a fantastic novel that perfectly blends everything I love about fantasy books: adventure, forbidden romance, and a great plot with multiple twists! I loved the whole mystery aspect and the strong, independent female lead. The romance and the banter was phenomenal and I was surprised by how much I loved this book overall. Unputdownable!

Great concept, poor execution.

Inez is a 19 year old girl from Argentina who's parents are archeologists and spend 6 months of the year in Egypt. For some reason, they forbid her to come live with them, so she is stuck in Argentina until news of her parents's mysterious death reach her. She heads over to Cairo, where she meets her uncle (now guardian) and his assistant Whit who are both very secretive about the events surrounding her parents' death. Sounds interesting, right?


Things I liked:
✳ The portrayal and criticism of British colonialism in Egypt
✳ The second half of the book where there's some action and things, you know, actually happen.

... that's it.

Things I did not like:
✳ Any of the characters. Inez is an annoying girl-child who gets offended for being called 'sheltered', when that is exactly what she is. Inez's parents are cold-hearted weirdos for letting their daughter be raised by her aunt on another continent for no apparent good reason. (view spoiler) Whit, the love interest is a self-centred, lying flirt who is in a state of semi-drunk stupor for most of the novel. We get a rushed reveal of his *tragic* back story at 95% of the book which is supposed to show us how noble he is, and make us forget that he flirted with Inez whilst being engaged the entire time. Because isn't that sexy?

✳ The magic system. 'What magic system?', I hear you ask. Exactly. Ibañez basically used magic to aid the plot where it needed it, and ignored it the rest of the time. There's magic, but apparently no one cares in the book. Nor do we get an explanation why magic sticks more to some people but not others. It just does, because it's convenient.

✳ The miscommunication / lack of communication. All of Inez's stubborn stunts could have been avoided if her uncle or Whit actually bothered to tell her the truth. They kept information from her for no apparent good reason. There's not really much mystery around her parents's deaths except for her uncle choosing to withhold information. Why? Because let's face it, if he'd told her earlier there'd be no real plot.

✳ The pacing of this book was just a mess. The first 50% nothing happens and Inez asks the same questions to Whit/her uncle and they give her the same answers. She makes some futile attempts to look for clues. Whit flirts with Inez. That's it. But there's so much action packed into the last 30-25% of the book that all the twists and reveals come after the other. Then there's a cliffhanger ending (which would have been amazing, had I not lost any will to read on after book one). All in all, this book could have easily been a standalone had Ibañez cut down the "Whit is so annoying/Whit is so bawny" infatuation phase that predominated the first half of the novel.

✳ Which brings us to the love story, which was, for a better word, just ugh. Whit has no adorning qualities which would make a sane, normal woman fall for him except the fact he is good-looking with a sharp jawline and muscles (p.s the overuse of the word 'bawny' to describe him every 5 minutes made me gag). So let's just call this for what it is - a bit of lust. He saves Inez's life once, I'll give him that. But the rest of her reasons for 'being in love' are pretty weak:

"But he had saved my life. Cared to make sure I was comfortable. Took my side in arguments with my uncle."


Ok, wow, I mean girl those are some pretty low standards. You're allowing this dude to lie to you and treat you like dirt because sometimes he remembers to make sure you're 'comfortable'?. Is the reader supposed to be impressed by this list?

Anyway, I was not impressed by most of this book. Again, it's one of those ARCs I would have DNF'd earlier on if it wasn't an ARC and I didn't feel compelled to keep reading to provide a well rounded review.

2023 is the year of incredible YA historical fantasies and What The River Knows is one of them!

From start to finish I absolutely adored this book. I didn’t want it to end but also wanted to devour it.

This is the first Isabel Ibañez book I’ve read and her writing style was beautiful. Her characters were so enthralling but also depthful. I felt like I knew them.

The plot was INTENSE. So much betrayal, so much guessing at who is doing the betraying, second guessing everything and just generally not having a clue who to trust, but I loved that!

This is one of those books that genuinely makes you forget you’re reading. I was gasping, laughing and sobbing along with Inez and loved every second.

What The River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

Thank you to Kate at Hodderscape for my gifted copy of this prodigious story! ISABEL!! You knew exactly what you were doing and I love you for it!!

I knew this book would be one I loved just from the premise but, after reading the first 10-13 pages before bed, I then dreamt variations of what I had read all night. Totally captivating.

For those of us who were OBSESSED with Egyptology and loved the films The Mummy & The Mummy Returns (we aren’t going to discuss the 3rd one 🙈) then this book is EVERYTHING you have been waiting for!!

