Thank you to Kylie Lee Baker, Mira and Harlequin Audio for the ALC!

“Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zang” is a wild horror story! Our FMC, Cora, lost her sister in a horrible accident. Now, while living in New York City during the Covid pandemic, she faces discrimination. The racial slurs that are thrown at Cora, an Asian woman, are truly sickening. People scream “bat eater” at her, accusing her of being the one to spread the virus. On top of this, strange things begin happening that lead her to think her sister’s spirit is still with her.

The mystery in this story grabbed my attention and kept me guessing throughout. Cora’s sister being unsettled was just enough horror to keep me feeling unsettled as I read - LOL! Equally unsettling was Cora’s obsession with being clean - getting rid of dirt and germs - especially when her job often put her in unsavory conditions. The author’s style of writing this had me squirming and wanting to wash my own hands! This was an aspect of horror I don’t usually dip into but it made the story all the more compelling. My heart broke for Cora at the unfairness of her entire situation - losing her sister, being targeted just for existing; the author did such a respectful job showcasing the unfair treatment of Asians during the Covid pandemic. Finally, rich in the folklore of Cora’s family, “Bat Eater” took readers on a journey of what happens to a spirit when it’s not at rest, when it’s hungry? I hope I never find out - LOL!

”Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zang” releases April 29, 2025. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

This book follows Cora Zeng, a Chinese American crime scene cleaner, living in New York. Most of the crime scenes she is called in to clean are young Asian American women. A serial killer is on the loose.

The book starts in March 2020. Cora and her sister Delilah are at a train station. Standing close to the edge, a white man pushes Delilah into an oncoming train.

Cora goes through the hardships of losing her sister, and being haunted by what she thought was her sister's ghost all while living through Covid (The Chinese Virus)

This book touches on culture, racism, religion, and grief. It was definitely a page-turner, and I absolutely loved the narration. I look forward to reading more from this author and listening to this narrator.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Miller

Some books don’t just tell a story—they pull you into the marrow of their world, refusing to let go even after the final page. Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Miller is one of those books. It’s a dark, unsettling, and deeply affecting read that burrows under your skin, demanding to be felt as much as read.

From the very first page, I was completely enraptured. The story is heavy with raw emotion and an unflinching portrayal of pain, trauma, and survival. At its core, it’s also a deeply human story—one that challenges, unsettles, and ultimately moves the reader. I always find myself profoundly impacted by narratives that expose me to human experiences beyond my own, and this book did exactly that.

The way Miller captures Cora’s journey—her struggles, her identity, her strength—feels both intimate and unrelenting. There were moments that hit me so hard I had to pause and breathe before continuing, but I had to continue. Brutal.

This is not an easy read, but it’s an important one. It’s the kind of book that lingers, forcing reflection long after you’ve set it down. If you’re looking for something dark, deeply emotional, and incredibly powerful, Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is an absolute must-read.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Harlequin Audio, The Hive Influencer Program and NetGalley. I was able to immersive read this story—the book paired with an amazing audio was fantastic! Natalie Naudus, the audio narrator did such a beautiful job bringing this story to life.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio arc. I did an immersive read as I also was able to get my hands on the arc of the book version. This book was dark and funny and such a great time. The narration was very enjoyable to listen to. I gave this audio a 5 stars.

Phenomenal. The scariest part of this horror novel is not the Ghosts, or the bloody scenes...but the racisism and fear of others the pandemic brought to the surface in such atrocious ways. Well written, full of lore and also trueness to what went on in 2020.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the audio ARC.

This was a great book. It was a bit slow at times and I would have appreciated a quicker pace. I am excited about this perspective in horror and I think it's a breath of fresh air. I just wish it hadn't been so repetitive on the protagonist's anxieties and self esteem issues.

uniquely thought provoking and unconventional - full of tension, gore and profoundly terrifying while tackling the topics of grief, racism, culture and a focused lens on our societies failures and horrors. all of this written alongside and within a murder mystery during the covid pandemic in the US and the rising violence against asians because of it. i can honestly say i have never read a book like this and probably never will again, this is a book that stands in a category all on its own. this one will linger on with me for quite awhile.

once you start this book i promise you will not be able to put it down. and the audio, oh the audio, it was magnificent. i adore @natalienaudus so much, her narration is always so immersive and i’ll listen to just about anything she does. bravo to her and @kylieleebaker on this absolute masterpiece.

