I don’t even know what to say about this one…it was messed up, but kept me reading and wanting to know what would happen. Fantasy mixed with horror mixed with the pandemic…this was totally out of my comfort zone for books but I did like it and the well written characters.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker was one of my most anticipated reads and it gave me more than I expected. Set during the early months of the pandemic, Bat Eater explores the rise of anti-Asian hate through slurs and the growing number of murders of East Asian women. Even in those darkest moments, it made me feel seen as a Chinese person. I loved reading about specific traditions, like burning joss paper and feeding hungry ghosts, in a mainstream horror novel.

Yet Bat Eater is more than just horror. It’s a ghost story, a mystery, and a tale of grief, friendship, loneliness, and self-discovery. It also captures the Asian experience of living through an incredibly isolating, confusing, and hateful time.

4.25/5 stars! The cover of this book was so cool, I was instantly drawn to it. This is a horror thriller but also a look at human depravity that we walk by every single day, including racism. It was just so well written. It handled heavy topics but wove them through the lens of a scary movie and kept me engaged from the first page.

Gothic horror meets cultural reckoning, and the result is a fever dream I didn’t want to wake up from. This book was mythic, raw, and absolutely stunning. The prose cracked open something ancient and tender inside me.

Kylie Lee Baker is undeniably a beautiful writer. I enjoyed the first chapter immensely and think it would make for an enthralling and impactful short story.

Unfortunately, beautiful writing doesn’t make for an engaging book. After the first chapter, the story dragged its feet constantly. Up until about the 70% mark, I felt no attachment to the “horrifying” moments, disinterested even when the content was interesting (and terrifying) in theory. It did pick up significantly, but if this hadn’t been an ARC, I would have DNFd halfway through because I simply didn’t care enough to know what happened.

At the end, I’m glad I finished this story because the Chinese-American perspective set during the 2020 Covid pandemic is an important read. I feel this book is much more geared toward literary fiction enjoyers rather than action-packed horror enthusiasts as myself.

“Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng” will be released April 29, 2025. Although it wasn’t exactly for me, it might be for you.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When people say this is good, they are underestimating. Cora’s sister Delilah decides to leave to visit their father and a creeping slow feeling starts to take her over; she is going to be alone. But then Cora experienced a different kind of earth shattering, end of world experience- in a very graphic and unexpected way.

To make ends meet, Cora becomes employed as a crime scene cleaner in all its detailed guts and glory. And I do mean detail, this will not be for the faint of heart. There is so much real life pain in the writing in this, reflecting the way Asian people were treated in the after effects of COVID; while still balancing out with supernatural elements. As we get to know Cora, it’s also an exploration of grief in a sudden disappearance and how we process unexpected loss.

This gives vibes of that Cassandra Khaw writing, Maeve Fly storytelling in that it doesn’t hold back. And almost getting The Sixth Sense feelings. The story starts off really strong and intriguing but does lose its steam almost halfway in but picks up again closer to the end. I’m disappointed in myself for not having read anything by this author till now and look forward to picking up more.

This was such a beautiful and sorrowful exploration of the societal view of Asian women versus the internal turmoil we face. I loved the use of the hungry ghosts as a metaphor for the societal expectations. This is definitely a new favorite.

4.5 rounded up to 5!
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a gory, heart-wrenching, visceral story of grief, friendship, belonging, belief, culture, and survival. Cora is a Chinese American girl who has always found her identity difficult to navigate and now must do so in the middle of a global pandemic; one that hateful people have wrongly pinned on anyone who looks like her.

This story is dark, gritty, and difficult but it’s also beautiful, poetic, and necessary.

I was a nurse working the floor during the pandemic. We lost a lot of residents, and it's not a time I like to revisit. I’ve avoided every pandemic-related book I’ve come across—until now. And to be honest, I’m not usually into ghost stories. I don’t think I even realized this book was haunted when I picked it up. The crime scene cleanup angle was enough to hook me, and everything else came along for the ride. So really, I was set up not to enjoy this book… but I had the exact opposite experience.

