This was such an exciting story from one of my favorite authors. Even so, here is my unbiased review:

The writing was for the most part, superb. I loved getting to know the characters, Tio Ricardo was interesting. As was Whit. As far as the writing goes, while the author used the protagonists voice to make valid points, they were modern points, and every time the author spoke about how the British obviously discriminated against the Egyptians when they occupied that country, it took me out of the story. It felt like one of those southern slavery novels so popular in the 1990s where everyone was against slavery even if that wouldn't have been how they really felt in the 1860s. . . It was tough because her points are true, but I found them unbelievable for an upper middle class girl of the era and this took me out of the story.

Even so, I loved the local. I love stories about both South America and Egypt and the actual tale, when the author wasn't using the protagonist to preach, was fantastic. I felt like I was in Egypt feeling the evening breezes in front of the Shepherd Hotel. I felt like I was a lost girl in the segregated restaurant. Going up and down the Nile in search of treasure is a dream.

So all in all, I loved most of it. 5 stars for setting, 4 for characters and 3 for preaching. Because even if someone's points are valid, I just don't buy that they would come out of the mouth of someone at that time.

Prepare to be swept away and swoon! I was entranced by Ibañez’ Egypt-inspired fantasy, and adored the wonderful combination of adventure, magic, and romance. Ibañez is an amazing world-builder––her food descriptions are to die for––and this one will pull you in and not let go.

The romance and mystery are all fabulous, but my favourite aspect of the story is Inez’ character arc. She goes through a powerful journey of discovery and Ibañez expertly plants clues and layers Inez’ growing awareness of who she can and cannot trust. Not to mention there’s Whit––did I mention Whit? He’s the book boyfriend you’ve been waiting for!

My only note is that I did wish there had been more sensitivity to the colonial nature of Inez' presence and work in Egypt, and that despite her being from Argentina, she is still participating in a colonial project.

I’m a huge fan of Ibañez and have read all her novels and cannot wait for the sequel!

4.5 stars

Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for the ARC!

THAT ENDING. What the heck, I’m going to have to wait for the next book to know what happens?!

This is the book for you if you were an Egypt or archeology obsessed kid like me. It’s so much fun, so we’ll researched, and will keep you guessing the entire time! The romance was swoon-worthy and filled with delicious tension. I literally fist-pumped at some points haha.

I also loved how the book addressed the problems with tourism, racism, and artifacts being destroyed/sold in 19th century Egypt by colonizers. This is something often glazed over in history classes.

Overall, I definitely recommend this one for a fun and fascinating read for every kid who ever imagined the excitement of opening up a an Egyptian tomb.

TikTok full review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT88hTE1s/

This book has everything that an archaeology. The Mummy, Indiana Jones, fangirl could want. There is romance. There is adventure. There is mystery. And there is a lot of Egyptian history and culture.

If you are into those things but are struggling with the beginning of this story- stick with it! It is definitely a slow start and I found myself wondering when the excitement would come. But don't worry, it does (at around the 30% mark).

I love Inez and her tenacity. No matter how many times she is told no, she figures out a way to do what she wants. Go girl! And Whit was a great love interest. I thought the other characters were well developed with unique personalities.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for providing an eARC of this book!

What the River Knows is a vibrant fantasy that will transport you back in time to Egypt. You will feel like you are on the dig sites with Inez, Ricardo, and Witt. Isabel Ibañez weaves a rich tapestry of mystery, murder, theft, and a love plot that makes it impossible to stop reading. I devoured this book when I should have been sleeping, reading into the late hours of the night multiple times.

The main character has her flaws, they are put on full display and they endanger her life numerous times which can be frustrating to read, but she's a young woman who is dealing with the grief of losing her parents when she only got to be in half their lives. I think remembering that through the book makes Inez's actions a bit more tolerable and understandable, as this book does explore the grieving process.

What the River Knows is SO FUN! I loved the spunk of the characters, the magical element was easy to grasp while still being unique, and the ENDING has me convinced that the next book in the series cannot come out soon enough! (I need to know now!!!)

