I’m not a fan of horror, specifically this type of body horror, but I still enjoyed this book. There were two moments in the story that actually gave me goosebumps. This is a pandemic or a covid book, and it was interesting to read about the characters going into that timeframe and having no idea of what was to come. The violent racism described in the book was a bit hard to endure, as well as the gore, but for fans of the genre, I think this will received really well.

The narrator did a wonderful job and I’ll be recommending this book to fans of horror or readers who are interested in stories set during the pandemic.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the chance to review this audiobook, all opinions are my own.

Wow. What a wild ride that was. Still trying to formulate words for that fantastic horror story, Kylie’s beautiful writing, and Natalie’s amazing narration.

I have been looking forward to this book since I read Kylie’s YA book The Scarlett Alchemist and just knew that she would be an amazing horror author. That book skirts the line between horror and fantasy in its dark imagery but Bat Eater just dives right in and I was here for it!

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a book about a young woman living with her sister in NYC in 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic. After a horrific crime, Cora finds herself on her own, somehow working a job cleaning up crime scenes. Crime scenes which eventually seem to be the work of a serial killer. Cora just wants to keep her head down and get through her life but the serial killer and some hungry ghosts aren’t going to let her.

I would hope that anyone reading this book would be familiar enough with horror to know to read the content warnings ahead of time but if you haven’t for some reason, please be ready for LOT’S of blood and gore. There are graphic descriptions of crime scenes and Cora’s own imagination and they are definitely disturbing. Cora's obsession with being clean (especially during a pandemic) was very graphic as well. While dark and gruesome all of these elements fit the tone of the book perfectly and Kylie’s writing was beautiful. Also, there are definitely bats. Lot’s of bats and they are mostly dead so beware if that might be triggering.

Cora is a complicated character and not immediately likable. She is struggling tremendously (in many aspects of her life) and my heart ached for Cora, her loneliness, her fear of the outside world that continued to hurt in her various ways, her love (and hate) of her family, her desire to be good enough, to just be “normal”. Cora’s mental state was peak horror novel MC and I loved going on the journey with her as she tried to claw her way free.

I won’t say too much else about the plot other than that I literally could not stop listening and finished this in less than 24 hours. I had to know what was going to happen!

Audiobook review: This book was easily a 5 star read for me all on it’s own but you add in Natalie Naudus’ soothing and nuanced narration and it’s a match made in heaven. Her emotion, tone, pacing, and character distinction were all perfect and I felt the energy and tension of the book even more thanks to her narration.

This will definitely be a book I recommend people read AND listen to!

Major 5 stars, will definitely be in my top reads of the year!

Author Kylie Lee Baker convincingly conjures the anxiety, panic, and helplessness of the Covid pandemic. The racism is painful to experience from the distance and safety of a fictional novel. I can’t comprehend how terrifying it was and continues to be for people of Asian heritage who are blamed for the pandemic. Fear and hate too often go hand in hand. The narration for this audiobook draws you into the story with the wide range of emotions conveyed by the voice actor while always maintaining a sense of dread and hopelessness. Poignant and well crafted, this is a winner for Baker.

Nominated for LibraryReads - 5/5 on GoodReads I received an advanced reader copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was my favorite read last month. I loved Cora and her story was compelling. The voice was strong and I felt the plight of AAPI people during Covid. I *think* this book may have just made a horror reader of me.

This original, poignant and deeply disturbing novel delivered on everything I look for in the horror genre. Excellent characters, creepy overall atmosphere and such a great message. Truly the most horrific acts are those carried out human to human.
The gore was a bit much sometimes, but it served a purpose, which I appreciate in horror books (it wasn’t just used as a scare prop). I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in the genre, or enjoys subtle (or not so subtle) political / social commentary in their reads.

That’s right. I AM a fucking bat eater.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for my first audiobook ARC!

Cora Zeng is a crime scene cleaner, which immediately sets us up for the stomach churning gore that laces this book (some of the gore was a bit much for me to handle -- so proceed with caution). The first chapter hooked me right away! It felt like I got whiplash from how quickly things changed. Kylie Lee Baker does a phenomenal job weaving real historic events with the spine-tingling supernatural, and I was kept guessing to the end.

This book is set during the pandemic and contains several real events that happened during this time. It highlights a past shared experience (and many of us still experience these things today).

