4.5 stars rounded up

Fifteen year old Neva is pregnant, and in 1970 this just won't do. She's sent to a home for unwed mothers and becomes Fern, where she meets other girls like her who can't share their real names and pass the time cleaning, eating, smoking, and waiting for their lives to go back to the way they were. When a librarian gives Fern a peculiar book, she and her friends start down a path they aren't prepared for.

I really enjoyed this book. There was such a feeling of dread and terror for what was about to happen. The insane body horror of childbirth was truly disgusting, and I felt such anger while reading. The girls in the home were well-written and distinct, and I was really interested in the coven. At times I found myself angry at the girls and the decisions they made, but they were very realistic. I would've loved an extra epilogue to see a glimpse into H****'s life.

There were times that I felt the story dragging a bit, but that's my only criticism. I think some readers may side-eye a male author writing this story, but I think he did a good job. There was no author note in my eARC, so maybe he'll address his reasons for choosing to write this book in the final copy.

This is a solid horror thriller and I eagerly await Hendrix's next book.

Grady Hendrix’s imagination is unparalleled. I don’t know what’s going on up there, but I like it. What a fascinating way to handle a familiar subject.

Hendrix has written a difficult but engaging read in Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. Neva/Fern is sent to a home for unwed teenage mothers, Fern's experience at the home is harrowing, leading her to seek help from a helpful (?) librarian who guides her toward the use of magic. The girls' fears and concerns are dismissed by the people who are employed to "care" for them; they are not prepared for birth or life after they surrender their children.

It's worth noting that WfWG uses the "Black woman as savior" trope, with Home employee Hagar and her sister Miriam repeatedly rescuing the girls from their own bad decisions.. Otherwise, this would've been a 4+ star book.

While this might have been my first book by this author, it certainly won't be my last.
I loved how well the author was able to blend fact with fiction and make it all seem so realistic, plausible, and, best of all, like you were there, seeing it all happen right along with the characters. Their pain and punishments, their triumphs and successes, were all something you felt like you were not only witnessing but experiencing right along with them.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls was both heartbreaking and satisfying, and I'm so glad I took a chance on a new author because I now want to gobble up everything this author has ever written.

Grady Hendrix's latest offering, "Witchcraft for Wayward Girls," is a mesmerizing blend of historical fiction and horror that will bewitch readers from start to finish. This gripping narrative follows four teenage girls, led by the protagonist Fern, as they navigate a world that has callously abandoned them.

Hendrix masterfully sets the stage with a deceptively gentle historical fiction tone, only to unleash terrifying moments and visceral gore that will leave readers spellbound. The author's intimate writing style plunges us deep into the characters' turmoil and rage, painting a vivid and often unsettling picture of women's experiences in a patriarchal society.

At its core, this novel is a powerful exploration of female rage and the consequences of societal oppression. The girls' journey from innocence to empowerment, catalyzed by a chance encounter with a librarian and a witch coven, is both thrilling and heart-wrenching. Hendrix doesn't shy away from the harsh realities these young women face, from unwanted pregnancies to the cruel indifference of those meant to protect them.

The author's unflinching portrayal of women's bodies and birth scenes is particularly noteworthy, described with a raw, visceral quality that's both shocking and poignant. This vivid imagery, coupled with the themes of choice, abuse, and voicelessness, packs a formidable punch against the backdrop of a society that silences its most vulnerable.

For those who prefer audiobooks, the narration elevates this already captivating story to new heights. The narrator's performance is nothing short of magical, bringing Fern and her world to life with chilling effectiveness. Her rendition of the chants, in particular, adds an extra layer of immersion that transforms the listening experience into a cinematic journey.

"Witchcraft for Wayward Girls" is a testament to Hendrix's storytelling prowess, weaving together elements of horror, historical fiction, and social commentary into a tapestry that will haunt readers long after the final page. It's a spellbinding exploration of female empowerment that demands to be read—or better yet, heard.

