What the River Knows

There aren’t enough words to describe how magical this book is. It poignantly tells a story of a girl who yearned to travel and be wanted by her parents on their exciting Egyptian expeditions. Suddenly, her parents are presumed dead… missing. This devastating event sparks the opportunity for her to finally go to Egypt and try and find out what happened. At every turn, she is thwarted: by her Uncle and his attractive assistant, Whit, under the guise of keeping her safe. By the rough Egyptian elements. By the corrupt underbelly of British exploration. This book tackled so many topics: female independence, colonization, exploitation, familial obligation… and so much more. Not only that, it did it in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting more.

I couldn’t write a review of this book without touching on the element of Magic Realism that this book had. It was so beautifully done! There was magic buried deep in objects and only certain people can unlock it? not only that, but each object has a unique and quirky advantage?? SIGN ME UP! Despite the story being obviously grounded in the history of British colonization, the magic was so utterly believable. I also loved how the magic was used to foreshadow the many twists and turns this book had.

Speaking of twists and turns… the plot was gorgeous. It wasn’t all adventure and fun. There was a really good balance of shocking events, brooding tension between characters, and quiet reflection from the narrator. *This* is how you are supposed to write historical fiction.

Finally… the characters. They are TOP TIER! They are endearing, funny, and full of flaws and mistakes. Inez is beautifully confident and wildly loyal. I don’t know how many times her stubborn nature had me laughing and cheering her on. She is definitely everything I want in a female lead of a fantasy book. Vulnerable but not taking anyone’s shit. On the other hand, Whit legitimately had me swooning every scene. He was charming and yet effortlessly aloof and mysterious. Also, I absolutely loved the fact that we occasionally got to see Whit’s inner narrative. It wasn’t every other chapter (as that probably would have been too much for a character that is supposed to be mysterious ;p), but it was spread out every so often. It kept you wanting to come back for more. It added a whole other layer of suspense as we got to see answers before Inez did. It is worth noting that this book is by no means spicy, but the way the romance was written… OOO! It was so tense and full of sparks. I couldn’t wait for another Inez/Whit interaction to come across the page. I wish every romance had the kind of chemistry and banter these two had.

This book felt like “Tangled” set in an 1890’s Egyptian expedition. What more can a reader ask for than an independent female character whose magical powers reveal long-kept secrets all while being followed (and protected) by a handsome rogue? I will say…. this book ends on the most shocking cliffhanger after the wildest ride that was the last 60 pages. My jaw was on.the.floor! Despite it giving me the worst book hangover I have had in a while, I loved this book. I cannot wait to read the second book, and I recommend you read this as fast as you can too. You won’t regret it.

I didn't realize this book was YA until I listed it as “Currently Reading” but that didn't lower my enjoyment at all! As someone who has always been interest in Ancient and Modern Egypt, I absolutely loved the setting of this novel. My favorite restaurant is Egyptian and it was really fun seeing all the foods I loved being talked about in such a positive light. The hunt for Cleopatra's tomb is something that I've been following very closely recently and it was cool seeing how much research the author needed to put into this novel. Every twist in this surprised me and I didn't see any of them coming, but at the same time, they didn't seem unplausible. My biggest complaint about this novel is that I really didn't want the love story line to be happening. I do understand why the love interest became the love interest, but I just wanted them to either remain friends or for the yearning to continue the entire time. I'm really looking forward to reading more from this series and this author in general and I'm already excited to re-read this novel in preparation to read the second book.






Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an eBook copy to review.

Oh this was so fun! The writing was beautifully descriptive and the plot was intriguing. This is a light fantasy book, which is just how I like them. The setting switches from Buenos Aires and Cairo, bringing both cities to life. The characters were charming and had enough depth to make them interesting. There's action, mythology, romance, and adventure. I will definitely be reading the sequel, especially after that cliff hanger!

THIS BOOK THIS BOOK THIS BOOK!!!

I love Egypt and so this book already had high expectations sat upon its shoulders.

I loved the writing and the obvious attention to detail that went into every day.

The character development top notch.

what did I hate? THE ENDING!! Cliffhangers GUHHHHHHHH

I hope book 2 is on the way because I just can't wait!

4.5 stars

I grew up fascinated by Egypt culture, wanting to be an archeologist and wishing I could ever find some artifacts on an undiscovered tombe. While this couldn't be farther from my life, the fascination remains, which made picking up this book a no brainer.

