This gorgeous atmospheric read is set in Egypt in the 1800s with enemies to friends to lovers. I adored Inez and her determination to follow her heart to Egypt and find out what happened her parents. Whit might be my new book boyfriend, him calling her by her last name…😍 Can’t wait to see where their adventures take them next!

Loving this ARC out in November. Seriously do yourself a favor a preorder!

"I traveled here all on my own,” I said. “Lied through my teeth to anyone I met, disobeyed my uncle at every turn. What makes you think that I’m wise?”

I am such a fan of Inez. We follow along with Inez as she travels to Egypt after her parents' disappearances. Although she wants to stay to find out what's happened to her parents, her uncle and Mr. Hayes have other plans. Inez is strong-willed and sharp-tongued. She's hilarious and she had me laughing at the games she played with Mr. Hayes in the beginning.

The author has such a way with words. I was able to feel every emotion coming from Inez. There were times I wanted to skip ahead just to find out what happened. The imagery used to describe the scenery was extraordinary. I found myself so engrossed that I didn't want to come back to the real world.

The twists and turns were great. Once I got to the ending... You guessed it, cliffhanger. Ahhh there better be some kind of closure coming!

Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy of the book for an honest review. Any quote(s) used in my review have been uncorrected.

What a captivating blend of mystery, ancient Egyptian mythology, historical fiction, romance, and magical elements! Almost a five-star read for me, as it beautifully paid tribute to ancient Egyptian artifacts and seamlessly combined different religions, cultures, and myths into a mesmerizing mosaic. I especially enjoyed the character of Inez Olivera, a young, naive, yet determined and intellectually voracious adventurer.

However, I must admit that the pacing of the story was a bit slow. In the first half of this lengthy journey, we were bombarded with history lessons, enlightening us about Eastern culture and ancient Egypt's awe-inspiring wonders. Thankfully, the mystical atmosphere and the well-crafted magical system provided enough substance to keep me engaged, even during the less action-packed and more informative parts. As expected, the second half picked up the pace, becoming more action-packed, twisty, and heart-throbbing. It left me with the impression that the author had saved the best parts for last, but patience was required to reach them.

The other aspect that left me exclaiming aloud was the cliffhanger ending! I was unaware that this book was the first in a series, and the surprising conclusion left my mouth agape. Will I read the second book to see how things unfold? Absolutely!

Now, let's delve deeper into the plot and characters:

At the tender age of 17, Inez finds herself neglected by her selfish and ambitious parents, who prioritize exploring ancient magical artifacts around the tombs of Egyptian queens and pharaohs. Left under the care of her aunt, Inez's parents spend most of their time in Egypt until they are declared lost and presumed dead. Inez's uncle Ricardo becomes her guardian.

Inez doesn't handle the news of her parents' demise well. Determined to uncover the truth behind their death and find closure, she flies directly to Egypt to face her uncle, who is far from thrilled to see her. His infuriatingly handsome assistant, Whit, has every intention of sending her back to Argentina.

However, Inez proves to be both determined and resourceful, utilizing her deep knowledge of art and her ability to connect with ancient magic to earn her place in the crew. As she delves deeper into the ancient history and the mystery surrounding her parents' demise, she soon realizes that some secrets may be better left buried.

The blossoming, passionate romance between the enigmatic Whit and Inez stands out as one of the book's highlights. Although I had some reservations about Whit's motives and his true intentions towards Inez, their chemistry was undeniable.

I am deducting one star for the slow and dragging beginning and the cliffhanger ending, which left me slightly frustrated as I had expected a more conclusive resolution. Now, I must wait for at least a year, in the best-case scenario, for the release of the next book if it turns out to be a duology, to finally obtain the closure I anticipated.

As a devoted fan of the author's writing, I sincerely hope she won't keep us waiting too long. I'm already crossing my fingers in anticipation.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

First of all, the premise of this book sounded so good. I liked Woven In Moonlight by her so I was excited to give this one a read. It was a decent book that kept me interested. Inez and Whit's dynamic was the driving source in this book. They made me want to keep reading. I would have even wanted to see more from Whit's POV because he was such a complex character.

The plot felt stagnate, though. I felt like Inez didn't gain any ground until about 60% of the way through the book. And yes, there was a good twist that went along with that, but leading up to that was kind of slow. The climax brought everything together but the epilogue made me want to groan.

