3.75 stars……Waco was one of the worst tragedies of our time. We Burn Daylight is based on the 1993 government invasion of the compound in Waco where a religious cult led by David Koresh was burned, killing way too many people. At the end of the book the author makes a point of stating that The Lamb, is not about the cult leader David Koresh, it is more about two fourteen year old teenagers, the people who were drawn in by The Lamb and what happened after the compound was burned down. It is about all the lives that were affected by one religous extremest.

What I loved about this book is the title, the beginning and the end of the book. In the beginning I loved the character development and how the author set the stage of what was to come. What I didn’t like was the middle. It got too long and dragged out for me. I loved the end and felt the author did a great job letting us know what happened to the characters that lived, and how one extreme religious fanatic changed their lives.

While I remember some of the Waco massacre, it is very little. Now I need to go back to read more of the details to see how close this story is to the real event.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is Very fascinating about the waco disaster in texas. They have different storylines going along with it, but I really like about the broadcasting. And a great chapter to explain what just happened.. I like the love story about people in this book too. How this man named perry Took a advantage of people at this ranch.Because he believed he was Son Oh god. I.
Was interested in how Everybody's family Was affected by this. The The law enforcement son got involved with the girl At the ranch. The mother of the girl left her husband in california. This was a really great book

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the writing, but the story dragged a lot at the beginning and I couldn’t get into it. I hear it picks up in the second half so I may eventually give it a second shot, but I had to DNF for now.

This is a very sepcial book. It's a book about the incident in Waco. I know you're probably saying what else more could be said about this horrible incident in American history. We Burn Daylight will put all that to rest. It's a beautiful sad story about a young boy is is the sheriff's son and and a your girl is who the daughter of the mother who is enamored by the cult leader. Its a back and forth of shor chapters from the two main characters. the other parts of the novel are short intevrviews from a podcast. This novel is a veru fasty read. You kind of know how the story is going to end but the author makes it seem fresh and have you look at the situation is a new way. I was never bored reading the novel because I was so interested to see what the author wanted to do with these two characters. The ending is will be staisfying to most even though its such a tragic story. my only question is why the author decided to not chnage the name of David Koresh to Lamb. I mean I kind of get it but jsut the only head scratcher part of this very fine novel. Thank you to #Randomhouse and #Netgalley for the ARC. Great for book clubs.

Two teens, a doomsday cult, and Waco Texas sets the stage for We Burn Daylight.

Waco, Texas 1993

Perry Cullen, known by his followers as (The Lamb) has followers from all over. They come to his compound with their possessions and money to prepare for the end of times. They have gathered a HUGE amount of weapons for when the end comes. Jaye’s mother comes to Texas to join the Lamb and his followers. She is a steadfast and devout follower while her her daughter, Jaye questions the Lamb's intentions and methods. Roy is the local sheriff's son and finds himself drawn to Jaye.

If you are getting David Koresh and the Branch Davidians vibes from this book, that is because this book is based on the events that took place in Waco, Texas in 1993.

This book is told through a podcast which takes place 30 years after the siege, and through the POV's of Jaye and Roy. This book was somewhat slow for me and I struggle with slow, but I hung in there and did enjoy the book. The podcast sections were my favorite parts of the book. I appreciated the depiction of devotion, of cults, of doubt, and the connection between Jaye and Roy.

Well written, well thought out and enjoyable.

Four and 1/2 Stars.
This was a very ambitious book that takes on the Branch Davidian cult in Waco, Texas. It is about two young people who happen to fall in love amidst all of this chaos. The author deserves several starts just for having the courage to attempt such a feat. While there are a few minor flaws, he performs admirable. I am not sure whether this qualifies as historical fiction because the events are so contemporary, it feels like historical fiction; the author had to have conducted major research to make the events that transpired seem authentic. I never knew anything about what happened there other than what I read in the news. That and my interest in cults made this a must read novel. I was not disappointed.
The title of the book "We Burn Daylight" comes from Romeo and Juliet. This title works on several levels: given that the two main characters are young people that fall in love under the worst of circumstances that transpire to keep them apart, they are very much like Romeo and Juliet. The girl, Jaye, is the daughter of a devout follower of the cult's leader, Lamb, while the boy, Roy, is the son of the sheriff. The title also works in conjunction with the events at Waco. I am in awe of an author who can choose a good title since I have written and it is always difficult for me to create a good title.
The reader has to have some patience with We Burn Daylight. It is not an easy book to follow. There are interviews in podcast segments embedded into the text from witnesses in present day which help to build the mood and a sense of foreboding. There are alternating perspectives of Raye and Roy and we move throughout the events that gain momentum throughout the book. At times, it seems slightly choppy and confusing which is where it loses that half star for me.
Nonetheless, this was a very worthwhile read that has, truthfully, left me a little spent. Reader be forewarned that you will want to read something lighter and fluffier after reading this!
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a copy of this ARC.

