As always, this is not a spoiler-free review.

Loooove me some good vampire fluff mixed with brutal angst and a smidgen a lot of violence — that’s what you’ll find in E.L. Wicker’s “Fractured Immortal”. The first book in what I assume will be a series, or at least a two-parter, is a great kick-start for Wicker’s writing debut. Feisty, fun, and fulfilling, it’s engaging in all the right ways. The author isn’t afraid to veer between devastating darkness and the possibility of light, and I was surprised in all the best ways to see that the main character, Ilia, was not immune to tragedy or, really, a few beatings. Given her inexperience in battle and her lack of coordination in general, it made sense to me that she would fall victim to stronger, better trained vamps on occasion.

To me, all the scenes in the past reminded me of the flashback scenes fromVampire Diaries, which is great because I loved those particular scenes. Wicker brings up this great sense of nostalgia and comfort, letting you sink into this fictional world with ease, while also combining that comfort with stunning descriptions of an exceptional setting.

Now, I won’t gush on everything. I took issue with how quickly Ilia forgave Kyle, and how quickly they resumed a tentative friendship. I would have liked to see the uneasiness and the awkward and the bitchy fighting drag on until the last possible moment. I think it would have made their tension a little more exciting. I also would have liked there to be more subtlety in Lucas and Kate’s budding romance. A little mystery and intrigue would have gone a long way, rather than readers knowing almost immediately that they were digging each other.

Overall, a fun book with plenty of tension, romance, and angst! Great for paranormal fans!

Find it on Goodreads!