Dang. I did not expect to end this book in tears--I spent most of it in horror! How did a man write this book, a beautiful testament to the goddess that is woman, a potent raging against the evils of patriarchy, a terrifying portrayal of pregnancy and childbirth?

Grady Hendrix might, himself, be a witch. He's definitely a wordsmith, and his style and craft create the perfect horror books for me. They're scary, yes, even gory, but the metaphors of his monsters carry truth and resonate in my soul. This book was not a sensational read, but a transformational reading experience.

From the book: "...this little girl that they had pulled out of [her] body together and she knew that all the magic the witches had ever done was only a pale imitation of what had happened here tonight."

I don't want to give context for that quote to avoid spoilers, but the juxtaposition of witchcraft and the creative powers of a mother cast a spell on me. The witches are powerful, but a mother's power comes from nature more pure and powerful than any enchantment. Hendrix's story went straight to my heart without any sentimentality, and this book is perfect. Horror fans must read this!

Thank you @berkleypub for the advance copy of the ebook. I'm going to buy a physical copy as soon as it publishes in January.

If you’re reading this review on Netgalley, please note that I do have spoilers listed, but they are hidden behind a spoiler tag on Goodreads! Thank you.

I need to make it clear that I am a Grady Hendrix fan generally, though I didn’t love “How to Sell a Haunted House.” I have really enjoyed everything else I’ve read by him and I was absolutely thrilled and grateful to get an ARC of this one.

For starters, I think I expected something different going into this novel. “Witchcraft for Wayward Girls” is not a fun book. It’s not really about mischievous teenage girls having a great time doing witchcraft together. It’s about underage pregnant teens being treated like absolute trash by everyone around them and desperately trying to save themselves. It is bleak and upsetting, and most of the horror comes from their hopeless circumstances rather than supernatural elements. For me, if was also a constant reminder of our current political climate, which I typically read to escape from.

I couldn’t believe this was the same author who wrote “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” and “My Best Friend’s Exorcism,” two amazing books that are both great horror stories and beautiful testaments to the everlasting bonds of friendship between women of different age groups.

For much of the story, friendship means fuck all in this book. By the time I got to the end, I realized that I didn’t like Fern very much at all and that Zinnia was the real MVP. There’s not even an adult to be found here who can be bothered to care about these girls or treat them with sympathy. One or two of them eventually come somewhat close, but only when forced into a corner, and they do it under a thick veil of anger and inconvenience.

It’s definitely a thing in Hendrix’s novels for his main characters to be put through the ringer, but in this one bad stuff happens and then it gets worse, and then bad stuff happens again, etc, etc. It’s the whole book.

The wayward girls are allowed to smoke like chimneys, but their diets are heavily restricted. None of the caretakers actually give a fuck if the babies turn out healthy or not. The girls are also forced to do hard manual labor every day and if they don’t feel well, tough. Complaining only gets them into more trouble. And don’t get me started on the medical staff at the hospital.

Once the actual witchcraft finally kicks in, that’s when things get more interesting. But it takes a while, so patience may be required. It definitely was for me. I was 100% here for the witchcraft and the fact that it was a book by Hendrix. I wanted to see spells and revenge and creepy things happening. Full disclosure: there wasn’t enough of that for me.

I think that the message of the story may have gotten a bit muddled. And a few things didn't sit right with me, either. <spoiler>For one thing, Rose wanted to use witchcraft to punish Miss Wellwood and to make her experience what Rose did, but what she meant by that was that Rose lost something she wanted dearly. Instead, Miss Wellwood suffers through an incredibly painful and nightmarish labor and births eels. She is punished by the act of childbirth itself. Perhaps this is simply supposed to show that Miss Parcae is, in fact, a liar and a villain and that her brand of magic is deceitful. But what is the point overall of demonizing pregnancy/labor/birth?

There are two more awful birthing scenes later that also go on forever. Hendrix repeatedly tries to show that these characters learn to love their babies and decide that they want to keep them, that the suffering is worth it if they can raise their children as their own. So why use labor as a source of horror not once but three times in this book? During Fern's experience she is reduced to a victim of a cruel system and even her name and identity are taken away. (For a second time!) She is simply "the patient," a piece of meat from which a baby is violently ripped.