Thank you, Berkley, PRH Audio, and NetGalley for my free books.

Grady Hendrix's Witchcraft for Wayward Girls presents a compelling narrative filled with dark humor and poignant themes of empowerment among a group of girls in a repressive environment. While the writing is sharp and the characters are well-developed, the pacing occasionally drags, making some sections feel overly long. The exploration of witchcraft as a means of reclaiming power adds an intriguing layer to the story, but it sometimes feels overshadowed by the more graphic elements. Overall, it's an engaging read that balances horror and humor, though it could benefit from tighter editing to enhance the overall impact.

By no means is this a bad book, I would go as far to say I enjoyed it, my issue comes with the author always writing about women and their stories. This might be controversial, but with how many books this author comes out with, I just wish he would come out with less female centred novels. I do not mind a man writing about women, but it’s every new novel he comes out with and it’s beginning to feel a tad repetitive.

I was really intrigued by this book but when I realized who it was by, I knew it was not going to be earth shattering for me. They’re always enjoyable, always fun, but never mind blowing.

This man can truly do no wrong. His books are always quirky, entertaining, and leave you holding your breath. This is a perfect wintertime book to cozy up with and you’ll be sucked into this world immediately. This guy’s knows escapism. Absolutely recommend!

Grady Hendrix doesn't miss and I really enjoyed this book. It was a throwback to a time unwed young women were sent away to have their babies in secret, which were then given up for adoption immediately after birth. The women were then sent home like nothing ever happened.

When a group of these women are introduced to witchcraft from a librarian in the form of a book, it will give them agency and powers they never could have dreamed of, but at what price?

This was nostalgic but dark, yet hopeful. If I learned anything, it's that women are powerful but so is witchcraft, so I won't be dabbling in it.

Grady Hendrix is back again with another female driven coming of age narrative. I always say that he writes the best female characters, even better than female authors.

I really appreciated the themes explored in this one. It's both a great coming of age narrative along with a story of female friendship and found family.

While this wasn't a five star read, I appreciated so much about it. I didn't feel entirely engrossed in the story, which is my usual criticism holding back my rating of Hendrix.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Wow, this book is powerful as hell, and not just because it's about witches and witchcraft. I really, really dug this story and how Hendrix tackles the themes of misogyny, reproductive freedoms (or lack thereof in this case), and finding community and connection in the face of serious loss, trauma, and grief. His portrayals of the abhorrent unwed mother's homes in the 1960s and 1970s were stark, bleak, and deeply infuriating, showing these girls, literal children in most cases, being shamed, shoved aside, punished, and abused under the guise of piety and morality all while preparing to steal their babies away to never be seen again and told it's the only and best option. And in may cases protecting the vile men who impregnated them in the first place, be it deadbeat boyfriends or rapist men of religious importance. It's so horrifying, and man does it feel a little too real in these post-Roe days with an incoming power structure that would LOVE to restrict reproductive choices and to bring us back to the days of horrific homes like this one. I also liked the way that Hendrix makes the witchcraft a bit grey in its morality, showing the harm that these naive but desperate girls are causing, but also showing how desperation and trauma can cause decisions and rage that could lead to some of the things they do. I almost feel like I wanted him to be a little less 'both sides' with some of the characters, but I love a story with dark witches taking full revenge on power structures no matter what harm may come from it (hello, THE WITCH) AND I'm pretty rage filled at the moment so that's probably just a 'me' thing. All that said, I really enjoyed this one, finding it creepy and disturbing at times, as well as devastating and hopeful at others. Top 3 Hendrix for me for sure.

Thank you for the free book @penguinrandomhouse and @berkleypub #penguinrandomhousepartner #berkleyIG #BerkleyBookstagram. Thank you for the free audiobook, @prhaudio!

