[How it Works](https://moonlitfables.binderybooks.com/how-it-works/) [Bookshop](https://moonlitfables.binderybooks.com/books/bindery/) [Publishing](https://moonlitfables.binderybooks.com/publishing/) [Team](https://moonlitfables.binderybooks.com/team/) [Contact](https://moonlitfables.binderybooks.com/contact/) Log in or Sign up What the River Knows Isabel Ibañez Save to Your Books [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/book/9781250803375) [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250803373) The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in _What the River Knows_, Isabel Ibañez's lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt and filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race. Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind. When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and a golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe. With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her. _What the River Knows_ is the first book in the thrilling Secrets of the Nile duology. > “Expertly plotted, explosively adventurous, and burning with romance.” — Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author. > “Take a plucky heroine, a historically grounded Indiana Jones-esque adventure through Ancient Egypt, and add a surprising dollop of magic—it’s a recipe for a delightful read.” — Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author. _Book 1 in the Secrets of the Nile duology_ Show more Get the Bindery app * * * Posts about this title from Moonlit Fables [Moonlit Fables\\ \\ Rupali\\ \\ • Mar 20 2025](https://moonlitfables.binderybooks.com/) [filming everytime i finished a book](https://moonlitfables.binderybooks.com/item/mCXlCnSwYr4HOe5uK3zP/) gagged a couple times over the last 2 months • #booktok #readingvlog * * * 7 books 2 Posts about this book from across Bindery [Ink & Ether\\ \\ Michelle, The Keeper\\ \\ • Apr 14](https://inkandether.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Curating a Vibe](https://inkandether.binderybooks.com/item/72yZeB7H1c8WSIVQfNRp/) What makes you pick up a book for the first time? Cover? Vibes? Trope? Something else? * * * 4 books 1 [Chanterelle Solace\\ \\ Sabie\\ \\ • Dec 19 2025](https://cozysabie.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Get a Rec from me & What my Taste in books look like](https://cozysabie.binderybooks.com/item/zWkYpBsDLSX6vanGzIRR/) What are some books that represent your taste overall and do we have any in common? 👀 Before we dive into this, Bindery now has an option to request recs and you can go to the 🔗 in my bio and click “Get a Rec” and ask for details of what you’d like from the books I’ve read! I’m also making lists of 2026 releases in fantasy, romance and horror so far so happy to share some of these early on with you guys (these will be recs of what I’m looking forward to rather than what I’ve read) so GO GO GO 🤎 As for my taste in books, I’m never going to be the type that picks only 5 top books for the year guys and I’ve learned to accept it because honestly, what do you mean my top 5 books in one year? I would have to host a meeting with myself for a whole month to decide that 😭 So instead, you guys get my taste in books throughout various sub-genres that I yap about all the time! Here is a list of the books (if you prefer to read through it or for accessibility needs)🤎: Cottagecore: 🍄 Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries 🍄 After the Forest by Kell Woods 🍄 A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison by Aamna Qureshi 🍄 The Geographer’s Map to Romance by India Holton 🍄 The River has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar 🍄 An Arrow to the Heart by K.R. Bacher Cozy Fantasy: 🍄 The Baby Dragon Cafe by Aamna Qureshi 🍄 Legend & Lattes by Travis 🍄 The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong 🍄 The Nameless Restaurant by Tao Wong 🍄 Watermoon by Samantha Sotto Yambao 🍄 The Spellshop by Sangu Mandanna Witchycore: 🍄 The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Anna Bright 🍄 House of Frank by Kay Synclaire 🍄 The Lone Wolf Cafe by Sydney Wilder 🍄 The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore 🍄 A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna 🍄 Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi Retellings, Fairy Tale & Historical Fantasy: 🍄A Sorceress comes to Call by T.Kingfisher 🍄 What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez 🍄 Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross 🍄 We Shall be Monsters by Tara Sim 🍄 The Briar Book of the Dead by A.G Slatter The rest is in my pinned comment! #fantasybooks #topbooksof2025 #favoritebooks * * * 74 books 1 [Chanterelle Solace\\ \\ Sabie\\ \\ • May 23 2025](https://cozysabie.