Grady Hendrix dives deep into feminist themes with this book about pregnant teens and their efforts to gain autonomy. Given the opportunity to use dark magic in order to have some power over their own lives and the lives of their babies, three teens risk their very souls in order to take down an self-righteous, patriarchal leader of a home for unwed mothers.

I was thrilled to receive an eARC of this book, having always enjoyed Hendrix’s books, especially after reading How To Sell A Haunted House - which was a blast & my top favorite so far! However, this book takes on a more serious tone, differing from his usual comedic style. It focuses more on the real-life terrors experienced by actual girls who were subjected to these “homes for unwed mothers” in the 1970s, with the supernatural element taking more of a backseat.

Hendrix did an excellent job of developing these characters and providing them with heart-wrenching backstories that deliver an emotional punch. It's devastating to consider the traumatic experiences of these young girls, who faced not only unsupportive partners, evil predators and dismissive doctors, but also parents who coerced them into giving up their babies for adoption and then deny the entire ordeal. What's even more unsettling is that the same issues of restricting women's reproductive rights persist today, and the author tackles these real issues with sensitivity.

As for the supernatural witchy element, it fell a bit flat for me. While I appreciated the hope it gave the girls and the enjoyable witchcraft scenes of casting spells, I found myself underwhelmed and unimpressed by the antagonist. A greater sense of mystery and surprise would have elevated the story for me, instead we’re just going along for the ride - which is fine but not very exciting.

Overall, I thought it was a solid read. There’s a strong horror element, especially when it came to the birthing scenes but it wasn’t always perfectly balanced. This isn’t a new favorite but I appreciated Hendrix’s approach to crafting something different.

Creepy and witchy! I am a huge Grady Hendrix fan so it should be no surprise I really enjoyed this one. It’s got all the old school horror feels very much like other Hendrix books.

This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. I was sucked in from the very beginning. These poor girls didn’t deserve the way they were treated. You fall in the love with the characters so fast. They are written so well. I went through every emotion while reading this book. These poor girls. The way Grady describes some of the scenes in here like the finger nail scene, if you know you know, had me so disgusted. This book is long but I was so invested in the story I didn’t even care. The end of this book had me bawling my eyes out at 1 in the morning. What a beautiful ending to a heart wrenching story. What a way to start off my 2025 reading year.
5/5 Stars

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4.5 Thanks to the publisher for giving me access to review. Grady Hendrix is now one of my favorite authors, and I would read their grocery list. This story was long and had repeated lines, especially the main character, Fern. Overall, this story was suspenseful, funny, and heart-wrenching. I shed a tear at the very end. Great work, Grady, on your research on childbirth. I would forget a man wrote the book. Very impressive.

3.75 ⭐️

𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑢𝑠, 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝑚𝑒, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑙 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑.

*Que the goosebumps*

This was a very slow burn, and it took me a minute to get into into it. It's about 24% before they even get to the library and the first mention of witchcraft. And the witchcraft is more minimal than I would have liked.

This had a lot of trauma followed by more trauma, and I certainly didn't expect to be emotional reading this. I've never been more thankful for not being alive in this time period and also for being child free. I think the true horror aspect of this is the history of how girls/ women were treated in the past and how chilling it is that reproductive rights are being contested now.

𝐴𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠ℎ𝑒’𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ, 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑠ℎ𝑒’𝑑 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒, 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑, 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑠 𝐺𝑜𝑑?

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing, for the ARC.

To me, what distinguishes a great book from a good one is urgency. When I turn the final page, I can feel that the author needed to tell this story—that it was too much to keep inside, that it had to be set free.

With Witchcraft for Weyward Girls, I couldn’t tell why Grady Hendrix needed to tell this particular story.

It starts with a strong, haunting premise: Wellwood House, a home for unwed teenage mothers in deep Florida in the 1960s, where families sent their daughters to quietly give birth and give up their babies before returning to a life of pretending it never happened. These girls, their lives, and their rage make for a compelling backdrop. This did happen. And it happened to women.

