Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this review copy!

Actual rating: 3.75 ✨


What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez is the first book in a duology set in Egypt during the nineteenth century. It follows the story of Inez Olivera, a young woman who leaves Buenos Aires to uncover the mystery surrounding her parents’ deaths.
This book promised a mixture of The Mummy and Death on the Nile, a great premise that was only half-respected.

Inez is a nineteen-year-old girl ready to do anything it takes to discover what happened to her parents. Doomed to watch them travel to Egypt, leaving her behind, when Inez arrives in Cairo, countless secrets start unraveling before her eyes. And yet, her authoritarian uncle—her guardian after her parents’ disappearance— won’t help her find the truth and seems to hide more than Inez thought. A lost queen must be found. Another unexpected acquaintance tries to get in her way, Whitford Hayes is steeped in secrets and Inez wouldn’t leave them unsolved not even for all the gold in the world.

The bustling streets of Cairo, the enchanting Nile, and Philae Island filled with temples and hidden treasures give a familiar and suggestive atmosphere to the novel. That’s what caught my attention since the first page: it reminded me a lot of The Mummy, my favorite movie of all time. So, I couldn’t be more excited to read this book that promised to gift me something with similar vibes to this movie I loved with my whole heart. Unfortunately, even though the setting was well described and the surroundings almost made me dream, the similarities to The Mummy are few.

The author focused on the problem of the illegal export of cultural goods outside of Egypt. It’s something that I really care about and it’s always beautiful to read more books regarding such important but often ignored issues.
On the other hand, the magic system focuses on old magic soaking all sorts of items by giving them power. It isn’t fully explored and it’s only a means to Inez’s quest for the truth. I hoped it to be more present and relevant to the plot.

Inez is our main character. The whole book is written from her point of view except for some parts at the end of certain chapters that tell the story from Whit’s perspective.
She’s reckless and young, stubborn and committed. If I liked her during the first half of the book, my opinion changed as soon as she started making questionable choices that could have been safely avoided.

If Inez could be understood, Whit’s smugness and enigmatic behavior turned into something repetitive as the plot proceeded. I would have loved to read longer parts with his point of view because narrowing it down that much didn’t allow me to bond with him, leaving a lot of unanswered questions and a sense of dissatisfaction.

I expected to find more scenes regarding Ancient Egypt and Cleopatra, but the chapters related to her story and her burial site were hasty and almost devoid of pathos. She should have been extremely important to the plot— or at least that’s what I hoped—, and yet the historical part concerning Ancient Egypt has been of lesser importance in comparison to the mystery of the protagonist’s parents’ disappearance and all its consequences.

More mysteries pile up on Inez’s shoulders, but no character seems eager to help her and soothe her justified curiosity. After all, her parents are dead and she just wants to learn the truth, but no one considers her more than a nuisance. There’s a lot of miscommunication between the characters and if they just talked and aided each other, then things would have been different and easier. The author wanted to increase the stakes and build up the tension, yet it merely made me feel frustrated. If the characters had spoken more, a lot could have been avoided. Inez didn’t achieve anything important regarding her situation, she just created more problems and left them unsolved. This book has numerous questions left unaddressed and it gave a sense of incompleteness to the story.

What the River Knows has a lot of potential. While reading, I felt more the vibes of Death on the Nile than The Mummy, but this book remains very enjoyable and well-written. I will surely read the sequel for the epilogue left me completely speechless and I can’t wait to discover what has happened!

Received this as an ARC from Netgalley and it was not what I was expecting.

Firstly, the magical object aspect was confusing and not explained clearly. Secondly, I didn't enjoy the romance as much as I thought I would.

Compared to The Mummy, let this story down as it wasn't as action based as I'd like.

Overall, the plot, magic and romance between Inez and White were disappointing and lackluster.

What a setting! 19th century Egypt with tombs, mysteries, a unique magic system, Cleopatra, family secrets.... And, most of all, an FMC that is not naive, annoying or constantly making the wrong decisions (well, you could argue the latter... but you shouldn't lol), and many plot twists that left you screaming.
I loved everything about this set up, and I desperately wanted to make that journey down the Nile myself. The writing lets you immerse yourself in times long past with just enough fantasy elements to keep it interesting.
As the story moved on, I found myself being slightly disappointed, thinking that the two main mysteries (an archeological/magical one and a family-related one) could have a bit more depth and...well...mystery. However, at the end of the book (damn you, cliffhanger!) I am fully trusting it to come back big in the next book. And oh, I can't wait for the next book!
I wanted to give this four stars, but the cliffhanger bumped it up to just shy of a five star highlight.

