From the publisher:
There’s power in a book…

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, to give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. Under the watchful eye of the stern Miss Wellwood, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. There’s Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to find a way to keep her baby and escape to a commune. And Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby’s father. And Holly, a wisp of a girl, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.

Everything the girls eat, every moment of their waking day, and everything they’re allowed to talk about is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. 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.

In Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, the author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group delivers another searing, completely original novel and further cements his status as a “horror master” (NPR).

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix was published January 21, 2025 by Berkley.

My Thoughts: I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. After reading a few reviews prior to reading the book, I wasn't at all sure that I was going to like this book, but I did. I liked the girls and felt for them. They were united by the way that their families had treated them when they found out they were pregnant. Also living at the home united them. They all had the same experiences and the same close supervision.

The magic system was different. Magic always has a price in order for it to succeed. What the price in this case was, is interesting. I hadn't seen this cost quite this way before. And there were some clever bits related to this. In particular, the girls use the magic against some adults. This held consequences both for the adults and the girls, but afterwards, it was like the adults forgot about what happened.

The book had a slow beginning. This was mostly because of what was needed to set the scene. Still, I would have liked the magic to start sooner. After that. things move faster. And there are twists and surprises. I liked that it was not totally predictable nor was it preachy. I would have preferred a tad more humor as in his other books, But considering everything - the weightiness of the topic, the timeliness, it makes total sense. I also was not a fan of the graphic birthing scenes.

I would recommend this book to people who have enjoyed Hendrix's other books. And I would also recommend this book for people who enjoy magical realism in a historical setting.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions nor my review.

Grady Hendrix always gives the casual horror reader a little more than expected. This was a great story, the setting for the witchcraft at the school for pregnant girls was spot-on. I liked the slow burn, knowing something magical was going to happen but taking the time to lay out the characters and the struggles at the school first.

I absolutely loved this! Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is not your typical Grady Hendrix story. While it still touches on supernatural elements, the focus is more on the real-life horrors these women face. It’s a difficult read, but that’s what makes it stand out. This book doesn’t dwell on witchcraft, instead confronting the struggles and oppression faced by unwed mothers in a way that’s raw and unsettling, yet incredibly compelling.

The story follows young, unwed mothers sent to “homes” to have their babies far from their families and friends, forced to deal with their "sin" in isolation. These girls are teenagers, grappling with societal condemnation and their own personal struggles. The horrors they face don’t come from supernatural forces, but from the oppressive, judgmental world they live in. As the book progresses, it’s clear that the horrors of reality are just as terrifying, if not more so, than any witchcraft.

I had some initial worries about how a white male author would handle this subject matter, but Hendrix does it justice. This book isn’t just horror—it’s infuriating. The central focus is on the women and their oppression, and you truly feel that. The quote, “The Homes were for poor girls, trashy girls, fast girls. They were for sluts,” captures the essence of the cruel judgments they face. You get a sense of how society views them as disposable, and Hendrix doesn’t shy away from showing how deep that goes. It’s powerful and frustrating in all the right ways.
This book won’t be for everyone, and I can see how some might be put off by the lack of a heavier focus on witchcraft. For me, though, it wasn’t necessary to enjoy the story. It starts off more historical, digging into the realities these girls face before delving into supernatural horror, which felt like an interesting choice. But for others who are hoping for more witchcraft, that element may not feel as satisfying. Still, it was exactly what I needed.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Content warnings: pregnancy, blood, gore, self-harm, graphic description of birth, mental abuse, and mentions of rape.

A mix of horror and historical fiction with political and social commentary all wrapped up into one.

Grady Hendrix does not disappoint with this new book. I've been a fan of his for years and I just love how well he writes for female characters that have gotten themselves in some kind of mess. This title is no exception as he dives right into the experience of a teenage girl that finds herself driven to a Home for Wayward Girls in Florida. The girls terror when she realizes what's happening is palpable and it's easy to see that her father's treatment of her just feeds the fear that she has for her predicament. She's lost in the expectations of others, the grief of what she thought was going to be acceptance from the boy that got her pregnant, and then the idea that she would be able to just hand over her baby and never look back. Of course, she's just one girl in a house full of them and each has their own story. Some are more gruesome than others. Then the bookmobile shows up and it's all over from there. Will they take their power back? Maybe punish a few people along the way? If you like magic, revenge, and women's stories, this one's for you.

“We were girls. That’s what they called us in their articles and their speeches and their files: bad girls, neurotic girls, needy girls, wayward girls…for girls like us, down there at the Home, the devil turned out to be our only friend.”

