Book Review / Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

 

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

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, 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. There, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to keep her baby and escape to a commune. Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby’s father. And Holly, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.

Every moment of their waking day 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.

Published:  16th January 2025

Publisher:  Tor / Penguin / Random House 

Goodreads :  Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I loved about this story...   This was a fun read for me.  I already know and adore Grady Hendrix, having loved the majority of his previous books, so I was very excited to get stuck into this one.  I liked that it was not set in present day, but in the 1970s where, it appears, there was a history of unwed mothers being sent somewhere to have their baby type of situations.  So you have this bunch of girls who are stuck in Wellwood House, not being able to escape and being treated in a way that they want to escape or try and get out of it.  Its no wonder they get sucked into the occult and all it has to offer.  From then on its just a downward spiral into mayhem.  Although I would have loved to have been surprised by some twists and turns (most of them were predictable for me) I enjoyed this story nonetheless.  

Would I recommend?  A must pick up for those who have already enjoyed stories by this author.  For those who like a bit of history in their horror, this is a good one to try out also. 

Book Review / By Any Other Name

 

From the New York Times bestselling co-author of Mad Honey comes an “inspiring” (Elle) novel about two women, centuries apart—one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays—who are both forced to hide behind another name.

Young playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. But seeing it performed is unlikely, in a theater world where the playing field isn’t level for women. As Melina wonders if she dares risk failure again, her best friend takes the decision out of her hands and submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym.

In 1581, young Emilia Bassano is a ward of English aristocrats. Her lessons on languages, history, and writing have endowed her with a sharp wit and a gift for storytelling, but like most women of her day, she is allowed no voice of her own. Forced to become a mistress to the Lord Chamberlain, who oversees all theatre productions in England, Emilia sees firsthand how the words of playwrights can move an audience. She begins to form a plan to secretly bring a play of her own to the stage—by paying an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work.

Told in intertwining timelines, By Any Other Name, a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire centers two women who are determined to create something beautiful despite the prejudices they face. Should a writer do whatever it takes to see her story live on . . . no matter the cost? This remarkable novel, rooted in primary historical sources, ensures the name Emilia Bassano will no longer be forgotten.

Published:  20th August 2024

Publisher:  Random House / Penguin/ / Allen & Unwin

Goodreads :  Click here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I loved about this story...  The one aspect that I always enjoy when picking up a novel by this author is the fact that she makes me think.  This story was no different.  In this story, we are following Emilia Bassano throughout her life, following her works and where that leads her back in the 1580s.  When I went into this book I really didn't look to much into it or wonder what it was about.  I had not realised that this was based on and includes historical facts and references.  I have always been taught and believed that William Shakepeare was a very successful playright whose plays are still being shown and taught today.  What I had not really realised until reading this book was this may not have been true.  There are a lot of very interesting theories put forward on this book that has certainly made me question whether the history we have been taught is true. 

Would I recommend?  For those who like to think outside of the box and who want to question the history that we have been told throughout our entire lives, this is a very interesting book to pick up.  I can't say whether the history in this story is all fact, some fact or based on fact but the question that is posed in this story, I believe, is certainly one that should be discussed more...