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Secrets of the Nile #1
Quel che nasconde il fiume: Secrets of the Nile
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2023)Inez Olivera, una giovane di origine argentino-boliviana appartenente alla raffinata e vivace alta società della Buenos Aires di fine Ottocento, ha tutto ciò che una ragazza della sua età potrebbe volere, tranne quello che desidera di più al poter seguire i genitori, appassionati di Antico Egitto, nelle loro avventure nella terra di Cleopatra. Subito dopo aver ricevuto una lettera che annuncia la loro scomparsa, decisa a trovare una risposta all'accaduto, Inez si imbarca alla volta di Alessandria, portando con sé i suoi taccuini da disegno e l'anello magico che il padre le aveva inviato poco prima di sparire nel nulla. Giunta a destinazione, però, trova ad attenderla Whit Hayes, un giovane dal sorriso affascinante che si presenta come il segretario dello zio Ricardo, diventato tutore di Inez dopo la scomparsa dei suoi genitori e come loro appassionato di Egitto. Whit tenta invano di convincerla a fare ritorno a casa e, fallita la missione, si vede costretto a seguirla, per evitare che si cacci nei guai. Il desiderio di Inez di andare a fondo nella sua ricerca di risposte, infatti, la condurrà ad affrontare un'avventura senza precedenti, tra dune, piramidi e tesori nascosti, durante la quale scoprirà che i fatti non sono andati proprio come glieli hanno raccontati e che lei stessa rischia di diventare la pedina di un gioco pericoloso e soprattutto molto più grande di lei.
15 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 31, 2023
7992 people are currently reading
260286 people want to read
About the author
Isabel Ibañez
9 books4,988 followersIsabel Ibañez is a USA Today, Indie, Sunday Times, and #1 New York Times bestseller and the author of the Secrets of the Nile duology, Together We Burn, Written in Starlight, and Woven in Moonlight, which is listed among Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books Of All Time and was a finalist for the William C. Morris award. She is the proud daughter of Bolivian immigrants and has a profound appreciation for history, traveling, and writing stories where her characters are often running for their lives. She currently lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with her family, their adorable golden doodle, and an overwhelming amount of of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 16,723 reviews
February 27, 2024
I hate myself for reading this and wasting my precious time and money on it. I know there are people who love it but I couldn't understand why. Prepare for a rant review....
✔️ Rivals to lovers
✔️ Forbidden romance
✔️ Forced proximity
✔️ Historical romance
✔️ Slow burn
✔️ The Mummy (1999) vibes
Firstly, let me start by saying I did not understand the magic system or the whole concept of "magic touched items." Sure, I get that there's magic in those artifacts. But WHY?? HOW?? THE PURPOSE?? It was very poorly explained, or rather brushed over. We hear it's very rare to have magic touched items or know of it but apparently everyone in the book knows about it and has encountered it and has it 🤷♀️
Secondly, the characters were bleh. That's me being kind. Inez has no personality, none whatsoever. "Oh uncle, I came ALL the way from Argentina to Egypt." That one sentence is her WHOLE personality. The author tries to present her as fierce and brave, but how is she that when she doesn't stand up for herself and without Whit she can't seem to even think about protecting herself or taking any form of action?? Whit is an arse. He is too cocky for nothing. The author tried too hard to make him into a book boyfriend material, but am sorry we don't like emotional cheaters here 🤚 I said what I said. He is engaged to someone in England but constantly flirting with Inez. It's only when they kiss each other, he says "Oops my bad, am engaged." It doesn't stop him tho 🤢 The author also tried hard to add some mystery to him, but I couldn't careless. Ricardo was an arse to Inez the whole damn book. I hated him and the way he treated her.
The romance was poorly built. There was not much to root for. I did not get how they were attracted to each other. They didn't bother to get to know each other that well, especially not Whit. There was no effort from him and yet Inez was like 🥺🥺🥰🥰 like girl get a hold of yourself. The chemistry was non existent.
The writing was mediocre- I was bored throughout the book. Ready to flip pages and be done with it chapter by chapter. I skimmed through part 4 and I got no regrets. Don't even get me started on the snail speed pacing. The only thing I liked and would give it one star for is the fact that the author did research quite well. The languages, the culture, the history and the harsh realities of colonization were presented well. But it wasn't enough to save the book, the romance, the characters and the story were at best- a snooze fest. Sure, the Mummy vibes were there but a very cheap copy of it.
Wouldn't recommend.
~•~•~
I hear it's forbidden romance and has The Mummy (1999) vibes 👀 Hope it delivers 🤞
✔️ Rivals to lovers
✔️ Forbidden romance
✔️ Forced proximity
✔️ Historical romance
✔️ Slow burn
✔️ The Mummy (1999) vibes
Firstly, let me start by saying I did not understand the magic system or the whole concept of "magic touched items." Sure, I get that there's magic in those artifacts. But WHY?? HOW?? THE PURPOSE?? It was very poorly explained, or rather brushed over. We hear it's very rare to have magic touched items or know of it but apparently everyone in the book knows about it and has encountered it and has it 🤷♀️
Secondly, the characters were bleh. That's me being kind. Inez has no personality, none whatsoever. "Oh uncle, I came ALL the way from Argentina to Egypt." That one sentence is her WHOLE personality. The author tries to present her as fierce and brave, but how is she that when she doesn't stand up for herself and without Whit she can't seem to even think about protecting herself or taking any form of action?? Whit is an arse. He is too cocky for nothing. The author tried too hard to make him into a book boyfriend material, but am sorry we don't like emotional cheaters here 🤚 I said what I said. He is engaged to someone in England but constantly flirting with Inez. It's only when they kiss each other, he says "Oops my bad, am engaged." It doesn't stop him tho 🤢 The author also tried hard to add some mystery to him, but I couldn't careless. Ricardo was an arse to Inez the whole damn book. I hated him and the way he treated her.
The romance was poorly built. There was not much to root for. I did not get how they were attracted to each other. They didn't bother to get to know each other that well, especially not Whit. There was no effort from him and yet Inez was like 🥺🥺🥰🥰 like girl get a hold of yourself. The chemistry was non existent.
The writing was mediocre- I was bored throughout the book. Ready to flip pages and be done with it chapter by chapter. I skimmed through part 4 and I got no regrets. Don't even get me started on the snail speed pacing. The only thing I liked and would give it one star for is the fact that the author did research quite well. The languages, the culture, the history and the harsh realities of colonization were presented well. But it wasn't enough to save the book, the romance, the characters and the story were at best- a snooze fest. Sure, the Mummy vibes were there but a very cheap copy of it.
Wouldn't recommend.
~•~•~
I hear it's forbidden romance and has The Mummy (1999) vibes 👀 Hope it delivers 🤞
January 12, 2024
the river ain’t know shit
July 11, 2023
ohhhh, this is IIs best book to date! im very impressed with this.
and its not just the ancient egyptian history, the vibrant archeological atmosphere, or the mysterious characters with questionable motives. its that IIs storytelling has matured and developed. it was never terrible, but you can tell she has really come into her own writing with this story and that makes it all the more enjoyable.
as far as a first book in a series goes, this has everything you need - fun setting, engaging plot, likeable characters, and great writing - to get invested in the story. and, with that ending, i know im hooked and cant wait for the sequel!
thank you so much, st. martins press / wednesday books, for the ARC!
↠ 4.5 stars
and its not just the ancient egyptian history, the vibrant archeological atmosphere, or the mysterious characters with questionable motives. its that IIs storytelling has matured and developed. it was never terrible, but you can tell she has really come into her own writing with this story and that makes it all the more enjoyable.
as far as a first book in a series goes, this has everything you need - fun setting, engaging plot, likeable characters, and great writing - to get invested in the story. and, with that ending, i know im hooked and cant wait for the sequel!
thank you so much, st. martins press / wednesday books, for the ARC!
↠ 4.5 stars
November 12, 2024
What a captivating blend of mystery, ancient Egyptian mythology, historical fiction, romance, and magical elements! Almost a five-star read for me, as it beautifully paid tribute to ancient Egyptian artifacts and seamlessly combined different religions, cultures, and myths into a mesmerizing mosaic. I especially enjoyed the character of Inez Olivera, a young, naive, yet determined and intellectually voracious adventurer.
However, I must admit that the pacing of the story was a bit slow. In the first half of this lengthy journey, we were bombarded with history lessons, enlightening us about Eastern culture and ancient Egypt's awe-inspiring wonders. Thankfully, the mystical atmosphere and the well-crafted magical system provided enough substance to keep me engaged, even during the less action-packed and more informative parts. As expected, the second half picked up the pace, becoming more action-packed, twisty, and heart-throbbing. It left me with the impression that the author had saved the best parts for last, but patience was required to reach them.
The other aspect that left me exclaiming aloud was the cliffhanger ending! I was unaware that this book was the first in a series, and the surprising conclusion left my mouth agape. Will I read the second book to see how things unfold? Absolutely!
Now, let's delve deeper into the plot and characters:
At the tender age of 17, Inez finds herself neglected by her selfish and ambitious parents, who prioritize exploring ancient magical artifacts around the tombs of Egyptian queens and pharaohs. Left under the care of her aunt, Inez's parents spend most of their time in Egypt until they are declared lost and presumed dead. Inez's uncle Ricardo becomes her guardian.
Inez doesn't handle the news of her parents' demise well. Determined to uncover the truth behind their death and find closure, she flies directly to Egypt to face her uncle, who is far from thrilled to see her. His infuriatingly handsome assistant, Whit, has every intention of sending her back to Argentina.
However, Inez proves to be both determined and resourceful, utilizing her deep knowledge of art and her ability to connect with ancient magic to earn her place in the crew. As she delves deeper into the ancient history and the mystery surrounding her parents' demise, she soon realizes that some secrets may be better left buried.
The blossoming, passionate romance between the enigmatic Whit and Inez stands out as one of the book's highlights. Although I had some reservations about Whit's motives and his true intentions towards Inez, their chemistry was undeniable.
I am deducting one star for the slow and dragging beginning and the cliffhanger ending, which left me slightly frustrated as I had expected a more conclusive resolution. Now, I must wait for at least a year, in the best-case scenario, for the release of the next book if it turns out to be a duology, to finally obtain the closure I anticipated.
As a devoted fan of the author's writing, I sincerely hope she won't keep us waiting too long. I'm already crossing my fingers in anticipation.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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However, I must admit that the pacing of the story was a bit slow. In the first half of this lengthy journey, we were bombarded with history lessons, enlightening us about Eastern culture and ancient Egypt's awe-inspiring wonders. Thankfully, the mystical atmosphere and the well-crafted magical system provided enough substance to keep me engaged, even during the less action-packed and more informative parts. As expected, the second half picked up the pace, becoming more action-packed, twisty, and heart-throbbing. It left me with the impression that the author had saved the best parts for last, but patience was required to reach them.
The other aspect that left me exclaiming aloud was the cliffhanger ending! I was unaware that this book was the first in a series, and the surprising conclusion left my mouth agape. Will I read the second book to see how things unfold? Absolutely!
Now, let's delve deeper into the plot and characters:
At the tender age of 17, Inez finds herself neglected by her selfish and ambitious parents, who prioritize exploring ancient magical artifacts around the tombs of Egyptian queens and pharaohs. Left under the care of her aunt, Inez's parents spend most of their time in Egypt until they are declared lost and presumed dead. Inez's uncle Ricardo becomes her guardian.
Inez doesn't handle the news of her parents' demise well. Determined to uncover the truth behind their death and find closure, she flies directly to Egypt to face her uncle, who is far from thrilled to see her. His infuriatingly handsome assistant, Whit, has every intention of sending her back to Argentina.
However, Inez proves to be both determined and resourceful, utilizing her deep knowledge of art and her ability to connect with ancient magic to earn her place in the crew. As she delves deeper into the ancient history and the mystery surrounding her parents' demise, she soon realizes that some secrets may be better left buried.
The blossoming, passionate romance between the enigmatic Whit and Inez stands out as one of the book's highlights. Although I had some reservations about Whit's motives and his true intentions towards Inez, their chemistry was undeniable.
I am deducting one star for the slow and dragging beginning and the cliffhanger ending, which left me slightly frustrated as I had expected a more conclusive resolution. Now, I must wait for at least a year, in the best-case scenario, for the release of the next book if it turns out to be a duology, to finally obtain the closure I anticipated.
As a devoted fan of the author's writing, I sincerely hope she won't keep us waiting too long. I'm already crossing my fingers in anticipation.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
December 9, 2023
I'm going to be that person and give this a not so 'lovely' review.
The two stars straight of the bat is someone who wants a Mummy (Rick / Evelyn) romance, well, it's there. It's a POC character, and there is so much historical importance / information about Egypt.