The way I fell in love again with Egypt like I did when I travelled there for a few days when I was 7 😩Set in 19th Century Egypt, the story is told mostly from the view of Inez - our strong willed protagonist.

Inez is a young lady after my own heart, and when she recieves a letter from her uncle in Egypt stating her beloved Mother and Father are dead, Inez must figure out what happened.

I loved the magical realism within this book and the idea that magic can be imbibed into items and then can be felt by those that then touch those items.

I also absolutely LOVED the illustrations throughout the book and they really gave me a stronger connection to Inez.

Mr Whitford Hayes is quite the enigma. Just when you think you’ve got him figured something changes. He is a pain in Inez’s derrière but I for one really enjoyed his character.

The writing and the descriptions of Egypt are immersive and as someone who is a visual reader (I see a little film in my head) I found this book perfect for me to be able to see the world around Inez.

If this isn’t already on your radar to buy, I beg of you, BUY IT AND READ IT ASAP. And soon you will join me and so many others in our love of it.

Now, how can I get myself into a dig in Egypt 🤔 whilst I wait for the next book?!

I liked the concept, but the execution was very mediocre.

Inez started off as such an interesting character, and we are introduced to magic but this quickly dissipates when the male love interest enters the picture. I found all the characters very bland and the chemistry between the main characters felt so forced. I found it quite boring, and although the setting was interesting, the writing and direction of the story was quite bland.

The setting of Egypt and the multicultural references was fun, but I did not connect with any characters or like the way the writing expressed characters actions.

Overall, not something for me, but if you are just getting into YA fantasy, you may like this!

I really enjoyed my last book by this author so when I recognised the name on this one AND saw it compared to The Mummy I was very excited!

It took me a little while to invest in the characters in this book but I have to say, I couldn't put it down once I'd settled. I enjoyed Inez and her keen sense of self and adventure. I felt for her losses and rooted for her in her goals. But she has nothing on Whit who I ADORED and wish had more space in the story. He was a dashing rogue with a mysterious past and I mean be still my beating heart.

The magic element was great - just little hints that weren't really explained and didn't really need to be. They were just there and integrated into the narrative.

There was a twist that I saw coming a mile away. So I spent a good few pages just waiting for it 🙃.

I will say overall I think this book could have been stronger. I didn't realise it wasn't standalone so maybe I felt the drag due to expecting it to be neatly tied up by the end ... which it wasn't (obviously because now I know there's going to be a book two). It makes me a bit nervous in case there isn't enough substance for two (or more?) books but equally excited to get more time with these characters and see what happens because the ending left it wide open and threw in a curve ball which I shall just side eye from a distance 🤣.

Inez Olivera, a privileged young woman in nineteenth-century Buenos Aires, inherits a vast fortune and a mysterious guardian after the tragic deaths of her globe-trotting parents. Determined to unravel the secrets surrounding their disappearance, she travels to Cairo with sketch pads and an ancient golden ring. However, the old world magic tied to the ring leads Inez down a perilous path, revealing a deeper mystery than her guardian disclosed. With the enigmatic assistant hindering her quest, Inez must navigate ancient magic to unveil the truth about her parents.

Inez is so very stubborn and I loved her determination! There were lots of moments early in the book that should have been the end of her journey, but Inez pushed through in a way that was refreshing for a female YA protagonist.

I found the pacing to be slow early on, but it does hit its stride and moves along at a good rate. The writing and descriptions throughout really drew me in to the Egypt of the time. I love getting to read books like these, where it's clear the author loves what they are writing about and you can feel it off the page.

The emotional impacts of the writing were a personal highlight. I was fully pulled into Inez's grief and loneliness. I appreciated the moments Inez gets to sit with her grief. I will say it took a while to warm up to the romance. Whit is extremely guarded and very careful of how he's perceived, although based on the ending I think I'll see plenty more in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the eArc!

