And as I say, my own story is a positive one, so I found so much power in the experiences that Valentine details here, emphasising the need for us to share, understand, and be made prepared for the shared common side effects and negative experiences that women need more support with at this time. Because while flaky dry skin, hair falling out, and unreasonable cravings are normal pregnancy symptoms, it's easy to see how they could be mistaken for being possessed by the devil!

They had already been odd: missed appointments on calendar, drugs left out of fridge all things Anna knows she has done properly but know she swears she is being followed, their apartment is broken into so they involve the police Gruenwedel, Erik (October 16, 2023). "JustWatch: Another 'Totally Killer' Streaming Week". Media Play News . Retrieved October 17, 2023. Then, sadly Anna loses the baby at 15 weeks. The doctors tell her that her baby is gone, so the couple recuperate in their friend’s house in a secluded location. The tendency to assume that women can't be trusted to accurately convey their symptoms comes from the historical diagnosis of 'hysteria', which was once thought to be a medical condition said to only affect women" With each passing day, Anna grapples with increasingly horrifying symptoms and a growing sense of danger. She is confronted with a chilling reality and is forced to confront the unnerving question of what is truly growing inside her, all while her desperate pleas for assistance fall on deaf ears.Anna faces disbelief from her doctors and husband as she experiences strange pregnancy symptoms, shedding light on the dismissal of women's experiences in real life. Three out the last four seasons of AHS have all had 10 episodes, so it's likely that Delicate may follow suit. That would mean Part 2 will contain a further 5 episodes. a b Malkin, William Earl (May 2, 2023). "Kim Kardashian Working With an Acting Coach to Prepare for 'American Horror Story' Role (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Retrieved May 5, 2023.

She and Dex are overjoyed when she finally finds out that the IVF has been successful. But, instead of the blissful pregnancy women see on television and in movies, along with the kindly obstetrician, Anna’s experience begins to take on the form of a nightmare. If any of this sounds vaguely familiar, Delicate Condition is the basis for the 12th season of American Horror Story, Part I of which is out now and stars Kim Kardashian, Emma Roberts and Cara Delevingne. This is the first time an installment of the anthology has been adapted from existing source material. It is also the first time the series will be penned by one writer, Halley Feiffer, who also took over as showrunner. While aspects of American Horror Story: Delicate’s production are new, the plot is straight out of the AHS handbook. Tried and true fans of the series know that the scariest parts are not the haunted mansions and killer clowns but the moments when the show mirrors the real tragedies of America. In season one, that was a school shooting, season 11, the AIDS crisis. These days, few things are scarier than the state of women’s healthcare. American Horror Story Season 12 FIRST look: Cara Delevingne and Emma Roberts spotted filming in NYC". Wion News. April 24, 2023 . Retrieved April 24, 2023. Griffith, Eric; Steele, Chandra (October 13, 2023). "Must Watch: The Most-Streamed TV Shows and Movies This Week". PCMag UK . Retrieved October 17, 2023. Fabulously original. A deeply unsettling read that plays on women's darkest fears of pregnancy." ―Gemma Rogers, author of The SecretGruenwedel, Erik (October 2, 2023). "JustWatch: Prime Video's 'Gen V,' Hulu's 'No One Will Save You' Top Weekly Streaming Through Oct. 1". Media Play News . Retrieved October 4, 2023. The paranoia Anna experiences is so well written. Where so many books in this genre play up to the unreliable female protagonist trope this book explores a woman who is frequently dismissed and disregarded as exactly that, but is she really?! Through the lens of women accessing healthcare; where they are often fobbed off, downplayed and ignored, this book explores the female experience of medical gaslighting in such a nuanced way. I felt it was totally relatable in that sense. Of course is it hyperbolised here, mingled in with some good old gothic horror and a bit of domestic thriller action but it says something bolder than the usual thriller. Anna and her husband Dex are going through IVF treatment but sadly Anna loses the baby and has a miscarriage. But just a few weeks later, during a bourbon filled night, she's convinced she feels something moving inside her It's a read-in-one-sitting spookfest with a good dose of horror alongside a fast, pacy thriller." Deborah Maclaren, LoveReading MD

Another scan reveals that she is in fact still pregnant and is delighted! However, there are some very strange going on's through her pregnancy and she has no idea who to trust. Anna and her husband, Dex, have been trying to have a baby, but so far, it hasn’t happened for them. 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. Please do be mindful of the trigger warnings - miscarriage, IVF, infertility, implied animal cruelty - this book absolutely needs it. The Push meets The Silent Patient in a gripping thriller that follows a woman convinced a sinister figure is going to great lengths to make sure her pregnancy never happens―while the men in her life refuse to believe a word she says. Anna Victoria Alcott is an actor who finds her success a little later in life. She’s married and trying to conceive and undergoing IVF treatment when her career really soars. This newfound taste of fame combined with a parental hyperawareness leaves Anna feeling paranoid and fragile. As her pregnancy progresses so do her strange antenatal symptoms until she becomes convinced she’s carrying a monster…

The book successfully engages with the reader's emotions, providing a rollercoaster ride of suspense, tremendous suffering, and unexpected twists. It's comparable to classic horror novel "Rosemary's Baby" but with a modern and distinctly feminist approach. A spooky, devour-in-one-sitting story that's guaranteed to have everyone talking."―Leah Konen, author of You Should Have Told Me To me, Delicate Condition felt very much like a Rosemary’s Baby for the 21st century, with the same eeriness, the same mystery, with the same central question: is-this-delusion-or-something-dark-and sinister-at-work?

The story in the book includes themes of fame, stalking, infidelity, and witchcraft, with a coven casting a spell to help Anna's baby survive and Anna helping another woman conceive years later. Casanova, Sandy (July 13, 2023). "American Horror Stories season 3 release updates, strike delay, and everything we know". Hidden Remote . Retrieved July 16, 2023. The narrative deepens its intrigue as Anna discovers that her close friend, Sobhian, is also a member of the cult, shedding light on the peculiar red mark beneath her chin. That changes with the series’s upcoming 12th installment, American Horror Story: Delicate, featuring Emma Roberts as a 30-something desperate to have a baby and Kim Kardashian in a yet-to-be-revealed role that was written just for her. While plot details have been kept tightly under wraps—beyond a teaser that, while stylish, doesn’t exactly reveal much—anyone curious about where the show is going can get more than a few hints by reading this season’s source material: Delicate Condition, a new thriller by Danielle Valentine out August 1.Mangalindan, JP (September 21, 2023). "Kim Kardashian's 'American Horror Story: Delicate' Debut Served Up the 'Campy Fun' the Series Needs". People . Retrieved September 29, 2023. I can’t say much more without spoiling the story. What I can tell you is that Danielle Valentine has taken every aspect of her YA writing and has weaved together a phenomenal adult novel. The characters are incredibly believable and the suspense and horror are bone chilling. The pace is done perfectly and flows seamlessly with a complex cast of characters and timelines. It is as much horrific as it is heartfelt,