A Realm of Dreams and Shadows

Aggonid's Realm #2

by Kathy Haan

In the shadowed corners of the fae realm, where magic pulses with a life of its own, Morte awakens to a world fragmented and veiled in mystery. A Realm of Dreams and Shadows weaves a tale of dark fantasy romance, where the echoes of the past whisper secrets yet to be uncovered.

For Morte, two years have vanished into an abyss, erased by the mercy of the Luna goddess. Returned to the world she knows, but devoid of memories that tether her to the underworld, she finds herself in a realm both familiar and perplexing. Her heart beats with the rhythm of a life she cannot recall, haunted by a love she cannot remember.

In this why-choose romance, Morte stands at the center of a celestial struggle, torn between the world above and the shades beneath. As she fights to free her best friend from the clutches of an eternal prison, her soul echoes with the remnants of a forgotten bond.

Deep in the fae underworld, her unknown mates—a cadre of powerful, grief-stricken beings—forge a dreamscape, seeking to bridge the chasm between worlds. Their only to rekindle the memories of their shared love and bring her back to where she belongs. But as they weave this ethereal connection, a sinister threat looms, casting a dark shadow over their efforts.

A Realm of Dreams and Shadows is a journey through love, loss, and the complexities of a heart divided. In a world where every choice leads down a path of entwining fates, Morte must navigate the dark night of her own soul, confronting the shadows of a past shrouded in mystery and a future fraught with danger.

Will Morte reclaim the fragments of her lost memories? Can love transcend the barriers of forgotten realms? Discover a story where grief, power, and the pursuit of truth entwine in the world of the Fae.

Tropes and universal fantasies

Why choose romance, with one woman and multiple men she doesn't have to choose fromMMFM+Fated matesAngsty romanceFae politicsFriends to loversUnhinged MMCShadow daddiesThis is a full-length novel.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dark Romance, Dark, Enemies To Lovers, Romance, Fae

410 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2024

About the author

#1 Bestselling Author x 4

A cousin to Billie Eilish (though she's never met her in person), blood descendant of Wild Bill Hickok, and a long line of artists and creators, Kathy Haan believes the secret to telling a great story is living one. The second youngest, in a massive horde of children between her parents, she did her best to gain attention and kept everyone entertained with jokes and wild stories.

She lives a life of adventure with her hunky husband, three children, and Great Pyrenees in the Midwest United States. While new to fiction, you might’ve seen her work in Forbes, where she’s a regular contributor. Or, in Notoriety Network’s 12x international award-winning documentary, #SHEROproject.

Reviews

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t finish. It was just at too much of a lull and I lost interest. The timeline was really distracting. FMC would say something like “it’s been weeks” and I was like wait a minute…it’s been 2 days??? Like only one night happened, am I missing something? Then when she resurrected and came back from hell it was 2 years??? But her mates were saying she was gone for a day?? And no explanation from the author such as: time is different in different realms. Like nothing. Ugh it was annoying and extremely distracting, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I found myself skipping pages because it just kept dragging and going into detail over things I didn’t care about like: I woke up the bioluminescence of the fake night sky. And it would be paragraphs explaining what her treehouse was like, when all I wanted was dialogue between people.

I enjoyed the first book enough to finish it but this one wasn’t for me. Not all writing styles are meant for every reader and that’s totally fine. Nothing against the author, it just wasn’t my vibe.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF because it just dragged and wasnt going anywhere wont be reading 3rd

[Cheryl Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to say this author is an absolute genius I love this book and I cannot wait to be able to get signed copies from this amazing woman I loved every bit of this book and I want to read it again and again and again I love the fact that she was well let's just say she used an unconventional lube in this book and the spice is off the charts I love the fact that she has so much spice in this book but yet has an amazing storyline an absolute and wonderful characters if I could give this book 200 Stars I absolutely would

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not a great book, but the spice was spicing so 2 ⭐ and I pre-ordered the final book. I made it this far might as well see it through. Poor Emeric though.

[Tuesday Victery · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I’d like to say that I do thoroughly enjoy the story and all of the characters. The FMC and the MMCs all have very distinguished personalities and they jump off of the page. The author does an amazing job of immersing readers into the emotions and feelings of the characters.

That being said, the writing style when it comes to world building, is a bit wishy washy (for lack of a better term at the moment) … There’s another review on here that says there is a lot of ‘rinse and repeat’ and I couldn’t agree more. I did find myself skipping over paragraphs or just skimming them because they were bogged down with details about things that could have been summed up in paraphrases opposed to pages.

I don’t normally like giving reviews of series until it’s completed and I’ve read it, but honestly if I didn’t enjoy these characters so much I probably wouldn’t have finished this book. The overwhelming detail in certain areas, weighed against the complete lack of acknowledgment of what appear to be key details needed in understanding the plot… was very distracting. (For example that there is clearly a time difference between realms that has never been acknowledged)

The strongest part of these books is the characters. They are very well written, lovable, relatable characters. I will absolutely read the third book because I am invested into these characters and want to know how their story plays out. I just hope that some of these details that are puzzling come out in the wash.

