This book was contagious as the virus Henny Penny and I couldn’t put it down.The storyline and Main character were a delight to find out what happened to her.The timing of this book is perfect as we are just starting to try and get back to normal after 2 years of Covid and it makes me feel like I was lucky with my Covid journey. I would definitely recommend this book._

"Funny how when there's no official scarcity, you can live without touch for years -- perhaps not fully, perhaps not happily, but you can do it because the prospect is always right around the corner. Theoretically, you can always find a likely somebody and invite that person to touch you and they'll take you up on it and life is fine and you go on with it -- maybe with that person, maybe not."

If Covid lasted another 8 years and had a more enjoyable name (such as Henny Penny), this book would likely become a diary as opposed to a fictional delight. We follow the protagonist as she breaks out of her reclusive hibernation pattern and reenters the world. First attending. government sanctioned 'touch centres', she realises she needs more. Under the guise of her journalist role, our lead enters the different stages of the Petting Zoos - locations you can enter for touch, and much, much more...

"I was the Charles Dickens of the apocalypse". For one thing, the protagonist is hilarious. She sheds light on how isolated so many of us have become, whilst becoming so wrapped up in her own cocoon, she almost forgets to bloom out as the butterfly that's long, long overdue.

This was kind of an unexpected erotica. The book is highly descriptive and only becomes more explicity as time goes on. Yet in the context of the tale, I loved it. The book challenged a lot of behaviours I personally picked up whilst normalising the concept of social-distancing and the year I spent not leaving my own house and the touch I lost from it.

The book was so much more than just erotica or a pandemic expose, however. It was a deep look into all we have lost during this time, through an alternative timeline that visits a lot more extremes. The reader must face uncomfortable truths about the way we have all become desensitised and consider how to take forward the almost comical discoveries in the book in a calmer manner in reality.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc. It was marvellous.

The Petting Zoos is a post-apocalyptic novel that—unlike other books that fall in this genre—focuses more on the effects of an apocalyptic event on the human psyche. It had been ten years since a vaccine was created and given among the survivors of the pandemic nicknamed Henry Penny, but the fear never went away. The government that they call the Regency still strictly controls what is shown in the media, controls people's fear, and requires the populace to still follow strict rules and regulations to not catch the ever-mutating virus.

The protagonist, Lily, is a middle-aged woman who dubs herself the "Dickens of the apocalypse" because she is a reporter turned short story writer whose hopeful works served as escapism for everyone during and after the pandemic. However successful she seems, Lily has been isolated from the real world since she caught the virus over ten years ago. Finally forced to get out of the protection of her home, she is challenged to face her fears, confront the trauma of Henry Penny, as well as deal with her skin hunger. After experiencing a taste of touch for the first time in a decade, Lily starts craving it like a hungered animal. Then comes the Petting Zoos, an article to write, an enigmatic zookeeper, and the nightmares of yesterday.

The first 30% was promising, it explored Lily's struggles quietly as she rejoined society for the first time again. I was sympathizing when she had her first touch when she was remembering what was before. But then things ironically got kind of stale when the plot picked up. About 60% of this book was told through dialogue exchanged between characters; with those dialogues, we were told about the worldbuilding and we were told about what these characters are feeling. I swear, everyone just articulated exactly what they felt, which is an issue to me because it felt like these characters are nothing more than two-dimensional. I personally also think that the MC did not have that much chemistry with the main romantic interest, and I didn't enjoy their time together specifically. The conclusion was a little abrupt too, and—without giving anything away—it got solved too easily for my liking. I did enjoy the variety of petting zoos shown and how queernorm they are.

Overall, it's safe to say I'm not exactly the target audience of this book. While that is the case, I still found the concepts interesting and I understand why this could be enjoyable for some people, hence why I'm still rating it higher. Pick this up if you're a fan of character-driven dystopian novels as well as sex adventures that explore the concepts of humans' need for sex, human connection, and touch post-pandemic.

Thank you, Dundunn Press and NetGalley, for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

(I posted a longer review on my Goodreads and the same review will be posted on my blog later this month).

Ten years ago, the world was ravaged by a deadly virus that killed a significant portion of the population. Although recovering for the most part, the world’s survivors are neurotic and anxious, loath to leave the safety of their homes to brave the dangerous outside, and despite vaccines and government mandates enforcing the wearing of protective masks and gloves when in public, many still fear that it isn’t enough.

