4.5 stars.
I’ve yet to meet a Grady Hendrix book that I don’t like, and this maintains that streak. Using horror and the paranormal to tell a story of the treatment of unwed mothers in the 70’s is so on the nose that it hurts…it was both horrific and not normal for any caring society. For a man to write about this topic could have gone terribly wrong but it never feels exploitative, in fact it’s just the opposite. Hendrix gives this group of oppressed women their agency back, he gives them powers and a community that can overcome their situations and strike fear into the hearts of man. This is female rage being put to use against the people,that brought it about in the first place.
There is real heart and humour throughout the story and this is achieved by writing such detailed characters and emotional dialogue. Without it, the book could have felt like you were being dragged from fantastical scene to traumatic scene over and over with no let-up, just being beaten over the head with spectacle. As it is, you don’t even realising that you have raced through nearly 500 pages as you’re so caught up in the lives of all the girls and the women that help/hinder them.
This is probably more creepy and intense than the straight-out horror of other Hendrix books I’ve read but it’s just as scary - only this time the scares are closer to home and reality (I definitely wouldn’t recommend it to anyone in the least bit squeamish about pregnancy and childbirth!). It’s a great piece of period writing too, the culture and look of the 70’s is captured brilliantly.

It’s amazing how easy it is to blame a group for all the ills of the world. It’s the immigrants, it’s the young, it’s people on the internet (that one may have a point) and over centuries the single mother has long been a focus of contempt. Not just portrayed as a drain on the estate but a woman acting sexually out of wedlock! Never mind that biology says a man was involved all the blame goes on the woman or sometimes young girl. How they’ve been treated is shameful and often horrific, this is explored intelligently in Grady Hendrix’s historical horror Witchcraft for Wayward Girls taking to the America of the early 1970s to a time before Roe Vs Wade and where a group of pregnant teenagers are being hidden from the world, treated as sinners and may have a chance to find their own inner power to strike back. It’s a very immersive piece of storytelling I enjoyed hugely

It’s 1970 Neva is fifteen and pregnant. Her father barely talks to her as he drives her to the Wellwood Home in Florida. She is to stay in the Home for the next few weeks, have and give up her baby and only then can return to her life. Neva is soon renamed Fern as no one is allowed to discuss their past and just becomes one of the many girls going through the doors of Wellwood under its strict owner’s religious eyes. No longer a person, day managed by hours, dirt controlled and no freedom but a kindly librarian named Mrs Parcae has offered a way to push back via the handbook How To Be A Groovy Witch which Fern and her few new friends find offers a little revenge but slowly they want more. But all magic carries a high price and how far is Fern willing to pay it.

In this novel the concept of storms becomes quite key later on the story and structurally that’s the type of take we have here. A gathering, building summer thunderstorm which while can be pretty to look at from afar is something else far more disturbing when you’re caught in the middle of it. It’s a great story exploring its themes and combining this with horrors both human and supernatural.

The first act is completely non-supernatural as Hendrix immerses us into the period and Fern’s more immediate world. Her father refused to even say goodbye, very soon she is constantly judged for having had sex out of wedlock and social workers and doctors just see her as either a problem, a disgrace or a vehicle for carrying a child. This is the long stifling summer of building pressure. The girls can’t leave the Home, it’s every day looking like the last, pasts are not shared and the few things allowed are smoking (!) and watching tv. This all helps build up the atmosphere and demonstrates how little agency the girls we meet have. Three key characters join Fern. There is 17 year old Rose the rebel carrying the attitudes of the 60s still to protest against power, Zinnia a well educated black teenager suddenly plunged into less enlightened Florida and the underestimated Holly just turned 13 and refusing to talk. Slowly these girls become a unit and break the rules against sharing how they got here. Hendrix very much makes us see them as people again. We see they have lives, ambitions and have been poorly treated by men and then families ashamed to help. There is also Frank discussion of sexual abuse. This is an unfair world and no one is on their side. Hendrix makes us more than ready to see what a bit of magic can do to even the odds.

Initially the storm then just has some pretty lightening strikes. A librarian is clearly a force for good and the Groovy Witch Handbook seems more mischievous - there is IMMENSE satisfaction watching a doctor with no bedside manner get taken down many pegs. But when you’re treated with incredible unkindness then the temptation to do more rises. The next trick while gives the girls and the reader immense satisfaction when we then have to see the consequences makes us sit down and say that may have gone too far. But the girls now need even more. Our kindly librarian Mrs Parcae has some ideas to help.

