Let me set the scene. It's the 1970s, and unwed mothers are being shipped off by their families to birthing homes, out of sight and mind, under various guises of 'going on holiday' or 'looking after a distant aunt,' where they are to give birth and are forced to give their babies up for adoption.

It doesn't matter the situation; if the pregnancy was simply an accident at a time when birth control or abortion weren't readily accessible, or was the outcome of something more malicious, all the mothers (not the fathers) are to blame for being sinful and un-pure.

After they've given birth, they can go home like nothing ever happened and their 'little mistake' will never to be spoken of again. If they're lucky (sarcasm), the doctors will even secretly give them an extra stitch, so their future husband will never know they weren't virgins. And there's absolutely nothing the girls can do about it.

Or so it seems.

Despite not having an abundance of supernatural elements, Grady Hendrix's "Witchcraft for Wayward Girls" is such a successful horror story in my eyes because of the realism of the situation. Birthing homes, such as the one in the story, existed and were commonplace. There's no sugar-coating the topic or reading this with rose-coloured glasses; the story left me feeling equal parts helpless and furious for our main characters. It was raw and graphic, and the 'female rage' I felt was set to 100.

Sprinkle in some blood letting, hexing, and witchcraft - and you've got yourself one hell of a horror novel.

[This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion]

My experience reading this was the opposite of many I've seen- I sped through the first third of the book, loving the character development and world building. It was once the witchcraft elements were introduced that my interest waned and things started to slog for me. I think approaching this as a horror read didn't do any favors. The real horror of the book is how the children were treated, and I think the 'magical' aspects paled in comparison to the realities written into the book. This is my first Grady Hendrix novel, and I know he has a strong following, but based on this novel alone, I will be slow to pick up another of his books.

The first half of the book is infused with a lighthearted hopelessness, skillfully maintaining a delicate balance that keeps it from becoming a slow, dreary read. The reader is constantly reminded of the shame these girls face from every direction, as this shame evolves into reckless desperation for escape. Grady excels in using fear, not just of the supernatural, but also of the very things that should feel most natural. The story takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, pulling at your heartstrings, provoking anger, and seamlessly integrating witchcraft into the mix. It’s a compelling and thought-provoking read that lingers long after you’ve finished, leaving you wanting to hold each of these girls.


“They hate us enough. Don’t let them make you hate yourselves, too.”

I enjoyed this read.
I found it a little slow paced to start
However the characters definitely kept my attention the emotions you feel for the girls in this book are very real. I thought the story explained itself well and I liked the magical elements in this also.
Thank you so much for allowing me to read this

such a raw, haunting and gruesome story. my heart broke for all of those girls but the ending put the pieces back together. a whirlwind of a book but a phenomenal nonetheless.

This was my first Grady Hendrix book and I'm happy to say it will not be my last!

The atmosphere was dark, enticing, goring and felt drenched in the trauma of these girls. I felt like I could feel the pain through the pages, which helped me understand and empathise with the characters.

It did start a bit slow, but definitely picked up.

Overall, this was a powerful and though provoking read

This is a story about taking back power. How someone will do whatever they can to control their destiny.
This story revolves around girls who were treated abhorrently because they 'dared' to get pregnant out of wedlock and were taken to a 'home' against their will until the baby was born and then adopted out. As our protagonist Neva states, she and the others were described as "bad girls, neurotic girls, needy girls, wayward girls, selfish girls,..girls with pasts, girls from broken homes, girls who needed discipline, girls desperate to fit in, girls in trouble, girls who couldn't say no.", a veritable smorgasbord of all the harmful tropes you can attach to a young woman. You can feel the girls' rage at being dismissed by society through the pages; you rage with them as they are denied a voice, as they edge ever closer to their due dates and are treated like incubators and nothing else - manhandled at doctor appointments, gaslit into thinking their concerns were invalid, not even in control of whether they can use salt on their food. It is no wonder they took it when they were given a (magical) lifeline.
It takes a while for the magical element to bed into the story, and I'm not sure quite where I expected the story to go with it, but I didn't see it taking the route it did! Once the magic starts, it really does build to a crescendo.
Living in Ireland, this story of Mother and Baby Homes is familiar and horrific. It isn't that long ago that the last one closed here, and we are still learning about the bigger-scale impacts of these homes and how awful they were. They thrived on society's wish to ostracise those who did not 'fit' into their ideal, and the people running the homes used their power to terrible effect.
It is a big move for a male author to write a story about women's lack of bodily autonomy, but he pulls it off. The vivid descriptions of labour and the various accompanying procedures made me squirm, as they were so realistic; as per his genre style, these medical events are written so viscerally that they border on the horrific. There is a detachment to them - we can tell those performing the procedures see the body in front of them in a medical manner, opening and cutting and stitching as necessary. However, having spent however many pages getting to know the person in that body, it is challenging reading! I definitely would not advise someone currently pregnant to be reading this.
My main concern with the tale is that certain characters felt like caricatures; Hagar and her sister Miriam, who work in the home, are the very clearly black characters who, of course, know all about how to both birth babies and save everyone from evil magic. At one point, one of the girls even comments when looking for Hagar that they can ask their black taxi driver, as essentially, all black people must know each other. It is a bit baffling how Hendrix can take one marginalised group (the unwed mothers) and portray them well, and then write such stereotypical characters for this other marginalised group.

