I love Grady Hendrix and have read every book released, this book did not disappoint! It had everything a horror reader could ask for, witchcraft, mystery, cult like behaviour and troubled characters. It was well crafted and thought out. I loved the characters and found myself rooting for them. Highly recommend!

“Power is not a material possession that can be given. Power is the ability to act and that must always be taken, for no one will ever give that power to you. Those who have power wish to keep it, and those who want power must learn to take it.’ 

I think I have a new favourite Grady Hendrix book.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a book that encapsulates the fury that it is to be a girl dismissed. Set in a stifling 1970 Florida, Fern is a teenage girl sent to a home for unwed teen mothers. A home that strips the girls of their rights and even their names. Add in creepy doctors and nurses and so very very much religious hypocrisy.

So what's a girl to do when she has nothing left and vulnerable roommates she wishes to protect? Form a coven with the help of the weird travelling librarian of course!

Revenge is giving your creepy doctor a taste of your morning sickness with a spell and poisoning the pious headmistress with a magical powder.

While this one doesn't shy away from body horror and the horrifying reality of pregnancy, it definitely falls more into historical fiction with splashes of horror, so don't go into this one expecting full out horror.

The characters really shined in this one, the bond they form to protect each other was beautiful. I also loved how inclusive of other magic this book was, especially of root magic.

A book that doesn't shy away from the trauma and fury our characters feel, Hendrix did his research on this one to really bring the horrors of 1970 forced adoption to life. Unfortunately this book is especially terrifying in our current climate where women are losing rights everyday.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a reminder that women have always found a way to fuck the system and the people who oppress us, do so at your own peril, because we won't forget.

This one is going to stick with me for a while.

Listen, this was my first book by this author and I was expecting more horror? Like I know childbirth is horror to me, but I don't think it's considered as horror in general. I don't think the themes of this book was for me ether as I was just expecting more fantasy and witchcraft, and its my own fault for not reading into this book before applying for an advanced reader copy.

That said, I actually likes the start of the book more than the middle and the finish, I don't know why, maybe because I didn't know this book would be such a waste of time yet. I think the time the author has set this book makes it easier to kind of make this story like a story rather than an empowering message. At the end of the book I was just so done with it. Still give it a 3 stars as I still read it and there were some good elements to it, but yeah.

Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc, all opinions are my own

I must start this review by saying, I don’t think this book was for me. I did not like the writing style, the first quarter of the book had really slow pacing and i had a really hard time staying interested in the story. If there were more witchy elements in the book, I might have enjoyed myself more and felt more driven to pick the book back up after a break. I’m not someone who enjoys reading about pregnancy in the first place, so I could probably have seen it coming that a story about a house filled with pregnant teenage girls would not hold my interest.

Fern, the main character, was just not that interesting, and I think I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if we got to see the perspective of Rose. Her personality was actually interesting, and she had a very driven goal for the use of witchcraft.

I’m sad to say that by the end of it I was just glad i made it through the book. I don’t think i will be picking up another book by this author, and that’s totally fine. Not everything is for everyone.

*Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the arc in exchange for my honest review*

The book is set in a home for pregnant teenagers, where the mothers live isolated from the outside world until they give birth, and their babies are anonymously put up for adoption.

The premise and characters immediately appealed to me. The idea of a coven forming in such a grim setting sounded intriguing, and the addition of horror elements? Sign me up.
But instead of horror or suspense, all I felt was frustration. I had to force myself to finish the book, and if it weren’t a review copy, I would have DNFed it.

The coven’s rituals were initially the book’s strongest aspect for me. They felt atmospheric and immersive. However, as the story went on, I couldn’t help but wonder: What was the point of the magic? It gave me the impression that the girls could only be strong or enact change if they had access to witchcraft, which I found to be a sad and limiting message. Even worse, their spells only worked if the girls physically hurt themselves.

Eventually, the rituals also became unsatisfying. Most of the spells were focused on revenge, which I initially found somewhat justified, but in the grand scheme of things, the girls achieved nothing with them. The people they targeted didn’t change, and their situations didn’t improve in any meaningful way. Their tormentors learned nothing.

Where was the horror in this book? I couldn’t find it. Or does Hendrix consider childbirth to be body horror? The detailed description of the birth scenes of the teenage girls also felt deeply questionable to me.

The themes in the book are undeniably dark and serious, but the writing style often felt strangely lighthearted, as though the story was supposed to be humorous.