I wanted to like this book, but the way the entire romance and focus on how Whit / Inez is written is so confusing and honestly, it's poor. Poor woman's Rick & Evelyn.
Inez is a bit of a problematic female. Girl is chasing after an engaged man and getting upset that he is not perusing her. She would not drop her feelings and they were so superficial. She hardly has known him for a week and already professing her love for him and says that they're 'friends'. Are they? Are they really friends? Sounds more like an obsession. The tone of the book is thrown out the window by this ridiculous lusting Inez has over Whit and how she is constantly angry with him about not returning any feelings.
Whit was problematic too. Throughout he book, he was written as if someone was a bit TOO high on 'cocky male vibe drugs'. I can't tell you how many times Whit 'lounged against walls' 'crossed his legs while lounging against the wall' 'drank from his flask' 'crossed his arms across his chest'. This absolutely got on my last nerves, and I felt like the author was trying to push home this dude was sexy. CAN WE FIND OTHER WAYS TO EXPRESS HIS SEXINESS INSTEAD OF THIS CLICHE STUFF REPEATED?
Together, they absolutely brought the book down. Their 'will they / are they / won't they' was a mess.
There is also the magic aspect. Nobody in the world seems to care about this magic aspect people gleam / get from looking at artifacts. Do many people know of it? If this was a thing you'd think society would be a lot different than how it is. I don't understand the point behind it and why it exists and why it only existed in the past. I know it has been lost for years, but the schematics / magic lore was laughable and honestly, if you removed it from the book you would probably get to the same point just taking longer.
This book is a downright mess and if it makes it to print I'd have to side eye it a bit for roping people in based on the Mummy comparison. Trust me, Evelyn / Rick's romance is written a million times better with their banter and slow burn chemistry.
The two stars straight of the bat is someone who wants a Mummy (Rick / Evelyn) romance, well, it's there. It's a POC character, and there is so much historical importance / information about Egypt.
I wanted to like this book, but the way the entire romance and focus on how Whit / Inez is written is so confusing and honestly, it's poor. Poor woman's Rick & Evelyn.
Inez is a bit of a problematic female. Girl is chasing after an engaged man and getting upset that he is not perusing her. She would not drop her feelings and they were so superficial. She hardly has known him for a week and already professing her love for him and says that they're 'friends'. Are they? Are they really friends? Sounds more like an obsession. The tone of the book is thrown out the window by this ridiculous lusting Inez has over Whit and how she is constantly angry with him about not returning any feelings.
Whit was problematic too. Throughout he book, he was written as if someone was a bit TOO high on 'cocky male vibe drugs'. I can't tell you how many times Whit 'lounged against walls' 'crossed his legs while lounging against the wall' 'drank from his flask' 'crossed his arms across his chest'. This absolutely got on my last nerves, and I felt like the author was trying to push home this dude was sexy. CAN WE FIND OTHER WAYS TO EXPRESS HIS SEXINESS INSTEAD OF THIS CLICHE STUFF REPEATED?
Together, they absolutely brought the book down. Their 'will they / are they / won't they' was a mess.
There is also the magic aspect. Nobody in the world seems to care about this magic aspect people gleam / get from looking at artifacts. Do many people know of it? If this was a thing you'd think society would be a lot different than how it is. I don't understand the point behind it and why it exists and why it only existed in the past. I know it has been lost for years, but the schematics / magic lore was laughable and honestly, if you removed it from the book you would probably get to the same point just taking longer.
This book is a downright mess and if it makes it to print I'd have to side eye it a bit for roping people in based on the Mummy comparison. Trust me, Evelyn / Rick's romance is written a million times better with their banter and slow burn chemistry.
April 19, 2025
idk about you but i'd forget about the book and just watch the mummy 1999
June 14, 2025
Pitched as the Mummy meets Death on the Nile, Isabel Ibañez's latest release, What the River Knows, is a lush YA Fantasy set in Egypt in the 19th-century.
In this story we follow Inez Olivera, who lives in Argentina, mostly with her Aunt and cousins. Inez's parents spend the majority of their time away from their Argentinian home, traveling and researching in Egypt.
Because of this, it has always made sense for Inez to stay behind with her Aunt.
As she has gotten older though, it has started to make less sense to Inez. Why won't they take her with them? She knows that plenty of children travel and live aboard with their parents. Why can't she?
Before she is able to get to the bottom of these questions, she receives terrible news. Her parents are dead, lost in the desert of the country they clearly loved so much. That is all the explanation Inez is given.
Inez's head is left spinning. How could something like this possibly happen? What were they doing unaccompanied out in the desert? Her parents were experienced travelers, in Egypt in particular, they wouldn't have unnecessarily put themselves at risk.
When everyone in her life refuses to answer her questions, Inez decides to take matters into her own hands. Under the cover of darkness, she decides to set out on the journey that will change her life forever.
Setting sail for Cairo as a young woman traveling alone, Inez has to be extra resourceful just to get by.
Once in Cairo, she's reunited with the Uncle she barely knows, her Mother's brother, Ricardo, who had been a large part of all her parents' expeditions. She also makes quick acquaintance with her Uncle's assistant, Whit, who though handsome, becomes a big thorn in her side, dogging her every move.
Inez begins looking for clues immediately, trying to discover the truth about what happened to her parents. Her Uncle wants to send her immediately back to Argentina, but Inez isn't giving up without a fight. She's not leaving until she finds the answers she seeks.
This story is an absolute roller coaster ride. You go through it with Inez. Her emotions are palpable throughout. I had such empathy for her. Although she is smart and strong, there's also something about her that is just so innocent, you want to protect her.
I loved the initial set-up and the small details of magic that Ibañez wove throughout. There is magic in this world, but it is just touches and it never overwhelms the story in any way. It's Fantasy Light.
This story is a bit of a slow burn, and it did take me a while to read, but there was never a moment when I wasn't enjoying it. I think the story, as it is, is just built out beautifully and although it may seem a little long, there's nothing I would take out of it.
I loved learning about these characters, watching the relationships evolve and also trying to figure out what actually happened to Inez's parents. It was all compelling.
The mystery does successfully build in intensity over the course of the story and I definitely suspected everyone at one point or another.
Overall, I was impressed with the scope of this adventure. I also appreciated the commentary included on colonial powers and tomb raiders, or treasure hunters, in Egypt.
Ibañez included a lot of different layers in this story, but they all worked so well together. Finally, I will just say, when I first learned about this novel, I do not believe there was anything said about it being a part of a series, so I did not know that going in.
I genuinely thought this was a standalone, then I get to the ending and I'm like, jaw on the floor, guess freaking not!?
Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was looking forward to this and it was just as wonderful as expected.
Ibañez is an incredibly talented writer. Her stories truly come to life on the page. I can't wait to see where this goes from here. This is one ending that I will not forget!
In this story we follow Inez Olivera, who lives in Argentina, mostly with her Aunt and cousins. Inez's parents spend the majority of their time away from their Argentinian home, traveling and researching in Egypt.
Because of this, it has always made sense for Inez to stay behind with her Aunt.
As she has gotten older though, it has started to make less sense to Inez. Why won't they take her with them? She knows that plenty of children travel and live aboard with their parents. Why can't she?
Before she is able to get to the bottom of these questions, she receives terrible news. Her parents are dead, lost in the desert of the country they clearly loved so much. That is all the explanation Inez is given.
Inez's head is left spinning. How could something like this possibly happen? What were they doing unaccompanied out in the desert? Her parents were experienced travelers, in Egypt in particular, they wouldn't have unnecessarily put themselves at risk.
When everyone in her life refuses to answer her questions, Inez decides to take matters into her own hands. Under the cover of darkness, she decides to set out on the journey that will change her life forever.
Setting sail for Cairo as a young woman traveling alone, Inez has to be extra resourceful just to get by.
Once in Cairo, she's reunited with the Uncle she barely knows, her Mother's brother, Ricardo, who had been a large part of all her parents' expeditions. She also makes quick acquaintance with her Uncle's assistant, Whit, who though handsome, becomes a big thorn in her side, dogging her every move.
Inez begins looking for clues immediately, trying to discover the truth about what happened to her parents. Her Uncle wants to send her immediately back to Argentina, but Inez isn't giving up without a fight. She's not leaving until she finds the answers she seeks.
This story is an absolute roller coaster ride. You go through it with Inez. Her emotions are palpable throughout. I had such empathy for her. Although she is smart and strong, there's also something about her that is just so innocent, you want to protect her.
I loved the initial set-up and the small details of magic that Ibañez wove throughout. There is magic in this world, but it is just touches and it never overwhelms the story in any way. It's Fantasy Light.
This story is a bit of a slow burn, and it did take me a while to read, but there was never a moment when I wasn't enjoying it. I think the story, as it is, is just built out beautifully and although it may seem a little long, there's nothing I would take out of it.
I loved learning about these characters, watching the relationships evolve and also trying to figure out what actually happened to Inez's parents. It was all compelling.
The mystery does successfully build in intensity over the course of the story and I definitely suspected everyone at one point or another.
Overall, I was impressed with the scope of this adventure. I also appreciated the commentary included on colonial powers and tomb raiders, or treasure hunters, in Egypt.
Ibañez included a lot of different layers in this story, but they all worked so well together. Finally, I will just say, when I first learned about this novel, I do not believe there was anything said about it being a part of a series, so I did not know that going in.
I genuinely thought this was a standalone, then I get to the ending and I'm like, jaw on the floor, guess freaking not!?
Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was looking forward to this and it was just as wonderful as expected.
Ibañez is an incredibly talented writer. Her stories truly come to life on the page. I can't wait to see where this goes from here. This is one ending that I will not forget!
August 3, 2023
Secrets, lies, intrigue, mystery and magic!!! This book has it all!!
4.5 Stars!
Set in Egypt, this historical fantasy follows 19 year old Inez Olivero as she sets out to find out the truth behind her parents mysterious deaths. Her uncle, a famous archeologist is now her guardian but with his taciturn attitude towards her and his commitment to sending her home without answers Inez discovers she has a secret that may give her a place at the table. She has been imbued with old magic that is pulling her towards maybe making one of the biggest discoveries in Egyptian history and also getting the answers she seeks about her parents. Whit, her uncles hired man is supposed to be blocking her attempts at finding answers but their contentious relationship is more charged with romantic tension than either one of them want to admit but with his own secrets can Inez really trust Whit? And will she get the answers she is so desperately seeking?
I LOVED this book so much and for so many reasons. The writing in this book is deliciously immersive, I felt like I was in the markets of Cairo and on the Nile and on site at the dig to find precious artifacts. The use of Spanish throughout the book made my heart so happy and felt so authentic. The various family dynamics represented were complicated and filled with drama and very relatable. I enjoyed the fantasy aspects of the story and felt it was well balanced within it's historical representation of actual events. At times I did think that the book leaned too far in to descriptions of history where it began to feel a little like a lecture but it wasn't enough to effect my rating.
Inez is a new favorite FMC for me! I loved her determination and her tenacity. Her relationship with her parents definitely had me hurting for her. Her romance with Whit was the perfect slow burn and I appreciated a more mature representation of their relationship. Their banter was top tier and I loved every second of their interactions. And that ending left me reeling and dying to know what happens next!! The large cast of characters that are all shrouded in some kind of mystery had my detective skills working overtime and had me guessing the entire time. I loved the atmosphere of the time period and the inclusion of social and cultural politics of that era. This book just checked so many boxes and managed to feel very unique as a fantasy read. I am delighted to have had the opportunity to read it.
Also, how gorgeous is that cover?! 😍
Thank you to St. Martins Press, Isabel Ibañez and Netgalley for the gifted arc
4.5 Stars!
Set in Egypt, this historical fantasy follows 19 year old Inez Olivero as she sets out to find out the truth behind her parents mysterious deaths. Her uncle, a famous archeologist is now her guardian but with his taciturn attitude towards her and his commitment to sending her home without answers Inez discovers she has a secret that may give her a place at the table. She has been imbued with old magic that is pulling her towards maybe making one of the biggest discoveries in Egyptian history and also getting the answers she seeks about her parents. Whit, her uncles hired man is supposed to be blocking her attempts at finding answers but their contentious relationship is more charged with romantic tension than either one of them want to admit but with his own secrets can Inez really trust Whit? And will she get the answers she is so desperately seeking?
I LOVED this book so much and for so many reasons. The writing in this book is deliciously immersive, I felt like I was in the markets of Cairo and on the Nile and on site at the dig to find precious artifacts. The use of Spanish throughout the book made my heart so happy and felt so authentic. The various family dynamics represented were complicated and filled with drama and very relatable. I enjoyed the fantasy aspects of the story and felt it was well balanced within it's historical representation of actual events. At times I did think that the book leaned too far in to descriptions of history where it began to feel a little like a lecture but it wasn't enough to effect my rating.
