(4.5/5⭐️)📚 Thank you Net Galley and Grady Hendrix for an arc copy of ‘Witchcraft for Wayward Girls’. In this book we followed Neva - known as Fern in the Home. A 15 year old girl who was an average teenager. Studied. Had friends. Performed in school plays. Had a boyfriend called Guy. Until, she fell pregnant. Everything she thought was true, turned out to be a lie. Her boyfriend dissociated from her, his love for her - nonexistent. Her parents disowned her. They were disgusted by her actions and yet felt no hard feelings towards Guy. They send her to the Home. The Home for wayward girls. Lost girls. Unwanted girls. Girls who society shun for being unwed and pregnant.

This book was more about unity, oppression, womanhood and power; rather than horror. The witchcraft element wasn’t as big of a part within the story as I originally expected. But honestly, I think it’s great that it wasn’t as heavy of a story line. The idea of witchcraft providing freedom for women in a man’s world holds a deeper meaning. The book highlights, in society, rejecting societal idealisms and giving yourself up to witchcraft in order to have freedom is seen as ‘bad’ and ‘evil’ vs living in this ‘man’s world’, having no power over your choices is ‘good’ and ‘sinless’. But in reality, sometimes what is taught to us as evil is good and what is good is actually evil, but majority of the time it’s never black and white. In this case, witchcraft became the lesser of two evils, especially in Holly’s story. It saved her. But for Fern it was a means to save Holly, though it caused her trouble more than freedom.

The friendship between Fern, Rose, Holly and Zinnia is what fundamentally sucked me in. It’s crazy to think teenagers dealing with something as heavy as pregnancy and giving birth, without a proper support system only each other. Not being to make choices for themselves or being too young to understand the significance of the choices they can make. It really opened my eyes to the struggles of these girls and womanhood in general. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and as my first introduction to Grady Hendrix, I am excited to read more of his work.

Grady Hendrix does it again!

This book is an absolute five star and every minute of reading it, while not exactly fun given the subject matter, was enjoyable.

From the setting to the magic system introduced, the reader is hooked and despite the protagonist and much of the main cast of characters being teenagers, this is very much an adult novel. The descriptions of physical/body horror and pain are incredible and invenensely believable also.

This was a 'binge in a few sittings’ type of book and that is my only issue as I felt i raced through it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy of Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix.

Trigger warning that this book is very centred around pregnancy/birth and there is plenty of graphic detail on both pregnancy and birth throughout.

This story focuses on Fern, a 15 year old girl who is sent to Wellwood House to have her child. The story centres around young girls, sent by their families to hide away whilst pregnant, deliver their babies and have them adopted before returning to 'life as normal' back home.

I found myself really struggling to get through the first 11 Chapters. The build up to witchcraft was slow and there was a lot of time spent sharing how boring the home is for the girls. With there being so many girls in the home too I found it difficult to build a picture or connection with each of them. As such, I did shelf this book for a while and have returned to it post Christmas. However in thinking about this in the context of the whole book now completed; I think this built a picture of the life and experience for this girls. Cast out by their families and forced to live in such restrictive and punishing conditions, all whilst experiencing something already unfamiliar and scary.

However; with the introduction of the book of witchcraft to Fern, the pace began to pick up. I enjoyed the solidarity of the relationships the girls built with each other over time, and how allegiances changed in my feeling towards the witches throughout. Fern's character development was the most enjoyable part of this book for me as she came to realise that whether it be patriarchy or witches, all wanted something from her/her friends and only she held true power over herself. This is a strong statement for the choices that were made for women throughout history, and continue to be made in some parts of the world today. Having sat with this book for a while to let it fully digest, I did thoroughly enjoy the gender equality and body autonomy themes of this book, and progressing with each of the 4 main girls as they each develop their own ways to take back their power from the oppressive forces around them and take what they wanted for their lives. It feels an important book for all to read, and one that I feel I will continue to digest for some time to come.

I would like to go back and read more of Grady Hendrix to see how this compares with his other novels, as I wouldn't necessarily class this as a horror book in the traditional sense.

