Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-arc of What The River Knows by Isabel Ibañes in exchange for an honest review.
I was immediately transported into the world of 1880’s Egypt. The way Isabel Ibañes uses her words to create these rich and vibrate scenes is nothing short of extraordinary.
Inez’s wit and conviction not only had me giggling but kept me locked into the story.
And the last act of this book- wow. Just wow. I lost sleep because I simply couldn’t out it down. And now I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel that comes out later this year.
5/5 stars

I thought I knew the trajectory of the story was and was definitely wrong, and excited to be wrong. The end definitely took me by surprise and I can't wait to see where the story heads! I hope to get more details on how the magic system works and maybe 🤞🏻 some resolution. What is real and who can Inez trust?

Since reading WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS, I have not stopped thinking about or recommending it. Isabel Ibañez’s book is one of the most creative and fun novels I have read in a long time. The description of “The Mummy meets Death on the Nile” suits it perfectly. I haven’t read many historical fantasy books set in Egypt, but I loved this one!

I didn’t expect the twists and turns of this adventurous race, and the rivals-to-lovers romance kept my pulse racing! I loved the FMC Inez Olivera so much. She is so cool—everything I yearn to be, lol.

And, oh, the ending! 🤯 I need the next book now!

Thank you, Wednesday Books and Netgalley, for the arc!

Content warnings: familial death, grief, gun violence, kidnapping, abandonment, misogyny, gaslighting, classism, infidelity, alcoholism

Giving this book a solid 3.75 stars. The characters were great, the story intriguing and able to keep my attention, the author did a wonderful job bringing the pages to life.
Inez is our main character and we love her she’s a fire cracker and bound and determined to do things her way and find the answers she’s desperately seeking. She ends up finding more than she bargained for in some aspects and learns the true meaning of betrayal but her growth from sheltered girl to informed woman is beautiful to witness. I found her journey to Cairo intriguing and could visualize the scenery well. The author did a very good job being descriptive and informative without going over the top. This book was advertised as having the vibes of the mummy and that reeled me right in, however in that comparison I feel the book fell a little flat and would have loved to see a little more action and adventure. The magic that was portrayed in the book was definitely cool however again I felt like there could’ve been more especially with the world revolving around ancient Egypt and its history. Overall I absolutely enjoyed the book and feel like the author set it up nicely for a continuation of the story and am eager to see what the next book will bring. This book kept my attention had me asking questions, laughing, gasping all the things you expect from a good story. Despite my tiny gripes I still think this is well worth the read and a book that anyone could enjoy, even if they’ve never picked up the genre. Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review this title I can’t wait for the next book.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been working diligently to get caught up with my ARC’s, my apologies. This book had lots of interesting facts about Egypt and Cleopatra in particular. I really loved how the author describes the scenery and the story made me feel like I was right there experiencing everything. There were lots of twists and turns I didn’t see coming and while the story felt drawn out at parts, it all felt necessary. I would recommend to anyone who likes mystery with some historical elements added in!

Literally one of my new favorite books of all time! I can't believe it took me so long to read and review. The first 20% of the book was a little slow and hard for me to get into, but after that it kept picking up faster and faster I couldn't put it down. The Egyptian setting was immersive and beautiful.

I love that Inez was not a perfect heroine, but she was relatable. Even when she made mistakes, I understood why and wasn't frustrated by her actions. Along those lines, she was smart- she started asking the questions and suspecting the people that I did. And the twists at the end!!! I love that this book diverted expectations and traditional storylines.

The romance was slow burn but so sweet. I can't believe I have to wait now to find out what happens next with Inez and Whit after that ending!

I received an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review :) thanks netgalley and isabel!

Gorgeous prose and beautiful characters have come to be expected in an Ibanez story, and What the River Knows is no exception. Following Whit and Inez into the heart of Egypt brought beautiful descriptions and a world that just sucks you into it. It felt like I was right there with Inez experiencing the beauty of the hieroglyphs and exploring the tomb. And Inez and Whit were such fun characters to follow. I loved their banter and how they're two lonely souls come together. I already can't wait for the next book because that ending was AAHHH!!

SO GOOD! I got frustrated with Whit and Inez at various times, but this was an exciting story and I look forward to adding it to my classroom!!!

What the River Knows is a magical tale that follows a very strong willed girl in search of the mystery surrounding her parents death. Set in a time where England rules Egypt and treasure hunters abound, there are secrets everywhere and Inez often doesn't know who to trust. Overall a good story and I look forward to the sequel!!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

Very thrilling! It felt very much like a mix between The Mummy and Death on the Nile. I grew up love Egyptology so this was right up my alley. Would recommend!

