Thank you HTP, Mira, Harper Audio, and The Hive for the gifted copy

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
Kylie Lee Baker
Publishing Date: April 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a complex and important story this was. Kylie Lee Baker somehow took gruesome ghostly horror and made it an emotional and impactful read. There are also sprinkles of humor throughout which provide much needed levity. The writing and storytelling was just really well done.

This novel takes place in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our FMC Cora is a crime scene cleaner who also struggles with what presents as anxiety/OCD, there are hungry ghosts at play, and a series of murders. All of which leads to the spooky, bloody, wild ride that was this book. But in truth, the real horror, is the racism faced by Asian people, which is a theme all throughout this story. It was uncomfortable and infuriating to look these truths, which are still unfortunately so prevalent, in the face.

The last bit of this book was one punch in the gut after another, and the final “reveal” was just so powerful and disheartening. This was the type of book and ending that left you feeling so many feelings and thinking about important things, and those are my absolute favorite. The heartfelt authors note at the end was icing on the cake. This was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last.

**What I Loved:**
- A chilling blend of horror, murder mystery, and ghost story
- A deeply immersive look at NYC’s Chinatown during the pandemic
- Dark humor woven into the bleakness
- Sharp social commentary that lingers long after the last page

I wasn’t sure what I was getting into, but this book *owned* me from start to finish. *Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng* follows a crime scene cleaner navigating a world of violent deaths, unsettling hauntings, and a reality that constantly blurs at the edges. The eerie, immersive atmosphere grips you instantly—ghosts aren’t just lurking in the shadows, they’re embedded in the trauma, the history, and the deep unease that runs through every page.

Kylie Lee Baker masterfully captures the paranoia and grief of the pandemic era, particularly through Cora’s experiences as an Asian woman in that time. The fear, the othering, the quiet but suffocating anxiety—it’s all there, unflinching and painfully real. The horror elements feel organic, creeping in through the cracks of the narrative rather than overwhelming it. And despite the heavy themes, Baker balances the darkness with moments of biting humor, making Cora’s voice feel all the more authentic.

This book is raw, haunting, and deeply affecting. It’s a murder mystery, a ghost story, and a social reckoning all in one, and it doesn’t pull its punches. The audiobook adds another layer of tension—definitely not something to listen to alone in the dark unless you *want* to question every shadow in your room.

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝? I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, but this had me in a choke hold. It’s a story about Cory Zeng, a crime scene cleaner, that takes place in New York City’s Chinatown during the heart of the pandemic. She deals with murders of Asian women, hungry ghosts wandering around and trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not.. Kylie Lee Baker brings on the true vibe of creepy, supernatural and horror all rolled into one..

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!!!

Horror//paranormal//social commentary//racism//mental health//mystery~

TW: Gore, racism/hate crimes, pandemic trauma, PTSD

Oooh this was chilling and good. A murder mystery and ghost tale in one- they tell a story that is all too real and recent. How it feels to live through a pandemic, and the experience of being Asian during COVID. I luckily live in safe and generally diverse part of the US, but I still remember the fear of coughing-while-Asian in those times. I used to try and resist even clearing my throat with my mask on in public, especially after hearing about the rise in Asian hate crimes. I’m glad things are better now, but Kylie Lee Baker does a great job at putting you right back into a time when things didn’t feel too hopeful.

I really enjoyed how the story unfolded, and let me tell you- the audiobook at night can be a little creepy 😱 but so fun. Proceed with caution hahah. I was getting major Seven (“WHAT’S IN THE BOX??) vibes.

The story was pretty short, and a great break from the typical fantasy books I’ve been reading.

From the author’s acknowledgments:

“For me, no needle-neck ghost can compare to the way the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world—the way we sacrificed the elderly and disabled on the altar of capitalism, the way trust in the government and the CDC swiftly dissolved, and the way we proved we as a country still haven’t learned not to scapegoat an entire race of people in times of fear.”

“Do not let your empathy stop at the borders of your own community.”
Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review:
I don’t even know where to begin with this one. I absolutely loved this book. It was dark but when Cora decided to stand up and fight back, I was right there with her. It feels too relevant in today’s climate. Asian immigrants losing their lives and being forgotten because they were considered lesser than. It brought back the feelings I felt during Covid and watching the blatant hate and violence towards the Asian community. And it’s a stark reminder that our empathy should not stop at the borders of our own communities. A must read if there ever was one!

Synopsis :
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.

Ok so this is NOT my typical read. For starters it centers around the CoVid-19 pandemic and I typically stay away from books that use that time period as entertainment but this book is so much more.

It uses the pandemic as a real life example of the bigotry and racism that certain people face, especially in America. This book is all creepy!! It has chimes lore weaved throughout creating a psychological horror that has you squirming.


I am thankful to have gotten the ALC for free from Harlequin Audio through NetGalley to listen to which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

I thought narrator Natalie Naudus did a perfect job for the prose. The way she recited the material just added to the creepiness but without getting over dramatic.

For horror fans this is a great read! The audiobook comes out April 29th 2025.
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

While this book sheds light on the racism faced by Asian people during the pandemic, it just didn’t work for me. The story felt disjointed, with unanswered questions that left me unsatisfied. I found the two supporting characters far more engaging than the main character, who lacked depth and personality. However, the audiobook narrator did a good job bringing the story to life.

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!