I had mixed feelings about Witchcraft for Wayward Girls when I first finished it, but I couldn’t get it off my mind, which is a pretty solid sign that it’s a good book. The ending initially left me feeling a bit unsatisfied; for a book about breaking the rules, it seemed almost…tame. However, the more I talked about it and thought about it, the more I realized that the discomfort I felt was intentional or, at the very least, a hint that I had some soul-searching to do.
Hendrix’s latest work is still horror, but of a very different kind than he normally writes. This kind is subtle and realistic. While there are some pretty graphic childbirth scenes, the scariest thing about Witchcraft for Wayward Girls isn’t the witches—it’s the 1970s Florida setting that feels like it could take place today. In an era where women still have to fight for bodily autonomy and their right to be heard, to be believed, this novel is all-too-appropriate.
At its heart, the message of this book is actually hopeful; in a world that refuses to make space for women, we will make our own way. If the powers that be won’t work for us, we will change the rules. This story is a protest, an insistence that women cannot be hidden or controlled. We will be heard.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!

Wonderful. Hands down fantastic as always. Never read a Grady Hendrix book that I didn't love. His characters are amazing and I will forever read anything he's written

This book was really long. I enjoyed some aspects of it but it really dragged for me ad the suffering?? I think I was not the target audience for this one,

I love Grady Hendrix, but was unsure starting this one. It took awhile to get into, and there are so many characters at the beginning that it's a little difficult to keep track. However, you eventually find that a few of the girls are the main characters and you get to know them well. I loved the witchy-ness of this book. All the spells and descriptions. This book has a lot to say about how women have been treated throughout history, and there is much seriousness and body horror, but at the same time, it's a lot of fun, as Grady's books usually are. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to Berkley Pub and NetGalley for the e-read copy! I liked this more than I expected. Definitely has some triggering content for some, but for me, it was informative, enraging, and also just a good story that helps gives some insight into what women and girls of this time period, in this unique position would have and did experience. I liked the inclusion of fantasy and magic that were incorporated that broke up some of the more intense aspects of the book. Satisfying ending and had me rooting for the characters throughout the novel. I didn't expect a male author to pull this off authentically, but he did! Emotional and engaging read.

I received an eARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, as I expected to. I enjoy Grady Hendrix's writing style and I enjoy books about women and witchcraft. This book felt like a departure from the typical Grady Hendrix horror/comedy though. I can tell that he did a lot of research about the medical practice side of childbirth in this time period, and it seems like he may have read or received some first hand testimonials about these homes for girls that he was able to pull from for this book. I truly felt like I was experiencing this home for wayward girls along with Fern, Zinnia, Holly and Rose. The dehumanization of these girls at this institution was mind boggling to me but the most upsetting part was when the girls almost justified it in their minds as a way of protecting and distancing themselves from what was happening to them. I could only imagine the future psychological damage a stay at one of these institutes would cause for the rest of these girls lives. As usual for me, I immediately sided with and wanted the witches to be the heroes. I wanted them to save the girls. I love how Grady Hendrix was able to show that the witches weren't all good or all evil but neither were the employees of the home. I understood the character motivations for the owner/employer of the home, the nurse, the cook, etc. They also weren't inherently bad people and all of them seemed to have the best of intentions for the girls. There were some clear villains such as the Reverend (and he got nothing more than he deserved, honestly should have gotten worse) but a lot of what happened in this book is due to misguided altruism of people. I will never stop believing that Ms. Wellwood truly believed she was helping these girls and doing what was best for them. I also believe that a lot of what she was doing was wrong and psychologically damaging but I think she had the best of intentions. I also believe that the elder witch intended to help the girls. Granted she had ulterior motives to pass on her line but I don't think this was rooted in evilness either. She didn't want her people to lose their history. This book is best summed up with the old proverb "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". I enjoyed this book as both a story about the power and struggle of women but also as a brief glimpse into the history of the treatment of women and young girls in the 1970's.

This is my first Grady Hendrix book and I didn’t really know what to expect but this book really blew me away. It gives off the vibe of magical realism. I don’t know if it truly fits the definition of that genre, but that’s what comes to mind when I try to describe this book. It is absolutely fabulous.

As a woman, I am aware of how things were in that timeframe, but I don’t think a person can truly understand. This book does a wonderful job of putting the reader in the shoes of these characters. Anyone who reads this book is going to have a new perspective on what it means to be a pregnant teenager and all I can think is “I fucking hope we’re not going back to that.”

I am in awe of Fern and Rose and Holly and Zinnia. These girls fought for each other and it was amazing to read

Recommended for anyone who likes deep, thought provoking books with a magical twist!

Wow, that was a ride! Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a slow-burn and is a rather long read for a horror book, but it is worth the time investment. I really enjoyed the cast of characters and the setting in the 1970s.

To the people saying that this should be classified as historical fiction and not a horror book, I disagree, though it could be categorized as both. The point of this book was how the normalization of harmful childbirth practices within the modern healthcare system, childbirth itself, the adoption system, religious abuse, and not having control over one's own destiny are the truest forms of horror. There is plenty of blood (and vomit) in this book, but the point is that the power to say "no" remains one of the most potent powers we retain. We have the power to stand up to fascism and force when we band together and stand in our sovereignty. This isn't just historical fiction about the 1970s... It reflects the horrors of the world we are facing today. Hendrix does an excellent job of exploring how horrifying childbirth can be, without slipping into misogyny or criticizing mothers, though the judgmental atmosphere of 70s culture toward pregnant girls is woven throughout the narrative. How many horrors have we normalized? Do we even recognize the horrors of the everyday anymore? These were questions I was left with after reading.