The actual witchcraft in this witchcraft book is fairly minimal. Look, I could see what Hendrix was ultimately trying to say, “The REAL magic is creating LIFE!” But he had a funny way of showing it, by having little girls begging for their lives while writhing around in agony and regretting their choices. (Holly.)

Also confusing: Are we supposed to be rooting for the witches or not? Miss Parcae swoops in to help the girls at first, then we learn that the spells are harmful and deceptive and Miss Parcae becomes predatory towards Fern. But THEN, the witches end up as Holly’s last hope. Though despite this, Holly clearly says she would rather “become a MONSTER than go back home.” (Rude?) And finally, at the very end Fern refers to herself as a witch like it’s this beautiful and heartwarming thing that she was proud of all along. My head was SPINNING. </spoiler>

So what did I like?
- Obsessed with that cover! 10/10
- A lot of it gave me “Girl, Interrupted” vibes. Yes, I realize that one was nonfiction but the comparison still stands.
- The ending made up for *some of the things that bothered me about the rest of the book, even if the ending caused its own problems
- Whenever actual witchcraft happened, it was done in an interesting and organic way. I wanted to see more of it.
- The Bookmobile
- Rose and Zinnia

I can see this really working for some people. I just didn’t have a great time with it.

2.5 rounded up to a 3.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

TW: Misogyny, Smoking while pregnant, Miscarriage, Racism, Description of Attempted Abortion, Mention of Child Sexual Assault, Domestic Abuse, Suicidal Ideations, Self-Harm, Graphic birth scenes, Bodyshaming

Grady Hendrix cannot miss.

This was the perfect combo of paranormal, and reality being almost scarier than paranormal. It started as a slow burn but is worth the wait in its storytelling. Honestly I wanted to be a witch but maybe it is not for me after reading this!

I am such a fan of Grady Hendrix. Every book I have read of his I have enjoyed and this book is no different! Though a serious book with serious topics and issues, I found it to still have some of the mirth I associate with Hendrix books. It was at times long, at times slow, at times upsetting.... But I think all of that was intentional. You felt for and with these girls, in the time and in the place where they were. I was so glad to get my hands on this one early and I was not disappointed.

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC!

Good book! I like this author. I really enjoy how he can describe a mundane average day and then add something scary into it that feels very realistic. I enjoyed the book- but I want more answers! There should definitely be another one. Overall a good read!

On the surface, this book is about friendship and magic. But this book is also a good look into how we treat women and girls, particularly mothers. I liked the storyline and enjoyed the characters, and there was still some comedic relief despite the serious topics that were addressed. All in all, I really enjoyed this book. My only problem was with the extremely graphic birth scenes, but I think Grady was trying to really showcase how absolutely horrific childbirth can be and what women go through during this momentous experience. I think this book is worth a read and I will definitely be purchasing this for my library!

Grady Hendrix is one of my favorite horror authors. There's something campy yet disturbing about his stories, and I've been obsessed ever since I read Horrostor. Seeing his new title on NetGalley AND getting approved for it made me so happy!

I loved the premise of this book. The 70s? Pregnant teenagers? Witchcraft? Yes to all of these. I love Neva/Fern and all of her friends. Their stories were heartbreaking and the situations with Fern, Rose, and Holly's babies was heartbreaking. As a mom to two young girls, I really felt that one.

Personally, I wish Fern had been a little more ruthless in the end, but I get that wasn't true to her character. Kinda wish she'd gone more down the Rose path, but that probably would've felt jarring. That said, the ending felt kind of mellow to me. There was this big, drawn out conflict with Parcea, and then the rest of the coven manages to talk her out of it? It was underwhelming to me, but I still enjoyed the book overall.

Could not put this down. So good! From the weather to pain, to hopelessness - everything was described so clearly - I could feel it. And likewise, I could feel the power of the characters, of their very will to have control over their circumstances.

The witch librarian is too good (and bad) to be trusted. The descriptions of the lava lamp, the huge dogs, and the rituals the girls attempt...it felt so REAL. It played like a movie in my mind. Just fascinating and ever changing.

Fern, Rose, Holly, and Zinnia will live in my head and my heart for a long, long time.

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.