Anna and her husband, Dex, have been trying to have a baby, but they were struggling so the answer was: IVF. Anna is an actress best known for a role from a couple decades ago, but her most recent film appearance has her looking at being an Oscar nominee. With her recently-regained fame, she wants to remain private about her struggles with conceiving. Anna really does want this child but she has this feeling that running out of time.

Finally, Anna gets pregnant but unfortunately, she has a miscarriage and loses the baby in the first trimester. It’s a few weeks later, she feels a movement like a baby kicking.
After it happens again, and again, she knows that she is still pregnant but nobody believes her. Her doctors say it’s impossible Even Anna knows that. But…..
I absolutely loved this book. It starts as a thriller, then it turned to horror as the book goes on. This is a page-turningly suspenseful, thrilling, horrifying novel.

Horror is generally out of my reading comfort zone, but when I heard this book’s plot was serving as the basis for the upcoming 12th season of American Horror Story, I knew I had to read it. Anna and her husband Dex are on their last-chance round of IVF. But medicines keep getting left out. Appointment dates keep getting moved in her calendar. Almost like someone doesn’t want her to have this baby. Once pregnant, Anna suffers a traumatizing miscarriage (definite TW). But shortly after, her pregnancy symptoms not only return, but amplify…and then mutate. The feelings of deep uneasiness and suspense were more and more palpable with each new section as Anna’s pregnancy evolves. I found myself physically recoiling at times and suspicious of everyone, including our classic unreliable female narrator, Anna. What was behind the sinister changes to Anna and her unborn baby? As you start to cycle through the possible options - A crazed stalker? Obsessed fan? Witchcraft? Her own husband? The occult? A jilted ex-lover? Baby-sacrificing elite Satanists à la Pizzagate? You can’t help but wonder if this is all in her imagination because why does no one believe her? Can she figure out what’s going on before it’s too late?

I particularly appreciated the parallels to non-horror-story pregnancy - the often unspoken anxiety about something alien growing inside you, depleting you of nutrients (anemia is a common pregnancy side effect) and wreaking havoc on your hormones and body. We all know - or should know - women’s concerns are too-often overlooked or ignored (experienced this first-hand when my epidural failed during labor with my oldest and I was basically told I was imagining it). On top of the sacrifices pregnant women make around what food, medications, beauty products, and activities they can consume and participate in, how our bodies and minds are physically altered by pregnancy, often permanently, and how prenatal care is focused entirely on a healthy baby, often to the detriment of a healthy mom (made even more obvious by the immediate and precipitous decline in maternal doctor visits following birth), there are eerie parallels to be drawn here and Anna’s plight amplifies these real-life issues. Come for the horror story, which is chilling, but stay for the societal commentary.

Pub Date: 8/1/23
Review Date: 7/11/23
eARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled with this one, personally. It has a lot of merit -- I appreciated the spotlight on medical gaslighting a lot of women experience. I also felt it successfully positioned the vulnerability of pregnant women, especially if their concerns aren't taken seriously (not just by doctors, but even those close to them). Talk about timely and relevant to the zeitgeist!

However, my biggest issue is that it was unrelatable. Not that some people wouldn't relate (I think a lot of people would, actually), but in the first 25%, I felt like the main character's desires were only talked about in a surface level sort of way. It seemed as though the story relied on it being obvious why Anna would want to have a baby.

For example, some questions that might have increased my engagement with the story might be: Why does Anna want to be a mother? Why does she want to have a baby with Dex, specifically? Why is she willing to go through the grueling process of IVF to have a baby?

As someone who doesn't want kids and has never been through pregnancy, these answers are NOT obvious to me. With a little more focus on Anna's inner world, I would have at least cared about the character getting what she wants.

I also struggled with the dismissive, disbelieving way everyone treated Anna. I'm sure it's all relevant by the end, but it ultimately made me care even less for any of the characters. There were also things I felt I had to just go with, which also limited my immersion in the story. I decided to stop reading at about 30%.

[Also, there is a lot of body horror around pregnancy in this one, so take care while reading]

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC and the opportunity to review!

Huge thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to review Delicate Condition. When I read online that season 12 of American Horror Story would be based on this book, I rushed to NetGalley hoping I’d be granted access. This story is so good I told my boss at my volunteer job that I almost canceled coming in so I wouldn’t have to put the book down. Although the author kept me frustrated suspecting every single person involved in the pregnant main character’s life, the conclusion wrapped up all the loose ends in an ingenious way. Due to the Writers’ Strike, filming for season 12 of American Horror Story stopped in March and is expected to resume in October. What a great book!

