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Daughters of Saraqael #3
Foretold
**Optioned for movie rights by multiple-award winning producer Chase Chenowith of Back Fence Productions.**
Centuries before she was born, Skye Tomaganuk was a subject of the most important prophecy in Estilorian history. As one of three half-human daughters born of the Corgloresti, Saraqael, she is part of the fulfillment of Knorbis’ Great Foretelling. What she doesn’t know is just what the Foretelling entails for her and her sisters.
As Skye and her sisters continue their training and visit each of the Estilorian class homelands, they soon learn how much impact their human emotions have on their father’s kind. Skye is particularly interested in the effect of emotions on her Gloresti, Caleb. Although she wants their relationship to progress beyond just that of protector and assignment, he proves particularly resistant to the idea.
She’ll soon have much more to worry about than a lack of romance, however. With the help of a traitor, Grolkinei infiltrates the Estilorian stronghold, imprisoning Skye’s mind and putting all Estilorians at risk. It leads them all toward the greatest battle of their kind, and puts Skye’s faith to the ultimate test.
Centuries before she was born, Skye Tomaganuk was a subject of the most important prophecy in Estilorian history. As one of three half-human daughters born of the Corgloresti, Saraqael, she is part of the fulfillment of Knorbis’ Great Foretelling. What she doesn’t know is just what the Foretelling entails for her and her sisters.
As Skye and her sisters continue their training and visit each of the Estilorian class homelands, they soon learn how much impact their human emotions have on their father’s kind. Skye is particularly interested in the effect of emotions on her Gloresti, Caleb. Although she wants their relationship to progress beyond just that of protector and assignment, he proves particularly resistant to the idea.
She’ll soon have much more to worry about than a lack of romance, however. With the help of a traitor, Grolkinei infiltrates the Estilorian stronghold, imprisoning Skye’s mind and putting all Estilorians at risk. It leads them all toward the greatest battle of their kind, and puts Skye’s faith to the ultimate test.
498 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2011
25 people are currently reading
886 people want to read
About the author
Raine Thomas
44 books983 followersRaine Thomas is the award-winning author of more than 20 bestselling romances spanning contemporary romance, Sci-Fi romance, and YA fantasy romance. She's a hopeless romantic with a background in the fields of mental health and wedding planning...two areas that intersect far more than one would think. She's also a book fiend, grammar nerd, and editing Red Queen, depending on who you ask.
Be sure to follow Raine on BookBub (https://www.bookbub.com/profile/raine...) to be among the first to learn of any sales, and hop over to her website for your first free read!
Be sure to follow Raine on BookBub (https://www.bookbub.com/profile/raine...) to be among the first to learn of any sales, and hop over to her website for your first free read!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
December 29, 2023
In Foretold, we learn about Kate, the girls mother. Each girl has a significant other and talent that will be necessary to survive The Prophecy. Amber is skilled in combat, endowed with a magical sword Olivia has a love of learning and a gift with bow and arrow. Skye has endurance, flexibility, thinks fast and is good with darts and star blades…and holy light. Even Skye’s innocence is a power. As I get to know the characters so well, I become more invested into what happens to them. The battle will be fierce, but they are ready.
August 1, 2011
Over the past week I have been completely immersed in the Estilorian world and I have loved every minute. Amber, Olivia, Skye, Gabriel, James and Caleb have touched my heart like no other characters have. The beautiful way in which Raine writes each of their stories makes them come alive. You feel what they feel, you love what they love, you dream what they dream and your heart breaks for them. Every character in this series serves a purpose and each of them add to this incredible world. The courage and strength that Amber, Olivia and Skye gain throughout their journey is remarkable. They overcome one obstacle after another. The weight of the responsibility on their shoulders is staggering, yet they do not hesitate to sacrifice whatever it takes.
I truly enjoyed reading Foretold. I absolutely love Skye and Caleb. I feel an automatic connection with Skye because I am the youngest of three girls also. She is completely selfless, she never lets her abilities go to her head. She brings light and joy to her family. I admire her spirit. Caleb’s hard exterior doesn’t sway Skye from trying to soften his heart. As an Estilorian and Gloresti, Caleb struggles with feelings. In a world where feelings were abandoned thousands of years ago, he is unsure how to handle someone as passionate as Skye. She is more than willing and ready to handle that challenge however. I laughed out loud, my heart pounded with anticipation and the words blurred as I cried. Foretold has it all. I’m not saying goodbye to the Estilorians, but rather see you soon.
I truly enjoyed reading Foretold. I absolutely love Skye and Caleb. I feel an automatic connection with Skye because I am the youngest of three girls also. She is completely selfless, she never lets her abilities go to her head. She brings light and joy to her family. I admire her spirit. Caleb’s hard exterior doesn’t sway Skye from trying to soften his heart. As an Estilorian and Gloresti, Caleb struggles with feelings. In a world where feelings were abandoned thousands of years ago, he is unsure how to handle someone as passionate as Skye. She is more than willing and ready to handle that challenge however. I laughed out loud, my heart pounded with anticipation and the words blurred as I cried. Foretold has it all. I’m not saying goodbye to the Estilorians, but rather see you soon.
November 10, 2011
Amber was always the strong one, Olivia was always the smart one, and Skye- she had faith. While this gives her the opportunity to summon holy light, it also puts her the most as risk.
Unlike Gabriel and James, Caleb has a hard time understanding human emotion. He just knows one thing for sure- nothing can happen to Skye. It would all be over.
When Grolkinei found a way into Skye's mind, and takes her prisoner, she realized there is nothing they can do but fight. Sometimes, there is no stopping the inevitable.
My Thoughts: Of all three books, I found this one the easiest to read. Not in the sense of the vocabulary being easy, but it was so enjoyable. Skye is such an energetic character, and it gave the book the boost it needed to make it addicting. Great end to a great series. I would recommend this book to those who liked the first two books in the series!
Unlike Gabriel and James, Caleb has a hard time understanding human emotion. He just knows one thing for sure- nothing can happen to Skye. It would all be over.
When Grolkinei found a way into Skye's mind, and takes her prisoner, she realized there is nothing they can do but fight. Sometimes, there is no stopping the inevitable.
My Thoughts: Of all three books, I found this one the easiest to read. Not in the sense of the vocabulary being easy, but it was so enjoyable. Skye is such an energetic character, and it gave the book the boost it needed to make it addicting. Great end to a great series. I would recommend this book to those who liked the first two books in the series!
May 1, 2012
*Taken from my blog, OtherRealmReviews.blogspot.com, not edited for any other site*
First off, I want it known that this was already written a week ago, my loving fiance however, took the laptop and didn't know to NOT CLOSE THE TAB, so now.. (huge pout), I am re-writing my review, which isn't all bad, since I won't be in utter shock and writing, like the first time, BUT, I am doing it under protest. Protest, because Raine's new book, Defy, the first in the trilogy that follows the ones I am reviewing, was released today, and I haven't gotten to read it yet!
Alas, I knew I needed to write this, (and get it posted, the fiance WILL be home sometime tonight!) before reading the new one, as to not inadvertently review the new one, in this same group. For those to whom that sentence made sense, thank you for following my somewhat twisted thought processes, and for those to whom it did not make sense, my apologies.
Daughters of Saraquel.... omg. I don't have words, even a week, two weeks, and I suspect even six months from now, later. I just don't. Raine Thomas has proven I am NOT the only person in the world that thinks the way I do, lol, poor Raine, but her ability to make it clear to others, well, I envy it. She tells a story so rich, so intricate, and yet, still manages to NOT lose her reader. Something I am still working on.
The main characters exhibit the best humanity has to offer in terms of a desire to do right. Yes, I did intentionally word it that way, because that is pretty much how I view it. We can do right or wrong, and the girls constantly watch themselves to make sure which path they are traveling, a concept I think reaches far more than just myself and my son, judging by the other reviews. What I truly enjoy and what sets these apart from other fantasy novels based on good and evil, is that Raine allows the characters to ALL have both aspects, even those inherently evil ones, and allows you to see the struggles that we all endure as we walk our individual paths. I connected with some aspect of every single character, and I've never, in over 3000 books, and 38 years, encountered that. I empathized (read my first post, I am an empath) with every single character, including Aurora, the feline counterpart to Olivia.
I challenge anyone to read these books and NOT connect to the characters. I cannot imagine someone not finding at least ONE character that was so deeply like themselves, and yet, I can tell you, I saw aspects in ALL of them. Raine has such a clear understanding of humanity, our emotions, and how those emotions can lead the best of us, to do the worst of things, and vice-versa, that you cannot help but connect with her books, and her.
I have been so blessed, the night I was reading the first one, was a very hard night for me. I won't go into details, but I was seeking a distraction from reality, and even my favorite books (Marina's Tales, reviewed first in my blog) were not providing it. My eyes lit on Raine's books, and I decided to trust my instincts. I cannot tell you how glad I am that I did. I also wrote her a letter that night, going into more detail as to what I was trying to evade, and somehow, between her book, and my letter, I made the most valuable thing in the world... a new friendship. However, that didn't happen till I was done with the books, so nope, it's not because I care about Raine that I will crow about her books. That would have happened no matter her response to my letter. :)
There is no simple way to put it that will accurately reflect the quality of the writing. She has no typos, which I find in the big box books anyway, no grammatical issues, nothing of the technical problems that plague so many books.. but she DOES have everything that truly matters. There is a depth of passion, love, and sheer soul that she puts into her work that I see glimpses of in most writing, but rarely is it thrown out there for the world to judge. She puts 110% of herself into what she is writing, and I hope that I have accurately conveyed that.