In the words of the Eurythmics some of them want to use you and some of them want to abuse you. The middle act introduce covens, ancient lines of witches and also we see the Home and the system it is part of also spring into action. The guilt trips, the medicine and emotional blackmail thrown at Fern and others is again horrific and it’s even more disturbing when we see the girls try to report abuse and no one even cares. Only the girls are to blame for their situation - just do what you’re told. If we can’t show empathy and kindness is it any wonder people the decide to strike back even with something that may have its own consequences for themselves? The supernatural scenes following onare delightfully powerful and thrilling. After the blandness of the home being in nature, filled with energy and the sense they have power it’s intoxicating so no wonder our mini coven get swept away but only when the price is finally explained do we realise yet again Fern is still being told what to do and not expected to have . The question is does she perhaps want to pay it?

After all this build up the final acts are fast paced and let rip. The pacing deliberately lets loose and picks up steam. A full on monsoon of set pieces come together. Again Hedrick mixes human horror with the supernatural. Fern’s birth and the aftermath is largely payed straight and the use of clinical terms and the complete absence of warmth and kindness she is shown make this a cold distant process not a moment where she can take any joy. Another birth is shown more naturally but equally shows the danger of the of process for a teenager. These are just teenagers and no one seems to have their backs for very long. It builds and builds until an epic confrontation between Parcae, Fern and the Home’s staff arises and the emotional punches continue all the way. It makes us quite unsure what Fern eventually does. Her answer makes sense but I really liked how Hendrix makes us see the bittersweet consequences down the years after.

There are a few things I thought could have been stronger. A key character names Hagar is the Home’s Black cook with her own hidden knowledge of magic. While I really enjoyed her scenes she felt a little more plot convenient than a full character in her own right and perhaps an earlier glimpse of her life and her own agency in how she sees the Hone than just suddenly helping the girls would have been useful to move her away from magical support character. Perhaps a little more exploration of Parcae and her coven too was needed as the glimpses is this ancient witch line are really interesting and I’d like to have known what they did next too.

Once I started reading this quickly consumed me as I needed to see what balked to Fern and her friends. Always a good sign of a great story. I come away from Witchcraft for Wayward Children feeling I’ve been in that Home and have a much better understanding of the time this happened. It chimes with tales you hear in the U.K. but Hendrix makes it really come alive in all its horrific unkindness. The supernatural elements are both frightening and enticing. You may feel it’s also the less evil…ish. It also reminds us as we enter 2025 that storms can rise again and gives us a warning what that can lead to perhaps we need to batten down the hatches and be ready. A thoughtful and extremely entertaining story that I can highly recommend!

Young, teenage pregnant girls sent away by their parents to have their babies away from so called respectability. All girls have to relinquish their real names whilst there and work for their keep.
On library day, Fern meets Mrs Parcae, a seemingly innocuous woman who gives her an occult book about witchcraft. Fern believes it can solve the problems she and her fellow roommates face now and now their babies are born. They can hardly believe the power they have now. However this power comes at a price and someone has to pay.
My heart broke for some of the girls, namely Holly's situation. It wasn't as witchy as I anticipated, more around the injustices faced by the girls, I wouldn't necessarily class it as a horror novel although there was some graphic writing in relation to the birthing chapters. Other whole I enjoyed the book

this book was so delicious. I have only read one of Grady Hendrix's books before this one (My Best Friend's Exorcism) and I am delighted to say not only did I enjoy this book as much as I did that one, but I actually enjoyed it more. The world around 'Fern' was exquisitely captured and depicted, the suspense, the everything! I was so enraged throughout the book on behalf of the girls in it. I felt so deeply for them, a testament to Hendrix's depiction

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the advance copy to read.

This was my first novel by Grady Hendrix. I really enjoyed the writing and it drew me in from the very start. I am not usually into dark genres but I actually found myself really enjoying this. The first half was lighter and easier to read through which captivated my attention and kept me wanting to read to the end.

A really great read, that I thoroughly enjoyed. It would be perfect for autumn too if you are a mood reader.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The systematic oppression of women and unwed teen pregnancies are not topics I would think a priveleged, white male author could pull off...and I was right. Though a bold move, Hendrix should have left this one alone.