We follow our main character, Inez Olivera, as she travels from her upper-class society life in Argentina to the wild and magical land of Egypt after learning of the death of her parents. She has been raised on stories of the tombs and artifacts they've uncovered as Archeologists, but was always kept at a safe distance, never allowed to visit. Having been separated from her globe-trotting parents most of her childhood, it is Inez' hope to get a deeper glimpse into the life they kept hidden from her from across the ocean, and discover the secrets of old-world magic that is tethered to her.

What she finds in Egypt is only more questions. Her Tio Ricardo wants her gone, his assistant keeps getting in her way, and a mysterious letter from her Mother makes her question everything. Who can she trust? Is there more to her parents disappearance than she was led to believe? Inez must depend on her own resourcefulness to unravel the mystery, and follow the pull from the old-magic ring that her father sent her as a last goodbye.

Isabel Ibañez' writing style is imaginative and charismatic, and this book read like a movie. I felt like I was watching Indiana Jones. It's fast paced, jumping from adventure to adventure. It keeps you on your toes until the very last page!

I would recommend this for fans of the [book:Fable|44012880] series by Adrienne Young, and [book:A Magic Steeped in Poison|56978089] by Judy I Lin.

A big thank you to NetGalley for selecting me to review an ARC! I am so excited to receive my pre-ordered hardcover so I can add this to my Home Library.

Also, the cover art is BEAUTIFUL.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of What The River Knows. WOW. While it took a few chapters for me to settle into the world of the novel, once I was in, I was completely invested. I flew through this book in two days—a testament to how well the story drew me in. The cast of characters—particularly Inez and Whit—absolutely shone for me. While a bit slow at the beginning, the plot of the novel kept me on my toes as I tried to anticipate all of the twists and turns that would follow. As a huge fan of The Mummy, this novel kept drawing me back to my love for that film trilogy. However, this is not to say that their stories are the same; this novel is wholly original. The only thing that didn’t work as well for me was the magic system. While it is explained, I didn’t feel like it was consistently woven through the novel and was sometimes a bit of a convenient out plot-wise. Additionally, the author’s descriptions could get repetitive, particularly when it came to Whit. I felt like I read the word “brawn” about a hundred times throughout the novel. I also found that the way she described Inez, especially in terms of her appearance, gave a bit of a “she’s different from all the other girls” vibe that was unnecessary. In spite of these small criticisms, however, the novel’s cliffhanger left me shocked and I am beyond excited to see what comes next in this series!

A light, easy read perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber! It was refreshing to read something out of the normal YA historical vein and I’d love to see more of that. Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

The first book in a duology (Goodreads needs to update this book’s listing to reflect that),”What the River Knows” pulled me in right away with the magic embedded into this historical fantasy story.

The year is 1884 & teenage Inez Olivera has lived a sheltered life in wealth & comfort with her aunt & cousins in Buenos Aires while her parents are off in Egypt half the year having archeological adventures. She studies many interesting things, & has fun interactions with magical objects that hold remnants of past spells (like a book that bit her cousin before escaping into the garden, or the smoking room in her house that no one goes into anymore because it’s occupied by a pair of havoc-wreaking flying armchairs) - but what Inez really wants is to go to Egypt with her parents. When she is contacted by her evasive uncle saying that her parents have gone missing in the desert & are presumed dead, Inez decides to travel on her own to the mysterious land her parents loved to get some answers.

This book has so many interesting components: sailing the Nile (complete with crocodile encounter), searching for Cleopatra, secret passageways, lingering magic, & a romantic tension between Inez & her uncle’s assistant, Whit. This book is mainly told from Inez’s POV with snippets of Whit’s thoughts/activities placed perfectly throughout, & I think a lot of teenage girls (& women who used to be teenage girls) can relate to Inez’s struggles as she laments how much of her time is spent learning how to manage the people who are charged with her care. I did not appreciate the abruptness of this book’s ending, but it also made me that much more excited for the second book in this set to be released!

