Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

This book is really hard to categorize. I would not call it a horror story persay - it crosses multiple genres. This is a story about Asian American identity, friendship, mental illness and found family. There is a serial killer, there are ghosts, and there's violence against Asians, which makes it really tragic. So it's partially a crime thriller and partially a ghost story, but it's also a tragedy. There are even some farcical elements in it. For example, Cora's friend Yifei and her relationship to her roommate is ridiculous - funny, but also racist and tragic. And Cora's Auntie Zeng is like a caricature of a Chinese auntie, but in the very best way.

I actually had to look up the term "Bat Eater" because I had never heard it. Apparently it's a derogatory term toward Chinese people from the Wuhan province, where the COVID virus originated. The author used this skillfully by incorporating bats into the story, which added to the horror element.

Throughout the book, Cora is desperately trying to find her way - abandoned by both parents, living with her older half sister despite their complicated relationship, recovering from being hospitalized for mental illness, making a living as a crime scene cleaner, and straddling both the Chinese and white sides of her heritage (learning about making food for hungry ghosts, meanwhile also confessing at church). She and her coworkers discover that there is a serial killer who is targeting Asian women, and possibly coming after her next. Her coworkers are both Chinese and have their own back stories, and just as Cora starts to get close with them, the story really picks up. There is just so much to unpack.

To add my own perspective, I am an Asian American female doctor who worked before, during and now after the COVID pandemic, so this book really hit home for me. Primarily, the Asian hate is so strong in this book that it's a bit terrifying. But also ... the numbers of people who died, the heightened anxiety that Cora experiences every day because of her OCD, the political issues with masking and social distancing...it brought back the collective trauma we all experienced at the time. We did the best we could with the information we had, but it caused a lot of emotional damage to a lot of people. I am not even from NYC, but if I were, I would be especially traumatized reading this.

Anyhow, to get back to the book, it was very well written and thought provoking, and kept me turning the pages. I both laughed and teared up at various points in the story. I have never read anything like it. Wow! Job well done, Kylie!

Trigger warnings for the reader: gore, racism, hate crimes.
There was some weird spacing in the version that was sent to my Kindle, which was distracting, but tolerable.

I knew I would love this book when I read the synopsis last fall. But boy, did it deliver—haunting, gruesome, and unforgettable!

Bat Eater is more than a horror novel—it explores grief, trauma, racism, and justice. Set during COVID-19, the story captures the real-life xenophobia East Asians faced. While the social horror feels disturbingly real, Baker weaves in other horror elements—hungry ghosts and a serial killer—to write a chilling, layered story of vengeance and justice.

I loved the use of Chinese folklore! Rituals like burning joss paper and feeding hungry ghosts are not just atmospheric; they add a cultural richness that we rarely see in mainstream horror.

In addition to Cora (our FMC), Auntie Zeng and Yifei stood out as memorable characters. I couldn't get enough of Auntie Z: part folkloric guide and part badass ghostbuster. Yifei also provided much needed levity that balanced Cora's heaviness. However, Yifei's heartbreaking confession at the end—ugh! That really hit me hard!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Natalie Naudus (a favorite of mine) while reading along with the physical copy. Naudus breathes life into Cora’s panic, grief, and doubt. Her performance is truly top-notch. The physical book was great for revisiting Auntie Z’s chapters, which provided more depth about the folklore.

If you haven’t picked this up yet, now’s the time—especially since May is AAPI Heritage Month. Bat Eater is dark, meaningful, and deeply original.

Book review: Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng 5/5 ⭐️

“But not everyone has dreams. Some people just are, the way that trees and rocks and rivers are just there without a reason, the rest of the world moving around them.”

WOW what a book, it has everything gore, love and hate, grief, fear, heart, religion, trauma, culture, racism, and a plot that pulls it all together. I did not expect to love it as much as I did.

In March 2020, I was living in Manhattan, specifically Chinatown, and the author nailed the atmosphere perfectly. Though I moved out shortly after the pandemic started, I remember hearing the slurs against my neighbors and the accusations that they started the virus. That’s where my experience of the pandemic in relation to this novel ends. However, the author makes you feel, a fraction of, the experience of Cora, and the Asian community had. She writes bone chilling gore, that doesn’t take away from beautiful prose, or the plot. They all stand strong on their own and work extremely well together, and complement the Chinese traditions and folklore the author weaves throughout (introducing not only myself but Cora to certain heritage aspects).

