I LOVED this book. It gripped me from the start and I enjoyed the adventure. It's pegged as THE MUMMY meets DEATH ON THE NILE, which sold me immediately. The Mummy is one of my favourite films, and I've always longed for a book that would fill that void in my heart. I think this definitely met my qualifications. The main character, Inez, is feisty and stubborn and I found that I was on board with her behaviour for the entire book. I loved all the side characters too, and the romance between Inez & Whit. There were good twists that I wasn't expecting at all, which really impressed me! Although this is a historical fantasy, I found the magical elements really low-key rather than in your face. At times, I forgot I was reading a fantasy book - but this isn't a criticism; I actually found it refreshing to read!

#book33of2023 What The River Knows by Isabel Ibanez Egypt-crazed 6th grade me is literally jumping up and down repeatedly with excitement because the perfect book finally exists. If Woven in Moonlight wasn’t enough of a book to make this author a must read for me (it was, but still) this book just sealed the deal with the most perfectly written kissing scene to boot. This is extremely well researched with the scenic writing making the Egyptian winds flow through your hair as if you were standing on the deck of the Dahabeeyah facing the Nile with Inez herself. Inez Olivera is living in Argentina with her aunt and two cousins while her parents are in Egypt on secret business. Longing for adventure and knowledge of her parents goings on- she spends her time painting and dreaming. She’s devastated to learn of her parents deaths and is determined to find the answers no one is giving her. She boards a train dressed in black with one destination in mind- Egypt. Once there, she’s heartbroken to find a mysterious uncle eager to send her back to Argentina in the name of safety. Accompanying her is the gorgeous- I mean- obnoxious Whit. She’s no match and quickly sneaks away from him and manages (with great difficulty) to follow them aboard the Elephantine, a dahabeeya, bound for Philae and with any hope, Cleopatra’s tomb. Upon their arrival she finds history, secrets, magical objects, untrustworthy characters and danger. Inez pushes forward determined to seek the truth and perhaps a romance. And she thinks she’s solved the mystery, but has she? #kristalreads

A huge giant thank you to #netgalley #wednesdaybooks and especially to @isabelwriter09 for this ARC- I literally am waiting on baited breath to see what happens to Inez and Whit ❤️

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book**

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez is out November 13, 2023!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🌶️/4

What the River Knows is a historical fantasy, following Inez Olivera through her first visit to Egypt in 1884. Inez lives in Argentina with her aunt and cousins while her parents spend half the year in Egypt, always coming and going. When Inez learns of her parents disappearance and presumed death, she sets off on a journey to find out the truth about what happened. From smugglers, to amazingly slow-burn romance, to an entirely unique magic system, this book will take you on one amazing journey.

I cannot say enough about this book. It's easily a 5 star read for me, and I've been looking for a book to draw me in as much as this one has. There is so much Egyptian culture and history to learn about, which was something I've never read before but thoroughly loved. Inez is an extremely likable main character, who is strong and independent in the time when that was accepted by society. She is determined to see her goals through. Her heart is fragile, yet she carries the strength of her heartbreaks so well. Whit shows up fairly early and their banter is so fun and exciting. The slow burn was absolutely to DIE FOR. There were plot twists I wasn't expecting and this book was so beautifully written.

AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT ENDING?! I felt like my own heart breaking as I read those last few lines. The worst part about this book is that it's over and I have to wait for the sequel to be written.

I highly recommended picking this book up when it releases this Fall!

🏷️: #whattheriverknows #isabelibañez #advancereaderscopy #arc #newbook #bookreview #comingsoon #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #readingcommunity #readingchallenge #ilovebooks #kindlereads #kindle

I was lucky enough to win a free e Arc of What the River Knows, and was super excited to read a well researched Egyptian fantasy! It did not disappoint. There was great worldbuilding that I especially loved, as someone who was fascinated with Ancient Egypt as a kid. Plus, the magic system in this book was truly unique and interesting. Add in a swoony love interest and endless back and forth banter-- chef's kiss! Now, I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel. The cliffhanger ending shocked me and has me on pins and needles waiting for book 2!

There's Book 2, right? RIGHT?!!!!!

There's definitely stakes in this book and no one gets out clean. But there seems to be layers upon layers here and I just need to know more. I loved the snippets of Cleopatra and the clear love for Egypt (and lots of pointed remarks about colonialism) and its long history although I was surprised that Inez didn't learn more about the country outside of Shakespeare. Minor quibble. Recommended.

WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS by Isabel Ibañez is the first in a Young Adult Fantasy duology described as "The Mummy" meets Death on the Nile. Egyptology? Yes, please. Rivals to lovers romance? Of course! Isabel Ibañez? One of my favorite authors. This book was a whirlwind of a ride with beautiful and dangerous settings, compelling characters, a unique magic system, and a satisfyingly twisty plot. I adored it! Before I gush on more, let me tell you what this book is about.

It's the year 1884, and Inez's adventurous parents are away again. Inez wishes they would take her with them on their next trip to Egypt rather than leaving her at their estate in Buenos Aires, Argentina with her aunt and cousins. When she receives word from her uncle in Egypt that they are dead, she inherits their wealth and uses some of it to sneak off to Alexandria, Egypt to investigate what happened. She takes a ring her father sent her, and her sketch pads, thinking they might help her unlock the truth. What she discovers is beyond anything she (or the reader) expected. Thrown in the mix with her uncle who doesn't want her there is his handsome young assistant who has a chip on his shoulder about something he won't discuss. Inez must use the magic that connects her to an important archeological find to discover the truth about what happened to her parents while danger closes in on her from all sides.

What I loved most about this book:
- Inez is such a complex, beautifully crafted character. I was cheering for her from page one
- Whit! He's Whitty (see what I did there?)... no, but really, he's also a beautifully crafted character. There are discoveries about him that had my jaw dropping.
- The settings. Every single one was described with such fantastic prose I felt like I could be standing there.
- Egypt! I've always been fascinated by archaeological finds in Egypt.
- It was very responsible of the author to tell the story of the injustice of steeling precious pieces of history from the Egyptian people
- The romance was so so so good! Isabel, you did it again. You messed with my heart in the best possible way.
- So many twists, I didn't know who to trust

What didn't work:
- Honestly, I can't think of a single thing that needs improvement. Bravo!

WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS is a pacey, enjoyable read with a touch of magic, a slow burn romance, and a great cast of characters. I highly recommend it. Run, don't walk, to pre-order this fantastic novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for providing me with an eARC of this book for my honest feedback.

This is my first Historical Fantasy read! As a kid who grew up obsessed with The Mummy I don't know why it took me so long to lean into this genre. Isabel's writing style really created a beautiful atmosphere with in-depth details about surroundings. I love feeling like I'm standing by the MC's. There was complicated character dynamics, mystery, action, adventure and a relentless slow burn romance. I love that the cliffhanger left room for multiple angles for sequels. I'll be so excited to pick up the next!

Thank you NetGalley & Wendesday Books for providing me with an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Rating: 4.5 ⭐️


I’m SCREAMING!!! What was that ending, I’m questioning everything right now 😭


Inez Olivera has only ever wished for one thing and that was to explore Egypt with her parents, as she has always been forced to stay behind in Argentina. Unfortunately, her hopes of going to Egypt with her parents vanish when she receives a letter confirming their untimely demise in the desert. Despite being heartbroken, Inez takes this as a sign to go onwards to Egypt and find out for herself why her parents were so in love with a country that ended in tragedy. She goes on to face countless deceptions, adventure, and possibly, love?


This story definitely gave me major The Mummy vibes with a slice of magic that left me entranced✨

At multiple points I felt so bad for Inez because she didn’t know who to trust and kept getting betrayed by those that she allowed to get close. Whit though, was such a well written male mc. We got dual povs!!! He was charming and frustrating at times, but he always came through for Inez when it counted.

*No spoilers* but what was that ending!! I need answers 😩

read for an adventure filled with betrayal, heartbreak, romance, and historical excavations!


*thank you NetGalley for an early e-copy in return for an honest review*

So much mystery and intrigue with captivating characters and writing! Isabel Ibañez does it again with her prose!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez is a historical YA fantasy for fans of travel adventure stories. The story revolves around Inez, a 17 year-old heiress in Argentina. When her explorer parents die unexpectedly, Inez inherits a fortune and a guardian. Soon, she's off on her own adventure of magic, action, and romance in Egypt. Along the way, she discovers that her parents' deaths may not have been as accidental as everyone believes.