Thank you to NetGalley & Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What the River Knows is a gorgeous story of determination and a love letter to Egypt. Our heroine is Inez Olivera traveling from Buenos Aires to Cairo, determined to discover what's befallen her parents. Her tio, Ricardo, expressly forbids this, and so Inez must find a way around his orders and the man tasked with making sure she follows them. That man is Whit Hayes, and he's pretty sexy if I do say so myself, almost as sexy as Inez (I love a stubborn lady). The fact that they don't get on, that there's this whole series of moves and countermoves, is just delicious. Rivals to lovers, sordid pasts, ancient magic, murder mystery, AND set against the backdrop of 1800s Egypt exploration from the perspective of characters who want to preserve antiquity rather than bottle and steal it is so refreshing and poignant.

This is a special book brimming with wonder and protagonists who get shit done. That's ambition, and I can't gush enough that it follows through. That ending wounds me and since I can't have book 2 now, I want to read all of Isabel Ibañez's backlist yesterday. Five stars.

Inez has always lived in Buenos Aires, but one letter from Egypt changes her life. The letter explains that her parents vanished in the desert and are presumed dead. Inez does not accept this vague answer and sets out on her own to adventure to Egypt. Once there, she is met by the unimpressed Whit. Whit is her uncle’s assistant and tasked with buying her a return ticket to Buenos Aires. When Inez refuses to accept his offer, an epic journey begins as Inez sets out to find out what truly happened to her parents. Along the way, danger lurks in the shadows and Inez must decide who to trust with herself and her magic.

Wow, What the River Knows is definitely one of my favorite books of the year! I loved Inez and Whit’s chemistry, the sizzling tension between them was incredible. Inez’s determination and inability to take no for an answer made her such a fierce and strong heroine. Whit is more morally gray, but fighting to get back to who he wants to be. Ibañez’s writing is vivid and captivating. She paints enchanting and cinematic views of Egypt, while portraying the danger that lurks in the shadows or just below the surface. The ending twists took me by surprise and made me very eager for the next book! What the River Knows is probably my favorite book yet from Isabel Ibañez and I would highly recommend it to anyone!

Readers who enjoy high-stakes adventures, Egyptian history, enemies-to-lovers, and captivating writing will love this book. I can’t wait for the sequel!

Thank you so much to Isabel Ibañez, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

What the River Knows by by Isabel Ibañez is the first installment in the thrilling Secrets of the Nile duology.
This book surpassed all my preconceptions, Truly a riveting story!

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. Inez 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 word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and a 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.

What the River Knows is the first book in the thrilling Secrets of the Nile duology.

I really enjoyed the adventure in this story! The beautiful descriptions made me feel like I was right there in Egypt with the characters. I guessed a few of the plot twists because I’m a suspicious person when I’m reading, but it was still fun to try to guess what would develop and then see if I was right! I loved Inez and her tenacity, and I was cheering for her throughout the story! I had a hard time connecting with Whit, and I’m still not sure how I feel about him. Overall I’m glad I read this book!

Content:
Multiple uses of strong swear words
Just kissing, but the kissing had more detail than I expected

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

🧡 Egyptian-inspired fantasy
🩵 Whodunnit suspense
🧡 Romantic tension
🩵 Magical artifacts

As someone who is a big fan of Egyptian mythology, my curiosity was peaked by the blurb! I'd say that What the River Knows leans towards being historical fiction with fantastical and romantic subplots. There's an intriguing whodunnit aspect of this book that fuels Inez, our FMC. Although the magical elements don't seem to be as "in your face" as other fantasies, I really adored how objects were imprinted with an echo of the original magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books for providing me with the eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A young woman who has grown up raised by her aunt while her parents spent 6 months of the year in Egypt leaving her behind in Argentina. Until one day she receives word that her parents ventured into the desert, never to be heard from again and are presumed dead. She embarks on a journey to the land that captured her parent’s attention for all those years to discover what happened to them. But not all is what it seems in the land of magic and history.