Which brings me to the book’s central problem: maybe I sound like a tired feminist, but I don’t think this is a story a man should have written.

Hendrix has undeniable strengths as a storyteller. The horror builds with a slow, deliberate burn. The characters are layered—ones you’ll root for, villains you’ll love to hate. The revenge plot is deliciously satisfying. If you’re looking for an entertaining, suspenseful page-turner, this book delivers.

But beneath all of that, this is a story of motherhood and rage, and that’s where it falters. Hendrix writes female characters well—he always does—but this time, he bit off more than he could chew. There’s a pivotal moment, sitting with a teenage mother just after she’s given birth, as her baby is taken from her. It’s raw and heart-wrenching—or at least it should be. Instead, it rings hollow.

How much could Hendrix, truly, know of that pain? He conveys the anger, the injustice, the heartbreak—but I felt, as I read, that I was looking at a very good guess. A guess is not lived experience.

I had a chemical pregnancy last year. I was pregnant for maybe a week—a few days of possibility before it was gone. I don’t want to delve too much into it, but that loss left an emptiness and a pain I can’t quite describe. I mourned something small, unformed, and private, and it was devastating.

It’s that depth of experience—what it means to carry life, to lose it, to hold that heartbreak—that feels missing here. This is a book about erasure: how men, society, and expectations erase women. And yet, I couldn’t stop wondering—who is Hendrix erasing by stepping into this space?

The witchcraft aspect also felt underdeveloped. Initially, it promised to be a powerful force, something bigger than the characters themselves. But as the story progressed, it faded into the background. If Hendrix had leaned into the witchcraft and let it anchor the story, I think the book could have been stronger.

That said, Witchcraft for Weyward Girls will stick with me. It’s compelling, it’s entertaining, and it has moments of brilliance. But it’s not the female rage story it wants to be—not because Hendrix didn’t try, but because he couldn’t fully inhabit the story he was trying to tell.

I’d love to see this story told through a woman’s voice. Until then, this is a good book, but not a great one.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls hooked me from the very beginning. I didn’t want to put it down. This was one of those books that flew by and left me with a huge gaping hole in my life when it was over. It broke my heart at times, infuriated me at others. I cared deeply for the characters. They went through so much and at such a young age. Their suffering made me wish I could become a witch, so that I could unleash some witchy vengeance on their behalf.

My one small complaint is that I wish there had been more witchcraft and more development of the witches. There are a few really cool scenes of witchcraft, so maybe I’m just being greedy, but I did feel like the Miss Parcae character was left pretty blank. Perhaps this was intentional to make her seem more mysterious. Personally, I wanted to know more about her. Nonetheless, this story packs a heavy punch, and honestly, would’ve been great even without the witchcraft.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls contains Hendrix’s normal humor, but it covers some hard topics, so definitely check trigger warnings if you have any pertaining to pregnancy and/or abuse. Overall, I really loved this one and can’t wait to add a finished copy to my collection. If you’re looking for a book about friendship and girls finding their inner power, sprinkled with some witchy goodness, this is the book for you! Preorder now or get it in stores on January 14th!

Wow! Just wow!
Did this book have witchcraft in it? Yep it did but what I didn't expect out of this book was the deep dive into feminine oppression, slut shaming and women's rights being dismissed in the name of God. Grady Hendrix does a fantastic job showcasing feminine rage and the tyranny of adults calling all the shots for these pregnant girls sent to live in "homes" in 1970. And while they may have felt powerless in the beginning, all it took was a nudge to show them that the true power lies with them. This group of girls did what they could to survive and then they got revenge and I was pumping my fist in the air in solidarity.

As a woman in the US today this feels like such an important reminder that women's right to choose what happens with their bodies is non-negotiable. And while the title might suggest a paranormal element for this story, the real evil in this book is people using God as a scapegoat to control and victimize women for not conforming to their ideals.

Let this book serve as a cautionary tale that isn't as fictional as one might think.