Here is a lovely excerpt from the Prologue:

"I’d remember they were in Egypt.
A country they adored, a place they called home for half the year. For as long as I could remember, their bags were always packed, their goodbyes as constant as the rising and setting of the sun.
...
The trip was too dangerous for me, they said. The voyage long and arduous. For someone who had stayed in one place for most of her life, their yearly adventure sounded divine. Despite the troubles they’d faced it never stopped them from buying another ticket on a steamship sailing from the port of Buenos Aires all the way to Alexandria. Mamá and Papá never invited me along.
Actually, they forbade me from going."

Overall, What the River Knows is a wonderful historical fantasy that will appeal to older fans of the Vesper Holly series by Lloyd Alexander. One highlight of this book is the exotic location. I loved reading about different countries that I've never been to. Another highlight is the explosive ending, which made so excited to read the sequel.

If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would say that I wish that the book had more fantasy. There were some fantastical elements, but they were more like props and not central to the main plot. This made me less interested in the story. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of historical fantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in November!

Indiana Jones meets Agatha Christie in a captivating fun adventure imbued with mystery and magical realism. The heroine, Inez is a great heroine: smart, strong-willed, resourceful, who is not overtly flawless. Her inherent curiosity (result of her relatively protected upbringing) coupled with a stubbornness to find answers about what happened to her parents made her into the kind of heroine that it's easy to root for, and loved following her character development throughout the book. The budding romance between her and Whit was flirty, funny and altogether swoon-worthy. Their banter is one of the best parts of the book. Ibañez paints an intriguing setting in Egypt without falling into the regular exoticism (and racist) traps. The side-characters also offered a wonderful tapestry of interest. Very much looking forward to the sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity of reading this title in exchange for an honest review.

This books was STUNNING and everything I wanted in a book marketed The Mummy meets Death in the Nile. The characters had depth, developed and breathed true life from their stories. I cannot recommend this book enough!!!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5301825632

I was so excited to receive an early copy of this book! The Mummy is easily one of my favorite action movies from my childhood. I really liked our main character, Inez. She was determined and strong willed and had a lot of spunk. I will admit that the story is quite slow moving, for a large portion of the book. However, once you get to the end it gets twisty. Whit and Inez’s banter was perfect, I found myself smiling at many of their interactions, especially as their friendship progressed and seemed to become a little more. Overall I think this was a great start to the series, but could have been faster moving for my taste. Will still probably check out the sequel because I’m invested!

The first time I heard the blurb for What The River Knows, I was HOOKED. Because who doesn’t love The Mummy and Death on the Nile?? And the blurb was NOT WRONG. It is somehow a perfect mashup of both, with mysterious magic and new secrets around every corner. Add in a s l o w-burn forbidden romance and you’ve basically got Heidi catnip. Egyptian history and a fascinating magic system make for an amazing mix, and I absolutely recommend this book. It’s definitely my favorite Isabel Ibañez book yet, and I’ve been a fan since her debut.

If you love action and adventure and romance, YOU NEED THIS BOOK.

I need the sequel. Preferably yesterday.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and a review was not required. All opinions are my own. .

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending me a copy of What The River Knows by Isabel Ibañez before publishing.
All thoughts spoken are my own.

GR rating: 5 ⭐'s
My rating: 5 ⭐'s

Inez Olivera belongs to the upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and much like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been mainly left behind/forgotten.
Inez wants one thing- to adventure with her parents to Egypt where they frequent for months every year. When she receives word of their tragic death, she does the only thing she can think of, and boards a ship to Cairo armed with her sketch pad and a golden ring her father had sent her for safekeeping before his passing. But when she docks, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path that raises more questions about what really happened to her parents.
Being thwarted at every turn by her uncles handsome assistant, Inez must rely on the ancient magic to get answers.

This book. This absolutely amazing, wonderful book. I have no words to describe how thoroughly I enjoyed this read. The writing was intoxicating and beautiful. The history. The adventure. The betrayal. THE FORBIDDEN ROMANCE(low key obsessed with Whit). Everything about it drew me in.

I laughed. I cried. And I cried again. It's taken me nearly 2 weeks to be able to process everything and sit down to write my thoughts. I have still not recovered (THAT CLIFF HANGER. HOW COULD YOU)

I loved absolutely everything about this book. Hands down one of my favourite reads. I will be (im)patiently waiting for that sequel because I am NOT OK after that epilogue.