4,5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @hodderbooks for the eARC!

#netgalley #WhatTheRiverKnows

This story is everything I didn’t know I was missing!

The fact that even through Inez was shelter she still went to Egypt alone to figure out what happened to her parents was so courageous!!

I felt that Inez’s spirit was somewhat similar to Cleopatra. The betrayals, loss, and courage felt so similar to the last Queens as well as their independence, joy, courage, and hope.

The artwork in the book is beautiful.

I believe everyone needs to read this book when it comes it. It dazzles and it is magical!

I’ve been stuck in “nothing sounds good’ mode when it comes to reading later and I'm happy to say that this book has cleared up this problem. It was exactly what I needed- history, magic, a bit of romance, a bit of mystery. Perfect! Any book which has a comp of “The Mummy” is one that I will absolutely want to read! Best movie, best love interest, best sidekick, best heroine… Yes. All the yes. I really enjoy Inbanēz’s work, so I had high hopes for this.

It was really special.

As a (very small) caveat… I did struggle with the first bit of the book. It starts with the main character in South America. She finds out her parents are dead (this isn’t a spoiler, btw) and then we jump to Egypt. There are a lot of characters thrown at the reader, including a really tense dinner scene, and I feel like i didn’t get chance to orient myself in this world. By the end of the book, it becomes more clear why this was a critical part of the setup, but since we don’t know this at the beginning, it just felt a bit jarring.

Aside from this small bump, it was a wonderful, exciting, sensory adventure in what I’m calling historical magical realism. The setting was fantastic. The characters were interesting- especially the love interest. There's something particularly intriguing about hard-bitten rogue with a heart of gold. I’ll be interested to see what happens in book 2, since the ending was a major cliffhanger with a really unexpected twist.

Brava, Isabelle!

This was initially quite slow and I almost gave up on it…. But I wanted to carry on as having been to Egypt I loved reading about it.
I am so glad I did read it, the story definitely was better in the second half and the ending, what a cliff hanger!!!!

Great coming of age FMC, we have all been young and naive!

A little slow to start but a great read!

Thank you for the opportunity to read early and can’t wait for the next book!

This book looked and sounded absolutely stunning and I was so eager to read it.

I have always loved the idea of visiting Egypt - although maybe not in the 19th Century. Whilst the reason behind Inez's trip is not necessarily a positive one, I was totally enraptured by the description of the country, it is so vivid and it evokes smells and sights and sounds. Isabel has completely whetted my appetite for it. I still don't know if I'll ever visit Egypt, but I really want to learn more about the ancient lands and language of the country. I was also interested in the odd Arabic words popping up every now again. It's a fascinating language and now I want to learn some - the same with hieroglyphics, but I'm aware that may be a bit more challenging.

I do have my issues with people digging up ancient Egyptians and disturbing mummies and whatnot. Whether you believe in curses or not, it does seem quite disrespectful, and sometimes dangerous. This book, whilst fictional, has ignited that debate in my mind once again.

A 19-year-old woman travelling on her own at the latter end of the 19th Century was a rare sight in itself, but it was a powerful one, and I think Isabel has captured that well. It is a dangerous time and environment for her, but she won't let that put her off her mission.

It is such a perfect book that I hated having to tear myself away from it. I just wanted to read it from start to finish in one seamless go. It is so powerful in so many ways. I can't pinpoint one exact thing that makes it so special. It's an accumulation of every bit, the setting, the characters, the location, the secrets and lies, the relationships and friendships and enemies, the history, the power. It's all just SO good!

This is the first of Isabel's works I have read, but I'll definitely be seeking out her others if this is anything to go by. Her craft of the English language to portray emotion is superb.

I found it really moving. And not just because of the obvious deaths of her parents (not a spoiler - written in the synopsis above). The happiest and the saddest moments moved me to tears. Everything is heightened and it just made me rather emotional.

It is perfectly paced, buzzing with excitement and the promise of treasures and beauty. It's slow enough for you to get wrapped up in the characters and the situation, but fast enough to feel like a proper adventure. It gives you enough of what you want exactly when you want it.

I received an early digital copy and read it at the beginning of October. But I promise that once this is released in physical form, I will be buying copies as Christmas presents as it is just glorious.

