I have a lot of thoughts. This was my first Grady Hendrix book. I’ve always heard good things, but when I started reading this story about unwed, pregnant, teenage girls in the 70s I immediately kept getting the feeling that it felt off that a white man was writing this story in this tone. I just kept thinking, “Why this topic? Why these characters?”. There just wasn’t enough of a message behind it to make it feel like allyship, so it just gave me the ick the entire time.

This book is 90% about pregnancy and 10% witchcraft (shockingly little to no horror, which was surprising bc isn’t that his bag?). I will say, I liked how a five star reviewer put it, that the horror in this mostly constitutes the horror of being a woman without agency in this kind of situation. Maybe it was meant to be a more pragmatic type of “horror” for this novel. Anyway, most of the time it felt very obvious that the writer, as a man, had never experienced pregnancy himself and that every detail was coming from somewhere else. But again, this book was so much about being a miserable, pregnant, teenage girl with no free will that I cannot understand what his ultimate angle was with this book.

It all really felt like a missed opportunity. There were so many directions this story could’ve taken…so many ways in which the witchcraft element could’ve been explored and harnessed to create a story of feminine rage, revenge and justice; to send a message about taking back control and the power of Woman…but no…I just got that same weird vibe throughout…about Hendrix’s apparent insistence across all his novels to write through the minority voice. To write women and Black people in these stereotypical tropes. Because I’ve only read this one book, I’d be interested in hearing him discuss some of his themes and creative choices, but ultimately I don’t feel I have enough info to pass any kind of judgement. These are just my initial feelings and thoughts after reading this book, and then feeling led to explore some other reviews, where I found these topics arise in multiple reviews for other books of his, it all just left an impression.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a digital arc of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Wow - this book packs a punch!

I was sucked in by the blurb - I’ve seen so many Grady Hendrix reviews but this was the first I’ve picked up and it didn’t disappoint.

It’s not easy to deal with some of the topics in this book, including teenage pregnancy, racism and horrific sexism (especially towards unmarried girls/women) but I thought it was all done really well.

I enjoyed the dive into the two sides of evil - both supernatural ‘real’ evil and the arguably worse evil of humans with no compassion for others.

I’m really glad I picked this up and would definitely recommend - but expect blood and horror and the mistreatment of young girls, it gets a little heavy at times!

It’s 1970 USA and pre Roe, a girl in trouble has very few options. Powerful and full of rage. The reason I love Grady Hendrix.

Fifteen and pregnant Neva is a disgrace to her family. She is dropped off at a home for unwed mothers so she can grow her child in secret, surrender it and pretend nothing ever happened. The girls do not exist at the Home, no names, no personal details and they have no control over their lives or bodies. What do they expect when they couldn’t keep their legs closed? When Neva, now Fern, gets a strange book from a strange librarian, it leads the girls down a different road, they’re looking to reclaim some power, but power comes at a price.

Grady Hendrix uses supernatural to tell important stories like no one else. I loved this. It’s dark, unflinching, graphic and enraging. There are trigger warnings of gore and references to abuse. Hendrix does nothing gratuitously, it’s a terrifyingly relevant story.

The girls in the Home and their stories hit me straight in the heart and stomach. I was full of fear, anger and disgust (at society) the whole way through. The natural elements were far more disturbing than the supernatural. The powerlessness of these poor, suffering children was borderline unbearable to read in the best way. It should be shoved down your throat, something you can’t look away from. When the witchcraft comes to fruition, the hope and the subsequent terror are classic horror, beautifully done. I needed to switch to a lighter book before I went to sleep.

Another belter from Hendrix. This did not disappoint

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my #arc

I think Grady Hendrix holds the medal for most consistently improving author. Every book of his that I pick up, I enjoy a little bit more than his previous work. This is his strongest novel to date, imo. I do think you need to go in with the correct expectations - the horror aspect is a slow, slooooooooooooow boil. Which is not to say this is a slow moving book. On the contrary, I could barely put it down. I whipped through the first half in a single sitting! BUT when the supernatural shenanigans started, it took me by surprise. I was so engrossed in the characters and the setting that I'd actually forgotten I was reading a horror book. The low horror quotient did not affect my enjoyment in the slightest (and things definitely ramp up in the final third) but if you go in expecting non-stop witchcraft, you might be disappointed.