Absolutely loved and will be getting a physical copy of this to read again.

This one gave the me exact same feelings as The Eyes Are the Best Part, although I did like this one a lot more. I do wish it had gotten to the true horror stuff faster. The first half dragged. Also, I kinda wish the commentary wasn't so on the nose. Overall it was an enjoyable read and I'd recommend it to anyone who liked that other book as well.

This book is going to give me nightmares, and that's a compliment.
Cora Zeng is a Chinese-American woman with what seems like contagion/cleanliness OCD during the start of the pandemic in NYC. And then someone pushes her older sister in front of the subway. Now, Cora is crime scene cleaner, not interacting with anyone aside from her two coworkers, hiding and burying everything as deep as she can. But she's starting to see things and something might be following her, and she thinks there's a serial killer targeting Chinese women. It's going to take all she's got just to survive.
Genuinely this book was so scary, right from the very horrifying first chapter. The suspense is glorious and the tension is sky high. The ghosts are terrifying, and then they're even way more terrifying. The ending is a blood bath, although in fairness, a lot of the book is. I'm trying not to give spoilers but this book is so good and so so scary. It's really very well-written and has everything you could hope for. This is going to be a horror classic one day.

Thank you to the hive, harlequin trade publishing, and netgallery for access to this book!

From the first chapter this book starts off with grasping your attention. The story takes place during Covid following Cora Zeng a 24 year old crime scene cleaner in New York who notices that many Asian women are being killed with bats left at the scene of the crime. Cora is also being haunted by a ghost who is leading her to evidence on who might be behind the killings. This story had a lot of twist and turns that kept you guessing and towards the ending had my mouth gapping on the floor. I would definitely recommend reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an e-arc for review.

4.5 rounded up.
Bat Eater & Other Names for Cora Zeng is... whew. It's a lot. Anxious and messy and bleak and funny.

Set against the very real backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City (incidentally, where I finished reading the book) we start with Delilah, Cora's half sister, being shoved off a subway platform to her very gory death after being called a bat eater. Shortly after, we're with Cora Zeng, working as a crime scene cleaner, based out of Chinatown. Asian women keep getting murdered, Cora and the clean up crew keep cleaning up crime scenes, and they start to realize that there's some sort of connection when there's also bats at these crime scenes. Cora's anxiety was already radiating from the page, but it ramps up in such a real and exquisite way that I could feel it and also wanted to scrub myself raw.

And in addition to everything, Cora must deal with the tug between the two sides of her family (her Chinese aunt, and her incredible religious American aunt), and the fact that she is very, very haunted by her sister's murder, the police's unwillingness to do anything about trying to find the murder, and also maybe also being haunted by Delilah.

Without giving too much away Cora and the cleaning crew of Harvey and Yifei try to solve the murders and the ghost problem while also actually becoming friends instead of just coworkers.

Yes, there's a lot of social commentary. Yes, there's a lot of COVID-19 being mentioned (it is integral to the story, after all.) So if that's not your speed, maybe this book isn't for you. But it's definitely for me: a gory fever dream that toes the line of being an "unhinged girly" book.

Wow— So so impressed with this! I don’t read a lot of horror but absolutely loved this.

It was creepy and horrific in all the best ways.

I’m always skeptical of media and how it might handle 2020 and the pandemic but this paints the reality so that time so well.

Content Warnings: death, murder, racism, misogyny

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

There were so many aspects of Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng that made this book so enjoyable for me.

There is grief, ghosts, folklore, a group of lovable misfits with an insanely intriguing job. I felt a wide range of emotions reading this, sorrow, empathy, pure rage and even brief moments that made me cackle. I really thought this was a beautiful, heartbreaking story, and several weeks later I still think about it. I listened to this on audio, Natalie Naudus did an amazing job with it. This was my first read from Kylie Lee Baker, I immediately need more. Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng published earlier this week and is going to be in my top faves for the year. Thanks to MIRA and The Hive for my advanced audiobook! 🖤

This is a review of the audiobook.

Happy pub day to Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by @kylieleebaker

NO NOTES! A five star read for me! In hungry ghost fashion I devoured this book! It drew me in from the very first page. This book was the perfect mixture of a horror story and important messages.