This was an absolutely fantastic reading experience that had me hooked from the moment I read the synopsis. The idea behind the story is inspired, relevant to current world events in a way that really resonated with me and my own struggles, especially during the first year or so of the Covid19 pandemic, and I found the exploration of Lily’s anxieties to be thoughtfully done and impactful.

However in doing this there are, perhaps unavoidably, moments of quite grey, sterile writing that dragged down the pace of the book, especially in the beginning chapters. I wish that there had been more engagement in those moments, and though I recognise the stylistic choice to have the writing mirror Lily’s evolution as a character, it was a bit of a slog as a reader to push through. Furthermore, this wasn’t helped by the fact that we discover next to nothing about Lily before or during the height of the pandemic, so there is very little to anchor her experiences to as she begins to explore the world of the Petting Zoos, despite these moments being well written and otherwise highly evocative. I found myself wanting her to experience good things, to feel new things, to come alive again, but there was no basis in that ‘again’ because I had no ‘before’ to work with aside from a brief description of her isolation.

Very good book overall

A book extremely relevant to the current circumstances we are living in. It talks about the human experience in an extremely nuanced way. The writing is masterful, the storytelling is riveting. A very well-intentioned character study of a woman trying to navigate a world she no longer recognizes.

This was a miss for me. The first 10-15% was such a chore, but then it really picked up. Then from 30% onwards it was so unenjoyable I was just bored. Even at 50% through we were still setting up basic world building, and this was done frequently, late into the book, and for great lengths of text. Like - I get it I promise. Shame because there were glimmers throughout but couldn't wait to get it over with by the midway point

Dark and insightful journey of a woman trying to find her way back to life after 10 years in a post-pandemic world.
Funny and desperate at the same time, certainly relatable.

This is a very different kind of book & all the better for it. Set within a different pandemic, this book was apparently written before the current pandemic, which I can't help wondering is a good thing or a bad thing. By that I mean I don't know if the readers will associate more or distance themselves more as a result.

Regardless, this voyage of self discovery is a pure joy to read & I found it completely addictive. The erotic sub text is well written & engaging throughout. I'm sure the reader will want to know how it all ends & how the central character finds her own boundaries, I certainly did & read through as a result.

The idea & concept are inspired, I just hope the sexual content doesn't overshadow the great story. I'll be honest & say that I wasn't a strong fan on the final fifth & it was less of ending and more a stop, but what a strong debut.
I am sure the author will just improve & improve.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an ARC of Petting Zoos by K.S. Covert!!!

I was really intrigued by this book and I really enjoyed it! This book is super relatable in the touch starved world that we know live in. In The Petting Zoos, This book is about a virus that sweeps the world nicknamed Henny Penny and the effect that it has on the world. The main character Lily caught it and has sequestered herself for 10 years until she is forced back to in office work. Once she is there, she has to go to a touch therapist and when that is no longer enough she goes to the petting zoos. I love this book! I was worried it might be odd reading a book like this with the state of the world today, but it was able to draw me in.

Fascinating, relevant, strange, scary. I’m not sure how else to explain. It was so real, yet not quite all the way. It was difficult emotionally but also so engrossing I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend this book.

The Petting Zoos by author K.S. Covert is a novel I wanted to like. The plot was timely and contained just enough to pique my interest and compel me to request this as an ARC from NetGalley. Try as I might, however, there are things about this book that are in need of aggressive editing. Some may be coming in the published work (e.g. formatting errors), but some appear to be a conscious effort on the part of Covert that simply do not work or are errors egregious enough to have separated me from the page.

The story itself is certainly one of relevance. A pandemic has swept the world and left in its wake a society separated by law-required masks, gloves and clothing made impervious to the virus that was discovered to have clung to it. The illness, dubbed Henny Penny, has left nothing untouched. From food supplies to the sensation of another human’s touch, each aspect of society has in some way been disturbed and transformed. Lily is a woman who, prior to the pandemic, is purported to have led a relatively “normal” life, gathering with friends, traveling to work, etc. She contracted Henny Penny, nearly lost her life, and emerged a newly minted hermit, ordering food rations, working from home and separating herself from others who survived the worst. Even when the guidelines of the government are eased and employees are forced to return to the workplace, Lily maintains her isolation to the extent possible. As a magazine writer, her prior job of reporting is no longer in her comfort zone, and so she is asked to consider penning fictional stories for the publication. Here she shines, as her talent draws in readers and garners her fan mail. When Lily simultaneously receives a request from her boss to return to reporting in order to write a story about illegally operating human “petting zoos”, as well as a letter inviting her to visit a particular zoo, and finally a private recommendation from her doctor to give one a try, Lily is forced out of her comfort zone and into a hedonistic world where humans deprived of basic contact for so many years come together to touch and be touched and to satisfy the wanting that consumes them. Lily’s journey to self-actualization is followed as she visits zoos of varying degrees, from vanilla zoos that allow only superficial touch to mocha zoos that are ruled by an “anything goes” mantra and harken back to what were once known as swingers’ clubs.