Inez is a new favorite FMC for me! I loved her determination and her tenacity. Her relationship with her parents definitely had me hurting for her. Her romance with Whit was the perfect slow burn and I appreciated a more mature representation of their relationship. Their banter was top tier and I loved every second of their interactions. And that ending left me reeling and dying to know what happens next!! The large cast of characters that are all shrouded in some kind of mystery had my detective skills working overtime and had me guessing the entire time. I loved the atmosphere of the time period and the inclusion of social and cultural politics of that era. This book just checked so many boxes and managed to feel very unique as a fantasy read. I am delighted to have had the opportunity to read it.
Also, how gorgeous is that cover?! 😍
Thank you to St. Martins Press, Isabel Ibañez and Netgalley for the gifted arc
October 31, 2023
I am absolutely devastated to give this book a low rating. Probably somewhere between a 2 and 3. I had such high hopes and, truly, it has so much potential. I looked for ways to rate this higher because was it fun? Yes. But was it a worthwhile distraction? Eeek, no, I'm really not sure it was. And here's why.
My biggest issues with this book are that it was incredibly repetitive and the plot didn't necessarily flow logically or develop consistently. As to the latter, yes, this means we were told, not shown. More problematically (to me), we were told one thing when it worked with whatever the author was trying to do (build the mystery or throw us off the scent of the baddie, for example) and then another thing when the author's purpose shifted. It was never clearly explained why Inez could not accompany her parents to Egypt (which did not seem dangerous and one character even said "it's so safe here!"), or at least visit, or why her parents didn't want her there (except in relation to very recent events). Multiple characters commented in the beginning of the book on Inez's missing mother and how much of a beloved prankster she was at excavation sites and among the excavation crew over the course of 17 years, but then it was later revealed that she preferred to remain in Cairo after the first year. Inez's uncle was prone to unexplained fits of rage. Character associations and relationships (excepting the romance and especially leading to the big bad) were simply revealed without any explanation of how we got there and/or why these people were in cahoots. Even the most central plot point-- Inez's parents going missing/presumed dead-- worked only insofar as it got Inez to Egypt, but then was an absolutely illogical result in terms of the things that got them to that point. Also there were a number of superfluous characters that just existed and did not otherwise drive the plot.
Re the repetition, the book repeated words, phrases, thought processes ("I know I shouldn't I trust this person, but he did these XX things" came up at least 5 times), and even explanations of historical facts. The battle of Actium and it's historical significance as the day Cleopatra lost everything was explained multiple times. The fact that Augustus renamed himself and the strategic political reasons why he allowed Cleopatra to be buried with her children was discussed/explained amongst the same characters twice within 5 chapters. I loved that this was a love story to Egypt, but I wish that these facts were integrated more cohesively and without so much repetition.
Those issues aside, I also felt that the novel-- like its rebellious 19 yo FMC-- hasn't quite figured out what it wants to be when it grows up. The maturity of the writing and dialogue skews on the younger side of YA, and doesn't quite mesh with the more mature subject matter and violence in the book. It's labeled as a fantasy, but basically it's just a book set in 1880s Egypt plus magic (sort of). I love historical fiction, but I also didn't really feel immersed into the location or the time-period. There was talk of what Society would allow, for example, but none of the characters followed Society's rules (nor suffered any repercussions for their modern attitudes/actions) or otherwise acted as you would expect for the time. Also, the magic (GROAN)!
The magic was almost an afterthought, though I suspect it may come more to the forefront with future books. Magic apparently used to exist openly in the world, but has since been forgotten and now only exists via magical artifacts or objects. Magical objects serve some sort of purpose, a scarf that makes hot water for tea, for example, and then there are artifacts that *have* magic, but do nothing. Magical artifacts may or may "latch" on to a person that touches the artifact, helping connect them to other similar magical artifacts and the person who imbued the artifact with magic. Anyway, the magic wasn't developed or explained at all: why can some objects do things, or why does magic latch to certain people and not others, and what does that mean-- idk. It was instead used solely as a convenient plot device in the novel and didn't seem very well thought out or purposeful.
Anyway. as it turns out I had THOUGHTS on this book. I normally wouldn't get as specific or detailed (super hard to do without spoilers, but I tried my best), but the bones of this book are just so so good and it just felt a little bit like a draft to me. All that being said, I edit (not books) as a profession and people who might not be looking so deep will definitely enjoy this, or at least not find it unenjoyable. Certainly I am out outlier as I've seen multiple 5 star reviews for this.
Wednesday books/St. Martin's press have published some of my favorite books. Thank you to them for doing that and for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this one!
My biggest issues with this book are that it was incredibly repetitive and the plot didn't necessarily flow logically or develop consistently. As to the latter, yes, this means we were told, not shown. More problematically (to me), we were told one thing when it worked with whatever the author was trying to do (build the mystery or throw us off the scent of the baddie, for example) and then another thing when the author's purpose shifted. It was never clearly explained why Inez could not accompany her parents to Egypt (which did not seem dangerous and one character even said "it's so safe here!"), or at least visit, or why her parents didn't want her there (except in relation to very recent events). Multiple characters commented in the beginning of the book on Inez's missing mother and how much of a beloved prankster she was at excavation sites and among the excavation crew over the course of 17 years, but then it was later revealed that she preferred to remain in Cairo after the first year. Inez's uncle was prone to unexplained fits of rage. Character associations and relationships (excepting the romance and especially leading to the big bad) were simply revealed without any explanation of how we got there and/or why these people were in cahoots. Even the most central plot point-- Inez's parents going missing/presumed dead-- worked only insofar as it got Inez to Egypt, but then was an absolutely illogical result in terms of the things that got them to that point. Also there were a number of superfluous characters that just existed and did not otherwise drive the plot.
Re the repetition, the book repeated words, phrases, thought processes ("I know I shouldn't I trust this person, but he did these XX things" came up at least 5 times), and even explanations of historical facts. The battle of Actium and it's historical significance as the day Cleopatra lost everything was explained multiple times. The fact that Augustus renamed himself and the strategic political reasons why he allowed Cleopatra to be buried with her children was discussed/explained amongst the same characters twice within 5 chapters. I loved that this was a love story to Egypt, but I wish that these facts were integrated more cohesively and without so much repetition.
Those issues aside, I also felt that the novel-- like its rebellious 19 yo FMC-- hasn't quite figured out what it wants to be when it grows up. The maturity of the writing and dialogue skews on the younger side of YA, and doesn't quite mesh with the more mature subject matter and violence in the book. It's labeled as a fantasy, but basically it's just a book set in 1880s Egypt plus magic (sort of). I love historical fiction, but I also didn't really feel immersed into the location or the time-period. There was talk of what Society would allow, for example, but none of the characters followed Society's rules (nor suffered any repercussions for their modern attitudes/actions) or otherwise acted as you would expect for the time. Also, the magic (GROAN)!
The magic was almost an afterthought, though I suspect it may come more to the forefront with future books. Magic apparently used to exist openly in the world, but has since been forgotten and now only exists via magical artifacts or objects. Magical objects serve some sort of purpose, a scarf that makes hot water for tea, for example, and then there are artifacts that *have* magic, but do nothing. Magical artifacts may or may "latch" on to a person that touches the artifact, helping connect them to other similar magical artifacts and the person who imbued the artifact with magic. Anyway, the magic wasn't developed or explained at all: why can some objects do things, or why does magic latch to certain people and not others, and what does that mean-- idk. It was instead used solely as a convenient plot device in the novel and didn't seem very well thought out or purposeful.
Anyway. as it turns out I had THOUGHTS on this book. I normally wouldn't get as specific or detailed (super hard to do without spoilers, but I tried my best), but the bones of this book are just so so good and it just felt a little bit like a draft to me. All that being said, I edit (not books) as a profession and people who might not be looking so deep will definitely enjoy this, or at least not find it unenjoyable. Certainly I am out outlier as I've seen multiple 5 star reviews for this.
Wednesday books/St. Martin's press have published some of my favorite books. Thank you to them for doing that and for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this one!
February 19, 2024
❀˖°
"Do you kiss all of your friends like this?"
°˖❀
I have no words.
Ok, that's a lie. I have words, they're just a jumbled mess in my brain atm. This review is going to be me trying to coherently sort them out. So bear with me 🙏🏻
Long story short, I loved it. I was pleasantly surprised by the way the story sucked me in and kept me invested from page one. I didn't know Mrs. Ibanez was capable of writing something like this. The ending left my SHOOK, and livid. That was really mean of you Mrs. Ibanez 😭 I need the next book now, please!!!
Alrighty, let's break it down from here.
❀˖° "Kind of you."
"I am nothing of the sort." °˖❀
ˋ°•*⁀➷ Whit: Doesn't that quote sound exactly like something Jacks would say?? When I first read it I was like JACKS?! Is that YOU?! But it wasn't Jacks. It was Mr. Whitford Hayes. The hot, morally grey love interest who was the best part of the book for me. I JUST LOVED HIM. He sauntered, drawled, and was leaning against a doorframe almost every other page. But Whit also could be gentle and caring, especially toward Inez. My heart exploded when he kissed her. Literally. It did. Obviously, he's taken by Inez, but I think he would make a great guy best friend lol. What do you say, Whit?
Inez: Inez is Dora the Explorer as an adult. (But I don't mean that as a bad thing.) She speaks Spanish, for one thing, and is artistic, curious, adventurous, and trusting, but at the same time wary of those around her. I really liked her (not as much as I liked Whit ofc) and enjoyed reading the story from her perspective.
❀˖° "Is this it, Whit?"
"If it is, this is where I want to be." °˖❀
trope: enemies to lovers (my fav <3)
ˋ°•*⁀➷ If I love something enough, it will make me cry. Which is why every time Whit and Inez had some sort of romantic interaction, I was sobbing. Hence, my heart exploding when they finally kissed. See, Mrs. Ibanez is smart. Really smart. A little too smart, actually. There were at least three instances where Inez and Whit almost kissed but didn't. Not only does that make the reader super frustrated, but it creates all this build up and tension. It was extremely well done, and kept my invested even when the plot seemed to drag a little Speaking of the plot...
ˋ°•*⁀➷ Perhaps it's because I'm such a big Hunger Games fan (I've read the trilogy at least five times), but I often find myself wishing for books to have more action, and this time was no different. It wasn't boring, mind you. The story line of What the River Knows was unique and intricate with political and mythological undertones, and Mrs. Ibanez included many twists along the way. But a few times, it seemed to drag a bit, and I feel like it could've used some more action scenes.
ˋ°•*⁀➷ What the River Knows is set in Egypt, and it honestly sounds so cool. Who wants to take a girl's trip to Egypt with me? We can stay at Shepeard's hotel and visit Groppi and the bizarre that Inez and Whit went to. I have it all planned out lol. Also, I'm obsessed with all of the illustrations scattered throughout the book, especially the ones of Whit 🤭 he seriously looks so much like Jacks.
This book was my first read of 2024, and a good one at that! It's been on tbr for what seems like forever, so I was super excited to read this! And it definitely delivered. Thank you, Malia, for letting me borrow your copy, I owe you one 😉.
~Ella
I have no words.
Ok, that's a lie. I have words, they're just a jumbled mess in my brain atm. This review is going to be me trying to coherently sort them out. So bear with me 🙏🏻
Long story short, I loved it. I was pleasantly surprised by the way the story sucked me in and kept me invested from page one. I didn't know Mrs. Ibanez was capable of writing something like this. The ending left my SHOOK, and livid. That was really mean of you Mrs. Ibanez 😭 I need the next book now, please!!!
Alrighty, let's break it down from here.
(the) Characters:
❀˖° "Kind of you."
"I am nothing of the sort." °˖❀
ˋ°•*⁀➷ Whit: Doesn't that quote sound exactly like something Jacks would say?? When I first read it I was like JACKS?! Is that YOU?! But it wasn't Jacks. It was Mr. Whitford Hayes. The hot, morally grey love interest who was the best part of the book for me. I JUST LOVED HIM. He sauntered, drawled, and was leaning against a doorframe almost every other page. But Whit also could be gentle and caring, especially toward Inez. My heart exploded when he kissed her. Literally. It did. Obviously, he's taken by Inez, but I think he would make a great guy best friend lol. What do you say, Whit?
Inez: Inez is Dora the Explorer as an adult. (But I don't mean that as a bad thing.) She speaks Spanish, for one thing, and is artistic, curious, adventurous, and trusting, but at the same time wary of those around her. I really liked her (not as much as I liked Whit ofc) and enjoyed reading the story from her perspective.
(the) Romance:
❀˖° "Is this it, Whit?"