Let’s start with the horror. I really enjoyed this ghost story. Bakers writing did a great job bringing the words off the page. As I read late into the night I felt as though I could see the story happening all around me. I love when a book makes you feel like you are right there with the characters. I really enjoyed being creeped out by the different ghost encounters while also getting my true crime fix from the different crime scene clean ups. Also THE FEAST scene I had my jaw to the floor while reading and then disturbingly enough also got a good laugh. IYKYK. Although the ending left me feeling sad, I was content with how Baker wrapped everything up and didn’t leave me with feeling like I was without closure after connecting with the characters.

Now on to the importance of this great book. Kylie Lee Baker did a fantastic job creating a story line that not only showed paranormal horrors, but also the real life horrors Asian Americans face everyday and especially during the pandemic. Her writing was able to elicit so many emotions from me as a reader. I was angry, hurt and sad for Cora and the other characters as I read. I laughed with them, cried with them and it was a great way to see into the lives of someone different than myself. I live my life by trying to always be kind to everyone I come across each day and to teach my children the importance of kindness even when someone isn’t the same as they are. I think it’s a character trait that so many people today lack and I believe it’s important to keep writing and reading stories like this to see what’s outside your own bubble. Always be kind because you never know what someone else is going through.

I encourage everyone who reads this book to also read the authors note because it’s really meaningful and important.

Let me start with, if you love supernatural horror with gory elements then absolutely read this book it is amazing and incredible and will absolutely meet your expectations. With that said, there are so many human elements that are so beautifully represented in this book, that it makes it not only a great horror novel, but also a piece of social commentary. The representation of the Asian American experience during Covid was compelling and emotional. The representation of contamination OCD, which I happen to also suffer from, was phenomenal. I have never seen someone so accurately portray the things I deal with and struggle with, while I’m just trying to be a normal person who can function in society like anyone else. All and all the social commentary elements along with Kylie’s ability to stay true to the horror elements and giving them a constant presence throughout the book made this a hands down 5 star read for me.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng was an incredibly compelling horror novel that combined supernatural Chinese lore, gore, and real world fears of racism. I am not typically one to enjoy a pandemic novel (especially about COVID-19), but Baker wrote something so exquisite that this has become a very rare exception for me. This book had many layers that were effortlessly balanced. We follow Cora, a crime scene cleaner who is grappling with the grief from losing her sister and struggling with her identity as a biracial Chinese-American. Baker did an amazing job of getting the reader to feel the gamut of emotions that Cora has been experiencing which made for a visceral read. I couldn't help but root for Cora and feel connected to her struggle (which is dangerous territory in a horror novel). This is definitely not the easiest read, but a crucial one as it highlights human depravity and the violence that stems from fear and bigotry.

The social commentary in this book regarding Covid-19, the blatant racism and xenophobia is intense and necessary, especislly in a world still reeling from the aftermath of the pandemic; the way it explores death and grief is raw and real. This book is both horrifying and brutal but also necessary. A truly phenomenal read that will stick with readers.

𝘽𝙖𝙩 𝙀𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙊𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙉𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙖 𝙕𝙚𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙮 𝙆𝙮𝙡𝙞𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧 is set in New York during the early days of the pandemic. It follows Cora, a biracial Chinese American crime scene cleaner who’s grieving the loss of her sister Delilah who was murdered in a racist attack. When Delilah’s ghost starts appearing, angry and hungry, things only get more unsettling.

This book blends horror with grief and Chinese folklore in such a powerful way. The hungry ghost isn’t just a supernatural element; it’s a symbol of everything Cora has lost and everything the world refuses to face. You can feel the weight of her pain and rage in every chapter.

The story doesn’t hold back when it comes to showing the racism and fear that Asian communities experienced during the pandemic. But that’s what makes it so important. It’s raw, emotional, and at times uncomfortably real.

I do wish some of the side characters were more developed, and the pacing dipped in a few places. But overall, this is one of the most original and emotionally charged horror novels I’ve read recently.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this reminded me of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was eye-opening. Humans can be cruel sometimes. Are the conspiracy theories true? Are they trying to control their citizens?
this is worth reading. it was hard to follow at times, but overall this was a good book.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker is a dark and raw book. Taking place at the start of the COVID pandemic, Cora is an Asian woman living in New York. After a tragic racist attack happens, Cora is left unmoored. She takes a job as a crime scene cleaner. She and her coworkers start to see a pattern in the crimes they clean up after, a pattern that leaves them hunting for a serial killer that is targeting Asian women. This story almost immediately devastated me and then continued to do so throughout. This is a genre-bending look at racism, mental health, and grief. It is unsettling and gory. I really felt for Cora and connected to her. There are many layers to this story, and it is well done by the author. It shines a light on uncomfortable subjects, and is thought-provoking. 4/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me access to an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Publication date April 29th, 2025. This review will be found on Instagram, StoryGraph, and Goodreads indefinitely.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker is an absolutely gripping supernatural horror/ thriller novel that will sink its teeth into you and not let go.

