Hendrix writes about a group of pregnant teens in a home for wayward girls. I’ll be honest, I could tell this was written from the male perspective, the emotional side of pregnancy wasn’t really explored until we were nearly at the end of the book but instead a focus on the physical changes to the body was emphasised throughout. The plot was steady and I enjoyed the development of the girls’ characters.

‘I did an evil thing to be put in here, and I’m going to have to do an evil thing to get out.’

1970, Fern 15 who is pregnant arrives at wellwood house with other girls who are in the same predicament. Fern soon meets a librarian who gives her a book about witchcraft. What could possibly go wrong with such power...
And it's usually paid in bl@@d.

This book was overall a good read. It's dark, atmospheric and immersive. The author captured the characters emotions so well and the characters were well developed.

The treatment of these girls was heartbreaking at times, and it has some graphic moments. The book did dip for me midway a little, but soon picked up again. The cover is eye capturing. The author does a good job at taking you back to the 1970s.

If you enjoy horror/occult I would recommend this book to others.
I want to thank #Netgalley and #panmacmillan for this advanced readers copy of #WitchcraftforWaywardGirls

I hadn't come across Grady Hendrix until I spotted a review for this novel. It piqued my interest and I was delighted to discover it on NetGalley. I'm even more delighted on finishing the novel as this was exceptionally well done, hooked me from beginning to end and mixed historical fiction with the supernatural very well indeed.

Set in the 1970's, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls takes us to a home for unwed mothers - teenagers having children of their own. It's a dark and depressing place, the girls treated as sinners and forced into handing their newborn babies off for adoption once born. Stripped of even their own name on entry, the girls have very little control and are powerless to fight back against the authority that has deemed them unworthy. Told what to eat, when to sleep, how to dress, they are powerless to fight back. Until the book library comes. When the librarian hands over a book about 'groovy witches' to Fern, the small group of girls find a way to wrestle back some semblance of control. Only they will quickly discover that perhaps they aren't the ones in control after all.

This is a book about the hopeless and powerless. It depicts conditions in one home for wayward girls, showing a systematic failure of the girls within its walls. Hendrix doesn't shy away from the darkness, not just in the treatment of the girls but also in the details of their pregnancies and childbirth. It's harrowing at points and you can't help but wince at some of the descriptions. But he captures the trauma, both physical and mental, of these young girls who had their bodily autonomy and then their children torn away from them.

All in all, this was an excellent historical fantasy which captures the plight these girls were put into. The supernatural elements that allow the girls to take back some level of control are well done. I devoured this from beginning to end and it won't be the last Hendrix book I read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. Thank you!
I was a little scared after his book last year (I really didn't like How to Sell a Haunted House...), but this was magical! He wrote very beautifully about the emotions of girls/women, despite being a man - now that I think about it, there was only one positive male character in it, in the epilogue :'D The story starts a bit slowly, but everything is necessary in its own way!
I wasn't really aware of the situation of single mothers in America in the 70s (this takes place before abortion laws), but it's horrible to think about what it must have been like... On the one hand, you don't get any information about what could happen to you if you give in to a boy, on the other hand, you are blamed for what happened, and in the end, without explanation or a kind word, you are thrown into a "home"...
The little coven of the girls (Fern, Rose, Holly and Zinnia) grow to my heart. The book gave me a lot to think about, and as a mother myself, I could see and feel their pain <3

Wellwood Home is a home for Wayward Girls - unwed mothers to have their babies and have them taken away as if none of it happened. In 1970, Fern arrives at the home scared and powerless among other girls in a similar situation. When a librarian sneaks her a book on the occult, she feels the power in her hands for the first time. However, there is always a price to be paid.

It is hard to believe this book is written by a man. Grady Hendrix take a bow!! It is quite different from what I've read by this author before. He has done a fantastic job of showcasing female characters, their bond and unique female experiences. He has touched on the trauma, injustice and rage of women throughout history. There is so much of the story that is still relevant and is still happening today. I was emotionally gutted by this book.

I found the book hard to read at times with the abuse and shame these young girls had to face and some of the scenes are extremely graphic and gory. It is a slow burn, more of a coming of age story of these girls and though there are elements of witchcraft and paranormal, they are not really scary or creepy but with a sense of foreboding, driving the plot forward. The ending was perfect, wrapping up in a way that felt real and touched my heart.