A gut punch of a novel where you know there's going to be something awful but not what will happen-or what happens after. This is told alternately by 14 year olds Jaye and Roy in 1993 and by snippets of interviews conducted by a podcaster in 2024. Jaye's mother brought her to Perry's compound in Waco after she fell under her spell; Roy is the son of Eli, the local sheriff. They meet by chance, a meeting that changes both of their lives. Johnston does an excellent job of ramping up the tension, of making the reader understand the pressure on Eli to do something about Perry, of Jaye's fear of Perry's intentions, of Roy's desire to help her and about his concern for his brother who is working in Iraq. The assault by the federal government on the compound is the crisis point which sees, well, no spoilers. I liked the interviews which provided different perspectives, I feared for Jaye, I rooted for Roy, and it had me turning the pages. Yes it's based a bit on Waco but please don't miss the author's note (and thanks, btw, to the creep who stole his laptop.). I didn't expect the ending but wow. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Really great read.

This was an interesting idea and I really liked the premise. The author is a talented writer, I especially enjoyed the podcast conversations and felt they added appeal and complexity to this story. The last section was my fav and I kind of wish the story had started at this point. I know the author was very clear about these being fictional characters and only based on events that took place in Waco Texas, but I remember watching the real events on the news and reading this story had me struggling to separate fact from fiction and it felt maybe too close to reality, kind of like I already knew what was going to happen, so the story lost some of it’s interest for me. If this had been a fictional cult, I think I would have given it 4 stars, but I’m sure some people will prefer the use of a known tragic event.

Whoa. There is a lot going on in this book: it is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet as well as a fictional re-enactment of the siege at Waco, TX. If you're fascinated by cults and religious extremists, this book might be of interest to you. It definitely moves quickly plot-wise. Roy is the son of the Sheriff, and of course his star-crossed love is the new girl in town, the daughter of the new follower of the cult's leader, called "the Lamb." The chapters are told in alternating points of view, which makes the book even more quickly. And on top of that, there are chapters that are a podcast that takes place decades later which interviews law enforcement and surviving cult members. If you know Waco and Shakespeare, you know that this can't end well. If you're looking for a lot of melodrama, go no further,

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

We Burn Daylight is a fictionalized account of the Waco siege, told through the perspectives of two teenagers, Roy and Jaye. Roy, the son of the local sheriff, and Jaye, who resides at the Waco compound, navigate their budding romance amidst the escalating tensions. The story explores not only their relationship but also the events unfolding within the compound and the challenges Roy faces at home.

Based on the Waco siege on the ranch of the Branch Davidians this novel is a page-turner. The alternating points of view give the reader an insight into what the people thought and experienced. Both sides of this event are seen through the eyes of the narrators. Roy is the son of the local Sheriff and Jaye lives with the doomsday cult. They fall in love against all odds! Star-crossed Lovers, the Law versus the Cult, and a heart-wrenching conclusion make an excellent novel. Thanks Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

It’s been over 30 since the Branch Davidian tragedy of Waco, Texas. Bret Anthony Johnston’s WE BURN DAYLIGHT Is based on those tragic months with an interesting love story attached.

When Roy is 14, his father is McClellan County sheriff and is losing sleep over what is going on with ‘The Lamb’ and his followers who have given up everything; jobs, homes, spouses and children to follow his teachings. Perry Cullen teaches love and acceptance while dealing in arms and hate. He is preparing his people for End Times and warns that there will be a violent end. As Roy is becoming a man, his role model is dealing with Cullen and his people and the ever growing list of alphabet soup (FBI, ATF, etc) who are also interested in what Cullen is doing. When serving a search warrant goes violently wrong, the stand-off begins.

Meanwhile, Jaye’s mother has decided to follow Perry and they pick up and move to the compound in Waco. While Jaye isn’t too keen on his teachings, Perry seems to have ulterior motives in wanting them there.