There is the odd illustration, usually showing us what Inez herself is drawing, and it's a nice surprise. You rarely get images in adult fiction, and I don't know why. It adds so much to the reading of the story.

I thought it would be a straightforward, but enjoyable, story. From A to B to C and so on, on an interesting journey. But there's twists and turns and shocks and surprises that really upped the ante.

It is its own story, but I will beg and beg and beg for a sequel. I need more of this world. It is so shockingly amazing that I just can't stop thinking about.

It excels across genres: romance, historical, fantasy, adventure - even a little bit of magic. It's got just about everything you could want from a book. It's enchanting and grabs you immediately right to the very end. It is simply unforgettable.

SORRY WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?????????

I really enjoyed this read, there was just something about it that was so so immersive I could feel it all so vividly. I just wish I knew Spanish or that there were footnotes sometimes. The magic also had me a little confused and I wish it was explained better.

Someone please tell me there’s a sequel and it’s coming out yesterday because I can’t cope. I need to know what happens next!!

An absolutely gorgeous historical fantasy with a thread of mystery woven through it. It took me a little while to get into the story but once I did I was hooked. It was wonderful to read a book set in Argentina and Egypt, to see the mixing of the cultures and the hint of magic throughout. The characters were beautifully written and it was full of twists and turns! Sometimes Inez was a little frustrating but her stubbornness is great. I was suspicious of just about every character by the end but the prologue still threw me for a loop - I can’t wait to read the sequel. And of course, I can’t forget the excellent rivals to lovers dynamics - one of my favourite tropes. I did think the way that they acted, particularly Inez, didn’t fit with a late 19th century setting - but there’s also a magic shoe, so maybe that doesn’t as matter as much in fantasy! Thanks to NetGalley, Hodder Books and Isabel Ibanez for the ARC

I read “the mummy” in the description and was immediately sold on this book.

It’s the first I’ve read by Ibañez and I was really impressed, I’d definitely pick up her books again in future.

Overall, I really enjoyed it and don’t have much bad to say. I enjoyed Ibañez’s writing style and in my opinion the plot was mostly well paced. Most of the characters are pretty well fleshed out too! Definitely a recommend

Ancient Egyptian mythology, romance, mystery…what’s not to live in this super engaging read?! I thought it was well researched and had a mix of great movies such as The mummy and Death in the Nile! Good fun read

Magic, mystery and intrigue set in Egypt with a mysterious ring and a strong independent main character. It was a lot of fun and the author really brought the characters and setting to life
I found the plot very engaging although it was a little YA for me at times, the characters were likeable and realistic and the archaeological setting really made an interesting read

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc

Okay I am not prepared to wait for ages for the next one in this series. I didn't expect to enjoy that book so much 4,5 stars from me. This was my first book from II and I will def will read more.
I really enjoyed the characters and the twists on every corner and what a bloody cliffhanger at the end. Is Isabel for real? Does she want us to suffer? I can't wait for the next one so please hurry up Isabel.

Isabel is a highly underrated artist and this book deserves all the prizes there are to give. Egyptian myths? The lies? The love? The main character is a strong AF bad girl who deserves all the praises. The story is well written, the plot very thought through, and overall very well done. I’m highly recommending this to my customers!

4.5 ️⭐️

"What the River Knows" is a historical fantasy, first chapter of a duology written by Isabel Ibañez and currently in progress.

The story follows Inez Olivera, a young woman belonging to the glittering high society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires. A city that, like the rest of the world, is steeped in old world magic that's been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl could want, except for the one thing she yearns for most: her globetrotting parents, who punctually leave her behind, back home, when they venture off on their exploring adventures. When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archaeologist uncle who collaborates with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Devastated and yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient gold ring her father sent her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers that there's much more to her parents' disappearance than what her guardian leads her to believe. With her uncle's annoyingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parents' disappearance or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

Wow, what a wonderful read! I had very high expectations of this title, and I was not disappointed. On the contrary, it even managed to exceed my predictions, leaving me happily surprised! Compelling, intriguing and enchanting, it is a book that won me over from the beginning. An adventurous, mysterious and magical story, rich in Egyptian history and mythology, coupled with a highly sizzling and swoon-worthy sloooow burn romance! What can I say? I loved it deeply and now I need the sequel!

