I don't know that I'd say I enjoyed Witchcraft for Wayward Girls because I spent a lot of time angry. Not at the book, but how the girls in this book were treated, and how accurate the historical fiction/non-paranomal parts of this story are. And the fact that women/pregnant people/people giving birth still face a lot of the same issues raised in this book. Pregnancy is scary and stressful enough without people lying to you/keeping you in ignorance.

I did really like the writing and I respect how well-reseached this book is. It's also a good story with interesting and likeable characters. And there are The Craft vibes to it I enjoyed.

I'm planning to read more by the author!

This was my first experience with Grady Hendrix and I now know why this author is so hyped! Although quite different from what I expected and from the horror stories I normally read, this is definitely a horror story, and of the worst kinds because it’s based on historical facts.

Whilst I found the pace slow at times, the author’s writing style and the objective of the story make up for it, evoking in me quite strong and diverse emotions at different stages of the book.
I felt enraged, horrified and in pain (mind you I’ve never given birth, so some of the scenes were horrific for me), sad and emotional, right to the very end. I learnt to deeply care for Rose, Fern, Holly and Zinnia and whilst I hated Ms Wellwood, I also pitied her.
This is the power of this book as well, there isn’t an absolute good vs evil, but all the characters are pawns, victims of the current moral dogma, strongly advocated and led by the patriarchy!

I found the witch element a clever addition, just to show what desperation could lead to, but also a clever device to show inner strength. It is also a symbol and a link to how women have been treated over and over throughout history, like powerful beings to be feared and isolated, unless they conform to a society where their voices are silenced and their wings clipped.

This was an emotional rollercoaster for me, being highly empathetic and feeling all the wrongs that these women, no actually children, had to endure, and together with them, the children they gave birth to. What this story does though is not only to highlight this historical period, but is to highlight the inner strength these girls showed when everything was against them, resulting in some wins and some losses, but refusing to go without a fight.

I loved this book and I encourage everyone to read it. This is a horror book because of how much history can truly be horrific!

Thanks to the author and Pan Macmillan for a copy and this is my honest opinion.

Hendrix writing this as a privileged white male author is undeniably risky. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised by how he focuses on the trauma, injustice, and downright rage of women throughout history, and today.

That said, a few elements didn’t quite land for me, and this book certainly won’t be for everyone. It’s bound to ruffle some feathers, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it earns a spot on some banned-book lists.

I went in expecting heavier witchcraft themes, but it leaned more toward historical fiction/horror with a touch of the occult. Still, Hendrix doesn't hold back on the body horror, evoking strong reactions, which I assume was entirely his goal.

Given its release after Roe v. Wade's overturn, the book hits differently - leaving me angry and heartbroken for those who may see echoes of their own lived experiences in this book.

The narrator truly gave her heart and soul into her performance of this book, I cannot imagine how difficult it was!

All the stars! What an exceptionally powerful novel this was.

I have read from Grady Hendrix before, so I’m familiar with his fun and campy form of horror, but of all his books the premise of this one sounded like it would be the most for me. And I was so right!

The history this novel is built upon is horrifying. The hardship, the trauma, the grief, all of it so very real, so when we say horror, that’s part of the deal. It’s not the Only horror, but it’s the horror that hits the hardest. And rightly so. And then Grady comes along and tops it off with a witches coven and magic to reclaim the power that’s been taken from these young unwed mothers… Yep, yes please!

It’s the emotional impact of this one that I find the most astounding. I knew Grady could tell a great tale, that wasn’t in doubt, but the emotion in this one is impeccable. The pure rage I felt as I was reading is true testament to just how well it’s written. Grady has created these girls and women that feel so very real to me, and I was utterly devastated right along with them, because their pain is my pain. That in itself is witchcraft; I’m calling it; Grady is a witch. He has the power to write how it feels to be in a situation that he cannot possibly have first-hand experience of. He’s (clearly) not a pregnant teen, yet he somehow pulls this off. And with such impact, I’m reeling.

The topics here are important, the emotions and message powerful, and yet it’s never heavy handed. It is so fundamentally about women, that for it to come from a male author and still feel so empowering is remarkable.

Stunning work, and huge congratulations to Grady for pulling off the impossible.