The pacing of this was not good at all. It was so slow and took far too long for it to get even remotely interesting. There was a lot of set up and there were so many girls introduced that it was hard to tell them apart. It's only later down the line do you start to identify who's important and who's not. Fern the main character lacked personality, there was also no growth with her either.

My biggest issue, apart from the subject matter, was how Hendrix wrote his black characters. The use of the 'magical negro trope' was not necessary and I was deeply uncomfortable with how the token black characters were used to better the white characters story, leading his characters to fall into overdone stereotypes.

Onto the horror aspect of this, I finished the book wandering when and where this was supposed to come into play so I think that says it all really.

I have read two other Hendrix books, one I liked and one I DNF'd and if this wasn't and ARC I'd have DNF'd this one to. Deeply disappointed with this as I was really looking forward to it.

I can't be the only one to receive an unreadable ARC and refuse to tick the 'i won't give feedback button' which ultimately lowers my own reviewer score and lessens my chances of acceptance on other titles?
Find a better way NG!
Neutral rating added to keep the balance.

Sadly, this will likely be a DNF for me. I cannot see myself picking this back up.

The premise sounds fantastic, but the plot is taking a little too long to get moving.

My main reason for putting this down is due to the descriptions of black characters. The choice of language felt incredibly uncomfortable, and I found that hard to move on from. Whether it's 'historically accurate' or otherwise, I feel there were probably a dozen other ways one could describe these characters and that choice wasn't made.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc nonetheless.

What an amazingly powerful story. I couldn't put it down. The way the events were captured in this story were extremely sad, yet endearing. The power of each other, the support and facing such huge decisions.
This took my breath away.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

As I already read a couple of Grady Hendrix‘s books (We Sold Our Souls being my first and still favorite), I had a general idea of what to expect from Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. In hindsight, I so wasn’t ready for this book. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve read it in 3 days, I totally was sucked into it, but holy shit was it an uncomfortable read. And I’m saying this as I used to read grimdark fantasy novels.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is set in the summer of 1970, in Florida, in a private Home for pregnant unwed girls and women who are tucked away far from their families under false names until they give birth, their babies are given away (or sold, more like, although it’s only hinted at, strongly, but still) and they can return home like nothing ever happened. Yep, it’s as bad as it sounds. As I never lived in the 70s, I can’t comment on how accurate the portrayal of the era is (I suspect very accurate), but it’s hard to imagine now how these girls were treated (and I have a feeling in some parts of the world they still are) not only by strangers but by their own families. Like they were trash, like everything was their fault, like they stopped being human beings almost.

Hendrix in this novel tells the story of four particular girls: Fern, Rose, Holly, and Zinnia. Well, that’s mostly how we know them anyway, named after flowers by Miss Wellwood who runs the Home that happens to be her family manor and was run by her father, a doctor, before her. While I didn’t like Miss Wellwood’s character much, I sure appreciated the layers Hendrix applied to her personality, which became clear during one particular episode, which goes to show that you can never know what lies in one’s past and how they cope with trauma. And that sometimes people delude themselves into thinking they are doing the right thing as it was done to them before.

Powerless, belittled, scared, and learning things about the world they never imagined, the four girls grab the first opportunity that’s dangled before them to take things into their own hands. Little do they know that the price might be more than they are willing to pay. And I’m leaving it at that, as I wouldn’t want to spoil the plot for you.

I generally prefer character-driven stories, or books where I can connect with the character(s), Witchcraft for Wayward Girls drew me in with the storytelling. Reading it felt like a bit when you can’t take your eyes off of a tragedy happening right before your eyes. But as I’m not a mother and I’m not planning to be one, it was harder to connect with the story in a deeper emotional level. Then again, I’m not sure I would recommend this to people who do plan to become pregnant because some of the scenes of giving birth might give you second thoughts. I honestly could have done without some details, which I’m not 100% convinced were entirely necessary.