First of all, I want to acknowledge the author for writing this kind of a book. I think I respected him more after reading this one. He wrote about the ugliness of how society treated unwed pregnant teens and did it very effectively with strong female characters and strong smash the patriarchy vibes and I love and respect him for it!

This book is going to be heavy, friends. It won’t be your typical Grady Hendrix book with a mix of horror and comedy. In fact, it read more of a historical fiction with sprinkles of witchcraft as the paranormal element. It’s about the troubled teen industry in the 1970s

The main background of the book is The Wellwood Home - a temporary home for pregnant teens. We get introduced to four female leads and we would see how badly they get treated just because they’re pregnant and unwed.

And that is why this book was very difficult for me to read. But that’s also because the writing was that effective! This book is bingeable! It’s a thick one but I finished it in 2 days! I had to take breaks in between because I get so aggravated with what’s going on in the book 😅 I think this is why historical fiction is hard for me to read at times. There’s some messed up stuff that happened before that will never be tolerated in our present time.

Anyhoo, as for the spook factor, tbh, I didn’t think this was scary at all. The scariest parts for me was the childbirth scene 😅 The witchcraft in this book is not the cutesy Practical Magic vibes. It’s very occult-ish with this one but not spooky at all if you are worried about the book getting super scary. Some parts I think I’d consider as body horror? But it’s honestly not too gory.

The audiobook narrator was so good! was going back and forth the audio and physical book because I can’t pick which format to use because I enjoyed the audiobook too. Although, when it got to the chanting and stuff, it spooked me a little bit hearing it vs reading it 😂

This book comes out Jan 14!! Add to your list if you like historical horror, witchcraft, and reading about the troubled teen boarding homes back in the 70s!

💭 Do you get easily triggered by what you read?
☕️ Yes for me. I always get super immersed with whatever book I’m reading that I can’t help it 😂

Grady Hendrix knocked it out of the park with this one.

I am a big fan of stories of girlhood, girl power, and overall just examining what it means to be a girl & woman in society. I was so impressed with how Hendrix was able to capture so many of these feelings as a male author, and thought it was done accurately.

Even though “witchcraft” is in the title of this book, it wasn’t a super heavy part of the story, or at least not in the way I anticipated. I’d say there was a heavier emphasis on the connection and loyalty the main characters had with one another, and the witchcraft plot was one way that was showcased.

I really felt for Fern and the other girls at the Home. They were so young, and the way they were treated by both their families and the adults in charge of taking care of them was infuriating and sad. I really loved seeing their bonds grow, and how they learned to be there for each other in a situation that only they could understand. The last chapter wrapped everything up so beautifully, even if it felt a little bittersweet.

I found interest in this novel because of the way Grady Hendrix perfectly rides the line between light-hearted comedy and horror, but was warmly surprised with this masterful, emotional, gut-wrenching tale of young girls living in a world with no control over their lives, who finally have an opportunity to take charge-even when everybody around them are actively trying to oppress them.

I was not expecting a book like this from Grady at all, and am so impressed with what he created here. It is great to see that he is just as talented of an author when it comes to topics as serious as this. He does a great job at giving a voice to those who are constantly feeling helpless and held down, which makes this book feel very important; especially in today's political clinate where women are losing the ability to make decisions for their own body-just like the girls in this book.
The story was wonderfully immersive and each of the characters felt so alive, which had me feeling frustrated on their behalf throughout the entirety of the story, yet I'm so glad I read it. Amazing job all around.

Excellent book, though it is less about witchcraft and more about the varied horrors of child birth.

This book gave me all the feelings. I swung from pity to terror to anger to joy. My favorite Hendrix book, so far.

I'm not going to give this one a star rating on Goodreads because I think this ended up not being a book for me but I think it's very well done. I come to GH for thoughtful, well written horror heavily influenced by camp. This had very low camp and very low paranormal elements, meaning it's basically the horror of the reality of how these girls are treated. And that level of on page child abuse is something I generally avoid in my reading because I can't take it. So this was a mismatch of my expectations vs. what the book was doing

CW: child abuse of every kind, traumatic pregnancy & birth

I'm a huge fan of Grady Hendrix, but this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It wasn't "bad," but it just didn’t feel like the usual dynamic I’m used to with his characters.

