BAT EATER AND OTHER NAMES FOR CORA ZENG by @kylieleebaker was SO GOOD!

Cora loses her sister to a hate crime early on in the book and unrelatedly she ends up becoming a crime scene cleaner. Her and her friends/colleagues start noticing a sick pattern in the victims. And it’s all related to the Covid virus.

Listening to the audiobook was a real trip. I’d highly recommend it. Set in NYC during the early months of the pandemic, this story will bring back vivid memories of those days. I had already left New York a couple years before the pandemic so my experience is very different from what it would have been if I was still working in NYC.

There were so many creepy scenes that made me glad I was folding laundry while listening to it and not putting my baby to sleep in the dark which is when I usually read/listen to audiobooks. Asian horror is such a beast of a sub genre that I would love to see this story on the big screen. There was just enough humor provided by Cora’s coworkers that would break the tension during the scary scenes. But there was also so much grief that came through.

An excellent read. I don’t want to say much more bc of spoilers but I found it really atmospheric and obviously pandemic books don’t bother me so take that with a grain of salt lol.

🎀 Thank you to @netgalley and @harlequin_audio for providing me with an Advance Listener's Copy.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng on audiobook is both entertaining and deeply unsettling, completely pulling you into Cora’s unraveling reality. The narration is gripping—Cora’s voice is raw, emotional, and filled with a growing paranoia that makes every eerie moment hit even harder. Her grief over Delilah’s death, the strange occurrences surrounding the crime scenes she cleans, and the looming presence of the Hungry Ghost Festival all feel even more intense when spoken aloud.

The side characters add so much depth—her aunt, who warns her about the spirits, and Yinfei, her co-worker, who tries to keep her grounded in reality. But as Cora starts to see connections that may or may not be real, even those relationships feel fragile. The audiobook really enhances the slow-burning tension, making the supernatural and psychological elements even more immersive. Every scene, from her moments of eerie quiet to the full-blown disturbing encounters, keeps you hooked. If you love a listen that’s haunting, gripping, and impossible to turn off, this one is it!

I was lucky enough to read the eARC before its official release, and now I’m thrilled to revisit the story by listening to the audiobook version. Natalie Naudus did an amazing job bringing Cora Zeng’s inner thoughts and the various character voices to life. Her narration truly enhanced the experience, capturing the emotion and depth of the story. It was such an immersive listening experience, and I enjoyed it even more the second time around. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC!

I was weary about a pandemic horror novel, after finishing it, I feel dumb for having any doubt. This is truly incredible, it gave me a fright that I haven't felt since Mike Flanagan's Hill House.
The narrator did a phenomenal job.

I am not usually a big horror reader, but this book was amazing! I loved how Kylie Lee Baker crafts this story. It is scary, It is profound. Set during COVID in New York City, Baker overlays the horror of the pandemic with the horror of anti-asian bigotry that showed its ugly face at the same time- Baker builds a tense story full of ghosts and anxieties and expresses it with exquisite prose that captures the emotional stakes of the story so well. This will be one I want on my shelf to revisit.

4.5
I was BEYOND excited to get approved to receive this ARC. I’ve already seen so many reviews on this book and it made me want to read it so much more.

I always feel like I have to disclose that I’m a first gen Chinese American immigrant because I read books through that lens. I had to deal with so much racist bullshit when COVID first started. Luckily, I never had any physical violence directed towards me, but I feel like we all collectively felt what happened to Chinese elders in NY Chinatown, or the hate crimes anywhere else really. I actually lived down the street from the Korean spa in Atlanta that got gunned down though. That one hit especially close to home.

I enjoyed the Chinese ghost stories and traditions surrounding the deceased. I enjoyed how relatable the commentary on COVID and being Asian during that time. That racism was a whole new brand of racism than what I was previously used to on a day to day basis.

It would be a lie tho if I thoroughly enjoyed all of the book. I don’t think I like ghost stories. I didn’t know this was a ghost story going in, idk HOW I didn’t know it was a ghost story after all the reviews I read. If it weren’t for all the cultural Chinese references and practices, I would’ve like the ghost parts even less tbh. Things only really picked up for me around 75% of the book and felt like I couldn’t stop reading. That’s the half star deduction for me, I’m so sorry.

Thank you Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for audiobook ARC.

What happens when horror, thriller, and fantasy get blended into one book - Bat Eater happens. This book was dark, gory, disheartening and enlightening.

Baker gives us an inside look into the racial prejudices that Asian Americans faced following COVID while also bringing in a fantastical component and sharing Chinese folklores and customs. The blend was done masterfully and intertwined struggles of grief, mental health, abandonment and fear.

It was not all dark however! I was surprised by the abundance of dark humor, which helped cut the emotional tension.

