While scary stories aren't normally my jam, I've read Hendrix before and enjoyed it, so I gave Witchcraft for Wayward Girls a go. I'm glad I didn't let the potential for scary stuff keep me away. This book didn't hold a ton of suspense for me and the creep factor was fairly low. I definitely became invested in the girl's story and felt mildly irritated that the book took it's sweet time rolling out the details.
I'm glad I read this book, but my most lingering take away was just that everyone was so hot and sweaty through out this entire book!

This book was just ok for me. I found it very slow at times, and had to force myself to pick it back up when I would put it down. I do believe the topics discussed in this book are very important to shed light upon.

The book follows “Fern” who finds herself pregnant at 15 in 1970. This is very unacceptable in society’s standards at this time, so she is sent to the Wellwood House by her parents during her pregnancy to keep it hidden from everyone. These girls are treated horribly there and have no control over their bodies or lives while at the home.

So when the traveling book bus comes, and the librarian gives Fern a book about witchcraft, her and a few of the other girls are intrigued and willing to do whatever it takes to gain control back over their lives.

I do recommend this book, but don’t be expecting something action packed that will keep you on the edge of your seat. There are great moments and a few not so great.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an advance copy of this book for my review.

Thanks Berkley and Netgalley for access to this ARC. Wow...This book is not perfect by any means, hence a 4 star rating, but it IS a story that has happened over and over, to thousands and thousands of women, and as a woman in my 30s the fear, isolation, and bitterness was...relatable. Sometimes real life is more horrifying than anything that can be conjured up by an author. Now, Hendrix has a readable and lighthearted approach to storytelling, which belies the uncomfortable scenarios you will find at Miss Wellwood's house. There were times where I felt compelled to keep reading even though I wasn't necessarily enjoying what was on the page; that's not Grady Hendrix's doing, it's my own deep-seated sense of sisterhood making the horror of what is happening to these girls feel way too real. It has a slower start, introducing the household of characters, but the back half of the book picks up significantly. There are some sections that I felt...unserious about reading, which is why I docked a star for my own experience, but this book does a whole lot right.

4.5⭐️ rounded, i thoroughly enjoyed this book! I’ve only read one other GH book, but I can firmly say that he pulls you into this story so quickly that it was hard to put my kindle down. Such well written scenes, and the horror aspect was MOSTLY from childbirth (iykyk) and some paranormal-ish happenings.

check TW and take care of yourself when reading

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix was an enjoyable surprise. It wasn’t what I expected at all, but in the best way possible. The story blends humor, supernatural elements, and a deep exploration of friendship, with an unexpected twist that kept me hooked. Hendrix’s unique voice and clever writing make this book a fun, thought-provoking read that stands out from typical witchcraft stories. Definitely worth picking up if you're looking for something different and engaging.

Grady Hendrix's books always have a way of taking your expected horror story trope and twisting it into something new. I admire how he can inject some laughter into the gross out, and his female characters are never ordinary.

Very slow to start, but I understand this was for character development. Once the witchy element is brought in, the story really picked up. There were a lot of stories to follow, but it was interesting. The epilogue broke my heart.

Another great addition to Grady Hendrix's corpus of work, adding witches to the elements of horror that Hendrix has tackled. The body horror of being a fifteen year old girl punished for the exploration of her body and the repercussions she alone faces when pregnancy and adoption are her only way out is deeply disturbing but rings true in a society that still demonizes women's choices and idolizes unattainable purity.

"You can't beg the world to do what you want. You can't ask it nicely. You must bend it to your will."

The way I inhaled this book. I feel like only a reader can know when I say I felt immense amount of anger, frustration, sadness, and rage but turn around and say well that was book was freaking fantastic. The way that Grady Hendrix was able to bring us back to a different time where women were shamed and ridiculed for not doing things the "right way" make you feel a huge amount of gratitude for where we are now. Though this didn't feel like a typical horror novel that we come to. know from Grady, the things that these young girls were going through were horrific enough.

"A witch follows no rules and does nothing that does not please her. A witch is guided by her will alone, and if a law does not serve her desires she will ignore it."

I love a book that is full of feminine rage, especially from a younger generation of people that keep getting pushed aside like they don't matter. I loved every single one of these girls and felt a connection to each and every one of them. I loved seeing their journey and how they overcame the struggles. I can honestly say that I did not expect to by crying in a Grady Hendrix novel, but I guess there is a first for everything. I loved this book so much and think it is 100% worth the read.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix is another INCREDIBLE novel by him. Hendrix has easily become my favorite author and his books are amazing. EASY FIVE STARS.

