So many books . . .

From the moment of her birth, Katherine (Catalina) of Aragon, daughter of the well-known Spanish rulers Ferdinand and Isabella, has known that her destiny is to be the Queen of England. Upon coming of age and marrying Arthur, the Prince of Wales, she is pleased to find love in a marriage born of her parents' political tactics, and that she and her husband share the same dreams and ambitions for the land they will eventually rule together. However, her happiness is short-lived when she tragically loses Arthur to illness. A deathbed promise and a colossal lie result in her marriage to Arthur's younger brother Harry (eventually the infamous Henry VIII), but unless she can produce an heir to his throne, her position is still insecure.

The book seemed to end rather abruptly, and the later but nevertheless important events in Katherine's life are merely glossed over. However, it is still a rich, enjoyable read.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Gregory's homepage Philippa Gregory (wiki)

Kate Sutton, at the order of Queen Mary, has been sent to live in a lonely, remote castle called Perilous Gard. Upon arriving, she learns of the mysterious disappearance of a small girl that occurred a few months prior, and of the strange behavior of the castle's residents. Rumor has it that the child had been abducted by Fairies. Having little else to occupy her time, Kate makes a bold decision to try to solve the mystery herself. The story was a little dry, and the romantic element felt a little too pat at the end, but the story was otherwise charming.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Elizabeth Marie Pope (wiki)

Green Darkness was a best-seller back in the early 1970s when it was first published, and it's just as good a read today. It is the story of Celia, a young American woman in England who suddenly suffers a mental and emotional breakdown triggered by a visit to an old manor, where she had been murdered in a previous lifetime. In order to bring her back to the present, the physician attending her takes her back 400 years to relive this tragic life.

Rating: 4/5 Further reading: Anya Seton (wiki)