I loved the writing so much! Evocative, lyrical and spellbinding, it captured me completely. I was fascinated by the vivid descriptions, the sophistication of the text and the brilliant dialogues. In my opinion, the author manages to render various environments, different aspects of a place or a person so well that I was able to imagine everything easily. I loved the mysterious and adventurous nuances of the tale, as well as the evocative magical touches and the historical and mythological tints full of dedication. It is prose overflowing with passion, feeling, extremely elegant and enchanting. Seriously, I was bewitched by its magic! Moreover, the fast pace coupled with short chapters make it an easy read to follow and devour.

I was so passionate about the plot! Dynamic, effervescent and sizzling, it made it impossible for me to tear myself away from the pages. Adventure, magic, mysteries, intrigue and history are combined to create a wonderful mixture, to which is added a swoon-worthy romance and super interesting mythological references. Between fighting, sailing down the Nile, archaeological excavations, magical objects, deceptions, subterfuge, secrets and lies, there is no shortage of events! I particularly enjoyed the author's focus on the history of Egypt and Egyptian mythology. From the text and the lush descriptions, I really sensed a love and care for the subject. And this is something that involved me quite a bit. In addition, I liked the efficient way in which the historical period was portrayed. The events in fact take place in Egypt, in the late 19th century, in a rather peculiar climate. The way Egyptians were treated, considered inferior and deprived of many rights, clearly transpires from the lines. Even more specifically, the book deals with the profanation and looting of temples, monuments and tombs that occurred frequently during that period, with priceless artifacts sold to foreigners and never found again. At the level of the magic system, the story remains rather mysterious. As mentioned above, the world is steeped in old world magic, largely abandoned or forgotten, which has left its "residue" on certain objects, infusing them with power and thus making them magical. These are mostly small magics, more or less useful in everyday use, destined to wear out with prolonged use and passage between people. It is an idea that I consider definitely interesting, although at the moment the magic aspect remains rather marginal and nebulous. Which is okay, also because I think it will be deepened in the sequel. Going back to the overall plot, this one proceeds loaded with numerous plot twists! I admit that I spotted several, while others didn't, and I found myself screaming with surprise! Some things really threw me off! Seriously, help! The final cliffhanger then is something highly illegal and yes, I urgently need the sequel!

I loved Inez Olivera, protagonist with her first person pov! Inez is a nineteen year old girl of Buenos Aires, belonging to the high society of the nineteenth century. A rich girl who has everything a girl could want except what she yearns for most: her globetrotting parents, often absent for half the year because they are busy in Egypt. Trips from which she has always been excluded, to her great sadness and irritation. Until Inez receives a letter informing of their tragic deaths, turning her world upside down and prompting her to leave for Egypt to hunt for the truth. Inez is a determined, courageous and tenacious girl with a curious and intelligent mind. Independent, self-reliant, she ill-fits the rules imposed by the society of the time. Skilled drawer, passionate about history and languages, she has a particular predilection for Egypt and Egyptian mythology, thanks to the influence of her parents. She is a resourceful and ironic girl, at times quite naive and gullible, inclined to see the good in people. Inez is devastated by the death of her parents, suffering deeply, although she tries not to show it in public. She is a character I loved very much, whom I have become very fond of.

Whit, in turn, is a character with his own first person pov. He has fewer chapters than Inez, but I love him madly! Seriously, even before he appeared, I already knew I would like him. So, on trust! And he didn't disappoint me! I screamed and giggled and swooned hard! Whit is a charming, mysterious, proud and flirty guy, full of contrasts and inner torments. A morally gray character, assistant to Inez's uncle, for whom I am so smitten! I am not kidding, my hormones probably danced excitedly to every scene of his, without even needing to speak!

Inez and Whit's relationship is mind blowing! They don't begin in the best of ways: Whit has received orders from Inez's uncle to send her back home to Buenos Aires, but Inez has no intention of going back without first discovering the truth. Which is why, as soon as she docks in Alexandria, she runs away from Whit, who has come to retrieve her at the dock, setting off a whole series of events. I loved the construction of their relationship! It is sort of rivals to lovers, characterized by a great slooow burn! I won't deny it, they made me sweat a lot! Their interactions are sizzling, their chemistry is highly explosive. Between tasty banter, teasing provocations, and fun escapes and chases, there is everything and more! I repeatedly swoon over their smoldering glances, fleeting touches, and delicate little gestures. As I said it is a very slooooow slow burn, at the moment without spicy, but charged with powerful sexual tension. Really, I have melted happily at each of their interactions and need more of them!

