Strap in—this one is a brutal, witchy punch to the gut. Fifteen-year‑old Fern lands in a creepy unwed mother’s home in the ’70s, surrounded by tight rules, controlling adults, and raging stigma. When she and her bunkmates stumble on a dusty occult book, magic kicks off like a riot. Witchcraft becomes resistance, spells give them scraps of power, and suddenly shutting up isn’t an option. It’s raw grief, sister‑bond fury, and supernatural rebellion all mixed like a Molotov cocktail.

But hold up—this ride isn’t nonstop fire. The pace dips into introspective gloom too often, where you’re slogging through emotional word-soup rather than cursed chants. A few characters pop in, hang around like ghosts, then vanish without a trace. And when the girls finally make magic, the weird horrors don’t always hit as hard as the real-life nightmare they’re escaping. Still, there’s something addictive about that slow-burn dread and the messy power it gives them.

**Verdict:**
A brutal, atmospheric mash-up of historical oppression, teenage rage, and occult spark. Messy at times, with pacing potholes and loose threads, but when it hits—*it hits*. For fans of feminist horror, ’70s mysticism, and gritty sisterhood vibes, grab this—but don’t expect tidy.

Grady Hendrix's books are always a wild ride and this one was no different.
There are some rather graphic descriptions of childbirth, which could be off putting for some, but weren't too out of left field given the subject matter and story.
There maybe wasn't as much horror as I was expecting, however, it still kept me hooked the whole way through.
And I'm always such a fan of Grady's writing and writing style. He did so well, especially as a male author, to depict these teenage girls.
Definitely one to pick up around spooky season, I would say. And I can't wait to see what Grady does next.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Grady Hendrix, so no surprise I devoured this books and loved every minute of it. But I’m not biased, this story is engaging it follows Fern, 15 and pregnant, set in the 70’s she is sent away to a home for wayward girls. There she meets Rose, Zinnia and Holly, all in the same predicament and nothing to do but wait to have their babies and go back to their lives. But some people’s life’s aren’t as safe as others like Holly’s and in order to save their friend they tuen to witchcraft. However it’s not as simple as casting a spell and they get more then they bargained for when Fern gets accidentally tangled in another covens web. Full of excellent pop culture references as you would expect from Hendrix. It takes you on an emotional journey from start to finish. It shows how women have been treated and seen in ways you can’t ignore. Just brilliant writing.

Absolutely loved this book! Highly recommended for a fast pace, creepy, addictive, page turning horror.

I have read every book by Grady Hendrix and I have to say I'm a little disappointed by this one. It's probably my least favourite of his.

When I picked this up didn't realise it was more historical fiction based on pregnant women rather than a horror story about witches.

I'm not really a fan of reading about graphic pregnancy and it felt much more about giving birth than an actual horror novel which Grady is very much known and loved for.

I also found there were far too many characters in the beginning, some of them very similar, and I struggled to get a mental picture of each character in my head.

I did enjoy the horror elements to the book, they were just very few and far between.

I'm not sure I would recommend this to anyone I know. Not enough horror, and way too much graphic scenes regarding pregnancy.

It is the 1970's. Fifteen year old Neva gets pregnant. In order to ward off scandal she is sent to 'visit her Auntie' for a few months. In other words she is off to a home for unwed mothers. There they can wait for their babies to be born and then to hand them over to adoption. Once at the home she is given a new name, Fern (all the girls are named for flowers and allegedly this name change is to protect their anonymity! The girls are expected to follow the rules and atone for their sins! When Fern is given a book on witchcraft by the strange visiting librarian, the girls look for ways to gain some control of their fate & when a 'spell' works they are both thrilled and scared. Nothing comes for free and soon the mysterious librarian is expecting some payment.

This wasn't a hide behind the sofa sort of horror story-although it had some pretty awful moments! Overall it was a good read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book,

In Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, we follow Fern; pregnant at 15, she is sent to Wellwood House where unwed mothers are hidden away to give birth away from their families before returning home. There, Fern meets Rose, Zinnia and Holly and the four girls quickly form a tight friendship, but it isn't long before Fern meets the librarian who introduces the girls to a very special book... a guide to witchcraft. As the girls seek to hold power for the first time in their lives, the book becomes more and more important to them, but remember, as the book says 'everything has a price, and every price must be paid'.

While I remember liking the characters in The Final Girls Support Group, I can't say that I remember them specifically as people now, over 18 months since I read it - but I feel that Fern, Rose, Zinnia and Holly will remain with me for a long time. While the majority of the book is from Fern's perspective, the other girls, even those who appear only briefly, feel so memorable and whole, allowing you a window into to lives of not only unwed teen mothers in 1970s America, but teen girls as a whole during the period.

The way Hendrix has taken such a harrowing subject (please check trigger warnings!!) and made such an enjoyable read out of it has really impressed me - the book is dark, warm and chaotic, which may not always go together but really work in this and the fact that the horror comes from both fantastical and very much real events added even more to my enjoyment. I imagine this will make my end of year favourites list as well, it may be a new all-time favourite.

