Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is an intense read. We follow Neve as she moves into Wellwood House for the final few months of her pregnancy. Neve is immediately given a new name, Fern, because girls here aren’t allowed to use their real names, or speak about their lives back home.

We’re introduced to the other girls, almost too many to keep track, and learn a little about how they came to be at Wellwood. They’re all pregnant and unwed, and absolutely will not be taking their babies back home with them.

The one thing Fern looks forward to whilst in the home is the book mobile, the travelling library that visits once every couple of weeks in the summer. One day, she leaves the library with a copy of “How To Be A Groovy Witch”, and the rest is history.

Fern and her friends are thrust into a world of which they have little understanding, and all they really want is to use their newfound powers to finally be free.

The book features some pretty gruesome descriptions of pregnancy and labour, which are even more horrifying when you remember that these girls still just kids.

Going to preface this that it's probably worth checking trigger warnings before reading this book as it deals with some heavy subjects that could be triggering to folks. I also went into this thinking wooo new Grady Hendrix horror about witches and not even needing to read a summary and being a bit turned around by the setting/scenario itself.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls centers on a house where parents send their children to carry their out-of-wedlock babies to term, have them adopted out and return home as of nothing ever happened. We follow Neva a.k.a Fern (all girls get given a new name to hide their identities at the house) who was unwillingly brought to the home. Here she meets others such as Rose, Zinnia & Holly and together they form a coven after receiving a copy of 'How To Be A Groovy Witch'. They test it out on reversing morning sickness on an uncaring doctor and things escalate from there involving bargains made and debts to pay.

Overall, despite this not being the book I expected from the title, I did enjoy the read and it flowed really well. There's also a rather poignant remark in the epilogue which makes this book a rather relevant read especially in the States. I struggled to put it down but I did look away and have to skip a few scenes. This felt a bit more serious than Hendrix's other books though it was still definitely in his style.

Not enough witchcraft! Grady Hendrix has become a must-read author a while ago so naturally I was excited about his new book. Alas, just like his previous novel, How to Sell a Haunted House (which I didn’t like), this one has a great title and sounds good on paper, but the execution is poor and disappointing.

Hendrix focuses mostly on a group of teenage pregnant girls and witchcraft seems like an afterthought and it’s not really explored. I’m not sure whether I feel the way I feel about this book because I have just had my baby a few weeks ago, but I can’t enjoy long, exaggerated, graphic - and vastly unrealistic / simply silly - scenes of birth written by a man who just wants to shock his readers. The characters, including our protagonist Fern, are stereotypical, one dimensional and not very memorable. I did like the ending and what Hendrix did there, though.

Still, I will look forward to whatever he writes next, because I do like his writing and I'm always curious about his ideas.

Finally a Hendrix book I enjoyed almost as much as The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires!

I do think pacing-wise it could have been tighter. There were definitely some slow spells (pun intended, of course) but, overall, what a wonderful and empowering read. As in Southern Book Club, the real strength of this story is in the fantastic cast of characters and the dialogue between them. They absolutely drive the book, carrying it through any slower periods and making it necessary for me to find out what happens to them.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is set in 1970 and is a fabulous indictment of slut-shaming, religious hypocrisy and the homes for unwed mothers that used to be commonplace-- what Fern calls "a machine that took in wayward girls and put out adoptable babies". These were horrific places, with high rates of abuse, where young women and girls were bullied into repenting their sins and handing over their babies to wealthy couples.

(I should probably say at this point that the book contains grisly and gruesome depictions of pregnancy and labour and is not one I’d recommend for those currently pregnant.)

What I especially loved (and hated with a blinding fury) about Southern Book Club that I think this book also captures is what it feels like to be dismissed, to be powerless and have more powerful figures talk over you and make decisions without your input. Fern, Rose, Zinnia and Holly have been let down. By their families, by their church, by the whole stupid system. When dabbling in witchcraft offers them the chance to reclaim some control over their lives... well, wouldn't you take it?

While Hendrix doesn’t explicitly mention the recent attack on reproductive rights in the US, he throws in a mention of how these horrific homes disappeared after Roe. Ultimately, the true villain of this book is any person, church or government that believes they have a right to make decisions about women's bodies.

So I thought this was a great book. Very emotional and empathetic, often funny, occasionally scary, with villains almost as complex as the heroines.

Unfortunately this book was a big miss for me. The first 30% was so slow that i was debating putting the book down. Towards the end it definitely improved but overall i just don't think the storyline was gripping or fast paced enough for me, especially not for a horror/thriller. It felt more like a historical drama about how horrific life was for unwed pregnant girls in the 70s.
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, the first I have read from this author! I would recommend to friends but make sure to read trigger warnings first.

