I loved this book! I loved the grief horror, the supernatural horror, the suspence, the gore, the found family, the characters, the writing. It was all so well done. I did have a few questions left unanswered and the ending seemed abrupt. But the last line was great. I enjoyed the audio, but wished it was a full cast with so many interesting side characters. I also enjoyed the character arc of Cora. She stayed herself throughout, but got braver and opened up more. Can't wait to continue reading from Kylie Lee Baker

This was my very first horror novel and I really enjoyed it. I read along with the audio and really enjoyed the narrator.

As someone who lived through the COVID-19 pandemic this story was so relatable in so many ways.

The FMC, Cora, loses her sister tragically and has to learn how to navigate life without her. Jobs were hard to come by during the pandemic, especially for Chinese Americans who were treated terribly. She ends up working for a crime clean up crew and stumbles upon a pattern of killings that resemble those of a serial killer. Cora and her friends try to figure out who is behind the murders of several women and a man of Asian descent. The suspense of their search kept me intrigued.

There's a paranormal twist with lots of gore and a little dark humor. This was definitely different than anything I've ever read before and do recommend if you're in to dark and gory stories.

This story deals with racism, misogyny, murder, grief and other topics that may be difficult for some so please check your trigger warnings.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was an excellent and timely story about the terrifying and harsh reality of violence and hatred towards Asian people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cora was a vulnerable and relatable narrator, a lost, unemployed millenial who finds work as a crime scene cleaner after her sister's murder. This book was especially impactful being set in NYC, where I live. A superb book that deserves a lot of accolades. Natalie Naudus is one of my favorite audiobook narrators, and she did an amazing job with this.

The audiobook I didn't know I needed in my life...
My heart broke by the way Cora was treated. I cannot imagine strangers spitting in my face and being cruel simply because of my ethnicity and hateful hearts. I was able to listen to this in a day because I didn't want to press pause. I encourage everyone to pick this up and read it, even if you think it may not be for you. I can guarantee everyone will get something out of this.

I really enjoyed the narration on this, with the differentiation between voices adding a lot to the story. It’s both sad and scary, with some elements feeling very realistic (the racist comments, the ignoring of so much of the consequences of the pandemic, the othering of the main character) that when it came to the more supernatural elements, I was often wondering if they were real or imagined. The ending was satisfying and I would definitely pick up the author’s next book.

I devoured this book like a hungry ghost – and what an intense, haunting, and beautiful journey it was! This story touches on so many themes, from grief and the aftermath of death to racism, the COVID pandemic, germaphobia, and the complexities of friendship. I was simultaneously terrified, heartbroken, and laughing throughout the entire book (maybe some laughing through the pain and scary bits?). It was truly a rollercoaster of emotions, and I loved every second of it.

Cora's experience is nothing short of a nightmare. She witnesses her sister's death, cleans up crime scenes of Chinese victims of a string of murders happening and discovering bats at each scene, is dealing with racism surrounding the COVID pandemic, is tormented by a frightening, vengeful ghost, and struggles without any real support until she forms unexpected bonds with her coworkers. The book is gory in all the right ways, perfect for a horror/mystery fan. As someone who tends to shy away from scary stories, I surprisingly very much enjoyed this one.

The audiobook was exceptional! The narrator gave each character a unique voice, making it easy to follow along. The pacing was perfect, and it was genuinely a pleasure to listen to.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and Kylie Lee Baker for the ALC of this thrilling, gory, and utterly captivating read! Now to try and sleep without nightmares..

This book started out with a bang! I wasn't sure what to expect of an Asian girl New York City covid story. But whatever I could dream up, it wasn't this! Bat Eater and Other Names For Cora Zeng is an intricate ghost story, steeped in Chinese culture. MC Cora is interesting. She works as a truama cleaner and is a germaphobe during an international pandemic in one of the worse hit cities in the world. As if that isn't bad enough Cora continues to be plagued by death in this brilliantly crafted horror with a surprising level of gore. The audiobook narration was perfect in pace. The very factual delivery of some of the more descriptive passges was brilliantly done to give me a "what now?" head shake, in the best way. The resolution of the story was satisfying, and all around this is a book I loved and would recommend.

The fear of Chinese people carrying covid during the pandemic was very sadly a part of the covid memory. I myself am not of Chinese descent but I knew people who were treated poorly and with suspicion simply for having an Asian appearance. This is vividly recalled in the story and I just think, we, as a society need to do better.

I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.