This was a great book. I loved the storyline. It completely flowed and progressed into an extraordinary thriller. It almost came across as a horror novel and at times I was literally scared of what would happen next, but the genre remained a psychological thriller. I would definitely recommend this book for an in depth suspense and I will be reading more from this author.

This is well-written and pretty creepy. I love Rosemary’s Baby so I really wanted to love it. That said, I admittedly don’t care at all about pregnancy stories and this was basically all about pregnancy. Also the animal violence was too much for me. I think this is something lots of people will love; it’s hard for me truly relate, though, because I don’t have or want children.

Delicate Condition was a mixture of psychological thriller and horror, and it has taken me several days after finishing it to properly sort out my thoughts.

Anna Alcott is an actress who is desperate to be a mother. In her late 30s, she undergoes IVF and is certain this is her last chance to become a mother. Strange things keep happening though- appointment times switched, medicines left out that need to be in the fridge. After her home is broken into, Anna is sure she has a stalker, and she and her husband move to an isolated home on the beach owned by a friend. After an awful night at the hospital, Anna is told she has miscarried. She is convinced she is still pregnant after feeling something moving in her stomach, and her symptoms continue to grow more and more grotesque and horrifying as her pregnancy progresses.

There are so many things to talk about here. This is a great social commentary on pregnancy in general, and on the fact that women’s health issues are often brushed aside or overlooked. Anna’s husband and doctors continue to tell her she is fine and things aren’t that bad, she has to eat, she has to relax, etc, giving no credence to the way she is telling them she actually feels. It’s a sad fact that our country’s mortality rate for pregnancy, and for Black women’s pregnancies in particular, is far too high for how much medical knowledge we hold, and this story is an interesting addition to that commentary. I would definitely caution those who find pregnancy loss or fertility treatments to be a trigger that this story may not be for them.

I’m not typically a huge horror reader or watcher, so some moments in here went a bit too far for my comfort zone. I read that this book is the basis for the next season of American Horror Story, and that seems very fitting. The book had fantastic descriptive writing, making it very easy to picture the scenes in my head, and they will be incredible on screen. I was scared, disgusted, and horrified at different points through the book.

The writing in general drew me in quickly, even as the story was a slow burn on the way to a wild finish. Valentine’s writing is descriptive, clear, and concise. She created a tense atmosphere that had me on edge for the entirety of the story, wondering what would happen next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4 stars-Heads up, my opinion this is NOT the Silent Patient meets The Push. This would however make a very interesting American Horror Story. For me, I got faint vibes of the show Servant on Apple TV. Definitely more key word horror than I was expecting. I guess I should have gotten that from the synopsis…but, it’s summer so it’s ok that I maybe didn’t catch that right away. The story is very fast paced and fairly interesting. I did feel there was a bit of repetitiveness with the weird happenings in the pregnancy, but I suppose you’ve got to sell it. Overall an enjoyable read Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my review.

Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine is just simply wow. When I was lucky enough to be invited to the @bookmarked party for Thrillerfest, this was one of the books they were giving away. When I tell you, I beelined. Once I secured the goods, I proceeded to tell anyone else who would listen that they had to get a copy. I loved How to Survive Your Murder and knew this book would be amazing. I was not wrong. This is said to be the basis for American Horror Story Season 12 and I can see why. Creepy and completely captivating, I couldn’t stop reading. I stayed up too late and considering my kids are home alllllllll day for summer break, this wasn’t easy. There were times I wasn’t sure who or what to believe and that’s exactly how I like my books. This is a thriller/horror and represent the best of both genres.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars
Wow. That is all I can say about this book. Delicate Condition is a fantastic horror/thriller about pregnancy and womanhood, and the flawed medical system that women and mothers are subjected to.

This book follows Anna, a woman who is desperate to become a mother and has gone through multiple extensive and painful IVF treatments. When she finally becomes pregnant, she soon after is told that she has suffered a miscarriage. However, with continuing and worsening symptoms, Anna believes she is still pregnant, but of course, neither her doctors nor husband believe her.

This is not extremely fast paced, but more of a slow and steady progression as we follow Anna from the very beginning to the very end of her pregnancy. The deeper we get into the story, the darker and more horrifying it becomes. Not only does this focus on the harsh realities of pregnancy, that are often downplayed in media, but there is also a dark mystery laced throughout the book. I also thought it was an interesting aspect that the main character is an actress. This added an interesting dynamic of trying to juggle all these other things, while also being in the public eye and, at times, becoming victim to anonymous and threatening messages from people who think they know all about your life - when really, they have no clue.

