what an incredible read. I fell in love with the wayward girls, their wicked, wild journeys that they had. Beautifully written, bringing to light real life horrors.

📚 Book Review 📚

This is my first Hendrix book and it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. His genre is horror so I was expecting a supernatural tale but the horror within these pages isn’t all based in the occult.

Neva is a fifteen year old girl who finds herself pregnant and outcast by her family. This is 1970 and there are places for young women and girls who find themselves in this predicament and Neva is sent to one such house in Florida. There, Neva like her teenage companions, has to change her name and is forbidden to talk about her real life. This is a home where the carers are focussed on dominance, control and coercion in order to convince vulnerable young women and girls to give up their newborn babies.

This is a thought provoking, multi layered read which is dark and deeply unsettling at times. There were times when I felt that the pace was slow and others where I was pulled in completely and just couldn’t stop reading. The witchcraft aspect came into the story about a quarter of the way through which initially creates a juxtaposition with the setting of the home, but the promises given to four very vulnerable girls are not necessarily what they seem.

This is bleak and emotionally intense at times, with graphic imagery of childbirth and themes of abuse, misogyny and racism. But it also shows the strength and resilience of people even when they are reduced to pretty much nothing.

This is a brilliantly researched story, the background of the home selling the babies of the vulnerable, the abused, the manipulated teenage girls is based on fact. These homes existed, in America, the UK and across the world and these girls suffered the humiliation of being told they were sinners, they were abominations against god, they were sluts and that most frighteningly, they had absolutely no rights remaining over their bodies or their babies. I don’t think it is coincidental that Hendrix has chosen to write this story at a time when in America, the reproductive rights that women have over their own bodies is eroding. A great read.

I’d like to thank Pan MacMillan, NetGalley and the author for the arc and the fantastic opportunity, in exchange for my honest feedback 😊

Book released on 16th January 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved the premise of this book, and the beginning is especially strong in bringing you into the home for wayward girls- as they are termed - in all its claustrophobic and dubiously effective glory. I felt a real sense of community within the girls, almost a harking to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in the very harsh and pointed boundaries between the girls and the ones overseeing them. As the story progresses they are given a book by one of the libraries they visit, which leads to the girls experimenting with some harrowing results. It’s there that I found the narrative a little more haywire, but it comes together well in the end. The main appeal for me is the immersion in the group of girls just trying to figure their lives out after making one crucial mistake, I felt a good deal of empathy and did root for them despite their dubious and dangerous decisions!

It does read more like historical fiction with visceral pregnancy & birth-related body horror elements and splashes of witchcraft, so adjust your expectations if you're looking for tonnes of supernatural horror right from the get-go. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a little creepy and a lot enraging and kind of makes me want to go out and fight the patriarchy. 4.5* rounded up!!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

“You know why they say all this?”
“Because you’re witches?” Fern asked. “Because we’re women,”

Grady Hendrix’s Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is an absolute triumph. From the very first chapter, I was hooked. Set in 1970, before Roe v. Wade, the story plunges us into the life of Fern, a young girl sent away to a home for unwed mothers—a heartbreaking and deeply unjust reality of the time. Hendrix doesn’t shy away from the grit and pain, but he also weaves moments of hope and connection that make this story unforgettable.

This book is an emotional rollercoaster in the best way. It’s raw, unapologetic, and doesn’t flinch from showing the ugly, unvarnished side of pregnancy and the harrowing experiences of these girls. Yet, it’s also a story about resilience, love, and the unbreakable bonds they form in the face of unimaginable cruelty. You feel every bit of their pain and every flicker of their hope, and that’s what makes this book so powerful.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the Wellwood House for unwed mothers in the summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. There, she meets dozens of girls in the same predicament. Every moment of their day is controlled by adults who think they know best, until Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book of witchcraft. The girls have power for the first time in their lives, but there is always a price to be paid, usually in blood.

