3.5 stars
It was great for what it was, but not everything that I was hoping.
Things I enjoyed:
- Beautiful descriptions and writing
- Even though I knew what was going to happen in the beginning, you can’t help but feel it viscerally the way the writing evokes horror and pain
- that she was not facing all this alone, and was able to find friends who could relate and understand
- (unfortunately) very realistic. Even with how the NYC mayor praises increasing policing as the solution (won’t name names cause I’m not trying to get in trouble but it’s not hard to draw connections with a certain New York City mayor that's been in the news a lot lately)
- the author's note at the end
Things I didn't like:
- I spent the whole time reading waiting for the revenge to start. Every time some new horror would happen I would think, "this is when the tide is going to change and we'll finally get to see revenge". And it was not that. It was just nonstop sadness and pain. In that way, I feel like it reads more like historical fiction even though it's set in modern times.
Overall, This story isn’t what I thought it was going to be. It’s less a tale of revenge and more about grief, with some truly gruesome parts mixed in throughout. I wanted so badly for (view spoiler)
Thank you to Harlequin Audio and Netgalley for an early copy of the audiobook for review
P.s. the illumicrate/ evernight special edition is beautiful
P.p.s Also Natalie Naudus is a great narrator as usual

While a bleak and dark story Baker still gives us some dark humor throughout. Incredible start to finish, engaging, pacing was perfect, and it gave such a unique take on life for some specific individuals during the pandemic.

Thank you for the advanced audiobook copy..
I think I would list this book as a supernatural horror novel. Though I’m not interested in reading about the pandemic since I’ve already lived that and don’t want to relive it. However, I did enjoy this book. It covers the hatred and racism as an aftermath of Covid. This is probably one of the most gory,,stomach turning book I’ve read. They audiobook was excellent

Set during the pandemic, Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng immediately took me back to the paranoia of those times, and I know for sure I wouldn’t have read this back then. But now? I have to say, Kylie Lee Baker masterfully blends horror, dark humor, paranormal mystery, serial killings, and cultural mythology into a story that feels both eerie and deeply personal. Following Cora, a crime scene cleaner in NYC’s Chinatown, the book unravels a chilling mystery of murdered East Asian women, bat carcasses, and ghosts—both literal and figurative. The atmosphere is haunting, the social commentary hits hard, and the horror elements? It’s like I’m listening to an Asian horror movie, which I love! I’m also a big fan of the hungry ghosts and would binge on them even if I couldn’t understand when I was a kid. If you love unsettling, thought-provoking horror with a side of existential dread, this one delivers.

Thank you netgalley for the Advanced listener and reader’s copy! 💙

Holy hell. This book. I couldn’t stop listening Kylie did a FANTASTIC job. Every inch of this novel drips with a haunting. From Cora’s life experiences to the ultimate plot of the story. NO NOTES. SO GOOD.

A horrific tragedy leaves Cora Zeng numb and broken leading into the world-altering COVID-19 pandemic. Her germophobia and meticulousness help in her job as a crime scene cleaner, until she realizes the victim trend of all Asian women and a unique calling card - dead bats left at the scene. As the Hungry Ghost festival commences, Cora finds that the horrors of the past and present is not something she can easily run away from.

For me the heart of the horror genre is when the story can show you that the cruelty humans can impose is much scarier than the supernatural, and Kylie Lee Baker does a masterful job in this horror debut. She has projected those deep and very real fears that Asian American communities lived in during the COVID pandemic. Outside of the profound meanings, this was such an enjoyable gory ghost tale, satisfying any spooky craving you might have, oozing with dark humor.

Cora herself is a relatable character to anyone who might feel like that they haven’t 100% figured out their path in life. On a personal level. I really connected to her struggles with trauma, struggles with cultural identity, and more lightheartedly - the hypochondria. Her journey brings to light the ugliest side of humanity while finding connection and refuge in the community and in herself.

I initially read this as an eARC in June 2024 and I was so excited for the opportunity to re-live the story by listening to the audiobook. Thank you @htp_hive and @htpbooks for the advancer listener copy! Natalie Naudus has such a rich vocal quality and her articulation really polishes the whole experience. The inflection and pacing were appropriate and kept me engaged throughout. As a narrator, she is the perfect match and this was very well put together.

This was not what I was expecting but in a good way. I’m glad I didn’t judge a book by its cover. While the cover is awesome I worried it would be like some of the books lately that are marketed as horror but end up being tame thrillers. This was not that. It delivers the horror in the form of ghostly folklore and gore. There are some heavy messages that had potential to be preachy but the unique execution nailed it.
The audiobook narration kept me dialed in and brought the story to life.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGallery for letting me listen!