"If it is, this is where I want to be." °˖❀
trope: enemies to lovers (my fav <3)
ˋ°•*⁀➷ If I love something enough, it will make me cry. Which is why every time Whit and Inez had some sort of romantic interaction, I was sobbing. Hence, my heart exploding when they finally kissed. See, Mrs. Ibanez is smart. Really smart. A little too smart, actually. There were at least three instances where Inez and Whit almost kissed but didn't. Not only does that make the reader super frustrated, but it creates all this build up and tension. It was extremely well done, and kept my invested even when the plot seemed to drag a little Speaking of the plot...
(the) Plot:
ˋ°•*⁀➷ Perhaps it's because I'm such a big Hunger Games fan (I've read the trilogy at least five times), but I often find myself wishing for books to have more action, and this time was no different. It wasn't boring, mind you. The story line of What the River Knows was unique and intricate with political and mythological undertones, and Mrs. Ibanez included many twists along the way. But a few times, it seemed to drag a bit, and I feel like it could've used some more action scenes.
Other things:
ˋ°•*⁀➷ What the River Knows is set in Egypt, and it honestly sounds so cool. Who wants to take a girl's trip to Egypt with me? We can stay at Shepeard's hotel and visit Groppi and the bizarre that Inez and Whit went to. I have it all planned out lol. Also, I'm obsessed with all of the illustrations scattered throughout the book, especially the ones of Whit 🤭 he seriously looks so much like Jacks.
This book was my first read of 2024, and a good one at that! It's been on tbr for what seems like forever, so I was super excited to read this! And it definitely delivered. Thank you, Malia, for letting me borrow your copy, I owe you one 😉.
~Ella
December 27, 2023
Dear Isabel Iñez, I’m writing to you today to inform you that of the therapy bills that will be arriving in your mailbox every week for the rest of my life. Thanks to you (and several others), I am emotionally unwell and will be living my life in heartbreak and pain. Thank you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So if you can’t tell by now, I’m in tears. THIS BOOK. After an amazing year of books, it’s only fitting that 2023 went out with a bang I guess.
What the River Knows is a historical fantasy (my faaaave) set in late Victorian Egypt that follows an Argentinian girl named Inez (lovely name). Inez’s parents are archaeologists and spent most of her childhood in Egypt with Inez’s uncle Ricardo, leaving her with family back in Argentina. The book begins after Inez receives a letter from Tío Ricardo that her parents have died and that’s when the mystery begins.
Inez travels to Egypt to find out what happened to her parents yet the truth is more complicated and deceptive than she could have ever imagined and she’s swept up into the magical world of ancient Egypt. While in Egypt, Inez is commissioned by Ricardo to draw and paint their findings (THE ILLUSTRATIONS OMG) and she discovers magical artifacts and well.. yeah, it’s a whole thing.
So anyway, Inez also meets Ricardo’s assistant Whit who’s gorgeous and has a mysterious past. And just like any of us would, she falls head over heels for this man but unfortunately for her, there are some complications. THE ROMANCE OMG. You guys, I have no words. All words left my body the moment Whit walked onto the page and they haven’t returned since. THE TENSION. THE SLOW BURN.
And then there was the writing which was so atmospheric and beautiful and wonderful and all things good. Oh and I loved all of the Spanish and Egyptian too.
And the world building. I heard historical Egyptian mystery and came running even though I hate running. For those looking for a lot of complex and unique world building like ACOTAR, you may be disappointed, but this will definitely appeal to all my historical girls out there and ofc if you loved Divine Rivals. It was very similar to Death on the Nile too.
AND THEN THE ENDING. Omg I died and still haven’t been revived. There really needs to be a warning or something for endings that make you want to go scream and rip your hair out.
All in all, lovely book (well, excluding the parts that made me want to die). Perfect for all my Rebecca Ross and Stephanie Garber girlies out there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So if you can’t tell by now, I’m in tears. THIS BOOK. After an amazing year of books, it’s only fitting that 2023 went out with a bang I guess.
What the River Knows is a historical fantasy (my faaaave) set in late Victorian Egypt that follows an Argentinian girl named Inez (lovely name). Inez’s parents are archaeologists and spent most of her childhood in Egypt with Inez’s uncle Ricardo, leaving her with family back in Argentina. The book begins after Inez receives a letter from Tío Ricardo that her parents have died and that’s when the mystery begins.
Inez travels to Egypt to find out what happened to her parents yet the truth is more complicated and deceptive than she could have ever imagined and she’s swept up into the magical world of ancient Egypt. While in Egypt, Inez is commissioned by Ricardo to draw and paint their findings (THE ILLUSTRATIONS OMG) and she discovers magical artifacts and well.. yeah, it’s a whole thing.
So anyway, Inez also meets Ricardo’s assistant Whit who’s gorgeous and has a mysterious past. And just like any of us would, she falls head over heels for this man but unfortunately for her, there are some complications. THE ROMANCE OMG. You guys, I have no words. All words left my body the moment Whit walked onto the page and they haven’t returned since. THE TENSION. THE SLOW BURN.
And then there was the writing which was so atmospheric and beautiful and wonderful and all things good. Oh and I loved all of the Spanish and Egyptian too.
And the world building. I heard historical Egyptian mystery and came running even though I hate running. For those looking for a lot of complex and unique world building like ACOTAR, you may be disappointed, but this will definitely appeal to all my historical girls out there and ofc if you loved Divine Rivals. It was very similar to Death on the Nile too.
AND THEN THE ENDING. Omg I died and still haven’t been revived. There really needs to be a warning or something for endings that make you want to go scream and rip your hair out.
All in all, lovely book (well, excluding the parts that made me want to die). Perfect for all my Rebecca Ross and Stephanie Garber girlies out there.
November 14, 2024
➳ 4.25! ☆ spoiler free ୨୧
simply to convince & hype you up to read 💐 check for some TWS!!
"because," he said in a husky whisper, "he won't kiss you the way i will" IMM-
➳ read this back in January (reread in November) I have NO regrets!!
🎧 - say dont go & my tears ricochet.
im shook, jaw is unhinged, angered, obssesed, mad, in love, all the emotions. bloody hell! -as they would say LMAO- WHAT a roller coaster. this book made me remember why i adore and love reading so much.wonderous, burning with mystery, betrayl, romance, & the addictive trope rivals to lovers. ibanez did a thorough job and im impressed. i couldve NEVER come up with this plot idea. i just cant stop squaling & recommending this book enough. after this ending you'll want the next book asap. please read tehe 🤭
some thoughts ⚘
➳ plot:probably one of the best things about this book. the plot twists?! insane. the mystery, action, & suspense was unreal. the beginning was the only part that was a lil slow, the first maybe 50 pages, then WHAM. this one of those books were u should NOT spoil urself.
➳ pacing & characters: very easy to follow along! i literally could not trust or believe anyone because twists were happening left and right! def helped enhance the story & pretty quick read for this type of genre <33 characters were fun,for the most part 😭
➳ the romance: AH IM blushing, squealing, screaming all over again. literally carried this book. whit & inez MY LOVES 🥴 they were ACTUALLY being rivals and then the slowburn?!? it all hit so well. hes teasing, she can be stubborn -in a good way- and them together? my heart.
tropes & vibes: [some] [found from the authors insta!]
↳rivals to lovers
↳forbidden romance
↳touch her and you'll die
↳everyone has a secret
↳FIRST PERSON/duo pov
↳historical fantasy with some magical realism
↳forced proximity & slowburn!!
↳cleopatra, egyptian mythology
and then this is a book where 'death on the nile' meets 'the mummy' along with indiana jones, jungle cruise, and a hint of carmen sandiego. i also LOVED how they went to places like egypt, buenos aires, argentina, cario, and more!
➳ overall experience! i enjoyed, i cried, it was a lot to take in. but fully worth it! I WANT THE NEXT BOOK NOW. the cover is also so stunning <33 if you LOVED divine rivals you'd probably adore this! it was dedicated to rebecca ross after all. i would highly recommend! you dont gotta like it, i just wanna see if the hype is real or not 😭 no matter what genre you read, i think this one will hit just as hard cause the ROMANCE!! im done. and the work effort ms ibanez put into this!! i read her authors note and wow she went into a deep dive to make this whole book realistic. ok bottom line: please read this ILY 🧸
characters⚘ [i still dont know i trust any of them atp omg]
inez olivera she definitely grew on me, & i loved to see her character throughout the book. i grieved with her & got to know her personality, she can be stubborn & foolish, but thats what makes her real believable, and true. i hope shes doing okay ❤🩹
whitford hayes AH him & him alone. well not entirely, but im telling you!! i literally died dead. such a raw character with a mysterious background. that i STILL have yet to learn more about. his past, scars, & everything is just ugh. im glad he found inez, mans literally had the best humor and sarcasm, giggling like a fool rn. but uhmm what?! ifykyk
whinez: i genuinley just love them both so much! THEIR BANTER AND TENSION?! HELLO?! in lovee! i need more of them, i cant wait till november help. i mean just look at this:
"for fcks sake inez," whit hissed in my ear."
i immediately stopped struggling as he ducked us both behind a large stack of shipping crates.
"you are the most annoying human being ive ever had the displeasure to meet," whit snarled. " i could strangle you myself." LMAO yall i swear they love eachother, but i was laughing so hard with their complaints. 😂
quotes ⚘ [if i could add every quote i tabbed i would]
↳ “Time is the worst kind of thief, sneaky and effective and gone before you realize what's been taken.” 🪐
↳ "You dont have to be afraid of me." he whispered. "not ever." 🪐
mini playlist: ⚚
↳ everything i wanted
↳ is it over now?
↳ watch
↳ the great war
↳ labrynith
↳ mr perfectly fine
↳ delicate
↳ national anthem
↳ radio silence
↳ i wish you would
picture these songs: i was SOBBING associating these with them
"and i can go anywhere i want, anywhere i want just not home"
"you dream of my mouth before it called you a lying traitor"
"i said, "i love you." you say nothing back, WHYD YOU HAVE TO LEAD ME ON 😭"
"id kiss you as the lights went out, swaying as the room burned down. id hold you as the water rushes in. if i could dance with you again "
💌 - overall i really enjoyed! still mad over that ending but whatever. anywayss i hope u enjoyed this <3 i know its all over the place, but really worth it!mostly i hope you guys have a lovely february, i love you guys all soso much! mwah 🫂
--------
POST READ ୨୧
trust? whats that! 😭 WHAT WHAT WHAT. WTH?? im unwell, not okay, concerned. but also: giggling, kicking my feet, screaming. still deciding between a 4 or 5 but im guessing 4 hmm. GO read this book! im asking you, begging you!! my rtc will be spoiler free but simply to convince and hype you up to start this 🤭 please enjoy the rant lmaooo. if you want to try this, its on kindle unlimited now! if you have it ofc <3 and you dont even have to like this i just want to see what we all think on this, if we should hype it up or not 😭 highly underrated! ok ANYWAYS, ur paying for my therapy ms ibanez.. mwah
preview!! [1 - 25 -24]
yo how are we already 6 days away from febuary help 😭 anyways i cannot WAIT to start this. this was dedicated to rebecca ross one of my faves!! and i always like checking acknowledgments and stephanie garber, emily henry, stacey lee, rebecca ross, and so many more were MENTIONED?! ugh i just love those authors. lil author friend group <33 ok ill shut up and read. but yall the art inside for the special edition?! ASFHDCJKFDV 🤭🪐 also the synopsis of this book is soso unique!! ugh even more ready
simply to convince & hype you up to read 💐 check for some TWS!!
"because," he said in a husky whisper, "he won't kiss you the way i will" IMM-
➳ read this back in January (reread in November) I have NO regrets!!
🎧 - say dont go & my tears ricochet.
im shook, jaw is unhinged, angered, obssesed, mad, in love, all the emotions. bloody hell! -as they would say LMAO- WHAT a roller coaster. this book made me remember why i adore and love reading so much.wonderous, burning with mystery, betrayl, romance, & the addictive trope rivals to lovers. ibanez did a thorough job and im impressed. i couldve NEVER come up with this plot idea. i just cant stop squaling & recommending this book enough. after this ending you'll want the next book asap. please read tehe 🤭
some thoughts ⚘
➳ plot:probably one of the best things about this book. the plot twists?! insane. the mystery, action, & suspense was unreal. the beginning was the only part that was a lil slow, the first maybe 50 pages, then WHAM. this one of those books were u should NOT spoil urself.
➳ pacing & characters: very easy to follow along! i literally could not trust or believe anyone because twists were happening left and right! def helped enhance the story & pretty quick read for this type of genre <33 characters were fun,
➳ the romance: AH IM blushing, squealing, screaming all over again. literally carried this book. whit & inez MY LOVES 🥴 they were ACTUALLY being rivals and then the slowburn?!? it all hit so well. hes teasing, she can be stubborn -in a good way- and them together? my heart.
tropes & vibes: [some] [found from the authors insta!]