What the River knows is the first book in a new tale from Isabel Ibanez. It is all about Egypt, archaeology with magic woven throughout adding a new layer to an already interesting story. I love anything involving Egypt, archaeological discoveries and the history behind it all.
I have previously read Together We Burn by Ibanez which was about dragons and how people would fight, perform and house them as entertainment. It was really interesting so seeing her new release I was definitely looking forward to reading it.
Inez Oliveras is a young woman living with her aunt and cousins while her parents spent half the year working in Egypt. She is craving an adventure, desperate to live the way her parents do. Not only is she desperate to work in Egypt, but she is also desperate to see her parents in the place they thrive that she misses out on every year. While she eagerly awaits news from her parents a tragic message reaches her instead. Both of her parents have tragically died while on a mission in the dessert and she is now under the care of her uncle Ricardo. Unaccepting of the news she decides to travel alone without much planning to Alexandria, Egypt to find out for herself what happened to her parents and exactly what they were involved in.
Her uncle is not pleased with her independent mission across the world and sends his employee Mr Whit Hayes to turn Inez right back around onto that boat and return to where she came from. She is sneakier than that and decides to solve this mystery alone if need be.
This was a really fun and twisty read. It is reminiscent of Indiana Jones or the Mummy which makes for an adventure. I wouldn’t say it was fast paced but I didn’t mind that as the book held a lot of information and development that needed appreciating. Although it’s classed as Young Adult, I think an older audience can enjoy it. We see a lot about the treatment and expectations of young women and not just American or British standards we normally read about. The romance was mature as well. It was tense and sizzling and added to the character development. I had no idea that there would be a sequel so by the end I was itching for more! I look forward to seeing what happens next for Inez, Whit and Ricardo.
Thank you for the eARC!

Historical fantasy, the genre is little dry to read but the author penned it in such a way that its so easy to read with lots of twists and turns. It was gripping right from the beginning. It was beautifully written.

The descriptions of the fantasy world was so good that it immediately let's the reader get into the story.

A perfect YA novel, with very strong main characters. I loved Inez’s wit, adventurous spirit and intelligence. Knowing Whit and his backstory made me like him so much. And the romance, it's slow burning. I really enjoyed their relationship.

I loved reading this book. The ending is a cliff hanger though!! Eagerly waiting for the next book in this series.

*4.5*

Wow.
What a wonderful surprise this book was. Of course I expected to like it since I requested an ARC copy of it, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did.

What The River Knows is the story of Inez Olivera, a girl from Buenos Aires, whose parents live and work in Egypt, a place where she has wanted to go since she was a little girl. And that might happen now, but for very sad circumstances. A letter arrives, and she learns that both her parents are dead. Desperate, she wants to know more about it, so she reaches Egypt, where she meets her uncle Ricardo, his new guardian, and Whit, a mysterious guy who is her uncle's assistant.

I think the strenght of this book were the characters. This is marketed as Fantasy, but I wouldn't say that this is the main focus on the novel, magic is present but it's just a nice a nice on the side.
What's really good here, in my opinion, is the historical depiction of Egypt in the 19th century, and how a young girl finds herself in it.
And like I said the characters really elevated the novel. I was glued to the page because I grew to care so much about Inez and Whit.

Speaking about them, the romance in this book is OVER THE TOP. Best one I've read in a long time, I was screaming, crying, kicking my feet and all of that. I literally giggled at the book because of their banter. They are just the cutest ever, and I can't wait to see more of them in the second novel.

And can we talk about THAT ending? I was shocked to say the least to be honest. I need the second book in my hands NOW.

The only reason this is not a 5 star books in my eyes is because I think the magic should have at least a bit more of place in this novel. It was a nice touch, but I would have liked to see more.
Having said that, if you like Egypt lore, strong female characters, and a nice dose of enemies to lovers and action, this is the book for you, and I highly recommend it.

What the River Knows is exactly what I have been on the hunt for in a book set in Egypt. This book has the historical accuracy to show the author took the time to research Egypt and it’s history while having the thrills and allure that Egypt has always held for me.

From the city streets of Cairo to the dusty tombs of Valley of the Kings the setting of this novel is enrapturing, with the beauty of Egypt caught so perfectly on its pages. The author clearly has a love for the land, history, and it’s people in a way that is transferred to the readers page by page.

The story is one of mystery, forbidden desire, and looming danger. It’s twists kept me in my feet and enraptured throughout the novel, and the ending left me grasping for the next in the series when it releases.

Inez is an easy to love main character who’s flaws feel real and lovable all at once. With the supporting cast we see the same sense of flesh out characters and a world that is well developed. Keeping track of everyone’s motivations and who it is safe to trust in this book makes it an easy reread as each time you will find yourself catching more hints and clues.

I am excited for the follow up, and undeniably in love with this book. I’d recommend picking it up if you enjoy:
- Egypt
- Atmospheric books
- Historical Accuracy in books with magic
- Spunky Easy to love MFC
- Enemies to lovers
- Mysteries
- Thrilling endings that leave you wanting more

I received and ARC of this book at no cost/for free, I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.

"I was here to learn the details surrounding my parents' disappearance. I was here to learn why my uncle hadn't protected them, and why they had been out in the desert alone."

