Discovery

The Orphan Train Saga #1

by Sherry A. Burton

While most use their summer breaks for pleasure, third grade teacher Cindy Moore is using her summer vacation to tie up some loose ends concerning her grandmother’s estate.

When Cindy enters the storage unit that holds her grandmother’s belongings, she is merely looking for items she can sell to recoup some of the rental fees she’s spent paying for the unit.

Instead, what she finds are secrets her grandmother has taken to the grave with her. The more Cindy uncovers, the more she wants to know. Why was her grandmother abandoned by her own mother? Why hadn’t she told Cindy she’d lived in an orphanage? And how come her grandmother never mentioned she’d made history as one of the children who rode the Orphan Trains?

Join Cindy as she uncovers her grandmother’s hidden past and discovers the life that stole her grandmother’s love.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

297 pages, Paperback

Published November 11, 2020

About the author

Sherry A. Burton is the author of The Orphan Train Saga novels, a planned eighteen book historical fiction saga that revolves around the Orphan Trains. Books in the saga include Discovery, Shameless, Treachery, Guardian, and Loyal.

Ezra’s Story, the first in The Orphan Train Saga spinoff series.

Sherry's fiction titles include Tears of Betrayal, Love in the Bluegrass, Seems Like Yesterday, The King of My Heart, Somewhere in My Dreams, Surviving the Storm, and Always Faithful, a Jerry McNeal Novella.

Born in Kentucky, Sherry and her Retired Navy Veteran husband live in Michigan’s thumb. When not in the writing chair, Sherry travels the country doing book signings and giving lectures on the orphan trains.

Reviews

[E.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discovery (The Orphan Train Saga Book 1) by Sherry A. Burton was was a pretty interesting read that kept me reading.

My first read by this author, I went in with an open mind, and just hit the grow running. I fall easy into this book, as it was well written, had a nice flow, and I liked the back and forth between past and present. I normally don't read books like this, so it was a nice step out of my normal comfort zone. The were many different elements, that all came to gather for an original intriguing read. I like the MC's voice, and the stories about her grandmother. It was a nice step back in time, and I fully enjoyed this read.

Overall this book is fit for all ages and it will take you back to a crazy time in this woman life. It's a good way to see just how much we don't know about or loved ones, like grandmothers. They are the closes strangers you'll ever love. To end this book gets my super high recommendation and my stamp go approval.

Happy Reading

-E.A. Walsh

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Cindy has been paying on a storage unit for two years. Her mother was paying on the storage unit for five years before then. Cindy finally decides to clear out the junk in it during her summer break from teaching school. Her mother Linda is still suffering from the loss of her husband two years earlier and rarely leaves the house. The house belonged to Linda’s mother-in-law who passed some seven years ago. Mildred was a very cold woman and never showed Cindy or Linda any affection or caring. But she left the house and its contents to Cindy. Cindy finds what she thinks is a particularly ugly doll that rattles. Inside she finds a key…

And so begins our tale…

Mileta was left at an orphanage by her mother when she was a young girl. Her mother was very ill, but Mileta did not understand the circumstances. She was both terrified and awed by the “asylum” as the children called it. She meets Mary and they become fast friends. She meets many other children, all of whom have been abandoned by their parent or parents.

Several years later some of the children are taken to a train for a ride to Detroit. It is about 1924. On the way, Mileta meets a boy by the name of Tobias who later figures largely in the story.

This book is the story of Mileta, who becomes Cindy’s grandmother Mildred. It is both a tragic and heartwarming tale of love, loss, fear and triumph. This is the story of the Orphan Trains and the fact that those who rode them were reluctant to speak of them. (The Orphan Trains really did happen.) It is Mileta/Mildred’s story.

This book is beautifully written and speaks mainly of the human will to survive through all manner of tragedy. It is well written and plotted. It goes back and forth between the present and begins in the early 1920’s with Mileta’s story. I was entranced, almost unable to put it down at bedtime. I truly enjoyed this little novel. It was my first Sherry Burton book and I immediately went to Amazon to look for others of her books.

