witchcraft for wayward girls, a story about pregnant teenage girls before abortion was an option, that are rejected by society and ostracized by their community. and one day, they stumble upon witchcraft, which becomes their crutch and enables them to rise up against a system designed to keep them chained down.
 
grady has a gift when it comes to writing an emotional and gut-wrenching story. witchcraft for wayward girls is a tale of feminine rage, interwoven with his typical graphic body horror while depicting psychological and consequential impacts of depriving a vulnerable group of girls who become enraged. the characters were conflicted and complicated, making decisions that no teenager should ever have to make. and the epilogue? wow. just wow.
 
witchcraft for wayward girls, releases on january 14, 2025 where all books are sold!
 
thank you to Berkley publishing, netgalley and grady hendrix for sharing an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

As much as I was leery of a man writing about teenage pregnant girls that have been shipped off to a “home” and stripped of their rights to anything and at the mercy of creepy criminal doctors and nurses, he managed to do an amazing job. I think this may be my new fav book of his.
There’s some serious gore with the childbirth scenes, but there’s the growth of the girls as they develop into themselves and work the spells they find in the book the librarian gave them. It is set in the 1970s so it was an interesting look at history, but also reflects a lot of what is still going on today with women’s reproductive rights. I don’t want to give too much away, but underneath the witchy vibes, the horror isn’t otherworldly imo, it’s the doctors and the system that harms these poor young girls and the babies they carry.
This book won’t be for everyone, but it was solidly for me.
Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

I am a big fan of Grady Hendrix, but this one didn't hit for me. It didn't have his usual humor. Which in this case is probably a good thing. I feel like he was trying to empower the young women in the story, but his choices didn't work for me. I feel like this is a witch story from the past, not something I expect my witch stories of 2025 to be like.

I started this book thinking it would be a supernatural horror with witches, so I was a little confused when it seemed that the horror was just reality in the early 70s for many girls. They were certainly terrible circumstances, but it didn't feel like a horror to me. And the witchcraft aspect felt a little tacked on. I wasn't sure what purpose it was meant to serve. It was a way for the girls to exercise some control, but then they were also beholden to the witches? Until the end when the other witches just decided, actually no, we'll let this one go. And the last chapter felt odd as well.

That aside, I enjoy Hendrix's writing, and it did pull me in. I enjoyed reading about each girl's journey. As a person who recently gave birth, I was able to relate to some of their experiences while understanding the depth of the difficulties they faced.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC!

The workings of a witch are never in vain…

I admit that it took me a bit to get into Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, but, once that bookmobile pulled into the driveway of Wellwood House, I was hooked. I might even say spellbound. I loved not only the relationships between the girls, but the elements of witchcraft. I was a Grady Hendrix fan before, but this book cements his status as one of my must-read authors.

I made it about 30% into Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix before deciding it wasn’t the book for me. While the premise was intriguing, and the writing style was solid, I found it hard to connect with the story or fully invest in the characters. Horror might just not be my genre, as I didn’t feel drawn into the tension or stakes as much as I’d hoped. Additionally, I tend to struggle with books where men write exclusively from the female perspective, as it can sometimes feel a bit detached. That said, I can see how this book would appeal to readers who enjoy dark, atmospheric tales with feminist undertones and a touch of occult intrigue—it just wasn’t the right fit for me.

This was a slow burn, but ended up being a pretty good read! I also thought it was fairly relevant to the current state of the country. There are some graphic birth scenes, but it's done in Grady Hendrix style, so I had expected that. This isn't my favorite of his, but still enjoyable.

We were girls. That’s what they called us in their articles and their speeches and their files: bad girls, neurotic girls, needy girls, wayward girls, selfish girls, girls with Electra complexes, girls trying to fill a void, girls who needed attention, girls with pasts, girls from broken homes, girls who needed discipline, girls desperate to fit in, girls in trouble, girls who couldn’t say no.

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

Hey, so the next time I decide to read a body horror around pregnancies I want someone to slap me back to my senses. I spent most of this horrorstruck. That's one way to recommend a horror book while including that trigger warning, I suppose.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls revolves around Wellwood Home in St. Augustine, Florida, where young, 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.

