‘What the River Knows’ by Isabel Ibañez is absolutely one of my top reads of the year! This book is just freaking phenomenal. Absolute perfection. With beautiful, vibrant prose, intriguing characters, mystery, adventure, deceit, magic, vivid, thrilling, immersive settings and a swoony romance full of banter and chemistry, this book just left me speechless and in love. The cliffhanger ending, that wild epilogue, they killed me in the best way, and I cannot wait for the next book. I can’t say it enough: READ THIS BOOK. I’d give it thousands of stars if I could. 😍

𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘣𝘺 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 (𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬-𝘺𝘰𝘶!). 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

I thought I would like this as I have been getting into magical realism lately but I just could not connect with the characters. I found Inez to be whiny and annoying and immature for her age. It just was not for me.

This book was excellent! The pacing, characters and plot kept me hooked, the voice of the MC was funny and relatable. The romance/banter was to die for, I can’t believe that I have to wait for the second book now. Crying all the tears. 10/10

Synopsis:
Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. When she receives word of the tragic death of her parents -who often left her behind- Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. 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 disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe. With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

My Thoughts:
This story is The Mummy meets Death on the Nile. It features brief flashbacks to the life of Cleopatra, magic, an archeological dig, a murder mystery, and romance. I liked the more whimsical story opening. I felt almost like I was reading the beginning of Cinderella, before we pivoted to the world of archeological excavation sites, bustling markets, and annoyance to lovers storylines. The setting of Egypt has long been a fascinating one. We fight Nile crocodiles, colonialism, family betrayals, and battles of the heart and the mind. Our heroine has no idea who to trust, but boy does she want to be able to believe in our male lead. The pacing is perfect and the lead up to the sequel incredibly frustrating in the best way. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book. Our male lead has most of the charisma and frustrating appeal as Brendan Fraser, and our female lead the same glamour and feisty-ness of Rachel Weisz. So if you grew up in the late 90s like me, loving The Mummy franchise, this has some wonderful nostalgia. But it's also an entirely new story about family, coming into your own, exploration, love (familial and romantic), duty and preservation. I think this is a home run of a story.

I chose to DNF around 25%. This he could take it out book had potential but I just couldn’t stay focused and it didn’t feel like it was authentic to the time period.

Are you a fan of The Mummy? Of course you are. Did you own that massive gold and slightly gaudy copy of Egyptology as a kid? You most likely did. And do I have news for you. You’ll be obsessed and completely captivated by this book as it takes you on a wild ride all across Egypt.

My mind is absolutely blown by this book. The storytelling captivated me from page one and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time not sure who to trust and what was going to happen next. It’s got a murder mystery, a nod to Cleopatra (as the badass she really was too), a magical element that ties to ancient artifacts and memories, a feisty and headstrong female main character you’ll adore, a morally gray man of mystery and unknown intentions for the male main character (as well as a couple of brief POV changes for him), archaeology digs, and the descriptive ambiance of Egyptian cities and markets that make you feel like you’re there yourself. It’ll take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and the cliffhanger will leave you desperate for more. It’s the type of book you’ll want to reread immediately as to go back and analyze each character interaction and see how all the pieces fall into place early on that you were initially unaware of.

You can tell that the author put a lot of research into this book (regardless of the few liberties she did take) and that she’s mastered her writing and storytelling skills. Historical fantasy has found its place in my heart for sure now. I will certainly be thinking about this book for a long time and will be buying a physical copy for my collection as soon as possible.

This was such a fun read! I truly felt like I was watching a new edition to The Mummy movie franchise while reading this book. And as a Gen X-er who grew up watching Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile almost weekly on TV, there was some heavy nostalgia for me as well.

Action-packed, plot twists, swoon-worthy romance, cheeky banter, this book has it all. I felt early on that the plot was going to be predictable (only in the sense that I am a middle-aged woman who has decades of reading under her belt, unlike the YA audience this book is written for) and it was...until it wasn't. Let's just say the ending had me saying "WAIT WHAT" in the best possible way. I cannot wait for the sequel!

I do want to address some other reviews that call Inez a "petulant child" for her constant dismissal of being told what to do by the adults in her life. Are we really still calling young women who go after what they want (and what they know is RIGHT) with courage and conviction petulant simply because they are ignoring the misogynist and archaic rules of society? Can we just not?

Anyway (insert eye roll)

Highly recommend.

Such a great magical read! Completely immersive and well written, the author completely takes you into her world and through her magical ride. Mystery, magic, fantasy, a great spooky season read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Inez was smart and cunning against all odds making her someone you rooted for and the mystery kept me going the entire time, I also loved the Egyptian history and descriptions. The magic system was interesting but unfortunately didn't really get used as much past the first half of the book which was disappointing.