[Heather Carney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVE Kathy Haan! Her books have some of the best spice and the plots are always binge worthy. The first book in this series I DEVOURED, finished in one night. This book, the second in the series, it was harder for me to get into. Now, don’t get me wrong, the story was great, so much tension and twist and turns and just nail biting situations. But what made it hard for me was that it was just drug on. It felt like it was never going to get to the point. I stuck with it though! And I am SO glad that I did. I questioned Kathy, not gonna lie, but trust the process lol 😂 once again she produced an amazing book despite how I felt at first! The world she has created along with the romance is amazing!

This book has equal plot/spice and it is a why choose. If you’ve read the first one you are probably broken hearted about the ending of the first one, same! Lol but stick to this one! There are many questions from the first one that will be answered and will leave you in a, WHAT 🤯, moment! I gave it a 3 star only bc of the dragging out of the story. But that’s just MY feelings on it. The storyline and spice was still on point!

[BecReadsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was elated, and then devastated!

I was elated, and then devastated!

Morte resolved what was haunting her from her past!

The Underworld boys managed to find Morte and spent ages hatching plans to see her/get her back..

Then it ends on a cliffhanger that I didn't see coming with the twist of all plot twists that had me shook and feeling so many feelings at once!

The writing was a masterpiece, and the feels were epic!

I loved this part of the trilogy, and I'm not sure if I'm excited or angry in terms of how much I need to read book 3 for more answers to the more questions I now have 😅

Once again a fine balance between epic heat and spice, and an absolutely scrumptious slow burn that once lit, blazed!

I both love and hate this book because of the ride it took me on, and I am definitely seeing this through to the end and downloading book 3 immediately!!!

⭐ - 5/5
🌶️ - 5/5
❤️ - 5/5 - I'm both more in love with the harem boys and also very heartbroken!

Just incredible writing 🫶💖💕✨ Xx

[Mary-Frances Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really hoping for a sweet reunion between Morte and Wilder, but of course Kathy Haan had to put my heart through the blender and make me work for it. Lol I love the emotions she able to pull out of me in her stories and can’t wait for the final book. I need to see someone suffering the wrath of her men, and I’d love to see her finally healing from the horrible accident that set the story in motion.

I’ve seen a couple of reviews on book 1 in this series and thought I’d add my two cents here, so bare with me.

While you don’t HAVE to read her other books, her previous two series are set in the same world, prior to Aggoinids Realm, and have important cross over characters. If you’re someone that gets confused by the relationships or need a little “more” on the world building, try reading those first (especially if you’re prone to leaving negative reviews). Both series set up the storyline and world building for this one.

Happy reading!

[Niki Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOD 😅😘💔🥹 ( SPOILERS)

Sooooo good!! I can’t believe this ending.. Kathy girl… I need to have some words with you!! lol but in all seriousness such a good book! I’m obsessed with Morte and I’m so glad she was able to do right by Wilder. The banter between everyone had me giggling and kicking my feet!! I love the Male characters even more in the 2nd book!! How they would do anything to get their girl back ugh my heart!! I LOVED Emeric in the first book and I love him even more now.. he isn’t even her mate and will do ANYTHING to get Morte back! And don’t even get me started with Az.. he has some explaining to do. He better not do my girl Morte dirty he better have a good explanation or motive or something… AND last but not least I love and appreciate the note to us readers at the end! Nothing is more important than mental health! And I will gladly and patiently be waiting for the conclusion whenever that may be!! 🤍

[Jennifer Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Morte has returned to Bedlam, and my, how things have changed. What felt like months in the underworld, was actually years in her own realm. And to make matters worse - she has no memory of her time away.

This was the challenge faced, not only by Morte, who was now on a mission to free Wilder, but also her mates, who couldn't bear life without her.

This story seemed to drag for a while - the dreamscape built in the underworld so Aggonid, Caius, Az, and Emeric could see Morte. Her battle to free Wilder. And meanwhile something was afoot that we had no idea about.

The spice was there, but it was different, always on a timer. And Morte, without her memory, it was almost like starting over.

Thankfully, the story did pick up the pace, and then insert a plot twist and mic-drop moment. I am still in a bit of shock and can't wait to see how things play out.

[Stacie Charfauros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came from a TikTok that said 🩸was used in an interesting way and it didn’t disappoint

This is book two in the Aggonids Realm series and it is just as good as the first one. Morte is a phoenix and has just woken up to a seemingly normal day but she can’t remember what happened at the bedlam penitentiary where her and her team were sent to take out a dangerous prisoner. She learns that she has lost two years of memories. This book is her trying to figure out why she is missing two years of her life and to right some wrongs committed 200 years prior. I don’t want to give anything away so definitely pick up book one and then hop right into book 2. I’m hoping book 3 will be out soon. But until then I will be here impatiently waiting.