When Roy and Jaye meet, their attraction is immediate and strong. They find clandestine ways of meeting and their relationship grows stronger and deeper than even they themselves ever expected. When the stand-off concludes, can their love story survive?

I very much enjoyed a different way of looking at the incident in Waco. Having read everything written at the time, it was refreshing to see something positive. The tension continued to mount as I knew how the stand-off ended. Mr Johnston really did his background research which lent more credibility to the story and had me rooting for Jay and Roy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

The author does a great job explaining the true and tragic events of Waco. Told in recollections from the past and stories of the present it captures the essence of the characters. Hearing the story from the point of view of the different characters allows the reader to understand how each person was affected differently during the event. It is also a story of love that overcomes the odds.

This was about a cult led by a man called Perry who later fashioned himself as the Lamb ( a modern day messiah) he gathers people on a compound and preaches to them.. It is rumored that he engages in free love which sometimes includes teenage girls.
He amasses guns and grenades.

A teen boy, Roy aka Rodeo who's father is the sheriff meets and falls for a teenage girl , Jaye who follows her mother to the compound.

The Bureau of Alcohol tobacco and Firearms comes to the compound with the intent of serving an arrest warrant on Lamb.
All of the men at the compound had prepared for the raid.
Unfortunately gunfire on both side erupts and eventually tear gas is used in order to get the followers to leave the compound,, this isn't successful and fire breaks out.
Roy and Jaye make it out safely however but it is assumed they perished even though their bodies aren't found.
of the story thaThis book was very drawn out and seemed to drag on and it wasn't until the last 1/4 of the story that it finally picked up.

Waco, Texas 1993. Roy, son of local sheriff, meets Jaye, not knowing her mother is attached to The Lamb, local prophet.

This one took a bit for me to get through. While interesting, it does not flow easily and can be disjointed at times. I loved learning about the cult and seeing how members got sucked in but I don’t understand why it took place in Waco if it wasn’t the real situation or people. That was confusing to me. I did like the perspectives and how they were both youths ; yet ones that saw clearly.

“We were all just trying for Heaven. That’s all we did, say and night, try for that reward, and if more folks loved that way, the world’d be better off. The girls and guns make no never mind.”

We Burn Daylight comes out 7/30.

Waco, Texas, 1993. Many, many people watched live as the Branch Davidian compound burned to the ground. (*ahem Janet Reno*) We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston take the real-life story and adds a human voice in Jaye & Roy.

The Lamb is preparing his followers for the end times. Jaye's mother is his newest and most devoted followers, while Jaye herself remains skeptical. Roy, the son of the local sheriff, falls in love with Jaye, without knowing about her mother's connection to the man who is currently ruining his father's life.

The Lamb, of course, has his own plans for the future, and Jaye is involved, even though she's unaware. As tensions rise, Roy risks everything to save Jaye.

This is the second 'cult' book I've read recently. This one delivers on the leader and followers. Maybe because I remember watching that compound burn, live from the media room at my high school, but this felt real. The tension was HIGH on almost every page.

Bret Anthony Johnston has a banger of a book on his hands.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

DNF. I liked the examination of a cult but saw no purpose in setting it in Waco. I remember true accounts of the siege on Waco in 1993, where most cult members died. But we are reminded that this story is separate from one actual historical Waco, and its fictional leader, the Lamb (who lacks charisma), is not based on David Koresh. I felt the fictional account of the cult and siege would have been more effective if a different location had been chosen.
The story focused on a romance and thoughts of two teenagers, a girl living in the compound, the other the son of a law enforcement member. They narrate their story in alternate chapters. Their involvement leads up to the fictional siege and to suspense about the outcome. Their individual stories are mixed with a present-day podcast interviewing witnesses, survivors, and law enforcement agents. I regret I am in the minority and failed to maintain interest. However, many readers will find this to be a gripping story, with its unique narrative and suspenseful plot.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher of the ARC. The publication date is July 30, 2024.

Sometimes, a novel sneaks right in and demands that the reader pay close attention. "We Burn Daylight" by Bret Anthony Johnston is such a story. It is a fictionalized imagining of a Branch Dividian-esque religious cult set in the now same infamous Texas town of Wacos.

Wrapped up in the familiar tragedy that was the confrontation between an evangelical, apocalyptically rooted cult of true believers (with guns) and the immovable force of various local, state, and Federal law enforcement agencies (also with guns). As with the historic confrontation, Johnston's fictionalized encounter does not end well.