On that note, as much as I LOVE talking about her books, I am dying to read one.. and mean it is actually starting to make me batty, so, I suggest, when you are done reading the Daughters of Saraquel's trilogy, that you go find "Defy", the story beyond it, and somehow, I already know, it's going to be on my kindle's favorites shelf along with it's predecessors. GO READ! :)
First off, I want it known that this was already written a week ago, my loving fiance however, took the laptop and didn't know to NOT CLOSE THE TAB, so now.. (huge pout), I am re-writing my review, which isn't all bad, since I won't be in utter shock and writing, like the first time, BUT, I am doing it under protest. Protest, because Raine's new book, Defy, the first in the trilogy that follows the ones I am reviewing, was released today, and I haven't gotten to read it yet!
Alas, I knew I needed to write this, (and get it posted, the fiance WILL be home sometime tonight!) before reading the new one, as to not inadvertently review the new one, in this same group. For those to whom that sentence made sense, thank you for following my somewhat twisted thought processes, and for those to whom it did not make sense, my apologies.
Daughters of Saraquel.... omg. I don't have words, even a week, two weeks, and I suspect even six months from now, later. I just don't. Raine Thomas has proven I am NOT the only person in the world that thinks the way I do, lol, poor Raine, but her ability to make it clear to others, well, I envy it. She tells a story so rich, so intricate, and yet, still manages to NOT lose her reader. Something I am still working on.
The main characters exhibit the best humanity has to offer in terms of a desire to do right. Yes, I did intentionally word it that way, because that is pretty much how I view it. We can do right or wrong, and the girls constantly watch themselves to make sure which path they are traveling, a concept I think reaches far more than just myself and my son, judging by the other reviews. What I truly enjoy and what sets these apart from other fantasy novels based on good and evil, is that Raine allows the characters to ALL have both aspects, even those inherently evil ones, and allows you to see the struggles that we all endure as we walk our individual paths. I connected with some aspect of every single character, and I've never, in over 3000 books, and 38 years, encountered that. I empathized (read my first post, I am an empath) with every single character, including Aurora, the feline counterpart to Olivia.
I challenge anyone to read these books and NOT connect to the characters. I cannot imagine someone not finding at least ONE character that was so deeply like themselves, and yet, I can tell you, I saw aspects in ALL of them. Raine has such a clear understanding of humanity, our emotions, and how those emotions can lead the best of us, to do the worst of things, and vice-versa, that you cannot help but connect with her books, and her.
I have been so blessed, the night I was reading the first one, was a very hard night for me. I won't go into details, but I was seeking a distraction from reality, and even my favorite books (Marina's Tales, reviewed first in my blog) were not providing it. My eyes lit on Raine's books, and I decided to trust my instincts. I cannot tell you how glad I am that I did. I also wrote her a letter that night, going into more detail as to what I was trying to evade, and somehow, between her book, and my letter, I made the most valuable thing in the world... a new friendship. However, that didn't happen till I was done with the books, so nope, it's not because I care about Raine that I will crow about her books. That would have happened no matter her response to my letter. :)
There is no simple way to put it that will accurately reflect the quality of the writing. She has no typos, which I find in the big box books anyway, no grammatical issues, nothing of the technical problems that plague so many books.. but she DOES have everything that truly matters. There is a depth of passion, love, and sheer soul that she puts into her work that I see glimpses of in most writing, but rarely is it thrown out there for the world to judge. She puts 110% of herself into what she is writing, and I hope that I have accurately conveyed that.
On that note, as much as I LOVE talking about her books, I am dying to read one.. and mean it is actually starting to make me batty, so, I suggest, when you are done reading the Daughters of Saraquel's trilogy, that you go find "Defy", the story beyond it, and somehow, I already know, it's going to be on my kindle's favorites shelf along with it's predecessors. GO READ! :)
August 4, 2016
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4 stars -- A strong ending to this first trilogy!!! I felt like I was really entrenched in the world by this final book, so I had no problems following all the terminology and the different classes and all the new words, you know?
Skye is all kinds of adorable. I love her lightness and innocence, she just always made me smile with how happy and positive she could be. And while I normally wasn't a huge fan of all the description that this series contained, I did enjoy learning about Skye's outfits, b/c she was always so eclectic.
Caleb had his charms, and I did enjoy how he complimented Skye's flightiness with a more down-to-earth personality, but he wasn't quite as book boyfriend-y as Gabriel and James (for me personally). I did enjoy seeing him give into his emotions. And that first kiss was smoking. So I did enjoy their relationship, but in some ways I felt like they got a little shortchanged in that department. I didn't get quite the build-up and development that I did with Olivia and James.
However, the reason for less relationship development was in part due to the action-y bits and the plot development with the battle/war. And I thoroughly enjoyed all those little pieces that were thrown in, including the mystery of who the traitor was (which I didn't guess). Occasionally some of the bits felt a bit repetitive, but it wasn't enough to disrupt my enjoyment. And I felt like we got some great glimpses at some secondary characters, and I really started to enjoy some of them (from the elders, to some of the commanders, to the Leukwesti that were chosen). It was a full book with all that happened, and the battle totally lived up to my expectations.
And now I have the great problem in that the epilogue and the teaser chapter for the next trilogy have me wanting to dive into it RIGHT NOW. And I honestly can't, b/c I have a darned reading schedule. But you can bet your bippy that I'm buying the next trilogy box set and I can't wait to get back to it when my reading time frees up after Nashville!!
4 stars -- A strong ending to this first trilogy!!! I felt like I was really entrenched in the world by this final book, so I had no problems following all the terminology and the different classes and all the new words, you know?
Skye is all kinds of adorable. I love her lightness and innocence, she just always made me smile with how happy and positive she could be. And while I normally wasn't a huge fan of all the description that this series contained, I did enjoy learning about Skye's outfits, b/c she was always so eclectic.
Caleb had his charms, and I did enjoy how he complimented Skye's flightiness with a more down-to-earth personality, but he wasn't quite as book boyfriend-y as Gabriel and James (for me personally). I did enjoy seeing him give into his emotions. And that first kiss was smoking. So I did enjoy their relationship, but in some ways I felt like they got a little shortchanged in that department. I didn't get quite the build-up and development that I did with Olivia and James.
However, the reason for less relationship development was in part due to the action-y bits and the plot development with the battle/war. And I thoroughly enjoyed all those little pieces that were thrown in, including the mystery of who the traitor was (which I didn't guess). Occasionally some of the bits felt a bit repetitive, but it wasn't enough to disrupt my enjoyment. And I felt like we got some great glimpses at some secondary characters, and I really started to enjoy some of them (from the elders, to some of the commanders, to the Leukwesti that were chosen). It was a full book with all that happened, and the battle totally lived up to my expectations.
And now I have the great problem in that the epilogue and the teaser chapter for the next trilogy have me wanting to dive into it RIGHT NOW. And I honestly can't, b/c I have a darned reading schedule. But you can bet your bippy that I'm buying the next trilogy box set and I can't wait to get back to it when my reading time frees up after Nashville!!
August 9, 2011
FORETOLD (Daughters of Saraqael Book Three)
My Rating 5 stars
From the book:
“ ‘And so it will be strength, courage, wisdom and faith that bring them to us. But it will be love – that of nothing-that will prove most vital to our future.’ “
My Thoughts:
If you haven’t already figured out from my reviews on BECOMING and CENTRAL, I LOVE these books!! This was a roller-coaster end to one of my new favorite series.
Skye is such a fun free spirited character that I LOVED (I know I use that word a lot) seeing her regain her confidence and faith in herself as well grow in her relationship with her family. I don’t want to give away too much, so I’m trying to contain my excitement about this book.
FORETOLD starts off where CENTRAL left off. After a disturbing event involving a mental attach on Skye by the Mercesti leader, the Elders agree to step up protections to prevent the event from happening again. Once they see how successful that protection is for Central, it is recommended that Amber, Olivia, Skye, Gabriel, James, Caleb and the Elders travel to the homelands of the different Estilorian’s so they can be protected from the mental attacks of the Mercesti. During their travels, Amber, Olivia, and Skye learn more about “The Great Foretelling” and the Foretold battle. While things seem to be going smoothly, someone close to the Elders and the girls is betraying them and putting Amber, Olivia, and Sky in danger.
Of course, you can’t have a book about Skye without an amazing party! Which is done in true Skye fashion and that is all I can say about that J . This is a nice break from the stress of the upcoming battle, I promise it comes at a great time; it flows beautifully with the story. I love a great love story and happy endings, especially ones where the characters must overcome a few bumps in the road or battles to get there.
FORETOLD is a breathtaking and enchanting story of forgiveness and love. I was happy with how it ended, though I have been drawn into this world so much that I can’t wait for the next installment!