I loved how each character really had a personality and were well written to the extent that they never fell flat, some evolved and some stayed the course but either way they felt like real people and not just names.

The banter and relationship between Inez and Whit was one of my favorite things and I laughed out loud several times.

Overall the book was enjoyable, it did drag a bit and the first half seemed unnecessarily long with Inez having to sneak around again and again before the adventure really started but it was still a good story.

Rating: 3.5 stars

I have read every book by this author so far. Sometimes they can be a hit or miss but overall do keep me wondering what she will write next. I really liked the sound of this one as I hadn’t heard of another like it and because of that my attention was piqued. For the most part I liked this one.

The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Inez and Whitford. They both have different personalities and I think that is why they bounce off of each other so well. They balance out weaknesses and strength and have quite the adventures because of it. Inez may have to wear a skirt but don’t count her out! I liked learning about their pasts and seeing what their future could hold together and even apart. Their relationship definitely has its ups and downs but they at least try to talk through it when not being stubborn. Whitford is a very swoony guy!

A lot of the plot is centered around Cleopatra and archaeology as well as family secrets. I have always taken an interest in Cleopatra and Egypt since I was younger so all of it was right up my alley! I couldn’t help but be intrigued with how the author decided to put her own spin on it while also discussing important topics like colonization and what it looked like for those living under British control and at times having their own historical artifacts taken from them.

I will say that it did take a while for my to get completely invested but I am glad I continued on because I am quite curious on what will happen next. I honestly didn’t realize this was a series!

Overall, I am pretty happy with this one as it was a fun adventure.

This is definitely one of the better books I have read this year. I’ve been a fan of Isabel since I read Together We Burn so I knew going in I would enjoy her writing style. And I did, if anything it had only become that much better. The story was slow to start but flowed really well and was a great story overall.

It’s start out with Inez receiving the news no one wants to hear: after years going back and forth between home and Egypt, both of her parents are dead. But Inez doesn’t take this news lying down. She is determined to find out what happened to them, by any means necessary. But once she gets to Egypt she is thwarted by her uncle and his assistant Whit and ends up embroiled in things she never anticipated.

There are so many twists and turns in this book. It’s a mystery in the best sense. And I couldn’t help but root for Inez to make it and get to the bottom of what happened to her parents. But it’s never that easy. I have no idea what’s going to happen but I cannot WAIT for the next book. I was on the edge of my seat at the end and I need to know what happens next! I love love loved it. If you’re a fan of The Mummy and a cute enemies to lovers romance this is for you. You won’t regret it!

Fresh, original, and fun! If half points were a thing, then 3.5 stars. I did feel like the magic was fun, but I thought the plot could've been more tight. I did like the mystery aspects and the history aspects!

Inez Olivera is a headstrong young woman in the glittering, urbane elite of 19th century Buenos Aires. She wants nothing more than to be with her parents, who spend most of their time in Egypt. When they die mysteriously and Inez inherits both a fortune and a guardian she’s never met, she journeys to Cairo in the hopes of discovering what happened to her parents.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I think most fans of YA and Brandon Fraser’s The Mummy will too.

The characters were surprisingly complex. For example, Inez is headstrong and independent, but more relatable than your average female protagonist– her victories primarily come from sheer willpower and the help of others rather than massive strength or out-worldly beauty.

Most Victorian/Belle Époque books I’ve read are told from a British or American perspective, so having a Bolivian-Argentinian protagonist was rad. I think some of the most sophisticated parts of the book are the critiques of the British Empire and how they operated in Egypt. I also thought the book does a particularly good job as a period piece of including more contemporary beliefs (e.g. independence for colonies, not plundering a country for artifacts, paying people a reasonable wage, etc.) far more elegantly than a lot of books do. To borrow a phrase from the costuming community, “Vintage clothes, not vintage values”.

What I didn’t like: exposition at the beginning of the book, especially regarding how magic is part of the world, is pretty clunky. And while the book looks like a standalone at first glance, this ends in QUITE a cliffhanger.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from NetGalley and I’m so happy I was able to read What the River Knows early because I loved it so much!!! It’s set in the late 1800s and follows Inez, who travels to Egypt to get answers about what happened to her parents.
There is adventure, mysteries, fading magic, and of course romance! I absolutely love Inez’s journey throughout this book. The way this book is written I actually felt like I was in Egypt and I found all the history relating to Cleopatra fascinating. Inez is an amazing FMC because she’s so determined, stubborn, and she does what she wants. I adore her and how headstrong she is.
Inez meets many interesting characters along the way but I have to mention Whit because I love him! He’s charming, charismatic, and clearly has his demons. I adore his dynamic with Inez because they both obviously develop feelings for each other but they deny them while at the same time being there for each other. They are complicated to say the least.
This book also has so many shocking twists. Some I predicted but there are others that had me screaming “what just happened?!”. Honestly every time I thought I knew where the plot was going there was a twist.
Part of the plot has to do with the fading magic and how it latches onto objects, and I really enjoyed that aspect! It’s fascinating and I can’t wait to find out more about how it’s affecting Inez.