I really appreciated the social commentary about the medical system, and the author's note at the end was fantastic. I would highly recommend this book to not only mothers (and fathers), but those who have no interest in having children as well. This was certainly a very unique reading experience and I'm sure I will be thinking of it for a while.

“The things that made you lucky could also be the things that made you suffer. Lo wished people would stop telling women they should be grateful for their suffering instead of trying to help them with it”.

Actress Anna Alcott is ready for a new role: mom. She and her husband have been struggling through rounds of IVF and now it appears she has a stalker too. Hiding in a friend’s home, Anna begins to think someone is trying to make sure this pregnancy doesn’t happen. When she does become pregnant, she suffers a devastating miscarriage. But Anna KNOWS she is still pregnant and when she finally convinces her doctor to do another ultrasound, lo and behold, she is still pregnant! As her baby grows, Anna’s cravings become disturbing and she senses she is in danger. Is her mind playing tricks on her or is there something sinister at play here?

When I read this was the author’s first adult thriller, I couldn’t believe it; it was SO well done! Anna’s fear, heartbreak and despair were palpable, as was the ever-growing frustration that no one would believe her when she told them something was wrong. She was dismissed continually by her husband and her doctor that she was essentially just hormonal and to relax. I loved how this was a slow burn thriller with continual elements of horror weaved throughout; Anna’s cravings were enough to make anyone think this was not a normal pregnancy! When the baby was finally born and the twist was revealed, my jaw dropped; I didn’t see that coming at all! Simply put, this book was everything I love in a thriller; the eerie feeling that something wasn’t right, an unreliable narrator and a twist I didn’t see coming! “Delicate Condition” is not one to miss.

Trigger Warnings: infertility and pregnancy loss.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC! “Delicate Condition” releases August 1, 2023.

This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

Delicate Condition has a growing sense of unease mixed into its pages. It was that unease that kept me interested throughout the book. I had a lot of trouble relating to protagonist Anna—outside of wanting a baby, I didn’t feel like I really had a good sense of who she was, and I wasn’t really clear on why exactly she was with Dex, who to me seemed to be lacking in both personality and redeeming qualities. I liked the plot better than the characters in this book, although toward the end I wished there was a little less explanation. And while I enjoyed the epilogue and found it to be a fitting end to this story, it didn’t make me like Anna any better.

Anna is desperate to start a family. She’s an actress and struggles with life as she’s dealing with IVF. As time goes on, she begins to suspect that someone is going to great lengths to ensure she never gets pregnant. Appointments are deleted from her calendar, and times are changed. When she does get pregnant, she ends up in the ER with a late first trimester miscarriage. She is desolate and inconsolable. Shortly after, she starts to feel kicking. As her symptoms progress, she begins to wonder if she’s still pregnant. As threats are made against her and things take a turn for the worse, she begins to wonder if she will survive this pregnancy in one piece.

This was a hard book to read. I didn’t quite read the description enough to understand that the entire book was about a traumatic pregnancy. This book also hit close to home for me as I have also undergone IVF and had multiple miscarriages. Do not read this book if anything related to pregnancy, including getting pregnant, are sensitive for you.

When I got into the book I was utterly and eerily creeped out. The pacing was wonderful and made it a completely bingeable read. I read it over one afternoon because I didn’t want to put it down. I really enjoyed Anna as a character and empathized with her. My understanding is that season 12 of American Horror Story is going to be based on this book – and that completely tracks – it’s creepy.

If you are looking for a horror book set around a pregnancy, then check this one out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Netgalley, @Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

loved the buildup and pacing of this book. It was such a great and easy read. Loved the flash back to different time periods of different people dealing with pregnancy. Love the commentary on the american health system as well as the systemic racism women of color experience.

3.5 ⭐️

I haven't watched a lot of the American Horror Story TV show but apparently season 12 of AHS is based on this book?!?! If you are a fan of AHS then read this book! There is TW associated with this book such as miscarriage, infertility, etc. The book was kind of a slow start for me but it has a strong creepy eerie feeling that made me hooked to this plot. The author writes in a way that makes you question everything and every single character in the book and at some part, I feel gaslighted HAHAHAHAHA 😭. This book reminded me a lot of Rosemary's Baby and I was scared by that movie 😭.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebook Landmark, for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it fell unfortunately flat for me. I found the pacing slow and rambling, with very little content to qualify it as a psychological thriller. I can see where the author wanted to take it, and what moments were meant to make the reader squeamish, but the result was altogether lackluster. There were so many characters, and so many personalities throughout this story, but it felt like every character aside from Anna was an afterthought.

