The Memoir of Johnny DayWalker by Meghan Davis

Disclaimer: This book is a participant in the Indie Ink Awards 2025 and I read it as a judge. My personal rating does not reflect its score for the contest.

I am tempted here to exaggerate my feelings in those first moments. Enter: the most important person in my entire life. I want to somehow create a moment that never really occurred, a kind of soul-shattering connection that we both sensed immediately, some foreshadowing right from the beginning. But that’s not how it plays out in real life, is it? When important people enter our life, we have no way of knowing it.

This is one of those books that makes me glad I got out of my comfort zone. I don’t usually read books with contemporary settings as I’ve found they pull me out of immersion with real-life references; in this case, it worked in its favor, making it feel more familiar.

I do judge a book by its cover, and this one called to me. It has gone through a few iterations, and I’m thankful it landed on this one. The current version feels more personal and reminiscent of a real memoir.

I devoured this novel in audiobook format, which I recommend. I just would’ve preferred for it to be a bit longer. I was intrigued by characters introduced in the latest chapters and what some later developments would mean for the protagonist.

The Memoir of Johnny DayWalker is a love letter to the ephemeral nature of human life. It’s a tale about love, life, and humanity. It draws parallels with racial segregation and interracial relationships in no subtle way (it’s even confirmed in an author’s note) and shows us that love conquers all.

I loved accompanying “Johnny DayWalker” in this emotional journey. It gave me a reason to pause for a moment and be thankful for my life and the people in it. Oh, to love and be loved.