Loosely based on the Branch Davidian cult, We Burn Daylight is an engrossing story set in Waco, Texas in 1993. Roy is the fourteen year-old younger son of the town’s sheriff. There is a new group of people setting up a compound and following a charismatic leader who calls himself The Lamb. This religious cult is supposedly hoarding weapons and grenades and rumors that they are abusing young girls are rampant. When Roy meets Jaye, he has no idea at first that she came with her mother to the compound. Jaye’s mother left her husband to follow The Lamb and Jaye didn’t want her mother to go alone. Jaye’s mother is completely devoted to The Lamb but Jaye is suspicious of him, with good reason. The town is on edge about this cult and Roy’s dad is under fire with his job in jeopardy.

The story alternates between Roy and Jaye’s voices with podcast excerpts from people who were in the cult or were part of law enforcement. As the cult gains national attention, tensions run high and there is a strong sense of foreboding leading up to the final showdown between law enforcement and the cult members.

This well reviewed book was a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice. If you like fast paced engrossing novels, you will like We Burn Daylight.

Thanks to Random House and netGalley for the advanced reading copy.

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I know it sounds ridiculous to say this so many years later, but I wonder whether we still aren't too close to Waco, at least for me. I really struggled with this book, even though there is nothing to criticize in the writing, the execution. Honestly, the inspired by true events side of this really bothered me. I don't think we're at a stage where we can replace truth and posit another outcome. The tragedy of Waco was what it was. But I am here to review this book and what it does, on its face. I can find little to fault in the writing other than the endless POV switching, which was terrible to follow in the early chapters. There are many readers--especially true crime fans--who will enjoy this. It just wasn't for me.

We Burn Daylight is a historical fiction novel based on the events at the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, in 1993. Bret Anthony Johnston creates a character, Jaye, who is forced to live in the compound because of her mother’s desires, and another character, Roy, who lives in Waco with his father, the sheriff. The young kids meet and immediately Roy develops quite the crush for Jaye. He does everything he can to be in her path as often as possible, which is rare based on the control her leader The Lamb has on all occupants of the farm.
Law officers increase their suspicions of what’s going on at the farm. A rumor is strongly suspected that they’re amassing large quantities of firearms and military weapons. Roy and Jaye know it’s just a matter of time before the lid blows off, but Jaye can’t convince her mother to leave.
The characters are believable, and the plot is, well, we already know how it turns out, but the ending is given a reprieve. I only have one issue with the revised ending; the kids are too young to do what they accomplish. Stranger things have happened, though, and it leaves the legacy of horror in Waco with a sliver of hope.
Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group, Random House for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is July 30, 2024.

What a page-turner! Read this in two days. Cultish, but not black and white. All the grey areas, which I loved. The story is fictional, but clearly based on David Koresh and the Branch Davidians, with a charismatic leader, a young teen caught up in it when her mother falls under his spell, and the boy she is drawn to.

Well-drawn portrait of life in the early 90s and the way that situations can become firestorms when politics and machismo get involved. I ate this book up!

Another mistake on my part. This is the fictionalized account of teenagers in love in a situation involving a cult similar to the Branch Davidians. It is quite well written but I have spent a part of the last 17 days attempting to make myself become sufficiently involved with these characters enough to finish it. I threw in the towel at 50%. Is it a good book? Absolutely, but just not for me . Thanks to Net Galley and Random House for an ARC for an honest review.

I was fairly young when the Waco standoff happened in 1993…old enough to remember people talking about it but too young to really care about the news. So, I only knew the broad strokes going into this. I know it’s a fictional account but from what I remember and what I have heard, it went down almost identically to how this story unfolded. Anyway, I enjoyed exploring this point in history even if it wasn’t “exactly” what happened. It dragged a little for awhile though, so that kept it from being 5 stars.

A teenage girl named Jaye and her mother leave their California home to move in to the Lamb's compound. Jaye is a smartass kid who doesn't care for rules, much less religion, and can't understand what her mother saw in the Lamb – a landscaper who wanted to be a guitar god and became an actual god instead. But when she meets Roy, the sheriff's son, the two teenagers are drawn to each other, even as they careen toward the fulfillment of the Lamb's final, violent visions. The brief chapters that alternate between Jaye’s and Roy’s points of view heighten this rising tension.

Set in Waco, Texas in 1993, this book tells the story of lovers from different worlds amidst a doomsday cult. Inspired by true events, it explores faith and family. In the novel, there are excerpts from a podcast three decades later that features interviews with surviving cult members, law enforcement officials, and others familiar with the tragedy at the ranch. There are episodes of vivid drama in the story. I found this novel very interesting.