1000% recommend this book, regardless on if you like historical fiction or not (which I don't normally, but I'm obsessed with this book). What The River Knows cemented Ibañez as an instant buy author for me.

Releasing November 14th 2023

From the minute I read “The Mummy meets Murder on the Nile” I knew I would enjoy this book, and ended up loving it. Egyptian history, a soft magic system, angsty love interest, stubborn headstrong MC, slow burn romance with a lot of witty banter, all so perfectly done in What the River Knows. I adored Whit, his back story is so intriguing and I loved the slow reveal of who he was as a person. Inez is such a fun MC, she doesn’t back down but also isn’t afraid to show where her weaknesses are. It contains a complicated family dynamic that just has you on the edge of your seat. The glimpses of the magic system were so interesting and the way the author describes the scenery within the book was so beautiful. There were so many twists and turns I didn’t know what to really expect and oh my word that ending! I can’t believe I’ll have to wait so long for the next installment, but it will definitely be worth the wait, definitely one to add to your list if you love Historical YA with touches of magic. I also appreciated the romance keeping within the threshold of YA with a few steamy kisses but nothing beyond that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an early copy to review.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress @wednesdaybooks for an eARC of @isabelwriter09 ‘s WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS!

I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time. I finished it 24 hours ago and I can’t get it out of my head. What the River Knows is rich in culture and history, thrilling adventure, a heart pounding mystery, and a swooning “off limits” romance. You’ll fall in love with Inez and Whit and, with every turn of the page, root for them more and more. And that dedication page 🥹

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Add to your TBR immediately!

Reviewed for NetGalley:

3,5 rating.

Inez hasn't seen her parents in years, and when word comes that they have passed, she travels to Egypt to find out what happened to them.

A fun, adventurous, historical read. Some nice twists and turns and slow burn romance.

The author did a good job of making this time period come alive, and I enjoyed the characters. Knew something wasn’t quite “right” from early on, but didn’t expect the ending. Was actually quite frustrated by the end, so if this doesn’t have a sequel this will ultimately be an unsatisfying read! Maybe only read up to the epilogue!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Inez Olivera is an intrepid young Bolivian-Argentinian woman living with her aunt and cousins in Buenos Aires, left behind by parents who journey to Egypt multiple times a year for reasons unknown. When she receives word that her parents have been lost in the desert and are presumed dead, Inez travels across the Atlantic, determined to unravel the mystery of their disappearance. But upon arrival in Egypt, she is met with resistance by their business partner, her Tío Ricardo, who refuses to answer any of her questions and insists she return home to Argentina at once for her own safety. With malevolent forces hot on her heels and danger lurking around every corner, Inez is thrust into an adventure filled with ancient mysteries, old world magic, and a dash of romance.

This was such a fun adventure to read! I loved the premise—ancient Egypt, magic, and a rivals-to-lovers romance? Sign me up.

I loved cultural patchwork of this story, reflective of the vibrant yet contentious cultural melting pot that was Egypt at the turn of the century due to tourism and, yes, colonialism. And I really enjoyed the dynamic between Whit and Inez. They had very practical reasons not to trust each other despite their palpable attraction, and as we know, with high stakes comes great sexual tension. Their slow-burn romance was very effectively done.

This is a YA novel, though, so some readers may find the plot twists to be a bit predictable (although I was definitely not prepared for that epilogue, which leaves us on a major cliffhanger and has me dying to read the inevitable sequel). Because I don’t read much YA, I had a hard time telling whether this predictability was due to the nature of the genre, or if Inez was really just that oblivious most of the time, or if it was just clumsy storytelling.

My biggest gripe with the book was the pacing, which was way too slow for an adventure novel. The magic system and world building relied on info dumps that stilled any rising momentum to a halt, and it was really difficult to get the ball rolling again once it slowed down. It often got bogged down in unnecessary details that, to me, came off more as self-serving proof of the author’s interest rather than essential information for the reader. While the bare bones of the story are exciting and intriguing, the reading experience is a bit clunky and uneven.

I’d recommend this book for readers who enjoy ancient Egypt, exotic adventures, and a solid forbidden romance. The execution wasn’t perfect, but this book was lots of fun and I highly look forward to reading the sequel!