Reviews

We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston

jenniehenn's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

kellybarth's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnson is a coming-of-age love story set inside a cult in Waco, Texas.  This novel takes a look at what it might have been like to grow up in and around this extraordinary series of events (loosely based on the Branch Davidian cult in the 90's but the names and some of the details have been changed). 

“Sometimes [my father] took me with him to serve warrants… He wanted me to see how people we knew–grocery store cashiers, parishioners from church–could turn unrecognizable if things went sideways in their lives”

 This book has:
✔ A coming-of-age love story
✔ 1990’s Waco, Texas cult 
✔ Historical Fiction
✔ Short chapters
✔ Multiple POVs

This book is for you if you enjoy true-crime podcasts, historical fiction novels, and a smattering of action and adventure. 

Content warning: This book mentions pedophilia (frequent, but not graphic), and has some violent chapters. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Pedophilia and Religious bigotry

ashleywv's review against another edition

adventurous emotional

3.5

cbashore's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25