I adore Grady Hendrix’s books, so I was so exited to get my hands on a copy of his latest novel. This one was quite different from others I’ve read. The horror element (despite the presence of actual witches) mainly stems from the process of childbirth. Although Miss Parcae and her coven were pretty threatening, all the real gore and horror comes from some pretty graphic descriptions of childbirth and the treatment of these unwed mothers. I was sceptical about reading a book about teen pregnancy and childbirth, written by a man, but I actually think Hendrix did a really good job.

At times, it reads more like piece of historical fiction than a horror novel, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. The main characters are likeable and brave, the plot is decent, and the writing is top-tier.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix is a gripping Southern US gothic novel about power and its price. I went in blind—no genre, no synopsis—and loved it! Imagine my surprise when I discovered it’s horror; a genre I rarely enjoy. It’s probably because it’s more psychological tension than actual gore.

The plot starts slowly as 15-year-old Fern arrives at Wellwood House, a Florida home for unwed girls to give birth and put their babies up for adoption. The first part is character-driven, with Fern making friends and settling in. The setting is atmospheric, with the oppressive heat and the girls’ limited space adding to the tension. The plot takes a sharp turn with the arrival of the library bus and a mysterious librarian who gives Fern a book for funky witches. The girls discover the power of witchcraft; for the first time they have agency. But power comes at a cost, and as their due dates draw nearer, so does the price they must pay.

Phenomenal book, I highly recommend it! Great for fans of Last House on Needless Street.

"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.

It’s 1970 and pregnant fifteen-year-old Neva is dropped off by her furious father at Wellwood House, hidden in the woods in Florida. This is where unmarried teens are sent to have their babies in secret and not “shame their families or affect the bright futures” of young men not ready to be fathers.
The girls are all given botanical names, so Neva becomes Fern and they are banned from talking about their past or sharing their real names as they wait for their babies to be adopted, a decision they are not part of. Their days are controlled by routine as they spend their time cleaning and on strict diets while trying to bear the heat, cruelty and misogyny as they are reminded of their “wayward ways”.
Fern cautiously connects with roommates Rose and Holly and later arrival Zinnia and everything changes when the mysterious librarian of the mobile library that visits the home gives them a book about witchcraft, “How to be a Groovy Witch”. The girls dabble with spells and first use it to cure Zinnia’s awful morning sickness after the home’s doctor dismisses it as psychosomatic.
Fern soon realises the magic gives them incredible power but each girl has to face what she wants to do with that supernatural power, the price that has to be paid for it and the consequences of their wrath.
Hendrix is a horror writer and this brilliant read is definitely not for the squeamish with plenty of blood and gore as it looks at the treatment of women, the trauma of childbirth and the darkness of humanity beyond the obvious fear of the occult.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is my first book by Grady Hendrix and I have to say I'm a little disappointed!

I didn't realise when picking this up that it was more historical fiction based on pregnant women rather than a horror about witches.

I really dislike pregnancy in books. It just isn't for me. Maybe I should have read some reviews first so I knew what I was getting in to. This was graphic. Like turned my stomach graphic.

When there were bits on witchcraft I really enjoyed it. They were just not very often.

Honestly, I wanted to DNF early on but then the witchcraft started so I carried on thinking there would be more. But there wasn't. And I was too far in to quit!

This was solid! I enjoyed the horror elements and the way it didn’t hold back from certain topics!! The pragmatic kind of horror that explored how these girls dealt with the awful situations they were put in with little to no support. There was a particular comment about essentially all the abrahamic religions and then some hating women and that was really uncomfortable to read as someone who is religious. It’s a blanket statement that’s at least partially based on racist stereotypes and sure it was the character saying it not the author but they then go on to present examples of all the ways women were mistreated- all totally real and valid. My issue lies in the lack of distinction between the cultural attitudes towards women in certain countries and the religious. Something to think about.

Another fab read from Grady Hendrix ! It definitely felt different to his usual ! If I hadn’t known it was him I would t of known stil la witchy wicked read ! Well enjoyed.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls - Grady Hendrix

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they're sent to Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to give birth in secret, put their babies up for adoption and, most important of all, forget any of it ever happened.
Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. There, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. Rose, a hippie who insists she's going to keep her baby and escape to a commune. Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby's father. And Holly, barely fourteen, mute, and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.
Every moment of their waking day is strictly controlled by adults who claim to know what's best for them. Until Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft - and suddenly power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates; it is never given freely. There's always a price to be paid... and it is usually paid in blood.