My Rating 5 stars
From the book:
“ ‘And so it will be strength, courage, wisdom and faith that bring them to us. But it will be love – that of nothing-that will prove most vital to our future.’ “
My Thoughts:
If you haven’t already figured out from my reviews on BECOMING and CENTRAL, I LOVE these books!! This was a roller-coaster end to one of my new favorite series.
Skye is such a fun free spirited character that I LOVED (I know I use that word a lot) seeing her regain her confidence and faith in herself as well grow in her relationship with her family. I don’t want to give away too much, so I’m trying to contain my excitement about this book.
FORETOLD starts off where CENTRAL left off. After a disturbing event involving a mental attach on Skye by the Mercesti leader, the Elders agree to step up protections to prevent the event from happening again. Once they see how successful that protection is for Central, it is recommended that Amber, Olivia, Skye, Gabriel, James, Caleb and the Elders travel to the homelands of the different Estilorian’s so they can be protected from the mental attacks of the Mercesti. During their travels, Amber, Olivia, and Skye learn more about “The Great Foretelling” and the Foretold battle. While things seem to be going smoothly, someone close to the Elders and the girls is betraying them and putting Amber, Olivia, and Sky in danger.
Of course, you can’t have a book about Skye without an amazing party! Which is done in true Skye fashion and that is all I can say about that J . This is a nice break from the stress of the upcoming battle, I promise it comes at a great time; it flows beautifully with the story. I love a great love story and happy endings, especially ones where the characters must overcome a few bumps in the road or battles to get there.
FORETOLD is a breathtaking and enchanting story of forgiveness and love. I was happy with how it ended, though I have been drawn into this world so much that I can’t wait for the next installment!
September 21, 2011
Raine certainly saved the best for last! Wow!! This is my favorite of the trilogy. It grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let go until the very end.
There was so much going on in the book as the sisters and brothers come into their full powers that I can’t begin to explain it all. I’ll just say that Foretold simply has everything one could ask for: romance, adventure, thrills, heartache, conflict between the sisters and their men, selflessness, a fierce battle, clinging to hope when all seems lost, the embracing of one’s destiny with grace, fearlessness and determination and above all the realization that love is what makes life worth living.
This is Skye’s story where she comes into her own and boy does she come into her own! Skye and Caleb were just PERFECT for each other. I loved the way Caleb dealt with Skye’s emotional outbursts by appearing completely unemotional when he was anything but. It was great to see him struggle with expressing his emotions—especially love, because he was so logical and had to analyze everything. The way he finally came to the realization that he loved Skye (after she had a few brushes with the villain) and that wanted to be with her and the way he proposed to her were all so wonderfully romantic. Did I mention that I just loved Caleb? Skye is one lucky gal! I mean they sizzled on the page! I could go on and on, but the best advice I could give is for you to read this book (read all 3 of the books)!
This was a wonderful trilogy that I enjoyed thoroughly and as I bid farewell to the Estilorian world—for now, I look forward to reading future works from Raine Thomas, a truly great imaginative storyteller.
There was so much going on in the book as the sisters and brothers come into their full powers that I can’t begin to explain it all. I’ll just say that Foretold simply has everything one could ask for: romance, adventure, thrills, heartache, conflict between the sisters and their men, selflessness, a fierce battle, clinging to hope when all seems lost, the embracing of one’s destiny with grace, fearlessness and determination and above all the realization that love is what makes life worth living.
This is Skye’s story where she comes into her own and boy does she come into her own! Skye and Caleb were just PERFECT for each other. I loved the way Caleb dealt with Skye’s emotional outbursts by appearing completely unemotional when he was anything but. It was great to see him struggle with expressing his emotions—especially love, because he was so logical and had to analyze everything. The way he finally came to the realization that he loved Skye (after she had a few brushes with the villain) and that wanted to be with her and the way he proposed to her were all so wonderfully romantic. Did I mention that I just loved Caleb? Skye is one lucky gal! I mean they sizzled on the page! I could go on and on, but the best advice I could give is for you to read this book (read all 3 of the books)!
This was a wonderful trilogy that I enjoyed thoroughly and as I bid farewell to the Estilorian world—for now, I look forward to reading future works from Raine Thomas, a truly great imaginative storyteller.
April 16, 2012
I have really enjoyed this series! It is packed with action and romance. It has been fun to see the sister's grow and fulfill their destiny. They have changed pretty rapidly over the short course of the time the series takes place. It was intriguing to see the battle happen and see the girls in action as well as the other Estilorians. Of course there were still some surprises I didn't expect. And the bad guy gets more psycho as time goes by and made for some incredibly creepy scenes. The growth of the sisters' powers was pretty cool too. The ending was interesting and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Skye really grew in this book as she learned control over her power and acceptance and confidence in herself. I really like all the sisters and Skye is definitely the one you never know what to expect from. Her scenes with Caleb were adorable especially when he was resistant. Skye is snarky and all 3 sisters compliment each other. Caleb annoyed me a little at times because he was so resistant when the truth was so obvious, but he had some great moments. Just as I loved the interaction of the 3 sisters, I loved the interactions of Gabriel, James, and Caleb. All of the couples are absolutely adorable as well and I love them all. I personally still like Gabriel the best of all the guys!
What I loved about the series is that each book focused on one sister, but there was still plenty of scenes about the other sisters. Amber, Olivia, Skye, Gabriel, James, and Caleb are all great characters and a lot of fun to get to know over the series. I highly recommend it becasue I absolutely enjoyed the series!
Skye really grew in this book as she learned control over her power and acceptance and confidence in herself. I really like all the sisters and Skye is definitely the one you never know what to expect from. Her scenes with Caleb were adorable especially when he was resistant. Skye is snarky and all 3 sisters compliment each other. Caleb annoyed me a little at times because he was so resistant when the truth was so obvious, but he had some great moments. Just as I loved the interaction of the 3 sisters, I loved the interactions of Gabriel, James, and Caleb. All of the couples are absolutely adorable as well and I love them all. I personally still like Gabriel the best of all the guys!
What I loved about the series is that each book focused on one sister, but there was still plenty of scenes about the other sisters. Amber, Olivia, Skye, Gabriel, James, and Caleb are all great characters and a lot of fun to get to know over the series. I highly recommend it becasue I absolutely enjoyed the series!
May 9, 2012
The fairy tale continues in this third book of The Daughters of Saraqael Triology. It centers around Skye, the third sister. I have to say that I think Skye is my favorite of the sisters, though you can't help but love them all. Skye is passionate and impulsive, and she gives her Gloresti protector Caleb a run for his money. The romance continues to develop between Skye and Caleb, despite his resolve not to feel these human emotions. Of course Caleb is quite the hottie to. Skye's special abilities to see into the future prove very beneficial to the protection of not only the sisters, but the Estilorians as a whole. Skye, her sisters, and their husbands and protectors join together with the elders to help protect the Estilorians from the onslaught of the evil Mercesti. Grolkinei, the evil leader wants Skye desperately, and even visits her in her dreams. A great battle ensues, as the prophecy regarding the sisters continues to unfold before their eyes. The book is filled with action, passion, romance, mystery and fantasy. This is an amazing third and final book in this series. If you love fantasy and romance, then you will be amazed with Raine Thomas' Foretold.
The Daughters of Saraqael triology is one of the best fantasy reads I've seen in a long time. If you love romance, fantasy, and fairy tales with some really intense action and drama, then Foretold will not leave you disappointed. This is a wonderful conclusion to an amazing series and I highly recommend it.
The Daughters of Saraqael triology is one of the best fantasy reads I've seen in a long time. If you love romance, fantasy, and fairy tales with some really intense action and drama, then Foretold will not leave you disappointed. This is a wonderful conclusion to an amazing series and I highly recommend it.
July 29, 2011
I can't lie. This was the book I was waiting for. I have loved Skye's character from the moment I read about her for the first time. I also fell in love with Caleb the moment that Raine allowed us into his mind.
Skye is such a vibrant character, she made me laugh constantly. She is both bold and incredibly innocent. She goes through a transformation in this book that will surprise and awe you at the same time. Caleb is an amazing hero and he also goes through changes in this book that will leave your heart swollen. These characters found their way into my heart and I refuse to let them go.
I'm sad to leave this world for the time being but I have hope that I will be back on the estilorian plane soon. ;)
Skye is such a vibrant character, she made me laugh constantly. She is both bold and incredibly innocent. She goes through a transformation in this book that will surprise and awe you at the same time. Caleb is an amazing hero and he also goes through changes in this book that will leave your heart swollen. These characters found their way into my heart and I refuse to let them go.
I'm sad to leave this world for the time being but I have hope that I will be back on the estilorian plane soon. ;)
January 18, 2012
The last book in the Saraqael Daughters series was wonderful. The imagery and character development was really great. Trying to figure out how they will get through the great foretelling and maintain their solid personalities and relationships keeps the book interesting. Even if the book wasn't good (which is was) trying to figure out who the traitor is was enough to keep you reading. Most writers tend to give it away but Raine Thomas doesn't give anything away at all and you will really be surprised, the traitor wasn't even in my top 5 guesses. I loved watching the relationship between Skylar and Caleb develop. I would recommend this series to everyone. If you read it keep an open mind and realize that it is supposed to fantasy and just enjoy it.
