Witchcraft for Wayward Girls

Love love loved it!! I knew I would there isn’t a Hendrix book I haven’t loved yet and I think this may just be my new favourite !!

4.5

This was my first Grady Hendrix book but it definitely won't be my last, this was so good! I grew so attached to the girls in Wellwood House and I just wanted to bundle them all up and give them a hug. The writing drew me in and I didn't want to put it down. There are some really gut wrenching moments in this book so I would advise maybe looking at trigger warnings. It felt very real at times, especially when you consider some of the laws in the US (I'm British so I'm not going to pretend to fully understand but I educate myself as much as possible).
The witch aspect was giving American Horror Story and I loved it! They were scary in an understated kind of way and I think they fit perfectly with the vibes of the book.

They call them wayward girls. They were “bad girls, neurotic girls, needy girls, wayward girls, selfish girls, girls with Electra complexes, girls trying to fill a void, girls who needed attention, girls with pasts, girls from broken homes, girls who needed discipline, girls desperate to fit in, girls in trouble, girls who couldn’t say no.”

And in 1970s America, good god-fearing folks sent their loose-moraled daughters away to the Wellwood home for unwed mothers where they’ll repent, have their babies in secret, most likely have them adopted and then return to their old life like nothing has ever happened. Because, it’s obviously all their fault, heaven forbid there’s a fella in the wrong here.

While at Wellwood the every detail of the girls day is controlled, friendship is discouraged. The girls only real joy is the regular library bus, which gives them the chance to immerse themselves in fiction and forget the daily horror of their lives. On one such visit, our main character, Fern, is given a ‘special book’ by the kindly but beguiling librarian, but this is a book of witchcraft!

This book soon gives Fern and her housemates, Holly, Rose, and Zinnia, the power they have lost since arriving at the Home because desperate times call for desperate measures, right? But the girl’s foray into the world of witchcraft to help right the wrongs committed comes with a price.

This was my first Hendrix Grady read, and I was expecting quite a bit more horror. Still, horror doesn’t have to be a full-on gorefest, so the real horror is how all those admitted to Wellwood and others of its ilk were treated—and this is a realistic portrayal of the nature of a dark part of history that isn’t that far in our past, just with a dose of the supernatural thrown in

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is an immersive and addictive read with well-constructed characters you can’t help but root for. Highly recommend 4.5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy in return for an honest review. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is out in January

This is haunting, creepy and horrifying because it all felt very real, and gave an insight into Southern life for young pregnant girls shamefully sent away to have their babies in secret before returning back to 'their old life', with no control and no say.
I don't read many horror's and the author is new to me so I was unsure whether it would be too dark of a witchy read for me, but it was so good. The pace and balance was spot on and the elements of the descriptions were so deep and powerful it was like watching it play out in my mind.
The girls were so believable and as well as it being all things coven and supernatural related, it was actually really quite sad too. The back stories were authentic, and the power, control and rules over the girls was quite hard to read sometimes. It almost felt like it could quite easily have been your own Grandparents story.
A very recommended read!