Cora Zeng is a 24 year old germaphobe who is half Chinese and half American. Her sister Delilah has always guided Cora through and now, during the height of the pandemic, Cora needs Delilah more than ever. But one day a trip to get some much coveted toilet paper ends in tragedy when a masked white man pushes Delilah head first into a subway train, yelling "Bat Eater" into her face. Four months later Cora is still haunted by her sister's violent death. Working as a crime scene cleaner, Cora is able to focus her energy and cleanliness into her work and the routine helps quiet but not silence the grief. After being called out to multiple crime scenes all involving Asian women, Cora and her coworkers begin to suspect someone is targeting Asian people. At every scene there is also at least one bat left as a calling card. And if the grief of Delilah's death and a possible serial killer isn't enough for Cora, add in The Hungry Ghost festival that Auntie Zeng has been trying to get Cora prepared for and no wonder it feels like she is losing her tenuous grip on reality.

This is definitely one of those books that will stay with me for a long time! Creepy, disturbing and atmospheric, I found myself fully immersed into Cora's story. I love the way that Kylie Lee Baker has masterfully layered a supernatural horror and a gripping thriller on top of a sharp and incisive look at the prejudice and racism that controlled our world during the pandemic and after. I absolutely loved Cora as our main character! She is flawed and relatable and her vulnerability and emotional turmoil pulls you deep into her fractured mind. This book is one I am going to be thinking about for awhile and I highly recommend checking it out!
Content and Trigger Warnings:
- Racism
- Violence
- Grief/trauma
- Blood/gore
- Mental Illness
- Supernatural horror
- Animal cruelty/corpses

Thank you to NetGalley, Kylie Lee Baker, and HTP/MIRA for this ARC!! Publication date: April 29th 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOW.
This was heavyyyy but amazing horror.
I have not picked up a book who is set during the early days of COVID, so I was worried this wouldn't be something I would enjoy but it's so well written and I LOVED CORA and her crime scene clean up crew, Yifei and Harvey, so so much. This is a whole other level of grief horror and something I haven't experienced before in a novel.

Bat Eater has found a way to combine a deeply creepy mystical horror/thriller and lay those distinct pieces over the top of very real and very poignant commentary about the state of racism, prejudice and hate that continues to be rampant in the United States.

My only gripe with this amazing horror novel is that I would have loved to spend even more time with Cora, Yifei and Harvey as a trio, honestly my favorite part of the book was them trying to unravel what is going on with Cora.

I absolutely loved this book. Cora was such an amazing character that we see grow throughout the book. Seeing her finally become her own person was just what my cold little heart needed. But don’t think this book was all about the feels. It was gory as heck and is definitely a horror novel. Theres a serial killer on the loose and trust me they don’t care if crime scenes are messy. Anddd I love that Cora and her friends are just crime scene cleaners?! During COVID?! Idk why but I thought you had to go to a special school or something to do that 😂Anywhooo there’s also the perfect amount of dark humor/sarcasm to lighten the mood every once in a while. I highly highly recommend picking this one up

Bat Eat and Other Names for Cora Zeng was my first pandemic book on COVID and it did not disappoint! From the first chapter, you’re thrown into the horrors of what’s to come in this book. Cora witnessed the death of her sister that was a hate crime, and now four months later she’s working as a crime-scene cleaner where life still isn’t normal and may never be. I’m sure you can relate to Cora in one way or another. This book was filled with dark, eerie, and gory moments that also had mystery and cultural aspects. The inclusion of the Hungry Ghost Festival made for an interesting read with its important role the festival played in the book. The character dynamics were one of my favorites in this book and I loved the relationship that Cora built with her co-workers. This book doesn’t shy away from the violence and racism against Asian Americans and reflects many themes that makes for a powerful read.

Thank you to The Hive and HTP Books for the gifted copy!