↳rivals to lovers
↳forbidden romance
↳touch her and you'll die
↳everyone has a secret
↳FIRST PERSON/duo pov
↳historical fantasy with some magical realism
↳forced proximity & slowburn!!
↳cleopatra, egyptian mythology
and then this is a book where 'death on the nile' meets 'the mummy' along with indiana jones, jungle cruise, and a hint of carmen sandiego. i also LOVED how they went to places like egypt, buenos aires, argentina, cario, and more!
➳ overall experience! i enjoyed, i cried, it was a lot to take in. but fully worth it! I WANT THE NEXT BOOK NOW. the cover is also so stunning <33 if you LOVED divine rivals you'd probably adore this! it was dedicated to rebecca ross after all. i would highly recommend! you dont gotta like it, i just wanna see if the hype is real or not 😭 no matter what genre you read, i think this one will hit just as hard cause the ROMANCE!! im done. and the work effort ms ibanez put into this!! i read her authors note and wow she went into a deep dive to make this whole book realistic. ok bottom line: please read this ILY 🧸
characters⚘ [i still dont know i trust any of them atp omg]
inez olivera she definitely grew on me, & i loved to see her character throughout the book. i grieved with her & got to know her personality, she can be stubborn & foolish, but thats what makes her real believable, and true. i hope shes doing okay ❤🩹
"do you kiss all your friends like this?
whitford hayes AH him & him alone. well not entirely, but im telling you!! i literally died dead. such a raw character with a mysterious background. that i STILL have yet to learn more about. his past, scars, & everything is just ugh. im glad he found inez, mans literally had the best humor and sarcasm, giggling like a fool rn. but uhmm what?! ifykyk
"touch her again, & i will end your miserable life."
whinez: i genuinley just love them both so much! THEIR BANTER AND TENSION?! HELLO?! in lovee! i need more of them, i cant wait till november help. i mean just look at this:
"for fcks sake inez," whit hissed in my ear."
i immediately stopped struggling as he ducked us both behind a large stack of shipping crates.
"you are the most annoying human being ive ever had the displeasure to meet," whit snarled. " i could strangle you myself." LMAO yall i swear they love eachother, but i was laughing so hard with their complaints. 😂
quotes ⚘ [if i could add every quote i tabbed i would]
↳ “Time is the worst kind of thief, sneaky and effective and gone before you realize what's been taken.” 🪐
↳ "You dont have to be afraid of me." he whispered. "not ever." 🪐
mini playlist: ⚚
↳ everything i wanted
↳ is it over now?
↳ watch
↳ the great war
↳ labrynith
↳ mr perfectly fine
↳ delicate
↳ national anthem
↳ radio silence
↳ i wish you would
picture these songs: i was SOBBING associating these with them
"and i can go anywhere i want, anywhere i want just not home"
"you dream of my mouth before it called you a lying traitor"
"i said, "i love you." you say nothing back, WHYD YOU HAVE TO LEAD ME ON 😭"
"id kiss you as the lights went out, swaying as the room burned down. id hold you as the water rushes in. if i could dance with you again "
💌 - overall i really enjoyed! still mad over that ending but whatever. anywayss i hope u enjoyed this <3 i know its all over the place, but really worth it!
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POST READ ୨୧
trust? whats that! 😭 WHAT WHAT WHAT. WTH?? im unwell, not okay, concerned. but also: giggling, kicking my feet, screaming. still deciding between a 4 or 5 but im guessing 4 hmm. GO read this book! im asking you, begging you!! my rtc will be spoiler free but simply to convince and hype you up to start this 🤭 please enjoy the rant lmaooo. if you want to try this, its on kindle unlimited now! if you have it ofc <3 and you dont even have to like this i just want to see what we all think on this, if we should hype it up or not 😭 highly underrated! ok ANYWAYS, ur paying for my therapy ms ibanez.. mwah
preview!! [1 - 25 -24]
yo how are we already 6 days away from febuary help 😭 anyways i cannot WAIT to start this. this was dedicated to rebecca ross one of my faves!! and i always like checking acknowledgments and stephanie garber, emily henry, stacey lee, rebecca ross, and so many more were MENTIONED?! ugh i just love those authors. lil author friend group <33 ok ill shut up and read. but yall the art inside for the special edition?! ASFHDCJKFDV 🤭🪐 also the synopsis of this book is soso unique!! ugh even more ready
July 24, 2024
꒰ 4.5☆ ꒱
❝ I was aware that I was dancing too close to the edge. One misstep, and I’d find myself on unfamiliar ground. ❞
➳ dancing with our hands tied by taylor swift
I’d kiss you as the lights go out,
swaying as the room burned down <3
🦋 ~ the characters:
➳ inez olivera:
ya female leads can be and often are absolutely insufferable. But inez was my favorite character that I’ve read about in a while! She was adorable and brave and she wouldn’t take crap from anybody. There was never a point where she even considered giving up throughout the whole book and I adored her for it. I can definitely see why Whit was so obsessed with her 🤭
➳ whitford hayes:
Ughhh this man. You could put the exact same personality traits for a fictional love interest in a blender and I would eat it up every time. But he was actually quite a unique character and I appreciated it! Like how he actually had a really sweet personality and the cynicism was a front was super cute! He was the epitome of obsessed with the main character but trying not to show it, would do anything for her, will kill you if you touch her >>> I loved his mini pov 🙈💗
I can’t say much about the other characters, like her uncle, but I did end up liking a few of them… I’ll leave it at that 🤫
🦋 ~ the romance:
IT WAS SOOO GOOD YET SO UNIQUE??! They had instant attraction but denied it and the author pulled it off wonderfully without even a hint of instalove. The banter was everything to me and the kissing scene like please let me breath 😩 their chemistry was absolutely FIRE, just so good, and the way there were so many ups and downs and things standing between them in their relationship had me so invested! I have a new fictional couple to obsess over hehe.
🦋 ~ the writing:
mmm, yuss 😋 it was honestly so good and such good quality. It was like the chick-fil-a to the mcdonalds of the other books I’ve been reading lately, so to speak. There was never a time where I cringed or thought that the author overused any words, but it wasn’t overly flowery either. It didn’t feel like I was reading it, it felt like I was experiencing it, and I loved it! Isabel Ibañez set the Egypt backdrop so richly and vividly that I was almost drooling at some of the descriptions…
🦋 ~ the plot:
my one critique was that it was a little slow and I feel like some of the parts could have been compressed to be shorter— but that’s from a completely unbiased perspective. In truth,I was never bored or waiting for a scene to be over. When I started this book, I thought I would be able to predict all of the plot twists but there were definitely some that I never saw coming.
and the ending. I am in shock. I can't believe I have to wait until november for the next book 😭
🦋 ~ overall thoughts:
this was excellent. a perfectly crafted fantasy adventure novel, with just the right touches of romance. I've been looking forward to it since it came out in october and it did not disappoint! I couldn't put it down from the moment I started it and was sucked into the vibrant Egypt setting.
🦋 ~ fav quotes:
➳ ❝ Kind of you. ❞
❝ I am nothing of the sort. ❞
➳ ❝ The Nile knew everything, had seen the best and worst of Egypt. ❞
➳ ❝ You don’t have to be afraid of me. Not ever. ❞
➳ ❝ Touch her again and I will end your miserable life. ❞
happy reading cuties <3
❝ I was aware that I was dancing too close to the edge. One misstep, and I’d find myself on unfamiliar ground. ❞
➳ dancing with our hands tied by taylor swift
I’d kiss you as the lights go out,
swaying as the room burned down <3
🦋 ~ the characters:
➳ inez olivera:
ya female leads can be and often are absolutely insufferable. But inez was my favorite character that I’ve read about in a while! She was adorable and brave and she wouldn’t take crap from anybody. There was never a point where she even considered giving up throughout the whole book and I adored her for it. I can definitely see why Whit was so obsessed with her 🤭
➳ whitford hayes:
Ughhh this man. You could put the exact same personality traits for a fictional love interest in a blender and I would eat it up every time. But he was actually quite a unique character and I appreciated it! Like how he actually had a really sweet personality and the cynicism was a front was super cute! He was the epitome of obsessed with the main character but trying not to show it, would do anything for her, will kill you if you touch her >>> I loved his mini pov 🙈💗
I can’t say much about the other characters, like her uncle, but I did end up liking a few of them… I’ll leave it at that 🤫
🦋 ~ the romance:
IT WAS SOOO GOOD YET SO UNIQUE??! They had instant attraction but denied it and the author pulled it off wonderfully without even a hint of instalove. The banter was everything to me and the kissing scene like please let me breath 😩 their chemistry was absolutely FIRE, just so good, and the way there were so many ups and downs and things standing between them in their relationship had me so invested! I have a new fictional couple to obsess over hehe.
🦋 ~ the writing:
mmm, yuss 😋 it was honestly so good and such good quality. It was like the chick-fil-a to the mcdonalds of the other books I’ve been reading lately, so to speak. There was never a time where I cringed or thought that the author overused any words, but it wasn’t overly flowery either. It didn’t feel like I was reading it, it felt like I was experiencing it, and I loved it! Isabel Ibañez set the Egypt backdrop so richly and vividly that I was almost drooling at some of the descriptions…
🦋 ~ the plot:
my one critique was that it was a little slow and I feel like some of the parts could have been compressed to be shorter— but that’s from a completely unbiased perspective. In truth,I was never bored or waiting for a scene to be over. When I started this book, I thought I would be able to predict all of the plot twists but there were definitely some that I never saw coming.
and the ending. I am in shock. I can't believe I have to wait until november for the next book 😭
🦋 ~ overall thoughts:
this was excellent. a perfectly crafted fantasy adventure novel, with just the right touches of romance. I've been looking forward to it since it came out in october and it did not disappoint! I couldn't put it down from the moment I started it and was sucked into the vibrant Egypt setting.
🦋 ~ fav quotes:
➳ ❝ Kind of you. ❞
❝ I am nothing of the sort. ❞
➳ ❝ The Nile knew everything, had seen the best and worst of Egypt. ❞
➳ ❝ You don’t have to be afraid of me. Not ever. ❞
➳ ❝ Touch her again and I will end your miserable life. ❞
happy reading cuties <3
December 22, 2023
2 ✰
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. 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 come one after the other. But we have no build up to these, no clues dropped - the author builds no tension leading up to these events, making the twists fall flat. Then there's a cliffhanger ending (which would have been amazing, had I not lost all of my 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.
✳ And that 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:
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. I just felt compelled to keep reading to provide a well rounded review.
I received the ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
------------------------------------------
Ugh, this was such a mess of a book. The ending left me so annoyed as well (I thought it was a stand-alone?!)
Full review to come soon because I need a good rant
------------------------------------------
Just got approved for the ARC for this and I am excited ✨✨✨
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. 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 come one after the other. But we have no build up to these, no clues dropped - the author builds no tension leading up to these events, making the twists fall flat. Then there's a cliffhanger ending (which would have been amazing, had I not lost all of my 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.
✳ And that 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. I just felt compelled to keep reading to provide a well rounded review.
I received the ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
------------------------------------------
Ugh, this was such a mess of a book. The ending left me so annoyed as well (I thought it was a stand-alone?!)
Full review to come soon because I need a good rant
------------------------------------------
Just got approved for the ARC for this and I am excited ✨✨✨
November 14, 2023
4.5 stars!
This book was so good! This was a historical fantasy full of betrayals, mystery, magic, and adventure. What the River Knows follows Inez who travels to Egypt from Argentina after learning of her parents mysterious death. When she arrives in Egypt her Uncle who is now her guardian and her Uncle's assistant try to send her back to Argentina, but Inez is determined to find out what happened to her parents and she is soon roped into a dangerous mystery.
I became immersed in this historical fantasy from the very first page. The writing style is very descriptive and easy to follow that I felt like I was in Cairo and along the Nile River with the characters. This book had so many betrayals and shocking plot twists that kept me engaged in the story the entire time. The mystery aspect of the story was great and I even guessed one of the shocking betrayals before the characters did. I loved how the author weaved important historical moments in Egypt into a fantasy with magic and intrigue. I appreciate that the author showed what archaeologists do in an accurate way. The characters were complex and all had their own unique personalities. The family drama and mysteries around many of the characters was very relatable. I love Inez, she is so determined, tenacious, brave, stubborn and protective of her family. I can relate to Inez because I am also tenacious and my relationship with my sister is very similar to Inez's relationship with her cousin Elvira. Inez's character development is excellent, I loved seeing her become more confident of herself. I really like Whit, he is mysterious, protective and I loved his softer side around Inez. I enjoyed seeing his vulnerable side and show Inez the part of him he was hiding. I loved Inez and Whit's banter, it made me smile so much. The chemistry between Inez and Whit was amazing and I loved the slow burn. I loved all of their reactions and how their relationship evolved over time. The ending was so shocking and exciting! I can't wait to read the next book!