Cora Zeng is a crime scene cleaner, months after the gruesome murder of her sister, when she and her coworkers begin to notice a trend of higher than normal Asian victims. The news does not speak about it and they eventually decide to take matters into their own hands to uncover the truth. At the same time, Cora is battling ghosts after failing to complete the required Chinese rituals and must move outside her comfort zone to create actual relationships with those around her.

The story was creepy, heartbreaking and the ending was definitely NOT what I was expecting.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
by Kylie Lee Baker, Narrated by Natalie Naudus #fortyseventhbookof2025 #arc #alc#audiobook #pandemicnovel #inlovewiththecover

CW: death, murder, ghosts, covid pandemic setting, racism, extreme violence and torture, anxiety and OCD, severe traumas

From Netgalley: Cora Zeng 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. So the bloody messes don’t really bother Cora—she’s more bothered by the germs on the subway railing, the bare hands of a stranger, the hidden viruses in every corner, and the bite marks on her coffee table. Of course, ever since Delilah was killed in front of her, Cora can’t be sure what’s real and what’s in her head. 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.

My thoughts: What a sad serious horror novel. I enjoyed it but it won’t be for everyone. I appreciated learning about the Chinese culture in this novel, but despaired at the description of the racism that was experienced during the pandemic. This is very thought provoking, and not a light read. I appreciate the author’s note at the end. Highly recommend. Incredibly striking cover.

Thank you to @readmirabooks Mira Books and Harlequin Audio, with @netgalley for the advance listening copy. (Available now, pub date was 4/29/25)

This book was eye opening and terrifying more than just the way a horror story is expected to be. The true horror of this story is the treatment of the main characters from racism and irrational fear.

First off, the book starts with a bang and immediately draws you in to the mystery and horrific events. Both the terror of a horror novel, and the disgusting actions of racist humans. For Cora, the author did a great job of creating a character that is individual and not like others that I have read about, and also illustrates her trauma in her behaviors very well. The FMC goes through so much psychologically and emotionally in this book, it is sometimes hard to tell if the things happening are in her imagination or real. She has the outside forces that are causing hard times for her (other people, crime scenes), but also sometimes seems to be trapped within herself and the intrusive thoughts.

The “monsters” of this book aren’t what you would expect. The true monsters are the other humans, less than the hungry ghosts. With the story taking place in 2020 in NYC at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is racism everywhere you turn and despicable behavior against our FMC and also her friends. The hungry ghosts are incredibly described and have their own terrifying actions, and provide an incredibly eerie and horrifying aspect to the story but also provide some of the cultural legends to the story (which is my favorite part). I was captivated and kept turning the pages to see what was going to happen. This book ended up having such incredible depth and not just a horror story.

To close out, this is the only book with an Author’s Note that made me tear up. Unforgettable.

“Don’t let your empathy stop at the borders of your own community.” -Kylie Lee Baker

I was apprehensive about reading a book that takes place during Covid, but this was really eye-opening and an important read. This was a horror book, not only about what happened during Covid, but the hatred towards Chinese people during Covid. I wasn’t aware of how bad it was, and I think more people need to read about it.

We are following Cora Zeng, who’s sister tragically is killed. This scene at the beginning of the book was a really OMG moment. Cora is then haunted by her sisters' ghosts and other women who were targets of hate crimes. Cora is a pretty broken character, but I liked her strength and grit. I enjoyed the side characters in this story, they were funny and added some lightness to the story. This book is pretty dark and haunting, but I really enjoyed it.

Thank you Harlequin Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This audiobook was nothing short of incredible. The narrator was amazing and so entertaining to listen to and she told the story so well.
The story itself was a 5 star read for me and definitely one of my favorite so far this year. It was creepy and haunting, emotional, and had me on the edge of my seat at several points. This book gripped me and wouldn’t put me down and I can for sure see myself doing a reread of this, which is not common for me.

Thank you to the author Kylie Lee Baker for the ALC of this audiobook and for writing one of my new favorite books.

BAT EATER AND OTHER NAMES FOR CORA ZENG by @kylieleebaker is like a looking glass reflecting our collective bad behavior back at us fierce and unflinching. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher, @harlequinbooks for the audio ARC.

🦇🦇🦇

Set at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Cora Zeng watches in horror as her sister is thrown in front of a train but an unknown white male. Months later, Cora takes a job working with other Chinese Americans and immigrants to perform post-crime scene cleanup. When her crew starts finding mutilated bats in and around the deceased bodies with Asian facial features at scenes, they know that there is a serial killer stalking and targeting people of Asian descent in response to the "China virus." But who is committing these crimes?