Immersive, enthralling and masterfully written. A powerful story that will stay with me for a while. Highly recommend!! Please do check trigger warnings though.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Well, this is not what I expected. I have only read "My Best Friend's Exorcism" by Grady Hendrix, but I have always known his work to be basically horror comedies, and this is not the case. At all. Still I have really enjoyed this despite I was not exactly in the mood for such a heavy and deeply emotional read, especially in times like ours. Overall, this was a excellent book, filled with interesting themes. It's impossible to not relate to what we hear in the news, while women and girls right are taken away right under our nose everywhere in the world.
Big kudos to Grady Hendrix because despite being a cis white man, he still managed to write a powerful feminist book.

Really enjoyed this. A very atmospheric, slow burn and while there are witches the ultimate horror is the patriarchy and the powerlessness of these young girls. Just an excellent story, I couldn't put it down.

This is so unlike any of Grady’s other books. Much less horror and less wacky. It was much more character driven which at first I found to be a bit of a slog but I got stuck in soon after! I really enjoyed the focus of the home for the girls. Such different characters all brought together which I loved. I did enjoy the witchcraft parts however it did fall a little flat for me. Probably because I was expecting a lot more horror as his usual books.

Grady Hendrix does it again. There’s a reason why he is my favourite author, and Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is just another perfect example.

Horror is a genre that is not afraid to tackle the darkest topics head on. Where other genres might otherwise gloss over a subject, or subtly hint at it, horror novels turn their flickering flashlights straight at it and illuminate all the twisted depravity. And it’s not just the paranormal forces or stomach-churning gore that provide the scares.

For me, the best (or worst) horror comes from the totally ‘normal’ human characters in these books. Reading what ordinary people will be willing to do to one another, and all the ways they can inflict pain and suffering on to those around them is the scariest thing of all. And that’s what Hendrix does so well. He creates characters who will make you so furious, you have to put the book down and walk away for a few minutes just to calm yourself. Characters who have you tugging at your hair in frustration when they make another stupid decision. Characters who you’ll cry for, because they feel so real you can’t help but empathise with them.

Beyond the magic and mysticism of the witchcraft in this book, is a tale of girls who mistreated simply because they are girls.
Judged as being fast, loose, wayward. Abused and degraded because of those judgements. The scariest thing about this book is the fact that this was reality for many girls decades ago.
But this is also a story of hope. I personally like a little dash of hope in my horror. Just a little light to balance the dark.
The connections between the girls in this book feel so real. It’s a joyous celebration of female friendship, and the lengths that we will go to to protect our found families. And in the moments when the girls discover just how strong they are I wanted to punch the air in celebration.
You’ll root for these wayward girls the whole way through.

This is my first Grady Hendrix book and I will be checking out their other ones. The subject matter of this book harkens to the times when women and girls were sent to homes when they fell pregnant out of wedlock and it would be quite triggering for anyone who has experience of that or is close to someone who was. In saying that the female friendships in this book are incredible and the author writes women very well. The birthing experiences are super intense and the unfairness of the treatment of these women is so awful it made me think of all those women in institutions like the Magdalene Laundries. Its so hard to believe that this happened not so long ago and it is infuriating thinking of that.

I love the friendships in this book and the strength of the girls and although it was harrowing at times it was a brilliant read.

Five girls are sent to a 'Home' so that they can give birth in secret, hidden away from society. Every part of their lives is controlled, every part of pregnancy and childbirth set to the expectations of those who run the Home.

But then, the mysterious librarian gives them a book on witchcraft, and suddenly, the girls see a way of taking back control of their lives and gaining power.

Anyone coming to this book expecting a surface-level scarefest will be disappointed. This is horror living at the core ugliness of humanity. A horror in which the inhabitants of the storylines have no choice but to dwell in such depths of hell, that only the devil can save them.

It is the journey of girls who became witches, bound by their shared journeys. This is the story of girls hidden away whilst deemed unacceptable to society of 1970s America and their fight to return to the living.

The horrific truth and gore of childbirth are not spared, and if you're currently expecting your first child, you may want to wait before reading!

This book is a slow burn that accepts the bleakness of life for those with no choice and those trapped in humanity's terrifying reality. The ends to which humans will go in righteousness, misdirected beliefs, and ignorance are genuinely chilling.

This book will probably offend many and be rapidly banned in places, but truth is always the first casualty of war and freedom.

It is a recommended read that will have you hugging your loved ones afterwards.


*I received an advance reader copy for free, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review*

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book.

I would say that if you are pregnant, I would wait to read this book as it contains some very gruesome childbirth scenes!