What I loved:

- The exploration of religion/spiritualism and the contrast between belief systems. It was fascinating to see how both of Cora’s aunts approach faith and morality.

- The friendship dynamic between Cora, Harvey, and Yifei—it felt authentic and deep.

- The insights into Chinese culture and the broader Chinese American experience.

- The true crime plotline—it was compelling and well integrated.

- The gore! It’s very well written. One scene even made me gag—which _never_ happens, lol.

What didn’t work as much:

This would’ve been a five-star read for me if the pacing had been slightly different. I just wanted more of the true crime/serial killer storyline in some places. But again, I’m not typically a “haunted” reader, so I think that might be more about me as a reader than any flaw in the book itself.

Cora is published in the USA on 4/29!

Quotes:

"She opens herself to be God's parasite instead of Delilah's, and like always, no one answers."

"But Cora knows the face of fear is not an abstract what-if. Fear is born in the after, when the world peels back its skin and shows you its raw, pulsing innards, when it forces you to remember its name. Anyone who has seen the face of fear knows you should damn well be afraid."

"This is why Cora is always quiet— when something actually matters, it matters too much, and everyone can taste it in her words. It scares them, how much it matters to her."

"But in Hell, it is always just yesterday that everything was lost. The dead do not forget."

"She knows this, none of this is new, this is all just fingers running over scar tissue."

"And Cora knows all to well that you can't fear someone who has no power over you."

This was a very unsettling and dark book. Set during the Covid pandemic, we see Cora Zeng navigating her life after her sister was murdered in a hate crime. As a crime scene cleaner, she sees some truly gruesome things, but when other Asian women start being murdered, Cora starts to wonder if something sinister is going on, especially once a ghostly presence reveals itself to her. I did really enjoy this book overall. I thought it was such an important perspective to see during the pandemic when Asian hate crimes were skyrocketing. Also, I enjoyed seeing Cora grow closer to Yifei and Harvey and gain more confidence in herself. I did think the middle dragged quite a bit, but the beginning and end definitely had me intrigued and excited to see what would happen. I think this is a perfect book for fans of The Eyes Are the Best Part. Also, I loved the author’s note at the end and how she dedicated the book to everyone that was lost during the pandemic.
CW: racism, hate crimes, murder, gore, death, animal death, religious bigotry, pandemic

Thank you NetGalley, HTP Books and MIRA Books for the advanced digital reader’s copy!

After her sister is pushed in front of a train in an act of racist violence, Cora Zeng works as a crime scene cleaner, washing away the remains of the dead. She's not always sure what's real and what isn't, but when the Hungry Ghost festival brings the possibility of a haunting and the deaths of East Asian women increasing, the lines blur and nothing is as it seems.

I read this book in one setting. I devoured it, stayed up later than I should have because I needed to know how it ended. This book has some gnarly gore and horrific deaths (that's always a compliment) but the horror of the racism and hatred Cora and her friends face cannot be understated. This book had a wave of rage building in me as Cora dealt with people who blamed her for COVID and shouted slurs at her, and the book begins with the blood-spattered, racially motivated death of her sister. It's a hell of an effective intro.

The looming pandemic and the threat of spirits and serial killers is oppressive, and Cora's struggles to remain grounded in reality were both realistic and awful. This book covers a broad spread of issues, integrating them skillfully and building a believable crew and setting. I was 100% invested, with Cora all the way through to the end.

Highly recommend this one.

.

