure, it might be for you!

TWs: misogyny, racism, murder, gore, imperialism, betrayal, infidelity, gun violence, substance abuse.