Rite of Awakening cover

by Lorna TedderRites of Passage Trilogy, Book 1

Think: Cheryl Strayed meets Alice Hoffman meets Deborah Harkness in a Gothic-tinged journey of spiritual awakening, personal transformation, and reclaiming power from toxic systems and illusions.

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About the Book

Lauren Hartford is a spiritual consultant and soon-to-be single mother ready to reclaim her life after two decades in an emotionally abusive marriage. She expects her Third Degree Elevation in the Dragon Hart Grand Coven to mark her spiritual rebirth—but instead uncovers unsettling truths, hidden manipulation, and the dangerous cost of loyalty to a failing system.

Breaking free isn’t just about signing divorce papers—it means unraveling illusions, confronting spiritual abuse, and protecting her daughters from a legacy of control. As her coven fractures and personal battles escalate, Lauren must choose between staying safe in tradition or stepping into her full power. Rite of Awakening is a story steeped in Gothic tension with Southern echoes—building toward the storm-soaked reckoning that defines the trilogy’s Southern Gothic roots.

Previously published as Celebrating the Tower Card and Midlife Illusions.

Before You Read

This story touches on emotional abuse, child trauma, spiritual manipulation, custody conflict, financial hardship, depression, and a brief mention of suicidal ideation. All sensitive content supports the protagonist’s emotional growth and healing—nothing is included for shock value.

Read It Free — All Chapters

The complete novel, free to read right here.

  1. Chapter 1“The Gods love you so much that They’re willing to strip away from you everything that is illusion and replace it with something that’s real.”
  2. Chapter 2“I slam the driver’s door of my black Mercedes and hobble toward my office without looking back.”
  3. Chapter 3“At our usual café date, Lisa dabs her mouth with her oversized napkin, then toys with the low-carb dish she orders every week.”
  4. Chapter 4“I had an appointment with Dr. Matthews one hour ago, I’m waiting impatiently but fully clothed in a slightly warm exam room…”
  5. Chapter 5“They say you can learn a lot about a person from his friends because he’ll see in his friends the things that he admires…”
  6. Chapter 6“My older daughter throws her arms around me and pretends her new contact lenses are causing the tears in her eyes.”
  7. Chapter 7“It’s over. I’m a Third Degree now. And I am so utterly disappointed.”
  8. Chapter 8“I have never been so glad as I am tonight for my feet to touch the ground after a long plane ride.”
  9. Chapter 9“Men around me cry like babies. Some scream. Not me.”
  10. Chapter 10“Thirty miles from home—or where I hope home still is—and I’m sick to my stomach.”

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