It is 1970 and Fern’s father is about to drop her off at Wellwood House, a home for pregnant girls. He leaves as soon as possible and Fern is truly alone. She is here to give birth, give up her baby for adoption, and return home as if nothing happened.
It is suffocatingly hot in Florida, and except for endless chores, Fern has nothing to occupy her mind. Until the mobile book library arrives, and she winds up with a book about witchcraft. At first Fern and her friends, Rose, Zinnia, and Holly believe they have found a way to take back some control. But the price that must be paid is more than Fern imagined.
There was a bit less witchcraft and more detail about the plight of these girls than I imagined. Not that I did not enjoy the story, because it is heartbreaking detailing the treatment girls received if they got pregnant and were not married. Holly’s story to me was the most gut wrenching. Especially knowing that this fictional tale could very well mimic real life.4.5 stars.

Going into this story I thought we would get a horror mostly about young women involved in witchcraft. And while we do get that I think the witchcraft elements are actually a smaller part of the horror, and instead center on what it was like for young pregnant teens in the 70's. Their parents send them away to this place where every decision is made for them, they are treated as less in every way, and not even allowed to divulge their real names or anything about who they are to their fellow housemates. When they get the "book" they use it not only to take back some power in the way they are treated, but also they are trying to save one of their own from something even more horrible than the home, or witchcraft.

We follow Fern before and after her father drops her off at the home, she is scared and alone, and the only comfort she has are the other girls in the same situation. Slowly she makes friends and settles into a routine. Fern is determined to follow the rules, have the baby, and return home to her own life. That is until a new girl arrives. Along comes the bookmobile and the Librarian... she gives Fern a book that will change their lives if they let it.

I loved the girls and the friendships they formed. I loved seeing them take back their power, even if in the end nothing worked out how they thought.
There were some slower parts especially in the first half or so before we get into the witchcraft stuff, and towards the end, we get a lot more than I bargained for with how detailed Hendrix is with childbirth, but everything else in the story was so well done that those things are just a blip. I can't wait to see what Grady Hendrix is going to come out with next!

I wasn't sure what to anticipate before diving in, as I had never read a book by Hendrix before. Considering the subject matter and the author being a man, I had my thoughts. These girls were simply seeking genuine answers and respect, regardless of the circumstances they faced. They were willing to risk everything to achieve that.

Oh yeah. This was edgy and good. Get it Fern. This was soooky and frustrating in the best way. The content was so heavy and hard to read but oh so worth it

Fern arrives at the Wellwood Home for pregnant, unwed teens during their "predicaments" in 1970. A casual encounter with a book on witchcraft leads to occult retribution, with a coven of witches pursuing her for their own purposes.

And that's not the horror part of Grady Hendrix's new novel "Witchcraft for Wayward Girls".

The supernatural elements pale before the treatment of the pregnant teens, as they are controlled in every aspect of their lives, hounded into giving their babies to adoption, gaslighted on childbirth, and stripped of meaningful decisions about their future. It's not just horrific, it's infuriating.

The plot is a slow build to focused intensity. Hendrix raw and direct prose to devastating effect--particularly in a detailed description of childbirth told in coldly clinical terms. This book is not one that I will forget any time soon.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Berkley for the advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The nitty-gritty: Grady Hendrix's latest takes a more serious tone as he explores heavy topics like teen pregnancy in this emotion-packed story of friendship and self discovery.

Grady Hendrix is the master of unique ideas, and once again he proves how talented he is with this odd but effective mash-up of teen pregnancy and witchcraft. Hendrix channels the 1970s and delves into women’s rights and body autonomy with searing social commentary, graphic childbirth scenes, and some truly frightening witches, and at the same time captures the innocence of girlhood and teen friendships. This is a much more serious story than we usually get from the author, with only brief moments of lighthearted humor. Instead, Hendrix gives his readers unexpected emotion and plenty to think about.