I know that there are many issues when it comes to men writing female characters. Especially, when a novel's narrator is a woman. And despite that, I still happen to find Grady Hendrix's work enjoyable. Which feels like a strange way to describe the experience of reading a horror story.
Following the story of Neva/Fern and the summer she spends pregnant and sequestered in Florida at the Wellwood Home until the birth of her baby is interesting to read as the country to continues to slide backward in time (towards the end of the book the mention Roe V. Wade and the impact it had on the country's women feels like a swift kick to the gut) is an interesting one. As the four central characters (Fern, Rose, Holly, and Zinnia) struggle with the lack of power and control they have in their lives, they reach out to witchcraft through a book given to Fern by the librarian Miss. Parcae in the bus library that visits the girls at the Wellwood Home. As fourteen year old Holly finally opens about her past and the identity of her child's father, a split in the group starts as Zinnia decides that the magic they've been doing is wrong and that they need a more practical way to help Holly. However, when Miss. Parcae makes an offer to Fern, she once again is reminded that in this world she has no power or control over her life.

Grady Hendrix is always so hit or miss with me. I loved The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, but everything else seemed a bit mid for me otherwise, and I hated How to Sell a Haunted House. I was apprehensive but optimistic with his 2025 release, WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS, because it seemed heavier than his other books and because I love anything witchcraft. I am so glad I decided to prioritize this book because it’s my favorite one since Vampires!

Taking place in the 1970s, women who end up getting pregnant are publicly shamed, so if their parents have money, they’re sent to homes hide away and give birth and put their child up for adoption in secret. When 15 year old Fern arrives to one of these homes in Florida, she comes to terms with how society treats pregnant unwed mothers. Fern meets Zinnia, Hope, and Rose, and the four of them meet a librarian who introduces them to the occult with a book of spells. Is this book even anything real? Will these young women try to set things right with their predicaments or will they just make their journeys even harder?

This book is very much a slow burn character-driven horror/suspense. I found the research done for this world of unwed mothers fascinating and also very depressing as this is something that women still to this day are judged upon. The story is dark and unrelenting at times with how the girls are treated, but I grew to be fully invested in each of their journeys. As mentioned prior, the build up is slow, but the payoff is excellent. I enjoyed every moment of this book!

really enjoyed Grady’s last novel, especially since I hate puppets, it was a wild ride and when I read this one was about witchcraft I thought, sign me up. Unfortunately I will admit to struggling with this one a bit. It was overall too slow going and it really felt like not much was happening within the story. With that being said, I still feel a lot of other people will really like it and I look forward to his next book after this one.

It's the 1970's, a time where family appearances are everything. So much so, that families will send their young and unmarried daughters away to hide their pregnancy. Hidden away at the Wellwood House, in Florida these girls are describe with every word under the umbrella of wayward. They are to: act proper, never talk about their home life, pray, eat only what is in front of them, and become totally invisible in their corner of Florida during their pregnancy. Only when their baby is born and adopted are they able to return home.

However, not all the girls in Wellwood House like this arrangement... and a secret covent is created with the help of the mysterious librarian, who brings books to the girls every two weeks. "Witchcraft for Wayward Girls" is the abrupt story of childhood to adult hood, from childhood to motherhood, from teenager to witch.

________________________________

I so wanted to fall in love with this book! It had all the witchy things going but the story was slowly paced and I lost interest 60% in. It is witchy and supernatural and fun but I'm torn on the idea of Grady writing on childhood pregnancy. I think fans of Hendrix will devour this new novel but I wouldn't recommend it for a Hendrix first-timer. By the time I got to the real witchy part of the book I had already made up my mind of how I felt about the book, I wish it had paced faster to have the witchcraft scenes start earlier because that's what pulled me in to read this title.


Thank you author Grady Hendrix for writing this book. Thank you to Netgalley for providing this excellent platform and thank you Berkley Publishing Group (PRH) for bringing this title to us.

This book evoked every ounce of feminine rage I didn’t know I had. I felt trapped, controlled, deceived, scared, hopeful, and crushed. The thought of being pregnant, underage, and unwed during a time when society was less forgiving is terrifying. I have never been more grateful to be alive today, and I’m relieved that my childbearing days are behind me. Even as someone familiar with the experience, the depiction of childbirth in this book was shocking and disturbing—every single detail. 🫣 Keep this in mind before reading, especially if this topic is sensitive or potentially upsetting for you. As always, excellent writing by Hendrix. Solid five stars.