In this incredible historical fantasy you’ll find:
🧡 mysteries
🧡 adventure
🧡 magic
🧡romance
🧡 Egyptian history/myths

I absolutely love this book and after everything that happens at the end I’m so excited for the sequel!! But considering this doesn’t release until Halloween I don’t know how long I’ll have to wait so I’ll probably reread this book in the meantime!

This story grabbed my attention right away as you’re whisked off to Egypt in search of Cleopatra’s final resting place. With alligators along the Nile, and magical lost artifacts, this story was so much fu!! I could easily picture it in theaters!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! I fell in love with What the River Knows, and with Inez and Whit. There was something so honest about Ibanez’s writing, and she really made 19th century Egypt come alive for me. The book ends on a cliff hanger, which I was not expecting!! I look forward to the sequel, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

With the description saying is a cross between The Mummy and Death on the Nile, it was impossible for What the River Knows not to grab my attention, I have been obsessed with Ancient Egypt since forever and it’s so good to find books about the subject.

What the River Knows was exceptional in every way, the characters were on point, Inez is so strong willed, and resourceful even at times where women had very little power she found ways to get what she wanted and I admire her so much for it, Whit was the perfect bad boy, always flirting, drinking and charming everyone, he was the perfect counterpart for Inez

But the plot was what charmed me, the first half was what truly made it shine, I loved seeing Inez discovering Egypt and trying to learn more about the lives her parents had led, but the second half of the book dragged a little bit, while it was interesting seeing the temples and cities I felt it became repetitive after a while, the magic system was never truly explained, I would’ve loved learning more about it and maybe it would have made the book stand out more but by the time the book ended it felt like it lost the shine and magic of the start of the book and things just dragged until I just wanted to finished it already.

Overall it was a nice book, it has more potential but hopefully Isabel will come through in the second book.

Thank you so much, st. martins press / wednesday books, for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review

Wow! What an amazing historical fantasy.
This is definitely the genre of the year.
19 year old Inez has always wanted to go to Egypt. The land where her parents reside for half the year. She desperately wanted to tag along with her parents all these years. Except this year, she receives a letter one day with condolence that they have passed.

Month have passed and Inez has traveled independently to Egypt. It is an exciting time in history for Egyptian archaeology. She first encounters Whit, her uncles assistant. Their chemistry and bantering are fun to read and the chemistry is off the charts.

However secrets have made Inez question many things. How did her parents die? What secrets are her uncle keeping? This is a journey in discovering Cleopatra’s tomb and what secrets lies ahead.

Mummy vibe but no resurrected mummy here!
There are many plot twist and I discovered there’s more to come!

I can’t believe the ending!
You know when a book is good when it evokes the right emotion in certain scenes. The betrayal. The loss. And the immense curiosity of that epilogue!

This is definitely one of my top favorite books of the yr!
Thank you netgalley for an earc and St Martin’s Publishing Group for a physical copy

I loved this book! The Egyptian setting, mystery, and action were enough to make this book amazing. Add in a slow burn romance with a secretive and aloof MMC and a determined and curious FMC, and it’s a winner for me!

Inez Olivera has lived in Argentina with her aunt and cousins her hole life while her parents leave half the year to go to Egypt and continue their archeological work with her uncle. Inez has dreamt of one day going to Egypt with her parents. When she gets the fateful news of their death with no explanation from her uncle, she is determined to find out what really happened to them. She sets off on a trip across the ocean to Egypt only to discover she is not wanted and her uncle has many secrets.

I was surprised to discover this book has fantasy elements with an ancient magic system. They are very light but it added a little extra something to the book that I really enjoyed! My only negative was that I thought the language was sometimes too modern for the time period. But honestly, I enjoyed the story so much that it didn’t bother me. I thought the plot was fast paced. The mystery was just enough to keep me guessing. The romance was so great. I loved the push and pull between both main characters. Every time they were together the chemistry just poured off the page. And THE END!!! I just can’t. I’m still processing and trying to figure out what it means!


Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC. All opinions my own.

4.5/5 🌟
Wow! What fun!
A unique story of a young woman traveling to Egypt in search of answers, but arriving only to find more questions. This was an extremely well done slow burn romance. I adored the characters and found the events keeping me on edge. I was a little discouraged to reach the end only to realize that it was the first book in what will likely be a series, instead of a stand alone. I also was disappointed that the Whit POV were very few and very short. If there’s going to be dual POV then commit to it.

However, I am hooked. The history with a sprinkle of magic was enthralling. I can’t wait for the next book and will definitely be recommending this to those who like Fantasy Romance YA/NA.