Covert begins her book with a glossary of terms one needs to know to fully appreciate the story. I found it to be off-putting and a far too sterile introduction. As a reader, I need an immediate hook, which this vocabulary exercise just didn’t provide. Covert also structures the text in a way that is interesting to analyze but difficult to read. Main character Lily begins as a flat, gray presence that is reflected in the flat gray of the writing. As she slowly emerges from her hibernation, the writing follows suit and becomes more colorful—more engaging. Whilst I understand the author’s intent, those initial monotone pages are difficult to wade through, and there’s just not enough of an immediate payout to encourage the reader’s continued investment.

The descriptions of the leveled petting zoos, and the activities that occurred within, were well written and contained just enough sensory detail to bring the events to life. Without the reader engaging with Lily as a sympathetic character, however, the scenes aren’t in any way anchored. We know next to nothing about the person Lily was before the pandemic, and only a very small amount of who she became in isolation, so finding interest in her zoo visits is difficult at best. The result is some well-written soft porn.

There are also some continuity issues here. In one scene, Lily is visiting an illegal “rave-type” event run by her neighbor, Eleanor. The scene inside the building, as well as the fact that Lily detects a scent of marijuana, is described before she even gets out of the car. It is errors such as this that again separated me from the story itself.

Overall, the writing is sound with masterful sentence structure, wonderfully sensual imagery and a plot that hits close to home in light of current events. Profound and unapologetic editing is needed, however, in order for this book to meet its true potential.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for allowing me to review this ARC. Publication is set for June of 2022.

Finished ‘The Petting Zoos’ by .@kscovert and it’s sci-fi that felt so real it hurts. The virus, the gloves, the masks… The fear and. -at the same time- craving for human contact, for a hug… A great read. .@dundurnpress #NetGalley

Also very interesting how Petting Zoos sounds like sci-fi while saunas had been there for the male gay community for a few decades now…

This was such a good read and forever present with the recent pandemic that we are living through, as sometimes it feels like we are living through a dystopian novel. It was gripping and I couldnt put it down, it was well written with good character development although most of them were dislikable although i warmed to some. I cannot wait to read more from thsi author.

The Petting Zoos is told primarily through the perspective of Lily, someone who's isolated for ten years as a result of the Henny Penny pandemic. She has lost all her family and friends that were close to her, and doesn't realize how starved she is for human connection until she is mandated to go back to work in person. As a journalist, she's asked by her boss to write a story about the petting zoos, a space where folks go to engage in illegal physical contact in many forms (from "vanilla", meaning only light touching and no sexual contact, to "mocha", in which nearly everything goes).

It was really fascinating to have a window into Lily's point of view, because her character changes so much through the lifespan of the story. I picked up themes of the importance of human connection and the arc of addiction, told mainly through Lily's relationship with the owner of one of the petting zoos, Kaz.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and the character development in the story, although I wouldn't say that the characters are necessarily likeable. I enjoyed how introspective it was regarding themes of humanity and relationships that are at the forefront in the current COVID pandemic! My only complaint is that I wish it was a bit faster in terms of pace, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my read. I would give it a 3.5 if I could, but am rounding down to 3.

Covert has created a bold piece of post-pandemic literature that reflects upon that which is taken from us in a social distancing era: the need for human intimacy. Though this novel centers around a different, unrelated pandemic, the issues faced in the aftermath of that pandemic are akin to those following COVID, and thus the issues hit home in a way that they perhaps would not have in years past.
However, this is certainly not simply a stock standard "what would happen if" tale, and the more I read, the further I found myself drawn in. Though the premise certainly provided an essential backdrop to the setting of the story, I found that the issues upon which it reflected were, in essence, human issues, and would be just as poignant were they to be removed from their not-so-unimaginable science fiction setting.
This is more than simply a dystopian science fiction novel, or an erotic one. This is a beautiful and tactfully written exploration into the human psyche, and what it means to live rather than survive, and it is executed flawlessly. I can say with absolute certainty that I intend to read this again, and again.