Grady Hendrix is one of my auto buy authors. I will read anything he writes and I love that each of his books seems to follow a different supernatural theme. Witches, you say? Fabulous, yes please!

I adored how human Witchcraft for Wayward Girls was. Hendrix has done a brilliant job bringing these girls to life. Their struggles and their friendships were perfectly written and, though I have no medical knowledge, those birth scenes were also incredible. The witchcraft element was brilliantly done, allowing the girls to feel some control and power in a situation where they previously had none. I really rooted for them and was completely satisfied with the ending.

In summary, this was a perfect supernatural escape, balanced with real emotion and love. It’s a story you’ll be thinking about after putting the book down and I can’t wait to read what Hendrix writes next.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this one!

A powerful witchy feminist story that will leave you rooting for the main characters but also raging at the injustice of it all.

I did not enjoy this book and stop reading at 40% of the book because it almost took 30% for the plot to start.
It may be my fault for not reading the synopsis properly but i did not enjoy reading about a creepy doctor lurking on young pregnant girls and the people were all fucked up in a way. but more than that the beginning is really long and we get introduced to a bunch of people but not a lot of them stand out and have a real personality. the plot is almost non existant before 30% and when it finally start it still so dragged out that i had to give up

“Whatever you wanted to call us, we were children. And we had to make terrible choices.”

The type of gut-stabbing unsettling horror that only comes from something steeped in truth. Witchcraft for Wayward girls was a story I’ll never forget and I am happy I read it. It was not an easy read, but it was powerful and emotional and magical. It had a mobile library, witches, unwed mothers, blood, pain, storms and mercy. I hadn’t read a Grady Hendrix book before but I will be trying his other books after this. Definitely recommend, even if (like me) you aren’t always a massive reader of the horror genre. As a side note, I liked that all of the girls were given botanical names from the home- it further removed the people they were in that moment from the rest of their lives, despite them never forgetting what had happened.

💜I received an ARC of this book and am leaving an honest review voluntarily💜

“For girls like us, down there at the Home, the devil turned out to be our only friend.”
Grady Hendrix is back, this time with a story about a home for pregnant teenage girls with a twist. This book is a wild horrifying at times rise, sometimes unsure where the real horror lies, the awful human behaviour towards these young girls or the supernatural side of it. There were moments where I was on the edge of my seat and thoroughly creeped out. A story with a lot of heart in it too, seeing the friendships of these girls blossom was wonderful. The whole witchy side of it intrigued me at first and then, yeah, takes a turn! Warning there are two pretty graphic childbirth scenes.

god this book.... the first 100 pages were slow, but after that? I read the rest in one night, it was unbelievable and heartbreaking and magical and slightly gross, everything a great grady hendrix book should be

🕯️ Witchcraft For Wayward Girls • Grady Hendrix 🕯️
★★★★.𝟮𝟱

Read if you enjoy:
🕯️ Fantasy or/and horror
🕯️ Reading about mother and baby homes
🕯️ Young protagonists
🕯️ Historical settings
🕯️ Found family/coven
🕯️ A mobile library promoting witchcraft

It’s 1970, Florida, and Fern is sent to Wellwood Home, a place for ‘wayward’ or ‘loose’ young girls to come, hide their pregnancy, give birth, and return to their ordinary lives as though nothing has happened, even if they will never be the same again.

This book may have one protagonist, Fern, but it’s also the story of three other girls: Rose, Holly and Zinnia. The story was consistently compelling throughout, whether it’s learning about the girls or learning about the witchcraft. What was particularly poignant was the reasons they felt they had to pay the price to grasp a slither of power. The found family/coven vibes were flawless. I especially loved Rose as a character. I also loved how it depicted just how much your perception shifts after childbirth. This was a blend of fantasy and horror based on real situations, and made for an incredibly powerful novel. My favourite by this author so far.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars
Publication date: 16 January 2025
Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fifteen-year-old Neva is taken to Wellwood House, a home for unwed mothers, to see out the final three months of her pregnancy. Miles from the nearest town and forced to abide by the home’s draconian rules, the girls are powerless, kept in the dark of what is to come. Then one day a travelling library arrives outside Wellwood House. And the librarian presses a book onto Neva, one that promises answers, power, even revenge. A book of witchcraft.