I won't lie the Grady Hendrix books I have read previously have all been amazing which is why I went for this book and it did not disappoint. While it was a bit harrowing reading descriptions of birth when nearly 10 months ago I had given birth this book is written in a way that keeps you coming back and wanting to know what the next twist and turn will be.

Fern, Holly, Rose and Zinna are all well-written to the point that when they are stubborn you get annoyed at them and when they are going through something you feel for them. They are in a situation that no one would want to be in and making the best of a shit deal of cards. overall the story was compelling, fast-paced and exciting to read and I liked that it didn't just end. The last chapter completed the whole story in a great way.

This was a perfect read that I would suggest to my friends.

This is my first time reading anything by this author. I didn't know what to expect from this story, but I wasn't prepared for what I've just read.

A story of a place where young unmarried teens are sent when they are pregnant. They are the forgotton about, they have no identity, forced to take on a fake name and stay quiet about their normal lives. They become nobody. They are there to have their babies and give them up to a loving married couple, then they get to return home like none of it ever happened. These girls are treated as sinners. They bring shame on their families, and they carry all of the blame for the situation they're in.

This story centres around Fern, a pregnant teen and her three friends she formed a bond with in the home. Fed up and tired with how they are being treated, they want to take back control of what happens to them and their unborn child. When the librarian hands them a book about witchcraft, they see this as the answer they've been searching for. They end up facing more than they bargained for, and they have to face the repercussions of their actions.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a dark, descriptive, terrifying, and powerful tale full of cruelty and feminine rage. It's so compelling and an emotional i was so immersed in this story. It's a book that will stay with me for a long time. The horror isn't the witchcraft or the magic. It's the injustices and cruelty these poor girls are subjected to. A must read for 2025.

Contains graphic scenes.

Thank you, Pan Macmillan, for my advanced copy of this book

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.

This is a brilliant book. It’s well written with great characters. This is my first Grady Hendrix book but it won’t be the last. I found the story totally immersive and paced so well I found it difficult to put down.

I was wholly moved by this book.
At a time in 2024 when we, as women, are still having to speak up against higher powers trying to rule over our bodies this hit hard.
There were so many different aspects of this story that I adored that I am struggling to put it into words.
The vulnerability that these young characters portrayed made you care for them deeply. Young girls not only seduced by the opposite sex, but also by dreams outwith their own grasp.
Characters that should have protected them. Cherished them. Nurtured them. Only to shed them like a snake shedding its own skin.
I felt so much anger and frustration towards the older generation in this story for turning deaf ears and blind eyes to the reality in front of them.
The disgusting way that the male characters not only chastised young girls for wearing their sins but trodding on them in the process.

This story is moving. Inspiring. Beautiful. Infuriating and raw.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm not really sure what to say because this book was pretty gutwrenchingly sad and not at all what I expected - but it was also sort of powerful? Honestly I'm amazed a man wrote this because it felt so true to the experiences of teenage girls. Yeah, there's actual witchcraft and magic, and there's danger in that. But the scary witches in the woods aren't nearly as terrifying as the adults in these girl's lives who take away their agency, who rule over their bodies. Be aware of trigger warnings for this one. It's a harrowing read at some points.

A deeply impactful and haunting exploration of female rage, autonomy, and the dark history of the treatment of young women. This historical fiction novel doesn't follow the typical conventions of horror, instead weaving a story of psychological terror, emotional depth, and witchy subversion.

The story is set against a grim backdrop, where the young female protagonists are trapped in a horrific institution - often cruelly treating their bodies and emotions as disposable. The true horror of the tale lies not in supernatural threats but in the real-world violence and oppression these girls endure. The author’s skill at capturing the girls’ internal lives - especially the isolation, confusion, and the stifling silence they face - is stunning. At times, it’s difficult to believe a male author could so authentically depict the feelings and experiences of these young women - but I have read a Grady Hendrix previously and know him to be skilled in capturing female voice and emotion. The depth with which the author explores their suffering and resilience challenges the reader to sit with discomfort, making the novel all the more poignant.

One of the novel’s most striking features is the symbolism behind the girls’ names. Assigned floral names, they represent the lost potential for personal power and identity in a system that forces conformity. The floral monikers underscore the ways in which these girls, denied real names, are denied any control over their own lives. But as the plot unfolds, the theme of names—and the power they represent—becomes central, adding emotional weight to the girls’ fight for agency and self-expression.