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fantasy, great characters, an engaging mystery and amazing chemistry between the characters.
This book was so good! This was a historical fantasy full of betrayals, mystery, magic, and adventure. What the River Knows follows Inez who travels to Egypt from Argentina after learning of her parents mysterious death. When she arrives in Egypt her Uncle who is now her guardian and her Uncle's assistant try to send her back to Argentina, but Inez is determined to find out what happened to her parents and she is soon roped into a dangerous mystery.
I became immersed in this historical fantasy from the very first page. The writing style is very descriptive and easy to follow that I felt like I was in Cairo and along the Nile River with the characters. This book had so many betrayals and shocking plot twists that kept me engaged in the story the entire time. The mystery aspect of the story was great and I even guessed one of the shocking betrayals before the characters did. I loved how the author weaved important historical moments in Egypt into a fantasy with magic and intrigue. I appreciate that the author showed what archaeologists do in an accurate way. The characters were complex and all had their own unique personalities. The family drama and mysteries around many of the characters was very relatable. I love Inez, she is so determined, tenacious, brave, stubborn and protective of her family. I can relate to Inez because I am also tenacious and my relationship with my sister is very similar to Inez's relationship with her cousin Elvira. Inez's character development is excellent, I loved seeing her become more confident of herself. I really like Whit, he is mysterious, protective and I loved his softer side around Inez. I enjoyed seeing his vulnerable side and show Inez the part of him he was hiding. I loved Inez and Whit's banter, it made me smile so much. The chemistry between Inez and Whit was amazing and I loved the slow burn. I loved all of their reactions and how their relationship evolved over time. The ending was so shocking and exciting! I can't wait to read the next book!
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fantasy, great characters, an engaging mystery and amazing chemistry between the characters.
November 16, 2023
i was promised adventure & instead got the equivalent of watching paint dry
November 17, 2023
A mix of the mummy ( 1999 version) and tom raider but with a very stupid fmc 🫶🏻 i loved everything about the book. The old Egyptian vibes and the mystery. The plot twist. Everything was so good and captivating it was hard to put the book down because there was always action and things happening. I thought this was a stand alone but now I’m devastated because i have to wait for god knows how long it will be until the sequel release date 😭 I WANT THE SEQUEL RIGHT FUCKING NOW.
Inez: she’s very very stupid. Her stupidity is unmatched. Reading her povs gave me a headache. But in some weird way she managed to win me over. I wanted to strangle her and hug her at the same time. It’s complicated. I loved her stubbornness and determination. Her nosy personality grow on me. I hated how she can very easily trust people. She’s very naïve it was so annoying. But she was kind and passionate and most of all she was so very alone and hurt 🥹🫂 the way her family abounded her and was always traveling broke my heart. She deserves better 🫂
whit : our mysterious asshole. He was a-lot of jacks vibes 🤭 he’s very broken because of what happens to him in the past we don’t get to know much of it in this book but i hope we will discover more about him in the sequel. Especially after that fucking epilogue 🙃 he’s very rude but also sweet. Cruel but kind. Hot but cold. He has a very fucked up mix of both good and bad traits. And im sucker for this type 🤍
Inez & Whit: i loved their banter so much and their pickering over literally everything. But i also hated how sometimes she let him talk to her normally after their fights. I wanted her to make him work hard to get to talk to her. I wanted him to beg. I wanted her to make him fight for her. I loved the way he was ready to risk his life to safe her. And when he stopped dinking because she didn’t love it 🦋
What the fuck is this epilogue isabel? Don’t mess with my heart. I see where this is going and i’m telling u now please stop this 😭
Inez: she’s very very stupid. Her stupidity is unmatched. Reading her povs gave me a headache. But in some weird way she managed to win me over. I wanted to strangle her and hug her at the same time. It’s complicated. I loved her stubbornness and determination. Her nosy personality grow on me. I hated how she can very easily trust people. She’s very naïve it was so annoying. But she was kind and passionate and most of all she was so very alone and hurt 🥹🫂 the way her family abounded her and was always traveling broke my heart. She deserves better 🫂
whit : our mysterious asshole. He was a-lot of jacks vibes 🤭 he’s very broken because of what happens to him in the past we don’t get to know much of it in this book but i hope we will discover more about him in the sequel. Especially after that fucking epilogue 🙃 he’s very rude but also sweet. Cruel but kind. Hot but cold. He has a very fucked up mix of both good and bad traits. And im sucker for this type 🤍
Inez & Whit: i loved their banter so much and their pickering over literally everything. But i also hated how sometimes she let him talk to her normally after their fights. I wanted her to make him work hard to get to talk to her. I wanted him to beg. I wanted her to make him fight for her. I loved the way he was ready to risk his life to safe her. And when he stopped dinking because she didn’t love it 🦋
What the fuck is this epilogue isabel? Don’t mess with my heart. I see where this is going and i’m telling u now please stop this 😭
“Never say you know the last word about any human heart.”
October 7, 2025
I wanted to love this book. I am a super fan of the movie The Mummy and just recently watched Death on the Nile. So I would say I had some expectations when going into the book. Would I say I was let down because of my expectations? Yes, yes I was. I may have enjoyed it more if my expectations weren’t so high.
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First off, I did love how this was set in Egypt. Being a lover of Egypt since I was young, I certainly enjoyed the setting this book was placed in. I really love Inez. Such a brave character that regardless of her situation, she pursues to find the answers she is looking for. She wouldn’t take no for an answer even though women in that time period did get that choice.
I love the idea of this being historical fiction with a hint of magic in the ancient Egypt artifacts. It gives a hint of whimsy in a setting set in the past.
The things I didn’t like too much without ruining the story for other readers.
I didn’t get a lot of magic. It was just a touch of those elements that left me wanting more of it.
The pacing was slow in this one. Nothing was really happening throughout the book. Yes, there were some dangerous elements to it. But it was few and far between. This storyline just dragged and wasn’t exciting.
Yes, there was a mystery behind her parent's death but there wasn’t much of Inez actually solving that mystery. There was a lot of I am not going to tell you what happened and her figuring out the mystery only because someone finally gave her some details. It was infuriating that a mystery wasn’t really being solved. It was just people constantly telling her that they were not going to tell her anything and her eventually getting details over time.
Now, I didn’t get The Mummy vibes other than this taking place in Egypt. I wasn’t fully convinced of the chemistry between Whit and Inez. Their conversations were between them, “I am not going to tell you,” “That's not true,” “I trust that person” and “Don’t call me by my surname.” Over and over again. No real depth to their conversations that left me wondering why they were drawn together. I wasn’t convinced basically.
All in all, if I didn’t see that this is compared to The Mummy, I may have enjoyed it more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Connect With Me:
BLOG ⟫ INSTAGRAM ⟫ NEWSLETTER ⟫
First off, I did love how this was set in Egypt. Being a lover of Egypt since I was young, I certainly enjoyed the setting this book was placed in. I really love Inez. Such a brave character that regardless of her situation, she pursues to find the answers she is looking for. She wouldn’t take no for an answer even though women in that time period did get that choice.
I love the idea of this being historical fiction with a hint of magic in the ancient Egypt artifacts. It gives a hint of whimsy in a setting set in the past.
The things I didn’t like too much without ruining the story for other readers.
I didn’t get a lot of magic. It was just a touch of those elements that left me wanting more of it.
The pacing was slow in this one. Nothing was really happening throughout the book. Yes, there were some dangerous elements to it. But it was few and far between. This storyline just dragged and wasn’t exciting.
Yes, there was a mystery behind her parent's death but there wasn’t much of Inez actually solving that mystery. There was a lot of I am not going to tell you what happened and her figuring out the mystery only because someone finally gave her some details. It was infuriating that a mystery wasn’t really being solved. It was just people constantly telling her that they were not going to tell her anything and her eventually getting details over time.
Now, I didn’t get The Mummy vibes other than this taking place in Egypt. I wasn’t fully convinced of the chemistry between Whit and Inez. Their conversations were between them, “I am not going to tell you,” “That's not true,” “I trust that person” and “Don’t call me by my surname.” Over and over again. No real depth to their conversations that left me wondering why they were drawn together. I wasn’t convinced basically.
All in all, if I didn’t see that this is compared to The Mummy, I may have enjoyed it more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 15, 2023
A stellar 4 star. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest review.
I’m giving this 4 stars because I reeeeaaallly enjoyed it. This was indirectly recommended to me as a book for people who had an ancient Egyptian obsession—which I still have, but with romance. Inez is our MC, lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and her parents spend over half the year working in and around Cairo, Egypt. She is (rightly) in her feelings about it. Well, she ends up in Cairo against her parents’ and uncle’s wishes and of course meets a handsome Brit named Whit(Whitford) who works for her uncle. I wasn’t feeling the tension between them in the beginning but after this moment on a boat… I was feeling it. I thought the writing was nice as well. The setting was lovely, I loved all descriptions of the different parts of Egypt, loved their time on ships on the Nile and of course love the historical elements about pharaohs of Egypt and the excavation work they were doing in this story. There was some twists and turns I did NOT see coming, especially the end. But lemme say I thought this was a stand-alone and IT IS NOT. That damn cliffhanger ending, I’m mad about it. I haven’t read the auhtor’s Woven In Moonlight books but this was a great historical fantasy. I think it could’ve been a little shorter since there’s obviously another book coming. But I’d still recommend.
I’m giving this 4 stars because I reeeeaaallly enjoyed it. This was indirectly recommended to me as a book for people who had an ancient Egyptian obsession—which I still have, but with romance. Inez is our MC, lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and her parents spend over half the year working in and around Cairo, Egypt. She is (rightly) in her feelings about it. Well, she ends up in Cairo against her parents’ and uncle’s wishes and of course meets a handsome Brit named Whit(Whitford) who works for her uncle. I wasn’t feeling the tension between them in the beginning but after this moment on a boat… I was feeling it. I thought the writing was nice as well. The setting was lovely, I loved all descriptions of the different parts of Egypt, loved their time on ships on the Nile and of course love the historical elements about pharaohs of Egypt and the excavation work they were doing in this story. There was some twists and turns I did NOT see coming, especially the end. But lemme say I thought this was a stand-alone and IT IS NOT. That damn cliffhanger ending, I’m mad about it. I haven’t read the auhtor’s Woven In Moonlight books but this was a great historical fantasy. I think it could’ve been a little shorter since there’s obviously another book coming. But I’d still recommend.
Want to read
October 27, 2025The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in this lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.
Is this not enough reason wanting to read this book?
Is this not enough reason wanting to read this book?
August 25, 2024
why was this 400 pages
November 11, 2023
2 ⭐️
I’m so sad because I had SUCH high hopes for this book. The vibes, the plot, the cover had me pumped but oh my goodness was this disappointing. I am left utterly confused and infuriated after finishing that epilogue…
The FMC was insufferable and reckless to a fault for no reason. The MMC had 0 charm and there was no chemistry. The magic seemed pointless. The dialogue felt robotic.
So many people loved this and I’m genuinely wondering if I read a different book? I’m so sad because I wanted to love this with all my heart but 2 stars is a generous rating tbh.
I’m so sad because I had SUCH high hopes for this book. The vibes, the plot, the cover had me pumped but oh my goodness was this disappointing. I am left utterly confused and infuriated after finishing that epilogue…
The FMC was insufferable and reckless to a fault for no reason. The MMC had 0 charm and there was no chemistry. The magic seemed pointless. The dialogue felt robotic.
So many people loved this and I’m genuinely wondering if I read a different book? I’m so sad because I wanted to love this with all my heart but 2 stars is a generous rating tbh.
December 15, 2023
★★★★ 1/2 stars!
✓ Egypt
✓ 19th century time period (train travel and corsets!)
✓ Banter between the lover/rival main characters
✓ Adventure-mystery-exploration
✓ The charm of The Mummy** and Indiana Jones
✓ Old magic***
** I’m a huge fan of the Mummy series so when I saw this book being compared to that, I leaped to preorder it, craving to get lost in an adventure/action/romance taking place in Egypt! But eek…the only thing giving me vibes between this book and The Mummy was Egypt itself! The story managed to capture some of the charm I admit, but it was definitely suboptimal in comparison. The main characters lover/rival thing had nothing on the O’Connell’s fiery and passionate relationship! At times, the banter between the two main characters was fun and even made me giggle like a school girl. But other times, it was frustrating and annoying, leaving me utterly conflicted.