The book is part historical fiction, part horror, and part speculative fiction (in that order). I have a strong dislike of books that masquerade as historical fiction without enough historical "worldbuilding", but this book achieves the perfect mix of immersion into the setting as well as actual relevance to it: Roe v Wade was three years away, maternity homes for unwed women were widespread through the States, feminist historians began interpreting the intricacies behind the Witch Trails in the 1970s: Witches, Midwives and Nurses: A History of Women Healers, the interest in witchcraft folklore increased as a consequence.

The plot unfolds instantly, the characters are intriguing, the prose is buttery smooth to read, and the ending made me cry quite a bit. There's a magnificent feminist exploration of how different women harness their power in a system that oppresses them their whole life, and who pays the price of that. Even though I loved these characters(especially Rose, Holly, Fern, Zinnia, and Hagar), some of them felt a little one-dimensional and/or erratic at times, and that tends to annoy me. The simplistic prose makes this an effortless read while making it engrossing for the more fantastical moments. There's plenty of witchcraft in this one, it just turns up around a quarter into the book, which makes it more speculative than fantasy. As an occasional horror reader, the book had me squirming, and I'm going to go off and stare into space for several minutes now to come off it.



Also: Listening to Florida!!! by Taylor Swift and Florence and the Machine + Season of the Witch by Donovan while reading this is oddly perfect.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Five Stars! I enjoyed every minute of Grady Hendrix's new novel. It tells the story of unwed teens sent to a boarding house in the late 60s to have their baby and then have it taken away so they can return to their own life and start again. While at the home, the girls get to know one another and the other women caring for them. Unfortunately, they are also targeted by an evil librarian who is a witch. Campy horror all around, yet some deeply resounding facts regarding women and girls living in a patriarchal society - some with little choice in life - yet surviving as well as thriving given their circumstances. Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an ARC of this fantastic book!

Grady Hendrix, celebrated for his unique fusion of horror and dark humor, delivers another spellbinding tale with Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. Known for The Final Girl Support Group (2021) and How to Sell a Haunted House (2023), Hendrix masterfully explores the fragility of human connections while delving into the uncanny. This latest novel cements his reputation as a genre-bending storyteller who makes the bizarre deeply relatable.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls follows Emily Thorn, a woman forced to return to her hometown after the mysterious disappearance of her childhood friend, Leah. As Emily confronts her estranged group of high school friends, she uncovers a long-buried secret: their teenage obsession with witchcraft may have had terrifyingly real consequences. The story unfolds as a mix of gothic suspense, social commentary, and supernatural thrills, weaving past and present into a chilling tapestry of betrayal and redemption.

Hendrix's signature wit and incisive commentary shine as he examines female friendships, societal expectations, and the power of belief. Much like The Final Girl Support Group, where he deconstructed the slasher genre, Hendrix dissects the myths and realities surrounding witches, layering his narrative with rich folklore and feminist undertones.

Fans of How to Sell a Haunted House will find familiar themes of familial tension and repressed memories, but with a sharper, more sinister edge. The relationships in Witchcraft for Wayward Girls are fraught with secrets, jealousy, and the yearning for acceptance, making the supernatural elements feel deeply personal and grounded.

Hendrix excels at creating atmospheric settings, and the small-town backdrop in this novel is no exception. The eerie woods, crumbling ruins, and shadowed corners of Emily's childhood home all contribute to the creeping dread that permeates the book.

The story’s pacing is relentless, pulling readers through twists and turns that lead to a shocking climax. Hendrix’s ability to blend the mundane with the macabre ensures that even the quietest moments feel loaded with tension. The book’s exploration of the darker sides of nostalgia and unresolved trauma will resonate long after the last page.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a spellbinding triumph, combining Hendrix’s trademark humor and horror with a poignant exploration of friendship and the scars of adolescence. It’s a must-read for fans of smart, character-driven horror and anyone who’s ever wondered about the magic—and danger—of looking back.

I'm a big fan of Grady Hendrix and have read many of his books. This one started off interesting as I was quickly invested in young Fern and her unwanted pregnancy. She was quick to be removed from her home and shipped off to a home for un-wed mothers. This quick change for a young girl was difficult. Things begin to escalate in the direction of witchcraft-surprise! As the girls aren't treated all that well, they take matters into their own hands.

