What the River Knows

"I was really disappointed in this one... I found it dragging on toward the end. "

"The beginning was SLOW and borderline boring but then suddenly the middle to end comes and it's all action and got really good. It took a lot to get through the beginning though so I couldn't give 5 stars. Definitely looking forward to the next book because this one left me wanting more!"

"5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 WHAT IN THE WORLD?! I received a free E-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my full, honest review of this YA fantasy with romance! I’m not sure why I put off reading this for so long— I believe the idea of reading Egyptian fantasy intimated me because it was something I was very unfamiliar with. However, Ibañez writes this compelling story in such a way that the world building is so easily tangible. Her writing is beautiful as well, it makes me want to go back and see whatever else she was written! I am undone by each character in this book. Grown to love each of their qualities, and honestly, this is some of the best romance I have read in a fantasy book. It’s hard to come by because so much of what you read now is corny and predictable, but this blew me away. Truly. Of course, I need a book 2 immediately. What kind of build up and cliffhanger was that?! Unprompted 😭💔 But since I am reading and reviewing this story MONTHS BEFORE it comes out, I foresee me having to wait quite a while to have all the answers! Pinterest board inspiration!!! https://pin.it/6jRZNUY"

"like oh my gosh i really good book. this book has the vibes of Indiana Jones and the Mummy which I love. the two main characters gave the vibes of Mummy which i love. and the whole book gives the vibes of Indiana Jones. i can't wait for the next book. i felt the book needed more of a surprise bc it was easy to guess who did it. but overall it was a good book i love the story with the magic and Cleopatra story i learn a lit bit about Cleopatra which i love"

"“I stood where ancient Egyptians had once stood. Breathed the same tight air, felt the press of the four walls enclosing us.” Book: What The River Knows Author: Isabel Ibañez Genre: YA/Historical Fantasy Rating: 4/5 ⭐️ Fluff: 2/5 💞 First off, I want to thank Goodreads, St. Martin’s Press, and author Isabel Ibañez for this amazing ARC. This book has been on my mind for days and took me on such a journey that I forgot I was reading and felt transported back to ancient Egypt. From the first chapter, I fell in love with Inez and her fiery spirit. She was such a well developed character and I love how independent she was. And Whit…where do I start?? He was a perfect love interest with that bit of mystery that we all love in a rivals to lovers. (And did I mention he has a British accent?) The witty banter between him and Inez was so cute and the tension between them was also perfect. There were small sections of Whit’s POV every few chapters that made me crave more of his thoughts. The ending of this book had me reeling!! The cliffhanger was very well written leaving me with so many questions and a new anticipation for the 2nd book! Overall the book was blended perfectly with the right amounts of mystery, romance, and adventure. Set in 1884, What The River Knows follows 18 year old Inez Olivera on the journey of a lifetime. After receiving a letter informing her of her parents’ death, massive inheritance, and mysterious guardian, she sneaks off and sails to Cairo in search of answers. Bringing her father’s last gift with her, a golden ring still carrying magical properties, Inez starts down a path filled with immense danger, sketchy underground markets, ancient artifacts worth an abundant sum, and possibly even murderers. As she embarks on this quest, Inez has to ask herself, is the risk worth the reward? Pick yours up when it releases on November 14th, 2023! "

"My “Mummy” fangirls… Trust me when I tell you, you NEED this book in your life!<br/><br/>This book has it ALL."

"I really wish it didn’t end in a cliffhanger. I’m more confused than “I didn’t see that coming” surprised. "

"The adventure, the banter, the magic, the betrayal, the forbidden romance. Oh my god where do I begin? This book is incredibly entertaining, yes there are some grammatical errors but I decided to look past them because of how great this book is. Reading this had me on the edge of seat with every twist and turn. The cliffhanger at the end is making me really hope that we get to see this novel turn into a duology or maybe even a series. I loved everything about this book."

"This was originally sent to me as a digital ARC from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley and I never got around to reading it until now. <br/><br/>This seems to be marketed as a readalike for the 1999 film of The Mummy. I'm so glad I did not know that because I didn't feel like it resembled that at all and I would have been disappointed otherwise. <br/><br/>I can tell you that this was a vibrant blend of ancient Egyptian mythology, historical fiction, mystery, romance, and magical elements. The magic system created through the ancient Egyptian artifacts felt unique. It was fun to see how that magic system worked throughout the story.<br/><br/>Ines was a little too naive for me at times, but I appreciated her determination and steadfastness. I think I would have actually given this book an additional star if it didn't take Ines and Whit so damn long to admit their feelings for each other. <spoiler>Almost 15 hours in the audiobook is how long I had to wait for them to kiss!</spoiler><br/><br/>The writing in this book was very immersive, from the boat rides on the Nile, the markets in Cairo, to the dig site. I was able to envision these all clearly from the way Isabel describes them. The cliffhanger ending!! I am on the edge of my seat waiting for November to come so I can find out what happens next!<br/><br/>I need to talk about the narrator for a second, Ana Osorio. She did such an amazing job with multiple accents. I believe throughout the book, she used accents for the following dialects: Spanish, British, French, and Arabic. They all flowed so well! An amazing talent."

"3.5 Rounded to 4 Stars<br/>Cover 3 Stars<br/><br/>WWTQ: Where are you taking our cultural antiquities? <br/>Answer: The British Museum, obviously.<br/><br/>This was promoted as The Mummy meets Death on the Nile. It's not inaccurate. There is a magical Egyptian mythology component and there's a murder mystery, but really this is more about British Imperialism and the antiquities trade. <br/><br/>Did I like it? I did. A lot. <br/><br/>It has some structural and plotting problems. Every so often a weird tidbit is thrown in and it's so that the following sequence makes sense. Ex. At the 80% mark our sheltered, "artist" FMC with zero survival skills can pick locks because her dad liked her to learn "useful skills." Up until that point she is entirely useless. Additionally, some chapters have artwork in them that our FMC drew as part of her work on the expidition, and the artwork is objectively awful. A small child could draw better, which makes the FMC's artistic talents, and her only rational reason for being on the quest, questionable. Things like this break up the flow and I think the book could have gone another round of editing. <br/><br/>But storywise, it works for the most part. It was a little over the top, the magic system is bizarre (who bespells a shoe to act as a torch?) and the relationships between the characters don't make a ton of sense, but I was still invested in what was going on. I'll continue the series. <br/><br/><br/><br/>"