The secondary characters, who more and who less, convinced me. Some seemed better characterized than others, but in general I found them interesting and functional.

All in all, this is a wonderful historical fantasy, characterized by a magical setting, an enchanting story, an evocative prose and excellent characters, which I absolutely recommend!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Mummy is one of my favorite movies, so when I learned that What the River Knows is inspired by it, I knew I had to read it. And I was not disappointed. What the River Knows has an incredible atmosphere. I've enjoyed every moment of it. The plot was engaging. I liked Inez, our main character, though she was a little naive and stupid at times, but I liked her resourcefulness.
The romance was not cliche. It was refreshing.
My only criticism is that the information dropping was a little out of place. We learned the information painfully slowly, and it drove me mad.

And what was that ending?? I need the next book now! I have so many questions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am shocked. There is no other way to put it. What the River Knows has left me shaken, and achingly desperate for the next book, because there has to be a next book with the way this one ended.

This book is steeped in Egyptian culture and history, it’s exciting and unexpected and I am hooked. Seventeen-year-old Inez Olivera has just received a letter from her uncle in Cairo telling her that her parents are presumed dead. It was not the message she was hoping for as she’d written to her parents imploring them to let her finally join them on their yearly travels to Egypt. Distraught and feeling rejected and alone, Inez runs away from Buenos Aires to find out all she can about her parent's death.

When she arrives, speculation is everywhere, she’s turned away by her uncle, telling her to return home, yet wily Inez manages to find her way from Alexandria to Cairo and sneak onto her uncle’s dehabeeyah bound for Philae, where he and his team will be excavating, it’s only the last place her parents were seen. With no one to trust and lies facing her at every turn, Inez is left confused and desperate, clinging to the unlikely friendship she formed with Whitford Hayes, a man with more secrets than she knows what to do with.

What The River Knows is a fascinating and riveting tale. I was addicted from the beginning by Inez’s fiery personality and her desperate pursuit of truth and freedom. The magic added into the pages of this tale are fresh and interesting, adding a delightful yet complimentary element to the Egyptian location and early time period. This book is just wonderful. There are plots I didn’t expect, twists that shocked me and sweet moments in a swoony romance that was slowly building through the pages. I’m annoyed that I picked up an arc for this book because who knows how long I’m going to have to wait before I can read what happened next, and I need to know!

I just finished reading "What The River Knows" by Isabel Ibañez. I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The story was a bit slow and the plotline was predictable. That said, it was still an enjoyable read and I'm glad I gave it a chance.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez

A young women belongs to the glittering upper society, and like the rest of the world, where she resides is steeped in old world magics that’s mostly been forgotten. She wants for nothing, except to be by her parents side, the one things she yearns for the most. When tragedy strikes and she receives words of their death, she inherits a fortune and a mysterious guardian. Yearning for answers, she sails to the last place her parents were with an ancient ring that her father left in her care.

Upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring, and to her, pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there is more to her parents alleged death than meets the eye. If it weren’t for her new guardians infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, she would already have all the answers, and now must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth. Or she risks becoming a pawn in the game that could kill her.

What the River knows by Isabel Ibanez is an immersive historical fantasy set in ninetieth century Egypt, filled with adventure, a blooming romance between rivals and a dangerous race that could be the difference between life and death. A thrilling adventures spills across the page with gilded aspects of mystery, intrigue and a betrayal you’ll never see coming!

Thank you to Hodder Books for an advanced reader copy via NetGalley of What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez

"What the River Knows" by Isabel Ibañez is nothing short of a literary treasure. It boasts meticulous world-building, a resilient female protagonist, and a morally complex character that adds depth to the narrative.

The palpable tension between the two main characters is worth highlighting. Each interaction, every exchanged word or meaningful glance, keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The slow-burning chemistry between them is expertly crafted, creating an enthralling dynamic that adds layers of intrigue to the story.

The plot twists, however, are where this novel truly shines. They are numerous, cunning, and intricately woven into the narrative, leaving readers constantly reevaluating their assumptions. The author's skillful storytelling leads us down unexpected paths, and the surprises are as thought-provoking as they are shocking.

It's safe to say that "What the River Knows" is a book that will linger in your thoughts long after you've turned the last page. It's the kind of story that can immerse you so completely that you may find yourself hesitant to pick up another book afterward, not because of a reading slump, but because you're still processing the rich tapestry of this engrossing tale.