I really enjoyed this book, it was thrilling and horrific and to me hit all the beats of a good horror novel. That being said, I do feel that some of the things that occured later in the novel were a bit much and made me drop my rating from a 5 to a 4, though I still highly recommend it. In addition, I thought the narrator did a fantastic job, and I was able to tell the difference between all the characters very easily. It was a very good performance.

I really enjoyed this book. The audiobook narrator was great. When I originally read the description of the book I was definitely expecting a murder mystery type story but this book was so much more! Xenophobic attacks was something I read about occurring during the pandemic especially in NYC but it felt like those were just headlines before the next tragedy or breaking news happened. Reading a story (even fiction) that follows the aftermath and gives more dimension to the victim was very powerful. There was a level of horror to it with the ghosts which I did enjoy and and I like learning more about Chinese culture and superstitions.

Thank you so much to Harlequin Audio and Kylie Lee Baker.

Genuinely one of the most horrifying books I've ever read. Heartbreaking, and disgusting, and so so well written.

With a setting during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020 in NYC, Baker does an excellent job encapsulating the emptiness of the streets and subway and the fear and anxiety felt, and she uses that to further perpetuate the haunted feeling throughout the novel. The first third of the book is a bit slow, but once it picks up, it doesn’t stop. Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng highlights the dangerous anti-Asian & anti-Chinese sentiment and propaganda that was (and continues to be) spewed. Baker doesn’t shy away from exploring how this translates into the potential of and actual acts of violence from anti-Asian/anti-Chinese rhetoric and adds to the immense anxiety, isolation, and despair Cora feels living as a Chinese-American woman. The horror elements were beautifully done, and this novel does a great job balancing horror, socio-political topics, and recounting living through a pandemic in the modern era.

'Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng' was such an intriguing blend of mystery, thriller, and cultural memoir. Going into it, I had very little context for East Asian American culture, customs, or experiences—but this story offered a clever and compelling way to explore those realities, especially during and after the pandemic. Kylie Lee Baker presents a raw and powerful perspective, and I felt like I learned so much while still being fully entertained. It was insightful, thought-provoking, and deeply human.

One of the most touching elements was the friendships that anchored Cora as she struggled through her grief and the growing disconnect from reality. These relationships offered moments of warmth, clarity, and grounding that made her journey even more poignant.

I'll leave you with the same nugget that Kylie leaves the readers with, as it feel so encompassing and purposeful: "Do not let your empathy stop at the borders of your own community".

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ALC.

I received a special edition physical copy of this book in a quarterly book box and was in LOVE. I knew I needed to listen to the audio. The narrator did a fantastic job! It was well paced, didn't feel forced, and was natural. I really enjoyed this and will absolutely listen again!

The premise, as well as the reflection from a devastating period in our recent history, is timely, powerful, and necessary. There were also some truly terrifying horror moments in here.

But I think it just dragged a little bit too much in most places for me to have been immersed, from start to finish.

I listened to half of this story on audiobook and the other half I read via the kindle. Thank you NetGalley!

Listening to it on audiobook was a very impactful experience. Listening to this story allowed for me to hear it through her eyes, and feel her experience that way. This also allowed for all the horror aspects to be felt as well. I loved that!

This is a brilliant story and heartbreaking at the same time. Having lived through the pandemic I can relate to elements of the story while then reading an experience I never had. She really took real and painful elements of the pandemic and society and the way it effected people and put it in a unique story.

I enjoyed this tremendously!

I love when a horror book can also make me cry

I think this will be a great book to recommend to people who are not typically horror readers, because there is so much emotion and investment in the characters, the tension is built spectacularly, and I was never, ever bored. That's not to say there's no gore/it's not scary enough; this is unarguably a horror book. But we also get glimpses into grief of many kinds, generational trauma, racism, and a 20 something just trying to make it.

This is my first horror from Kylie Lee Baker and I'm very excited to see what she'll do next in the genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the gifted ALC.

Wow, I don't pick up horror books often, but every time I do, they blow me away! I loved The Scarlet Alchemist, and after seeing Cora's job at the start of the book (one I shared many years ago), I decided to give this a go.

If the title didn't clue you in immediately, this book addresses the repulsive racism and anti-Asian hate crimes that skyrocketed during the beginning of COVID-19. I am not an Asian reviewer, so I urge you to check out some of the fantastic reviews by Asian and Asian American reviewers before reading mine.