Cora Zeng a young Asian American woman living in New York City during the COVID pandemic. Cora witnessed her half sister Delilah, fall to her death on the tracks of a train and when the suspect flees thescene he yells bat eater to her. Cora's job is to clean crime scenes for a living. When Cora starts to notice that the victims are also of Asian descent she wonders if this is not just some kind of hate crime. At every scene Cora has found a bat. The other strange thing is that Cora also sees Delilah's ghost. In order to help Delilah's spirit rest Cora must find out who is behind these attacks. With the help of her two coworkers they travel down the path of feeding ghosts, pieceing together shreeded papers from a dead Asian American police officer and reinacting rituals to make the ghosts go away. This was a great book and I liked the fact that it was told from the point of view of an Asian American, and how unjustly they were treated during the early days of the pandemic. I would like to thank both NetGalley and MIRA Publishing for letting me read an advanced copy of this audiobook.

This was both a gruesome horror story with some murder mystery, weird bats, and a serial but it’s also a heartbreaking sad story during and post covid of hate and racism.

This was a roller coaster. At times I was gored out, and then in the next breath laughing, and then 1 minute later my heart was hurting.

The hurt and hate in this is all too real. I did not want to put this down… it was so well written!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advanced copy of this!

From the start, this book will do what many books won’t do these days: remind you of the very real, terrifying realities of the Covid era. Mix that in with the hate-fueled crimes that occurred across the country, but especially in New York City, and you’ve got yourself a truly horrific tale.

Come for the creepy horror story, stay for the powerful message.

(Thank you, HarperCollins Publishers | HTP Books, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley, for the e-ARC and audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

The beginning of this book hit me like a punch to the gut. I am oblivious to things at times. I forget that Asian Hate is a thing, because I'm self centered and I love Asian people so naturally I assume everyone else must as well.
Which is incredibly stupid of me. I have had be reminded by Asian friends and I feel bad that they had to remind me. I should be better.
This book really solidified that fact for me. I wanted to hug all my Asian friends and remind them that I am glad they're here. It's a really sad opening chapter.
Somehow the lovely book gets scarier and creepier after that first chapter.
I loved Cora. I loved her death jobs. I loved her coworkers.
The narration was perfect. I do love this narrator.
I will read more from this author for sure.

i loved this book! it was wonderfully uncomfortable and freaky. i have no idea where it was going at any point - and was wonderfully hooked! reading about COVID is still a new and fresh thing, and due to the subject matter never comfortable - but this was done so well. it was an important message and i’m glad to have gotten to experience it.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a chilling, gut-wrenching blend of horror, grief, and social commentary. Kylie Lee Baker masterfully weaves psychological terror with real-world fears, following Cora, a crime scene cleaner haunted by trauma, ghosts, and a relentless sense of dread. The novel doesn’t just deliver scares—it also explores the lasting wounds of racism, violence, and loss in a way that feels deeply personal and unsettling.

The writing is sharp and immersive, pulling you into Cora’s unraveling mind as she tries to make sense of the horrors around her. The imagery—both supernatural and real—is vivid and disturbing, making it impossible to look away. The book’s exploration of cultural traditions, the Hungry Ghost Festival, and the ways trauma lingers across generations adds incredible depth to the narrative.

The only reason I’m not giving it five stars is that some parts felt repetitive, and the pacing dragged at times, making certain sections feel longer than necessary. Still, the story is powerful, unsettling, and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page.

If you love horror with emotional weight and social depth, this one is worth the read.

I was so surprised by how much I loved this book. It was the perfect amount of creepy to just keep you on edge. It kept me up reading at night because I couldn’t put it down. The narration was absolutely perfect. I love when horror stories make you wonder what’s more scary, the paranormal or reality? I can’t for this one to release and for everyone to be obsessed with it.