My thoughts :
We follow Neva, who at 15 has become pregnant, as she is driven to Florida by her father. They arrive at a large house and Neva now sees just what is happening to her. She is being hidden, shut away from society, placed with other young girls in the same situation : young, unmarried and pregnant.
She is to be called Fern now, as all the girls are given new names at the house. She is placed in a room with Rose and Holly, Rose is self confident and determined to keep her baby and Holly is a terrified young girl, just 14 but heavily pregnant.
When in the mobile library that visits the house Fern is given a book by the librarian - How To Be a Groovy Witch, the book looks uninspiring, like a tacky cheap paperback. Fern wants to try some of the ‘spells’ and as Zinnia has been sick constantly throughout her pregnancy Fern finds something that may help. They follow the book and Zinnia stops being sick! Now the house’s doctor has taken ill, he’s being sick constantly, is this actually magic? Did this really work?

This is a fantastic story full of feminine rage, it’s really surprising that it’s written by a man! There’s obviously been a lot of research done.
Grady perfectly captures these vulnerable girls, blamed for being wanton, blamed for the pregnancy (none of the men/boys are held responsible) and being punished by adults who should know better. Holly’s story in particular is heartbreaking.
The book perfectly blends the story of the girls plight with some witchy witchcraft. There are illustrations of the pages of the Groovy Witch book which is a fun extra.
I thought the subject matter is very relevant to what is happening in the States today, it shows how a lot of outdated ideas are worryingly rearing their ugly heads again. How women who have unwanted pregnancies are blamed, punished and not given a choice by men in power.
I highly recommend Witchcraft for Wayward Girls!

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is woven full of feminism and sisterhood, and Grady Hendrix writes about female oppression incredibly well. It’s a terrifying read, that I quite simply couldn’t put down. I can’t find the right words to describe just how much I loved this book, apart from you NEED to read it! A solid five star read

I did not expect to be in tears by the end of this book, but here we are. This was stomach-turning and gut-wrenching, and above all, rage inducing. Witchcraft plays a role but not a hugely prominent one, instead it’s used as a tool to highlight the helplessness and fear that wracks the poor girls in this book.

The real horror is felt in the girls’ lack of agency, it is in the heaviness of their bellies and the shame of existing as a woman who has chosen wrong. Power must be taken, and witchcraft gives them the means to be heard and to choose for their own.

There is a lot of body and pregnancy related horror in this book, so fair warning for some gory birthing scenes. A few trippy witchcraft and folk horror scenes but the strength of this book lies in the girls’ anger when they are faced again and again with societal expectations that leave no room for their own desires.

It is messy, it is terrifying, and powerfully transports the reader to the home for wayward girls.

4.5 stars

This books is very atmospheric and at times reads a lot like historical fiction due to the slow pace. The intersperced horror elements mixed with the general horror of the treatment of these girls really worked for me. It was not an easy read but I’m so glad to have read it!

I'm gonna start by saying that this horror was different from what I expected. I just felt so awful for those girls and what the adults made them go through: The control put on them, the choices they have to make as teenage girls, but also the way those are not real choices because the choices are made for them... all spooky and somehow too real. And mainly body horror, which makes sense since... pregnancies! And also, maybe don't read it while pregnant ;)

I like the way each of the girls have their own mind, and sees the world differently. How their opinions change as they go through the pregnancy and also through a lot more... How they discover the world they know might not be the one the other girls know.

I really liked the way the story was wrapped up.
Mainly I would say, this book isn't just about magic, but that's ok.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for access to the ebook against an honest review.*

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Pan Macmillan. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Witchcraft for Wayward Girls.]

