I don’t think Hendrix books are for me. I’ve read one other one of his books and I didn’t love it, and This one was so exception . I was bored to tears. It was too slow for me that unfortunately I DHF around the 40% mark.

This is one of Grady Hendrix’s best books so far. With lovable characters and a compelling plot, this book was hard to put down. At no point was I sure how the book would end and it had me guessing until the last page. Fern and her friends will stick in my mind for a while.

This book brought all the emotions - anger, surprise, heartbreak, it's all there. Loved the librarian as the bad guy, but she's not the only bad guy and not even the Big Bad of the story. The last chapter was just perfect because I definitely would have wanted a "where are they now" follow up.

This might be my favorite Grady Hendrix yet. I'm always amazed at how well this man can write women, especially teenage girls. Fern was a great main character, with an excellent supporting cast. The first part of the book was so mild in terms of horror/gore, that I forgot what author I was reading and was pleasantly surprised when he took it up several notches towards the end.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Witchcraft for Wayward Girls” is yet another thrilling and captivating read from Grady Hendrix. From the very first page, Hendrix weaves an atmospheric and gripping tale that blends supernatural elements with real-world emotional depth. The characters are flawed, fascinating, and incredibly human, making their journey through the eerie and unsettling plot all the more compelling.

Hendrix has an incredible knack for bringing horror to life, not just in the form of jump scares but through the slow build-up of tension and a growing sense of dread. The story explores the nature of friendship, trauma, and revenge, all while keeping you on the edge of your seat with its dark,

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I have been an avid reader of Grady Hendrix's books since the beginning, but i must say, this one left me disappointed. i was so excited when i got approved for this ARC, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, but this fell flat. knowing what Grady Hendrix is capable of writing, the ability to instill fear and excitement at the same time, i was hoping for that. That's not what we got. For me, this book struggled from the beginning. I felt no connection to the protagonist, she was unlikable, as all the characters were. the "witchcraft" was sparse and didn't really add much of anything to the story.

i'll be anxiously awaiting his next book, as this one will get filed away and forgotten about very quickly.

The controlling home for girls feels like something we could see today. Fern is given a form of freedom with the occult book, but this power does not come free. This creepy historical fiction will stick with readers with its feminist story.

I'm not sure what to think of Witchcraft for Wayward Girl by Grady Hendrix. Fern and the other teenage girls who are at Wellwood House (a home for young unwed mothers) in 1970 certainly find themselves in a horrific situation but I wouldn't describe this book as horror. To me, it read more as women's fiction but with a lack of empathy for the women depicted in the novel, especially the adults. Perhaps if I had read it as a thriller, I would have enjoyed it more.

Thanks to the Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an eARC; all opinions are my own.

I’m slowly making my way through Grady’s books but was so excited to read this for spooky season! He adds a quirkiness to his books that I love!

This was my first Grady Hendrix book and I will now be reading his entire backlist 👏 I genuinely could not put this book down and that’s rare for me these days. I was immediately drawn in by the writing and the plot and that feeling held strong until the very end. I loved the sisterhood aspect of this book, it really made the hard parts lighter for me. There are some incredibly heavy themes and I’d recommend checking trigger warnings.

This was also technically my first book in the “horror” genre because I’m a big ol scaredy wimp. But honestly, it wasn’t that bad. I’d say the thing that makes this horror is that there are some graphic and gory labor scenes. So if you’re in it for a good scare, you may be disappointed.

My one qualm with this book is that I WISH we had a couple chapters from Holly’s point of view sprinkled throughout. I felt she was actually the main character and I just wanted to know what she was thinking and feeling.

Regardless, this was a fantastic read and perfect for fall!! Def recommend

I was expecting something completely different from this book, this read more women’s fiction then horror. If someone is looking for a good Halloween read or something similar to grady’s bookclub or final girl this is not it. This felt more personal and politically driven. Not bad just not what was expected.

In 1970 Neva, a fifteen year old girl finds herself pregnant. In order to save her dignity her parents sends her to a home for wayward girls. Neva now known as “Fern” to the other girls must finish the last three remaining months at the Wellwood house in St. Augustine, Florida. Fern is sharing a room with Rose and Holly for a bit before Zinnia joins the group. With nothing to do time slowly passed until the arrival of the book mobile. Fern is given a special book by the librarian and soon they realize that the book contains charms. The one that they tried to transfer Zinnia’s morning sickness to the doctor worked. Now the librarian wants more from them. All four join the coven and try to find a to help Holly out of her dreadful situation. Will they be able to leave everything behind after they have their babies? Or will the coven get what they want in the end. Just like with Grady Hendrix books Witchcraft for Wayward Girls will not disappoint the reader. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for letting me read an advanced copy of this book.

Wow, such a wild! I absolutely loved the girls. Rose truly has my heart with her uprise and overthrow the system hippie mentality. Fern/Neva was a beautiful soul. The twists made me the gasp. The ending made me happy and a little teary-eyed. Overall, this was a wonderful read. I know it says it's almost 500 pages, but I flew through them, determined to see how everything turned out and the witches. Such a page turner, I was fully invested!

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

Had an amazing time reading this. I really liked the characters and the way the story was told. Definitely have to check out Hendrix's other works after this one.

