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The Benevolence Tales #2
One Imbolc Gloaming
Isabella Fox, mediocre witch for hire, and Emily Deer, the once outcast shapeshifter, have fallen deeply in love. But in the sleepy little town of Benevolence, Emily still feels like an outsider, and, as winter rages on, her wanderlust sharpens.
When the winter festival of Imbolc draws near, Isabella makes preparations for her yearly pilgrimage to Lunarose Abbey, where she and her friends, since their Academy days, have always participated in the annual Imbolc play and kept candlit vigil to the Rose Goddess. This year, Isabella asks Emily to come with her but warns her about the abbey's odd quirks--like the fact that it's haunted by a lovelorn ghost.
Every Imbolc night, the ghost roams the ancient halls of Lunarose Abbey, and now Isabella and Emily find the threads of a centuries-old mystery that they long to unravel. But time is running out for a love affair several hundred years in the making...
The novella "One Imbolc Gloaming" is a magical lesbian love story, and the second in THE BENEVOLENCE TALES series.
When the winter festival of Imbolc draws near, Isabella makes preparations for her yearly pilgrimage to Lunarose Abbey, where she and her friends, since their Academy days, have always participated in the annual Imbolc play and kept candlit vigil to the Rose Goddess. This year, Isabella asks Emily to come with her but warns her about the abbey's odd quirks--like the fact that it's haunted by a lovelorn ghost.
Every Imbolc night, the ghost roams the ancient halls of Lunarose Abbey, and now Isabella and Emily find the threads of a centuries-old mystery that they long to unravel. But time is running out for a love affair several hundred years in the making...
The novella "One Imbolc Gloaming" is a magical lesbian love story, and the second in THE BENEVOLENCE TALES series.
Unknown Binding
First published February 5, 2013
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About the author
Elora Bishop
11 books170 followersElora Bishop is a queer author of magical lesbian love stories. You will often find her wearing soft skirts, curled up in a sunny window (much like a cat), Austen in hand, cup of tea (two cream, one sugar) nearby, always piping hot. She is bewitched by all beautiful things–but, most of all, by her beloved wife. She writes lesbian YA as Sarah Diemer.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 23, 2016
"Isabella's favorite of the windows had always been the second to the last, the one where Coredlia's bewitched form had melted away, and the goddess stepped forth in to her lover Sadara's arms. When she was very small, a child Isabella had stood beneath that window, gazing up at the stained glass expression on the goddess Sadara's face. It was a fierce love, a triumphant love, a grateful love. All her days, Isabella had wished and hoped and prayed for someone to- just once- look at her like that."
Elora Bishop describes herself as 'a queer author of magical lesbian love stories.' I love that sentence and I think it sums her and her books up very well.
I read the first book in this series a while ago, and it was pretty good. But this one was amazing. Not only does Isabella and Emily's relationship develop, but we get to learn more about the world the books take place in. I love this world. I want to live in this world. It's a magical, high fantasy world with all manner of supernatural beings, but my favourite part about it is how love between two women (or two men, I'd assume, but this is a story about lesbians) is as sacred as love between a man and a woman. There are goddesses in love with other goddesses. Romantic love between two (or more- there's a polyamorous character!) women isn't spoken of as if its a deviation from the norm or exception to the rule, it's seen as a normal, every day thing, as it should be in our world. Don't get me wrong, books in which gay characters struggle with coming out are important too, but it's just so nice to read a book with a lesbian main character that isn't about that.
Elora Bishop describes herself as 'a queer author of magical lesbian love stories.' I love that sentence and I think it sums her and her books up very well.
I read the first book in this series a while ago, and it was pretty good. But this one was amazing. Not only does Isabella and Emily's relationship develop, but we get to learn more about the world the books take place in. I love this world. I want to live in this world. It's a magical, high fantasy world with all manner of supernatural beings, but my favourite part about it is how love between two women (or two men, I'd assume, but this is a story about lesbians) is as sacred as love between a man and a woman. There are goddesses in love with other goddesses. Romantic love between two (or more- there's a polyamorous character!) women isn't spoken of as if its a deviation from the norm or exception to the rule, it's seen as a normal, every day thing, as it should be in our world. Don't get me wrong, books in which gay characters struggle with coming out are important too, but it's just so nice to read a book with a lesbian main character that isn't about that.
