Publication Date: April 29, 2025
Publisher: MIRA
Pages: 304
Genre: Horror
Rating: 5/5
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng follows Cora Zeng in NYC during the beginning of the pandemic where the only work she can get is a crime scene cleaner. During this work Cora and her two coworkers start finding bats at brutal crime scenes of Asian people. Not only are they facing prejudice and hate for merely existing due to the origins of Covid but they are starting to piece together that there could be a serial killer targeting them as well. In addition Cora is dealing with crushing grief, OCD, family issues, and the stories her Chinese Aunt told her of hungry ghosts may actually be more true than she thought.
Kylie Lee Baker outdid herself with this fantastic Adult debut. I was a big fan of her YA fantasy duology, The Keeper of Night, but Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is extraordinary. The horror was so skillfully done that I’m blown away that this is her first published foray into the genre.
To be honest, I’ve really been struggling with this review because I loved every single second of it and my only coherent thought about is that everyone should read it (if you can handle the horror elements!). I was so wrapped up in this story that I barely knew what was happening around me and I stayed up way too late to finish the book. I went into it without knowing the fully synopsis so everything that happened shocked me and I could never have anticipated the ride this book took me on. Truly one of my best books of the year and has more than earned a spot in the top ten of my life.
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