In the end, I found myself asking: What’s the point or moral of this book? What is it trying to say? That women are weak and need magic to stand up for themselves?

In 1970, we meet pregnant and unmarried 15 year old Neva who has been shunned by her family.
Neva is sent to a home, Wellwood House, for unwed mothers, and given the name Fern.
Having to make friends with other girls in the home as visits from anyone "outside" are forbidden, we meet Rose, Hope and Zinnia.
One day, a travelling librarian stops by, and offers Fern a book, one that promises answers, powers and even revenge. A spellbook...

Grady Hendrix is one of my favourite horror authors, and so I cannot tell you how excited I was to delve into this long awaited novel.
I wouldn't mark this as horror, but please check the content warnings as there are a few graphic scenes. It is a long book, and at times felt like a long book as it is a slow burn - but don't let that put you off, the nail biting scenes along with the emotions throughout absolutely make up for that.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

what an incredible read. I fell in love with the wayward girls, their wicked, wild journeys that they had. Beautifully written, bringing to light real life horrors.

📚 Book Review 📚

This is my first Hendrix book and it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. His genre is horror so I was expecting a supernatural tale but the horror within these pages isn’t all based in the occult.

Neva is a fifteen year old girl who finds herself pregnant and outcast by her family. This is 1970 and there are places for young women and girls who find themselves in this predicament and Neva is sent to one such house in Florida. There, Neva like her teenage companions, has to change her name and is forbidden to talk about her real life. This is a home where the carers are focussed on dominance, control and coercion in order to convince vulnerable young women and girls to give up their newborn babies.

This is a thought provoking, multi layered read which is dark and deeply unsettling at times. There were times when I felt that the pace was slow and others where I was pulled in completely and just couldn’t stop reading. The witchcraft aspect came into the story about a quarter of the way through which initially creates a juxtaposition with the setting of the home, but the promises given to four very vulnerable girls are not necessarily what they seem.

This is bleak and emotionally intense at times, with graphic imagery of childbirth and themes of abuse, misogyny and racism. But it also shows the strength and resilience of people even when they are reduced to pretty much nothing.

This is a brilliantly researched story, the background of the home selling the babies of the vulnerable, the abused, the manipulated teenage girls is based on fact. These homes existed, in America, the UK and across the world and these girls suffered the humiliation of being told they were sinners, they were abominations against god, they were sluts and that most frighteningly, they had absolutely no rights remaining over their bodies or their babies. I don’t think it is coincidental that Hendrix has chosen to write this story at a time when in America, the reproductive rights that women have over their own bodies is eroding. A great read.

I’d like to thank Pan MacMillan, NetGalley and the author for the arc and the fantastic opportunity, in exchange for my honest feedback 😊

Book released on 16th January 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved the premise of this book, and the beginning is especially strong in bringing you into the home for wayward girls- as they are termed - in all its claustrophobic and dubiously effective glory. I felt a real sense of community within the girls, almost a harking to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in the very harsh and pointed boundaries between the girls and the ones overseeing them. As the story progresses they are given a book by one of the libraries they visit, which leads to the girls experimenting with some harrowing results. It’s there that I found the narrative a little more haywire, but it comes together well in the end. The main appeal for me is the immersion in the group of girls just trying to figure their lives out after making one crucial mistake, I felt a good deal of empathy and did root for them despite their dubious and dangerous decisions!

It does read more like historical fiction with visceral pregnancy & birth-related body horror elements and splashes of witchcraft, so adjust your expectations if you're looking for tonnes of supernatural horror right from the get-go. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a little creepy and a lot enraging and kind of makes me want to go out and fight the patriarchy. 4.5* rounded up!!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

“You know why they say all this?”
“Because you’re witches?” Fern asked. “Because we’re women,”

Grady Hendrix’s Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is an absolute triumph. From the very first chapter, I was hooked. Set in 1970, before Roe v. Wade, the story plunges us into the life of Fern, a young girl sent away to a home for unwed mothers—a heartbreaking and deeply unjust reality of the time. Hendrix doesn’t shy away from the grit and pain, but he also weaves moments of hope and connection that make this story unforgettable.