Set in late 19th-century Egypt, this rich historical fantasy is about a young Argentinian woman whose archaeologist parents disappear in the desert, presumed dead. Inez Olivera is devastated when her uncle writes to her with the news. But she refuses to accept that no one knows what happened to them and books herself passage to Egypt, determined to find out the truth.

Once there, though, she's disabused of the notion she'd be welcomed by her mother's brother, who worked on digs with her parents. Instead, Ricardo has booked her a ship ticket straight back to Buenos Aires. Determined not to be undermined, by either her uncle or his right-hand man, the handsome but frustratingly aloof Whit Hayes, Inez decides she'll stop at nothing to find out why she's been orphaned, including why her father sent her a magical ring she suspects may have belonged to Cleopatra. Some of the magic from the object has passed onto her, and now Inez has visions of the last Pharoah, before her tragic death.

I was lucky enough to visit Egypt many, many years ago and I've been dying to go back ever since. It's simply an extraordinary place, where the distant past feels so close to you. This book brings to life the magic of that beautiful country and its intricate history.

Inez can be a frustrating character – while I admired her wit and strong will, she was very impulsive, which often got her in trouble. I like determined FMCs but the way she ignored logic repeatedly was annoying. The banter between Inez and Whit was fun, though I felt like the miscommunication trope could have been toned down a bit.

I had no idea this was the first book in a duology but I noticed there was a heck of a lot of plot to go with very few pages left and was bereft. There's a neat little cliffhanger at the end that will leave you wanting more. Please, Isabel Ibanez, write the next book quickly!

I've previously read Isabel Ibanez's Woven in Moonlight duology, which I enjoyed a lot. But after reading What the River Knows, I can say Isabel's writing have definitely stepped up a few notches. This book was woven rich with culture, and beautiful imagery. The characters were fascinating, I loved them. Can't wait to see what Isabel Ibanez writes next!

One of the best slow burn, “touch her and die” books I’ve ever read. I loved the heir of mystery, the magic, and the sizzling tension. The ending was jaw dropping shock and I need her to write the next book now!!! I found myself constantly thinking about this book when I wasn’t reading it and itching to get to pick it back up again whenever I was forced against my will to put it down.

Think Death on the Nile meets National Treasure meets Indiana Jones meets Bridgerton meets Argentina. It was such a unique story and a truly enjoyable read.

While not terrible, nothing about this book was particularly enjoyable or stuck out to me while reading. The Mummy (1999) comparison is not earned at all, apart from the historical Egypt setting, I suppose. It had none of the action or the charm which that comparison promised.

At the beginning, I felt the writing was very info-dumpy and repetitive and I couldn't get into the author's writing style at all. During my time reading it, I had very little desire to pick the book back up and this is in part the reason for it. I only started to feel slightly invested around the 30% mark.

Overall, I just expected much more action and tombs and mysteries and the book gave me nothing of that. More than half the book was just characters dodging questions about themselves and lying to each other. The miscommunication trope ran rampant in this one. Around the middle, I could not have told you what the plot actually was. While I was mildly intrigued once Inez arrived in Egypt, it didn't last because of the book's poor pacing.

Lots of the plot developments stemmed from Inez jumping to conclusions and acting impulsively which made me really annoyed with her. I think I am now of the age where I maybe can't read about YA protagonists anymore, because I agree with their parents / guardians. Like, maybe it's not the most brilliant idea to let a young woman gallivant around Cairo by herself when she doesn't know the language or the city?? I think Inez is supposed to be 19 in this, but her behaviour reads like that of a younger girl, so in my head, she was 16, maybe even 15. She was so reckless and impulsive without a regard for her own or others' safety, it was really grating on my nerves. But of course, her uncle is painted as the bad guy for wanting her to stay safe. In the end, Inez never ended up solving the mystery around her parents' disappearance, the answer just sort of ... handed to her. Which made everything about the "mystery" incredibly unsatisfying. I ended up predicting most of the major plot twists, not because they were well foreshadowed, but because they were cliché. The only plot twist that got me was the one right at the end, but it wasn't enough to make me want to pick up the sequel.

As for the character relationships, everyone was evasive and shady. Inez had no fleshed out relationships with anyone except Whit, despite there being great potential for a familial relationship with her uncle (who we never really know until the end of the book) or a friendship with Isadora (who added nothing to the plot). The romance with Whit felt shallow and while I did believe the budding friendship between the two, I didn't believe they had actual feelings for each other beyond attraction. Their banter was good, but their scenes together felt repetitive.