June 28, 2013
I really enjoyed this series. It was well written, and I thought that the author did a marvelous job at portraying each and every one of her characters. I loved how unique each of the sister's personalities were especially. It wasn't bland at all. I would definitely recommend this book. It was all so innocent and clear and decent. There wasn't anything in this series that could offend, you know? I don't think I will be adding this series to my favorites on FB or anything, haha. But I really did enjoy it. :)
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August 12, 2025Another 3.5 stars to this book. I really enjoy the series, even though it isn't the best-written series ever and this is definitely my favourite book in the series. I look forward to continuing my reread with the Firstborn trilogy, although I do prefer this one to that one.
July 4, 2015
Title: Foretold
Author: Raine Thomas
Series: Yes
Cliffhanger: No
Release Date: July 2011
Rating: 3
HEA:
The third and last instalment of the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy focuses on Skye and Caleb. Skye is the youngest of the triplets. Its hard to describe this book in general terms because it felt like two different books in one by the time you get to the end. It wasn't in a bad way just a there should be four books way or a shorten it by cutting out all the time wasting book.
The world that has been created is different than in other books that I have read and it is refreshing. I don't mind reading a lot of similar stories but it is nice to change it up. The problem with this series is that by the time we get to this book there is just a lot going on. Skye and Caleb got together in a very easy and almost predictable way. Almost as if to get that out of the way for the rest of the story. And even with that being fast I think that Skye and Caleb are the author's favorite couple because we barely get point of views from the others. I'm not sure how to talk about all the things that I didn't like so much in a understandable way. So I put what I could remember in some bullet points. I don't think there are too many spoiler but there might be some. Not big spoilers but if you hate that then maybe don't read on
-I thought that Amber was suppose to be the leader. In the first book there was this big deal about Amber accepting her role as the leader. Then the next two books focused on the other girls and all but forgot Amber. For me personally this is unfortunate because I really liked her.
-It is getting a little weird how connected the girls and guys are (Amber, Olivia, Skye, Gabriel, etc.) Now they can all hear and talk to each other in their minds. There is just a little too much going on. I mean fine have them connected but you don't have to mention it every five seconds. It is getting almost incestuos to have all of them connected so much. I mean one time Caleb was checking to see if James was awake so he could be on the look out for Skye so Caleb could take a shower. James was awake but he was in the middle of something (sex with Olivia) so Caleb just laughed and then had sex with Skye as if he wasn't just in his friends head who was having sex.
-The story started to drag by the time it got to 80%. There is suppose to be this big battle but they are going to each class home to do the protection thing. We don't need to see all of that. Just show the first one and say something like they did all of them and it got easier every time and each home they went to the Estilorians believed in them more. Or something like that. No Point in wasting a lot of time going through all these boring things that are slowing the story down.
-Too many pregnancies. I get having just Amber pregnant but I wish that it was only one of them. They get to see how this go and only have to deal with one right now. Also I wish she got pregnant later in the series. Like close to the battle they find out. That way she isn't too far along during the battle and it could be like a bolstering effect before they are going into battle. And in an epilogue we can read about the others having babies.
-The viewpoints - in the first book they switched between all three girls a lot by the end. In the second and definitely the third book there is barely any switching. It is only for a page at most. I am also getting kind of sick of Skye and Caleb. I like them but I liked Amber and Gabriel a lot more. And at this point since Amber is suppose to be kind of the leader for the sisters and Gabriel is an elder it is closer the top of the information chain I guess. (I know they can all read each other's minds and communicate but it is not the same.)
-Feels like two books - The beginning of the third book was a lot like second in that it followed more with the theme of getting Caleb and Skye together. Now it is like a completely different book. And honestly I wish it was a fourth book. That way there could be more development for the battle storyline. Also it could be either from Amber and Gabriel's point of view mainly. Or like the first book it can cycle through all three sisters more to get an even perspective from all of them.
-What happened to Quincy - Where is he? It seems odd to have this big ordeal in saving him and then he basically disappears from everything. I assume he will pop up towards the end but seriously. He is this major plot point for Skye and then he is all but forgotten for the rest of the book until the end where it is convenient to put him back in.
-Aurora - We see her at the beginning of the book and then never again until the end. I get that it is from Skye and Caleb's point of view but why bother having her in their at all and having babies and everything if you are going to forget she exists for 95% of the book.
-Rating - was going to be at least a 4 but now can't be any higher than a 3 for me. At least half way through is when I started having all of these problems with the book. Ultimately that is what brought the rating down for me. I was prepared, mainly based on the first book, for this one to be awesome. Unfortunately my expectations were too high.
-Everything just got too complicated. Simplifying is what the author should have done. Less visits to all the class homes, less pregnancies, less of the same getting captured then escaping, etc.
Regardless of all the issues I have with this book, it has been an enjoyable series. When I started I just could not put the books down. And although that was true throughout it did get easier to put it down towards the end. When I was done I found out that there is another trilogy that I believe follows the children of Amber, Olivia, and Skye. I don’t think I will continuing on with this series for now. This book just did not leave me in a good frame of mind to continue for now. Maybe some day.
Author: Raine Thomas
Series: Yes
Cliffhanger: No
Release Date: July 2011
Rating: 3
HEA:
The third and last instalment of the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy focuses on Skye and Caleb. Skye is the youngest of the triplets. Its hard to describe this book in general terms because it felt like two different books in one by the time you get to the end. It wasn't in a bad way just a there should be four books way or a shorten it by cutting out all the time wasting book.
The world that has been created is different than in other books that I have read and it is refreshing. I don't mind reading a lot of similar stories but it is nice to change it up. The problem with this series is that by the time we get to this book there is just a lot going on. Skye and Caleb got together in a very easy and almost predictable way. Almost as if to get that out of the way for the rest of the story. And even with that being fast I think that Skye and Caleb are the author's favorite couple because we barely get point of views from the others. I'm not sure how to talk about all the things that I didn't like so much in a understandable way. So I put what I could remember in some bullet points. I don't think there are too many spoiler but there might be some. Not big spoilers but if you hate that then maybe don't read on
-I thought that Amber was suppose to be the leader. In the first book there was this big deal about Amber accepting her role as the leader. Then the next two books focused on the other girls and all but forgot Amber. For me personally this is unfortunate because I really liked her.
-It is getting a little weird how connected the girls and guys are (Amber, Olivia, Skye, Gabriel, etc.) Now they can all hear and talk to each other in their minds. There is just a little too much going on. I mean fine have them connected but you don't have to mention it every five seconds. It is getting almost incestuos to have all of them connected so much. I mean one time Caleb was checking to see if James was awake so he could be on the look out for Skye so Caleb could take a shower. James was awake but he was in the middle of something (sex with Olivia) so Caleb just laughed and then had sex with Skye as if he wasn't just in his friends head who was having sex.
-The story started to drag by the time it got to 80%. There is suppose to be this big battle but they are going to each class home to do the protection thing. We don't need to see all of that. Just show the first one and say something like they did all of them and it got easier every time and each home they went to the Estilorians believed in them more. Or something like that. No Point in wasting a lot of time going through all these boring things that are slowing the story down.
-Too many pregnancies. I get having just Amber pregnant but I wish that it was only one of them. They get to see how this go and only have to deal with one right now. Also I wish she got pregnant later in the series. Like close to the battle they find out. That way she isn't too far along during the battle and it could be like a bolstering effect before they are going into battle. And in an epilogue we can read about the others having babies.
-The viewpoints - in the first book they switched between all three girls a lot by the end. In the second and definitely the third book there is barely any switching. It is only for a page at most. I am also getting kind of sick of Skye and Caleb. I like them but I liked Amber and Gabriel a lot more. And at this point since Amber is suppose to be kind of the leader for the sisters and Gabriel is an elder it is closer the top of the information chain I guess. (I know they can all read each other's minds and communicate but it is not the same.)
-Feels like two books - The beginning of the third book was a lot like second in that it followed more with the theme of getting Caleb and Skye together. Now it is like a completely different book. And honestly I wish it was a fourth book. That way there could be more development for the battle storyline. Also it could be either from Amber and Gabriel's point of view mainly. Or like the first book it can cycle through all three sisters more to get an even perspective from all of them.
-What happened to Quincy - Where is he? It seems odd to have this big ordeal in saving him and then he basically disappears from everything. I assume he will pop up towards the end but seriously. He is this major plot point for Skye and then he is all but forgotten for the rest of the book until the end where it is convenient to put him back in.
-Aurora - We see her at the beginning of the book and then never again until the end. I get that it is from Skye and Caleb's point of view but why bother having her in their at all and having babies and everything if you are going to forget she exists for 95% of the book.
-Rating - was going to be at least a 4 but now can't be any higher than a 3 for me. At least half way through is when I started having all of these problems with the book. Ultimately that is what brought the rating down for me. I was prepared, mainly based on the first book, for this one to be awesome. Unfortunately my expectations were too high.