Witches huh? Not normally my thing, but I'll give it a go...

...and I'm glad I did!

To be honest, I'm still not sure how important the witch part really was. Sure, there are spooky goings on as some young girls get involved in witchcraft, but the more powerful aspect of the narrative is the horribly real indignities and injustices visited on these young women due to them being unmarried and pregnant in the late 60s/early 70s. The girls are sent to a home for the 'wayward' to have their children, with their babies being put up for adoption and passed on at birth.

The book doesn't really feel like a horror for the most part, but is full of real-world horrors. There's a warts and all description of child-birth that I've noted other reviewers think is too much, especially as the author is a man, but for me, there was huge power in this scene and it was a fundamental part of this story.

The author's gender is interesting actually. I didn't know much about Grady Hendrix and assumed it was a man before reading. But during the book, I started to think it might be a female author. I've seen others suggest the same thing, which I guess is a real compliment to Hendrix's ability to write women.

The book isn't perfect; I found some of the characters a little one-dimensional and the supporting girls in the house all melded into one for me, even though I think I was meant to know recognise some of them. But the main characters such as Fern, Rose, Miss Parcae and Hagar, were all excellently drawn.

Humorous, dark, emotional and powerful, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls packed a real punch.

Description:
Fern's a teenager in 1970, pregnant and unwed. Her family ship her off to a home to wait out her pregnancy and adopt out the baby without bringing them (more) shame. But the home and the heat are oppressive, and soon Fern and her friends are getting involved in matters beyond their comprehension...

Liked:
As a historical novel it feels both realistic and horrific - the absolute hypocrisy of the society these girls exist in is all-pervasive and well explored. There's an intrinsic body horror element to the premise and this is explored pretty fully: it's a lot. The sense of place is great and the oppressive atmosphere and weather are well realised. There aren't many books where I can see the main characters utterly damning themselves and feel like I'd probably do the same in their position... this is one of them. A few of the characters were sinister but nuanced in ways which hinted at depth.

Disliked:
This didn't feel particularly well-constructed... the plot bumbles along from one catastrophe to the next. You could argue that that's representative of the girls' situation, but it doesn't make for particularly satisfying reading. There were A LOT of characters and most of them were almost completely unfleshed out, including the aforementioned ones with hints of depth, who'd I'd honestly have loved to have learned more about.

Would recommend. This is my first Grady Hendrix and I was expecting something a lot less substantial, if I’m honest. This is pulpy, for sure, but the historical grounding makes it feel much more worthwhile. It’s an easy and quick read - worth checking out.

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 once 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 a slight step out of my usual genre, but I was intrigued, so gave it a go and I'm so pleased I did.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is set in 1970 at Wellwood Home in Florida, a place where pregnant, unwed teenage girls are sent to have their babies in secret, give them up and return home as if it never happened. On arrival, the girls are given new names and set to work until their due date arrives. One group of girls visit the library bus that visits fortnightly and Fern is given a book about witchcraft; the girls decide to try out some spells and enjoy having some power back in their lives, where they are living powerless. This spirals and has some devastating consequences for the girls and everyone around them.

I felt that the start was quite slow, although I found the introduction and scene setting fascinating. There were a lot of girls and it took me a while to get to grips with the names and who was who, once it became clear who the main characters were, this was much easier. I wasn't convinced I was that 'into it' for the first half of the book, but then something changed and I found that I didn't want to stop reading. I had slowly been drawn into the story and, despite it not being my usual type of read, I needed to find out what happened and whizzed through the second half.

It is hard to believe that this book is written by a man. Almost every main character is female and there are some pretty graphic scenes about childbirth, but he does an excellent job of telling this story.

My thanks to NetGalley for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

🔮 Grady Hendrix’s last novel wasn’t quite what I expected, so I approached his follow-up, ‘Witchcraft for Wayward Girls’, with a bit of trepidation. Thankfully, the title and blurb won me over, and I’m so glad I gave it a chance! The qualms I had with Hendrix’s previous book all but disappeared this time around, and I was impressed by the tone, themes, and social commentary of Hendrix’s latest offering.

🔮 Set in 1970, ‘Witchcraft for Wayward Girls’ follows fifteen-year-old Fern, who, after becoming pregnant, is exiled to a home for unwed mothers-to-be. Here, she begins to bond with the other girls as they face cruel treatment, but everything changes when Fern stumbles across a book of witchcraft…

🔮 Hendrix’s writing is vivid and immersive. I loved his inclusion of feminist, pro-choice social commentary and criticism of patriarchal views, inadequate sex education, and the abuse of power. In light of today’s political climate, these themes resonate even more deeply, making this not just a horror story but a thought-provoking exploration of issues that, unfortunately, still remain relevant.