This was absolutely phenomenal.
Such a raw emotional story.
With witchcraft sprinkled in.
This book was so much better than I could have imagined.
Very dark and emotional but was the reality for and still is for so so many women (minus? The witchcraft)
My first 5 star read of the year and possibly even 6 stars? 5 just doesn't seem like enough.
Extremely thankful to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to receive an ARC of this book!

I’ve read several of Hendrix’s books now and loved most of them and the premise for this one sounded so interesting I was very happy to be approved for an eArc.

As an American Author, I’m assuming the recent row back on women’s reproductive rights has at least partially inspired this book. Hendrix takes us back to pre-Roe America and the way these girls are treated is horrific in itself.

If you’re looking for an out and out horror story, this is not going to be the one for you. I find Hendrix to be quite mild on the horror stakes but generally has a point to make and an important story to tell. Here the witchcraft element is really a way of supporting the main issue of women’s rights and female rage.

I’m often wary of men telling stories like this, I was bitten by the whole Joss Whedon problem, but actually Hendrix has done a fairly good job at representing the powerlessness of these young girls and also their naivety. Whilst women and girls nowadays generally know more about their own bodies and how pregnancy and childbirth works than they did in the seventies the attitudes towards women remain unchanged in a lot of places and only slightly improved in most others. I don’t want to give any spoilers but what happened to Holly, for instance, could equally have been written as happening now.

There were some plot threads that seemed to be setting up one thing but then it didn’t really play out all the way and the big showdown towards the end was a bit disappointing to me.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. Hendrix’s writing was gripping and I found myself seriously hooked every time I picked it up to read.

This was a fun read about the treatment of very young pregnant and unmarried girls in 1970. The teenagers end up at a house in Florida where they’ll stay till their babies are born, handed over to adopting couples and then sent back to their normal lives as if nothing happened. So there’s a bit of feminism, female rage, race and class also come into it. It worked quite well for me, was probably a bit long though.

Welcome to Wellwood House.

Where teenage girls are sent to wait out their sinful condition and are forced to surrender the evidence to return to their lives without bringing shame on their families.

I feel like this is going to be a really important book and will no doubt end up on a banned book lists in some countries... so, get an early copy.

Hendrix does an excellent job of exploring the helplessness these young women have over their choices, bodies, and lives. It was a risk writing this as a man, and he hits it out the park.

As you read this, you will feel empathy, sadness, love, laughter, joy, pain, and horror.

You will feel proud of these girls. You will want to hold theirs hands. You will want to aggressively shake them. All while reading through your fingers with gritted teeth.

And then there's the witchcraft element of this excellent story. A friendly face, a boring paperback, and the chance to be in control of something. For the first time. Ever.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is about teenage girls becoming mothers and then going back to being teenage girls. But it also is about revenge, finding out that the world can be very unfair, that sometimes you have to give up your own wishes in order to help someone and... just so much more then Witchcraft.

I loved, loved loved this so much! Hendrix wrote a book that made me squirm, laugh and get so, so angry, all alongside with the girls. Hendrix manages to put social commentary in his horror books that just makes sense.
God, how angry I was with how the girls were treated, not just by the male doctors but also female nurses. And to think that places like this existed.
There is so much happening that it's hard to put it all together into 1 or 2 sentences but if you love weird horror, getting angry at society and sticking together trough good and bad times, then this book might be for you.

I’ve loved every book I’ve read by this author, and this was no exception. I think what made this story special was that it wasn’t just a horror that existed just for the scare factor; it was also an empowering show of survival and girl power. Grady Hendrix knows how to write a novel that not only thrills, but will also stay in your heart.

The story of Fern and the home for pregnant and unwed mothers was interesting in itself, but as soon as Fern receives the occult book, the story only got more exciting. The characters really made the story what it was. They were all so unique and well written. I loved how they stood in solidarity together and how they persisted, no matter the obstacles thrown in their path.

It was written so well and I could feel the emotions of the characters. I found the start slow, but once the girls receive the book, things really took off. It slowed down again in some parts, but I was still heavily invested and wanted to know how everything would end.