In 1970 Alabama, fifteen-year-old Neva finds herself pregnant, and after telling her parents, she’s whisked away to Wellwood Home in Florida, a place where pregnant teens can hide their shame, have their babies, and then return to their old lives as if nothing happened. Miss Wellwood, the stern woman who runs the home, renames her “Fern” (all the girls are named after plants or flowers) and sets down her strict rules. Girls must eat what they are given (salt and sugar are forbidden) and attend weekly physical check-ins with the resident doctor. Above all, they must never go outside, as Wellwood Home is a place of shameful secrets. The girls spend their days watching TV or attending mandatory counseling, waiting for the day they will be taken “downtown” to give birth.

Fern soon adapts to the new routine and even befriends the other girls, but being pregnant brings its own fears and uncertainties. None of the girls really understand what will happen during childbirth, although it’s a given that their babies will be taken away from them and given to good homes. With no ability to make decisions for themselves, Fern and her friends seem resigned to their fate.

Until one day, when the bookmobile comes to Wellwood Home, Fern meets Miss Parcae, the librarian who gives her a book that changes everything. How to Be a Groovy Witch is full of spells and instructions to change your fate, if only you are strong enough and willing to give the ultimate sacrifice: complete obedience to the coven, and of course, your blood.

Hendrix captures the 1970s vibe perfectly, which isn’t a surprise as he’s well versed in vintage pulp horror. There are plenty of horrors in Witchcraft For Wayward Girls, not all of them supernatural, and in fact I found the witches to be less horrific than the adults in this story, which is full of racist, misogynistic characters. The girls, all in their teens, are obsessed with astrology, and most of them smoke (smoking is the one vice they are allowed, which is an unfortunate sign of the times). Despite knowing that racism and outdated opinions about teen pregnancy were prevalent in 1970 (and really, has much changed since then?), it was sad and shocking nonetheless to see how Fern and her friends were treated. Nurse Kent and Dr. Vincent use invasive medical procedures without the girls’ consent, and they even call them derogatory names like “barnyard animals.” When a Black girl named Zinnia comes to the home, she’s treated even worse than the other girls (all white), which was heartbreaking to witness.

Hendrix uses witchcraft as a way for Fern and the others to take back their power, and it works—sort of—although things do not turn out the way they expect. Miss Parcae, the catalyst for everything that happens, seems benevolent at first, someone who is on the girls’ side and wants to help. But beneath her librarian persona is a woman with a sinister agenda of her own, and as the girls get deeper into the spells and cryptic advice between the pages of How To Be A Groovy Witch, they soon find out that witchcraft isn’t something to be taken lightly. I liked that the author infused the witchcraft parts with so much darkness, which I wasn’t expecting.

I also loved the emotional elements involving the pregnant girls and their babies. Although on some level they realize they won’t get to keep them, the girls still wonder things like whether they’re having a girl or a boy or what their baby will look like. Rose, one of my favorite characters, is determined to keep her baby, who she calls Blossom. Even Fern, who can’t wait to return to her old life, is convinced her baby is a boy and calls him Charlie Brown. Even more heartbreaking is the drama surrounding Holly, the youngest girl at Wellwood Home, whose circumstances are horrible. All of the girls ban together to help Holly out of her inevitable fate, hoping that witchcraft will save her, but of course things do not go as planned.

I did have some issues with the story, though. First, I think it’s way too long, especially the first half, which drags on without much happening until the witchcraft elements are introduced. Then there are the graphic childbirth scenes near the end, when Fern finally gives birth, and because we see the story through her eyes, we get to witness every second of her experience. Maybe Hendrix was trying to mimic actual childbirth, which can take hours or even days, but having given birth twice myself, it’s not something I want to relive in a book. Fern’s birth scene goes on forever, with plenty of stress and pain, and honestly, I just wanted it to end! Even worse, if you’ve ever had an episiotomy, you will not want to read about Fern’s experience, trust me.