And therein lies my problem with rating this book. Hendrix touched a topic that’s not easy to write (or read) about at the best of times (and we all know that similar or even worse things happened to young women all over the world in homes kept in much worse state, just look up Ireland’s past with such homes ran by the Catholic Church and nuns). In that regard, Hendrix’s version of a Home is pretty tame, even if the way doctors and nurses handled pregnancy and pregnant women would raise quite a lot of eyebrows today. Such as letting them smoke. I felt like Hendrix captured the era very well – again, as I never lived in it, I don’t really have a comparison – and the whole atmosphere. I could easily feel like I was there sweating with these girls in the Florida summer. And we are in the middle of the winter here, so that’s saying something.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, Hendrix is a very accomplished and skilled writer who I’m pretty sure could write about anything – and make it look much, much worse – but this might be a too sensitive topic to turn into horror fantasy. I mean, it’s horrific enough in itself – and I guess that just makes it even more bone chilling if you think about it – I’m not sure adding witchcraft to the mix was quite necessary.

I’m also not sure who would be the right audience for Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. You definitely need to have a strong resolve, because apart from the gory bits, it’s still not a light read. It crawls under your skin, makes you uncomfortable and refuses to leave your mind for a long time. Under anyone else’s hands, this book could have been a disaster, but Hendrix approached with care, and nuance. At its heart, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is about the power of women and how far you would go to get it back from those who took it. That, and karma is a bitch.

This was amazing, filled with the usual gory and uncomfortable scenes while also focusing on a wider issue. I still don't know how I feel about a man writing about the systematic oppression of women and teen pregnancy but Grady Hendrix does manage to pull it off in a way most male authors don't!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love Grady Hendrix and this didn’t disappoint!

It’s 1970 and Wellwood House is home to a group of girls who have been sent away to see out their pregnancies out of sight. When their babies arrive they will hand them over to be adopted and will be expected to return to their old lives as though nothing ever happened. But then a strange librarian shows them a way that they can take back their power, but power can be dangerous, can they handle it?

I loved the characters in this, all the girls were written in a way that you felt so much empathy with. There are numerous references to real life events such as the Vietnam war and the Manson murders which all fed in to make the setting feel very real.

Don’t expect this to be too “witchy” it’s more subtle than that, the themes of the occult are woven in a way that is eerie and all consuming and ultimately very powerful.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is set in a 1970s home for unwed mothers, who are hidden away there by their families to give birth to their babies in secret and give them up for adoption. Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where she and group of pregnant teenagers are stripped of all rights. They are forced to work, have their diet rigorously controlled, and are cut off from the outside world until they have their babies.

When the librarian of the mobile library that occasionally stops at Wellwood House gives Fern an occult book about witchcraft, she sees this as a way for taking back some control. Together with some of the girls, she attempts some of the spells. But they soon discover that power comes at a price, which is usually paid in blood.

What a powerful book! I found it particularly impactful because the true horror elements of the story came not from the supernatural, but from how these girls were deprived of their bodily autonomy, shamed, and systematically failed. There are some graphic depictions of child birth – please check trigger warning carefully!

This is my first book by Grady Hendrix and honestly it wasn’t what I was expecting! It’s quite a slow burn for the first half of the book and is fairly light on the horror.

It’s incredibly well-written, and as the book progresses you realise the real horrors are the ways in which unwed pregnant women were treated in the 1970s. As the girls get closer to their due dates, you see just how far they will go chasing a tiny bit of hope that they will escape the dire situations they’re expected to return home to.

Sadly this was a DNF for me. I was really excited by the premise of the book and the first few chapters were intriguing and quite dark but at 40% in i feel like nothing is happening 😴. Sad because I have loved so many of Hendrix’s books. But, there are so many books to read and such little time. Huge thanks to Net Galley and publisher for this ARC.

Fern is just girl. She hasn't done anything wrong, but her family and the world treat her as a pariah. Why? She got herself pregnant at 15 in the 60s. To protect the families reputation Fern is shipped of to a house for girls just like her. Girls who strayed from the moral high ground of the time and got pregnant outside of marriage. Fern tries to find her way in this new place, but quickly learns that she has no power over her own body let alone her own fate. Unless she takes it.......

Grady Hendrix returns to true form in what I believe is his best book since 'My Best friend's exorcism'. Here he tackles a very timely subject of women's rights over their own bodies and their own lives. Something that is right now very much challenged in the United States and other parts of the world. Of course he also illustrates the 60s quite well. Casual racism, smoking during pregnancy, anti war rhetoric, forced adoption and the dark side of organized religion all make an appearance. Clearly showing us that a return to this America might not be what we actually should strife for.