I have been going back and forth over the rating of this book, and I'm still not sure I have made the correct decision… But, first thing first: the writing is on point. It is so atmospheric and evocative. You can really feel the Floridian heat; it's oppressive, sticky and suffocating. I loved the four main characters and I was so invested in their stories. If you are expecting a horror book, this is not it. There are some graphic scenes indeed (please check content warnings) and some truly tense and nail-biting moments, but this is very slow-paced - it is a long book, and it feels long.
It's not even really about witchcraft; it is really about the treatment of those girls at the hands of a society that judges, stigmatises and ostracises them, where they are given no agency over their lives and their own bodies. Lest we forget, these are children - the youngest character, Holly, is fourteen. Rose, the oldest, is seventeen. In the current climate where Roe v. Wade was overturned in the US and women are dying from lack of reproductive healthcare, this is a very relevant conversation.
And in this context, I'm not sure if the fact that this all-important message is delivered in this book with the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the head is a good thing or a bad thing.

"Unleashing the power of a coven's will is not for the weak hearted. But everything worth doing is accompanied by fear."


Grady Hendrix's new novel is about the Wellwood Home in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption with the intent of forgetting 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. Everything the girls do daily is monitored by adults under the guise of doing what is 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.


I wasn't sure how this story was going to play out. I will admit I have struggled with a few previous books by this author but was intrigued by the premise of this one.


It begins with a visceral portrayal of the situations these young women found themselves in and the circumstances that bring them to this home. The way in which they navigate the time spent whilst being treated a certain way was difficult, as the reader you can see through the acts by the adults in this situation and know that theres something at play here other than the best interests of these young mothers.


From the beginning I was quickly glued to this book. The more I read on the more it was becoming obvious that something much darker was about to surface. Once that becomes apparent the story flips into a race for survival.


I enjoyed this one a lot. I like the way the witchcraft was shown as a form of strength in many ways it just needed the girls to give into it.

I saw the words Grady Hendrix and Witchcraft and was immediately sold, but I didn’t expect what this book gave me. The beginning was a fairly slow build up but had that creepy atmosphere where you knew something big was coming and when the plot started moving it wasn’t slowing down. The setting of the baking summer in Florida really made this book come alive and you really felt for the girls being heavily pregnant in that setting. There were some truly disgusting moments of body horror which made me squirm, which is a testament to the writing. All in all I think this is a very solid horror novel with a good plot and great horror elements. Another triumph from Grady Hendrix.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

“You can’t beg the world to do what you want. You can’t ask it nicely. You must force the world. You must bend it to your will.”

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix is a historical horror novel set in the 1970s, focusing on a group of underage pregnant girls who are sent to a home where they can quietly go through their pregnancies, away from societal shame and judgement. The story addresses the horrors of the world as these girls are hidden away, forced into manual labour, and silenced by a system that claims to act in their best interest. The true horror lies not in supernatural elements but in the mistreatment, isolation, and societal judgment these young mothers face, particularly in the pre-Roe v. Wade era, which adds an eerie relevance to the conversation about reproductive rights.

The protagonist, Fern, a 15-year-old girl, arrives at the home and meets others like her—Zinnia, Rose, and Hope. The girls are introduced to witchcraft and the occult by a traveling librarian. Using witchcraft as a tool, they gain a sense of control over their lives and futures. The novel features themes of empowerment, societal critique, and the bond between these young girls as they fight against the world that has abandoned them.

The witchcraft aspect is more subtle, while the horror comes from the gruesome birth scenes and the exploration of the emotional and physical toll that society's judgment takes on these girls. While the supernatural/witchcraft elements might not be as central or intense one may, the novel delivers an intense narrative with a strong feminist focus on empowerment and friendship.

My only downfall for the novel is that it didn't meet the horror themes I was hoping for, which isn't necessarily a criticism - but I am certain this won't be my last of his books!

Themes include witchcraft, found family, historical horror, societal oppression, feminism, female friendship, and gore.

Check the trigger warnings and enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley & Pac Macmillan for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Grady Hendrix has done it again with Witchcraft for Wayward Girls! This book is a delightful blend of nostalgia, dark magic, and razor-sharp wit, wrapped up in Hendrix's signature storytelling style. The plot masterfully weaves together past and present, exploring the lives of a group of teenage girls who stumble into the dangerous allure of witchcraft and the long-lasting effects of their choices.

Hendrix excels at creating vivid, relatable characters, and the protagonists in this novel are no exception. Their struggles with friendship, identity, and power feel authentic and engaging, pulling the reader deeper into their world. The story is both eerie and heartfelt, striking a balance between supernatural thrills and poignant moments of human connection.

The pacing is mostly strong, although there are a few moments in the middle where the narrative slows down. However, the tension ramps up significantly toward the end, leading to a gripping and satisfying conclusion. The book also offers subtle social commentary on the dynamics of female friendships, groupthink, and the consequences of wielding power irresponsibly.

Overall, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls is a compelling and atmospheric read, perfect for fans of dark fiction and supernatural mysteries. While it may not be Hendrix's absolute best, it still delivers an entertaining and thought-provoking experience. Highly recommended for anyone looking to escape into a world of magic, mischief, and mayhem!

(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.