Oh my fucking god.

Not going to lie, I had to put this one down and do a lap a couple times.

A gripping, brutal gut-twist of a horror novel that deserves every laurel it will inevitably receive. Baker is staring at the beast head on and calling its bluff in the best possible way here, and I applaud her.

Each element of this book is well thought out, well paced, and honest. As someone with OCD I can speak to how effectively portrayed Cora’s struggles with that particular monster were. I can only imagine the impact this book would have, perhaps too intense a one for some, on Asian women, particularly those living in the west that experience this kind of hate regularly. The reveal at the end made me say ‘of course, of course that’s who it is.’ And that sad inevitability is a stark reality check.

I laughed, cried, cringed, and stared in jaw-drop shock. I don’t think I can recommend this one enough.

A flawless performance from Natalie, as usual. No notes.

When I read the preview of this book, I knew I was gonna love this one. The audiobook was great. I enjoyed it more than I thought.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a haunting horror novel that weaves supernatural terror with the very real horrors of racism and violence against East Asians. Through Cora’s journey as a crime scene cleaner in Chinatown, the book explores the surge in anti-Asian hate during the pandemic, showing how fear, grief, and trauma manifest both psychologically and physically. As Cora uncovers eerie patterns in her work, the novel highlights the dehumanization and brutality faced by East Asian women, making the horror feel all too real. This book is both unsettling and deeply relevant. 4.5 stars

I realized this book isn’t for me as I was not able to finish. I won’t be able to give a full review and I won’t review on social sites as I wish the author the best pub day.

4.5 stars: Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker

Pub date: 04/29/2025

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is following a woman who is haunted by inner trauma, hungry ghosts, and a serial killer as she confronts the brutal violence experienced by East Asians during the pandemic. Cora is a crime scene cleaner, washing away the remains of brutal murders and suicides in Chinatown. But none of that seems so terrible when she's already witnessed the most horrific thing possible: her sister, Delilah, being pushed in front of a train. Before fleeing the scene, the murderer shouted two words: bat eater. She pushes away all feelings and ignores the advice of her aunt to prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival, when the gates of hell open. But she can't ignore the dread in her stomach as she keeps finding bat carcasses at crime scenes, or the scary fact that all her recent cleanups have been the bodies of East Asian women. As Cora will soon learn, you can't just ignore hungry ghosts.

This book had so much to say. I love it when horror/thriller novels have more to them than just horrific things happening. This book covers horrific topics like racism, the pandemic, the heightened AAPI hate crimes as a result of the pandemic, sexism, trauma, and so much more. For this reason, I really think that even if you don’t typically read horror novels, everyone could still love this book because it’s so much more than just a horror novel.

For some reason, the ghost element of this book didn’t work for me as much as I was hoping it would. But I absolutely could not stop reading for the murder mystery, important conversations, and thrilling aspects of this book. It was a page turner for sure and I would highly recommend it! I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for this audiobook arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so delightfully disgusting - I loved the setting, I loved the storyline, I loved Cora as our main character. This book was so unique, so horrifying, and so profound, with so much to peel back to everything about it. I hope people don't shy away from this book jut because it's set during the pandemic, because that time was necessary for the plot and for so many of the events. I was a little hesitant to read a book set during the pandemic that was described as "darkly funny," but I really found it funny and moving and dark in all the right ways. I can see why this might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I really really loved this book.

Processing this book has proven to be a challenge for me. However, I can confidently say that I appreciated the profound, intense, and often horrifying content it presented. It was indeed a strange and exhilarating journey.

The layers within this book are extensive, tackling themes such as racism, brutality, mental instability, and much more.

This work explores the darker aspects of humanity and reveals uncomfortable truths. The presence of dark humor and clever banter added a quirky charm to the audiobook, all while illuminating some unsettling realities.

This book will linger in my thoughts for a long time, much like "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" has

Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this book. I truly can't stop talking about it.