Grady uses the coven and witchcraft as a vehicle for self empowerment, but also for a cautionary tale about the abuse of such power. Everything has a price and that price must be paid. Do be aware that there is not that much magic being done, especially in the first half of the book. This book is clearly on the lighter side of the horror genre.

What surprised me most is that a man has written this, a story that should decidedly be told be a woman, and has done it justice. This does not feel like mansplaining, it seems Grady respects his subject and presents it in a surprisingly believable way.

The female characters are strong, they are realistic and they transcend the time period they are written in. It is surprising how much character growth can be found in this horror novel. Furthermore it is refreshing to see that every character has its own distinct personality without feeling too tropey.

All in all I would highly recommend this book even if you are not a fan of the horror genre. The only warning I would give is of the extremely graphic birthing scenes. Something I can most definitely say is more shocking for a male reader than for most women. Believe me when I say that I'm convinced that we men are definitely the weaker sex.

Dark, tense, heartbreaking but also beautiful. Grady Hendrix writes women so well that you’ll feel like you know Fern, Rose, Zinnia and Holly

This is my first book by this author and I blooming loved it so much that I have added all his previous to my TBR. Luckily I have managed to get hold of the Audio versions so, hopefully, I will get to them sooner rather than later!
Wow... this is a brave book for a male author to tackle. I know in this day and age you shouldn't be surprised but, imo, he really excelled himself as he managed to perfectly get inside the head of young pregnant teens at the worst times of their lives. But I get ahead of myself...
Wellwood house is a home for unwed mothers-to-be, specifically those still in their teens. They do not question how or who, they only worry about keeping the girls safe until they can give birth, and then return to their families. Each girl is florally nicknamed and sharing personal information is forbidden. Their every waking moment is controlled by Miss Wellwood.
We follow 15 year old Neva, or "Fern" as she is renamed when she arrives at Wellwood, as she meets the other girls, as bonds are formed, as rules are broken. As she meets the strange "librarian" who gives her a strange book...
As well as the magical elements of this book, the main topic is that of the "wayward" girls and that side of things tackles some horrible things. I don't really need to spell out the reasons that a young girl can get pregnant and then abandoned, or shunned, by the father, or their families. And then that baby taken from them, no further contact. No wonder some of then really do not want to return... No wonder some of them start to rebel...
This is a slow burn initially as the scene is set and the full reasons for some of the girls' circumstance is revealed. This is important as it is the building block for what follows. It's more about the girls themselves rather than the spooky which is more the icing on an already delicious cake. And oh how I felt for the girls. Their circumstance, as harrowing as they were, they were all fighters. It's definitely a book with all the feels.
Reading the other reviews by people who are more familiar with this author, I see that this book is light on the spooky stuff. I have no yardstick for that but I though it was enough for the story being told. That said, I'd like to hear more from Hagar...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

‘Witchcraft For Wayward Girls’ by Grady Hendrix is a slowly burning southern horror with a vivid 1970s setting and sprinkles of dark magic. More than that though, it’s a story of injustice and manipulation of young women, and them finding the courage to fight for their self-worth. Focusing on Neva (“Fern”) Craven, whose father packs her off from Alabama to Florida to complete her pregnancy away from prying eyes, the novel kicks into gear after a visiting librarian provides a book of witchcraft…

This was definitely an uncomfortable read - from extreme sickness and slightly-too-immersive childbirth scenes to the awful realisation that so many girls experienced such “mother and baby” homes and the cascading psychological damage. Being a “groovy witch” was a strong metaphor for taking back control while learning that everything has a cost. Ultimately though, the evil in this story came less from witchcraft and more from the manipulative adults - especially the housemistress and counsellor - and from society itself.

Quite unlike anything I’ve ever read (and some way outside my usual genre choices), this was captivating and unusual. I adored the epilogue, and overall landed on four stars as my rating.

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Pan MacMillan via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Hendrix writes about a group of pregnant teens in a home for wayward girls. I’ll be honest, I could tell this was written from the male perspective, the emotional side of pregnancy wasn’t really explored until we were nearly at the end of the book but instead a focus on the physical changes to the body was emphasised throughout. The plot was steady and I enjoyed the development of the girls’ characters.