However, what the author added to this deeply tragic and violent moment in American history, was a deeply engaging, truly real, beautifully written (and ultimately hopeful) coming-of-age story. For at the heart of this violent story, is a pair of lovestruck sixteen year olds, who against all odds, find one another. In the increasingly difficult process of figuring out how to survive the adult world's insanity that they have been thrown into, these two remarkable young people show us all that love, loyalty, smart thinking, ingenuity, and compassion are attributes that truly matter in this complicated world of ours.

This compelling, beautifully written novel will be published on July 30, 2024. I wholeheartedly recommend it and count it as one of my favorite reads thus far in 2024. I offer my honest review in thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me access to an advanced copy.

#WeBurnDaylight
#BretAnthonyJohnston
#NetGalley
#TexasLiteraryFiction
#WacosTexas
#ComingofAgeTales

I was drawn to read We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston because the plot involved the Waco, Texas raid on the Branch Davidian compound in 1993. Although I was an adult at that time, I didn't remember many of the details surrounding the story. This book was inspired by that historical event, but the characters are fictional.

The story is told from the perspectives of two teenagers, Roy and Jaye, and it is interspersed with podcast interviews with those involved with the raid, including family members and law enforcement. I enjoyed the podcast sections, as it lent perspective and provided a simple way to impart more context about how the events played out. The short chapters kept the pace moving along swiftly. I couldn't read fast enough as the story barreled through the last few chapters on its way to the fiery conclusion. The epilogue wrapped up some of the loose ends but I was still left with a few questions.

I appreciated the Romeo and Juliet parallel, although I was a couple chapters into it before I got it. The writing overall was very strong, and I highlighted a few passages that really made me think. Book groups will find much to talk about with this one.

I will recommend this to readers who like historical fiction about religious groups and/or from the 1990's.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was lured into this book by the promise of a spin on Romeo and Juliet set in a doomsday cult inspired by (but not about) the events in Waco, TX in the early 90s. I suspect these are the hooks that will lure a lot of readers to this novel. For the first hundred pages, I was transfixed. I suspect I'm so used to marketing terms like "star-crossed lovers" or more direct comparisons to Romeo and Juiet that I didn't think this would actually be so close to Shakespeare's play. But Bret Anthony Johnston has fun inserting clever call-backs to the play for anyone familiar with it. Instead of Romeo and Juliet, we get Roy and Jaye--but to make it more overt, Roy is nicknamed Rodeo (a single letter off from his inspiration's name) and Jaye has chosen her name because she thinks her birth name was too much like a character in an old play (natch). Instead of Capulets and Montagues, Roy is the son of the Sheriff and Jaye lives on a compound led by a religious figure who calls himself the Lamb--and who is being investigated by Roy's father and the FBI. At the beginning, Roy has been dumped by a girl named Rosie while at the beginning of the play, Romeo is infatuated with a girl named Rosaline. There is also a nurse, a scene where Jaye spies Roy from above in a water tower, and another moment where Jaye muses about the meaning of names. If you aren't familiar with Shakespeare's play, these moments will flow by without notice. But they're delightful easter eggs for fans.

Disappointingly, after about a hundred pages, I began to feel that the novel was straining. Part of this is due to the fact that once the premise really gets going, you start to realize how flimsy it is. As fun as it is to track the callbacks to Romeo and Juliet, I just never believed Roy and Jaye as star-crossed lovers. They feel like flat characters who never fully animate. I also never believed Jaye's connection to the cult (although in brief chapter breaks with "clips" from a fictional 2024 podcast about the events of the plot, several people take issue with the application of the word cult). Jaye's mother falls under the Lamb's spell but for the plot to work, Jaye needs to not buy in at all--and yet she also has to stay on the compound. It never feels believable that Jaye would somewhat willingly go along with her mother when she didn't have to go with her in the first place--and she could have gone back to her father in California at any time.

And while I appreciate that Johnston uses the different perspectives of the people interviewed for the podcast to get at the murkiness of whether or not the FBI raid was justified, it feels odd that he repeatedly has characters in both the past and present make the case that the government should not have interfered at all while acknowledging that statutory rape was occurring on the compound.

Ultimately, I only liked parts of this novel. What's most unfortunate is that the parts I liked were pretty clever on Johnston's part.