Also, I was surprised at how much language was in this book.

That said, I'd read the next book in the series and try more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this arc! For anyone who loves The Mummy you will love this! I've always been a fan of Egypt history and The Mummy is one of my favorite movies and this book hit all the marks! The ending left on a cliffhanger!! Def recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Summary
Inez is a young woman from Argentina who only sees her parents twice a year. During the other half, her parents are in Cairo exploring hidden tombs and finding treasure. But when she receives a letter that her parents have died, and she is now in the custody of her uncle, she escapes to Egypt to try and find out what happened to her parents. Inez meetings friends and foes along the way and is continually learning who can and cannot be trusted. It is a whirlwind of back and forth, but in the end… We are left awaiting the second book.

Big Picture Plot
Cleopatra’s tomb still has not been found. Inez’s uncle is set on finding it and set on sending her back to Argentina. However, her gift of art and connection to old world magic help her win her way into the crew and help to discover underground tombs.

Individual Character Musings
Inez struggles to find her way in life, always heartbroken that she is left behind, while her parents leave for Cairo every 6 months. However, she has a stubborn spirit, but is naïve to the world. Inez has many new experiences on her journey to find out what happened to her parents.

My Take
I loved the Egyptian history and rich descriptions of the setting that this book took place in. I also really loved how Ibanez incorporated multiple cultures into this book; it was well done, and Cairo was a perfect place to see a melting pot of cultures and languages. I did feel like I was whiplashed throughout the story, especially with Whit. He gave me a lot of red flags (see highlights & comments below) and, just like Inez, I was left wondering what his intentions were throughout the entire novel. There were also moments where it felt as if Whit was doing things to Inez because he is a man and has no self-control, and that Inez was supposed to enjoy it; this made me have MAJOR red flags. I can get that this is meant to sully his character and prepare you for the story to unfold how it did, but it made me uncomfortable and left wondering if young girls reading this would hope for that kind of toxic attention. The book was slightly slow moving for the first and did not seem to offer enough interest to keep me going until 60% of the book was done; then I felt as if I was, once again, whiplashed by all of the action and turmoil.


Would I Recommend?
I am not sure. I think I would like to see how the second book turns out before I make any promises. I would like to see how Ibanez detangles the Whit situation.


Rating: 3 stars

Highlights and Notes

• I devoured the various volumes from Description de L’Egypte and Florence Nightingale’s journals while traveling through Egypt, to Samuel Birch’s History of Egypt.
• If I recalled correctly, the last classic she tried to read had bitten her finger. Blood had stained the pages and the magic-touched book escaped out the window, never to be seen again. Though sometimes I still heard yips and growls coming from the sunflower beds.
• Animal droppings adorning the street.
• That intuition of his. I swore it was going to get me in trouble one day. I didn’t want to discover things I liked about him. A terrible thing to like someone you didn’t trust.
o Foreshadowing???
• He drank too much and probably flirted with every woman he met. It was hard to feel special if I was just a drop in the bucket. But he had saved my life. Cared to make sure if I was comfortable. Took my side in arguments with my uncle.
o This feels toxic. Red flag.
• My cheeks warmed as I stood, turning, and scrambling toward the opening, desperate to create distance between us. Miles would been preferable, but I’d settle for my room. I’d made a terrible mistake
• Whit still wouldn’t talk about the years he spent in the military, nor would he say much else about his family, but an easy camaraderie existed between us. He sought my company whenever there was any free time. I counted on him to bring me dinner when the hour grew late and I still hadn’t finished a particular sketch, and I always made sure his coffee was hot in the morning. It wasn’t everything, but at least we had a few smalls things between us that felt real.
o Nowhere had any of this happened. This felt like a fabricated part of the relationship.
• “I know when you are, Olivera,” Whit said. “You wear everything on your face.”
• He placed my hand on his heart. I felt its steady force under my fingers and I shivered. “Because I want one memory with you dancing. One thing that’s mine before we part ways . . .”
o I’m glad that’s what HE wants… what about Inez?!?
• “Inez,” he whispered slowly. “You’ll have to forgive me for what I do next.” The moment his mouth covered mine, every thought, every worry fled from my mind.
o Consent????