🔮 This book has a bit of a slow start, but I wholeheartedly urge you to stick with it. The first 25% or so really sets the tone and lays a solid foundation for what's to come. Don’t expect blood and guts right from the start either; the typical horror elements also take time to emerge—but when they do, Hendrix’s talent for dark, evocative imagery really shines.

🔮 In fact, I’d say the story’s most hard-hitting terrors lie in the all-too-real treatment of these young women, who quickly become characters you care about and root for. If you enjoyed the feminist, witchy, and historical themes of ‘Weyward’ by Emilia Hart, I definitely recommend this novel, especially if you’re looking to dip your toes into the horror genre.

‘Witchcraft for Wayward Girls’ is out on 16th January 2025 (I recommend pre-ordering the special edition from Black Crow Books!)

Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for providing this e-book for review consideration via NetGalley.

It’s a slow burn, it it’s so detailed and as readers we are really able to connect and rationalise with the characters - despite the fact the way they are treated by society infuriates me!

The first couple of chapters really gripped me, but then the pace slowed down a little.

Given the author’s previous titles, I was expecting a tongue-in-cheek slasher. However, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls turned out to be more The Handmaid’s Tale than My Best Friend’s Exorcism.
The story is set in 1970 in a home for pregnant, unmarried girls. (And they are girls; no one seems older than eighteen; most are far younger.) We see them utterly rejected by their parents, their school friends and the males who impregnated them (variously irresponsible high-school students, married men, rapists, paedophiles). The girls are forced to follow the strict rules set by the proprietor of the home and her team of doctor, nurse and social worker. The girls have no say in what happens during their pregnancies and afterwards. In any event, they aren’t provided with information to make their own decisions – they are even denied books on pregnancy and childbirth.
Gradually, the girls learn to support each other, develop agency and claim back their bodies and their futures with dramatic and shocking consequences.
Despite vividly written scenes of horror, the book may evoke a different feeling in the reader, namely rage against the blatant misogyny, racism and bigotry described. It is about interference in women’s lives and reproductive rights and about inadequate gynaecological and obstetric care. This doesn’t only feel like 1970s social history.
The writing is quick-fire and fluent with well-drawn characters. The author (whom I believe is male) has done considerable research to depict pregnancy and childbirth with respect and authenticity.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.
Upon publication, I will post this review on my blog and on GoodReads.

It has taken me a number of days to compile this review as I can't get Witchcraft for Wayward Girls out of my head.
This novel is set in the summer of 1970 in Florida, at a place called Wellwood House. A truly cruel place where young pregnant girls (unmarried) were sent in order to hide "their sin". Why? Because it was a belief, particularly among the god-fearing people that these girls have committed a terrible moral sin and must be punished. Interestingly, the fathers-to-be are not considered to have committed any sins, they are free to live their lives as usual. Meanwhile, the young women are sent away from home for several months, to give birth in secret and then have their child adopted.
While this is a work of fiction, the fact that should homes did exist and in Ireland, we have a terrible history of how woman pregnant women were treated, so this work immediately hits home to a contemporary reader.
One of these young girls is 15-year old Fern, and she has been sent to Florida in disgrace for being pregnant. The teengers band together and try to support each other, while also accepting the changes to their lives that are now beyond their control. We see the friendship of Holly, Rose, and Zinnia in particularly develop well as they listen and talk together, finding ways to survive the daily torment of strictly controlled diets, long hours of back breaking work and, a long list of rules.
The attitude and behaviour of the staff, in particular the owner and doctor are quite sickening, yet typical of the times. And it is these attitudes that lead the girls to follow a book of witchcraft, secretly provided by a visiting librarian. And once Fern discovers the spells hidden within the book, the story takes a decidedly darker twist as the girls utilise the book to get their revenge. And our story truly becomes a tale of power, friendship and trying to find the light within the darkness.
While there is not as much horror in this story as I had expected, in terms of blood and gore but they main horror comes from the characters themselves, in particular how the girls are treated by their families and the staff (especially the female members of staff).
Brilliantly mixing the true horror of the past with fiction, Grady Hendrix has created a powerful novel with themes of friendship, magic, loyalty and survival.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this ARC.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is the story of 15-year-old and pregnant Fern, who is sent to a Home for unwed mothers to have the child she is having out of wedlock. The story is set in the 1970s, and describes the things Fern experiences in this home as she waits for her baby to be born, and starts experimenting with witchcraft.