I found this book to feel quite long. Needed a good edit IMHO. I thought the plot and storyline was fun. It felt like it dragged at times in the middle. I thought it ended great!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the gifted e-arc.

Let me pre-face this review by saying: I've read every one of Grady Hendrix's novel and enjoyed most of all of them, despite their flaws. He has an immensely readable tone and is good at balancing paranormal elements, real-life horror, and his signature well-written humor. I feel like in this book and his other latest ("How to Sell a Haunted House") the humor takes a backseat for some heavy-handed messaging that-- in the case of this new novel-- doesn't quite land.

"Witchcraft for Wayward Girls" follows Fern, a pregnant teenager who gets sent to a home in Florida with a bunch of other pregnant teens, in the 1970's. There, she forms a coven and they attempt to get cure their morning sickness and get revenge. Sounds fun, right? Well, I almost stopped reading twice. There are two Black lead characters and there are some cringey moments with both of them. One of them (a kitchen worker) plays right into the Magical Negro trope and I just can't with this anymore! This trope appears in another one of Hendrix's books as well and despite public critique, the fact that he did not listen/change made me not want to continue reading. However, I plowed through and while I care about the 1970's vibes and bookmobile/witch stuff, this book just wasn't for me.

As another reviewer pointed out, I cannot stand the trope of childless women being completely and utterly changed when they hold their kid for the first time. There is also a huge amount of pregnancy/birth horror, and I had to keep reminding myself: these aren't women, these are GIRLS. It just felt so icky, but I was so close to the end, so I read on.

"Witchcraft for Wayward Girls" attempts to be a feminist novel to show its audience the sexism and racism of a pre-Roe US, but it seems like a cis white guy should take more responsibility when writing about this topic to avoid stereotypes.

I just found my new favorite Grady Hendrix book! His can be hit or miss with me, but this one was great! I love how his stories always have an underlying message. This one was so eye opening to me. I loved how empowered the poor, young women became, while being cast off from society for becoming pregnant out of wedlock. It was so sad how not that long ago, girls were not trusted or listened to. Their opinions didn’t matter and they were told to conform no matter what. It’s scary that sometimes it feels that is where we are heading back to. This story couldn’t have come at a better time in society! I loved the ending. It was so beautifully wrapped up!

Let me say, I love books set in the 70's. This book takes place in the summer of 1970. Our MC is Neva/Fern and she finds herself 6 months pregnant on her way to a home for pregnant girls in Florida. It's as awful as you think. Hendrix has a great way of painting how boring the house is, how time can move so slow and fast at the same time. Things kick off when the bookmobile librarian comes to their home and Fern checks out a book on witchcraft...1970's witchcraft! And then the girls start experimenting and get deeper into the craft. Overall, I liked the story but the ending kind of surprised me. I appreciated the historical time period and the girls who had to make horrible decisions.

I always enjoy a Grady Hendrix book, and this one was no exception. Our main character, Neva/Fern, is from Huntsville, Alabama (where I currently live) so that was fun to start this book with that connection. The year is 1970 and when Neva becomes pregnant, she is sent to a home for pregnant teenage girls in Florida. Honestly, I side-eyed this premise a bit. How well can a white man tell this story? I was pleasantly surprised by the absolute tenderness with which he treats his characters.

The descriptions of the home really shone here: Hendrix did a wonderful job capturing the environment, the different girls, and the utter lack of control they had over their own lives. The theme of the book for me was how utterly powerless women can be made to feel, and what lengths they will go to to claw back any ounce of control. Due to the recent political actions on women's bodily autonomy, this book was depressingly relevant.

In every single one of Hendrix's books, there is one scene that gives me the absolute ick. All of the trigger warnings for graphic and disturbing depictions of birth. I honestly felt like the book was a little light on actual witchcraft and thought it could have used more of the girls exploring their powers. I also did not care for the depictions of black characters, which seemed to fall into the "magical Negro" trope.

Overall, it has the same campy vibe of the author's other books and was truly entertaining, thought-provoking, and disturbing. This is probably my favorite book I have read by Grady Hendrix.