Thank you to Berkley for my e-ARC! Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is one of my favorite Hendrix novels, and it is well worth the time you will spend reading it.

Grady is so back!!! Okay, so he never went anywhere, but since he’s my favorite working author and I didn’t enjoy How to Sell a Haunted House, I was a little worried going into this. I know he can write a woman’s pov and I know he can write a teen girl’s pov, but a man writing a book about being a pregnant teen in the south in 1970? He nailed it. I’m sitting here with tears pooling in my eyes at that ending. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. Funny, angry, heartbreaking, gross, powerful. I love that he knows there’s no body horror greater than giving birth, no rage stronger than a broken woman, no magic greater than women coming together.

This story is more historical than horror but is full of horrific circumstances that unwed teens faced in the late 60s and 70s. Fifteen year old Fern is sent away to a home in Florida for pregnant girls. Every minute of the girls day is planned out for them. They are told what to eat, what to talk about, what to read and what to study. They are given witchcraft that gives the girls back some control over their lives as well as confidence. Nothing is never easy though when you make promises and trade one type of control for another as the girls find themselves in way over their head.

This was a tough book for me to review. Grady Hendrix is one of my favorite authors. This was an unlike any of his other books. It lacked the campiness, the subtle humor that I really enjoy. So I was disappointed, however there are many other things to take into consideration, I admire the fact that he wrote something different. He absolutely nailed a woman’s point of view and pregnancy, which is also to be commended. The story was compelling and well written. It is emotional and conveyed the feeling of these poor girls who are just trying to find their way and be allowed to make their own choices. I wasn’t sure how I felt by the end of the book— the ending was muddled. I think this will appeal to the right reader it just wasn’t me in this case. I will continue to read his books because he always delivers a unique story. You cant love them all !!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3 ⭐️

I could not finish this book and do not understand the hype of this author. I so badly wanted to like this novel, but the more I read the more I disliked it. I did not like any of the characters and the plot felt all over the place. I made it about halfway through and felt like very little happened and that the story was just dragging. I don't think I will try another this author's titles.

So here's the thing about Witchcraft for Wayward girls: I read it cover to cover, and it was definitely a compelling, heavy, moving book about a very real and serious blemish on the history of humanity. BUT, at multiple times throughout the book I couldn't shake the feeling that the story was coming across as frustratingly out of touch with its own subject matter. Yes it will keep you reading so you can find out what happened to the main characters, but at the same time, it doesn't do them justice. What I just kept coming back to was the thought that this wasn't Hendrix's story to tell. I don't know that I can explain it better than that, it was just a feeling I had throughout. I still think it's worth reading, it's very much Hendrix's darkly humorous, grotesque brand of social horror. But between his unfortunate reliance on the trope of the "magical Black person who saves the day" and shallowness of the characterization of some of the girls, to the fact that the villain ended being who it was, giving the novel a weirdly moralistic turn that left a sour taste in my mouth... I don't know. Somewhere the point got more than missed, it got sailed clean over and forgotten.

This 70s-era Southern mother's home horror story has a great sense of setting. It's spooky, sad, and looooong. The unwed mothers storyline is what attracted me to the story and was so well done. It's painfully tangible.

I didn't resonate as much with the witchcraft part of the story - I'm not sure what it added. The horror was complete between the body gore of childbirth and the social treatment of the girls in the story.

Overall, "Witchcraft for Wayward Girls" is a striking social commentary with an interesting horror spin.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Grady Hendrix uses supernatural elements to examine society and its issues.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls examines what it meant to be a woman or girl in America in the 1970s. Hendrix creates a community of unwed teens who live together in a home to have their babies and give them up for adoption.

Is it their choice to give up their babies? Was it their choice to get pregnant? The answer is different for all the girls we meet, but the answer doesn't matter to anyone. The girls are treated with no respect, no compassion, and no autonomy over their bodies or lives.

Then enters the witch.

Hendrix uses the exploration of witchcraft as a way for the girls to gain power and to feel as if they have some say over something in their lives.

It's a fascinating look at a dark time in society and the dangers that popped up as a marginalized group struggled to find freedom.

This was an unexpected gem. I thought it was going to be a horror book filled with some paranormal elements. But it was a more of a coming-of-age book about a group of teenagers, unwed and pregnant, who were sent away by their families to a boarding house to have their babies and return home like nothing every happened. There was some witchcraft but it was an emotional/powerful read about how the girls didn’t have a choice about their babies. It was filled with anger, grief, confusion, and vulnerability. Such a different a different Grady Hendrix book, but I definitely recommend it!