This book was a roller coaster. Again, I don't read a ton of horror, so this scared the shit out of me multiple times. This book is terrifying, and not because of the supernatural elements. It's pretty gory, but not in a way that felt unnecessary or for shock value. Though, I say that, and there was a point where this book completely shocked me. Ultimately, horror is a genre that allows the reader to viscerally feel acts of horror. This book accurately depicts the violence and vile nature that racism and hatred will inflict.

The supernatural elements of this book, specifically the hungry ghosts based on Chinese Folklore, were really well done. Cora's Auntie Zeng and her sayings at the beginning of chapters were helpful in introducing us (and Cora) to the lore around hungry ghosts, while not feeling info-dumpy or telling us too much too quickly. Having Auntie Zeng juxtaposed to Auntie Lois was brilliantly done, with Auntie Lois pushing a lot of shame-based Catholicism on Cora, while Auntie Zeng provided it the knowledge to protect herself and showed up for her when she needed it.

I really loved the dynamic between the crime scene cleaners, Harvey and Yifei. While I imagine some will find the pacing during the crime scene cleaning sections a little slow, I really enjoyed all the banter. I also felt like we get to know Cora best through her relationships with her friends.

Overall, this book was excellent. Highly recommend!

Bat Eater and other names for Cora Zeng made me feel so many emotions.

It brought me back to the height of COVID, which is a time and place that many of us do not want to return to. However, if you completely ignore the existence of an event you cannot learn from the past.

And there are so many people who did not survive to look back on 2020 in 2025.

If we do not remember what so many people went through, in particularly the asian hate and racism that was rampant, there will be no action to stop it from continuing.

Outside of being hard to read emotionally, this book is particularly gory. However, this did not personally bother me and felt vital to the story that Baker is telling.

Overall, I loved so much about this book. It was very well written and had a storyline that kept hooked.

Regret towards the things that Covid took from us. Anger and despair about the horrific racism that Asians faced during Covid. Hope for the main character, Cora Zeng, as I was completely rooting for her as I watched her character evolve. These are all things that I experienced while reading this book, and I would 100% recommend it to anyone.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was also able to listen to the audio arc of this book from Harlequin Audio, and the narrator did a very great job. I think she brought the voice of Cora Zeng to life.

HOLY SH*T!

Adding this to my collection of books that finished me/made me lay on my kitchen floor & stare into the voice after finishing.

I am so happy to have received the audio arc, but I wish I could highlight audiobooks with my mind. Either way I am already planning to reread & annotate it. There are some profound quotes in this.

Yes, there is a heavy covid theme here, but it is heavily focused on the Asian racism that came out of covid.

The overall theme here is fear manifesting into bigotry. I know I loved this because of the social commentary mixed with horror. There are so many ugly parts to humanity, & they get progressively worse as the novel goes on. How can it get worse once your sister is decapitated from being pushed in front of train in ch1?

The Hungry Ghost lore reminds me A LOT of Junji Ito.

Natalie, as always, does a FANTASTIC job narrating.

Read for…
- Bone-chilling ghost story
- Complex family dynamics
- Covid analysis with a heavy emphasis on the Asian racism that came from it
- Hungry Ghosts
- Serial killer murder mystery
- Thought-provoking & bingeable horror

Quotes to convince you to read…
“But maybe she wants this monster to have teeth, wants it to be some intangible, hungry darkness that can swallow all her rage like a black hole. She doesn’t want him to have a name, a job, a wife that he holds with the same hands he uses to gut Asian girls like fish. The thought sickens her, the idea that the kind of person who carves people like her open could smile at other people. That he could be loved by other people.”

“He says two words, and even though the train is rushing closer, a roaring wave about to knock them off their feet, those two words are perfectly clear, sharp as if carved into Cora’s skin. Bat eater. Cora has heard those words a lot the past two months. The end of the world began at a wet market in Wuhan, they say, with a sick bat. Cora has never once eaten a bat, but it has somehow become common knowledge that Chinese people eat bats just to start plagues.”

Thank you so much to the author, the publisher, harlequin audio, & to NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Harlequin Audio for the ALC!

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng was my second book by Kylie Lee Baker and it had the dark, horror vibe I got from her with The Keeper of Night! This story had some really heavy elements like racism, ptsd, etc. which I feel were handled with care in the midst of the dark and eerie elements like paranormal activity, murder and mystery.

The narrator, Natalie Naudus, did a great job acting this story out and brought you into it right alongside Cora as she’s wading through all this trauma.

While this story was overall good, I did have a hard time with the slow pace. Usually audiobooks help me get through slower paced books without *feeling* the slow pace, I did struggle a bit with that through this one. But overall it was really well done!