Witchcraft for Wayward Girls was not my favorite Grady Hendrix book, but I do think fans of his previous work will still quite enjoy it.

The book does a great job exploring the social dynamics of unwed mothers before Roe v Wade, which feels especially topical give. Recent Supreme Court decisions. Where it fell a little flat for me was with the witchcraft stuff. It takes a while to actually get there and then it mostly feels inconsequential to the overall plot.

My main criticism, though, is with the climax. There are sort of two climaxes between Fern and Holly having their babies and the conclusion of the plot with the witches. The childbirth portion was quite dramatic and intense but the conclusion to the witch subplot felt underwhelming.

This one is something of a departure for Hendrix. There are still supernatural, traditional "horror" elements with the introduction of a coven of witches, but they are not in the foreground of the story. The heart of the book is the story of a house full of pregnant teenage girls in the early 1970s and the all-too human horrors that they have to endure in a society that looks at them as fallen and treats them as shameful and to be hidden away. Grady has always excelled at mixing sincere emotion into his novels, and he does so to an even higher degree here. The story of Neva/Fern and the friends she makes and the decisions she is pushed into is incredibly powerful. Another outstanding book in a really special bibliography.

Review of Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

Grady Hendrix does it again. He delivers a story that both entertains and makes you slightly uncomfortable, blending horror and social commentary in his signature style. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls isn’t the typical witchcraft tale I expected, but it’s intense, gripping, and kept me hooked from start to finish.

Set in the 1970s at a home for unwed mothers in Florida, the novel follows Neva, a pregnant teen sent to live among other young women in similar circumstances. Each girl is given a fictitious name upon arrival, erasing their former lives to protect their future. Neva, now known as Flora, quickly befriends a group of girls, including one who harbors a disturbing secret. When Flora and her friends seek help from a local librarian aboard the bookmobile, they unwittingly stumble into a dark world of witchcraft. The librarian is no ordinary woman—she’s the leader of a local coven, searching for her replacement.

As the girls pledge their loyalty to the witch, the tension escalates. The looming presence of their pregnancies creates an unsettling backdrop, amplifying the dread with every passing day. Hendrix masterfully builds suspense, and I’ve never felt more on edge about a simple knock on the door!

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is the perfect read to get you in the mood for spooky season. It’s eerie, thought-provoking, and filled with the kind of slow-burn horror that Hendrix excels at. Highly recommend for fans of atmospheric horror with a dark, emotional core.

The Wellwood Home in Florida is full of girls — all deemed wayward and loose during the 1960s — and all knocked up. The home is a place for unwed mothers to go through pregnancy in secret and return to their lives as normal, many forced by their parents to come. But with horrible sickness and conditions, Fern and her friends just want some relief and a better future. When a chance encounter with an elderly librarian’s bookmobile leads them to a book of witchcraft, it seems like nonsense until their spells start making things happen. But the real danger lurks close by. In the woods behind the home and the deeper they get into the book, the more danger they’re in.
While a long read, I loved this take on a very real time that impacted so many women who felt powerless before Roe v Wade, with a fictional twist brought in to put the power back in their hands. While I didn’t quite find the horror like I have with past Hendrix books like How to Sell a Haunted House, this was a great novel sure to be devoured.
Thank you to Berkley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

One of the things I enjoyed about reading “Witchcraft for Wayward Girls” was that it had more of a campy, fun energy similar to the remake of “Dark Shadows” that starred Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins. It felt more interesting to have a fun read mixed in with the thrills. There are parts of it that are like “Carrie” but with a ton more attitude. The book also captured the fun energy of the Netflix remake of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, so if you liked that vibe, and look for that as a reader, you’ll like this new book from Grady Hendrix.

Loved this! Such a controversial synopsis but this book was amazing! Love all the covers for thsi series

Horror is not a popular genre at the Library but Grady Hendrix is a good introduction to those patrons willing to try it!

A group of girls sent away for getting pregnant in the 70s find the only way they can to survive the place - witchcraft.

Starting a Grady Hendrix title is always bittersweet. I almost don’t want to start because I know I’ll be sad when it ends. The same was true for this one. It’s eye opening to see how girls were treated for getting pregnant outside of marriage. Even at the home they were sent to, they were left in the dark about what was happening to their young bodies and then sent home afterwards to pretend it never happened. We love seeing some strong girls find a way to get revenge.

I received an ARC from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Grady Hendrix is a must red for me. He creates vivid characters in fascinating scenarios. It is 1970 and Neva is 15 and pregnant. Her parents send her to a home for wayward girls in Florida, so she can have her baby, give it up and come home and be normal. It’s all a dirty little secret. She meets a group of girls also in challenging situations. When the librarian in the bookmobile gives her a book on witchcraft, their lives are forever changed.

The book cover is stunning, there are some disturbing scenes and Hendrix knows how to create quite an atmosphere inside and outside the walls of this wayward home. Memorable.

The catalog record for this book has horror as a genre category, but I don't think that's correct. Thriller maybe, and paranormal for sure but I wasn't getting horror vibes-- similar to The Final Girl Support Group in that way.