Im sorry I couldn’t finish this in time. It just didn’t work for me at the moment because I was in the mood for something else.

I enjoyed the novel and its alternating voices but found it a slower read than I expected. That said, when I came back to it each time, I was easily drawn in again. Interesting, well-drawn characters and a sense of urgency, that might have been stretched out a bit too long. Overall, would recommend.

This was an excellent fictionalization of the siege in Waco in 1993. I liked how the story was told while it was happening in 1993 from the point of view of two young teenagers in love and present day in the form of a podcast with key figures from the siege. It was very well written and researched.

Synopsis: Waco, Texas, 1993. People from all walks of life have arrived to follow the Lamb’s gospel—signing over savings and pensions, selling their homes and shedding marriages. They’ve come here to worship at the feet of a former landscaper turned prophet who is preparing for the End Times with a staggering cache of weapons. Jaye’s mother is one of his newest and most devout followers, though Jaye herself has suspicions about the Lamb’s methods—and his motives.
Roy is the youngest son of the local sheriff, a fourteen-year-old boy with a heart of gold and a nose for trouble who falls for Jaye without knowing of her mother’s attachment to the man who is currently making his father’s life hell. The two teenagers are drawn to each other immediately and completely, but their love may have dire consequences for their families. The Lamb has plans for them all—especially Jaye—and as his preaching and scheming move them closer and closer to unthinkable violence, Roy risks everything to save Jaye.
I want to start off by saying, that I enjoy reading true crime novels, and this being loosely based on the events that took place in Waco, is what initially drew me to request this. Bret Anthony Johnston does an amazing job with character development for all that are included in this story. With great detail of the backdrop of this intense story. I recommend this to all who enjoy fiction, based on fact-based storylines. I could not wait to find out what happened to the star-crossed lovers of this tale. I truthfully had no idea what lay in store for Jaye and Roy. Or their family members. Thank You to the Author, Publisher, and Netgalley for the e-galley.

It's a rare book when the book's premise held up to the storytelling. I was hooked on the Romeo and Juliet romance set in the context of the Branch Davidian cult in Waco, TX. The characters seemed well-fleshed out and the tension was gripping (especially in the latter half). I would definitely recommend this book to friends and would read books by this author!

This was a very interesting read. We Burn Daylight is the first recent-time, cult-like book I've read and I'm still thinking about the characters. This is set in Waco, TX, and based on the events that happened with David Koresh and Branch Davidian compound in the early 90s. The writing of character emotions is pretty incredible. In one of the later scenes, I swear I felt just as claustrophobic as Roy. There is a lot going on here, though, with his brother and his buddy and Jaye's dad, etc., but I would absolutely recommend this to a friend.

I was intrigued by the premise—Romeo and Juliet set during the siege of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, TX—but the execution was pretty lackluster. Something about the writing left me feeling emotionally disconnected from the story, and for a book described as a “heart-pounding literary page turner” it was lacking in narrative tension. By the midway point I lost interest and had to force myself through the second half.

This book could have been a five star for me but it lost a couple of stars for two reasons. One being that the character of Jaye was written to act way older than she was stated as being. That was ok and made it a four star until I read the acknowledgments. The fact that the author says it was not about David Koresh. If he would have said it was loosely based on Koresh and the town of Waco, TX that would have helped. It was very much indeed about that horrific event. Yes in fiction form but it should have said "based" on. That is my humble opinion.

I was entranced by this story. I remember when the cult and awful events of that time happened. How horribly it was addressed. The FBI, cops, and whatever other law enforcement was there messed things up horribly. Yes the main character, Perry, should have been brought down. But according to this story and the real life story, he was in town and having gun shows all the time. They could have taken him at any time without causing many deaths. Without all the destruction. Again this is my humble opinion. Now and back then.

Two teenagers tell most of this story. One being the sheriffs son, Roy, ages 14. The other is Jaye, who came from California with her mother to join Perry. Jaye was just way to mature for a 15 year old. She did everything. She stood up to Perry like he was nothing. I didn't buy that either. I did like the story though so bear with me please. If not for her age it would have felt so much more realistic. Jaye had been a shy somewhat introverted young girl. She and her mother came to see what Perry and his commune was all about. It sounded very much like they were trying to groom Jaye for Perry even though her mother was wildly crazy about him. I mean she left her husband to move to Texas and be with Perry. I get that. It happened a lot in cults.