I highly recommend this one folks. This one is going to stay with me for a very long time.

(3.5 stars)
I really enjoyed this audiobook! The narration was great and really brought the story to life.

As for the story itself, overall I thought this was really good. I did have a few criticisms - I felt like the pacing dragged in places, it took a while for the witchcraft to hit (which was what drew me to the book), and my emetophobia hated certain scenes (although this is definitely a me issue, not a book issue), but overall I’m really glad I picked this up. It was emotional and hard-hitting, and felt especially relevant in light of the current climate. The characters were interesting and engaging, although I did feel like there were too many minor characters who didn’t add much, and I have seen Black reviewers raise issues with the representation of Black characters in this novel, which I can definitely see. I liked the supernatural elements although I wish they had been a bit more present in places!

Overall an enjoyable read, and one I’m glad I got the chance to pick up!

"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.

I don't know where to start with this one, firstly this was written by a man, the amazing research and views of women's pregnancies, as a mother myself, I felt all the emotions of this book, anger, feminine rage, I cried, it was heartbreaking, and the ending!! Absolutely brilliantly terrifying read. I'm actually still processing it all! This is not an easy read, and there are lots of triggers warnings, some of the scenes in this book knocked me sick. I can't believe how they were treated and places like this existed, I can't bear to imagine the psychological distress these girls went through!

I unfortunately had to DNF this book 50% in.

I went into this expecting more magic and witchcraft than what we actually got. The beginning was super slow and I just felt like it was dragging a little bit. Albeit it was good to get to know the characters and learn more about them, I didn't actually connect with any of them, and therefore did struggle to care somewhat. It's horrendous what they're going through and I felt so sorry for them but otherwise, I just wasn't invested unfortunately.

I did also struggle massively with the body horror in this. I probably should have expected it, with it being a book about pregnant girls but it truly turned my stomach just a little bit too much. Which is obviously a me problem not the books. And I suddenly realised it was probably only going to get worse once we got more into the girls giving birth, etc. So I've made the decision for my own sanity and mental health to dnf this one.

The audiobook was done well though, I was enjoying the narrator(s) so extra couple of stars for that.

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. The narration was great, which is a shame now that I'm likely now not going to finish it.

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.

I’ve heard a fair bit about the work of Grady Hendrix but, hadn’t had the opportunity to pick up a book of his until I was invited to join the Readalong for Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and the audiobook became my companion of choice for dog walks at the start of this year!

Wow! What a powerful read! No question, this book is not an easy read…there were a few interesting moments at particularly 🩸sections but, I was compelled and completely engrossed from start to end.

At the root of Hendrix’s book is the reality based truth of the lack of women’s rights, freedom and emancipation that stripped young girls and women of everything they held dear, including the babies they nurtured and grew within their young bodies. Throughout the fifties, sixties and seventies of the 20th century homes for single mothers pervaded America, the U.K. and Ireland. Known as the Baby Scoop Era in America, single mothers were shunned by society and relegated to homes where they were mentally, emotionally and physically manipulated into giving up their babies for adoption.

Neva was just 15 when she found herself being taken to one of these homes, shunned by her parents, whilst the young man continues to live his life, she is forced to acclimatise to life in a home alongside girls of her age and younger, the only thing they have in common is that they have an ‘unwanted’ pregnancy.

Miss Wellwoods home for ‘wayward girls’ is a solitary home set back from the road, backing into woods, amidst the turbulent era of America amidst the Vietnam War, riots and protests, and almost all out generational conflict is the perfect setting to bring to life the fear, desperation and magical elements of Fern(Neva,) Holly, Rose and
Zinnia’s story.

For me, there are a number of horrific and truly terrible scenes and themes in this book but, the true horror is the role of women, persecuting and persecuted, the never ending cycle of pain and trauma that unfolds and the sheer hell that these women and girls are forced to suffer.

Grady Hendrix has written a powerful, at times anger-inducing, heartbreaking story that truly shines a spotlight on the sins of the past, that in so many ways are still perpetuated in society today! Yet, he brings to this story the sheer indomitable strength and bravery of these young women, as their desperate hunt for some self-ownership takes them on a journey to magic.

Thankyou Bookbreak U.K., Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for my genuine and honest review.