This story blew me away. It was funny, charming, devestating, horrifying and flush with found family. I absolutely devoured it and was totally invested in the characters and story and amazed how the author could fit so much into one book smoothly. It puts a spotlight on the bald face of racism, sexism, trauma and xenophobia running rampant in our society. Fear of the other is strong here and the body horror is intimately informed by intrusive thoughts. The two side characters that are friends with Cora played off of each other perfectly. This book made me shudder, laugh, gasp and otherwise just think deeper about the consequences of hearing each other.

I chose this title for my @aardvarkbookclub pick for April and am so happy I did, but also highly recommend the audio as @natalienaudus does a stunning job of bringing this story to life. Absolutely highly recommend and it just came out Tuesday so it is on shelves now!

This book cracked open my ribcage, rearranged my bones, and whispered, “You are not ready for this kind of pain.” And honestly? I wasn’t but I loved every second of it.

Kylie Lee Baker crafts a story that’s gorgeously grotesque and emotionally devastating. Cora Zeng is the kind of character who burns everything down and still makes you ache for her. Her rage, her grief, her bone deep desire to belong it all felt so raw and real.

The writing? Lyrical and vicious.
The horror? Unflinching and mythic.
The vibe? Sad girl survival with claws.

I listened to the audiobook (2.5x speed because I’m chaos incarnate), and still hung onto every word like it might be the one that wrecks me. And then… the author’s note at the end? Cue instant tears. Baker’s reflections on identity, mixed heritage, and cultural erasure hit so personally. I didn’t just feel seen I felt understood.

This is the kind of book that reminds you why stories matter. Why rage matters. Why girls like Cora deserve to exist loudly in all their haunted, magical, angry glory.

Read if you love:

Literary horror with heart

Asian mythology and generational trauma

Girls who bite back

Getting emotionally annihilated by the author’s note


Put this one on your radar better yet, put it in your veins.

Also, the narration was out of this world! The narrator did a great job at bringing the characters to life.

Cora loses her sister when a masked man pushes her in front of an oncoming train. As he pushes her he yells, “Bat Eater.” She finds herself working as a crime scene cleaner several months later. A series of brutal killings leave bats behind and Cora and her coworkers begin to see similarities between the murder scenes. Is there a Serial killer on the loose? To make matters worse Cora begins to fear she is the target of an angry ghost.

This story reflects some terrible prejudices and thoughts that coincide with the real world which makes it both terrifying as well as sad, I am not a big fan of pandemic stories but will say this is an exception to that genre. It is well told and delivers a haunting story that is as impactful as it is scary. The similarities to the real world make it even more disturbing.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 ⭐️

I hate any media that deals with COVID-19. It just always feels so out of place for me to be reading about the pandemic or seeing it in a show. This book deals with the pandemic in two ways: how it affected racism and the general fear of the virus itself. While I think the former part was done very well, the latter really got on my nerves after a while. I understand Cora is meant to be a bit neurotic (who can blame her after seeing her sister get murdered in a gruesome way?), but it was the neuroticism about COVID-19 that felt way too over-the-top and got old very quickly. I know the pandemic affected people differently, but it just felt extreme and cartoonish to me.

Overall, the story itself was not bad, but it felt pretty slow and draggy to me. I can't say I personally enjoyed it, but I definitely know people who would.

Kylie Lee Baker’s "Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng" is the kind of novel that sneaks up on you and refuses to let go. Taking you into the eerie world of the COVID-19 pandemic through the eyes of Cora, a crime scene cleaner in New York City. Cora is dealing with grief, trauma, and the chilling string of murders targeting Asian women. The story blends supernatural folklore, mystery, and social commentary on racism. Cora builds a little found family with her co-workers. They are messy, dysfunctional, and exactly the kind of weird you want in your corner. The book has raw, honest writing, dark humor, and suspenseful pacing that keeps you hooked. It’s truly a haunting, emotional, and unforgettable read.

I listened to the audio version, narrated by Natalie Naudus, and I felt she did a phenomenal job bringing Cora and the story to life. I highly recommend grabbing the audio if you like listening!

Read if you like:
• Grief Horror
• Asian Culture
• Covid Fiction
• Ghosts
• Serial Murders
• Suspense

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!

Thank you to Netgalley, Mira Books, Hodder & Stoughton and Kylie Lee Baker for the ALC of the audiobook!

5 stars, many, many notes (they're good, I promise!) and no criticisms.

"Brains pool in the bathtub around her feet, but Cora is swaddled deep in the cocoon of her hazmat suit. And somehow, she feels safer here than she does at home wearing only her own skin."