I usually don't read historical fiction from this period, so I don't have much to compare it to. The time setting was pretty vague, as the girls in the facility are intentionally cut off from media; references to social events are pretty limited music and the Vietnam War.

Although all the primary characters are teens-- some as young as 14-- this isn't a YA novel. Teens who find the situations relevant will certainly be able to access and understand the story, but I wouldn't recommend it indiscriminately to high-schoolers.

Magic as a method or analogy for agency, bodily autonomy, and social prejudices give this book plenty of topics for potential conversation-- an unconventional but promising book group selection.

eARC from NetGalley.

Fantastic read! Grady Hendrix’s narrative follows a group of young women residing in a home for unwed pregnant girls during the 1970s. The protagonist, Neva (renamed Fern to keep her anonymity in the home), encounters a mysterious librarian at a visiting bookmobile, and Fern is introduced to a book on witchcraft. Fern, along with the other expectant girls, begins to explore the implications of this discovery and whether they can harness the occult to navigate the challenges leading up to the birth of their babies.

This book masterfully weaves together some of the classic elements of horror, such as the secluded setting, the old house that is almost a character in itself, and the overall sense of discomfort and foreboding. The narrative also heavily focuses on these girls as they grapple with the complexities of their circumstances and the unfairness of their treatment. The story strikes a perfect balance between the eerie allure of witchcraft and the heavy themes of teen pregnancy, forced adoption, sexual assault, and childbirth. A must-read for Grady Hendrix fans, and horror fans in general!

Grady Hendrix is one author whose description of female characters isn't annoying or inaccurate. The way this book weaved the stories of four young women (kids, really) who were left at a home for Wayward girls until they could deliver their babies was impressive. This slow burn is thought-provoking on how women in the 1970's suffered with the boundaries set upon them at that time. This book is not like Grady's others, in that it is spooky, but not the horror or gruesomeness you get used to. Instead, it discusses the trauma unwed and pregnant teen girls go though, and how women didn't have freedom or anyone looking out for them.

I am giving this book 4 stars, even though it isn't as good as the other books by this author, but the writing was beautiful, thought provoking and a sign of the times. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this highly anticipated ARC.

This is my first time reading this author and is not my usual storyline but decided to give it a try. This follows unwed pregnant teen girls at Wellwood home in Florida. Add some supernatural with witchcraft to this as well as some horror and you get Witchcraft for Wayward Girls.

Book was a bit slow to start - giving it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Neva didn’t plan on spending the summer before her senior year of high school in Florida. In a home for unwed mothers, no less. But here she is. She thought Guy truly loved her, that he would support her and they would be a family. But when their parents find out, Neva is sent away. When she gets to Wellwood Home for Unwed Mothers, things are… off. They can’t use their real names, they are always on restriction and there are far too many pictures of the former Dr. Wellwood watching them move through the house. Fern (as Neva is renamed) meets the local bookmobile librarian Mrs. Parcae, who gives her a peculiar book. Not just any book, this book of witchcraft is meant to help Fern and her friends get back at those who hurt them, help them change their path and most importantly, keep Holly safe. But what happens as a result of promising their soul to the Coven causes more harm than good.

This book was so different than Hendrix’ typical paranormal thriller. It was a bit heavy at times with the medical terminology. There were so many characters with similar names I definitely got them mixed up at times. And the ending, while unexpected, fell flat compared to his other books. I still feel like there is more to the story. I enjoyed seeing a young girls point of view in a home for unwed mothers set in the 1970s as I’ve heard about. I also really enjoyed the idea of using magic and witchcraft to change their circumstances; I mean who wouldn’t want to transfer their morning sickness to a jerk doctor who has it coming?? There were hilarious and shocking moments throughout the story, but as a whole it felt like the ending wasn’t thought out.

Wowowow. This book is phenomenal and right on time for our current political climate. The story takes place in the Baby Scoop Era. If you’re unfamiliar with that era, I recommend reading the Wikipedia Article about it. This context will make the story richer and more emotional. I’m usually not a fan of historical fiction, but Hendrix develops a strong sense of place with the Wellwood House. All of the characters feel alive. There’s so many different types of horror on display in this book and I cried TWICE. A glimpse into life pre Roe in this present moment when we’re post Roe. Black southern characters who don’t feel like accessories to the story with natural authentic dialogue? I’m sad that this is an advanced copy only because I don’t have the afterword and acknowledgments pages. I can’t say enough good things about this book.

Outlier alert! I am a huge Grady Hendrix fan and usually love his books. I did enjoy this one, but it was not my favorite. The real horror of the story was the girls and how they were treated by their caretakers, family and society as a whole. I didn’t feel much tension building with the story and struggled to get through it. Since I have to rate it, I will give it a neutral three stars. Not bad by any means, but not my favorite.

Absolutely amazing! Coming of age story about girls who a forced to make huge disicions sometimes against their will. When help miraculously comes in the form of witchcraft it seems their prayers will be answered. Unfortunately, their is always a price to pay and it may not be one you will want to agree too.