This book was set in the past at a home for pregnant unwed mothers, scary to think that these places actually existed! As always Grady writes from the female perspective and absolutely nails it!! The book explores friendships, strong females and found family. I found it a bit flat in places but the need to know what was going to happen to the characters kept me going!!

I cannot wait for Grady’s next book!!!

3.5 stars
I started this book really enjoying the story and the writing style but by around halfway through, felt that the pacing was off and that the book felt too long.
The book doesn’t really feel like a horror to me. The story itself doesn’t quite fit with the title and blurb for the book and some trigger warnings should be included given the nature of the book

I have been a fan of Grady Hendrix for so long and I was so excited for this book. It did not disappoint one bit, it gave me the danger, suspense and darkness that I expect from him.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is my first Grady Hendrix read and won't be my last. The book really made me care for the characters and I loved the witch aspect. To think these homes existed back in the day is truly heart-breaking. Cannot wait to dive into Grady's blacklist of books. 4 stars

It's 1970, and fifteen year old Neva is pregnant and unmarried. Shunned by her family, she is sent to a home for unwed mothers, where she is to stay until her baby is born. Once baby has arrived, it is to be adopted so that she can go back to her normal life. When she arrives, she's given the name Fern, and she becomes friends with some of the other girls. But it isn't long before the girls are sneaking out after curfew and they come across the coven of witches in the woods. And now the girls have a book of spells...

This was my first from this author, and not my usual genre. It took me a little while to get into it, but I actually really started to enjoy it after a few chapters. At times, it did drag a little, but I actually ended up reading it pretty quickly and the ending made me cry a little.
I feel it was a pretty bold move for a male author to write a book about teenage pregnant girls, and about how unwed mothers were treated during those times. I think he did it incredibly well and I honestly applaud him.

Of course I'm used to Hendrix writing horror from a supernatural perspective, however here the horror is what happened to young women if they got pregnant in the late 1960s/70s - they were sent to homes to give birth out of sight and out of mind and treated like they had committed a crime.

I feel like this book feels like more a historical fiction than the witchy book I was attracted to - and in moments reminded me of The Ghost Woods in themes around pregnancy and places where women sent to have babies unmarried or too young, however it is incredibly well written book that centres these women's stories brilliantly and doesn't shy away from why this was happening, be that religion or the social stigma tied to it.

The cast here is well written for sure especially the girls and their growth thanks to the book shows but what makes this book ominous is the cast of people who work with them probably because these kinds of people (and that for me what makes these kind of horror books truly 'horrible') they kinda existed.

I find this author hit and miss, but this one definitely is a good one and its topics are more pertinent than ever - one of those books that might end up on a banned book list one day sadly.

(Thanks to Netgalley for the arc for review).

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls transported me to 1960s USA. Vietnam war, 'hippies' and the way young girls were treated when they got pregnant out of wedlock. I have to say it was an uncomfortable read at times and there are notes of the shame that is still alighted on women in the present day.

I loved that the story took it's time to introduce the characters and get to know Wellwood House, and then, once we know the situations of each character we start tentatively poking at the witchy element of the story. This is brought about softly and pulls you into the girl's world.

The fear and desperation of the situation is really a horror aspect of this book. And I loved that it felt like an everyday situation and the magic elements were - if you were to believe - realistic in their nature.

It was immensely enjoyable to read and I'd rate it up with the Southern Book Clubs Guide to Slaying Vampires.

An emotional gripping and thought-provoking read. While a horror novel, the horror takes a back-seat here to tell a complex, emotional and thought-provoking story about women, girls and the real-life horrors that they face. I have to commend the male author on a really well done book with core themes that explore feminism, women's empowerment, abuse and pregnancy. I could easily imagine myself in the predicament of the young women in this book, abandoned, alone, scared and shunned and the power in friendship, solidarity and the allure of magic. The supernatural elements of this book were fun. There is nothing overly gory or graphic here so would appeal to a wide audience. I've read this author before and like the heart he puts into his horror. I look forward to seeing what he comes up with next.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for a coy of this book. I have posted my review on Goodreads and will post to Amazon on release day.

I always find horror so hard to rate and this book is no different. It wasn't scary but it was definitely grim. There were several scenes with injury/pain/child birth that made me squirm.
It made me angry and then sad and then angry again. But I really enjoyed the relationships between all the girls, especially Fern, Rose, Zinnia and Holly. They were all trying to have as much control and choice in a situation where nobody cared about their opinions or choices, nobody was listening.
This would be such a good book for a book group or to write an essay on because there is so much to delve into and discuss!