If you loved the Mummy movies, you will love this book. Inez is a strong and determined female main character. I loved the touches of magic that were embedded in the archeology. And I loved the torches of Spanish scattered throughout the book, including the chapter titles. And the cover art, absolutely beautiful! This is book engaging. Let me put it this way: I was on a red eye flight. Not only was I sleep deprived but also jet lagged and I picked up reading as soon as I got to my hotel room instead of sleeping.
My only issue is that it feels like there are some details missing or things that occurred suddenly without a thorough explanation. I think that is intentional given that this is book one in a series and I expect to get a bit more in depth in subsequent books.
That cliffhanger though! How am I supposed to wait to find out what happens next? Vim excited to rejoin Inez on her journey again soon.

The adventure, the banter, the magic, the betrayal, the forbidden romance. Oh my god where do I begin? This book is incredibly entertaining, yes there are some grammatical errors but I decided to look past them because of how great this book is. Reading this had me on the edge of seat with every twist and turn. The cliffhanger at the end is making me really hope that we get to see this novel turn into a duology or maybe even a series. I loved everything about this book.

Thank you for the ARC!

I was thrilled to read WTRK when I first read the synopsis. I adore Isabel Ibanez’s work and love ancient history, and this book was the perfect combination. Isabel is incredibly talented and has always impressed me with her ability to bring to life magical worlds through her beautiful writing. However, the illustrative writing in WTRK didn’t mimic the same “Isabelness” and failed to conceal the gaps and issues with the general plot.


The book is slow-paced. The author spends too much time on scene descriptions and the main character’s (Inez) inner dialogue. Inez finds out that her parents have passed early in the book, and her lamenting/grieving is mentioned continuously—at least once per page. Her inner thoughts of grief are redundant and don’t contribute to the plot. Before the action picked up pace (more than halfway into the book), I became sorely disinterested as a reader.

There were so many storylines, some of which needed more attention. For example, there is the element of Cleopatra’s magic that Inez is sensitive to. At the beginning of the book, Isabel seemed to build up the significance of the magic, but it never amounted to anything. From my understanding, this is the first book in a duology, so I hope its sequel will bring greater focus/depth to the storyline of the magic/Cleopatra.
I was also disappointed by the main character, Inez Olivera. She did not match the energy and power of Isabel’s former heroines. She was incorrigible and annoyingly naive. Inez and her love interest, Whit, had little chemistry.
The main love interest, Whit, had no other personality trait besides drinking. Isabel shares snippets of his burdened past with readers, but that information is only relevant to his relationship with Inez, not the character as a whole. *Although, in the epilogue, Whit seems to be plotting something. My interest is peaked.


Writing a book is no easy task, and I appreciate Isabel’s efforts. I hope the editor will help Isabel define her goals for this duology before she completes the sequel.

this was okay, but read a little juvenile and i didn't feel connected to the characters or what happens to them at all. i can see other reader enjoying this a lot tho!

— thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the free digital ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars rounded up!

I loved everything about this book! You can hear the passion for Inez’s family in her narration style, as well as the love for discovery and Egypt as the story moves on. This book also has the most lovely enemies-to-lovers trope that was perfectly done. The banter and humor is a constant between Inez and Whit and I LOVED it!

There were also plot twists (that ENDING!) that kept me guessing and a cliff hanger that leaves me wanting more- I need to know what happens next!

My one critique would be that I would love to see more scenes from Whit’s point of view. I enjoyed getting into his head the little bit that we do, just wish there was more of that.

This was a fun read! I really loved the descriptions of Egypt and the mystery - I just wanted more excavation scenes. I feel like so much of the story was building up to the archeological discovery, but then the discovery itself was a bit underwhelming. I wish there had been more magic as well, and that some of the loose ends had been tied up at the end. The cliffhanger was super shocking though and I need the second book to come out asap so I know how it ends!

Also, Whit and Inez were super cute 🥹