I typically really enjoy Grady Hendrix books, but sadly this one didn’t quite live up to my expectations, though it was still enjoyable. The stand out of this book is really the way the female characters and their experience are written with truth and empathy, which I honestly didn’t think a male author would be able to capture. This is clearly a very well researched book, and it is absolutely horrifying to think how many young women will have experienced this.

I do think this was lacking in horror and witchcraft, and I found myself quite bored through long stretches of the book. My favourite character was Rose and I wanted more of her!

Not as horror or witchcrafty as I expected. The pregnant teenagers are shipped off, our wayward girls. Graphic depictions of pregnancy and labour, good characters, and thought provoking. Enjoyed it

A heavy and emotional read.
To think the way the girls were treated was factual for some women of the times.
I love the balance of magic, prices to be paid etc.
The graphic births took me back but over all, a solid read.

A haunting story about young women who try to break out of a life where they have no control over their bodies and where the greatest horrors are done by the people who should be protecting them. Grady is on his way to become one of the best voices in modern horror.

Girl Interrupted meets The Craft in this exceptional book from the master of horror entertainment. I was completely gripped the whole way through.

Really enjoyed this one-touches on some serious topics in a very clever way.

I felt so much with the characters, it got me so many times with some gut wrenching scenes.

HELLO??? I LOVED THIS BOOK!! I truly cannot find words to describe this book and will have to give it a slight think before I write this out.

BUT GO AND BUY IT!!

Das war mein erstes Buch von Grady Hendrix und ich verstehe den Hype. Ich mochte das Setting sehr, die Atmosphäre hat gepasst. Ich mochte auch das Ensemble an Charakteren und habe auch sehr mitgefiebert. Die erste Hälfte des Buches hatte mich auch komplett mitgenommen, danach hingegen wurde mir langweilig und ich fand alles nur noch absurd. Wirklich Horror fand ich es auch nicht, wenn man ignoriert, wie die Umstände mancher Charaktere waren.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix is a haunting and emotionally charged novel that delves into the lives of young women confined to a maternity home in 1970s Florida. Fifteen-year-old Fern finds herself at Wellwood House, a place where unwed pregnant teens are hidden away to give birth in secrecy and surrender their babies for adoption. Under the strict supervision of Miss Wellwood, Fern meets other girls in similar predicaments, each coping with their circumstances in different ways.​
The narrative takes a dark turn when Fern encounters a librarian who introduces her to a book on witchcraft. This discovery offers the girls a semblance of control and empowerment in an environment where they have little agency. However, the newfound power comes with its own set of consequences, blurring the lines between liberation and destruction.​
Hendrix masterfully weaves elements of horror with a poignant exploration of societal norms, female agency, and the complexities of adolescence. The novel's strength lies in its ability to portray the real horrors of the girls' experiences, making the supernatural aspects all the more impactful. Readers are drawn into a world where the true terror stems not from the occult, but from the oppressive systems that seek to control and silence these young women.

4.5 stars
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

🧠 My thoughts
This was one of those books that crept up on me. It didn’t rely on thrills or plot twists to leave a lasting impression, but rather on the emotional depth of its characters and the steady, deliberate way the story unfolded. The themes of feminism and womanhood were portrayed with nuance, and the emotional payoff by the end was unexpectedly moving, made me want to cry. The prose was strikingly beautiful at times, with passages and quotes I’ll be thinking about long after closing the book. It also made some thought-provoking points about patriarchy that added real substance to the narrative.

That said, the book did come with a few stumbling blocks. The beginning felt a bit sluggish, and it took me some time to feel fully engaged. There were also just too many characters introduced, which made it harder to focus. Most notably, the main character emotional complexity was not built up well enough, her personality felt a bit underdeveloped compared to the weight of the story around her.

Thanks NetGalley, Pan Macmillan publisher, and the authors for a great advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest review!

Better late than never, what a great and different book to my usual! I never have tried one of these before, and I’m glad I did, what a revelation and this might have been my favourite of the year

3.5★

I fiked this but not as much as other people for some reason. I think I expected more or maybe even something else out of it, but I’m not sure. Maybe when I reread this one day I might end up liking it more. Who knows.

What I liked:
☆ The witchy parts that were there. The spells were a lot of fun and I liked when they were casting them.
☆ The overall theme of the book. I think this was something that needed to be talked about and I really appreciate when authors write about such topics.
☆ The ending, the last chapter mainly, I did like. Made me tear up a little bit.
☆ The writing. But that’s something I already expected as I enjoyed this author’s previous books I read.

What I didn’t like:
☆ Any of the characters. Like literally none, not even the main one. All of them were annoying in some part. Well, maybe that’s not true. I liked Rose, but she was the only one to be honest. The rest I felt pretty meh about.
☆ Not enough of the witchy parts. I wish we got more. I expected more.
☆ The pacing. It dragged a bit for me. I even had to put it down for a while and that doesn’t happen often when I’m excited about a book.
☆ The audiobook was mostly good, but the casting spell parts were insufferable. I’d probably recommend reading this physically.

Overall this was fine. It just wasn’t what I expected. Also if you’re considering reading this, there are very graphic descriptions of child birth - in case you might be sensitive to that, just something to be aware of.

This book is a beautiful tale of feminine bonds and the strengths we can encourage in one another, it was not what I was expecting at all - it’s devastating and encouraging all at once.