-Everything just got too complicated. Simplifying is what the author should have done. Less visits to all the class homes, less pregnancies, less of the same getting captured then escaping, etc.
Regardless of all the issues I have with this book, it has been an enjoyable series. When I started I just could not put the books down. And although that was true throughout it did get easier to put it down towards the end. When I was done I found out that there is another trilogy that I believe follows the children of Amber, Olivia, and Skye. I don’t think I will continuing on with this series for now. This book just did not leave me in a good frame of mind to continue for now. Maybe some day.
March 27, 2012
Review brought to you by OBS staff member Annabell
Note: Contains lots of spoilers!
Synopsis:
Centuries before she was born, Skye Tomaganuk was a subject of the most important prophecy in Estilorian history. As one of three half-human daughters born of the Corgloresti, Saraqael, she is part of the fulfillment of Knorbis’ Great Foretelling. What she doesn’t know is just what the Foretelling entails for her and her sisters.
As Skye and her sisters continue their training and visit each of the Estilorian class homelands, they soon learn how much impact their human emotions have on their father’s kind. Skye is particularly interested in the effect of emotions on her Gloresti, Caleb. Although she wants their relationship to progress beyond just that of protector and assignment, he proves particularly resistant to the idea.
She’ll soon have much more to worry about than a lack of romance, however. With the help of a traitor, Grolkinei infiltrates the Estilorian stronghold, imprisoning Skye’s mind and putting all Estilorians at risk. It leads them all toward the greatest battle of their kind, and puts Skye’s faith to the ultimate test.
Review: Foretold is the final book in the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy and out of all three books, probably the best one. I liked both Amber and Olivia, but Skye turned out to my favorite out of all three of the sisters. She started off as a very weak character in the first book and I think she made the biggest strides out of all three of the girls. Foretold not only shines a more intimate light on Skye as well as her Gloresti, Caleb, but also, on the big battle the books have been leading up with Grolkinei.
Foretold starts off with a heavy and heartbreaking event involving a mental attack on Skye by the Mercesti leader, Grolkinei, the Elders step up protections to prevent any mental attacks from happening again on any of the girls. The protections are successful so the Elders choose to have Amber, Olivia, Skye, Gabriel, James, and Caleb travel to the homelands of the different Estilorian’s so they can be protected from the mental attacks by the Mercesti. As they travel through the homelands, Amber, Olivia, and Skye learn more about the Great Foretelling and the battle to come. While everything seems to be going well and the different homelands are becoming more accepting of the sisters, they soon find out not everyone they have chosen to trust is truly their friend and Amber, Skye, and Olivia are in greater danger than they could have imagined.
I had so much fun with Skye and Caleb! They’re relationship was the best developed and far more realistic than the others. I loved how complete opposites they were. Caleb is strong, solid, takes no-nonsense and shows little emotion whereas Skye is optimistic, bubbly, naive and innocent. She loves to sing off key and dance around in her crazy fashions. Caleb struggles to understand the way human emotions work and how to protect Skye when he doesn’t understand any of the feelings he is having towards her. I love how Caleb didn’t worry about hurting Skye’s feelings. He was always bluntly honest with her and treated her as strong as he knew she was even when she didn’t believe it.
I also really appreciated and loved the Christian themes throughout the book. I don’t know if that is what the author intentionally meant to do though. There are just many great messages throughout each of the books, especially in Foretold. To have faith in yourself, to trust that hope is never far away, and love is the most powerful weapon we have, such great lessons to remember and live by.
I really liked and enjoyed most of the book. One of the things that bothered me though was how close the plot was to Central. All the girls are married. All of them are pregnant. All of them have waaay too much sex. The plot just sounded redundant. There were things that were different like some of the fight scenes but even then it was somewhat redundant because every one of the girls has to face a villain face to face, but helped to be rescued by the magic of their sisters, the Elders, and the Gloresti guardians. The pacing was still dragged down by far too much detail of things that just didn’t matter to the plot. One of the things that has always seemed absolutely ridiculous to me was the singing the girls would to protect their thoughts. They would sing songs from various pop music artists and those scenes always felt very out of place with the rest of the book. Another big problem in all three books was the way the dialogue and narration was written. Often the voices of the characters all sounded the same and it was hard to remember who was speaking or who the narration was talking about. The tone also often sounded too informative so it would interfere with being able to fully be swept away in the book.
But regardless of flaws in each of the books, I think author Raine Thomas has a brilliant imagination and wonderfully fun ideas. There is a whimsical feel to the romances she creates and a certain realism to them (especially with Skye and Caleb). There was heart behind the characters and the storyline which so many books seem to lack nowadays. Overall, it was a lot of fun reading the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy!
The Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy are books filled with plenty of magic, loveable and relatable characters, and worlds vividly described. I would recommend the books to anyone who is a fan of science fiction and fantasy; you will have quite an adventure!
http://openbooksociety.com/article/fo...
Note: Contains lots of spoilers!
Synopsis:
Centuries before she was born, Skye Tomaganuk was a subject of the most important prophecy in Estilorian history. As one of three half-human daughters born of the Corgloresti, Saraqael, she is part of the fulfillment of Knorbis’ Great Foretelling. What she doesn’t know is just what the Foretelling entails for her and her sisters.
As Skye and her sisters continue their training and visit each of the Estilorian class homelands, they soon learn how much impact their human emotions have on their father’s kind. Skye is particularly interested in the effect of emotions on her Gloresti, Caleb. Although she wants their relationship to progress beyond just that of protector and assignment, he proves particularly resistant to the idea.
She’ll soon have much more to worry about than a lack of romance, however. With the help of a traitor, Grolkinei infiltrates the Estilorian stronghold, imprisoning Skye’s mind and putting all Estilorians at risk. It leads them all toward the greatest battle of their kind, and puts Skye’s faith to the ultimate test.
Review: Foretold is the final book in the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy and out of all three books, probably the best one. I liked both Amber and Olivia, but Skye turned out to my favorite out of all three of the sisters. She started off as a very weak character in the first book and I think she made the biggest strides out of all three of the girls. Foretold not only shines a more intimate light on Skye as well as her Gloresti, Caleb, but also, on the big battle the books have been leading up with Grolkinei.
Foretold starts off with a heavy and heartbreaking event involving a mental attack on Skye by the Mercesti leader, Grolkinei, the Elders step up protections to prevent any mental attacks from happening again on any of the girls. The protections are successful so the Elders choose to have Amber, Olivia, Skye, Gabriel, James, and Caleb travel to the homelands of the different Estilorian’s so they can be protected from the mental attacks by the Mercesti. As they travel through the homelands, Amber, Olivia, and Skye learn more about the Great Foretelling and the battle to come. While everything seems to be going well and the different homelands are becoming more accepting of the sisters, they soon find out not everyone they have chosen to trust is truly their friend and Amber, Skye, and Olivia are in greater danger than they could have imagined.
I had so much fun with Skye and Caleb! They’re relationship was the best developed and far more realistic than the others. I loved how complete opposites they were. Caleb is strong, solid, takes no-nonsense and shows little emotion whereas Skye is optimistic, bubbly, naive and innocent. She loves to sing off key and dance around in her crazy fashions. Caleb struggles to understand the way human emotions work and how to protect Skye when he doesn’t understand any of the feelings he is having towards her. I love how Caleb didn’t worry about hurting Skye’s feelings. He was always bluntly honest with her and treated her as strong as he knew she was even when she didn’t believe it.
I also really appreciated and loved the Christian themes throughout the book. I don’t know if that is what the author intentionally meant to do though. There are just many great messages throughout each of the books, especially in Foretold. To have faith in yourself, to trust that hope is never far away, and love is the most powerful weapon we have, such great lessons to remember and live by.
I really liked and enjoyed most of the book. One of the things that bothered me though was how close the plot was to Central. All the girls are married. All of them are pregnant. All of them have waaay too much sex. The plot just sounded redundant. There were things that were different like some of the fight scenes but even then it was somewhat redundant because every one of the girls has to face a villain face to face, but helped to be rescued by the magic of their sisters, the Elders, and the Gloresti guardians. The pacing was still dragged down by far too much detail of things that just didn’t matter to the plot. One of the things that has always seemed absolutely ridiculous to me was the singing the girls would to protect their thoughts. They would sing songs from various pop music artists and those scenes always felt very out of place with the rest of the book. Another big problem in all three books was the way the dialogue and narration was written. Often the voices of the characters all sounded the same and it was hard to remember who was speaking or who the narration was talking about. The tone also often sounded too informative so it would interfere with being able to fully be swept away in the book.
But regardless of flaws in each of the books, I think author Raine Thomas has a brilliant imagination and wonderfully fun ideas. There is a whimsical feel to the romances she creates and a certain realism to them (especially with Skye and Caleb). There was heart behind the characters and the storyline which so many books seem to lack nowadays. Overall, it was a lot of fun reading the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy!
The Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy are books filled with plenty of magic, loveable and relatable characters, and worlds vividly described. I would recommend the books to anyone who is a fan of science fiction and fantasy; you will have quite an adventure!
http://openbooksociety.com/article/fo...
