Hours of Darkness

Hours Trilogy, Book One

By: V.F. Molloy

Narrated by: Amanda McKnight

Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

In 'Hours of Darkness,’ the first novel in the trilogy by V.F. Molloy, listeners follow Lauren Daniels, a stunning yet introverted teenager. Her life takes a surprising turn due to financial constraints, forcing her to leave her private school and enroll in affluent Reddington High School. Little did anyone know, this decision would change Lauren's life forever.

Lauren Daniels, a seventeen-year-old, shares an inseparable bond with her beautiful mother, Jennifer Daniels, who is also her best friend. Despite her outward beauty, Lauren is an introverted and reserved student at an all-girls private school. She finds solace in her beloved library, where she immerses herself in romance novels and dreams of finding true love one day.

Surrounded by the opulence of Reddington's mansions and affluence, Lauren and her mother challenge to make ends meet in their cozy, modest home. Sudden financial difficulties force Lauren to leave her private school, shattering the carefully constructed world of anonymity, literature, and solitude she held dear.

Lauren enters the affluent community of Reddington High School and is initially embraced by the inner circle of pretty, well-dressed, popular girls. However, envy and resentment quickly destroy her as Julia and Amber, two malicious individuals, hatch a vengeful plot against her.

Lauren's life takes a swift and irreversible turn when she becomes the target of a sinister and life-altering act of vengeance. She fights to survive the trauma, battling the shadows that engulf her, retreating even deeper into her own world.

After a devastating loss, Lauren is forced to leave her bubble and cherished childhood home, propelling her into adulthood and employment. She immerses herself in Boston's corporate landscape, where she doubts whether she can navigate the next chapter of her life.

This gripping drama, infused with suspense and underscored by themes of love, loss, and the enduring strength of family bonds.

©2023 V.F. Molloy (P)2023 V.F. Molloy

Wonderfully written and narrated, I felt engrossed in the story!

This novel is so full of emotion, truly engaging and bringing forth so many feelings. As I journeyed alongside the lovely young lady finding her way through adversity, and finding the courage to preserve through life trying to find her place in a brighter future for herself. I felt like I was right there in the story and loved this book! I cannot wait for the next chapter of her life to begin! Well done.

Great narration of a relatable story

Amanda read the story beautifully, with accents and other effects. She reads at a pace I enjoy, and others can always adjust if desired. The story is one that conjures up memories of teen and adult years. I'm excited to see what happens in the next part of the trip loft.

This book surprised me

I went through this book in audiobook format. I expected Mean Girls, and that’s definitely there (at least for half the book), but I don’t think that’s actually the book’s primary focus. It covers much more ground than that. Based on some of the supporting characters and plot elements, I would say it’s part of the dramatic idealization sub-type of coming-of-age stories.

When I had to pause listening to the book after lunch at a certain part about two hours in, I caught myself wondering what was going to happen several times during the interval between then and when I was able to resume it again after dinner. That doesn’t happen very often, even for books I enjoy.

There were primarily two things that kept this book from hitting 5 stars with me. First, a number of details strained my suspension of disbelief when a simpler or more plausible alternative would not have detracted from the plot developments, and second, I don’t think the protagonist’s actions (or in some cases, refusal to take certain actions) were consistent with the strength and resilience that supporting characters kept lauding her for. Readers who identify more with the protagonist than I did might very well rate it more highly.

The audiobook narration was a major asset for this book’s presentation and overall impression. The audio was particularly well-done, with multiple effective uses of filter-effects for things like television news reports and the narrator-protagonist's internal dialogue that enhanced listener immersion.

As a side note, the book’s dedication left me very curious about its real-life backstory.