3.5

What the River Knows is a young-adult historical-fiction fantasy novel - where although magic is practically non-existent there are traces and a few individuals that can see, hear, or feel those traces and even fewer who can wield the magic. As each magical artifact exchanges hands the traces become fainter and fainter until they no longer exist. If one was looking to find an artifact that had not been touched since ancient times where else would one look but Ancient Egypt and within the tombs of the pharaohs and queens? That is where Inez Olivera's parents have been for the majority of the last 17 years and when Inez gets word that they are missing and presumed dead she rushes to the land they loved and to understand the parents she barely knew.

When Inez arrives she finds her uncle is the exact opposite of looking forward to seeing her and that besides a million secrets being withheld, 19th century Egypt is pretty dangerous - as are most industries that deal in priceless items.

Initially, I really liked this novel. I had an immediate connection to Inez - she was left in the care of her aunt in Argentina while her parents live the majority of their lives in Egypt. The small magical elements were at first easy to understand but then elements were added that complicated the system but didn't explain it. Beyond a few plot points, almost nothing happens for a huge chunk of the novel. We just continue to cover the exact same ground - Inez is in Egypt and both Whit and her uncle keep trying to get her to go home, she keeps asking them for information about her parents, or about themselves, or about Egypt and they keep telling her to just go home.

This is obviously set up to be a series, but this first novel did not hook me enough to continue the series. I really had to push myself to even finish this one, but I appreciate all of those who loved it and am happy to see a historical fantasy novel taking place in Egypt.

This is an immersive and captivating historical fantasy that will transport readers to the enchanting world of ancient Egypt. With its intriguing plot, well-developed characters, and a touch of magic, this book is a must-read for fans of adventure, romance, and mystery. This is a captivating and well-crafted story that combines history, adventure, romance, and magic into a thrilling package. Isabel Ibañez's writing style is immersive and descriptive, allowing readers to vividly imagine themselves in the world she has created. With its compelling characters and enthralling plot, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking an exciting and enchanting journey into ancient Egypt.

Loved the slight touch of fantasy mixed with history. Seriously swooning over the progression of Inez and Whit’s relationship. Dying over all the secrets and that Cliffhanger!!!! I loved this book!

I really enjoyed this! It had everything I look for - action, romance, rich world building and a strong female lead.

The writing was great, and I found myself totally immersed in the story and always wanting to read just one more chapter before I put it down.

It will be a long wait for the sequel after that cliffhanger!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc copy!

4 ⭐️

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't expecting that ending!

Plot

A young woman from Buenos Aires named Inez Olivera is of Bolivian and Argentine descent and inherits both a mystery guardian and her parents' wealth. With her sketchbooks and a golden ring her father left her for safekeeping, she sets out for Cairo. As she travels, she learns that her guardian misled her about the circumstances of her parents' abduction. Inez must rely on ancient magic to discover the truth because her guardian's helper is obstructing her, or else she runs the risk of becoming a pawn in a deadly game.

The plot of the book was interesting. The pacing was a little slow in the beginning, but after the middle it gets better. The twists, well some of them were actually predictable while others not so much. I was really surprised with the ending. I thought this novel was a standalone, but I'm pretty sure this will be at least a duology, there's still so many questions left unanswered.

Characters

Inez Olivera

There were moments when she was a bit reckless and stupid, but in general I like her. She is a girl that just wants to know what happened to her parents and wants to know the truth.

Whit

I love Whit. He is sarcastic, funny and a complete mystery to me. I'm sad for him and for his past, but there's still so many things that I don't know about him. The ending left me question his actions and some of his decisions.

Ricardo

Ricardo is Inez's uncle and I really like him. Yes, he can be a little cold and bad with Inez, but at the same time I also think the reader can understand why he acts the way he acts with her.

Lourdes

She is still a huge mystery to me. I want to know what happened to her in past, what will happen to her. But, I really despise her.

Writing

I like Isabel's writing. It is good, simple and easy to follow. I love some quotes and the dialogue between the characters. My favorite part was definitely how she described Egypt.

World-Building

I think the reader can see that the author made a lot of research to write this book. I loved how she described the Ancient Egypt. It was well done.

The only problem that I have with the world-building is the magic system. For the most part, it came out of nowhere and I felt extremely confuse in some parts. I think the novel would have been better if the author didn't add any magic system.