December 3, 2024
While overall, I enjoyed this series, I got a little bogged down by the constant pregnancy stuff. I mean, seriously, this is a YA novel, ya? So what's with the fixation?
August 8, 2012
Foretold is the final book in the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy and out of all three books, probably the best one. I liked both Amber and Olivia, but Skye turned out to my favorite out of all three of the sisters. She started off as a very weak character in the first book and I think she made the biggest strides out of all three of the girls. Foretold not only shines a more intimate light on Skye as well as her Gloresti, Caleb, but also, on the big battle the books have been leading up with Grolkinei.
Foretold starts off with a heavy and heartbreaking event involving a mental attack on Skye by the Mercesti leader, Grolkinei, the Elders step up protections to prevent any mental attacks from happening again on any of the girls. The protections are successful so the Elders choose to have Amber, Olivia, Skye, Gabriel, James, Caleb travel to the homelands of the different Estilorian’s so they can be protected from the mental attacks by the Mercesti. As they travel through the homelands, Amber, Olivia, and Skye learn more about the Great Foretelling and the battle to come. While everything seems to be going well and the different homelands are becoming more accepting of the sisters, they soon find out not everyone they have chosen to trust is truly their friend and Amber, Skye, and Olivia are in greater danger than they could have imagined.
I had so much fun with Skye and Caleb! They’re relationship was the best developed and far more realistic than the others. I loved how complete opposites they were. Caleb is strong, solid, takes no-nonsense and shows little emotion whereas Skye is optimistic, bubbly, naive and innocent. She loves to sing off key and dance around in her crazy fashions. Caleb struggles to understand the way human emotions work and how to protect Skye when he doesn’t understand any of the feelings he is having towards her. I love how Caleb didn’t worry about hurting Skye’s feelings. He was always bluntly honest with her and treated her as strong as he knew she was even when she didn’t believe it.
I also really appreciated and loved the Christian themes throughout the book. I don’t know if that is what the author intentionally meant to do though. There are just many great messages throughout each of the books, especially in Foretold. To have faith in yourself, to trust that hope is never far away, and love is the most powerful weapon we have, such great lessons to remember and live by.
I really liked and enjoyed most of the book. One of the things that bothered me though was how close the plot was to Central. All the girls are married. All of them are pregnant. All of them have waaay too much sex. The plot just sounded redundant. There were things that were different like some of the fight scenes but even then it was somewhat redundant because every one of the girls has to face a villain face to face but helped be rescued by the magic of their sisters, the Elders, and the Gloresti guardians. The pacing was still dragged down by far too much detail of things that just didn’t matter to the plot. One of the things that has always seemed absolutely ridiculous to me was the singing the girls would to protect their thoughts. They would sing songs from various pop music artists and those scenes always felt very out of place with the rest of the book. Another big problem in all three books was the way the dialogue and narration was written. Often the voices of the characters all sounded the same and it was hard to remember who was speaking or who the narration was talking about. The tone also often sounded too informative so it would interfere with being able to fully be swept away in the book.
But regardless of flaws in each of the books, I think author Raine Thomas has a brilliant imagination and wonderfully fun ideas. There is a whimsical feel to the romances she creates and a certain realism to them (especially with Skye and Caleb). There was heart behind the characters and the storyline which so many books seem to lack nowadays. Overall, it was a lot of fun reading the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy!
The Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy are books filled with plenty of magic, loveable and relatable characters, and worlds vividly described. I would recommend the books to anyone who is a fan of science fiction and fantasy; you will have quite an adventure!
Foretold starts off with a heavy and heartbreaking event involving a mental attack on Skye by the Mercesti leader, Grolkinei, the Elders step up protections to prevent any mental attacks from happening again on any of the girls. The protections are successful so the Elders choose to have Amber, Olivia, Skye, Gabriel, James, Caleb travel to the homelands of the different Estilorian’s so they can be protected from the mental attacks by the Mercesti. As they travel through the homelands, Amber, Olivia, and Skye learn more about the Great Foretelling and the battle to come. While everything seems to be going well and the different homelands are becoming more accepting of the sisters, they soon find out not everyone they have chosen to trust is truly their friend and Amber, Skye, and Olivia are in greater danger than they could have imagined.
I had so much fun with Skye and Caleb! They’re relationship was the best developed and far more realistic than the others. I loved how complete opposites they were. Caleb is strong, solid, takes no-nonsense and shows little emotion whereas Skye is optimistic, bubbly, naive and innocent. She loves to sing off key and dance around in her crazy fashions. Caleb struggles to understand the way human emotions work and how to protect Skye when he doesn’t understand any of the feelings he is having towards her. I love how Caleb didn’t worry about hurting Skye’s feelings. He was always bluntly honest with her and treated her as strong as he knew she was even when she didn’t believe it.
I also really appreciated and loved the Christian themes throughout the book. I don’t know if that is what the author intentionally meant to do though. There are just many great messages throughout each of the books, especially in Foretold. To have faith in yourself, to trust that hope is never far away, and love is the most powerful weapon we have, such great lessons to remember and live by.
I really liked and enjoyed most of the book. One of the things that bothered me though was how close the plot was to Central. All the girls are married. All of them are pregnant. All of them have waaay too much sex. The plot just sounded redundant. There were things that were different like some of the fight scenes but even then it was somewhat redundant because every one of the girls has to face a villain face to face but helped be rescued by the magic of their sisters, the Elders, and the Gloresti guardians. The pacing was still dragged down by far too much detail of things that just didn’t matter to the plot. One of the things that has always seemed absolutely ridiculous to me was the singing the girls would to protect their thoughts. They would sing songs from various pop music artists and those scenes always felt very out of place with the rest of the book. Another big problem in all three books was the way the dialogue and narration was written. Often the voices of the characters all sounded the same and it was hard to remember who was speaking or who the narration was talking about. The tone also often sounded too informative so it would interfere with being able to fully be swept away in the book.
But regardless of flaws in each of the books, I think author Raine Thomas has a brilliant imagination and wonderfully fun ideas. There is a whimsical feel to the romances she creates and a certain realism to them (especially with Skye and Caleb). There was heart behind the characters and the storyline which so many books seem to lack nowadays. Overall, it was a lot of fun reading the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy!
The Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy are books filled with plenty of magic, loveable and relatable characters, and worlds vividly described. I would recommend the books to anyone who is a fan of science fiction and fantasy; you will have quite an adventure!
April 29, 2012
My Review:
If I had to use one word to describe Foretold I would have to say that it is absolutely enthralling and a perfect ending to the Daughters of Saraqael trilogy. I say this because I felt it had all of the elements that make a final book in a fantasy/romance series work. Foretold was captivating, it had a lot of action, intensity, romance, and great world building as we continue to learn more about the Estilorian world. Estilorians being beings with powers who used to share the world with human beings and who later became the stuff of what human legend and myth are based upon.
What I loved the most about Foretold is that it is a complete study on emotion. A study that started in Becoming which is the first installment in the Daughters of Saraqael series and continued flawlessly through Foretold. Why do I say this? Well, because through the Estilorians and interactions with the main characters in this series who are half human we get to witness how the lack of emotion can affect a being (estilorians in this case) and why emotions are important in a society (human or not) and I have to say it was completely fascinating. I really feel like this book delved into what makes a person good or evil which honestly is not the easiest subject to tackle but Raine does an amazing job at exploring this which leads me to our main characters.
The character development in this book is fantastic. Raine Thomas always delivers in creating incredibly well developed characters be it primary or secondary characters because she always makes sure to give them a specific dilemma to tackle and the reader just finds themselves immediately engaged in what is challenging these characters lives. Skye who is the lead female character and main focus in this novel is an incredibly fun, honest, and lovely character with so much enthusiasm that you can't help but like her because she is innocent and has a playful mischievousness to her. Caleb who is the male lead in this book embodies everything that Skye is not. He is stoic, calm, and collected and when you put them together in a scene it is like magic because they contrast yet compliment each other so well and honestly share some of the most funny and romantic scenes in the whole series. Their misunderstandings are just beyond adorable because Skye exhibits a lot of emotion but Caleb doesn't always know how to express himself so it takes them a bit to figure each other out and that they like each other and it was fun to read about.
In Foretold we also get a lot of world development. Raine Thomas has an incredible imagination because the descriptions of the Estilorian world are so vivid and creative and I like how she uses some traditional fantasy elements in the story and gives them a twist and creates such an intricate world with it's own politics and complex societal structure. It was really interesting to read about as were the battle scenes that take place in this novel which really were incredibly surprising because there were so many twists and schemers in this novel. And the villain. Boy was he evil, manipulative, and ruthless. He gives Voldemort a huge run for his money and truly had not even a shred of decency, just a lot of hate and jealousy in his heart.
My advice: If you love fantasy and romance you have to check this series out because it has both by the bucket-loads. For me Foretold had all the elements that a great Young Adult fantasy/romance novel needs to possess in order to be credible and compelling. And beware because you will also find yourself lost in love with these characters and story, as well.