If you enjoyed Yellowface, you may enjoy this one too!
Like Yellowface, this book made me feel things deep in my gut like dread, uncertainty, despair, horror, and relief. But mostly, I felt rage.
Yes to Feminine Rage.
Yes to Asian Rage.

Some other quotes that I enjoyed (that may or may not be misquoted due me listening to the audiobook):
She thought America was for dreams.
When you’re drowning and someone takes your hand, you don’t ask where they’re taking you.
Sex dolls aren’t supposed to talk back.
This book is dedicated to […] the pieces of ourselves that died in 2020.
Do not let your empathy stop at the borders of your own community.

Horror isn't my usually genre, but this one caught my attention the moment a publisher presented this upcoming title. Set in NYC during the COVID shut down, using that time period to show how fear can metastasize into bigotry. Something that shouldn't be ignored or swept under the rug.

There are a lot of elements packed into this book. From supernatural horror to gore to serial killers, while also including Chinese lore throughout the novel. I listened to the audiobook while doing things such as eating dinner and walking my dogs (alone, and at night), both of which I have to say I do not recommend from the gore described while I was eating to thinking something may be luring in the shadows on my dog walks. I found myself quickly shuffling home. Like I said, horror isn't something I usually seek out, haha.

The element that surprised me to know that I enjoyed the most us that I wasn't sure whether Cora was a reliable narrator. It truly kept me guessing if everything was real or if she was just imagining things. There was a lot to unpack with Cora - from her trauma, PTSD from her sister's death, grief she hasn't really processed, her mental health, and her constant struggle with her bi-racial identity. This book balances a lot of layers between the horror and it did it well. With all of that, you find snarky banter and dark humor between Cora and her friends and this little found family she creates.

What I appreciated most is that it didn't shy away from some of the ugliest parts of society, such as systemic racism, racially motivated hate crimes, the fetishization of Asian women, police brutality, and media manipulation. Please take care to read the author's note at the end of the novel. It was beautifully said.

Auntie Zeng was probably my favorite character in this, especially the scene where she rolls up to the Taco Bell parking lot with her high beam brights, cabin lights on, and carrying multiple lanterns to get Cora. She's the real hero and never questioned Cora or expected her to be anything other than herself.

This book will make your skin crawl, gross you out, shock you, make you check behind dark corners, and make you angry for the characters in the book and in the Asian community as a whole. You may find yourself suddenly wondering if you should be burning mass amounts of joss paper and wearing jade jewelry.

I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished it. It is probably one that will stick with me for a while. Highly recommend, even if, like me, horror isn't a genre you normally gravitate to.

Thank you to Harlequin for both the digital and audio advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

this! book! was! so! good!

BAT EATER AND OTHER NAMES FOR CORA ZENG is a haunting, multifaceted horror novel that was my perfect blend of thought-provoking themes and grotesque body horror. it had me hooked from start to finish, and natalie naudus truly brought this story to life. she is becoming one of my favorite narrators. i listened to the whole novel on my way home to visit family, and i never got bored or distracted.

BAT EATER evokes a variety of emotions like fear, disgust, sympathy, and awe. the story balances dark, suspenseful moments with horrifying, nasty body horror. there’s an unsettling sense of tension throughout, and the prose creates a vivid picture in your head.

what really elevated this book is its emotional depth. it’s not just about the fear or the grotesque imagery, but also the characters’ emotional journeys, especially cora's, which are raw and relatable.

given the setting, you can expect sharp social commentary. BAT EATER discusses a variety of pressing issues surrounding the covid pandemic, but also ranges from chinese culture and religion to racism, the fetishization of asian girls, trauma, and grief. these topics are seamlessly interwoven into the eerie narrative.

on top of all of that, the prose is absolutely STUNNING!! there is a beauty to the language that makes the horror feel immersive and poetic even in the most repulsive moments.

this is a book that will stick with you long after you finish it. it’s a perfect example of how horror can be used as a lens to explore complex human experiences and societal issues, while also delivering a chilling and satisfying narrative from the first page to the author's note.

The greatest horror of Bat Eater and Other Names For Cora Zeng is human ignorance.