I also found the history interesting too, and it was heartbreaking to read about what it might have been like in the 50s being so young and been coaxed into giving up your baby when you actually wanted to keep them. The ending was phenomenal. It was enduring, heartbreaking, but also is a story that will stay in my heart.

Starting off the year with a 5-star read! Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This isn’t so much a horror book as it is a deep dive into women’s history, and it comes with a powerful agenda. Be warned: it’s an emotional ride—I cried at least three times (maybe more). I can’t recommend it enough, especially to female readers.

There’s been a lot of debate about whether Grady Hendrix, as a man, should tackle these themes, but I think he nails the tone perfectly. It’s a tough read in places, as it grapples with heavy topics, but that’s what makes it so essential. I’m giving it 5 stars because these stories need to be told and discussed.

Let me be clear: this isn’t really about witches. It’s about feminism, the patriarchy, and the horrors inflicted on girls in the ’60s and ’70s. Hendrix uses the “witch” as a lens to explore how society has mistreated women and erased their stories.

It’s a brilliant, haunting book—and one that deserves to be read

Witchcraft For Weyward Girls by Grady Hendrix
I give this book 4.5 stars.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the Wellwood House where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies and give them up for adoption in the sweltering summer of 1970.There, she meets other girls in the same predicament. Rose, Zinnia and Holly.
Every moment of their waking day is strictly controlled by adults.Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid . . . and it’s usually paid in blood .

A disturbing and heartbreaking southern gothic set in the 1970’s incorporating teenage pregnancy,good and evil, sisterhood and a touch of magic. The witchy vibe is not the main focus in this book but does include a witch librarian with a bookmobile and a spell book.The relevant morally grey subject matter was more important and I thought as a male author he did a good job. Grady Hendrix has created genuine main characters dealing with discrimination,helplessness and injustice and I cared about their individual stories. The epilogue to this one pulled on my emotions. Please check the triggers as parts in detail are not easy to read.This book has become one of my favourites by this author.
With thanks to Netgalley,Grady Hendrix and Pan Macmillan | Tor Nightfire for my chance to read and review this book.

LOVE LOVE LOVE new Grady Hendrix. Yes, I am a super fan, however, I did find the previous 2 novels somewhat lacking, and it's great to be back baby! This had a fantastic premise as always, but delivered so much more. We had the signature female protagonist and such a wonderful description of everything that stands behind female friendships, and friendships we form when we are young (frankly I am still convinced it's a woman writing under a pseudonym). We have elements of the Craft but it still had the very original style of Grady Hendrix whenever Witchcraft was involved. All the other topics of the society, the dead ends of being an unwed pregnant kid, the suffocation - absolutely top marks. Loved the setting as well - I thought the atmosphere of perpetuating heat was done so well. Genuinely I was sad when I finished the book and this was the highlight of books I read in 2024! Can't wait for more!

I absolutely loved this. Grady Hendrix is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.

He really highlighted the struggles that young, unmarried mothers faced, and the way the bits of witchcraft were woven in was great. I felt so attached to the characters that I didn't want the book to end. I loved the friendship between the 4 main girls. Rose, with her sassiness, was my favourite.

I wouldn't say it's an easy read as such, as it does deal with some difficult topics but overall I loved the book.

Thank you to Pan MacMillan and Book Break for my netgalley proof!

Grady Hendrix has become a spooky season favourite for me so I jumped at the chance to read his latest novel! I wasn’t really a horror reader until bookstagram and spooky season recommendations got me, and now I try and read a few horror novels during October.

In Witchcraft for Wayward Girls we meet 16 year old Fern - it’s 1970, and she’s been sent to Wellwood House to see out her pregnancy, have her baby, and come home like it never happened. While there, she meets other girls trapped in the sweltering Florida house and a book provided to them by the town’s mobile librarian looks like it might change their fortunes…

I raced through this; I felt totally sucked in to the characters and their world and couldn’t quite look away. Fern and the girls she meets consumed my brain until I was finished reading, and this has been one of those books I’ve thought about a lot since. I’ve also thought a lot about how deeply sinister it felt because of the real-world dangers and harms placed upon the characters; the supernatural elements did not disappoint and had me absolutely terrified but I got just as many chills from the non-supernatural here too.