CW blood, gore, murder, death (human and animal), racism, pandemic (COVID-19), mental illness, child abuse/neglect

Cora Zeng, known as the Bat Eater, is a character shaped by the hate she faced during the pandemic and by the spirits that haunt her. In a fearful New York, filled with anti-Asian violence, Cora and her friends clean the scenes of murdered Asian women. They find bats at each scene and the ghosts of the victims looking back at them. Cora is not loud or attention-seeking, but she carries the weight of collective trauma. Her names, Bat Eater, ghost-seer, cleaner, reflect what she endures rather than who she is. The name "Bat Eater" echoes the racism of the pandemic, turning something painful into a mythic reminder. It shows us that names can hurt, but they can also hold power, especially when spoken by the dead.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a gut-punch of a debut—gory, ghostly, and unflinchingly honest. Set in pandemic-era New York, Kylie Lee Baker’s novel follows Cora, a mixed-race crime scene cleaner haunted by the brutal hate crime that killed her sister and the growing pile of murdered Asian women she’s tasked with cleaning up after. As bat carcasses and hungry ghosts begin to appear, Cora realizes something sinister is stalking her community—and it might not be entirely human.

Blending slasher thrills with Chinese folklore and razor-edged social commentary, this is The Grudge by way of Get Out, with a voice that’s darkly funny, furiously grieving, and deeply alive. Baker doesn’t flinch from horror—be it supernatural, systemic, or psychological—and the result is a novel that’s bloody, bold, and unforgettable. A scream of rage and sorrow wrapped in a ghost story that refuses to be ignored.

I’d first like to thank @netgalley , @harlequinbooks @kylieleebaker for the opportunity to read & listen this book early. I am forever thankful ❤️
This book, y’all I can barely put into words how much of a whirlwind this book was. Seeing the horror of COVID-19 epidemic through a new lens was a truly shocking experience. We meet Cora, a crime scene cleaner, who witnesses something truly horrifying.. her sister being pushed in front of train. The killer is never caught but she is haunted by his last words, “Bat Eater.”
These days nobody can reach Cora: not her aunt, who wants her to prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival; not her weird colleagues; and especially not the slack-jawed shadow lurking around her door frame. After all, it can’t be real-can it? After a series of unexplained killings in Chinatown, Cora believes someone might be targeting East Asian women, and something might be targeting Cora herself.
I felt so many emotions while reading this book: Rage, Grief, Sympathy & a strong Disgust with Humanity.
I honestly em I still thinking about this book friends.
Kylie has this unique talent for crafting such engaging and relatable characters while weaving a story that ensnares you and doesn’t let you go long after you turn the last page.
I adored this book in such a way cause it brings out so many emotions and reminds you that, “Do not let your empathy stop at the borders of your own community.”
I hope you check out this book when it comes into the world April 29th ♥️

Do not sleep on this incredible book. Perfect for both those seasoned horror vets and those tip toeing into the genre, Cora Zeng is one the most compelling characters I’ve read recently with simultaneously humanizing and bloody story to go along.
Set against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic in New York City, the novel follows Cora, who, after witnessing her sister’s murder, takes a job as a crime scene cleaner. As she works, she begins to see bats at the scenes of the crimes, all while grappling with the rampant racism of people shouting “China virus,” a deeply religious and superstitious family, and an overwhelming confusion about her own place in the world.
This book deftly explores the complexities of the time, delving into identity and grief, while also taking readers on an intense and thrilling ride. The horror itself feels like its own character: symbolic, monstrous, and uncomfortably real.
Bloody and brutal, yet tender in its exploration of racism and grief, this book will hook you and not let you go.

Given its title, Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng, by Kylie Lee Baker, is (of course) about the COVID pandemic in New York City, at its height in 2020. It’s also about people’s struggles during times of great disruption, about people’s tendencies to find racial and national scapegoats to blame during crises, and more specifically, about one woman’s struggles to survive and to figure out who she is at heart. It’s also about mental illness, and being haunted by memories and more, and about investigation, and revenge, and in the end, a kind of mercy. It sounds like it would be a downer, and it is indeed horrific and very depressing in parts, but it’s also gripping, active, exciting, sometimes very funny, loving, and hopeful. It’s like nothing I’ve read, and I highly recommend it for those who can stand the horror and hatred to win through to the positive parts.