I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my!! There is one thing that I can relate to in this beautiful story and that is adoption.
Adoption is a beautiful thing. I'm not ashamed of who I am or who raised me. To me those are my real parents!
I loved this story because
1 it was different than what I am used to reading. I felt like I was looking at Michigan back then through the eyes of a young girl who was amazed at everything she saw while on the train.
2. What a wonderful time to be loving in as we saw all of the different things being invented!! How must it feel to be riding in your very first motor car or seeing something new for the first time.
3. It was a sad kind of story too.
It wasn't anyone's but her fault for losing out on so many things!! People are meant to be loved! Not taken for granted. But yet, at the same time I understood.
4. I had a grandma too. When she passed at first I had an extremely hard time going through her things. She had many interesting stuff and so did my grandfather. I miss my grandparents. The stories they could tell!! Too bad they weren't written down!!
Grandparents are a cool thing to have!! Even though I was adopted I still loved them and they loved me.
I loved that my grandparents also lived during the dust bowl years even though they didn't really tell that story.
Oh and just for the record you'd better have some tissues next to you. I sniffled some and snickered as well.
I stayed up most of the night to finish this book because it was so good!! And best of all it's a very clean read!!
I can't wait for y'all to read this cool book!!
I received a copy from Netgalley and no compensation were received. All opinions are my own!!
A definite 5 or more stars for sure!!

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

GNA Discovery is an excellent historical novel, covering the main protagonist Melita's time in a NYC orphanage between January 1921 and the journey on the orphan train in which Melita and her 13 dear friends were among the hundreds of homeless children who traveled to the west in 1924 in hopes of finding a forever home. Melita and Tobias detrained at the first official adoption stop in Detroit, Melita to a joyful adoption by a sweet couple, and Tobias to escape back to the streets. The balance of their lives in Detroit, 1924-1939, are covered in grandmother Mabel's journal entries, Inherited and read by Cindy, daughter of Paul, and her mother Linda, Paul's widow. The mystery that ties all of these lives together is an intricate knot of pain and family secrets that are slowly unraveled for us.

This is a fast read, a book I could not put aside. Mary Burton is an author to follow, one I am happy to recommend to friends and family.

I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel on December 22, 2018 from Netgalley, Sherry A Burton and Dorry Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

Pub date Dec 11, 2018
Dorry Press
Not available at B&N

[Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little history of the Orphan train and one of the children on it and how her life turned out.
It all starts with Cindy cleaning out her grandmothers storage locker and finding out the truth about her grandmother and why she was like she was.
Voluntarily reviewed.

[Laura Prevost · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a compelling story. I had a hard time putting this down. Sherry is amazing at inserting me into the story and taking me on an emotional journey of survival and perseverance. Strongly recommended and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discovery (The Orphan Train Saga Book 1) by Sherry A. Burton is a historical drama. The story’s premise is based on the real Orphan Trains and the events that surrounded the orphan children of that time in America. Sherry did a great job of mixing fact with fiction and made it into something that you will feel all the way to your soul. It is definitely an emotional read and one that will make your heartache. You feel everything that the character went through, with her survival and hardships, love and loss, pain and longing and worst of all her suffering.

The story is told in the present by a granddaughter, who reads journals about the life her grandmother was forced to live. Set in 1921 we learn about one woman and everything that transpired in her life from the time she went to the orphanage. After reading what she went through, they have a much better understanding of the woman that they knew.

The story is well written and I look forward to the next book.

[Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ultimately a feel-good historical fiction book told in a journaling format. I loved all of the historical references to Detroit during the late 20s through the 1930s. The characters are well developed and the plot is interesting enough to keep the reader turning pages. I will definitely go on to read the rest of the series.

[Marie Estes · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO so So GOOD! My new favorite series, I can't WAIT for the next book! the story telling is fastastic and the history is fascinating.. I couldn't put it down!

[Sara Oxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discovery by Sherry A. Burton a four-star read that will take you back. This is the first story in the Orphan Train Saga and the story and characters may be fictional they history behind it is real, it was something I had never heard of before and will definitely be looking into it. Cindy Moore takes us along side her as she uncovers Melita’s truths and history that will surprise you and make your heart swell as you read. This will make you smile at times when you read some of the stories and then bring a tear to your eyes another when it reminds you of another part of your own history, the author brings you into the story and makes you remember your history while delving into others.

[Sanderella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took this book camping with me & finished it in one day. I couldn't put it down!! WoW!!

[JoAnn Eck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have done nothing today as I could not put this book down. What a wonderful read! Thank you Sherry Burton.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me at the heartstrings right from the get-go. I am drown to everything published about the orphan trains. When I saw this title, I could not wait to read Sherry Burton's novel. This book is one you will read long into the night. I did not want to put it down.
In this first book of Sherry's series,The Orphan Train Saga, there are so many lessons on love, loyalty, relationships, forgiveness, and just surviving.
It begins in a storage locker. Cindy More is finally purging and cleaning out Grandma's things. They have been paying on the locker for 7 years. First her Mom for the first five years and now Cindy for two more. Cindy plans to sell some items and recoup the money spent on the locker. Like the organized person that Cindy is, she has made three separate pills. There is the keep pile, the donate pile, and a throw away pile. On her first go around, there is little that she is keeping, a lot that she is donating and quite a few things she plans on tossing.
Quit unexpectedly, Cindy uncovers some of her grandmother's secrets. The more she learns, the more she wants to know about grandmother's past.
This is a page-turner. If you are like me, you will want more when you read that last page. The Discovery works well as a stand alone book. I understand Sherry, at this time, is planing eighteen of these wonderful books to this series. You will want to read them in order, so you do not miss anything.
I highly recommend this sad but interesting novel.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher Dorry Press through NetGalley. The opinions in this review are my own.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me at the heartstrings right from the get-go. I am drown to everything published about the orphan trains. When I saw this title, I could not wait to read Sherry Burton's novel. This book is one you will read long into the night. I did not want to put it down.
In this first book of Sherry's series,The Orphan Train Saga, there are so many lessons on love, loyalty, relationships, forgiveness, and just surviving.
It begins in a storage locker. Cindy More is finally purging and cleaning out Grandma's things. They have been paying on the locker for 7 years. First her Mom for the first five years and now Cindy for two more. Cindy plans to sell some items and recoup the money spent on the locker. Like the organized person that Cindy is, she has made three separate pills. There is the keep pile, the donate pile, and a throw away pile. On her first go around, there is little that she is keeping, a lot that she is donating and quite a few things she plans on tossing.
Quit unexpectedly, Cindy uncovers some of her grandmother's secrets. The more she learns, the more she wants to know about grandmother's past.
This is a page-turner. If you are like me, you will want more when you read that last page. The Discovery works well as a stand alone book. I understand Sherry, at this time, is planing eighteen of these wonderful books to this series. You will want to read them in order, so you do not miss anything.
I highly recommend this sad but interesting novel.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher Dorry Press through NetGalley. The opinions in this review are my own.

[Mrs. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Discovery (Orphan Train Saga, Book 1). All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First, I must say that as soon as I finished Discovery (Orphan Train Saga Book 1), I wished there was more! So I am very glad that it was only the first of a series. I loved everything about this novel.
I had no prior knowledge about this atrocious period of American history...and I always love a solid historical fiction that inspires me to do some research of my own. This notion was initially mind blowing to me. I assumed the premise was fabricated. No such cruelty or insensitivity to orphaned children should be true, right? (I guess it makes sense however, since our government can be completely twisted at times.)

That being said, this is a beautifully executed story within a story. A mother/daughter duo begins reading a hidden family set of journals which is juicy enough to begin with...Then add in all the secrets held by the notebooks--which made the book quite difficult to stop reading. (Read it when it can be done all in one sitting--if possible.). There were moments of despair and moments of joy (fewer of these). Both the present day and historical characters were wonderfully real. This author's craft is impeccable.
I was really hoping to have a glimpse of Mildred's husband's journals...so my fingers are crossed that his will be the next installment! With so many characters introduced, the series possibilities are virtually endless, and I will eagerly await them all!l!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sherry A. Burton for the ARC!

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid story, based on an interesting, factual premise. I enjoyed the back and forth between modern times and the 1920s and 1930s. It's always illuminating to see how younger generations are shocked to learn that an ancestor had a complicated, interesting life, one actually involving romance. I wish we had experienced something of the older Mildred, perhaps in flashbacks from her granddaughter and daughter-in-law, so we could SEE how closed off she was, as opposed to being TOLD about her coldness (and subsequently learning the reasons for it). My main problem with the book is the awkward dialogue. The relative absence of contractions, for both the modern characters and the older generation, contributes to a static formalism of speech, which sounds inauthentic for anyone chatting with intimates. For the older characters, such formalism completely belies their socioeconomic background. I was also troubled by the values suggested. Are we really supposed to see Mildred as nothing but a victim, when she apparently lives off criminal proceeds? Are we really supposed to believe she is feisty and strong, when, for all the instances of abandonment, there always seemed to be some guy stepping up to take care of her? As for her first husband, are we supposed to see him as Sir Galahad rescuing the damsel perpetually in distress -- or as a stalker? I nonetheless wanted to find out how Mildred's life evolved, and getting a reader to care about the protagonist, however skeptically, is half the battle.

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Dawn Baffa · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read from this Author

WOW what a fantastic storyline. Characters developed, the Author did an awesome job of writing this as a journal. The reality of what happened on the orphan train and how the author wrote about was great. Must read

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have never read anything about the orphan trains, this book is a good introduction to the subject. The trains were used to transport orphan children to areas in the United States where they stood a better chance at adoption and a permanent home. Be warned, any trip into this history is an emotional one.
After avoiding the "job" of going through her grandmother's things, Cindy decides to use her spring break to clear out and separate the things stored in a shed for seven years. As she works through a lifetime of keepsakes, she discovers a key that will open her grandmother's secrets. The book moves into her grandmother's life in an orphanage and her trip on the orphan train with the friends and "family" she has found in her new life. Her grandmother's adoption was a successful, loving home. Not so for all of the orphans on the train. As Cindy finds out more of her grandmother's life, she realizes that what she thought she knew about her grandmother was far from the truth.
Make sure you have your hankies close, you'll need them. I'm going to reread this book in a couple of weeks to see what I missed. I'm also going to see what else I can find by Sherry Burton. Her writing made the book seem as if she was sitting next to me telling me a great story.

[Mary Yarde · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this sweeping and captivating story across generations, be carried back to 1920s America, where orphans were transported to uncertain futures by the now little-known Orphan Trains.

Teacher Cindy Moore is not thrilled at the task awaiting her during her summer holidays. Whilst other teachers are having breaks, she is stuck clearing out a storage unit which holds all her grandmother’s belongings. Mildred may have left Cindy her house, but the old lady never showed any love for her granddaughter whilst she was alive. Nor was there any love lost between Mildred and Cindy’s mother, either.

However, the unit contains far more than items with sales potential. Intrigued by a single doll, but frustrated by a rattle, Cindy investigates, and is shocked to find a letter, as well as a trail to an important stash of diaries. To her surprise, the diaries tell of a little girl, Mileta, abandoned at an orphanage by her mother and, even more of a shock, uprooted on the Orphan Trains, carriages of children sent west across America, as part of a plan to find hundreds, thousands, of children new homes.

Cindy’s curiosity about the young Mileta is piqued, and she begins reading the series of journals, sharing them with her mother, partly in the hope of distracting her from the grief at Cindy’s father’s death. It is soon revealed that Mileta will become Mildred in the home of her new parents, once settled in Detroit.

The story is told through a combination of flashbacks to Mildred’s life, as she tells the story of her train journey and subsequent life, and the thoughts of Cindy and her mother, as they discover the truth behind a woman who had always been so closed off to them, emotionally.

As readers then, we are ‘with’ both sides of the story, and Mildred’s telling of her life does indeed feel very raw initially, as a bewildered child, suddenly very alone in the world. She is forced to mature very quickly as life throws some very severe challenges in her path, including her first kiss, bereavement, love, loss, and an insight into Detroit’s dangerous side, through her relationship with Tobias, a fellow orphan who has ridden the trains more than once, and become something of an expert. Sadly for him, he has also become an expert at making the most of a life on the streets, and has fallen in with some dubious people since leaving New York.

The Orphan Trains spread their tracks far and wide, and as Mildred’s life turns again, she leaves Detroit with her ‘brother’ Frankie, a canny former street-child with a curious link to both her present and past, which emerges when they go in search of a future.

With every chapter, we, and Cindy, see the lives that Mildred lived, and how they left her damaged in so many ways. Certainly in the early parts of the book, there is a real sense of threat, both in the orphanage and on the train itself, and I found my heart in my mouth as I read of the people Mileta ends up sat with by pure chance on her journey. At so many points, there is a sense of both danger and opportunity, and I found myself hoping that Mildred could enjoy the latter.

We are very clearly reading the journals of an older woman who has only died relatively recently, and is describing her own youth from that viewpoint, therefore, by that very logic, we know Mildred survives, and through casual references between Cindy and her mother, we find out about the fates of other characters before the end of the book. Despite this, the tension is kept high throughout, and I was racing through the chapters to find out exactly how the story came together, and exactly why Mildred was the way she was later in life.

This becomes clear as the story develops, and was heart-breaking, especially as the pieces of the puzzle between Mildred, Toby, Frankie and others all fit together.

I have always enjoyed getting a taste of a different era or location through historical fiction, rather than non-fiction, and Discovery (The Orphan Train Saga, Book 1) by Sherry A. Burton certainly fits into that category for me. I wasn’t aware of the Orphan Trains, although having read the book, the concept is not that far removed from the Home Children programme, where UK-based children were sent to new homes around the world, including Australia and Canada. That programme did not have a wonderful success rate, and although it is noted that 87% of the Orphan Train children had ‘done well’, there are tales of children being essentially brought in as servants to their new families, abused, or ending up on the streets, in worse conditions than if they had remained in the orphanages. All of this is captured wonderfully in the story, through the children telling tales of others they had known, and where they had ended up. There is also an excellent sense of time and place throughout the book, bringing the world of prohibition, notorious gangs, beautiful suburban homes and imposing apartment blocks all to life.

In the final pages of her own journals, Mildred tells how she has become the custodian of more journals, including those of some characters we meet in her own story; these become the subsequent books in the series. Again, it is the skill of the writer that even though we know where these children ended up, I am still intrigued to find out more about their lives before we ‘met’ them.

Highly recommend for fans who are interested in tales of family history, 1920s America, or who enjoy a hint of mystery in their historical fiction.

Review by Jennifer C. Wilson.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cindy Moore is on summer break and after having inherited her grandmother's house where she now lives thinks it is time to clean out the storage unit she has Mildred Moore's past stored. Cindy has always wondered why her grandmother could not show any love to the family. She finds a doll at the unit with a key inside her and a note to look for a box under the floorboards in the attic. This takes her down the road of her Mildred's past and she has written everything about her life until after she was married to Grandpa Howard. She was sent on the "Orphan Train" which Cindy and her mother knew nothing about until they read the journals hidden in the attic. It is a fascinating story and one they wished they had know long ago.

[Debra Copeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was truly one I could not put down! I found myself pouring another cup of coffee to try to stay up all night to finish the story of Mildred and her friends from the trains. It is a story of strength, determination, friendship, love, disappointment and facing insurmountable fears! It teaches a lesson of acceptance, for you never know what someone has encountered in their life that may make them appear cold, or unfriendly. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book in this series. Thank you Sherry A. Burton for your hard work and the research poured into this book, and series ❤️

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many emotions

Diaries, mystery and history all in one book. The mention of silver cleaner immediately brought back memories from my own childhood. I have been intrigued by diaries since as long as I can remember. It is literally as close as you can get to someone without actually knowing them. Sherry made me feel as if I was right there with Mileta/Mildred during her life, therefore I felt many emotions while reading. Add the history, Houdini and Capone, into the story brought even more life to it. Now I anxiously await the next book.

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed my attention from the very first line!!! I love historical fiction, especially this time period. The characters were so real to me. I felt like I was missing out on what they had been up when bi had to set the book down. They were on my mind when I would wake up in the morning. For me there was a connection with Melita . I felt like I knew her!!! Even my 13 year old granddaughter loves the book. She is anxious for book two to come out. Thank you Sherry for your brilliance in writing this Saga!!!

[Veronica Buckler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Orphan Train didn’t disappoint!

I met the author at an event in Louisville, Ky earlier this week. We talked about the book and I decided I had to read it. What a wonderful book this was. I enjoy the author’s style of writing; very relatable and easy to follow. The ups and downs of the plot keep it very interesting and exciting to read. There were several surprises along the way, keeping my interest piqued. This book was a pure joy to read and I anxiously await the next book in the series.

[Carol Jewell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the personalized story of several orphans placed in homes out west as part of the resettlement program for orphans interesting but the mediocre writing took away from the enjoyment of the book.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought this book at the Kentucky Homemakers’ State Meeting in Louisville KY and read it in 2 days!
What a great book and looking forward to the 2nd one on this series.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second Reading: Dec. 2021: I wanted to reread this before book 5 gets released on Thursday. I love this series.

*********************
This was such a good book! I am glad it's a series!

[D.K. Marley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discovery, the first book in The Orphan Train series, grabs you from the very moment Cindy Moore opens the storage shed containing her grandmother’s possessions. You are there, with her, every step of the way, rummaging through the memories and dust, anxious to find a treasure or skeleton hidden away. The stage is set and offers the reader a story of real family life – of buried secrets we all know families keep and take to their grave. The one Cindy’s grandmother, Mildred, kept reveals itself in a most unusual way. There is a doll, a pinned note, a key, and journals in an attic room. But what these inanimate objects reveal is the heart of an abandoned little girl, a rider on the Orphan Trains of the 1920s, whose hard-knock life leads to a closed-off woman afraid of sharing her feelings and her secrets with her family. I think we all know someone like that, which makes this book so satisfying and real, a book that tugs at your heart.
The history of the Orphan Trains, a new historical tidbit to me, kept me intrigued and I read the entire story in one sitting; and the transition from the modern-day to the past wove together without creating any sort of abruptness or confusion.
I think, ultimately, this is a book about survival under the most trying circumstances and how “life” creates the person we become. Sometimes we harden ourselves, and sometimes we soften, and more often than not, we learn from others.
Mildred is all our grandmothers pieced together into a quilt, dealing with a time in history we cannot imagine, but her experience helps not only Cindy but all of us see beyond our circumstances towards hope. I wished for more about Mildred in the story, about her history in Poland, as I imagined her speaking and thought of my own grandmother. The way Sherry A. Burton relays Mildred’s story left me curious about the complete lack of emotions at some extremely critical times, times you might expect a flood, and other times when the abundance appeared unwarranted. Thus, the skill and complexity the author shows in the fragility of human nature, especially growing up as a confused orphan.
The story is extremely well-written and highly recommended. Thank goodness there are more in this series!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Discovery is the first book in The Orphan Train Saga by Sherry A. Burton. This book is a mixture of history, mystery, drama, fact, and fiction. While all the characters and situations in the story are fictional, the ‘Orphan Trains’ and the situations that brought them about, are quite factual. I was completely fascinated by the story behind the Orphan Trains, which play a big part in the story- but I really appreciated the extra details in the author’s note at the end of the book. Facts that really were quite emotional, and really grabbed me by the heartstrings- I really felt for all those children and what they must have gone through to end up on the Orphan Train, and for a lot of them, their hardship didn’t stop at the end of that journey.
Anyway, I digress a little. I read this story in one sitting- completely intrigued by the whole saga. The way Ms. Burton has blended fact, with her well thought out fiction, really held my attention. The story transitions from past to present quite seamlessly, going back and forth multiple times. So, it’s almost like we really get two stories in one. One is set in the 1920’s and the other in our modern day. It touches on secrets, discovery, hardship, friendship, family, love, understanding, and survival.
Cindy Moore never suspected that cleaning out her grandmothers storage unit would lead her on a journey of discovery and revelation. A doll. A key. And some journals propel her on a fact finding mission- a little detour from what she had originally planned. The story gets more intriguing the further it unfolds. As this is the first book in the series, I really can’t wait to find out what happens in the next book.
The story is well written, if not a little ‘formal’ or ‘stiff’ in places. But, this is a fairly minor issue which didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.
Emotive!

Thank you, Sherry A. Burton!

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discovery is the first book in Sherry A Burton’s historical fiction series The Orphan Train Saga. I got hooked on this topic when I read Lisa Wingates Before We Were Yours so I was so excited to pick up Sherry’s book and she did not disappoint! It was my first read by the writer and I cannot wait to pick up the second book of the series!
Discovery takes us back into the era of the American history when the society did not have any sympathy to orphans and they were considered disposable, unlovable and unwanted. The horrors they faced and the conditions they lived in … at times it is really hard to believe that we as human race have lasted that long …
The story is told through the history of Cindy Moore’s grandmother – Cindy is finally going through her grandmother’s possessions/junk that Cindy and her mother have been storing for years and this action opens the gates and takes us all to the journey into Grandmother Mildred/Mileta’s life … a life filled with secrets and fear and loss and triumph of the human spirit to survive almost anything …
The story is beautifully told and so detailed that you can close your eyes and hear and see it unfolding in front of your eyes. Be prepared to cry … be prepared to be enraged … be prepared to learn more about the history than you could ever imagine …