Romance

I really loved the romance between Inez and Whit. Their interactions were so funny. I love how the author did their enemies to lovers arc. However, after reading the epilogue I really want to read the next book and see what will happen between them next.

Final Thoughts

I cannot wait for the second book. There's still so many things that I want to know.

What the River knows is a fast-paced, romantic, whirlwind treasure hunt & mystery all put into one! Immediately this books jumps right into it & ladies there is a new book boyfriend in town and his name is Whit, everyone will be swooning by the end of this book for sure. The main character, Inez is such an interesting take on a female protagonist, in a world filled with female protagonists who are adept and seem to always land on their feet. Inez gives a refreshing lapse, she is not by any means weak, she’s as spirited and stubborn as they come but she also has the naivety that comes with being a girl thrown into a new world that was kept hidden from her. In this book you’ll learn with her, cry with her, fight with her, and love with her. Her determination is inspiring & I simply cannot wait for the sequel of this book!!

*I’d like to thank Net Galley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

One of my favorite reading genres, historical archaeological mystery, “What the River Knows,” by Isabel Ibañez, immediately piqued my attention with images of The River Nile; Land of the Pyramids—Egypt; and the country’s enchanting legendary last pharaoh, Queen Cleopatra.

Tenacious, brave and spunky, 19.year.old Argentinian heiress, Inez—secretly leaves extended family—and promptly boards a steamer for Egypt, in pursuit of her missing and possibly deceased archaeologist parents during pivotal unrest throughout Africa in the 1880s.

Lies, deceit, danger, heartache and ancient empathetic magic surround Inez in her adventurous Egyptian exploits.

My frustrations with the 400-page fictional tome, “What the River Knows.” is that it and the author may KNOW all of the answers, whereas readers are left in the dark regarding critical outcomes in the finale’. If this is intended as Book 1 of a series ??? some of the unanswered questions should be transitioned elegantly to segue neatly rather than just leaving readers frustrated.

✳️ Such as what game is Whit playing now?
✳️ Is Inez’s father alive?
✳️ What happened to Inez’s mother?


TheBookMaven graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Isabel Ibañez, and Publisher St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for this Advance Readers’ Copy (ARC).

Plot: 5
Characters: 4.5
Writing Style: 5
Cover: 5!!
Enjoyment: 5
Buyable/Re-readable?: YES. Makes Top 2023 list.

This absolute delight of a book is set in both Buenos Aires and Egypt in 1884. It's told in first person POV, a majority through 18/19 year-old Inez Olivera's eyes, a few passages through Whitford Hayes. There is a prologue followed by a division of four parts. It contains: magic (ex: books that bite, a tie that makes boiling water when wrung, etc ), historical events, a possible loose Cinderella-ish trope via aunt and cousins, Spanish words, Egyptian Arabic etc words, and some French, inclusion exposure (ex: "Half the crew prayed with the rising sun, a sight familiar to me since my first morning in Cairo where the sound of hundreds of mosques signaled the time for prayer, the Azan, five times a day. The other half of the crew were Coptic Christians."), familial betrayal, expedition and discovery, and a broad timeline of Egypt at the very beginning. The author went to Egypt for six days, so you can rest assured that research was done; above and beyond. I thoroughly appreciate when this happens! I felt that the romance was a slowish burn, natural, cute-naïve, hot. The two have great chemistry and play quite well off one another.

I wasn't prepared for the cliff-hanger ending, as I thought this was a standalone novel, so I'll admit to slight derailment that then escalated into elation at the prospect of another installment; I definitely want more from this author and if it means more coupled with a return of Inez and company? Sign me up.

Wow! I received an ARC of this book and I am happy to review it. This was such an amazing journey. Inez, our main female character, is a strong lead. She is the perfect blend of smart, capable, and flawed.

Isabel Ibañez, knows how to write characters. She draws out a lot of feelings both positive and negative for the whole crew of characters she introduces you too.

As for the plot. I will agree that if you enjoyed The Mummy this should be up your alley. I was seeking books with that vibe and this one met that craving full on.

The only reason this didn’t get five stars were just personal quirks from me and stories that I love.

I will say the only major downside to reading this as an ARC was that the ending left me craving more but it will most likely be a while before book two comes out.