Roy was a kid who had a good life. His mother was a nurse and his dad the sheriff. He was a good kid and did what he was suppose to do. Until he didn't. That is when things went crazy in this story. lol At least for me. There were a few things that just didn't add up for me in this book. The fact that the cop didn't run after Roy when he ran into the compound. That they didn't look for him like he was the sheriff's son. Oh wait, he was the sheriff's son. Go figure. Yes it would happen but in this book I just didn't buy that. This man, Roy's dad, would have moved mountains to find his son knowing what was coming.

The FBI botched the arrest of Perry. They caused so many deaths. Yes Perry deserved to die in my opinion for what he was doing to young girls. But so did their parents for allowing it. Not that this book was in any way graphic. You only read that it did happen. No details. No graphics. I also didn't buy the ending. The sheriff would not have gone along with it. Not the man I read about anyway. He would have found a way for things to be ok.

I figured out what happened to the two youngsters and was not surprised by the ending. But I had no idea who the podcaster what. I was pleasantly surprised. I like him and was hoping he would find out the truth.

This book had great potential and it looks like I am in the minority with this opinion. I liked it but it did not wow me like I had hoped it would. It was a fast paced story and after the FBI got called in it got exciting. But I just didn't think a few things were so great and I do believe it is about David Koresh, or loosely about him and the events of that time.

Thank you #NetGalley, #RandomHousePublishingGroup, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Three stars.

I knew by the second chapter that this book would definitely not be a DNF for me. A 90s Texas Romeo and Juliet, every chapter kept me wanting to learn more and more about Roy and Jaye and how they coped with being in proximity to a cult with parallels to the Branch Davidians of Waco, Texas. The book covers themes of survival, love, and faith. There was a constant thread of impending doom and uncertainty, both in regards to the actions of all who were involved and the fate of a young, blooming love story. Johnston wrote this book in a way that I thought gave the climactic parts of the book a sort of slow-motion energy, where I was holding my breath in anticipation of what could happen next. The podcast episodes wrapping every chapter in which characters are recalling their experiences, gives the added perspective of hindsight and how so much can go wrong when people think they are right.

This was not a 5 star read for me because I struggled with the ending and fate of Roy, Jaye, and Kanaan. It was just a little too unrealistic for me considering their ages and where they ended up.

We Burn Daylight
By Bret Anthony Johnston

If you were around in 1993 you must remember the Branch Davidians, a religious sect led by David Koresh, and the horror when the Davidian compound in Waco Texas is besieged by our government for 51 days.
The standoff ended with a horrific fire which killed nearly 80 people, including many children.

The story of Waco is true. Here it serves as the background for a fictional "Romeo and Juliet" story of two characters who, like Shakespeare's characters, come to a sad end. Jaye is the daughter of a devout follower and Roy is the son of the local sheriff. They are in love, and Roy wants to save Jaye from what is coming. But Koresh has other plans.

The title, "We Burn Daylight", is in fact a quote from Romeo and Juliet. This too is a tragedy.

More of a Fictional Case Study than a Novel
As a novel, many elements failed to land effectively. While there were asynchronous aspects throughout the book, they were particularly troublesome in the first part of the book, which was quite disorienting. The tension peaked too early and then dragged on slowly for too long.
The allusions to Romeo and Juliet were hard to miss, but the story was more of an alternate universe than a retelling of the original. It is definitely not the same genre.
That said, if I look at it more like a fictional case study, inspired by the Branch Davidian situation, I find much more merit in this book. While the author chose to align the time and place with the actual events, the characters and the majority of the described scenarios are fictional. Each character has a unique perspective on the events, and the psychological and sociological implications of what may have happened are explored throughout the book. If you enjoy that sort of thing,, you will probably appreciate this book. Still, you may want to look elsewhere if you are looking for a Shakespearean-inspired romantic tragedy novel or a historically accurate story.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. The premise was intriguing, but this just did not do it for me. I was not a fan of the alternating chapters or the style of podcasts/interviews etc being woven in to the book. I think the biggest issue I had was why connect it to Waco - either write about the Branch Davidians or pick something COMPLETELY different but this setup just felt odd. Not a fan of the style overall and the star crossed lovers theme seemed overdone as well.

One of my favorite galleys I've gotten in a while. A quasi Romeo and Juliette story with the setting of the Waco Tragedy. Given how young I was when the Waco Siege happened, I didn't know much about the events and ended up doing research while reading along. I think the book did a good job being truthful to the actual events while also adding in these fictional characters and events.