I don’t think I have the words to describe how much this book blew me away. When I think of Hendrix’ writing I mainly think of humorous horror, Horrorstör having been the first of his books I have read, and so I truly didn’t expect how deeply emotional and respectfully handled the themes of this book were. Hendrix doesn’t hold back in describing the extreme misogyny faced by all the girls and women in this book, both structural and interpersonal, and the racism faced by the black girls and women. I cannot praise enough the amount of small, very real acts of misogyny and microagression that these girls are faced with, in a way that felt all too painfully real. However, every single time that they are let down by the system you can see our main four girls working together, becoming a team and a sort of family, something that gives you the glimmer of hope you need in this dreadful world.


This is a truly outstanding read, one that will make you angry and deeply sad, but also one that will have you feeling warm at the close relationships between the girls, and the sense of strength and will that they carry inside despite all their hardships. I cannot recommend it enough.

I quite enjoyed this book. It was my first Grady Hendrix book and I couldn’t put down. I was just entranced in the story and I had such a good time with it.
However, the only reason why I wouldn’t rate it a 5 star is I felt it was too clunky and a bit messy in places. But aside from that, I really enjoyed this. I loved the story,

This wasn't my favourite Grady Hendrix book unfortunately. The story was interesting but I was hoping for more witchy-ness. I almost DNFed this around half way through but persevered, and I'm glad I did.

An atmospheric novel that delves into the depths of darkness. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a haunting exploration of female power, teenage rebellion, and the sinister secrets that lurk beneath the surface of a seemingly idyllic setting.

Set in the oppressive confines of the Wellwood House, a secluded institution for unwed mothers, Hendrix introduces a cast of unforgettable characters. Fern, a young and vulnerable protagonist, finds herself trapped in a world of strict rules and moral judgment. As she connects with a group of fellow outcasts, they discover a hidden power within themselves, one that could challenge the oppressive forces that seek to control them.

Hendrix weaves together elements of Southern Gothic horror, occult mysticism, and coming-of-age drama. The suspense builds steadily with each page. The author's vivid descriptions of the eerie setting and the characters' internal struggles create a palpable sense of dread.

While the novel explores themes of female empowerment and the dangers of blind faith, it also delves into the destructive nature of unchecked power. The characters' journey is a cautionary tale about the consequences of embracing darkness without a clear moral compass.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a must-read for fans of dark fiction and those who appreciate a well-crafted story with a chilling twist. Hendrix's ability to blend horror, suspense, and social commentary is truly remarkable.

15 year old Fern is sent to live at Wellwood house in Florida where unwed girls are sent to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption and to be kept out of site.
Whilst there Fern starts to build a strange friendship with some of the other girls known as Rose, a hippie who is determined to keep her baby, Zinnia, who plans to marry the babys father and Holly, a 13 year who doesn’t say a word and no one knows who the father is.
The girls have an incredibly strict routine with everything they watch and read being censored, until Fern meets the travelling librarian who offers her a book that may just solves their problems, a book on witchcraft.
After a successful spell to move Zinnia’s morning sickness onto the doctor the girls feel invincible and look to perform more and more complex spells but the power doesn’t come free and Fern starts to understand just how high the cost is.

I wouldn’t class myself as a horror fan and certainly don’t venture into the genre very often. That being said I wouldn’t have classed this as a horror, it was certainly tense at times but I think it was a brutally honest portrayal of history with a touch of supernatural.
I really didn’t want to put this down. It’s definitely a hard read in that it brings to light some awful situations that would have been very real in the 1970s.
From the first sentence I was hooked, the writing fully draws you in and makes you feel like you are there with Fern, hating the staff and terrified for the birth. The supernatural aspect added a whole other layer of creepy vibes that pulled me in even deeper.
I would genuinely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a touch of horror or just a very raw portrayal of female history.

Sadly I'm DNFing at 51% I've been reading this off and on now for a while. And, it just feels like a chore now to pick it up.

The start of the book was full of promising storyline. A home where girls are sent when they are pregnant and must get rid of their babies, purely because they don't sit right in their society.

The stories of the girls were emotional. And, I really enjoyed finding out the backstories. Knowing that these types of homes existed in the real world and not just fiction hammers home the atrocities of it all.

When we started to get into the witchcraft element of the story, I was excited. And there were a few scenes that made me squirm. Rose and her nails for one.

However, the reason I'm DNFing is because it was just too long and drawn out. I'm 51% through and feel like I've read an epic novel already. The girls from the home I feel invested in them, but I don't know if I can possibly bring myself to muster through another 50% of the story. There was just to much filler for a story that just needed to focus on the girl's and their journey into witchcraft.

I may some day go back and finish. See if they do discover and get their wishes. But, for now this will just have to wait.