Please don’t misunderstand. The author never missed a beat here, filling page after page with gore, terror, supernatural frights, and violent deaths. But at its heart, you’ll find that ignorance, and it will (hopefully) make you cringe more than the grossest details do (and this book is very gross!).

Kylie Lee Baker’s horror debut reminded me a lot of Grady Hendrix’s work. It’s campy horror brimming with social commentary, but those who’ve disliked Hendrix’s slow builds will be pleased to find that Baker thrusts readers straight into the action from the start. It’s highly entertaining in that respect, and full of heart.

I loved Cora, Harvey, and Yifei, and I felt a lot of emotions as I traveled through this story with them. I found them all to be uniquely developed and I miss spending time with them.

But it was the more profound aspects that really got me. Baker addresses discrimination, abandonment, low self worth, post traumatic stress, and violence toward minorities, all amidst the frightening COVID outbreak in the congested city of New York. It’s a packed novel, yet it never feels like too much, and the well timed comedic additions help balance out the heaviness.

I’ve been eyeing Baker’s fantasy books for a few years now, only procrastinating because that’s not a genre high on my list of exploration. I will, however, be jumping into one sooner than later now that I have seen how masterfully she weaves a story.

I am immensely grateful to Mira Books, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley for my copies. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Mira for lending me an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. This book had me tearing up at the end at the sheer impact this story had. If you have a hard time with gore this book is not for you, as the main character does describe some things pretty vividly, however I am happy they did not shy away from the truly horrific atrocities that are committed everyday, even if the ones in this book were fictional. I had never heard about hungry ghosts before this story and found it not only to be a great cultural teaching opportunity but a terrific plot device for a horror novel. The ghosts in this reminded me of a much scarier version of No Face in Spirited Away. I really liked all the characters, and that’s all I am going to say about that. This book would be good for anyone who likes crime novels, horror novels, books on the supernatural, books about social justice, or wants to learn what the pandemic was like from the perspective of a Chinese-American living in New York. I have been a fan of this author since the release of The Scarlet Alchemist and look forward to their future projects.

Overall Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

As someone who is not an avid horror reader, I am SHOCKED by how much I loved this – I’m so happy to have found my first 5-star read of 2025!

This story is set in New York City during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. We follow Cora Zeng, a Chinese American woman grappling with the trauma of witnessing her sister's murder, a horrific event fueled by a racist attack. Forced to take a job as a crime scene cleaner to make ends meet, Cora discovers a disturbing pattern: the victims, often East Asian women, are frequently found near bat carcasses.

Cora starts to suspect a connection between these crime scenes and her sister’s death, leading Cora and her friends to begin investigating the potential connections. As the crew delves deeper into the mystery, the timing coincides with the Hungry Ghost Festival, a period when spirits can freely roam the earth. Through the investigation, Cora begins to experience supernatural forces that cause her to confront her own past trauma and unresolved issues.

This story masterfully blends elements of psychological horror, supernatural horror, and social commentary. It explores themes of racism, xenophobia, and the violence that Asian Americans faced during the pandemic. Bat Eater is more than just a horror story; it's a powerful exploration of grief, trauma, and the insidious ways in which prejudice can manifest in both the living and the spectral realms.

Huge thank you to HTP and the team at The Hive for sending both an eARC and audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

What a bloody, festering and sad book. I loved it.

Update: This was such a great story. I don't usually love Covid stories, but this is an exception. In the book we follow an American Asian named Cora during the first months of the pandemic in 2020. Her sister was recently killed (you'll find out how in the first chapter), and is a crime scene cleaner. The murderer was never found. What follows is a series of killings in Chinatown NYC, with the killer leaving bats at the scene of the murders in various, disturbing ways.

The book has a lot of depth, dealing with the rampant racism Asian people faced during the pandemic, and it deals with loss, grief, and indentity. The title fully encapsulates the story. Who is Cora in relation to her familial expectations? Who is she without her sister? Who is she when the world shuts down?

This book is creepy, and the pacing was great. I wasn't bored once, and I don't think any scenes here weren't important or uncessary. This book is, above all, sad. And it kept being sad all of the weay through. This didn't detract me from enjoying it. I think it was necessary. But when I think back on this book, the first word that comes to me is sad. This is, at it's core, still a horror novel with very creepy scenes.