I only have one thing to say: If you're thinking about it, read it. If you haven't encountered this, I hope you choose to read this. It is an absolutely incredible and new take on the horror genre. This one is real, the fictional events in this novel will have most likely occurred to some degree in real life. It pushed my empathy, it made me laugh, it made me cry. And it made me angry because I know we live in a world full of people like The White Spider.

"She knows that even if the grainy MTA footage of man's face could be used to find him, his lawyers would talk about he was a good father, and responsible worker, and was probably just having a bad day. Then they would comb through Delilah's diaries and Instagram and try to prove that she was the kind of girl who would throw herself in front of a train."

Chapter 6 may or may not have had me requesting an urgent appointment for my ophthalmologist.

"I am not going to let anyone take away what makes me human, because that's what this guy is doing... You blast people to bits or hack them apart because you don't see them as human. You take away the shape of their body and then no one else can see them as human either."

Kylie Lee Baker is so descriptive in her writing that I can literally see the blood and brains painting the walls of a crime scene, clear as day, deposited directly into my brain and projected out of my eyes. There is a reason for the immensely positive feedback she is receiving for this novel. Kylie Lee Baker also has a keen ability for the written word. I have tagged/bookmarked 30 quotes. There were so many lines written down, and then spoke through the narrator, that just hit so hard and in many ways. Although written in the third person, it almost feels like you're still with the main character of the story who just so happens to feel a bit unreliable - but only in the sense that she is telling her own story through the lens of another or as an out-of-body experience. I feel like that is the perfect way to describe how you feel after a tremendous trauma and the subsequent grief that follows you thereafter.

"... All of his crooked fantasies can be true for all she cared. Because a bat eater is the kind of person white men want to hurt. The kind of person who tangles their fear and hate together and elicits their rage. The kind of person who scares them. And Cora knows all too well that you can't fear someone who holds no power over you."

One of my notes were:
"Key points: Racism, death/murder, ghosts, conflict of faith, hate.... feeling a little real. but the felonious assault?! my god. the synopsis and progress and meeting with each other already.

I see why everyone is giving this rave reviews. The narrator is so good, but when I put her @ 1.25% speed she is making me a bit manic (probs the point)"
*Natalie Naudus, you were absolutely fantastic*


Elements:
- Asian hate, predominately during the Pandemic
- Anecdotes re: misogyny, how hard it is to be a woman, severe sexism.
(They all run parallel and are equally as important than the counterparts)
- Ghosts
- possible paranoia / mental health issues / seeing things
-Crisis of faith

This book hit hard in the best way. Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng isn’t just beautifully written. It’s raw, real, and unflinching in how it explores identity, grief, and the weight of living through the pandemic as an Asian person. It captures so much of the fear, isolation, and quiet rage that came with that time, especially in the face of racism fueled by the “China Virus” rhetoric. The way the book confronts that violence, both external and internal, is deeply affecting.

Cora is a complex, unforgettable character. Her story weaves together pain and resilience with moments of surreal beauty and quiet horror. It doesn’t look away from the hard stuff, but it also doesn’t drown in it. There is defiance in these pages, and tenderness too.

It’s eerie, emotional, and fiercely honest. If you want a book that speaks to what it means to survive and carry the stories others try to erase, Bat Eater is one you shouldn’t miss.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng will in my opinion, become just as renowned and influential as Stephen Graham Jones' "The Only Good Indians". It deserves all the horror praise, deeply disturbing in many different ways. Listening to this book was a challenge in the best way possible, as much as I wanted to shirk away from the violence and horrors.

I found Natalie Naudus' pacing and tone very appropriate and well suited to the text. Both the story and Naudus' narration kept me hooked throughout the audiobook. There was one particular character who Naudus would change her pitch to something higher pitched which I found distracting at times, but overall her dedication to imbuing each character with their own voice made listening a great experience.

4.5 stars

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is one of those books that you just can’t look away from. No matter how graphic it got at times (it’s visceral and gory) I was too entranced by the storyline to be grossed
out.

There’s a serial killer on the loose targeting those who appear to be of East Asian descent, driven by bigoted hatred, whose calling card is leaving bats at the gruesome crime scenes of their victims. The paranormal aspect of this story comes through the presence of disgruntled “hungry
ghosts” that terrorize under the cover of darkness and in the shadows. Bat Eater is literally the stuff of nightmares and had me jumpy in my seat while reading at night.

But, the true horror of this book for me, is the spotlight it shines on the rampant mistreatment of members of the East Asian community during and following the Covid outbreak here in the United States. I had never heard the term “Bat Eater” before, so learning the derogatory origin of its use was disturbing and heartbreaking.

If you can stomach the gore and the paranormal aspect is something you
are good with, I highly recommend this book. It is very well written by a voice I am not soon to forget.

I listened to the audiobook and was very pleased with the quality of the narration.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this Audiobook Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.