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Favourite Reads from 2024](https://cozysabie.binderybooks.com/item/MQi9p6kOFSyTOfWdBPFU/) Your Favourite Cottagecore Witch Dares you to pick a few favourite reads from this year and comment it below so we can build a magical forest🤎🍄‍🟫🍂 I have had so many good reads towards the end of the year once I realised that I am a gothic, cottagecore and cozy fantasy kind of person. I still enjoy romantasy but I realised that I cannot solely read romantasy and ignore my favourite sub-genre! What have you realised this year from your reading habits? Here are some favourites from this year’s read in no particular order: 🍄‍🟫 My Throat an Open Grave by @toribovalino 🍄‍🟫 Legends & Lattes by @travis\_baldree 🍄‍🟫 Legacy of the Heir by @author\_lauracarter 🍄‍🟫 The Bell Witches by @lindseykelk 🍄‍🟫 Once Upon an Apple by @landiwrites 🍄‍🟫 A Sorceress comes to Call by @redwombatstudio 🍄‍🟫 The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by @brightlyanna 🍄‍🟫 The Will of the Many by @jamesislington\_author 🍄‍🟫 Minor Works of Meda by @juliette.caruso.author 🍄‍🟫 Nettle & bone by @redwombatstudio 🍄‍🟫 What the River Knows by @isabelwriter09 🍄‍🟫 Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by @heather\_fawcett Have you read any of them? Do we have any similar books in our list? This lovely candle is from @midsummerchild 🤎 #cottagecorewitchy #topreads #books Cottagecore Witch Cottagecore Sabie Amber Academia Honey Academia Amber and Honey Academia Cozy Gothic Fantasy Books Cozy Games * * * 12 books [chronicallybookish\\ \\ Kaley\\ \\ • May 9 2025](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Romantasy Books I Recommend](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/item/TIaQahX7iQ2FW6OVb5a2/) Romantasy Recs from someone who doesn't think you should turn off your brain to read critically * * * 7 books [Moonlit Fables\\ \\ Rupali\\ \\ • Mar 20 2025](https://moonlitfables.binderybooks.com/) [filming everytime i finished a book](https://moonlitfables.binderybooks.com/item/mCXlCnSwYr4HOe5uK3zP/) gagged a couple times over the last 2 months • #booktok #readingvlog * * * 7 books 2 [Peppered Ink\\ \\ Mary\\ \\ • Jan 26 2025](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [The extremely short and quick read of the week was _Once More Upon a Time_ by Roshani Chokshi, which takes a handful of hallmarks of classic fairytales (think _Twelve Dancing Princesses_ meets _The Three Princes_) and mashes them together in a tale of love, first cursed then renewed. \\ \\ I'll go ahead and say that it's not my favorite of hers. I don't think I can do sitcom-level humor in a fantasy. (Am I broken? Is there something wrong with me??) I had a similar issue with _Assistant to the Villain_. I love to laugh as much as anyone, but there are too many times it feels overdone—the horse cloak in _Once More Upon a Time_ was entirely unnecessary.\\ \\ Again, a very fast read, but not my cup of twisted tea.\\ \\ \\ \\ My audiobook of late is R.F. Kuang's _The Poppy War_, which (I must admit) I think I might already like better than _Babel_?? I have the entire series on audiobook, but I tend to consume them somewhat slowly (I'm a 1.2x speed kinda gal), so it may be some time before I can offer a meaningful update there. Bear with me.\\ \\ Probably two or more years ago, my beloved sister-in-law gifted me a copy of Chloe Liese's _Only When It's Us_, and as delighted as I was that she was getting into romance, I didn't get around to reading it. Two good friends of mine knew about this utter failure on my part, and one texted the following last week...\\ \\ "This is your quarterly reminder to finally read _Only When It's Us_."\\ \\ Point taken. I started it last night, and I can feel the tears already forming. Stay tuned.\\ \\ I also completely broke my "Dry January" rule. For those of you who didn't happen to see that TikTok, I told myself I wouldn't buy any books during the month of January. I'll fall on my sword in video form soon, but I went ahead and picked up _What the River Knows_ and _Where the Library Hides_ by Isabel Ibañez. (I'm getting the sense that the first is a little better than the second, but I'll be reading them both soon enough to determine that for myself.)\\ \\ Oh, did you think "Dry January" meant no drinking? Bless your heart. New "Liquor in the Library" coming tomorrow...\\ \\ And no, I have not read _Onyx Storm_ yet and have been dodging spoilers on TikTok with agility that would make the dragons proud. I did reread _Fourth Wing_ and _Iron Flame_ seeking out textual evidence of a couple of theories, but those rereads highlighted a handful of inconsistencies that make me want to shake my fist at Red Tower. (PLEASE stop rushing to print! Calm down with the blatant cash grabs, I beg you!)\\ \\ On to what I plan to read this coming week, I'll be finishing up _Only When It's Us_, and I imagine I'll have some research reading to do for preparing my thesis proposal (it COUNTS, okay??). I do want to get to _Onyx Storm_, but also on my list is _The Guncle_ by Steven Rowley, which I've heard is charming.\\ \\ Comment below with what you've been reading lately!](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/item/2g23UYwImGMKu1k7zWaV/) [Weekly Reading Wrap-Up](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/item/2g23UYwImGMKu1k7zWaV/) * * * 7 books 4 [2](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/item/2g23UYwImGMKu1k7zWaV/#comments) [chronicallybookish\\ \\ Kaley\\ \\ • Dec 27 2024](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [The 6 Books I Read in October](https://chronicallybookish.binderybooks.com/item/FHTujyHupYOVldX5nnQl/) * * * 6 books [Skies Press\\ \\ Emma\\ \\ • Oct 28 2024](https://skiesreads.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Book Mail that piled up while I was out of town!](https://skiesreads.binderybooks.com/item/KiwWF2x4LaBPrpOzYEi0/) A lovely stack to come home to! 😌 * * * 6 books