I did struggle more in this one than with Hendrix’s other books that the feminism often felt surface level - although I think Hendrix writes women well, there were points where some of the teenage girl dialogue felt slightly off or forced. Hendrix also attempts to have a generational slant to the witchcraft; in some ways this worked and in others it felt a little inauthentic with ‘we are the daughters of the witches they couldn’t burn’ vibes. It’s prompted me to do some research on horror to pick up from more diverse authors, which I’ve already been enjoying.

This is out on the 14th January and while I read it during October to get maximum Halloween vibes, I think it would be an excellent horror to read in the dark start of the year too!

(This contains TWs for sexual assault and for pregnancy / child birth. That second one probably sounds obvious given the premise but I found it more graphic than expected!)

The perfect book for fans of dark speculative fiction with a magical spin.

A heavy discussion of the treatment of 'Wayward' girls at the time in history and the ways they fight to gain automany, including aligning with dark magic.

The characters were fully fleshed out and engaging. The setting vivid and the plot full of dark suspense.

This was my first Grady Hendrix, I struggled a bit to get into the writing style.

If you are expecting lots of witchcraft and a supernatural type horror then pick up a different book, there is a little bit of witchcraft but the real horror in this story comes from attitudes in the real world to young women, no make that girls, who are unmarried and pregnant. While this is strictly speaking historical fiction, it is set in the 1970s, the same attitudes are still prevalent today, young women/girls punished and abused but with never any blame attached to the fathers.
The story itself focuses on four young girls who are sent away by their families, to be hidden away until they have had their babies, babies they won’t be allowed to keep, they are given a book by the librarian, a book that claims to about witchcraft and that can help them sort all their problems, but they soon find that you should be careful what you wish for and that power comes with a price.

Reading a Grady Hendrix novel reminds of that New Girl meme with Schmidt exclaiming “a white man?? No!” Because there is just zero reason any man should be writing a women’s; or in this instance girl’s, experience and writing it so believably!

I loved ‘Witchcraft for Wayward Girls’ the storytelling was absolutely fantastic. The reader is so thoroughly immersed into Fern’s backstory and the reasonings of how and why she became pregnant. The way Fern explores the world and people around her was so organic and the way this changes as the plot progresses was riveting.

This type of writing is so compelling you can actually believe that these girls experienced real events and were in situations of life and death that forced them to relinquish themselves to “evil.”

I love that it explores the subtle paranormal intertwined with the belief that adolescent females are capable of mass hysteria. The social climate being examined through the comments of adults adds a depth to the story that has you rooting for the girls to come out on top against the patriarchy and confines of a twisted religion.

At times I struggled with the perspective shifts that were quite rapid and had to reorient myself within the story which is the only reason this wasn’t a 5 star read for me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. This is my own opinion.

This was my second book by Grady Hendrix and I do want to read all of his books. I think saying I enjoyed this book wouldn't be right, this book was really good but not an enjoyable experience which is a compliment for a horror. This book was horrifying in so many ways like it's meant to be I really feel this book is relevant now when it comes to the way America treats women. However, some od the scenes are truly harrowing and hard to read but I cant argue that Hendrix is a fantastic writer and good at horror

This was amazing. A very dark and gothic tale told about the abuse of unmarried mothers in the 70s with the added touch of witches. Really well written and haunting. Highly recommend.

The book is dark, deep, haunting, and evocative. Southern gothic elements are mixed with terrifying reality where girls were not seen as human beings but as a witches. Set in 1970s, author has not only shared the pain of girls who were sent to Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida but also portrayed their emotions and elaborated everything that was going on there. The truth was haunting. Girls are always expected to fulfil societal expectations and follow the rules made by them. No one tries to understand them or even think that they are allowed to do anything of their own. And ending was even more terrifying. You need to read this book.

Thanks to the Publisher