I was under the mistaken assumption that Grady Hendrix was not male when I requested this, and had also not attempted to read The Final Girl Support Group yet, but if either of those things were different, I wouldn’t have requested this one in the first place, because I would’ve known it was not going to be for me.

Knowing a book about this subject matter was written by a straight white guy just gave me the ick way too much, especially considering recent intrusions into women’s bodily autonomy, and the perpetuation of those anti-women sentiments in the US as was made apparent by the events of the beginning of November. I had similar feelings toward The Final Girl Support Group, but this one was way more blatantly offensive to me.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t finish this one for my own mental and emotional well being, and ended up DNF-ing at 14%.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC.

A solid 3.5, this may be my highest rated Grady Hendrix book. I liked the concept of this story. Some of the character development wasn't there. I loved learning about the "wayward" girls and how they interacted with each other. The witch storyline could use more fleshing out. Overall an enjoyable read.

This is the second time I’ve questioned if a Grady Hendrix book was truly written by a man, because the way he captures and expresses the feeling of being a women, and specifically the pregnancy experience, has me in awe. I’ve read books by women that didn’t feel this authentic.

That being said, WOW did I love this book. This was so raw and full of beautifully written emotions. This story hit close to home for me as well and was so interesting to see what these “homes” were like. This book is full of feminine rage. It’s a graphic depiction of the systemic oppression of women. Oh, and there’s witches, which in my opinion wasn’t a major theme, nor was it needed to still call this a horror. The horrors just felt more parallel to our world.

This book was heartwarming and heartbreaking, yes I cried, and I couldn’t put it down. This book was graphic and a little gross so check triggers if you feel necessary.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with an ARC.

Found family among the cat out of society. I want prepared for a book set in the 1970s to be tagged historical Fiction!

I love Grady Hendrix's books, so naturally, I was really excited to get my hands on an advance copy of this one. I love how he infuses humor and horror while also saying something important about society. While I've loved every book of his that I have read thus far, I think that this is hands down my favorite.

Set in the summer of 1970 at the Wellwood Home in St. Augustine, Florida, the novel follows fifteen-year-old Fern - a young girl who wound up pregnant and completely devastated when the boy she loved broke ties with her the moment he found out he was about to be a dad. Completely humiliated by their Jezebel of a daughter, Fern's parents send her to Florida to stay in a home with other sinful girls as soon as she begins to show. The home offers a place for young women to live and work away from the public eye and then give up their babies for adoption before returning back home as if nothing ever happened.

Despite the strict rules (never share your real name or info about the baby daddy and always listen to the doctor) imposed by the adults at the home, Fern makes a few friends and one day meets a friendly, though mysterious librarian who introduces her to the world of witchcraft through an occult book. When a morning sickness spell actually works, Fern and her new friends realize they have a newfound power that might help them gain the upper hand over the adults who dictate their every move. As they navigate this newfound magic, they discover that said magic comes with a price, and they must be willing to pay it no matter the cost.

One thing that I loved about this book was the way Hendrix expertly weaved together themes of female empowerment, sisterhood, and the resilience of women - topics that are always important, but even more so in today's times. While the book is set in the 1970s, so many of its themes are still relevant today. The novel is especially powerful after all that has happened in the last few years as far as the stripping away of women's rights and the continued pursuit to take away the rights of anyone who isn't straight, white, and male. We really are going backward.

Hendrix frequently writes from the perspective of females, but this book felt different - the voice felt authentically female simply because of the way the rage plays out. As the coven grapples with moral dilemmas, strict rules, and increasing pressure to conform, lines are crossed, and the line between what is truly right and wrong becomes hazy.

All the characters are vividly drawn, and I loved each of them - even the ones I loved to hate. The writing, as expected, is top-notch. The sense of place pours off the page. I felt the sweltering heat and humidity of the Florida summer. I heard every sound, felt every touch, and smelled every smell. The pacing - while a bit slow in the beginning - really takes off about a third of the way through, and by that point, I couldn't stop reading.

As I mentioned earlier, I think this is now my new favorite novel by Hendrix. This is a powerful and immersive read that had me riveted. It's a story of female resilience, empowerment, and friendship, all told with an urgency that will resonate with readers who are worried about what the future holds regarding autonomy over one's body and personal choices. Read it, and then find you a coven to help take down the patriarchy.