Cora Zeng is a very anxious young woman who is basically orphaned, with a Chinese father who left his second wife and two American daughters to move home years ago; Cora’s mother joined a cult and eventually died. Cora was raised alternatively by her half-sister Delilah’s mama, by their father’s sister Auntie Zeng, who paid for half of their college educations and tells of traditions that should be respected, and by Cora’s Auntie Lois, who pays for half of Cora’s student loans each month (for an art degree that went nowhere) as long as Cora attends her Christian church on Sundays. Cora relies on her beautiful, confident half-sister Delilah for stability, but she tragically and terrifyingly loses her early on in the book, in April 2020.

By August, Cora is supporting herself as a crime scene cleaner, a job that oddly suits her germaphobic self very well, as she is quite used to sterilizing herself and her environment as far as possible (but not TOO far, as Auntie Zeng monitors her stability), and she finds satisfaction in making things clean and orderly again. It’s disturbing that so many crimes that they encounter are murders of Asians, but that’s probably just their surviving relatives choosing to hire an Asian-owned cleaner, right?

Cora tries to live within reasonably normal parameters, but she doesn’t have friends. She does force herself to socialize with her co-workers sometimes, to try to approach normality, and so after things start to get really weird, she finds herself opening up to them, and eventually relying on them.

First, they start finding bats at the Asian murder scenes they’re cleaning up (Asian, not just Chinese, since racists don’t always distinguish carefully between Koreans, Japanese, Filipinas, other Asians, and Chinese), which is an obvious signal that the killer(s) blame the victims for the pandemic, because of “wet markets” allegedly spreading the virus. Secondly, and more disturbingly, Cora finds things missing and moved around at her apartment, and hearing things, and eventually comes to believe that she’s being haunted, possibly by a hungry ghost. Her Auntie Zeng has been trying for a long time to get Cora to participate in ghost-appeasing rituals, such as burning joss paper, but Cora has resisted doing that because she believes Delilah is gone, and Zeng’s beliefs just bring up memories that hurt her.

Finally, afraid that she’s either completely losing her grip on her sanity, or that she’s ultimately going to be attacked by ghosts, she takes her worries to her co-workers, and is amazed to actually find some support. Moreover, it seems that the ghosts may be trying to leave clues to help solve their deaths. But with the investigations they’re beginning, Cory and her … friends? … may be exposing themselves to even more danger, and not just from the spiritual side.

This book is full of anxiety and suspense, terror, and heartbreak. So it’s certainly a tough read from that perspective. And given that the pandemic that takes up so much of the beginning of the book, and persists throughout it, is still with us today, it can be grim reading. Even grimmer is the fact that the hatred and blame of The Other (or Us, if the reader is Chinese or even just Asian) that are huge factors in the plot still persist now, and are even worse in some ways.

However, it’s also a very hopeful book in some ways. Cora persists, through all her internal and external challenges, and learns that there are some allies she can indeed trust. She finds an inner core of strength that she hadn’t believed she held, and although she doesn’t manage to right the world’s wrongs, she does take some direct action that provides some satisfaction, and she starts to find some things to value in her current life, instead of just enduring it. She finds ways to honor some memories. She’s even beginning to believe she may be able to find some dreams to work toward.

So, this book definitely isn’t for everyone. But for the people it’s for, it’s absolutely great. I think Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is absolutely wonderful.

What's a book that has lived up to the hype on social media? It would be this one.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a fun and witty contemporary/paranormal thriller and mystery. Cora witnesses the horrific death of her half sister in the beginning turn of the Covid pandemic in NYC. She then becomes a part of a crime scene cleaning crew and realizes that there is a serial killer out there, murdering Asians likely because of their deep rooted prejudice related to the pandemic. It does not help that Cora is not in touch with her Chinese roots and does not heed her Aunt's encouragement to prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival... Without proper preparation for these hungry ghosts, Cora is met with a ghost after a crime scene who is met with unfinished business.

