I think this book had a very strong start. It was very fast paced and kept my interest. I love Ancient Egyptian History so the setting was absolutely fascinating. I loved the electric chemistry between Inez and Whit. The ending leads me to believe there will be a follow up book to this. I think the part that didn't quit work for me was when Inez first finds out her mother is alive. I thought it was done a bit abruptly and left a bunch of plot holes in the story. I also wanted to know more about Whit's background. Who was he engaged to? Overall I enjoyed reading this. Thank you for the ARC!

Spoiler Alert- if you love YA books and The Mummy (Movie), you will probably love this book.

What the River Knows is a historical adventure set in Eqypt with action and magic intertwined. The characters were well-developed and the writing was very enjoyable. It is very geared towards the YA audience, but I know adults who read YA will also enjoy this story. I did find the pacing a little slow for me, but this is clearly a setup for a larger story. My one wish is that it had more puzzle solving. I was hoping for a lot of Dan Brown/Curse of the Specture Queen level sleuthing, but that was not the intent of this book.

Overall, I can totally see myself recommending this in the future.

Inez Olivera travels to Egypt following the news of her parents' tragic demise in the desert. She seeks answers as to how they lost their lives and what they were seeking. However, she soon finds many more questions as a dashing young man named Whitford Hayes attempts to send her right back home to Argentina, by order of her Uncle.

Inez's curiosity and adventurous spirit do not allow her to leave without her answers. She finds her way to her parents' disheveled hotel room, only to find more clues about whom she can and can not trust. Inez begins to feel a strong pull to stay and join her Uncle Ricardo's mysterious archaeological dig. Tingles of magic and a deep connection with an ancient Pharaoh lead her to discover even more clues, all the while falling for the intriguing young man keeping her uncle's secrets.

The action of this novel does not fully pick up until halfway through the book, but by then it is a wild ride to the end. There are so many plot twists that I did not expect, and some that were fairly predictable. The mysteries seem endless and left me wanting a sequel as soon as possible.

When they compare this to The Mummy, they aren’t lying! I definitely got a Mummy vibe from this book and really enjoyed it. This book kept my attention and kept me wanting to read more to figure out what was going to happen. There is a huge cliffhanger and I really hope there is another book! Thank you so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

This book was written in such a flow-y way, I got sucked into it right from chapter one. It's first pov narration by two MCs (but predominantly one of them), and it was so fascinating to follow their journey in this book.

This book also has one of the best historical fiction plotlines I've read! It's set in early 1900s Egypt (colonized by the British, French etc.), following a band of archaeologists (from various countries including Argentina, Britain, Egypt) who want to save some key Egyptian artefacts from being sold off to the colonizers. I love Egyptian mythology, and I loved this plotline which focussed on Cleopatra, as well as some of Egyptian gods she and her family were compared to.

Most of the narration is done by Inez, and I love her so much?? She had so much stacked against her, and I loved her guts and her drive to do the right thing. And I love loved her emotional journey, I can't wait to see where her story goes in book 2.

Also, what was that ending??? Twist after twist after twist in the last 30%, including a heartbreaking betrayal, and a devastating death 😭 not to mention the new shocker the epilogue threw at the reader (I NEED TO WAIT UNTIL BOOK 2 TO GET THAT RESOLVED, WHYYYYY 😭)

Also last but not the least, the romance!! The banter 😭 it's enemies to "okay, the other person is not gonna go away, they're a nuisance", to grudging respect to friends to lovers, and this dialogue pretty much summarises their evolving relationship:
Inez: I have an idea.
Whit: Have I told you how much I live in terror of your ideas?

If you like reading historical fiction (say, like These Violent Delights), read this one!

TWs - death of parents and sibling, gun violence, violence against animals (to be specific, crocodiles), person almost killed by a crocodile when they fall into a river (putting this here, coz I'm terrified of crocodiles, so in case you are too, you need this TW)

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I am fortunate enough to have visited Egypt a few years ago. I fell in love with the country and the history. When I read the synopsis for this book I knew I had to read it. There is a little bit of everything: historical fiction, romance, adventure, suspense, mystery, and murder with a small amount of magical artifacts all based in the setting of the amazing country of Egypt. I am not usually a fan of books about supernatural or magic, but it is very light in the book. I thoroughly appreciate when a book has many different genres wrapped into one and when the author can seamlessly incorporate all of them. This is one of those times where it was very well done. I loved the main character and how she always fought for herself. The author does a great job at transporting you to Egypt and I really felt like I had been taken back there while reading the book.
The ending left me like WHAT? I cannot wait for the next book to come out!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for a digital ARC.

Based on the description, I was expecting a humorous, fast-paced adventure with witty banter and fun times. Well, it was an adventure.

And it kind of feels half done? And not just because of that cliffhanger. Yikes. Wasn't prepared for that.