This book is an emotional rollercoaster in the best way. It’s raw, unapologetic, and doesn’t flinch from showing the ugly, unvarnished side of pregnancy and the harrowing experiences of these girls. Yet, it’s also a story about resilience, love, and the unbreakable bonds they form in the face of unimaginable cruelty. You feel every bit of their pain and every flicker of their hope, and that’s what makes this book so powerful.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the Wellwood House for unwed mothers in the summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. There, she meets dozens of girls in the same predicament. Every moment of their day is controlled by adults who think they know best, until Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book of witchcraft. The girls have power for the first time in their lives, but there is always a price to be paid, usually in blood.

I adore Grady Hendrix’s books, so I was so exited to get my hands on a copy of his latest novel. This one was quite different from others I’ve read. The horror element (despite the presence of actual witches) mainly stems from the process of childbirth. Although Miss Parcae and her coven were pretty threatening, all the real gore and horror comes from some pretty graphic descriptions of childbirth and the treatment of these unwed mothers. I was sceptical about reading a book about teen pregnancy and childbirth, written by a man, but I actually think Hendrix did a really good job.

At times, it reads more like piece of historical fiction than a horror novel, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. The main characters are likeable and brave, the plot is decent, and the writing is top-tier.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix is a gripping Southern US gothic novel about power and its price. I went in blind—no genre, no synopsis—and loved it! Imagine my surprise when I discovered it’s horror; a genre I rarely enjoy. It’s probably because it’s more psychological tension than actual gore.

The plot starts slowly as 15-year-old Fern arrives at Wellwood House, a Florida home for unwed girls to give birth and put their babies up for adoption. The first part is character-driven, with Fern making friends and settling in. The setting is atmospheric, with the oppressive heat and the girls’ limited space adding to the tension. The plot takes a sharp turn with the arrival of the library bus and a mysterious librarian who gives Fern a book for funky witches. The girls discover the power of witchcraft; for the first time they have agency. But power comes at a cost, and as their due dates draw nearer, so does the price they must pay.

Phenomenal book, I highly recommend it! Great for fans of Last House on Needless Street.

"Sit. Listen. I need you to understand what they did to us when we were girls."

Unsettling, uncomfortable and deeply relevant, Witchcraft For Wayward Girls is a beguiling novel that will stay with you long after reading. For this may be a tale filled with hexes and conjuring, but the real horror lies in the brutal reality of these girls’ lives and the injustices they are subjected to, rather than the paranormal.

The story takes place in the sweltering summer of 1970 when fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida. Wellwood is a house for those they call wayward girls. For fast girls. For unwed mothers. At Wellwood, Fern meets girls from all walks of life, all in the same shameful position, who are there to live out the days of their pregnancy before surrendering their babies for adoption and then returning home to forget it ever happened. Every minute detail of the girls’ lives is strictly controlled: from the food they eat to how they spend their time. The adults tell them it is what’s best for them. Then she meets a librarian, Miss Parcae, who gives her a book about witchcraft. For the first time, the girls have power in their own hands. But there is a price that must be paid for that power. A price that is far steeper than any of them ever imagined.

A master of his craft, Grady Hendrix expertly merges powerful storytelling, heart-stopping tension and chilling horror to create a masterpiece that was so good I read it twice this month. This is a dark read like no other. A book that will haunt you, consume you and then spit you out when it’s done. I admit, I went into this expecting a typical horror read and was totally unprepared for the beautifully tragic story I got instead. It is a story full of dread, heartache, trauma, rage and power that had me on the edge of my seat listening with bated breath. The richly drawn characters were compelling and I was quickly invested in the lives of these young girls. Holly’s story in particular stood out and filled me with so much rage that I wanted to get revenge on her behalf.

I’d heard about the terrible homes for unwed mothers but this book conveys the atrocities that took place inside them with devastatingly evocative detail like I’ve never read before. These girls had no agency whatsoever and every facet of their life and day was tightly controlled. Even knowledge about their own bodies. These girls were kept in the dark about what would happen during labour, leading to some of the most distressing scenes I’ve ever read. I wanted to scream as the staff who should help and heal became sadistic and cold towards these terrified young girls. How could they be so cruel?

