Delicate Condition is an intense horror by Danielle Valentine

Picking a beach read isn’t easy as everyone has different tastes. If you’re looking for a horror story, then Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine is it.

While I’m a massive romance reader, I will occasionally dip my toe into other genres including horror. I’m a huge horror movie watcher but sometimes, written horror doesn’t translate as well in my opinion.

That was the exact opposite case with Delicate Condition. If anything, this almost felt too real and too visceral which is something most people don’t associate with pregnancy. After this book though, it seems like exactly that.

Whether you’ve heard of Delicate Condition or not, this is a book I haven’t stopped thinking about since I picked it up. Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me a digital ARC to read.

Delicate Condition is an eye-opening yet incredibly intense horror read.

Everyone has different tastes when it comes to horror books. Some prefer slashers while others prefer more suspenseful reads. However, Delicate Condition hits that sweet spot that few horrors do as it’s a book based on what some women’s realities truly are which is the scariest of all.

The story follows Anna Alcott who is an on-the-rise actress struggling to get pregnant. She’s done multiple rounds of IVF with no success until she becomes pregnant. It’s going fine until she tragically suffers a miscarriage. She is understandably distraught and begs anyone who will listen that she just wants to be able to have her baby back.

Oddly enough within the next few weeks, Anna starts to feel as though she might be pregnant, and coupled with the odd symptoms she’s having, it’s frightening to see just how much control Anna doesn’t have. It gets even worse as no one is believing her or pretending she’s imagining everything amidst her grief.

As this story is inspired by Rosemary’s Baby, you might think you have the entire thing pegged yet Danielle Valentine takes you on a ride. The author makes you question every single character, every interaction, and everyone Anna interacts with throughout the story. In a way, you can relate to her because as the audience, we have no idea what’s going on.

Eventually, the pieces start to fall into place but I won’t give away any spoilers. Ultimately, this book proves exactly why pregnancy is still such a taboo topic. There are so many things we still don’t know especially when it comes to miscarriages. It’s scary to think about how your body can do something without you even realizing yet Delicate Condition takes it a step further.

Regardless of what type of horror you enjoy, I think Delicate Condition is a must-read for this summer. It’ll leave a lasting impact on you and make you questions things you’ve never even considered. If this one isn’t on your radar, it needs to be.

Additionally, the book was the basis for the upcoming American Horror Story season so you have time to get caught up. Plus once you read it, you’ll see why it ended up being a great pick for a season of AHS.

Delicate Condition is out now where your favorite books are sold. 

Will you be picking this one up before the upcoming season of American Horror Story? Let us know in the comments!