Oh boy. Bat Eater struck an internal chord and was a hard read because of personal experiences during the pandemic. Though I did not receive direct words or physical contact of falsely based hatred, there was fear of the people around me that could cause harm as it happened only minutes from where I lived. I lived with a voice in the back of my head questioning if I was safe from this person walking towards me, or will this stranger dislike me so much that they would push me into traffic.

Beyond the personal feelings, Bat Eater was an excellent story. Kylie Lee Baker did an amazing job with this book. Cora is nuts and makes an interesting FMC who not only is trying to find a murderer, but embraces her ancestral heritage along the way. The plot had plenty of events and twists that had me on my toes, and was a great original story. Anda small warning for readers, it can get a bit gory as the FMC is a part of a crime scene clean up crew. Again, I definitely believe Bat Eater lives up to the hype AND I recommend it to all.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

I will be posting to socials (instagram, bluesky, goodreads, storygraph).

What a heart wrenching, amazing book! It made me cry and laugh and cry some more and boy did it scare me. All the stars for Bat Eater!

I was both excited and scared to read this book. As an Asian person who experienced the stress of the COVID pandemic and the rise of anti-Asian hate, I was nervous about reliving those emotions. But I’ve never connected with a story so deeply in my life.
The twists in this story are incredible, and the paranormal elements were beautifully written. It’s dark, suspenseful, and full of unexpected turns. However, I do want to give a heads-up that there are some graphic and gruesome death scenes, so anyone who is easily grossed out or afraid might want to tread lightly.
Cora’s character was portrayed so well, especially her struggles as a germaphobe. Her inner conflict between belief, culture, and identity really resonated with me and I think many other Asian-Americans will feel the same. We hear the stories and traditions, but sometimes we don’t listen to them or carry them out like we were taught. The mythology of The Hungry Ghost Festival was fascinating, and I had a moment of real understanding when it came to Cora’s experience with burning the joss.
I loved this book so much that I’m adding Kylie Lee Baker to my must-buy author list for my future reading journey.

I worried at first that this book would have too much going on—the pandemic, hate crimes, a murder mystery, and ghosts are an awful lot to fit into one book. But the result is a tense, harrowing story that keeps you on your toes from the first pages to the very end. It is dark, heartbreaking, raw, gory, and hopeful in turns. Baker does a commendable job of balancing so many elements and themes and creating a truly emotional and scary narrative. This is what good horror looks like, in my opinion. Packed with social commentary, forcing you as the reader to question what reality is, what we should really be scared of, and who the real monsters are. A really solid read overall.

This book had me hooked from the first few pages. Cora Zeng, a crime scene cleaner in Chinatown, is already traumatized AF after watching her sister get murdered, and now she’s dealing with bat carcasses at her jobs, a possible ghost sister haunting her, and a string of dead Asian women that feels way too targeted. Set during COVID era in NYC, Baker does a great job of reminding us of the uncertainty and disgusting racism and hate crimes inflicted on the Asian community. She also delivers creepy supernatural vibes, messy family drama, and a murder mystery that keeps you guessing. The balance is ✨chef’s kiss✨gory but emotional, scary but deeply human.

Cora is such a compelling MC and I loved seeing her grow more confident in herself throughout. Her OCD, her grief, fear, her love-hate bond with her sister, even as a ghost?? relatable. All the characters are also so well-written, each with their own quirks and depth. And the atmosphere? Immaculate. Baker nails the tension, every scene feels like something’s lurking just out of frame. Plus, the way grief, guilt, culture, and justice weave together is so powerful.

Easily a five star read, this is a book that will cling to your mind like a hungry ghost. Highly recommended for fans of atmospheric thrillers, supernatural horror, and stories that refuse to look away from the darkness, both in the world and within ourselves 🖤

Thank you NetGalley for the amazing eARC !