While the supernatural elements - particularly the witchcraft - play an important role, they don’t overwhelm the narrative. Instead, they amplify the central themes of rebellion and rage against societal expectations. The witchy aspects feel like a powerful metaphor for the ways in which these girls fight back against their oppressors, breaking free from the roles that have been forced upon them. The novel’s climax, particularly in its second-to-last chapter, is a stunning and cathartic eruption of female empowerment that will leave readers feeling raw and liberated.

Despite some slow-paced moments that reflect the monotony and oppressive nature of the girls’ daily lives, ‘Witchcraft for Wayward Girls’ ultimately builds to an emotional crescendo. There’s an undercurrent of tension throughout, and when the eventual release comes, it’s utterly cathartic. The feminist themes embedded in the book are especially timely, offering commentary on reproductive rights and the ways in which society continues to regulate and control women's bodies.

The novel’s portrayal of female rage isn’t just cathartic; it’s a necessary and transformative experience for both the characters and the reader. While the book’s tone is often heavy and its subject matter difficult, it offers an empowering, if unsettling, journey into the hearts and minds of young women fighting against systemic forces.

For readers who enjoy historical fiction with a dark edge, complex female characters, and an exploration of power dynamics, this is an unforgettable and necessary read. It is a book that will stay with you long after the final page is turned.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the arc.

The book was a dark, emotional ride that blends supernatural elements with some seriously feminist themes. . The most unsettling part of the book isn’t the witches or paranormal stuff, but the brutally real descriptions of childbirth. Hendrix doesn't hold back, making you feel every bit of the pain these young women go through, which is honestly more chilling than any witch attack.

While the witchcraft element is there, it's not as scary or intense as you might expect. The real horror comes from the pressures these women face, especially when it comes to reclaiming control over their own bodies and identities. The characters—Fern, Rose, Zinnia—are all deeply complex, each one trying to navigate their struggles in their own way. Rose, the rebellious one, is particularly unforgettable, and Neva’s journey of self-discovery (or loss of self) hits hard, especially when her identity shifts throughout the story.

The pacing does slow down a bit in the middle, especially when Neva’s dealing with the loss of a friend, but the tension never really disappears. It's a story that sticks with you, mixing emotional depth with a bit of dark magic. If you're into stories that blend horror with a strong feminist message, The book will definitely leave you thinking long after you finish it. Definitely worth a read!

Another fantastic Grady Hendrix book, just the right about of spooky, thriller, and mystery vibes throughout the book, and I devoured every word! Loved it, its the perfect read for these darker evenings, snuggled up on the sofa with a hot drink and fire going.

“I did an evil thing to be put in here, and I’m going to have to do an evil thing to get out.”

15 year old Fern arrived at Welwood House in the hot murky summer of 1970. Pregnant, terrified and alone, she’s abandoned in shame by her family. Fern meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament and quickly becomes friends with 3 other girls, Holly, Rose, and Zinnia. Every second of their days is rigidly controlled by adults claiming they know what’s best for them. When a librarian arrives to the home and gives Fern an occult book about witchcraft, she hands power to the group of girls for the first time in their lives. But there’s a price to pay for such power and the payment is in blood.

Moving away from Hendrix’s typically dark and humorous take on horror stories, his new book deals with extremely difficult topics which are at times graphic, disturbing and heartbreaking in equal measure. It’s twisted but something that will leave the reader full of rage at the way these girls are ostracised and demonised by their families, the ones who should protect them the most. In a country where mother and baby homes existed right up to the 1990s, this story was so hard for me to read at times, particularly the abuse of little Holly. Her story absolutely ripped my heart to shreds.

It’s a dark and beautiful story; it’s emotional and cruel, but what stands out the most for me is the powerful bonds formed between the girls. Their willingness to call on unknown forces to escape, to take back some control and to protect their friends from further harm and abuse is poignantly treated by Hendrix.

The true horror in this book isn’t the supernatural elements (although there’s some good old fashioned terror added with the presence of the coven and their terrifying canine guardian); it’s the graphic description of childbirth, miscarriage and pain that these girls must endure hidden away from the world as if they are nothing but dirt. It’s not for the faint-hearted so be warned! Oh how the rage boils your blood reading this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for the arc.

4.5⭐️ out 16th Jan.

This is my first book by Grady Hendrix but it definitely won't be my last. I was blown away by this book, I couldn't put it down and it stayed in my mind a while after reading it, I always love a mix of horror and magic and Witchcraft for Wayward Girls did that perfectly. Overall I can not recommend enough.