While the historical setting of late 19th-century Egypt could have worked, I didn't feel immersed in the time period. This was due to all of the characters holding modern views and attitudes which would have been radical in their time period. There are mentions of "the rules" and propriety but no one follows them, so who cares? I did like that it dug into British imperialism in Egypt, but then again, we still have a romance with an Englishman because he's Not Like Other Foreigners. Make of that what you will.

Overall, not the worst thing I have read, but also not particularly memorable. 2.75/5 stars.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with the eARC of What the River Knows.

4.5* ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Firstly, anything that is marketed as The Mummy meets Death on the Nile has my immediate attention! And this book did not disappoint.

The settings in this book are beautifully described and I saw and felt every scene. The grand hotels, bustling bazaars and the glittering nile were all so vividly portrayed, creating a sumptuous backdrop for Inez’s story.

Inez is a bold and feisty main character, who defies what 19th century society expect of a young lady. And Mr Whitford Hayes…phew! Give me a morally grey, Indiana Jones crossed with Brandon Fraser from the mummy any day. The tension, longing looks and fleeting touches were everything.

This story kept me gripped with twists and turns and the ending had me gasping and needing to turn back to the first page to try and work out what had happened! There has to be a second book on the way after that cliffhanger! I can’t wait to hear of its release and it will be added to the top of my TBR!

A brilliant and adventurous book that brings to live the vibrant and mysterious ancient Egyptian history into a story that makes the enjoy it from page 1.
I would recommend for those who love an adventure with mystery and history and anyone who like me was a massive fan of The Mummy (the original for my generation not the remake with Tom Cruise).

I received a free copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review
Advertised as a classic adventure with daddy issues and cute boys, what the river knows starts with a map to Egypt and ends with…well that would be spoiling. For lovers of history and mythology both. Adventure lovers will too. Love the hints of Egyptology especially.

"Did you know that ancient Egyptians used to throw their valuables into the river?"

This was well-written story with excellent world-building that has you travelling through Egypt with Inez as she tried to understand why her parents were killed when they were working with her uncle who is named as her guardian.

When she arrives in Egypt, her uncle sends someone to ensure that she is sent back to Argentina but she outwits Whit Hayes and finds her way to where her parents would regularly stay. Tio Ricardo eventually relents, allowing Inez to join the expedition. As time passes, Inez becomes more suspicious of what caused her parents death. Inez is a strong character who is devastated by the loss of her parents, loves adventure and curious about Egyptian history. The magic system is fascinating and I love the chemistry between Inez and Whit, who is still somewhat of a mystery which I look forward to reading more about.

Pick this up if you love well-written historical fiction that evokes a deep need to learn more about history.

What the River Knows is an interesting historical fantasy that tells the story of a Bolivian-Argentinian lady in Egypt. Since we very often get the view of the white europeans and americans with these kind of things I was very happy to see this book.

The book starts with us meeting 19 year old Inez. She is eagerly awaiting a letter from her parents who are in Egypt. Instead she gets a visitor and a letter from her uncle. Her parents are presumed dead. Inez always wanted to go to Egypt with her parents, now that they are dead she is determined to find out what happened to them. So she jumps out from under the watchful eye of her aunt and nieces and heads out to Egypt on her own.

Inez, as one can see from that bit from the start of the book, has quite a rebellious streak. She was brought up rather well off and with her parents away half of the year, got a lot of room to act out. Mostly that was unladylike things like getting dirty. But that did work for this book. This kind of plot did need someone like Inez who wasn't afraid to step out of the mold. She was mostly a joy to follow around, defying what is expected of a woman in ways. Fighting for what she thought was right. And as she had priviledge, she could get away with that.

Her banter with especially Whit was entertaining and kept gripping you into the story, even when the pace was slow. It also feels like a love letter to Egypt. Everything about it is grand it feels. But that doens't mean it is blind to the problems that were happening at the time. The many tourists, smuggling artifacts out of the country, being under control of the English, making money over the back of another country's heritage.

The first half of the book was fresh, filled with Inez's drive to find out what happened to her parents and what her uncle is really up to. The second half is slightly bogged down by many events where Inez didn't always seem to have an emotional response to that, that you would have expected of her.

I was also saddened to hear that since I first had interest in this book and it looked like it was going to be a standalone, this is now a series. I think this book was fine on its own and it could have been wrapped up in one book if the ending had been navigated somewhat differently. I'm not sure if a sequel is going to enchance the story. There is betrayal in the air and I'm not sure if I want to go there with these characters.

Regardless I did find this a fun book to read overall. I enjoyed Inez and the setting.