This releases in the US at the end of April, and I definitely recommend picking it up when it releases. Thank you Harlequin Books and NetGalley for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

What a great horror story this one is. Unfortunately, too much of it is recent history with the racist hatred regarding Covid against Asian people.

The writing here is excellent and the narration by Natalie Naudus is perfect. If you enjoy the horror genre, put this one on your TBR.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ALC.

The story follows Cora Zeng, a 24-year-old biracial Chinese American woman working as a crime scene cleaner in New York City's Chinatown. Her life is upended when her sister, Delilah, is tragically pushed in front of a train, with the assailant uttering "bat eater" before fleeing. This event propels Cora into a harrowing journey where she confronts both real-world horrors and spectral manifestations. This novel delves into themes of grief and the pervasive racism faced by East Asians during the pandemic. This thought-provoking and chilling read offers a fresh perspective on horror, blending supernatural elements with a critical examination of societal issues.
Things I Liked:
Compelling Protagonist: Cora is a well-developed, complex character, and her struggle with grief, guilt, and racial prejudice feels both authentic and deeply human. Her emotional journey as she navigates her sister's death is raw and heartfelt, and her experiences with grief and guilt resonate deeply. As a biracial woman facing the weight of societal racism, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, her story is both personal and relatable.
Cultural Depth: The novel incorporates Chinese cultural elements, like the Hungry Ghost Festival, in ways that add depth and authenticity to the story. These cultural references aren't just background details but are integral to the plot and atmosphere, layering the horror with cultural significance.
Horror and Mystery Blend: The horror aspect of the book is intense and captivating. The supernatural elements are tied closely to Cora’s emotional journey, making them not only eerie but emotionally charged. The ghostly encounters and the dark mystery behind her sister's death kept me hooked. The balance between personal tragedy and the supernatural is skillfully handled, making the tension throughout the novel palatable.
Social Commentary: The novel doesn’t shy away from addressing the real-world issues of racism faced by Asian Americans, especially in light of the pandemic. The way Baker uses horror to explore these issues felt powerful and thought-provoking. It adds another layer to the horror beyond the spectral – showing how Cora’s identity influences her experience of violence and discrimination.
Things I Didn’t Like:
Pacing Issues: While the book had a lot of strong moments, there were parts where the pacing slowed down significantly. At times, the plot felt a bit meandering, especially during the middle sections, which detracted from the overall suspense. The momentum of the investigation could have been built up more effectively to keep the stakes high.
Supernatural Elements Were Underexplored: While I appreciated the supernatural aspects, particularly the ghosts and spirits tied to Cora’s emotions and her sister’s death, I felt that some of these elements could have been fleshed out more. I was left wanting a deeper exploration of the mythology and the ghosts that haunt Cora. There were moments when the book hinted at something larger and more complex, but it didn’t always deliver on that promise.
Lack of Closure: The ending, while emotionally charged, felt a bit ambiguous. Some plot threads that seemed important weren’t fully resolved, and while this can be effective in leaving readers to interpret the story themselves, it left me wanting more closure, especially around the mystery of Delilah's death and the identity of the attacker.
Conclusion:
Cora’s journey is one of pain, resilience, and discovery, making for an engaging read that stays with you long after you turn the last page. While there are a few pacing and plot development issues, the unique combination of horror and social commentary makes this novel stand out. If you're looking for a book that delivers both a chilling supernatural tale and a deep dive into grief and identity, Bat Eater is worth picking up.

In the wake of family tragedy, Cora Zeng grapples with horrors human, psychological, and paranormal. 👻

Things I loved:
🦇 magical realism
🥢 murder mystery
🥮 Auntie Zeng

Like all good horror, the super descriptive moments come at the worst times. But if you can handle gore, I highly recommend this one! ❤️

"Closing your eyes doesn't stop monsters from devouring you"

I was not prepared for how absolutely horrifying, beautiful, and devastating Bat Eater was. Kylie Lee Baker has cemented herself as an auto-read author for me—I am mesmerized by her prose. The first chapter alone was one of the most gripping and atmospheric openings I’ve ever read; I was immediately pulled into the story and couldn’t put it down.