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker was an audiobook listen narrated by Natalie Naudus and I thought it was great. The narrator was perfect and the writing really delivered. This was a mystery, thriller that did have some horror that I thought was really well done. This story is about a difficult, shameful topic that is part of our America and I felt the injustices. I only hope that we continue to see talented authors like this continue to write great story that entertain us and educate at the same time. Again, I really enjoyed this and hope everyone listens to it!
Thanks Harlequin Audio via NetGalley.

At first I was hesitant to read a book who’s central theme takes place during the COVID pandemic and is relevant to the plot. I’ve read other books who’s incorporate the pandemic and it feels forced but this book handled it extremely well while seeing the perspective of Asian-Americans. It achieved a balance of fictional horror with the real life horror faced by many minorities today. I’m hoping when this book is released that it doesn’t get negative reviews by COVID deniers or AAPI hate. Read with an open mind and you’ll both enjoy a solid horror story yet left with a sense of sadness over what these characters endured.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very eerie, gorey, atmospheric, and really showed how in times of fear and fear mongering, the worst is brought out in people. I'm not really big on books being centered around Covid as it was so recent, and I was working in healthcare throughout, but this was done well.

The main character Cora is a crime scene cleaner with two of her friends and each time they clean up a scene it's so descriptive you can literally see everything being said (which is horrifying in itself). The incorporation of Chinese mythology with the hungry ghosts in the book was also an interesting twist providing a feel of the paranormal mixed in with true crime. How the hungry ghosts came about was very interesting to learn about while also depressing.

I enjoyed this book, and I feel like if you enjoy a mix of horror and true crime, you should definitely give it a try!

This was a fantastic book. I listened to the audiobook but once this releases to the public, I want to pick up a physical copy and do a reread.

I don’t always find myself enjoying books relating to Covid, I’m not really sure why but this one was didn’t fall into that category. I loved this book so much. It started strong, continued strong, and ended strong. I loved the balance between fictional horror and realistic horror. This book contains supernatural elements with ghosts, gore, and also tackles racism, prejudice, and bigotry.

This book very plainly laid out the effects of Covid specifically relating to Chinese people and the racism that openly cropped up because of it. The hate crimes, the cruel names, the mistreatment and stereotypes. Covid gave a lot of people the nerve and (in their minds), the excuse to be unapologetically and openly racist.

Cora is a crime scene cleaner and is no stranger to gore. But seeing her sister murdered at the start of the book by being shoved in front of a train, is much different. Cora starts seeing ghosts while investigating the murder of her sister and other Chinese people in her community.

Even though this book contained a lot of heaviness with very real struggles, it wasn’t too much to read. It was extremely well-done and balanced and I never felt overwhelmed while still being able to grasp the severity. I loved the plot, I loved the message, I loved the characters. The pacing was great. Everything was great. I can’t really say that I have anything to complain about in this book. I would definitely recommend this to everyone and I will be buying a physical copy once it is released.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen to this audiobook. All opinions are enthusiastically my own.

TW: racism, gore, prejudice, bigotry, death, murder, injury detail, hate crime, racial slurs, pandemic, body horror, violence, blood, vomit, grief, animal death, xenophobia, misogyny, suicide

I wasn’t sure if I was ready for a book centered around COVID-19, but Bat Eater masterfully blends horror, supernatural elements, and the harsh realities of what Asian Americans endured during the pandemic. The story doesn’t just use the pandemic as a backdrop—it weaves it into the tension and fear, making the horror feel all the more visceral.

From the very first page, this book starts with a bang and never lets up. I was completely drawn into Cora’s journey as she navigates life after her sister’s death. Her grief is palpable, and I loved how the author explored her reluctance to connect with others. Watching her slowly open up to people who truly see and accept her added an emotional depth that balanced out the supernatural terror.

This was such a gripping, well-crafted read, and I can’t wait to see what the author writes next!

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng follows Cora who cleans up crime scenes. After a tragedy occurs, Cora is haunted by ghosts while trying to solve the mystery of what happened.

What a great book. I really enjoyed Cora has a character and found the side characters to be very interesting. This book hits the ground running which makes it easy to get into. I do think there were a few parts where the pacing felt a little slow.

I loved the different commentary in this book. A lot of this book is about Covid so if that is something that bothers you, be aware of that going in. There were a lot of instances of racism against the Asian characters and some of it was so subtle. I think it was super well done because you can feel how tense it is.

The audiobook narrator was excellent. I felt very absorbed in the story listening to her.

I think this is going to be one of those books that everyone will be picking up this year. I will definitely be recommending it!

What a thrilling, horrifying, evocative journey! The first chapter starts off with Cora and her sister Delilah conversing and then BAM. It captures the abruptness of tragedy so well. It sets the tone for the rest of the book, filled with the terror of living in a city where racism and hate crimes are rampant but covered up.

The terror slowly creeps up on you as the horror elements start to emerge. I was shocked. I was in disbelief. But it’s the hateful people that are the true terrors of the story. And I was enraged. This is a horror novel that touches on so many important topics. The entitlement of white men and then anger when they’re refused, turning to vile and violent behaviors. The sexualization of Asian women. The micro aggressions. The killing of Asian women that doesn’t get the same attention as white women.

