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A review by stuckonswan
What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
5.0
I'll write an actual review when I can think about this book without screaming
Edit: it's the next day and I can finally talk about it without devolving into stammers and screams
What the River Knows follows 19 year old Inez Olivera as she travels from Argentina to Egypt in order to uncover the mystery surrounding her parents’ death. Once there, she clashes with both her uncle and his assistant as she fights to stay in Egypt and solve the growing mysteries cropping up around her.
The plot of this book is delightful. It was advertised as The Mummy meets Death on the Nile and it was giving just what it promised. I have not had this much fun with the plot of a book in awhile and I could not have guessed where this book was going to go for all the money in the world. And that ending?!?!? It should be illegal to end a book like that. The characters were so fleshed out and well written I felt like I was walking among them in several parts of the book. Despite the slow start, once the book got going I was hooked. And the romance? It has been a long time since I have read a Rivals to Lovers written that well? I ate up their banter like a five star meal and everytime they argued or reconciled my brain just melted. Definitely one of my new favorite book couples.
Part of what really drew me in was the writing style. It is magical and immersive, I could practically live in the scenes that Ibañez was painting for me. This was my first book by her and I am very excited to read her backlist in the new year while I wait for the next book.
Edit: it's the next day and I can finally talk about it without devolving into stammers and screams
What the River Knows follows 19 year old Inez Olivera as she travels from Argentina to Egypt in order to uncover the mystery surrounding her parents’ death. Once there, she clashes with both her uncle and his assistant as she fights to stay in Egypt and solve the growing mysteries cropping up around her.
The plot of this book is delightful. It was advertised as The Mummy meets Death on the Nile and it was giving just what it promised. I have not had this much fun with the plot of a book in awhile and I could not have guessed where this book was going to go for all the money in the world. And that ending?!?!? It should be illegal to end a book like that. The characters were so fleshed out and well written I felt like I was walking among them in several parts of the book. Despite the slow start, once the book got going I was hooked. And the romance? It has been a long time since I have read a Rivals to Lovers written that well? I ate up their banter like a five star meal and everytime they argued or reconciled my brain just melted. Definitely one of my new favorite book couples.
Part of what really drew me in was the writing style. It is magical and immersive, I could practically live in the scenes that Ibañez was painting for me. This was my first book by her and I am very excited to read her backlist in the new year while I wait for the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism
Minor: Abandonment