Robin’s Rave Reviews

Are you one of those armchair archeologists, a wanna-be like me? Get your fix with What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez, a great book with intrigue, twists and turns, Egyptian history, archeological digs, adventure, and danger. Just to sweeten the pot, throw in a strong female protagonist, magic, romance, constant questioning of who can be trusted, and exotic settings including in Cairo, on the Nile River, and at a dig site in the desert. Although What the River Knows is labeled as YA, it’s also perfect for adults.

This is book 1 of a duology. Be prepared as you approach the last pages; not everything will get wrapped up. It ends on a major cliffhanger. Other than that, the book was 5 stars for me!

Summary:

19th century Buenos Aires – Inez’s parents have left her behind six month out of every year for as long as she can remember. Since her parents are actively involved in the archeological digs they fund in Egypt, Inez has grown up living with her aunt and two cousins. Now nineteen-years-old, Inez receives news that her parents are missing and presumed dead. She devises a plan to go to Egypt to get answers from her uncle.

A woman traveling alone in the 1800s is considered inappropriate and dangerous, and yet, Inez, pretending to be a young widow, sails all the way from Buenos Aires to Cairo. Whit, her uncle’s handsome assistant, meets her at the docks. Her uncle’s orders are to immediately send her back. Inez has other plans and slips away.

When she finally finds her uncle, he doesn’t want her to be there. He puts Whit in charge of keeping tabs on her until he can arrange another passage home. Having opposite goals puts Inez and Whit in conflict with each other, yet there is undeniable chemistry between the two.

Inez learns there is much more to her parents’ deaths/disappearances, but Whit continually blocks her attempts to discover the truth. However, when the men realize Inez may be useful to them in their pursuit to find Cleopatra’s burial site, they allow her to join them.

Other parties, also interested in Cleopatra’s final resting spot, add danger to Inez and her uncle’s group. Who are the responsible archeologists and who would simply profit from the black market? What happened to Inez’s parents? Can Inez trust Whit? Can she trust her uncle?

 

Isabel Ibañez is the author of multiple novels including Woven in Midnight which is listed among Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books Of All Time. If you love fantasy, check out the list! To learn more about Isabel Ibañez and her books, go to her website here.

What the Rivers Knows comes out October 31, 2023. You can pre-order from your favorite bookstore or click here to order from bookshop.org. (They support Mom and Pop bookstores across the country.) Or, when you visit your local library, ask them to buy a copy!

If you liked this book review, check out my other book reviews here.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of What the River Knows. The opinions are my own.

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