There's dual pov with Whit getting 15ish% of page time. His partial chapters seem to be afterthoughts put in only because the author has to show the readers things Inez wouldn't have access to.

There's a lot going on so the book was never boring, it was just far slower paced than I was expecting.

The descriptions are lovely though and it's obvious that the author took care in writing Egypt as more than just a backdrop.

This story was so incredibly well told - every page just kept getting better and better. I honestly can’t say enough amazing things about this book; you’ll just need to pick up a copy for yourself so you can experience the magic firsthand.

This story felt like nothing I had ever read before - Inez Olivera is a young lady from 19th century Buenos Aires. Inez spends time with her auntie (Tia Lorena) and her cousins (Elvira and Amaranta) who are just like a sisters to her while her parents explore the world, spending much of their time in Cairo, Egypt.

Inez is heartbroken when she finds out that her parents died. She’s full of questions and sets off to get answers. She lands in Cairo where her uncle (Tio Ricardo) takes a guardianship role of her while she’s in Cairo — along with his assistant Whitman.

We go on a wild adventure through Cairo with Inez, Tio Ricardo, and Whitman. Inez is full of spunk - she doesn’t mind stretching the truth or flat out lying in order to get ahead — a trait that we later learn runs in her family deeper than we realize. We learn that nothing is as it seems, and as the story continues to unfold nothing goes as planned. The murder mystery builds in intricacies and we’re not even sure who we should be trusting… I laughed, I teared up, I screamed, I gasped, and I even face-palmed a few times.

There’s lots of Spanish thrown into the book - which is delightful and keeps the story feeling authentic.

The ending absolutely crushed me. The book is quite fast paced as it is, but the last 15% really kicked it up a notch. The -TOO SHORT- epilogue had me screaming - I can hardly wait for the next book in the series to come out and to continue this journey with Inez.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to consume this ARC in return for my honest review. Isabel Ibanez is an incredible author, and I can’t recommend this book enough!!

This was such a wild ride! I loved the MC Inez and how stubborn and strong willed she was. The Egyptian setting was really refreshing and different and it was a lot of fun to follow Inez around on her quest to discover what really happened to her parents. There are magic touched artifacts, journeys across the treacherous Nile, the tomb of Cleopatra herself, and secrets and mysteries galore.

Whit was the perfect broody English love interest. The banter and tension between him and Inez was top notch. I loved that we got bits of his POV here and there as well.

The ending was absolutely brutal, like can my girl Inez catch a break? And that cliffhanger, oh man. It’s going to bother me for a long time aka until the next book comes out because apparently this is not a standalone. Highly recommend this book!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I got access to this arc from NetGalley, and I am so thankful for that . i am absolutely in LOVE with this book, and as soon as I can get my hands on a copy i plan to. I am so so so excited for everyone to get the chance to read this, it was such a fun read.
first off, the characters? i absolutely loved them. the plot twist with *certain people that i won't put because i won't spoil it* 👀👀SHOCKED.
Inez was such a fun character! she was so adventurous and daring and brilliant (like 98% of the time) and honestly i would've done everything that she did without hesitation. she was such a fun character to read from and honestly - i would've fallen head over heels for Whit within seconds. (props to her for how she handles him for real lol). the setting in egypt? i must be going through a phase of mesopotamian based literature because this is the third book series I've read in the last two weeks that is heavily based around egypt, cairo especially. it makes me wish i was an archeologist or a person who could just travel to these places and experience it myself!
the plot was so interesting how it kept twisting, but wasn't confusing at any point. it flowed smoothly and took my breath away with each turn of events. I lanes is an amazing author hands down, definitely one of my favorites!
i want to experience this book again and again i loved it and i can't wait for the next one! (also PS - that epilogue?!?!?! are you kidding me??? i need the next one stat!)

From Argentina to Egypt, a young woman seeks to uncover the truth of what happened to her presumably passed parents. As she searches for answers, she uncovers more than she expected and much more than she ever hoped to find.

Isabel Ibañez captured me with Inez Olivera. Having experienced the intrigue and pull of Egypt on a solo trip in my early 20s, I could feel her excitement, her tension. I could smell the spices in Khan al-Khalili, feel the Nile under my feet on a feluca, taste the chocolate covered dates. I could dream myself right back to the hot, busy streets of Cairo and beyond. And while I didn't exactly uncover the great mysteries of ancient Egypt, I did experience the thrill of standing opposite some of the world's more remarkable and important antiquities. Ibanez recreated that world beautifully and imbued it with even more magic than it already has.

In fact, I would have liked even more magic weaved into the story. I loved how nonchalant the characters were about the existence of magic and how it remained. The tastes of it drew me in but I wanted to see it and feel it even more.