[Kandace Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this book shattered me. The fact that she went back to Bedlam and didn’t remember her mates for almost the WHOLE entire book. Morte’s mates sure didn’t disappoint though. They would stay in contact with her through her dreams. I thought that was creative. Really the only issue I had with this second book was that Morte and Wilder kept confessing the crime they committed really repetitively.

So I thought this was a finished series and I’m so mad I was left on a cliff hanger 🤦🏼‍♀️ I was running to the third book to finally see what happened and I ran straight into a wall of agony!

[Sarah P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoy these books. This one was a little repetitive and I'm king of the wilder hate club because I was so annoyed with him in the last book so i was upset with the abundance of him and lack of my demon boys in this one. There's a twist at the end and a cliffhanger so naturally, I am salty and I don't like having to wait!!!!

But yeah, solid fantasy series. Names are kind of, "wow, really?" at times.

[Ceri Lynch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cant lie, i did enjoy this book definitely more than the first.
The spice is definitely a niche.
I love the 5 mates especially caius because he’s hilarious.
I did however guess very early on in book one where this second book would conclude and i wasn’t wrong.
A nice long wait until the next one, i should really check if a series has completed before starting them 🙈
Ive read so many fantasy books and it still blows my mind where they think of these story lines and ideas.

[Madeline Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

if you like smooshy and gooshy this is for you

If you took out the repeated smooshy gooshy words of affirmation, the book would be about half the length. Lots of rinse and repeats that are eyeroll worthy too

Lots of really slow parts in this book.

Good slow burn and good spice.

[Mary Edwards Stagliola · Rating 4 out of 5]

L4⭐️ - I’m actually loving this, so sad that the next book isn’t out yet. Love where this is going and I’m so excited to see all of them together.

Morte wakes up, and quickly realizes two years have gone by, and she has no memories of where she’s been. All she knows is that the magical gag Wilder had on her is gone, she is finally free to discuss the fall he took for her, resulting in his prison sentence. Working with her companions, she arranges everything she can for Wilders release.

All the while, she is having strange dreams, with men who aren’t Wilder. Thinking there are dark forces working to infiltrate her mind, she works with friends to try and protect her dreams. When these men still seem to be able to get in, she starts to believe there might be more there.

Can’t wait for the next one!

[Distracted Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yearning. All the yearning with some angst and just a peppering of sweetness and comfort. We get Wilders POV in this book as well as the others, as they rehash the past and try to figure out the future. The author does a really good job of meshing absolutely scandalous spicy scenes with such an elaborate world and all the political intrigue.

[Nikki Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

good but not as good as the first

This was good, but nothing compared to the first. I dont care for wilder as a mate at all, his chapters did nothing for me. Book one was everything and in this one I just kept waiting for something. Cant wait to read three! Hope it makes up for this one.

[Megan The_reading_mechanic · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT. WHAT. WHAT. Why does it have to end on the most unexpected plot twists that there is?! The plot of the story is slower in this book but it’s rebuilding the character relations which I personally loved. I am so shocked! Luckily the third book is out so I don’t have to wait on that cliffhanger!

[Stacy Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting!

Wow! I haven't read a book like this in awhile! I had to fight not to skip ahead to find out what was going to happen. The ONLY thing I don't like is that I have to wait 6 months for the 3rd book!
I'm going to read everything I can find by Kathy Hann ASAP!

[WILL GRANT · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing

Can't wait for book 3 in 2025. What a cliff hanger. Fantastic world-building and loved all the characters. Can't wait to see what will happen in the group dynamic.

[Bookie McBookFace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun! I didn't have a lot of expectations going in but I really enjoyed Morte as a character.

[Lisette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still liked it more than I thought. Still sometimes an awkward read and fast paced, but the plot and the *plot* and the cliffhanger were really good.

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like Dark Fantasy with high heat then this book is for you! I loved the fae politics and fated mates trope. My kind of slow burn.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been 200 pages shorter and told the same story. The repetitive internal dialogue from every character is painful. Took away from a good story.

[Addie Pieters · Rating 4 out of 5]

We started off a little slow but it was worth sticking through. So ready for book 3!

[Noel Jarrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Little Bird, I was fucking MADE for you.” -Wilder😳
🌶️5/5

[Yasmin Mcevoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

She doesn’t remember any of them but is still horny. I feel ya girl

[Abby · Rating 2 out of 5]

It shouldn't have been this long. This portion of the story could have been told of 200 pages. Plot holes galore. I stayed for the spice.

[Whitney Cooksey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DNF’d this bad boy