This book doesn’t have the humour or campiness of his other books, and the build up is slow with the action not really taking off until around the 60% mark. Personally I love a slow burn horror where we really take the time to sit in the situation our characters are in, but I will say that I thought this book was a bit too long. The story could’ve been much tighter, and better paced, if it was told in less pages.

It’s a book about power and feminism. It’s about how the people who hold power never seem to have to pay the price for it, whilst those with no power have to pay it over and over again.

We start by getting you a wider look at all the different girls in the home before focusing in on our four main characters. It does such a good job of setting up the monotony and repetitiveness of their days, whilst also making it clear these girls have no control or agency. The situation that is set up is unsettling, not least because it reads like very straight historical fiction - reminding you that this was real for so many young girls. It feels a lot like a coming of age story in the beginning.

One thing that stood out for me in My Best Friends Exorcism is how well Hendrix writes teenage girls, and the same is true here. The characters all feel different, and complex, and they feel like teenagers. This is not just a home of un-wed pregnant women, this is literally a home full of girls. They should’ve been protected by society, it instead it blames them for their current state and ships them away into hiding.

I really liked our four main characters a lot; admittedly Fern could be annoying but I could really feel her sense of desperation and shame. Holly was a favourite character for me and the hopelessness of her situation was heartbreaking.

Hendrix has clearly done his research regarding witchcraft/paganism in the 70s. The book talks about the rede, the elementals, going sky clad, and lots of other words and ideas that would have been especially popular in witchy groups at the time. The book has an interesting mix of low (folk) magic and high (ceremonial) magic, which was fun to read. It would have been so easy to make the witches the evil villains of this story but instead they are desperate women who are doing what they think they need to do to survive.

Overall I had a great time with this book. It feels less overtly horror than some of his others but, after reading those labour scenes, it has left me with the certainty that not having children was the best decision I ever made!

Witchcraft for Wayward girls is a horror in so many ways, but it's also a story filled with hope and female friendships borne out of a desperation to survive in a world that shunned them for existing.

Arriving at the home for Wayward Girls, she becomes Fern, shedding her true name along with her true self. Now she is nothing more than another pregnant teen, shamed, poked, prodded and put to work to pay for her room and board. There she meets other girls in similar situations, some older, some younger, and they all come with their own stories. Rose, determined to keep her baby, Blossom, and escape to live on a farm somewhere. Zinnia, adamant that the boy who got her pregnant will wait for her, that she will have a life after this. And Holly, a 14 year old girl who never wants to go home... ever. Every moment of every day they are reminded of their actions, not just by their ever changing bodies, but by the looks and comments of the adults that surround them. Then one day a Librarian visits the home, and offers the girls a chance at escape, at revenge. But everything comes at a price, and the girls must decide what they are truly willing to pay to live the lives they so desperately seek.

I'm going to start off by saying that this book has some seriously descriptive scenes of child birth, some more traumatic than others, as well as child death on page, talk of past child abuse, as well as body horror. It's not a happy book, not a nice one, it's dark and terrible and truly horrifying and I absolutely think you should be aware of that before reading. But despite all that, Hendrix somehow makes the story more about the friendships between these girls, the bonds that form through this trauma, than about the trauma itself. Fern, Rose, Zinnia and Holly would probably never have been friends had they not met at the home. Conflicting personalities, home lives, beliefs would have surely kept them apart. They aren't always on the same page, they don't all feel the thirst for vengeance quite as much as the others, but it's Holly that truly brings them all together, and their desperate need that she not go back to the place and people that hurt her in the first place. They are written so convincingly as teenage girls and at times you almost forget what brought them all together, their 'wayward' ways as it's so often put, but despite being pregnant, Hendrix still manages to give them the highs and lows of teenage life.

I guess the thing that hits the hardest about this book is that homes like that actually existed, in fact, I wouldn't at all be surprised if they still do. From a pro Roe v Wade world, to now a post, Hendrix couldn't have written this story at a more poignant time. No one protected these girls, no one was actually looking out for them, instead the adults, be that their parents who were ashamed of them, or the adults at the home who saw them as nothing more than a cash cow, caused them as much trauma as the pregnancies themselves. It didn't matter how they ended up there, whether the sex was consenting or not, these were simply teenage girls in over their heads, teenage girls who held the full weight of these decisions, even though they weren't the only ones to make it in the first place. No one placed the blame on the boys, no one asked them to shoulder any of the weight, instead they were given freedom, because why should their lives be ruined when they weren't the ones who got pregnant. There's so much of this story that's still relevant, still happening today, and that's the true horror right there.