DELICATE CONDITION
Danielle Valentine


Season 12 of American Horror Story will be based on a book for the first time ever. DELICATE CONDITION by Danielle Valentine has been adapted and will be coming to the small screen later this fall, 2023.

DELICATE CONDITION is subtle but effective. I didn’t realize I was creeped out until it was too late. While reading the book it’s like you’re given secret notes for you to unopen when you’re alone later.

Let’s talk about it!

Anna is an actor and just wrapped up what might be her biggest role yet. But all that is on her mind is a more personal project. One of becoming a mother. It hasn’t been easy. It’s been difficult. She has been struggling with infertility to such an extent that she starts to fear someone, or something is trying to keep her from becoming pregnant, something nefarious.

Sadly, after becoming pregnant Anna suffers a devastating miscarriage. At least that’s what all her doctors are saying. Only Anna believes she is still pregnant.

We’ll leave it there.

DELICATE CONDITION is the perfect book for an upcoming adaptation. I read most of the book with season 1 of AMERICAN HORROR STORY: MURDER HOUSE on in the background. And it was the perfect accompaniment to the book. I believe out of all the seasons it is most similar in themes to the first installment. It will fit in quite well with the franchise.

The horror in DELICATE CONDITION is subtle and creeps up on you. Infests itself in your psyche. It reminds me a lot of Sara Gran’s COME CLOSER and I would be remiss to not mention its similarities to ROSEMARY’S BABY.

I heard a rumor that Kim Kardashian will be starring in the adaptation although her character has not been revealed yet. I can only speculate as to who I think she will play. It’ll be great no matter what and now that I’ve read the book, I can’t wait to see how it all comes to fruition.

If you decide to pick this up, keep in mind the themes are sensitive in nature and take care of yourself.

Thanks to Netgalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy and the opportunity to provide feedback!

DELICATE CONDITION…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For actress Anna Alcott becoming pregnant had become her sole mission in life. When the many rounds of IVF finally seem to work and an embryo is implanted, she should feel on top of the world, right? But suddenly Anna is noticing little things happening that are making her question her sanity, and her safety. Appointments on her digital calendar are changed right before her eyes; medicine is left out when it should be refrigerated; a stalker breaking in and stealing a photo of her embryo makes her think somebody is trying to take her baby; and her husband will not stop telling her to calm down! Anna is obsessed with her pregnancy, so when she starts to miscarry and feels the baby leave her body, she spirals into a deep depression. Until one night she feels the movement…the small flip of a tiny body within her abdomen. There’s something inside of her, but her doctor has confirmed her miscarriage, right? Has Anna’s obsession with becoming pregnant clouded her judgment? When it's confirmed there is in fact a baby in her womb, she can't escape the paranoia that she's being followed. Is somebody stalking her to try to take her baby from her?

This was such a fun reading experience! Author Andrea Bartz calls Delicate Condition “the feminist update to Rosemary’s Baby we all needed,” and she is 100% accurate. This dark, psychological horror will take you on a roller coaster ride through uncertainty, rushing you to guess the next turn, but then suddenly you're jerked in another direction. Valentine brought it all with this one: atmosphere, psychological distress, eerie stories from the past…all makings for the perfect recipe for an ultra-thrilling and scary reading experience. To top it all off, the ending was something I did not see coming, a slight twist into something that was eluded to throughout the whole novel, where only hindsight will make you say, ah, yes, that makes complete sense.

I absolutely devoured this book and highly recommend it to readers of gothic fiction, horror fiction, psychological-thriller fiction, and feminist fiction. Trigger warnings include miscarriage, pregnancy, childbirth, and dismissive doctors.

Thank you to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for an ARC copy of Delicate Condition.

This story was such a wild, excellent ride! I felt like I was reading a mashup of The Push and a horror movie (in the best way). I think most women who have been pregnant have felt the unease of wondering if everything is "normal", as well as the frustration of feeling doubted or unheard and this story nailed both of those. I literally could not put this down until I found out how it ended!

Fans of horror who don't flinch at grisly events involving babies may find this story thrilling. It just wasn't for me. Thanks for the chance to read it.