As someone who tries not to read about the pandemic, I picked this up because of its unique take and highly recommend it. As an immigrant, I recommend it even more. As the author states in her note at the end, ‘do not let your empathy stop at the borders of your own community.’ Now more than ever this is important.

“Do not let your empathy stop at the boarders of your own community.” That authors note made this a 5⭐️ read.

This was a challenging read showcasing Chinese American hate and the hate on all Asian Americans specifically. There are dashes of horror, but nothing I would consider extreme.

I really don’t have any complaints on this book. The atmosphere built, the found family, the mystery behind who was killing all of these women kept me engaged.

This book highlights all the things our society tries to hide: systematic racism, the fetishization of Asian women, police violence etc. The author wrote a story littered with truth along with some mysterious/horror elements. It was a medium paced build that I could not look away from.

What a phenomenal novel!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Wowwww, this book was so much more than I ever expected!

The first scene begins by lulling you into a false sense of complacency and then out of no where 🫣🫣🫣🫣🫣 I could not believe what I was hearing my jaw was on the literal floor.

Safe to say things escalated from there. The main character definitely has some ocd / neurotypical behaviours and I’m not sure if she developed them after her traumatic experience (which would make absolute sense) or if she always had these quirks but they definitely highlighted the tone of the book and made the daily normal seem extremely uncomfortable and unusual.

I don’t know how to say more without giving away any spoilers I feel like this book is definitely best to go into blind!

Im not sure if I’ve listened to any other audiobooks narrated by Natalie Naudus before but after this one I’m a huge fan, she did an excellent job and kept me zoned in and focused the whole time.

This is definitely a book that sticks with you for a long time after.

Thank you to Harlequin audio and Kylie Lee Baker for the alc!

Publish date; April 29th 2025

I want to start by saying I absolutely loved this book! I started the audiobook just before bed one night and couldn’t stop—I flew through it and finished by the next evening.

Set at the height of the pandemic, Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a gripping horror thriller that follows Cora Zeng, a Chinese American crime scene cleaner struggling with trauma in the wake of her sister's brutal murder and the rising violence against East Asians. At first, the story feels like a descent into a familiar thriller, but Kylie Lee Baker takes us much deeper—blurring the lines between psychological horror and supernatural terror.


As Cora battles her inner demons, her aunt urgers her to prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival, a tradition she initially dismisses. But she quickly learns that hungry ghosts cannot be ignored.


What begins as a slow creep into eerie unease escalates into full-fledged terror, seamlessly woven with themes of grief, identity, and the weight of cultural expectations. Baker’s storytelling is masterful, pulling readers from grounded thriller territory into chilling horror with a gradual yet relentless force.

As a seasoned horror fan, it takes a lot to genuinely rattle me—especially in book form—but the first ghostly encounter in Bat Eater gave me goosebumps. And from that moment on, Baker never let up, delivering unsettling, skin-crawling moments in all of the right places, right up until the very end.


A huge thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC!

3.5 stars

The first chapters of this book really grabbed my attention. Unfortunately, the narrative took a turn and tended to drag quite a bit. Still this is an excellent social commentary and a very scary horror novel. The important topic of anti-Asian sentiment during and after Covid is very well represented here.

I enjoyed pairing the print version with the audiobook. The narration really brought the story to life for me.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I did DNF this at 20%, but that had nothing to do with the narration. The narrator was fantastic and made the reading experience very immersive. Unfortunately this just isn't my type of horror. It's very gruesome and bloody. I also wasn't a fan of the religious aspect of it, nor the fact that it's set during COVID and didn't have that listed anywhere.

Overall I think a ton of people will love this book, but it's not my type of horror.

Cora Zeng is haunted by many things - her sister's murder, hungry ghosts, and a serial killer, to name a few. As an East Asian woman during the pandemic, she is regularly stereotyped because of the "China sickness" plaguing the world. Two words run through her head regularly, Bat Eater. This is what the man that killed her sister said as he pushed her in front of a train.

Before the pandemic, she worked at the front desk of the MET. Now, she is a crime scene cleaner clearing away the remains of brutal murders and suicides in Chinatown. There starts to be a common theme in many of the murder clean ups - bats are being left at the sites like a calling card. Throw in the hungry ghosts that keep following Cora around, and she starts to lose touch with what's real.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng was filled with dark humor and horror. There is a lot going on in this story, but it worked. This is the second book about the pandemic that I have read this month, but totally different vibes and stories. It really focused on the discrimination that Asian people faced during that time. Cora was facing ghosts and gore, but that wasn't the scariest thing in her days. The people who openly showed aggression and hate due to her appearance were the real fear she faced. This book is a horror book for sure, but it was about much more than that. It was very well written and an interesting read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the audiobook for review.