The Witchcraft gave these girls freedom, gave them a fleeting sense of hope that they could change their fates. Their first spell goes swimmingly, passing Zinnia's morning sickness off to the Doctor who said it was 'all in her head.' But when they try to change the more important things, that's when things start getting tricky. You need to remember these are teenage girls, girls with no knowledge of the real world, just a desperate hope that they can change it for the better, and so when given the chance at power, at hope, who wouldn't jump at it. I really enjoyed how this element was woven through the story, I expected it to come in a little earlier than it did, but allowing that time means it makes more of an impact. It brings it's own elements of horror to the story, of these girls making decisions they don't understand, tying themselves to someone wholly more powerful than them, but they are determined to claim the power for their own, to punish the people who hurt them with it, damn the consequences.

But despite the addition of magic, the true horrors of this book lie in reality. How Hendrix writes about these young, ever changing bodies, growing to grotesque levels to bring something into the world most don't want.Hendrix deftly shows the reality of child birth for young girls who were told nothing about the experience, nothing about what to expect, other than once it was over they would never see their baby and be able to go back to their old lives. The reality of a world where the onus of pregnancy fell firmly on the women, children really, with the male partner getting away free. A world where a young girl can be molested, made pregnant by someone close to them with no one willing to believe her, or care. It's a book that made me intensely angry, not just because these things would have actually happened, but because they still are today. Hendrix is a master storyteller and writes incredibly realistic portrayals of women, both adults and youths, and if you're looking for a story where the horror elements lie firmly in the real world, I would absolutely check this out.

I love author Grady Hendrix's novels so when this came up to request on Netgalley, I was so excited and even more so when I got the acceptance notification.

This novel has to be one of my best novels of 2024, even though it is published in 2025.

We follow a group of unwed pregnant teenagers who are sent to Wellwood Home in the US to have their babies and then put up for adoption and then allowed home again.

The girls meet a librarian and they are given a book that contains witchcraft the girls take it upon themselves to start using the book for their own good.

This novel is so well written, quite upsetting scenes regarding childbirth and as the reader you really become invested in these young females and its quite heart-breaking at times to read.

Thanks to the author, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance to read this brilliant novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’ve read a few of this authors books and I have never been disappointed with them. This one is set in the year of 1970 and Fern finds herself pregnant and driven to an unmarried mothers home where she will remain until her baby is born, taken from her and only then can she go back home with no shame.

However, she meets 3 other girls and they are tired of being told by adults what is best for them. Along comes an elderly librarian that gives Fern a book on the occult and for the first time in ages the 4 girls hold the power. But power isn’t free and what happens when the price is due to be paid?

This was so good and has the usual mix of horror that I have come to expect from this author. 4 star read.

Grady Hendrix’s Witchcraft for Wayward Girls captures the deeply unsettling world of mother and baby homes, a reality familiar to readers from Ireland and other countries with similar institutions. In this haunting blend of historical fiction and supernatural horror, the novel follows fifteen-year-old Fern as she’s sent to Wellwood House, a home for “wayward girls” in 1970s Florida. Pregnant and scared, Fern is one of many girls at Wellwood expected to give up their babies in secrecy and return to their lives as if nothing happened. Alongside girls like Rose, a free spirit determined to keep her child, and Holly, a mute girl with a tragic mystery, Fern quickly learns that this system values control above all.

Through the gift of a witchcraft book from a sympathetic librarian, Fern and the other girls discover a world of rituals and powers far removed from the suffocating confines of Wellwood. But as they begin to experiment, they learn that magic can be both a blessing and a curse—freedom comes with a price, and their use of power, born from desperation, could lead to unintended consequences. Hendrix doesn’t shy away from showing the brutalities of these institutions and the darkness that surrounds their legacies, lending a sense of grim reality to the story’s supernatural edge.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a chillingly unique read, resonant with the themes of autonomy, agency, and the consequences of power. Readers might also enjoy the eerie atmospheric horror of The Good House by Tananarive Due, which explores the lasting impacts of trauma and haunted legacies. For those interested in understanding the impact of mother and baby homes, the movie Philomena, starring Judi Dench, offers an affecting portrayal of one woman’s quest for answers and justice.

No Surprise here but another 5 stars for Glady Hendrix. This may possible be my favourite novel from them.
I felt every emotion reading this. Since finishing this book I haven't be able to stop thinking of it.