Grady Hendrix is amazing and I love every book he has written, but this may be my favorite!

Thank you @NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for the Advanced Readers Copy of The Witchcraft Wayward Girls.

This is my first read by @grady Hendrix and it was a perfect introduction to spooky season.

“They were girls—bad girls, neurotic girls, needy girls, wayward girls… girls looking for attention, girls who couldn’t say no.” —G. Hendrix.

Set in the 1970s at the Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers were taken in secret by their families in their last trimester of their pregnancy until they agree to adoption for their child and return home as if nothing happened.

Fern, a 15 year-old girl who is dropped off at the Wellwood House without so much as a good bye from her father, scared and alone, meets a group of other girls in a similar situation.

The girls face strict restrictions and their every move controlled during their stay. All time spent in the house from food, conversations, appointments, and classes etc. are controlled by Mrs. Wellwood and the staff of the Wellwood house. Until Fern meets a Librarian who gives her a book about witchcraft. Powers begin to shift, tables begin to turn. And just when you think you have it all figured out, the unthinkable happens.

What I liked: As a Shriner alumni, I appreciated the Shriners mention. Years ago that was a long kept secret helping children with disabilities and burns.
I am a sucker for teen pregnancy and witchy vibes. The story is an easy, quick page turner.

What could have been improved: The book read similar to a YA.

If you’re trapped by your circumstances, unable to decide anything for yourself, what lengths would you go to to be free?

The girls in Grady Hendrix’s Witchcraft for Wayward Girls grapple with this question, ultimately becoming witches to regain their agency.
Wellwood House, located in rural Florida, houses pregnant, unwed teens, hiding them away from polite society for the duration of their pregnancies. Girls dropped off at Wellwood House are carefully monitored, everything about their lives regulated from the moment they arrive until their baby is delivered. Once their sin has been expelled from their body, the baby is put up for adoption, and the girl can finally go home, like nothing ever happened.

Our narrator, Neva, renamed Fern, finds herself pregnant at fifteen. Her adults in her family can barely stand the sight of her and ship her off to Wellwood House to finish the duration of her pregnancy, unseen. That is, until the friendly neighborhood bookmobile stops by, and the librarian gifts Fern with a very special book. Suddenly, the girls of Wellwood House have a way to make themselves be seen, be taken seriously, and give back the pain and suffering they’ve endured to the adults that made them endure it to begin with.

One thing I always love about a Grady Hendrix book is its ability to ignite my passion and righteous fury for the women in the novel. I cried with Fern when her boyfriend told her their pregnancy would ruin his life, when her father abandoned her at the Home, when she felt powerless, less than, never good enough. The young women in the novel are constantly abandoned or disappointed by the adults in their lives; they’re taught time and time again that everyone lies and to have anything they want, they must take it for themselves.

As far as horror goes, I found Witchcraft for Wayward Girls to be rather tame. It didn’t pack in the ick-factor that I’ve come to expect from a Hendrix book. As someone who’s not particularly into the gore and gross, that definitely didn’t detract from the book for me. I appreciated the horror coming from Wellwood House itself, the isolation, the feeling of being trapped that permeated from every page. Each of the characters are trapped quite literally, unable to go home, but also trapped by their pasts, by expectations, by pacts they’ve made with witches in the woods. None of this is to say that there isn’t blood and gore and this one, there’s plenty of that too, but it felt more natural, organic, not quite as shocking as say, My Best Friend’s Exorcism or Horrorstor.

And honestly, the real horror is that so much of Witchcraft for Wayward Girls could be someone’s real story. I can see Wellwood House posted up in the woods, parents dropping of their girls like they’re just sending them to summer camp, a therapist coercing young mothers to put their babies up for adoption. The real horror is in the truth imbedded into the novel.

A fantastical ride, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is one of Hendrix’s best. I enjoyed every moment of my time with all of the girls in Wellwood House. These characters felt real, relatable. I celebrated with them when they cast their first successful spell and despaired each time a plan to save Holly fell apart. The characters felt like young girls just trying to navigate life and motherhood and making all the appropriate mistakes along the way.

I’d also like my own little storm in a bottle, please and thank you.

Grady Hendrix is without question one of my favorite writers. I could not wait to read this, and I'm beyond grateful to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy.

But... Oh. My. Freaking. God.
I barely made it through this one. It's bad enough that women are under attack in the media every day these days. And I know it was much worse back in the 70's. But this book was almost too much for me. Like, right at the threshold of "too much." I barely made it through the last 15% of the story. I felt so defeated and angry. One of Grady's greatest strengths as a writer is that he uses fictional monsters to point out the human monsters in our society. But as an ex-religious, pro-choice, child-free-by-choice woman myself, I was so drained by this one. I was mad at everything: society, authority, religion, parents.

I'll always love Mr. Hendrix, but I can't bring myself to give it the full five stars I was hoping for. Definitely worth the read, but darlings... brace yourselves.