Wayward Girls was my second Grady Hendrix read (first was Southern Book Club…) and boy, did I fly through this! The book takes place in 1970 and follows fifteen-year-old Neva, who is unwillingly placed in a home for unwed mothers. Her name is taken away, she’s told what she can and can’t eat, and she is forced to undress and be touched by a hateful male doctor. During this time she and her newfound friends discover the world of witchcraft- a tool that they want to use to change their circumstances.

Something about his writing style just sucked me in immediately. I agree with other reviewers saying that the beginning is slow, but I didn’t mind that. The account about what it was like to be a teen mom in the 70’s was very interesting to me. Then when we get into the witchy stuff, it all felt true to how teen girls would react. The librarian being a witch and giving Fern a witchcraft book was hilariously on point- and I say that as a librarian whose profession receives similar accusations.

What readers should know going in- There are some extremely graphic scenes of birth, and throughout the book there are mentions of child rape. The setting of the book is based in misogyny and racism.

What I loved in this book was how it wasn’t really a book about witchcraft, but about teen girls who must grow up too quickly in a time of sexism. They’re discovering their own ability to be independent and take action against the misogynistic system they’ve experienced. The hopelessness these girls feel is its own horror in Wayward Girls.

This book was slow and I didn't find that I cared much about any of the characters. There wasn't much witchcraft. It got a little better towards the end, but there were a lot of questionable tropes used. It felt very men writing women. Not for me.

They called us fast girls, loose girls, wayward girls. In the summer of 1970, Fern arrives at the Wellwood house, fifteen, seven months pregnant, and alone. Abandoned by her family, Fern sets out to have this baby and go back to her normal life. All of that changes when the traveling librarian recommends a book, a book about witch craft. What follows is a tale of taking power back, finding yourself, and found family throughout the toughest of times.

Pros: Rose, Zinnia, Holly, Hagar and Miriam and the majority of the girls at Wellwood house. I found each of them fascinating and absolutely resolute in themselves. This was a stunning foil to Fern who was inconsistent in her hopes and dreams as she developed. I loved that the ehad witch was the librarian. I found that the fight towards the end being between the lesser of two evils (the system or the witches) was really dynamic but also, really hard to read. To be stuck between a rock and a hard place (magic aside) is not fun. The descriptions of pregnancy felt spot on.

Cons: I hated Fern. Not through the entire book but there was so much of it where I wanted to yell at her. Hendrix writes this poor fifteen year old girl so well and it kills me that so much of the book is spent on her being wishy washy. That being said, I liked disliking her. It worked for me and it kept me reading to see if she would learn or just stay the same.

Overall, a solid Hendrix book full of magic, mayhem, the harsh reality of horror we face every day, and women being controlled by the system and how to break out.

I cannot thank NetGalley enough for approving this ARC. I’m a massive fan of Grady Hendrix and have read all his published works. The first 50% of this book took me a while to get into admittedly, but it brings you in so close to these girls. A home of “wayward” unwed soon-to-be mothers. Along with recent trends in horror related media, Hendrix hits the nail directly on the head with such a strong and steady hand. The last half of this book had me in its grips. How much I came to care about this characters crept up on me so fast it felt like it happened in the background without me knowing. I wouldn’t rank this high on a “Scary Grady Hendrix” scale, but thats not what draws me into his books in the first place. This was such a delightful read but does get heavy at times. I look forward to owning this physically next January!

Thank you Berkeley Publishing group and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls focuses on a group of girls sent to a home unwed pregnant teens set in the 70’s. It explored all the heavy themes that woman faced then, and still do to this day depending on their location. It showcases how women are just regarded as vessels for men, like they are supposed to sit around waiting for a man to dictate their lives. Grady Hendrix is a master at painting a picture and I could vividly picture the girls and the setting, feel their emotions alongside them. If you have read any of Grady Hendrix’s other works I would 10/10 recommend picking this one up as well.

True rating: 3.5

My feelings on this book are a bit mixed. Hendrix is one of my favorite current authors, and I’m always excited to see a new release from him. This book particularly piqued my interest due to the cover and title. And it certainly kept me interested - there’s a lot of Grady goodness in here. However, from beginning to end there were many things that just didn’t sit well with me, and ultimately I walked away a bit unsatisfied. Here are a few of the things that bumped me the most:

-Fern is a baffling and somewhat frustrating character. She seems to make the worst decision at every turn, and her motivations are inconsistent in a way that reads more as plot convenience than complexity of character.
-Miss Parcae is possibly the best character in the book, so it was very difficult to root against her, especially when Fern was being annoying.
-Although it’s clear he tried to give them some fullness of character, Hagar and Miriam were still a pretty blatant example of the Magical Negro trope, which is disappointing.
-For a book that seems to be in some ways a reaction to our current political climate and the struggle for reproductive rights for women, it seems to come down firmly in the “womanhood = motherhood” camp.
-There seemed to be a lot of padding which did drag the book down at points. Also, it wasn’t very scary.

All in all, for a male author who is usually very good at writing female protagonists, this came across as a book about being a woman written by a man. Hoping his next book is a return to form!