Whether or not you've ever fallen in love with Egypt, you will certainly fall in love with the characters. Inez is so fully developed, I felt I understood her. Whit and Tio Ricardo were enticing and, though we didn't know much about them, I know we were given just enough. The relationship between Inez and Whit also felt within my reach. As someone who doesn't typically read a lot of romance or YA novels, this was just enough for me. I loved Inez's willfullness. I loved her flaws. I expected Whit to be more predictable than he was but Ibañez kept me on my toes. And I caught myself smiling more than once as Whit and Inez found their way closer and closer together.

The relationships between the women in this story also felt incredibly important. While their interactions didn't take up as many pages, the weight of them made up for it. The relationship between Inez and her mother was interesting and complex. Inez's relationship with her cousin Elvira felt real and sustaining. Even the budding relationship between Inez and Isadora was substantial and impactful. And maybe more important than them all, the relationship Inez has with the last queen of Egypt becomes a driving force of the story.

I will say the epilogue of this book destroyed me. I did not know this was the first book of a duology and so I was expecting some closure. And as soon as I thought it was within my reach, it was torn away from me! But now I'm thrilled that my journey with Inez isn't over! I can't wait to find out what Whit is really up to and the lengths Inez will have to go to for the truth. Looking forward to being back in Cairo.

I was super excited to read this based off of the description, but it wound up being way to long for me.

I loved the descriptions of Egypt, and I genuinely felt bad for the main character, Inez, as she searched for answers about the disappearance of her parents. It was fun to go on a journey of discovery.

The book is historical fantasy, incorporating magic (but not enough for me), and with chemistry within the romance, and certainly does bring you into the atmosphere; it just could have been about 100 pages shorter.

I received a copy of this from St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, via NetGally, for an honest review.

* ancient Egypt
* realistic slow burn romance
* plot twists galore
* to quote Douglas Adams - adventure, excitement and really wild things
* mystery
* world building
* great pacing
* strong, kickass MFC
* character development and growth

I adored this one so much! Excellent, excellent, well written YA.

fyi - a real brute of a cliffhanger.


This was my first novel by the author and I am looking forward to reading more of her work.



Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the DRC!

Initially, What the River Knows sparked my interest because I used to love reading and learning about the ancient Egyptians. Luckily, What the River Knows delivers deliciously on the Egyptian archaeology front, also adding in a swoony romance, some light magic, and a healthy dose of secrets!

You've likely seen this pitched as The Mummy meets Death on the Nile. I have only seen the movie for Death on the Nile, but I can say that the imagery and grandeur in that film are 100% on the level of the atmosphere in What the River Knows! In other words, prepare to have your mind filled with images of golden sands, a rippling green Nile river, and the dusty, cracking architecture left behind by a civilization past! You'll also smell the rich, earthy ahwa and spicy market air, hear the poetry-like Arabic, and feel the thin, soft linen of desert clothing. The descriptions and atmosphere of the story are all-consuming!

As for the characters, I loved both Inez and Whit! Inez was a vibrant main character, and I appreciated how she was stubborn and clever - as in, if she threatened to disobey, she would and she would do it well! I also liked the addition of her heritage, being Bolivian-Argentinian, as it is unfortunately still too rare to see non-Western main characters in historical fiction novels! Her observational skills and perspective added a lot of depth to the novel. Especially being non-English at a time when England had just busted into Egypt and taken over a lot of things.

Whit could probably be considered your typical morally-grey, very attractive, bantering male lead. Somehow, though, he made it seem like the trope had never been done before! He was fresh, mysterious, back-and-forth with his softness and his withdrawals. I never quite knew what to expect from him, and I get the feeling that is exactly the point. His character is in shadow, and it's hard to see him fully - I loved it.

Moreover, the humor between Inez and Whit must have been just my style, because I found them incredibly funny and witty. I enjoyed all of their interactions, and I was impatient for a romance to develop! I was completely here for the slow, slow burn of their relationship - and then the ice, and then the burn, and then... well, guess you'll have to read it to find out!!

While the plot was technically at the forefront of the story, it developed slowly. Sometimes, this is a struggle for me, but I think the vivid atmosphere, intelligent characters, and slow dance of secrets and mysteries worked to offset the moderate pacing. Also, the addition of light magic, with old artifacts having remnant powers - such as a cloth that pours boiling water when wrung out - added such a whimsical feel to the story!

And those mysteries! Let me tell you. At first, I was a little annoyed with Inez, as she was overly trusting and naïve and certain mysteries seemed really obvious. Stick through that - at the end, several things are flipped on their heads, and it will make you anxious for the next book! Especially that epilogue at the end, that was incredibly unfair and I need to know what it means right now...