September 14, 2016
Somewhat to my disappointment, the second book of the Benevolence trilogy doesn’t expand on any of the gaps I felt in the previous book. Instead, it moves away from Benevolence for a while, as Emily and Isabella attend traditional Imbolc festivities. The world is expanded in terms of showing us more locations, more kinds of magic, and more of Isabella’s friends and family. It also gives us more time with the couple, as their relationship deepens — though it has been a bit insta-love. Still, for once it’s a lesbian couple having insta-love, and they’re cute, so why not? We can make exceptions, right?
It also features the tragic love story of a long-dead abbess and a knight, who are reunited through Isabella and Emily’s efforts. That part is a bit, well, flowery, but it works.
The scenes Bishop describes glitter with the winter cold and the warmth of friendship; that aspect is definitely done really well. I’m still curious about various aspects of the first story, and I’m also beginning to be very curious about Alice, Isabella’s cat familiar. She’s just been a sidekick so far, but there are hints at an inner life and outside personality for her, and I want it.
Originally posted here.
It also features the tragic love story of a long-dead abbess and a knight, who are reunited through Isabella and Emily’s efforts. That part is a bit, well, flowery, but it works.
The scenes Bishop describes glitter with the winter cold and the warmth of friendship; that aspect is definitely done really well. I’m still curious about various aspects of the first story, and I’m also beginning to be very curious about Alice, Isabella’s cat familiar. She’s just been a sidekick so far, but there are hints at an inner life and outside personality for her, and I want it.
Originally posted here.
March 28, 2019
I didn't read this book, I listened to the whole series on Audible and I absolutely loved it!! I love that she wasn't an all-powerful witch and didn't suffer from the dreaded "You're Our Only Hope" condition so many fantasy/scifi series have.
10 out of 5 stars!
10 out of 5 stars!
May 20, 2013
I love following the lives of Isabella and Emily.
It was so exciting to get to see inside Isabella's training this time. Her family, her friends, her history, where she came from and what makes her herself, and the habits she'll get to keep to now that her life is calming and smoothing out. The love story was beautiful as well, both the main story and the mystery. I am always filled with so much joy, hope and inspiration, from a different place and time, and type of story when I get immerses in these worlds.
I love the very defined different kinds of friends. I loved meeting more types of creatures that exist in this world. I love that we got a more "outside view" on Changers, too, since we usually see it all from inside The Changer City central. So that was amazing, as well. I really cannot wait to see where all of this series goes.
It was so exciting to get to see inside Isabella's training this time. Her family, her friends, her history, where she came from and what makes her herself, and the habits she'll get to keep to now that her life is calming and smoothing out. The love story was beautiful as well, both the main story and the mystery. I am always filled with so much joy, hope and inspiration, from a different place and time, and type of story when I get immerses in these worlds.
I love the very defined different kinds of friends. I loved meeting more types of creatures that exist in this world. I love that we got a more "outside view" on Changers, too, since we usually see it all from inside The Changer City central. So that was amazing, as well. I really cannot wait to see where all of this series goes.
May 4, 2016
I just adore Elora's magical writing style.
"“I woke up, and I missed you,” said Isabella simply. Pillowing her head on the Changer's breastbone, she was rewarded with the soft insistence of Emily's heartbeat, pulsing, gentle, constant. Married with the other musics of the morning, Isabella felt peace steal over her, by degrees, with the simple splendor of it all."
"“I woke up, and I missed you,” said Isabella simply. Pillowing her head on the Changer's breastbone, she was rewarded with the soft insistence of Emily's heartbeat, pulsing, gentle, constant. Married with the other musics of the morning, Isabella felt peace steal over her, by degrees, with the simple splendor of it all."
March 1, 2013
I love Isabella and Emily. I can't wait for the next one!
February 9, 2013
Awww I love these two. Need more Alice!
January 2, 2015
While there were some grammatical errors, this novella stole my heart with the beautiful imagery. My heart was encapsulated by the love described.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews