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.
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When Cindy starts to go through her deceased grandmother’s storage unit all she wants is to empty it and sell some of the items to hopefully recoup the cost from the past few years. She gets so much more than she bargained for in Discovery (The Orphan Train Saga Book 1) by Sherry A. Burton. Grandmother Mildred was never a warm person to her family so Cindy is stunned to learn there were so many secrets about her grandmother’s life nobody was ever aware of.
I had never heard of the Orphan Train prior to reading this book, and I think that it is a shame that not more people are aware of this movement. This book shed a bright light on living conditions for these unwanted children and what they had to go through at such young ages. I ran through a gamut of emotions reading Mileta’s story from sadness, to joy this young girl’s life was far from easy and I don’t think I could have gone through half of what she did at such a young age. This story tugs at the heartstrings and I for one can’t wait to read the next story in this series. I’d like to thank the author for writing this story and bringing to life the trials and tribulations of these characters.
Discovery by Sherry A Burton is the first book in the Orphan Train Saga. This book is so fascinating and amazingly accurate that you won’t be able to stop yourself from being drawn in.
I love books that, while fiction, are steeped in real life events. And this one has got to be one of the best examples I have ever read. Orphan Trains are one of those things I could vaguely recall hearing about but didn’t really know any details of. This book certainly opened my eyes to the way things actually were. The thought of all those children going through this and how they must have felt really struck a chord with me.
The story was so detailed and vivid it almost felt like I was right there on that very train. The author has such an amazing writing style that suits this type of story perfectly. The characters were so relatable and you connect with them instantly. I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as what I did however it easily fits into the category of one of the best I have read this year. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This is the first book I have read by this author and I enjoyed it. It is a well developed story that is engaging and held my attention. I enjoyed watching Cindy grow throughout the story. She pulled me right into the story with her as she learns things about her Grandmother that she didn’t know. As she finds things, it leaves her with more questions and she is determined to find the answers. This is a heartwarming story that will make your heart swell. I highly recommend this book.
I loved this book discovery. The 1st of the series. I couldn’t put it down. I would recommend this book for everyone to read. I cant wait to get started on the 2nd book, shameless. I just got it today. Shawn
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.
I am a beta reader for Sherry, she is such an awesome writer!! This book “Discovery (The Orphan Train Saga Book 1)” is fantastic, I could not put it down until I finished the whole book. I was transported into the story of Mildred, it was like I was there seeing the whole story through her eyes and could feel everything that happened to her. I just felt like I was part of the story and all the character’s in the book. The character’s were so real to me and I just wanted to reach out and hug each and every one of them. I can’t wait for this book to be published and everyone can read about the orphan’s lives. I can’t wait for the next book to be written!!
Fabulous book! What a page turner, read it in one day. Just couldn’t put it down. “Discovery (The Orphan Train Saga Book 1) takes you through every emotion you can think of. So many twists within the story. Love that it had true historical factors mixed within. Inspiring book to say the least. Looking forward to reading Book 2.
Thank you Sherry A Burton for allowing me to be one of your beta readers. I feel honored and fortunate to be able to give you my honest review of your new book “Discovery.”
I can honestly say you have truly out done yourself. I have loved all of your books but this one, THIS ONE, WOW!!! I LOVED IT!!! I truly believe this one could be a best seller. I don’t even know how to put it into words the emotions I felt when reading it. I was totally immersed in the storytelling as if I was right there along with Cindy and her mom as they read each one of her grandmother’s journals. The heart wrenching life Mildred went through (both good and bad) to make her the woman she became, make this story truely amazing to read and hard to put down. I can’t wait for the next book to see where the story leads next!! Thank you again so much for allowing me to be one of your beta readers and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
I will absolutely be using this book for book club when I make my pick in a few months.