My Rating: 5/5
If I had to use one word to describe Foretold I would have to say that it is absolutely enthralling and a perfect ending to the Daughters of Saraqael trilogy. I say this because I felt it had all of the elements that make a final book in a fantasy/romance series work. Foretold was captivating, it had a lot of action, intensity, romance, and great world building as we continue to learn more about the Estilorian world. Estilorians being beings with powers who used to share the world with human beings and who later became the stuff of what human legend and myth are based upon.
What I loved the most about Foretold is that it is a complete study on emotion. A study that started in Becoming which is the first installment in the Daughters of Saraqael series and continued flawlessly through Foretold. Why do I say this? Well, because through the Estilorians and interactions with the main characters in this series who are half human we get to witness how the lack of emotion can affect a being (estilorians in this case) and why emotions are important in a society (human or not) and I have to say it was completely fascinating. I really feel like this book delved into what makes a person good or evil which honestly is not the easiest subject to tackle but Raine does an amazing job at exploring this which leads me to our main characters.
The character development in this book is fantastic. Raine Thomas always delivers in creating incredibly well developed characters be it primary or secondary characters because she always makes sure to give them a specific dilemma to tackle and the reader just finds themselves immediately engaged in what is challenging these characters lives. Skye who is the lead female character and main focus in this novel is an incredibly fun, honest, and lovely character with so much enthusiasm that you can't help but like her because she is innocent and has a playful mischievousness to her. Caleb who is the male lead in this book embodies everything that Skye is not. He is stoic, calm, and collected and when you put them together in a scene it is like magic because they contrast yet compliment each other so well and honestly share some of the most funny and romantic scenes in the whole series. Their misunderstandings are just beyond adorable because Skye exhibits a lot of emotion but Caleb doesn't always know how to express himself so it takes them a bit to figure each other out and that they like each other and it was fun to read about.
In Foretold we also get a lot of world development. Raine Thomas has an incredible imagination because the descriptions of the Estilorian world are so vivid and creative and I like how she uses some traditional fantasy elements in the story and gives them a twist and creates such an intricate world with it's own politics and complex societal structure. It was really interesting to read about as were the battle scenes that take place in this novel which really were incredibly surprising because there were so many twists and schemers in this novel. And the villain. Boy was he evil, manipulative, and ruthless. He gives Voldemort a huge run for his money and truly had not even a shred of decency, just a lot of hate and jealousy in his heart.
My advice: If you love fantasy and romance you have to check this series out because it has both by the bucket-loads. For me Foretold had all the elements that a great Young Adult fantasy/romance novel needs to possess in order to be credible and compelling. And beware because you will also find yourself lost in love with these characters and story, as well.
My Rating: 5/5
August 24, 2012
Foretold is book three of the Daughters of Saraqael trilogy. This book begins with a Prologue, giving us some interesting details in relation to the names of the three daughters. I appreciate the details offered as it helps me understand a bit more about why the Estilorians are so keen in shaping their future in accordance to what’s being foretold in the Great Foretelling.
I must say the idea of fulfilling what’s being foretold is not something that appeals to me at the beginning. I mean, who would wanna read a story that has the characters blindly following some sort of path that’s being stated in a prophecy, right? The story would seem lame, painfully dull and inept.
Gladly, this isn’t the case in Foretold. Yes, things kinda fall into place as described in the Great Foretelling in the end, but the daughters never do anything just because they’re being told to do so. They do what they do because they care for the well-being of all those they love and they do what they do because they really want to put their abilities into good use. I’m happy to say that there are quite a few entertaining moments during which the girls attempt to do something good but cause unexpected outcome due to their lack of understanding about their own power.
In this book, the focus is on Skye, the youngest daughter of Saraqael. Skye is an interesting character. Because of her upbringing, she is a bit more naive and innocent than her older sisters. She is also a lot more emotional. So, watching her interact with her relatively unemotional Gloresti is really fun. They make a cute pair and offer many sweet, funny and tender moments to the story.
With the evil Mercesti expanding their army and strategizing plans to kill the daughters, the epic war between good and evil becomes unavoidable. Are the daughters meant to survive the ultimate showdown? Will the peace in the Estilorian world be restored? These are the questions that I won’t be giving the answers away but let me say this, it is shuddery to watch how the evil class uses their devilish power to mess up with those that they inflict harm upon.
The lengthiest book in the series, Foretold gives us plentiful details into the world of the Estilorians. The pacing of the story is not slow but because there is so much going on, it is just not possible for me to sit through reading its entirety in one setting. About two thirds into the book, I felt I started craving for some form of unpredictability and excitement. Fortunately, Thomas delivers. There are some really thrilling action scenes in the last third of the book and I feel satisfied and intrigued by how things conclude in the end.
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For more of my reviews, visit LeisureReads.com.
I must say the idea of fulfilling what’s being foretold is not something that appeals to me at the beginning. I mean, who would wanna read a story that has the characters blindly following some sort of path that’s being stated in a prophecy, right? The story would seem lame, painfully dull and inept.
Gladly, this isn’t the case in Foretold. Yes, things kinda fall into place as described in the Great Foretelling in the end, but the daughters never do anything just because they’re being told to do so. They do what they do because they care for the well-being of all those they love and they do what they do because they really want to put their abilities into good use. I’m happy to say that there are quite a few entertaining moments during which the girls attempt to do something good but cause unexpected outcome due to their lack of understanding about their own power.
In this book, the focus is on Skye, the youngest daughter of Saraqael. Skye is an interesting character. Because of her upbringing, she is a bit more naive and innocent than her older sisters. She is also a lot more emotional. So, watching her interact with her relatively unemotional Gloresti is really fun. They make a cute pair and offer many sweet, funny and tender moments to the story.
With the evil Mercesti expanding their army and strategizing plans to kill the daughters, the epic war between good and evil becomes unavoidable. Are the daughters meant to survive the ultimate showdown? Will the peace in the Estilorian world be restored? These are the questions that I won’t be giving the answers away but let me say this, it is shuddery to watch how the evil class uses their devilish power to mess up with those that they inflict harm upon.
The lengthiest book in the series, Foretold gives us plentiful details into the world of the Estilorians. The pacing of the story is not slow but because there is so much going on, it is just not possible for me to sit through reading its entirety in one setting. About two thirds into the book, I felt I started craving for some form of unpredictability and excitement. Fortunately, Thomas delivers. There are some really thrilling action scenes in the last third of the book and I feel satisfied and intrigued by how things conclude in the end.
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For more of my reviews, visit LeisureReads.com.
June 6, 2012
Another fantastic journey with Saraqael’s Daughters
After reading the first two books in the Daughters of Saraqael series I couldn’t wait to start this one and follow Sky and Caleb along their journey. I thoroughly enjoyed discovering what new and fantastic surprises Thomas had woven into this story and was overjoyed with how everything turned out.
This book was masterfully written and will appeal to so many of your senses. As I followed along, grinning all the while, at the romantic and witty dialog between the characters I was always wondering when one of those blasted Mercesti were going to jump out from the shadows and just utterly ruin everything. I was also ridiculously happy with the ending. I actually got Goosebumps several times throughout reading this, and I love that. Even when I thought the ending was going to turn out just how I thought it should, and was excited at that, Thomas threw in a twist that sent my brain sprawling only to regroup even more elated than before.
Raine Thomas spins a tale so enjoyable and easy to read that you would be doing yourself a disservice by not picking it up immediately. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Defy, and I have no doubt that it will be as good, if not better, than the others.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a great fantasy.
After reading the first two books in the Daughters of Saraqael series I couldn’t wait to start this one and follow Sky and Caleb along their journey. I thoroughly enjoyed discovering what new and fantastic surprises Thomas had woven into this story and was overjoyed with how everything turned out.
This book was masterfully written and will appeal to so many of your senses. As I followed along, grinning all the while, at the romantic and witty dialog between the characters I was always wondering when one of those blasted Mercesti were going to jump out from the shadows and just utterly ruin everything. I was also ridiculously happy with the ending. I actually got Goosebumps several times throughout reading this, and I love that. Even when I thought the ending was going to turn out just how I thought it should, and was excited at that, Thomas threw in a twist that sent my brain sprawling only to regroup even more elated than before.
Raine Thomas spins a tale so enjoyable and easy to read that you would be doing yourself a disservice by not picking it up immediately. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Defy, and I have no doubt that it will be as good, if not better, than the others.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a great fantasy.
September 8, 2014
second read Sept 2014: Good vs evil was very present in this book, and I ADORE good in all forms so I enjoyed it. The love stories are extremely pure and that's my style. No possible love triangles or poor choices and all that nonsense. I've been in a reading slump lately and this trilogy of fantasy was just what I needed. On to the Firstborn trilogy. I remember liking it even better than this one. Probably because these three books did such a wonderful job of making you fall in love with the characters and their world so you feel like you know them when reading about their children.
first read Sept 2012: The books in this trilogy just kept getting better. This was the longest of the three. Although it was not perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The six main characters were really well developed and extremely likeable and I felt as if I knew many more characters in addition to them. The non-human world Thomas created was original, complex and detailed. The story continued to build and I am excited to read the next trilogy!
first read Sept 2012: The books in this trilogy just kept getting better. This was the longest of the three. Although it was not perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The six main characters were really well developed and extremely likeable and I felt as if I knew many more characters in addition to them. The non-human world Thomas created was original, complex and detailed. The story continued to build and I am excited to read the next trilogy!