Rating: 5/5

Having never read any of Grady Hendrix’s other books and knowing little of what this story would entail, I dove into Witchcraft for Wayward Girls with no expectations. Horror doesn’t always work for me, so generally, the less I know, the better; otherwise, the story might lose some of its impact. And wow, this is certainly an incredibly impactful story. Packing an emotional punch that clawed into the deepest depths of my heart, this is a heartrending and unforgettable Southern Gothic tale that you won’t want to put down despite flinching away from each page.

But before getting into this review, I want to highlight some important content warnings. This book contains graphic depictions of pregnancy and childbirth, and also racial discrimination and themes of body autonomy and women’s rights which may be distressing for some readers. If you are sensitive to these topics, I strongly encourage you to check out more detailed trigger warnings online before reading.

Combining historical realism with the occult, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls introduces us to Wellwood House, a home where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret. Terrified and alone, fifteen–year-old Fern arrives at the home in the summer of 1970 and meets other girls in the same situation. Under the watchful and strict eyes of adults who claim to know best, Fern finds a way to take back some of the power she and the other girls have been denied, but power demands a price, and often it must be paid in blood.

When I started to get a feel for the direction this story was heading, I had to pause and reflect on my comfort level with a man narrating such a tale. The intertwining themes of pregnancy and women's rights are delicate and challenging to portray accurately, and I felt a sense of unease as I progressed through the book. However, by the time I reached the final page, I was thankful for the sensitivity and care Hendrix demonstrated in his storytelling. The themes are weighty, the setting is oppressive, and yet, the narrative is handled with such deftness that it evokes a profound emotional response.

This is undoubtedly a heavy story. With themes grounded in reality, such as systemic oppression, women’s rights, and body autonomy, the most horrific element is how real and familiar it is for women who have experienced something similar. Being quite squeamish about body horror, I had a visceral reaction to the graphic scenes of pregnancy and childbirth. Hendrix pulls no punches, revealing every gritty detail these young girls endure. It’s raw and horrifying, yet moments of solidarity shine through, offering glimpses of beauty and hope.

At its core, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a story about the dynamics of power and the various ways these girls strive to resist the control exerted over them. Even beyond Wellwood House, societal attempts to suppress women’s rights are ever-present in the lives of women across the country. Witchcraft becomes the perfect means for these girls to reclaim agency, offering the power of collective action through female solidarity. However, it also underscores that actions come with consequences, as the main characters become increasingly aware over time.

When reading this book, I felt overwhelming grief and sadness for what these young women endured. Coming from a place of innocent ignorance, Fern and her friends have never been in a position to make the wisest or best decisions for themselves. The consequences of pregnancy are forced upon them, as are the consequences of witchcraft. They are never given the full story or all the information needed to make informed decisions, making it heart-breaking to witness the sacrifices they are forced to make.

In addition to its thought-provoking themes, complex characters, and the isolated setting they inhabit, it's worth mentioning that the prose in this book is truly fantastic, and the pacing works perfectly. Initially, I felt the start was a bit slow, but in retrospect, I see that it was necessary to set the scene and build crucial tension that pays off later in the book.

I’ll admit that I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. I wanted to give horror a try, and with Grady Hendrix receiving glowing reviews, this seemed like a safe place to start. However, I wasn’t anticipating how much this story would resonate with me. My biggest takeaway is the reminder that women are incredibly strong and resilient, and that our greatest strengths lie in the bonds we form and the depths of our bravery when faced with adversity. This book won’t be for everyone, but it’s an important story and one that I’m glad I read.

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
I really enjoyed this book. There was something about it that gave me echoes of When Women Were Dragons (another excellent read), although the stories aren’t really that similar.
I don’t think I’ve ever read anything by this author before and I will check what else they’ve written as I hope to enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed this.
The only niggles I had were that the home didn’t seem as threatening as it could have overall, but then this may be a specific choir to show that people were not necessarily evil but simply all forced to act in certain ways due to the laws at the time.

Grady Hendrix's Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a gripping mix of horror and heartbreak. Set in the 1970s, it follows a group of pregnant teens navigating life in a controlling, judgmental institution. While there are supernatural elements, the real terror lies in the everyday cruelty they face and the harsh realities of pregnancy and bodily autonomy. It's raw, emotional and unsettlingly relevant.