Bat Eater follows Cora Zeng, a Chinese-American woman living in NYC during the height of the pandemic. After witnessing the unthinkable—her sister being pushed in front of a train—Cora becomes a crime-scene cleaner, immersing herself in the city’s darkest corners. As anti-Asian violence rises and a serial killer targets women in Chinatown, Cora begins to unravel, confronting not only the horrors of the real world but also a chilling supernatural presence that seems to be haunting her.

"Of course nothing adds up, your mind is a labyrinth and you are lost inside"
This book lingers in my mind, refusing to let go. Baker captures the suffocating dread of the pandemic with razor-sharp precision, and experiencing it through Cora’s eyes as a Chinese woman in NYC makes it all the more devastating. But beyond the all-too-real horrors, the supernatural elements in Bat Eater genuinely terrified me. It radiates The Ring-level fear, the kind that leaves you hesitant to look into dark corners. The incorporation of Chinese religious and cultural lore is masterfully done—I immediately found myself researching the Hungry Ghost Festival because of how immersive and eerie it felt.

Beyond the horror, Baker’s writing is breathtaking. She weaves brutality and beauty together effortlessly, delivering visceral, graphic depictions alongside stunning, haunting imagery. The character work is phenomenal; Cora is complex and deeply human, while side characters like Auntie Zeng and Harvey add richness and nuance to the story. What makes Bat Eater exceptional is its ability to juggle so many heavy themes—grief, racial violence, the supernatural, mental health, and family trauma—without ever feeling overwhelming. Despite the darkness, there are moments of warmth, humor, and resilience that keep the novel from being purely bleak.

A special mention for the audiobook—it’s a must-listen. The narration is impeccable, heightening the tension and emotion in a way that made the experience even more immersive. When the narrator was scared, I felt it.
This was an easy 5-star read for me. Haunting, thought-provoking, and masterfully crafted, Bat Eater is a horror novel that will stay with me for a long time. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advanced audio copy.

A bleak look into the horrific outcomes of human fear. In pandemic era NYC, Cora sees the worst of what humanity has to offer as a crime scene cleaner. She is generally unbothered by the gore, until her sister is murdered in front of her eyes. Cora is then forced into the realization that Asians are being targeted as the cause of the pandemic, <i> Bat Eaters </i>

Baker does an excellent job of weaving the terrifying reality of human fear and cruelty into a paranormal horror story. As a society we have seen time and time again, different groups be targeted due to a perceived threat or "otherness" that we deem detrimental to society.
Baker also discusses the fetishization of Asian women in American culture, proving that the real life monsters are scarier than fiction.

This book did take a dip in the middle for me, I felt Cora to be a little flat at times and therefore became uninterested. However, I am attributing this to listening to the audiobook rather than reading it with my eyeballs.

The truth is, I am still not 100% sure where I land on this book, so for right now it's sitting at 4 stars. I continue to think about it and will most likely be revisiting at some point.

I listed to this as an ARC, thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley!

A unique horror novel set during the pandemic. There was so much gore in this book at times it was a little unsettling. That being said, I loved this book. I think the author did a great job portraying grief, paranoia, racism, the early feelings of the pandemic. I hope Baker ventures into this genre more.

Sigh. I'm pressed to make a review on a book that has left me unsure of how to review. The sign of a powerfully written book is that it often leaves me in a state of uncertainty, feeling as though I may need to process it indefinitely. And that is where I have landed with Bat Eater.

I wish I had a little more attachment to the characters. While I have an appreciation for their stories there was still a one dimensionality that left me wanting to feel like I knew them better. Aside from that the author managed to masterfully weave together a lot of complex themes into a somewhat surreal story that takes place during the COVID era. Although there was some gore throughout the book the elements of surrealism and detachment from the characters depersonalized it enough that the gore itself felt like fantasy.

I'll be sitting on this for a while. I'm preliminarily giving it a higher review because my experience has been that when I'm stuck on a review and needing to process everything to know how I feel, it generally means I have read something really powerful.

5 Stars
Okay, this was really good, I was hesitant about the pandemic setting (because that was a traumatic time for everyone lol) but I love that it explored not only the fear of COVID-19 itself but the added horror on top of that to experience the pandemic as an Asian person and the racism that came along with it (which I could unfortunately, definitely relate to). Another read from Kylie Lee Baker to add to my favourites shelf - truly a great horror read with enjoyable characters and shocking twists.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for the ARC!