What the River knows is an historical fantasy/mystery set in the wonderful Egypt, during the British occupation.
We follow Inez, an Argentinean 19 year old girl, curious, adventurous and fierce, who despite being quite privileged, is avid for affection as her parents, year after year, choose to live in Egypt without her. A terrible accident changes the course of her life, setting Inez on a perilous journey for the truth.

Isabel Ibanez writing is beautiful and immersive, and she makes a wonderful job of making the reader feel the appeal of Egypt's life at the time. We are easily transported from the Cairo's markets, sensing the chaos and smells, to the dark and dusty temples full of undiscovered treasures. We feel the dirt on our clothes, the magic on our skin and full range of emotions with the story development.

Inez is a great character, although a bit too trusting and naive. I was surprised by the inclusion of Whit's POV, and I must confess I'm very curious about his past. I can't get enough of him and desperately need more details of his life.

I loved the secondary characters and my main complaint is that I wish they were a bit more developed and that we had more of them.

The story is exciting, and although I was expecting the route it was taking, it kept me interested throughout the book. We get nowhere near a conclusion, and we are left wanting more, as the story ends in a major cliffhanger.

What the River knows is a nice start to a new series and should appeal all YA readers. I believe it would be a favorite for Rebecca Ross fans.

I would like to thank Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an e-arc through Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

In this book you will find: bodyguard trope, cleopatra mythology, objects have random magic, graphic description of a characters death, enemies to friends to lovers, betrayal, plucky heroine, morally gray love interest, interesting side characters, and a girl fighting patriarchal values.

I was foaming at the mouth for this book as soon as I heard it was similar to the 1999 version of the Mummy (starring Brendan Fraiser and Rachel Weisz), and boy did I get the vibes. It isn't a carbon copy of the movie, in fact the main points that are similar is being in Egypt, the bodyguard trope, and there being some magic and flashbacks but there is no mummy in the traditional sense, there definitely is mommy issues.

As a whole the plot follows a young woman who just wants to follow her missing, presumed dead parents, into the place they loved most Egypt. Along the way she finds out she is the key to finding the tomb of Cleopatra and protect it from everyone, including the people closest to her.

What impressed me the most from the book is the tonal shift from the beginning to end of innocence and overly trusting to a darker sense of reality and saying goodbye to the innocence she knew. While I could see a couple of the major plot points and twists from a mile away, the last couple of chapters and especially the last chapter blew me away! It makes me so excited for the sequel, and I can't wait for this book to come out so I can make all my friends read it and discuss our thoughts!

Inez Olivera dibesarkan di lingkungan kalangan atas kota Buenos Aires, Argentina pada abad ke-19. Seperti kota lain, Buenos Aires pun menyimpan bekas sihir kuno yang telah lama terlupakan. Inez memiliki semua yang mungkin gadis muda inginkan, kecuali kebersamaan dengan orang tuanya, yang meninggalkan demi pekerjaan impian meraka di Mesir.
Ketika Inez menerima kabar kedua orangnya menghilang dan dianggap tewas, Inez meninggalkan Buenos Aires dan berlayar menuju Mesir. Inez membawa cincin emas, pemberian terakhir dari ayahnya, dengan harapan bertemu dengan pamannya yang menikah dengan wanita Mesir. Ines juga berniat mencari jawaban dibalik menghilangnya kedua orang tuanya.
Aku mengharapkan petualangan ala The Mummy, dimana tim arkeologis mencari barang-barang peninggalan raja Mesir (Firaun) di situs pemakaman. Namun dari awal sudah terasa alur yang lambat dan berputar-putar. Selain itu aku merasa penulis memfokuskan alur pada Inez dan Whit, yang kurasa kurang terkoneksi dan chemistry antara mereka kurang terbangun dengan baik, dibanding alur Inez mencari apa yang sebenarnya terjadi pada orang tuanya.
Cukup menarik sebenarnya begitu mencapai pertengahan, pembaca diberikan informasi sejarah mengenai Firaun terakhir, Cleopatra. Dengan latar Mesir di tahun 1880an dimana setelah runtuhnya Ottoman, dibawah kekuasaan Inggris.
Untuk yang menyukai fiksi sejarah dengan vibe The Mummy, mungkin bisa memberi buku ini kesempatan.

Romance, adventure, treasure, murder, and mystery all in a lush historical setting. If you're still chasing the high from The Mummy (1999), this may be for you. It's a bit of a slow start but by the end you'll need to remind yourself to breathe.

Slow burn romance.
A mystery that gets deeper the more it gets untangled.
And an ending that will make you wish you had book two.

Do yourself a favor and look up the beautiful portraits from the special edition.