Dark, menacing, unapologetic and unforgettable, I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

It’s 1970 and pregnant fifteen-year-old Neva is dropped off by her furious father at Wellwood House, hidden in the woods in Florida. This is where unmarried teens are sent to have their babies in secret and not “shame their families or affect the bright futures” of young men not ready to be fathers.
The girls are all given botanical names, so Neva becomes Fern and they are banned from talking about their past or sharing their real names as they wait for their babies to be adopted, a decision they are not part of. Their days are controlled by routine as they spend their time cleaning and on strict diets while trying to bear the heat, cruelty and misogyny as they are reminded of their “wayward ways”.
Fern cautiously connects with roommates Rose and Holly and later arrival Zinnia and everything changes when the mysterious librarian of the mobile library that visits the home gives them a book about witchcraft, “How to be a Groovy Witch”. The girls dabble with spells and first use it to cure Zinnia’s awful morning sickness after the home’s doctor dismisses it as psychosomatic.
Fern soon realises the magic gives them incredible power but each girl has to face what she wants to do with that supernatural power, the price that has to be paid for it and the consequences of their wrath.
Hendrix is a horror writer and this brilliant read is definitely not for the squeamish with plenty of blood and gore as it looks at the treatment of women, the trauma of childbirth and the darkness of humanity beyond the obvious fear of the occult.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is my first book by Grady Hendrix and I have to say I'm a little disappointed!

I didn't realise when picking this up that it was more historical fiction based on pregnant women rather than a horror about witches.

I really dislike pregnancy in books. It just isn't for me. Maybe I should have read some reviews first so I knew what I was getting in to. This was graphic. Like turned my stomach graphic.

When there were bits on witchcraft I really enjoyed it. They were just not very often.

Honestly, I wanted to DNF early on but then the witchcraft started so I carried on thinking there would be more. But there wasn't. And I was too far in to quit!

This was solid! I enjoyed the horror elements and the way it didn’t hold back from certain topics!! The pragmatic kind of horror that explored how these girls dealt with the awful situations they were put in with little to no support. There was a particular comment about essentially all the abrahamic religions and then some hating women and that was really uncomfortable to read as someone who is religious. It’s a blanket statement that’s at least partially based on racist stereotypes and sure it was the character saying it not the author but they then go on to present examples of all the ways women were mistreated- all totally real and valid. My issue lies in the lack of distinction between the cultural attitudes towards women in certain countries and the religious. Something to think about.

Another fab read from Grady Hendrix ! It definitely felt different to his usual ! If I hadn’t known it was him I would t of known stil la witchy wicked read ! Well enjoyed.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls - Grady Hendrix

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they're sent to Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to give birth in secret, put their babies up for adoption and, most important of all, forget any of it ever happened.
Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. There, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. Rose, a hippie who insists she's going to keep her baby and escape to a commune. Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby's father. And Holly, barely fourteen, mute, and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.
Every moment of their waking day is strictly controlled by adults who claim to know what's best for them. Until Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft - and suddenly power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates; it is never given freely. There's always a price to be paid... and it is usually paid in blood.

My thoughts :
We follow Neva, who at 15 has become pregnant, as she is driven to Florida by her father. They arrive at a large house and Neva now sees just what is happening to her. She is being hidden, shut away from society, placed with other young girls in the same situation : young, unmarried and pregnant.
She is to be called Fern now, as all the girls are given new names at the house. She is placed in a room with Rose and Holly, Rose is self confident and determined to keep her baby and Holly is a terrified young girl, just 14 but heavily pregnant.
When in the mobile library that visits the house Fern is given a book by the librarian - How To Be a Groovy Witch, the book looks uninspiring, like a tacky cheap paperback. Fern wants to try some of the ‘spells’ and as Zinnia has been sick constantly throughout her pregnancy Fern finds something that may help. They follow the book and Zinnia stops being sick! Now the house’s doctor has taken ill, he’s being sick constantly, is this actually magic? Did this really work?

This is a fantastic story full of feminine rage, it’s really surprising that it’s written by a man! There’s obviously been a lot of research done.
Grady perfectly captures these vulnerable girls, blamed for being wanton, blamed for the pregnancy (none of the men/boys are held responsible) and being punished by adults who should know better. Holly’s story in particular is heartbreaking.
The book perfectly blends the story of the girls plight with some witchy witchcraft. There are illustrations of the pages of the Groovy Witch book which is a fun extra.
I thought the subject matter is very relevant to what is happening in the States today, it shows how a lot of outdated ideas are worryingly rearing their ugly heads again. How women who have unwanted pregnancies are blamed, punished and not given a choice by men in power.
I highly recommend Witchcraft for Wayward Girls!

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is woven full of feminism and sisterhood, and Grady Hendrix writes about female oppression incredibly well. It’s a terrifying read, that I quite simply couldn’t put down. I can’t find the right words to describe just how much I loved this book, apart from you NEED to read it! A solid five star read