"Witchcraft for Wayward Girls" is mostly about a group of pregnant teens surviving the summer in a “home” for troubled girls. The problem is, everyone in the story is awful, and the girls seem completely helpless.

A librarian visits in a bookmobile, handing them a book that reveals small spells they can use to get back at the adults in their lives. And honestly, it's deserved because everyone, including the witches and their coven, are terrible. It was about 25% witches and spells, and 75% focused on the stereotypical teen pregnancy tropes of the '70s.

The girls' storylines also become repetitive, rehashing the same themes over and over. It had a lot of potential but ultimately felt a little flat for me.

Trigger Warning: sexual abuse and graphic delivery scenes. As someone who had a baby, I found the delivery scenes especially intense and made me squirm

I want to thank Netgalley for this ARC

yo, i wanna like grady hendrix so bad. i've heard his work described as goosebumps for adults and i don't think that's necessarily a far-off description if you read all his book synopses but his books are awful hit and miss for me.

in this book, we have fern, a fifteen year old girl who is pregnant and being ported to a home for unwed pregnant girls. is this a common thing that happened in the 1970's? i don't know. anyway, she arrives and becomes part of the house "bouquet" with all the girls in the home shirking their real names for plants or flowers. she's also subject to a lot of bullshit - her dad straight up abandoning her, an unfeeling male doctor who aggressively examines her without her consent upon meeting her, an insane diet of no salt. ever. on anything. but a ton of cigarettes if she wishes.

the girls head over to check out books from the portable library and come into possession of a book on witchcraft. and they, fed up with their mistreatment, work together to decide to enact a few curses.

iiiiiiiiiiiiiii think a white, cis man has no business writing a story about pregnant, unwed girls. i don't want to hear about the tortures of maternity in general (well-documented on hating books about motherhood, picked this up before i realized what it was about), but i definitely don't want to hear about violent childbirth from a man.

i also very much hate that some to of the pregnancies in this book were a result of rape/sa and i simply have no interest in reading about that from a person within the demographic that perpetuates 99% of that in society. and i don't especially feel like the rape/sa arc in this book was well-written, appropriately explored/handled, or nuanced in any way. this, coupled with the fact that it had a LOT of women being slut-shamed almost constantly turned me all the way off. this book very easily recounted and enacted a lot violence against women without talking about female resiliency. like, it felt like torture porn about women. by a man.

and for my final critique: this book has a problem in the way black people are written. holy fucking shit, the black characters only existed to do things for the white characters and we're utterly underwritten and uninteresting beyond that. seriously - the primary black character in this book works in the kitchen, helps out the main (white) characters, and makes a quippy remark or too. she's a caricature. also, this book was set in a year that was VERY recently pro-civil rights era and while, once again, i don't think it's the place of a white, cis man to write about that, it felt obscenely bizarre that it was almost entirely glossed over. the most we got was a racial slur. which was unnecessary.

"Power cannot be given, it must be taken."

This is a slow burn story, especially at the start. Get ready for the build up for about 30% - but then the story will get going. You'll meet a flower garden that is tucked away - young girls that are pregnant outside of wedlock in a time before Roe v Wade and a time before women were really taught about childbirth or pregnancy.

Our main character is Fern and, through her, we meet the other flowers - Rose, Holly, Zinnia and others. You learn how the house works and wait with the girls as their due dates get closer.

This story was deeply moving. I was sad for all the ways these girls had been let down and abandoned. When the witchcraft was introduced, I was excited to see where the story would go. I loved the spells and the language, the book, the corners and the secrets. I loved the little coven and the things we learned. It was a quiet power that ran through the book and I liked that I felt in on the secret.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.