Every time Isabel writes a new book I don't know how she will possibly top the previous one, yet she did it again. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to my customers and readers. It has all the elements of a fantasy book that I truly enjoy. On top of that it has a lot of beautiful ancient Egyptian history mixed with the archeological elements.

This was a great first book in a new series: the plot, the setting, and the likable characters! I really can't wait for the next one.

I really, really tried to like this book. There are so many people who loved it! I started and stopped this book so many times. I finally pushed through and while I liked the idea for the story, the writing fell flat for me and the relationships between characters felt awkward and forced. All the special editions are very pretty though!

I've had my review ready to go since the fall of '23 but as of today the St. Martin's Press boycott is still ongoing as SMP has chosen to still not address islamaphobic and racist remarks made by a member of their team.

The boycott of St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and other related imprints is a direct response to the publisher’s lack of accountability regarding statements made by an employee in their marketing department and their failure to respond to concerns about possible systemic issues within the department.

I will post my review as soon as the boycott ends and SMP speaks up regarding this issue.

Wonderful characters and a unique setting make this a must-have for all romance and adventure readers alike. What a breath of fresh air this was and I highly look forward to the sequel.

I read this book months ago, and I still think about it all the time! After reading Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez, I suspected I would enjoy anything she wrote, and that suspicion was confirmed when I read What the River Knows.

I was captivated from the start of the book! While I normally take extensive notes while reading, I wrote one thing down before I completely fell into the story. I loved the fact that Inez’s story is motivated by loss. Her grief is intertwined with her story without overtaking it; she doesn’t let it stop her from living her life and finding answers.

Similarly, I appreciated the fact that Ibañez chose to write Inez’s story in particular. We get to see the way her family’s money gives her privilege, while her gender in the time period she lived creates obstacles for her. Despite those hardships, Inez is determined to forge her way in life.

Additionally, although I typically enjoy romance novels despite the romance, I actually loved this one largely because of the romance. Inez and Whit’s relationship was full of suspense and angst. The sections from his perspective added a lot of depth to the story.

AND THAT ENDING?!?! I audibly gasped when I read the end! Talk about a cliffhanger! I desperately need the sequel ASAP!

I bought the OwlCrate edition of What the River Knows (which is stunning, by the way), and I’m praying OwlCrate does the sequel because I need it in my life!

Rating:5/5 Stars

LOVED THIS! Such a good historical mystery!

If you grew up loving Egyptology, Egyptian mythology or even dare I say, The Mummy - this is for you. What the River Knows follows Inez Olivera as she travels from Argentina to Egypt to search for her parents who have been presumed dead.

Set in turn of the century Cairo, this part historical romance, part historical magical realism novel follows as Inez and her supporting characters as they search for the find of the century and as Inez explores the dark side of her parent’s lives that she didn’t know existed.

I really adored this - it is YA so set your expectations accordingly - and I couldn’t put it down. It was beautifully written and the descriptions of Egypt are accurate and inclusive - which is missing in a lot of the books written about this time period / portion of history. I can’t wait for the next installment due out later this year.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Isabel Ibañez and NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for my honest review!

Inez has spent a lifetime being left behind as her parents travel between their home in Argentina and their passion for archeological exploration in Egypt. When she receives news her parents have died in The Egyptian dessert she finally makes the journey to Egypt in order to learn more about their fates.

Inez is a loveable heroine with her determination and dislikes for the rules. With strong female characters and a touch of magic this book was a good fit for me.

This was a good YA novel, with interesting characters and plot!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez is a stunning historical fantasy romance novel. Isabel Ibanez is a favorite author of mine and this one was my favorite yet! It is set in Egypt and has a lot of historical aspects and you can tell how much research and passion the author put into this book. I enjoyed how action-packed this was and the ending had me jumping up and down with my jaw on the floor. I loved how headstrong the female main character Inez was. I also found the love interest Whit to be very intriguing and I cannot wait to find out more about him in the second book. The romance was a smaller subplot in this book but I can see it becoming coming to the forefront in book 2. I loved the romance crumbs! There were twists and turns at every corner and I loved all the plot twists. I am eagerly anticipating the second book in this duology and I could not recommend this book enough!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review!

This story takes you on a ride! I loved the characters and cannot wait to see them grow in the sequel! Also that ending…my heart hurts!

I loved the romance and while the building of the plot felt a little slow at times, the payoff was great.

Inez is strong, naive, and brave and I hope she will continue to grow within the sequel. Whit is witty, guarded, but also loving and caring. I hope his walls continue to fall down in the sequel. This book was amazing! I hope everyone else gets a chance to go on the same wild ride I did.