If you haven't caught on already, you 100% need to add this to your to-read list!! I mean, what's not to like between the imagery of Egypt, mysteries surrounding dead parents and Cleopatra, and a captivating cast of characters? A new favorite of mine, for sure! (and if it helps, it's now been 3 days since I finished this book and I cannot get it out of my head! How soon is too soon for a reread?)

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the free, advanced copy so that I might provide an honest review!

OH. MY. STARS.

It’s nearly four in the morning and I just finished reading this beautiful book. It was simply impossible to put down! What a cinematic, mesmerizing experience. I feel like it’s the type of story that was written with so many of my favorite things in mind: an exquisite historical setting (Egypt!), archaeology, adventure, humor, heartbreak and a swoon-worthy romance that I will not stop thinking about for a long, long time. Inez and Whit have sparkling chemistry - I love them so much and can’t wait to see what happens in the sequel.

The ending! The epilogue! I was internally screaming! If I could give this a billion stars I would.

I cannot gush about this brilliant novel enough, and recommend it so very highly.

Heartfelt gratitude to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the honor of being provided an ARC.

Ibañez captures every scene brilliantly! Readers can envision the setting in elaborate detail, and it’s beautiful. I truly enjoyed this story!

Our main character, Inez Olivera, travels from Buenos Aires to Cairo to uncover what happened to her parents. She set upon an adventure like none other. She meets up with her uncle, who repeatedly tries to send her home, yet our determined heroine uses deception and unladylike behaviors to continue her search for answers. After failing to send Inez home, Tio Ricardo allows Inez to join him in the excavation of Philae in search of Cleopatra’s burial site. In this alternate history, magic is embedded in everyday objects. Cleopatra was a mage, and Inez was drawn to her magic. Of course, there’s a love interest—the snarky and charming Mr. Hayes. The sarcastic wit between Inez and Hayes was entertaining.

This was an enjoyable read. Inez was a fantastic main character: stubborn to a fault and devoted to her parents, despite their flaws (they leave her for months on end while they explore Egypt).

My only complaint is the cliffhanger at the end, which is why I gave a 4-star rating instead of a 5-star. With everything that happened at the end, I didn’t feel it necessary to grab me in. However, I will most definitely read the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC!

I got to read this as an arc for an honest review:

WHIT!!!! I loved him from the get go, big fan of broody men who know how to flirt but also has secrets. The plot was enjoyable & I loved the twists & danger throughout. The world building regarding Egypt & Cleopatra was lovely & clearly painted a picture. The end probably accounts for a star all by itself, it blew my mind & now I can’t stand that I don’t have a sequel to know what happens next! My jaw hit the floor reading the epilogue!!

The world building regarding magic was a little lacking for me. I loved the concept & enjoyed it when it related to Cleopatra, but otherwise I felt it needed to be explored or explained more. Maybe that’s coming next though, so we’ll see. I have mixed feelings with Inez, society has sheltered her a lot but I really wanted her to find herself more & start to play the game everyone else was. Again hopefully that’s coming up! There were some slow points where I wished it was a little shorter but overall still a very enjoyable story!

First off, the cover is gorgeous (which I know doesn't totally matter, but it counts for something), and the plot sounded intriguing and thrilling. So, with some excitement, I snatched an eARC copy of this book on NetGalley when it came available to me

With great anticipation, I started reading, not knowing exactly what to expect, but hoping for the best. That is the trouble with reading books with little to no content reviews. The early readers become the content screeners. In this case, I had had no introduction to Isabel Ibañez's previous works or her style. After reading this book, I will not be picking up more from her.

Why? This book is not clean. There's profanity (including multiple f-bombs, plus others, which was extremenly odd to me given that this takes place in the late 19th century), on screen and descriptive violence/murder, and on screen sex (not overly detailed, though it's enough to make me never recommend this book).

Now, is this poorly written? Nope. Is it a terrible story? Nope. Is it completely awful in every way? Nope. It just doesn't align with my personal content preferences in books and has three strikes against it (language, violence, and sex). If I had known this book had that stuff in it, I never would have gotten the eARC. The two stars are for Inez (she's fun and vivicious), the cover (it's gorgeous), and the lush world created.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC and for the opportunity to review this book. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book before its publication date.

I really enjoyed this story set in 1880s Egypt. It follows the adventures of Inez, a young girl from Argentina, as she travels to Egypt to attempt to find out what happened to her parents, who reportedly went missing while looking for Cleopatra's tomb. Inez finds herself in all sorts of dangerous situations, not knowing who she can trust.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez is an adventurous historical fantasy set in Egypt. I loved Inez, she is a strong, stubborn character who grows throughout the story. I also loved the relationships Inez had with the other characters in the story, especially Whit and their banter. The pacing was slow at first and picks up towards the end of the book. I do wish that the magic system was fleshed out more, but really enjoyed the book overall.

Looking forward to reading the sequel!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!