👶 Favorite Quotes 👶

“Bring everyone! Bring Hell! You think I’m scared? I’m scared of NOTHING!”

“I try to keep them from being forced to make decisions they don’t want to make. I am the woman who says No.”

“Reading the wrong book is almost worse than reading no book at all”

“They hate us enough. Don’t let them make you hate yourselves, too. “

“I wish there was a better way, Fern, with everything in my heart, but this is the world we live in.”

“She realized that, like Miss Wellwood, he wasn’t evil. He wasn’t cruel. He was just frightened. He was frightened of what she could do.”

Grady Hendrix’s Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a delightful, quirky romp that combines horror, humor, and nostalgia in a way that only Hendrix can pull off. Set in the 1980s, the story follows a group of outcast girls who come together to form a witchcraft coven, hoping to find a sense of power and belonging in a world that has always overlooked them. As they navigate the ups and downs of adolescence, they inadvertently summon real magic—and the consequences of their spells soon spiral out of control.

What I loved most about this book is Hendrix’s unique ability to blend humor and horror. The witchcraft and supernatural elements are creepy and unpredictable, but there’s also a sharp wit that runs through the narrative, making the darker moments easier to stomach. The characters are equally compelling: they’re flawed, relatable, and each girl’s backstory is rich with detail. Their bond as a coven, as well as their individual struggles, feel real and heartfelt.

While the plot is fun and engaging, there were moments where the pacing felt uneven, especially in the latter half of the book. Some plot points seemed to meander a bit, and certain twists felt a little predictable. That said, the overall ride was enjoyable, and the book definitely picks up steam toward the end with a satisfying conclusion.

This one took me so long to finish... Frankly, I was going to DNF but then this ended up becoming the thing I read a few chapters of before bed. It’s not that I hated it or anything but it just wasn’t really working for me. Grady Hendrix and I are a bit hit or miss. This was so slow and not as witchy as I wanted. But I did come to care about the characters eventually and enjoyed the classic Hendrix camp mixed with some sharp social commentary.

An atmospheric and addictive read from master storyteller Grady Hendricks. Showcasing the often erased experiences of pregnant unwed mothers during a time when bigotry and condemnation was the established norm. This narrative weaves elements of the supernatural into a story that is ultimately about power. What's a teenager girl to do when life has left her powerless and a seemingly kind book mobile librarian gives her a book on witchcraft? The answer lies in this gripping portrayal of what happens to girls who must go way for the summer to "take care of a sick aunt."

Fern is 15 and pregnant in the 1970s. She is sent away to a house for unwed mothers where she will have her baby in secret and then go back to her life as if nothing had happened. Things are mostly going well when Fern and a few of her friends are gifted a book on witchcraft. They use the spell book to help with morning sickness and other minor inconveniences. But they discover bigger issues that they want to fix. And all things come with a cost. But are the girls willing to pay the cost? I enjoyed this book but it was harder to get into than some of Grady Hendrix's other books. I liked it more when I realized it took some themes from Rosemary's Baby.

Wow. This book is EMOTIONAL. Took my heart, crushed it, held it and spoke sweet to it, and then did that all over again. Let me tell you, this book is NOT for the faint of heart and NOT for the squeamish. These girls stories are probably so much more common than any of us want to believe of admit (minus the witchcraft, I hope), and Grady Hendrix did their stories SUCH justice. The ending made me sob like a BABY (no pun intended).

Plot: A pregnant, fifteen year old Neva (later called Fern in order to protect her identity in the home) is sent to Wellwood Home in order to have her baby in secret, getting to return back to her normal life after as if nothing happened. What follows is anything but normal and showcases the harrowing brutality that befell unwed mothers in the late 60s. Each girl in the home has her own story and revelations while in the house that shook me to my core. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE... throughout the struggles of these pregnant children in a deeply religious home is a witch lurking in the woods (and a bookmobile, of course) promising them safety and their worst nightmares at the same time.

I will be thinking about this book and holding it close to my chest for a long time. It is SO MUCH MORE than a horror book and is so important, especially at such a pivotal time in history. Thank you, Grady for bringing these stories to life.

AGAIN, if you are freaked out by gore or squeamish at all, this book is not for you. Pregnancy is HORRIFYING. Hendrix does not shy away from this.

Thanks:
Thank you to NetGalley, Grady Hendrix, and Berkeley publishing for this ARC.