The Fire Blossom (The Fire Blossom Saga Book 1) Kindle Edition

This author is an amazing storyteller and she can make anyone more curious about history. I thought the book was a bit slow and difficult to get into at first, but it picked up quickly and I could hardly put it down afterwards. This woman knows how to get your attention and keep it till the final page. Five stars.

Sarah Lark has done it again – a great read and I think she does a marvellous job of turning historical facts into a very entertaining read. As a ‘Kiwi’ I can relate (a little) to the Maori culture and beliefs. With the Germans coming to NZ with ‘their arrogant attitude’ it wouldn’t have sat well with the Maori folk who in that era were steeped in their traditional ways and lovely people who would give more than take and were hard done by for it. I think Sara researches the background for her stories extremely well. I might add to, a friend of mine who is German and a teacher has started reading her books on my recommendation as she spent 18 months in her PA year teaching here and is well acquainted through her travels and seeing New Zealand to appreciate this story. She loves the stories.I read a comment that I would also like to use “history is best told this way, as a story rather than a list of facts – it helps us to remember why it was important”. and I agree – (I might have got better grades in History many years ago)! Sara Lark translates well – I think she’s got a good back-up team!From next Year in NZ it is going to be compulsory to study the history of New Zealand – if its not done in an uplifting way, I think young minds will ‘switch off’ and that’s not how history should be told – I’d recommend Sara’s books to schools if I could. H’m maybe I’d get ‘shot down in flames’!

I regret not reading any works by this author until now. This book spans the globe, with interactions with both natives and established settlers. This story begins with the German Lutherans, who must leave their homeland due to both poverty in the feudal system and to escape religious persecution. We meet Ida and her forbidden love, the poor day laborer Karl there. Idea's pious father has already chosen another man to be Ida's husband. However, Karl finds a way to get on the ship that is carrying Ida, and much of his village, to New Zealand.Dreams of owning tracts of land to farm on, as promised by their recruiter, don't come to fruition as promised. The Germans are forced to live with established settlers while problems are being sorted All the land is owned by the Maori tribes, who have learned not to trust settlers.After arriving in New Zealand we meet more important characters such as Chris and Cat who are also trying to find their way. Can Ida survive her forced abusive marriage? Will these beloved characters find the peace and freedom they came in search of? Read to find out!

Having moved from the US to New Zealand 30+ years ago, I have some familiarity with the history of my adopted country. Sarah Lark has an incredible ability to make it all come to life. Each of her stories in the NZ sagas allow the reader to become a part of the early Pakeha settlers, and the disruption to the Maori and their way of life. I think these books should be mandatory reading for all Kiwis, as they would have a better understanding of how life was back then, and an idea of what was taken from the Maori.I hope there will be more books about early New Zealand. I've ensure that I am a follower of Sarah Lark in order to be among the first to purchase any of her books. She is, from my perspective, incredibly talented!

The book starts out strong and ends a little too tightly knit together . But I enjoyed it and will read the next in the series when it's out. I enjoyed reading this book and haven't felt that way in awhile . Historical fiction

I have loved every book by this author and this was no exception. I actually could relate a little more to this one, because my German ancestors left Germany around the same time period (for America though). The German settlers were so interesting to me since maybe that’s how my ancestors’ lives were too.I really enjoyed the first part of the book because of that.I also love the New Zealand history and the accuracy of the mentioned events. I think history is best told this way, as a story rather than a list of facts. It helps us to remember why it was important.

Her writing of the Maori forcing Cat to leave after her foster mother. her maori mother being killed didn't ring true to her portrayal of Maori in other books.. If the mother was revered by the tribe why was her foster child forced out. you would think they would protect her even more. Aso they did not know Cat's story and that she did not have any contacts in Pakaya world. The end came quickly and was neatly tied up.. Sara Lark has happy ending something I like. I don't like unhappy ending but after so much confusion the end came quickly.. still fun to read and more to learn about New Zealand

You can run but you can't hide. Ottfriied feels he can do whatever he wants . His way was the only way. He had his homeland upbringing to reinforce his thinking. Being a big man sometimes made him a bully.There are times when true love has to wait a long time to be realized and the road very rocky. Ida paid a price for love and would now have to live with it forever.A good read.

I have read several books by this author, and this did not disappoint. I love the way the history of settlers in New Zealand is retold through fiction. Sara us honest in aknowledging which parts of the storyline are vased on fact from ger research and which are complete fiction. I have visited New Zealand and travelled around both islands, so it is good to read about the early days when Europeans began to settle there and their bullying tactics to gain superiority over the Maori. We are not superior, and it is good that NZ is trying to now put right the damage caused,

Sometimes I'm a bit sceptical about translations but this book is really well translated. Honestly, I couldn't tell that it wasn't written in English originally. I'm only 10% through but completely immersed in the story already. A well-written historical novel - not my first from Sarah Lark - and not the last either! I can't wait to go to bed tonight and pick it up again!

This was a really interesting read. I was a bit disappointed where it ended and that the next book was of the children not the main characters in this. I felt like we were only just starting there story. Loved reading about the Mauri and there traditions.

I love these stories of immigrants to New Zealand from the pen of a Sarah Lark. So many interesting characters both European and Maori. I found I was gripped by the saga from beginning to end and am looking forward to reading book 2

An interesting and informative cross cultural narrative which also covered historical aspects of New Zealand. The plot was historically informative but also had a strong emotional input making it quite readable.