*** The old magic concept fell a bit short in my opinion as far as explanations go. I’m still quite unsure where the concept came from or what all exists behind it. It wasn’t very well explained. A bit frustrating. I’m really hoping the second book will elaborate more on this.
Although I feel I should have read this book sitting atop a pyramid or on a boat sailing the Nile river, I still paid homage to Egypt through vivid use of my imagination…which brings me to gushing a bit over my lifelong Egyptian fascination. My first tattoo was of an Egyptian ankh (a powerful amulet representing the eternal symbol of life after death). So Egyptian mythology runs deeply close to my soul, and I’ve always been helplessly held hostage by its culture, wonders, and history. Don’t even get me started on Cleopatra! My intrigue has no bounds. She is the symbol of feminine power and to this day remains a mystery. Another of the many reasons I was naturally inclined to grab this book!!
CHARACTERS:
Inez Olivera (FMC): She is fierce, independent, determined, and stubborn but also very naïve and way too trusting. Intent on finding out what led to the suspicious deaths of her parents, Inez travels to Egypt where her parents have traveled and worked for huge chunks of her life.
Whitford Hayes (MMC): He is English, very secretive, impulsive, tough, and charming. He’s a whirlwind behind the scenes. I really enjoyed attempting to decipher his partially disclosed information in his POV sections.
My Direct Analysis of the Story:
I have to say it was a bit messy sometimes. There were several sections where the story was just a 3.5-4 star rating. I expected a lot more action and adventure. Higher stakes! Especially more explanations about things. Some events had me rolling my eyes because it just seemed off. The first half was especially guilty in this regard (even though it still made up for it by entrancing you with Egyptian landmarks and plot). Fortunately, it did pick up during the second half with some major twists. But that ENDING! A huge cliffhanger!! Luckily, I was fully aware that it was going to be a duology ahead of time, so I knew what to possibly expect. But I’ll admit it’s slightly driving me mad! One word to describe this story is BETRAYAL! And I need to know what it all means NOW!
Despite it all – please sign me up for the second book! I’ll be impatiently/patiently waiting…. If you need me, I’ll be excavating tombs and sailing the Nile until Book 2 releases.
✓ Egypt
✓ 19th century time period (train travel and corsets!)
✓ Banter between the lover/rival main characters
✓ Adventure-mystery-exploration
✓ The charm of The Mummy** and Indiana Jones
✓ Old magic***
** I’m a huge fan of the Mummy series so when I saw this book being compared to that, I leaped to preorder it, craving to get lost in an adventure/action/romance taking place in Egypt! But eek…the only thing giving me vibes between this book and The Mummy was Egypt itself! The story managed to capture some of the charm I admit, but it was definitely suboptimal in comparison. The main characters lover/rival thing had nothing on the O’Connell’s fiery and passionate relationship! At times, the banter between the two main characters was fun and even made me giggle like a school girl. But other times, it was frustrating and annoying, leaving me utterly conflicted.
*** The old magic concept fell a bit short in my opinion as far as explanations go. I’m still quite unsure where the concept came from or what all exists behind it. It wasn’t very well explained. A bit frustrating. I’m really hoping the second book will elaborate more on this.
Although I feel I should have read this book sitting atop a pyramid or on a boat sailing the Nile river, I still paid homage to Egypt through vivid use of my imagination…which brings me to gushing a bit over my lifelong Egyptian fascination. My first tattoo was of an Egyptian ankh (a powerful amulet representing the eternal symbol of life after death). So Egyptian mythology runs deeply close to my soul, and I’ve always been helplessly held hostage by its culture, wonders, and history. Don’t even get me started on Cleopatra! My intrigue has no bounds. She is the symbol of feminine power and to this day remains a mystery. Another of the many reasons I was naturally inclined to grab this book!!
CHARACTERS:
Inez Olivera (FMC): She is fierce, independent, determined, and stubborn but also very naïve and way too trusting. Intent on finding out what led to the suspicious deaths of her parents, Inez travels to Egypt where her parents have traveled and worked for huge chunks of her life.
Whitford Hayes (MMC): He is English, very secretive, impulsive, tough, and charming. He’s a whirlwind behind the scenes. I really enjoyed attempting to decipher his partially disclosed information in his POV sections.
My Direct Analysis of the Story:
I have to say it was a bit messy sometimes. There were several sections where the story was just a 3.5-4 star rating. I expected a lot more action and adventure. Higher stakes! Especially more explanations about things. Some events had me rolling my eyes because it just seemed off. The first half was especially guilty in this regard (even though it still made up for it by entrancing you with Egyptian landmarks and plot). Fortunately, it did pick up during the second half with some major twists. But that ENDING! A huge cliffhanger!! Luckily, I was fully aware that it was going to be a duology ahead of time, so I knew what to possibly expect. But I’ll admit it’s slightly driving me mad! One word to describe this story is BETRAYAL! And I need to know what it all means NOW!
Despite it all – please sign me up for the second book! I’ll be impatiently/patiently waiting…. If you need me, I’ll be excavating tombs and sailing the Nile until Book 2 releases.
April 3, 2024
This was quite the adventure! 🔺 The mystery, the history and the chemistry! ❤️❤️❤️ I enjoyed it soooooo much more than I thought I would! 🫢 I can’t wait to read the next one. 🤗
May 26, 2024
*3.5 stars 🏄🏻♀️
November 14, 2024
4.5 ☆ ! 🕯️
the Nile knew everything, had seen the best and worst of Egypt
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
જ⁀➴ alexa, play treacherous by taylor swift
this hope is treacherous, this daydream is dangerous
⭑ now this is a top tier fantasy romance!
⤷ overall thoughts:
this blew my expectations through the roof! thrilling, immersive, and stunning, it was all I hoped for and more. I loved all the details and descriptions about Egypt! I want to go there so bad now lol.
⤷ characters:
omg u guys they were to die for!!! Inez and Whit>>> I love them SO MUCHHHHH! They have such cute personalities. I wish Whit had more povs! maybe in book two? wink wink. I wasn't a huge fan of her uncle (he was kinda a rat, tbh) but he turned out okay ig. I also liked Abduallah, Isabora, and Elvira <3
⤷ romance:
MY FAV PART! I can't even describe how perfectly adorable Inez and Whit are- you need to read it for yourself. 🥺 their banter and interactions!!! I was giggling and kicking my feet up. Authors wish they could write romanceand men like Isabel Ibañez hehe.
⤷ plot:
soooo good! So many twists and turns ahhh I didn't see them coming at all 🫢 the plot had way more depth than I thought it would. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and could barely put the book down! Bonus points for it including Cleopatra, who is an historical icon fr.
⭑ I need the next one!!! and a getaway to Eygpt ASAP!
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
quotes I loved:
༄ ❝ Kind of you.❞
❝ I am nothing of the sort.❞
༄ ❝ That was the smile I didn’t trust—I just knew it came with consequences.❞
༄ ❝ No human ought to be treated as if their work didn’t matter, or their choices, or their dreams.❞
༄ ❝ Will you tell me what's upset you?❞
❝ I want to, but I'm afraid.❞
❝ You don't have to be afraid of me. Not ever.❞
the Nile knew everything, had seen the best and worst of Egypt
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
જ⁀➴ alexa, play treacherous by taylor swift
this hope is treacherous, this daydream is dangerous
⭑ now this is a top tier fantasy romance!
⤷ overall thoughts:
this blew my expectations through the roof! thrilling, immersive, and stunning, it was all I hoped for and more. I loved all the details and descriptions about Egypt! I want to go there so bad now lol.
⤷ characters:
omg u guys they were to die for!!! Inez and Whit>>> I love them SO MUCHHHHH! They have such cute personalities. I wish Whit had more povs! maybe in book two? wink wink. I wasn't a huge fan of her uncle (he was kinda a rat, tbh) but he turned out okay ig. I also liked Abduallah, Isabora, and Elvira <3
⤷ romance:
MY FAV PART! I can't even describe how perfectly adorable Inez and Whit are- you need to read it for yourself. 🥺 their banter and interactions!!! I was giggling and kicking my feet up. Authors wish they could write romance
⤷ plot:
soooo good! So many twists and turns ahhh I didn't see them coming at all 🫢 the plot had way more depth than I thought it would. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and could barely put the book down! Bonus points for it including Cleopatra, who is an historical icon fr.
⭑ I need the next one!!! and a getaway to Eygpt ASAP!
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
quotes I loved:
༄ ❝ Kind of you.❞
❝ I am nothing of the sort.❞
༄ ❝ That was the smile I didn’t trust—I just knew it came with consequences.❞
༄ ❝ No human ought to be treated as if their work didn’t matter, or their choices, or their dreams.❞
༄ ❝ Will you tell me what's upset you?❞
❝ I want to, but I'm afraid.❞
❝ You don't have to be afraid of me. Not ever.❞
![Profile Image for ahana ⊹ [ ia ].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1745486243i%2F169798388._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
March 14, 2025
🌱⌇ 2.75 stars ˒ ⁺ 𑊁
"i'm not mad sweetie, i'm just disappointed..."
inez was a naive girl who was far too trusting for her own good. and for some reason she couldnt stop licking her lips? and whit... he snarled, went feral, smirked excessively, uttered the words "good girl" and had a brawny frame. that's basically his whole personality summed up. yeah, that's my review!
"i'm not mad sweetie, i'm just disappointed..."
inez was a naive girl who was far too trusting for her own good. and for some reason she couldnt stop licking her lips? and whit... he snarled, went feral, smirked excessively, uttered the words "good girl" and had a brawny frame. that's basically his whole personality summed up. yeah, that's my review!
May 23, 2024
Ishhhh Inez was despicable
December 5, 2023
The character was stupid.
The magic was stupid.
The romance was stupid.
The book was stupid.
I. The character was stupid
Oooh was she ever! Inez decides to go to Egypt to discover how her parents died. She gets herself there ALONE (gasp gasp gasp!) because she's a strong independent woman! And how does she demonstrate this? Misogyny, mostly. She hates knitting and sewing and effeminate girls like her dumb cousin (not the other one, but we'll get there).
Looking down on others is a pretty consistent trait of Inez's. Some of it is the typical misogynistic bullshit, like how she hates knitting, sewing, and petticoats that impede her movement! Now, I have no problem with people who don't like to knit and sew. I have no problem with women who only wear pants. That's your choice. But the note of disdain about fiber arts really pissed me off, because I love knitting and sewing, and I take it very personally that my hobbies, which I choose, which I enjoy, are the go-to punching bags of not-like-other-girls "feminism". Inez talks about how hard it is to run around in petticoats and having better range of motion with pants, and as someone who owns several petticoats, that's nonsense. If you like pants, like pants! Full respect to that! But I like petticoats and I can tell you from experience, they're not hard to move around in.
But it's not just other women she hates, don't worry, she has problems with everyone who doesn't immediately give her what she wants. When she meets Whit (love interest), she starts giving him crap because he's English and the English government is imperialist--and I am not defending imperialism here. The point is that she has no way of knowing if he has any ties at all to the government (we later learn he was dishonourably discharged from the army), she just makes the assumption. She refers to not only imperial/colonial behavior but mining of resources. All valid points... until we remembered that her ethnically Spanish father's family made their money building Argentinian railroads. But I'm sure that was all done ethically, right? No exploitation of Argentinian labor or resources, huh? And let me be clear, I would absolutely not judge her for the actions of her relatives if she hadn't just done exactly that.
Moving right along, Inez sucks at everything. Inez gets on a train and immediately has her super special magic ring stolen. Inez insists on going to Khan El-Khalili and gets herself lost and needs Whit to help her get there. Inez stows away on her uncle's boat and falls overboard and needs Whit to rescue her. I cannot think of a single thing Inez does throughout the book that is a net positive. People keep telling her to leave and she insists on staying around, but since all she does is cause problems, she doesn't seem plucky, she just seems spoiled, tantruming because she didn't get her way.
I don't think a protagonist must or even should be perfect. I simply don't think a protagonist should be a net negative to her world unless that is the intention, and the narrative seems to view Inez as positive. (She isn't. Literally ever.)
II. The magic was stupid.
The magic was introduced via an infodump that did not matter later, a bunch of history of magic that played no part. "Magic existed in artifacts, but they were rare." That's all it needed to be.
Magic then disappeared, not even a whiff of it, for... 70 pages? 100 pages?
And then it became a convenience, such as producing hot water for tea or clean water for washing.
Anyway, I don't dislike the central concept here. Magical items with a single application could be a really cool system, because it introduces endless possibilities with set limitations. The problem is that it's only once used in a plot-relevant way, and the rest of the time just seems like a convenient way to give Inez information to make her useful, because otherwise she's basically just a lump.