However, I was not prepared for the emotional epilogue, which jumps forward in time and shows what happens to Fern, Rose, and Holly. Hendrix redeemed himself with this glimpse into the future, a wonderfully hopeful ending to a story full of pain and suffering. Ultimately, Witchcraft For Wayward Girls isn’t really about witchcraft at all, but the resiliency of young girls and women who are trying to shape their own futures. Grady Hendrix fans who are looking for his usual brand of humor and over-the-top action might be disappointed, but I found plenty to love about this book.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

This was a rollercoaster for me. Fern gets sent to a home for pregnant teens in 1970, cut off from the world until she gives birth, the baby is adopted out and she can return to her normal life. These girl’s life stories are heartbreaking and tragic, and you want them to succeed somehow. A librarian offers them a spell book one afternoon from her bookmobile, and things go haywire from there. It was frustrating, heartwarming, and worth the read

Whoa! This book destroyed me. It has churned up every emotion in my body. It made me feel what these young girls were made to go through. Without any support, guidance, or love. I shed tears at thinking many girls in today's world may go through this emotional struggle yet again, due to the abolishment of Roe vs. Wade. How...how...how...did we end up here again? Women do not get pregnant on their own. It takes two people, yet women are the ones who are made to feel like dirt, told that they are loose, told that they are nothing. When anyone, literally anyone, at any age can find themselves in this situation. Unwed, pregnant, nowhere to turn, the best their family can do is drop them at a home and hide them for months. This book will sit at the forefront of my thoughts for time to come.

Fern is fifteen and finds herself with child. Her father is driving her to Florida to dump her off at a home for unwed mothers. Fern is lost beyond words, needs her father to speak to her, not to be ashamed. When in reality he sneaks out without saying goodbye. The girls at the home come from every walk of life. Extremely religious, rich beyond your imagination, and just girls that found themselves caught up in love. When the girls talk more about their lives, even though it is strictly forbidden. Shocking secrets are told, and one girl needs to be saved and not sent back to her home. The girls turn to the librarian at the traveling bookmobile. She gave them a book on witchcraft. Could this book be their hope, the one beacon of light that they need to follow?

I loved this book. The characters are phenomenal, the touch of horror adds to their already growing nightmares. I found myself tearing up and wanting to scream in anguish for these girls. Fern is one year older than my son, I cannot even imagine leaving him to deal with any of this on his own. To force him into giving up his baby, told to forget about it and to move on. I am in awe of this book! Thank you to Grady Hendrix and Berkley Publishing for my gifted copy.

This book… was an emotional rollercoaster filled with a supernatural element. Out of all the books I’ve read by Grady Hendrix, this has to be one of my favorites.

There were a few humorous moments but this one was more on the emotional and serious side which I loved. This book left me utterly heartbroken for the characters, their positions, and their circumstances. It’s hard to believe that this was a reality for many women (teens) not so long ago.

It deals with some heavy truths and traumas. Young girls sent off to homes for their “sins” with lack of love and support.

Grady Hendrix, as always, writes a lovely, meaningful story. His words seeming to flow effortlessly onto the pages. His writing is captivating and doesn’t lack heart or emotion.

Great Hendrix is one of my favorite authors and this book hasn’t changed my mind.

This book hits the shelves January 14th so mark your calendars or get your preorders in 👏🏻

This felt like a book that screamed “I’m an ally let me show you what an ally I am by writing this book!” Instead of feeling like a genuine understanding of pregnancy and pregnancy in horror.

I fully recognize that this is a book commenting on a post roe world, and I think I would’ve appreciated it more had Hendrix stayed away from problematic tropes.

Don’t get me wrong — the horror in this book is there, and visceral, but it is pregnancy horror. The horror lies in what these young girls go through and experience as a result of their pregnancy. It isn’t necessarily witchcraft, which is a tangential aside despite it being in the title.

I also think Hendrix was trying to do something with making the librarian the witch who gives the girls the spellbook, but I don’t think the commentary worked, nor did I find it effective.

Overall, not Hendrix’s greatest work and I’m quite disappointed.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a little different than the previous Grady Hendrix novels I have read; however, I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book we will be purchasing for our library book club. This book discusses sensitive topics such as teen pregnancy, rape, and molestation. Many of the young girls who were residents at these types of facilities were abused, both sexually and emotionally. This shed light on a problem as old as time, but what surprised me the most was how recently these atrocities occurred.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this arc.