For Inez and Whit alone I would read this but the plot really tugs you in too.

I never read anything like this book and really enjoyed it!! Definitely a 5 star! The characters were fantastic and the romance was perfect!

Absolutely fun adventure with thrills, danger and romance! Not to mention betrayal! I had a great time reading this and look forward to the next.

Right off, I want to say "Thank you!" to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in this lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race."

The description of this book had me hooked from the very first moment I saw it on Goodreads and floating around Bookstagram. I cannot explain the amount of desire I had to read this book. This was increased by reading the author's previous work, Together We Burn, which was AMAZING.
That being said, unfortunately, this one wasn't a slam dunk. I do wonder if it has to do with the excessive hype surrounding it getting my hopes up just a little too high.
While I find the comparison to The Mummy fantastic for marketing, I do wonder if readers will be expecting Rick and Evie to the point where they will not be able to enjoy Whit and Inez for who they are and for their story.

Inez is a vivacious, strong character, who always goes the whole-hog in everything she does. I love the fact that she is from Buenos Aires. I love the Spanish phrases sprinkled throughout. While I didn't relate to her personality-wise, she did remind me of a few of my very best friends. (Her escapes were particularly amusing.)

I wanted to like Whit, but I'm not sure I do. He seems too "perfect" physically. Actually, most of the characters seem this way. (Where's my ugly people at?) Most people I know aren't all tall, toned, etc. People have big noses, ears that stick out, crooked teeth, are short, awkwardly tall, lanky, carry a little weight around the middle, and such. While those things aren't seen as "Hot Main Character" traits, those little "one-off" things often make people more interesting and attractive. Whit just didn't seem very substantial. The main thing I picked up about him was that he likes to lean and slouch against doors and walls.

Whit and Inez's chemistry was awkward to me. Their banter was witty and rapid-fire - almost to the point of excess. (As I was reading a few of their dialog scenes, I was strongly reminded of The Gilmore Girls.) While there were some really good lines in there, I didn't find it realistic. Most people I know are either not witty enough, not vulnerable enough, or not honest enough for that type of quick conversation.

There were a couple of characters that I was very interested in and wanted more detail/more time with.
Isadora was by far the most interesting character I met in the book. Isadora's Present might be my favorite scene of the entire book.
Kareem was set up to be very interesting, but left me confused. I wasn't sure how old he was. When the story started, I thought he would be an older teenager. Towards the end, I questioned if he was a very young teenager.
Farida caught my attention, but left me confused when she disappeared.

There were a lot of repetitive descriptions (the slouching/leaning thing, dainty shrugs) which distracted me. As many descriptions as there were, I had a hard time picturing things and keeping track with the story. I kept having to pause and go back to figure out and reset the scene in my mind.

I don't think Whit's POV chapters would be necessary if Inez's POV chapters had been fleshed out just a little bit more, but that's just personal preference. Dual POV's just aren't my favorite.

Lastly, there 100% needs to be a trigger warning about THAT scene. While it may not bother some, I do know people who would not/could not handle that particular scene well.

I do feel like the bones of this story are good and it has the potential to be a solid story. I will be re-reading once it officially comes out to see if my opinions still stand. I may attempt the audiobook to see if it makes the story come alive a little more for me.
I also realize with this being a duology, some things are not solved because it's just not their time in the story yet, so I've put down the second book on my TBR list.
I find Isabel Ibanez to be a very creative and imaginative writer and I love her use of diverse characters. I look forward to reading more of her works.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me this ARC. I absolutely loved this novel. It had action, adventure, and romance. This book is colorful and filled different cultures, and locations. The main character is a strong female who takes risks to figure out what happened to her parents by traveling to an unknown country. I cannot wait to read the sequel.

Strong female lead, immersive adventure, witty banter and treasure hunting.

Inez is the daughter of explorers who have fallen in love with their work and for years chosen that over her. Desperate for answers after they disappear and are presumed dead - she falls (quite literally) into the world they left behind in Egypt.

What worked- how real the characters feel, the research and presentation of 19th century Egypt and the multiple hooks at the end of the story. I will be holding my breath to find out more.
What didn’t work- not enough explanation of the magic or it’s connection to everything else it almost felt like a side thought