September 2, 2011
**4.5 stars**
Skye is sassy, colorful and pure in thought and deed. She is innocent yet completely bold. She loves her family above herself and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep them safe. So, as the battle we’ve been waiting for (and dreading) since the first book draws ever nearer, Skye doesn’t hesitate to step forward to protect those she loves. By the way, the battle we knew was coming, actually comes to be….that is, there is fighting and danger and all manner of adventure…nice! I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Caleb. Unlike Gabriel and James, he is unsure of his emotions and it takes a few close calls with the villain of the story to get him to admit his love for Skye. But, once he does, it sizzles!!
This book is a really satisfying end to the trilogy…but it doesn’t stop me from wanting more!
Skye is sassy, colorful and pure in thought and deed. She is innocent yet completely bold. She loves her family above herself and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep them safe. So, as the battle we’ve been waiting for (and dreading) since the first book draws ever nearer, Skye doesn’t hesitate to step forward to protect those she loves. By the way, the battle we knew was coming, actually comes to be….that is, there is fighting and danger and all manner of adventure…nice! I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Caleb. Unlike Gabriel and James, he is unsure of his emotions and it takes a few close calls with the villain of the story to get him to admit his love for Skye. But, once he does, it sizzles!!
This book is a really satisfying end to the trilogy…but it doesn’t stop me from wanting more!
September 2, 2011
**4.5 stars**
Skye is sassy, colorful and pure in thought and deed. She is innocent yet completely bold. She loves her family above herself and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep them safe. So, as the battle we’ve been waiting for (and dreading) since the first book draws ever nearer, Skye doesn’t hesitate to step forward to protect those she loves. By the way, the battle we knew was coming, actually comes to be….that is, there is fighting and danger and all manner of adventure…nice! I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Caleb. Unlike Gabriel and James, he is unsure of his emotions and it takes a few close calls with the villain of the story to get him to admit his love for Skye. But, once he does, it sizzles!! This book is a really satisfying end to the trilogy…but it doesn’t stop me from wanting more!
Skye is sassy, colorful and pure in thought and deed. She is innocent yet completely bold. She loves her family above herself and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep them safe. So, as the battle we’ve been waiting for (and dreading) since the first book draws ever nearer, Skye doesn’t hesitate to step forward to protect those she loves. By the way, the battle we knew was coming, actually comes to be….that is, there is fighting and danger and all manner of adventure…nice! I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Caleb. Unlike Gabriel and James, he is unsure of his emotions and it takes a few close calls with the villain of the story to get him to admit his love for Skye. But, once he does, it sizzles!! This book is a really satisfying end to the trilogy…but it doesn’t stop me from wanting more!
October 4, 2011
Today's review is on Foretold by Raine Thomas
Foretold is the third and final installment in Thomas' Daughters of Saraqael series. Written in the same descriptive and eloquent style, Thomas brings an enticing end to the series.
As anticipated, Foretold brought together Skye and Caleb in a style that was befitting of Skye's bubbling personality. Skye literally gets the wedding of her dreams at the stroke of midnight after a great Ball.
All is not fun and games however. The Mercesti are still after them, and the great battle foretold in "The Great Foretelling" is at hand. It is up to Skye, with her unyielding faith and the rest of her family to lead the Estilorians to victory.
This series was fantastic. I simply loved it and can not wait for Thomas' next series.
4 of 5 stars
Foretold is the third and final installment in Thomas' Daughters of Saraqael series. Written in the same descriptive and eloquent style, Thomas brings an enticing end to the series.
As anticipated, Foretold brought together Skye and Caleb in a style that was befitting of Skye's bubbling personality. Skye literally gets the wedding of her dreams at the stroke of midnight after a great Ball.
All is not fun and games however. The Mercesti are still after them, and the great battle foretold in "The Great Foretelling" is at hand. It is up to Skye, with her unyielding faith and the rest of her family to lead the Estilorians to victory.
This series was fantastic. I simply loved it and can not wait for Thomas' next series.
4 of 5 stars
March 25, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy. This book focused on Skye snf Caleb as well as concluding the good versus evil backstory that threaded through all three books. It offers a tidbit at the end to whet the appetite to read the next trilogy that picks up after the sister's children have all been born and grown up.
While I did at times feel the author went a little overboard with the girls powers, I accept this is a fantasy story about young women who are half human and half Estolorian. The Estilorians are beings who were the bases for all the gods and goddesses of mythology, so I guess that makes the girls demi-gods. The story was full of adventure, culminating in an epic battle. It was also full of love and personal growth. I liked the characters and hope to revisit them in the next trilogy.
I recommend this series to everyone who enjoys these types of books.
While I did at times feel the author went a little overboard with the girls powers, I accept this is a fantasy story about young women who are half human and half Estolorian. The Estilorians are beings who were the bases for all the gods and goddesses of mythology, so I guess that makes the girls demi-gods. The story was full of adventure, culminating in an epic battle. It was also full of love and personal growth. I liked the characters and hope to revisit them in the next trilogy.
I recommend this series to everyone who enjoys these types of books.
October 19, 2011
This is the 3rd in the Daughters of Saraqael series..
Skye is the most loving, caring and positive of the 3 sisters. That does not mean that she is not hounded by guilt. Her guilt is part of the reasons she can not commit to her training. Her Guardian Caleb is the opposite of Skye in every way but Loyalty. Where he is reserved she is outgoing. Where she is open and loving, he is guarded. Skye reacts on impulse and Caleb thinks before he acts. Though all of these things should force these two apart, it brings them together. Unfortunately it takes the fear of losing Skye to bring them together. Between the fighting for their new home and the constant danger these sister find love and hope.
Skye is the most loving, caring and positive of the 3 sisters. That does not mean that she is not hounded by guilt. Her guilt is part of the reasons she can not commit to her training. Her Guardian Caleb is the opposite of Skye in every way but Loyalty. Where he is reserved she is outgoing. Where she is open and loving, he is guarded. Skye reacts on impulse and Caleb thinks before he acts. Though all of these things should force these two apart, it brings them together. Unfortunately it takes the fear of losing Skye to bring them together. Between the fighting for their new home and the constant danger these sister find love and hope.
September 16, 2011
What a good series. I rate this book a solid three where the last book was more of a 2.5. I will say though, that I think more work needs to be done by the Author on her next books to ensure that plot gaps don't exist between books. The same issues I had in the last book were in this book with gaps surrounding one of the characters and the emotional words describing past events. It just didn't work when these beings are not supposed to be "emotional" beings because they have forgotten emotions and don't understand them.
I do recommend the series as it did grab me and hold my attention. Just be aware for a few things to perhaps not make sense.
I do recommend the series as it did grab me and hold my attention. Just be aware for a few things to perhaps not make sense.
July 19, 2012
Rating Clarification: 4.4
I loved all of the books in these 2 series and consumed the first four in about 4 days. The world built by the author was unique and the characters were charming. The only reason I didn't give this a 5 star rating is because there was no concepts that lingered with me after they were finished. I also liked this book lees than the others because of the info dumping. Probably because I finished one book directly after another, this was not necessary for me and I found myself impatient to get to new developments in the story. That being said, they are a fun, easy read and I will be snatching the 5 th book as soon as it is published.
I loved all of the books in these 2 series and consumed the first four in about 4 days. The world built by the author was unique and the characters were charming. The only reason I didn't give this a 5 star rating is because there was no concepts that lingered with me after they were finished. I also liked this book lees than the others because of the info dumping. Probably because I finished one book directly after another, this was not necessary for me and I found myself impatient to get to new developments in the story. That being said, they are a fun, easy read and I will be snatching the 5 th book as soon as it is published.
November 2, 2012
The plot was interesting enough for me to finish all three books. My biggest peeve, however, was too much attention to minute details. In particular, what almost every character wore for every single day. At first I appreciated all that attention to detail but later on, it got really annoying. I don't care if so and so is wearing blue or black or pink or whatever. Basically, that ruined it for me. I lost count of the number of pages I skipped because of those descriptions. If only that much attention to detail was also used in clearing up the glaring plot holes in all three books then it would have been a lot better.
March 30, 2016
Good ending
This was a wonderful finish to the Daughterly of Saraqael trilogy but it did leave a few unanswered questions. I enjoyed reaching from Skye's view and it was nice to get to know her and Caleb. I get why the author changes perspective each book to let you know each main character better. However, and maybe it is just me, I lose the other main characters POV as I read along and lose their connection. So while this is a great book series and I love all three main characters, by the end I only feel a connection to the last I read with. Either way, great series, I love the sisters and happy ending.
This was a wonderful finish to the Daughterly of Saraqael trilogy but it did leave a few unanswered questions. I enjoyed reaching from Skye's view and it was nice to get to know her and Caleb. I get why the author changes perspective each book to let you know each main character better. However, and maybe it is just me, I lose the other main characters POV as I read along and lose their connection. So while this is a great book series and I love all three main characters, by the end I only feel a connection to the last I read with. Either way, great series, I love the sisters and happy ending.
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