This might seem like a contradiction to the earlier point that she's worthless, but I would argue that it is not.
III. The romance was stupid.
I mean... literally from one paragraph to the next her feelings change and then change back and all over again. And Inez continues to be a judgy brat, Whit clearly has PTSD and is self-medicating, but when he's been drinking--he's not drunk, he's just been drinking--she's got a response of, "This man may never call me sweetheart!"
That's the other thing, he tries to maintain distance by asking her to call him "Mr. Hayes"--a common enough formality at the time--and she says she's earned the right to call him Whit. This is... pretty simple? CALL PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT TO BE CALLED. It's part of respecting people's boundaries.
IV. The book was stupid.
See above.
But also, an additional note on hypocrisy. For all the hue and cry about foreigners exploiting Egypt, that is precisely, on both a textual and metatextual level, what this book does. On a textual level, it's a book about Argentinians and Englishmen digging up historical artifacts in Egypt. There's one Egyptian character who is a step above tertiary, and another who is actually very nice to the main character, but since she cannot give a shit about anyone she doesn't want to bone down, he's quickly relegated to basically being shorthand. When "Kareem" did something, it's because the author realized how shit it would sound if "a servant" did it. But given that all Kareem does is serve, it's not much of an improvement. It's a book that desperately wants readers to understand the evils of imperialism, specifically in Egypt, but has precious little page space for Egyptian voices. That page space is for Inez to fuck everything up for everyone! It's important! And on a metatextual level, it's very much the same. The book derides tourists, yet what else was the author but a tourist? She's not Egyptian. This is not her story. If the purpose were about speaking to allyship, that would be valuable, but Inez has not made that point because Inez is not an ally. She is objectively not. Her actions harm and endanger Abdullah's mission. She basically led the villains right to when she lost her ring--not in the story, no, but she left the path very clear to them. I guess my biggest point here is that this is a book that wants to use the location and time without having to do the intellectual labor of narratively maintaining the lip-service scorn.
In many ways, this same attitude is reflected in the characters' anachronistic perspectives. Inez isn't like other girls! She wants to study (never mind that the cousin she scorns is doing literary analysis on The Odyssey) and wear pants! And one day society will let women study and wear pants! I mean, it will, but I think what I found so frustrating was that there were barely any barriers to her doing these things. She buys pants and wears 'em. She decides to go along on the dig and she goes. Like? What is the problem? Is it the people frowning at her? Similarly, Whit thinks scornfully at the prospect of These don't feel like characters who grew up in the 1800s, they feel like time travelers.
I finished this book so I could write a gutting review in honesty.
10/10 for the GORGEOUS OwlCrate edition.
0/10 for the... literally everything else.
The magic was stupid.
The romance was stupid.
The book was stupid.
I. The character was stupid
Oooh was she ever! Inez decides to go to Egypt to discover how her parents died. She gets herself there ALONE (gasp gasp gasp!) because she's a strong independent woman! And how does she demonstrate this? Misogyny, mostly. She hates knitting and sewing and effeminate girls like her dumb cousin (not the other one, but we'll get there).
Looking down on others is a pretty consistent trait of Inez's. Some of it is the typical misogynistic bullshit, like how she hates knitting, sewing, and petticoats that impede her movement! Now, I have no problem with people who don't like to knit and sew. I have no problem with women who only wear pants. That's your choice. But the note of disdain about fiber arts really pissed me off, because I love knitting and sewing, and I take it very personally that my hobbies, which I choose, which I enjoy, are the go-to punching bags of not-like-other-girls "feminism". Inez talks about how hard it is to run around in petticoats and having better range of motion with pants, and as someone who owns several petticoats, that's nonsense. If you like pants, like pants! Full respect to that! But I like petticoats and I can tell you from experience, they're not hard to move around in.
But it's not just other women she hates, don't worry, she has problems with everyone who doesn't immediately give her what she wants. When she meets Whit (love interest), she starts giving him crap because he's English and the English government is imperialist--and I am not defending imperialism here. The point is that she has no way of knowing if he has any ties at all to the government (we later learn he was dishonourably discharged from the army), she just makes the assumption. She refers to not only imperial/colonial behavior but mining of resources. All valid points... until we remembered that her ethnically Spanish father's family made their money building Argentinian railroads. But I'm sure that was all done ethically, right? No exploitation of Argentinian labor or resources, huh? And let me be clear, I would absolutely not judge her for the actions of her relatives if she hadn't just done exactly that.
Moving right along, Inez sucks at everything. Inez gets on a train and immediately has her super special magic ring stolen. Inez insists on going to Khan El-Khalili and gets herself lost and needs Whit to help her get there. Inez stows away on her uncle's boat and falls overboard and needs Whit to rescue her. I cannot think of a single thing Inez does throughout the book that is a net positive. People keep telling her to leave and she insists on staying around, but since all she does is cause problems, she doesn't seem plucky, she just seems spoiled, tantruming because she didn't get her way.
I don't think a protagonist must or even should be perfect. I simply don't think a protagonist should be a net negative to her world unless that is the intention, and the narrative seems to view Inez as positive. (She isn't. Literally ever.)
II. The magic was stupid.
The magic was introduced via an infodump that did not matter later, a bunch of history of magic that played no part. "Magic existed in artifacts, but they were rare." That's all it needed to be.
Magic then disappeared, not even a whiff of it, for... 70 pages? 100 pages?
And then it became a convenience, such as producing hot water for tea or clean water for washing.
Anyway, I don't dislike the central concept here. Magical items with a single application could be a really cool system, because it introduces endless possibilities with set limitations. The problem is that it's only once used in a plot-relevant way, and the rest of the time just seems like a convenient way to give Inez information to make her useful, because otherwise she's basically just a lump.
This might seem like a contradiction to the earlier point that she's worthless, but I would argue that it is not.
III. The romance was stupid.
I mean... literally from one paragraph to the next her feelings change and then change back and all over again. And Inez continues to be a judgy brat, Whit clearly has PTSD and is self-medicating, but when he's been drinking--he's not drunk, he's just been drinking--she's got a response of, "This man may never call me sweetheart!"
That's the other thing, he tries to maintain distance by asking her to call him "Mr. Hayes"--a common enough formality at the time--and she says she's earned the right to call him Whit. This is... pretty simple? CALL PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT TO BE CALLED. It's part of respecting people's boundaries.
IV. The book was stupid.
See above.
But also, an additional note on hypocrisy. For all the hue and cry about foreigners exploiting Egypt, that is precisely, on both a textual and metatextual level, what this book does. On a textual level, it's a book about Argentinians and Englishmen digging up historical artifacts in Egypt. There's one Egyptian character who is a step above tertiary, and another who is actually very nice to the main character, but since she cannot give a shit about anyone she doesn't want to bone down, he's quickly relegated to basically being shorthand. When "Kareem" did something, it's because the author realized how shit it would sound if "a servant" did it. But given that all Kareem does is serve, it's not much of an improvement. It's a book that desperately wants readers to understand the evils of imperialism, specifically in Egypt, but has precious little page space for Egyptian voices. That page space is for Inez to fuck everything up for everyone! It's important! And on a metatextual level, it's very much the same. The book derides tourists, yet what else was the author but a tourist? She's not Egyptian. This is not her story. If the purpose were about speaking to allyship, that would be valuable, but Inez has not made that point because Inez is not an ally. She is objectively not. Her actions harm and endanger Abdullah's mission. She basically led the villains right to when she lost her ring--not in the story, no, but she left the path very clear to them. I guess my biggest point here is that this is a book that wants to use the location and time without having to do the intellectual labor of narratively maintaining the lip-service scorn.
In many ways, this same attitude is reflected in the characters' anachronistic perspectives. Inez isn't like other girls! She wants to study (never mind that the cousin she scorns is doing literary analysis on The Odyssey) and wear pants! And one day society will let women study and wear pants! I mean, it will, but I think what I found so frustrating was that there were barely any barriers to her doing these things. She buys pants and wears 'em. She decides to go along on the dig and she goes. Like? What is the problem? Is it the people frowning at her? Similarly, Whit thinks scornfully at the prospect of These don't feel like characters who grew up in the 1800s, they feel like time travelers.
I finished this book so I could write a gutting review in honesty.
10/10 for the GORGEOUS OwlCrate edition.
0/10 for the... literally everything else.
November 11, 2023
I love anything and everything related to Ancient Egypt, so What the River Knows was one of my most anticipated reads of this fall -- especially when I saw the comparisons to The Mummy. Unfortunately, though, Isabel Ibañez's historical fantasy didn't end up being everything I'd hoped.
When Inez Olivera receives word that her globetrotting parents have died tragically in Egypt, she leaves her life of comfort in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and boards a ship bound for Cairo. When she arrives, she finds that her uncle -- an archaeologist and now her guardian -- isn't there to meet her, but that he has sent his assistant Whitford Hayes in his place. Whit has been instructed to put Inez right back on a ship bound for Buenos Aires, but Inez manages to evade him and eventually sneak onto her uncle's boat, stowing away as his team travels to a new excavation site. Guided by the ancient magic inhabiting Egypt's artifacts, Inez is determined to unravel the mystery of her parents' deaths -- no matter the cost.
What the River Knows is at its strongest when Ibañez is describing the sights and sounds of Egypt in the late 1800s -- a place of tombs and tourism, where Egyptian culture was at war with British colonialism. The atmosphere of the book is vibrant and lush, vividly realized and immersive, and it's clear that Ibañez has a lot of respect for Egypt, its culture, and its fraught history. Her research is meticulous and well-integrated into the novel.
However, the plot is uneven and often illogical, with not much really happening for the first two-thirds of the book until it all culminates in a violent scene that feels unearned and out of place. The magic element is kind of odd, not fully-formed, and only comes into play for plot convenience. The characters are shallow and stereotypical, with Whit and Inez reading like an off-brand version of Rick and Evelyn from The Mummy, in that they have the traits of those respective characters, but their banter is not charming or funny and there is no delicious slow burn. As soon as Whit's introduced it's clear where things are headed with Inez, but Ibañez doesn't really make much of an effort to develop their chemistry. It feels very superficial and not at all sweet, especially given that Whit is engaged to someone else.
I don't read a lot of YA fantasy anymore, and honestly What the River Knows reminded me of why that is. I don't enjoy reading about female characters like Inez -- stubborn and headstrong to a fault, lacking maturity, rebellious and unreasonable, rushing into dangerous situations with complete disregard for the consequences for themselves or others. I admire the fact that Inez was tenacious and independent in a time when that wasn't commonplace, but her characterization just felt too over the top.
What the River Knows had so much potential, but it just wasn't a good fit for me. Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the complimentary reading opportunity.
When Inez Olivera receives word that her globetrotting parents have died tragically in Egypt, she leaves her life of comfort in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and boards a ship bound for Cairo. When she arrives, she finds that her uncle -- an archaeologist and now her guardian -- isn't there to meet her, but that he has sent his assistant Whitford Hayes in his place. Whit has been instructed to put Inez right back on a ship bound for Buenos Aires, but Inez manages to evade him and eventually sneak onto her uncle's boat, stowing away as his team travels to a new excavation site. Guided by the ancient magic inhabiting Egypt's artifacts, Inez is determined to unravel the mystery of her parents' deaths -- no matter the cost.
What the River Knows is at its strongest when Ibañez is describing the sights and sounds of Egypt in the late 1800s -- a place of tombs and tourism, where Egyptian culture was at war with British colonialism. The atmosphere of the book is vibrant and lush, vividly realized and immersive, and it's clear that Ibañez has a lot of respect for Egypt, its culture, and its fraught history. Her research is meticulous and well-integrated into the novel.
However, the plot is uneven and often illogical, with not much really happening for the first two-thirds of the book until it all culminates in a violent scene that feels unearned and out of place. The magic element is kind of odd, not fully-formed, and only comes into play for plot convenience. The characters are shallow and stereotypical, with Whit and Inez reading like an off-brand version of Rick and Evelyn from The Mummy, in that they have the traits of those respective characters, but their banter is not charming or funny and there is no delicious slow burn. As soon as Whit's introduced it's clear where things are headed with Inez, but Ibañez doesn't really make much of an effort to develop their chemistry. It feels very superficial and not at all sweet, especially given that Whit is engaged to someone else.
I don't read a lot of YA fantasy anymore, and honestly What the River Knows reminded me of why that is. I don't enjoy reading about female characters like Inez -- stubborn and headstrong to a fault, lacking maturity, rebellious and unreasonable, rushing into dangerous situations with complete disregard for the consequences for themselves or others. I admire the fact that Inez was tenacious and independent in a time when that wasn't commonplace, but her characterization just felt too over the top.
What the River Knows had so much potential, but it just wasn't a good fit for me. Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the complimentary reading opportunity.
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