Sultry Days of Blood and Angels

by Tess Nottebohm

"Usually, I juggle multiple books at once, but this is one I’m sticking with until I’ve absorbed every insight. Sultry Days of Blood and Angels by Tess Nottebohm is a darkly mesmerizing journey into a world of secrets, desire, and lingering shadows. Nottebohm’s prose is rich and immersive, weaving gothic historical detail with suspenseful storytelling that keeps you turning pages long past bedtime. The characters are vivid and flawed, their struggles and passions rendered with intensity and depth, making the story both sensual and haunting.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves gothic historical fiction, mysteries, or stories drenched in atmosphere. Fans of Anne Rice, Sarah Waters, or Toni Morrison’s Beloved will find it utterly captivating."
~ Hailey Whittaker

"Sultry Days of Blood and Angels is a lush journey into history, identity, and passion. The threadbare pages of an old man's antique journal burst with a Pandora's Box of deep-bayou intrigue—spurring a modern young adventuress to seek her own destiny through the journal's account of three wildly compelling female characters.

Author Tess Nottebohm brings to vibrant life the mansions and back roads of old New Orleans with exhilaration and gutsy sensuality. Each bodice-ripping, mind-bending escapade is injected with a raw, unconventional twist on relationships, self-awareness, and the elusive nature of time itself. Nottebohm's satisfied readers will end up scouring flea markets everywhere for lace cravats, muslin bloomers, and dusty Cajun talismans!"
~ Stephanie JT Russell, author, One Flash of A Samurai Path for Living the Moment

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Sienna Chandler]

Reading Sultry Days of Blood and Angels felt like being swept into a fever dream. Tess Nottebohm’s New Orleans is intoxicating—sultry, decadent, and filled with whispers of the past. I loved how the story blended gothic mystery with raw sensuality, pulling me into the world of Divinity and Priscilla. Their lives, so tragic and passionate, felt hauntingly real. The journal of Wellsworth was a fascinating lens—his obsession mirrored my own as I turned each page, desperate to know more. This isn’t just a novel, it’s an experience of longing, betrayal, and strange beauty. I walked away from it feeling changed, as though New Orleans itself had touched me. It left me breathless and aching for more.

[Brooklyn Barrington]

As someone who loves history wrapped in storytelling, Sultry Days of Blood and Angels was mesmerizing. The novel transports you to 19th-century New Orleans with its lush descriptions of voodoo, slavery, and Creole culture. What struck me most were the layers of truth and myth—how Divinity and Priscilla could be healers, witches, or scholars depending on who was telling the tale. It reminded me how history often silences women, and how stories like these resurrect them with power. Annette’s discovery of Wellsworth’s journal tied the past to the present beautifully, reminding me that our own identities are often shaped by forgotten lives before us. This book didn’t just entertain me—it made me think deeply about freedom, legacy, and how much of the past still lives in us today.

[Kennedy Aldridge]

I came to Sultry Days of Blood and Angels for the mystery—and it did not disappoint. From the abandoned bayou cabin to the journal’s eerie revelations, I was hooked. The gothic atmosphere drips off the page like the humidity of New Orleans itself. Wellsworth was a fascinating character: unreliable, obsessive, and yet essential to understanding Divinity and Priscilla’s world. I loved how the novel balanced sensuality with suspense—just when I thought I knew the truth, another shadow would appear. The twists, the betrayals, the blurred line between reality and legend kept me up late at night. This book reminded me of Interview with the Vampire with a twist of voodoo and gothic noir. Absolutely unforgettable.

[Phillip Bancroft]

What stayed with me most after reading Sultry Days of Blood and Angels was the question it asks: what does it mean to be free? Through Divinity and Priscilla’s story, I saw how freedom is never simple—it’s tangled in desire, betrayal, love, and the weight of history. Annette’s journey from disillusionment to discovery echoed my own longing for meaning in a world that often feels shallow. New Orleans itself became a character—beautiful and dangerous, seductive and destructive. Tess Nottebohm’s writing is poetic, almost hypnotic, pulling me deeper into its sultry heart. This isn’t just a book to read—it’s one to wrestle with, to dream over, to remember. I came away changed, reminded that passion and freedom always come at a cost.

[Travis Alden]

Every morning, I start my day with a quick scroll through emails and then reach for a book — it’s my way to shift from noise to focus. When I picked up Sultry Days of Blood and Angels, that morning ritual turned into something far more immersive. This isn’t just another historical novel—it blends gothic sensuality, voodoo lore, vampire myth, and the lingering scars of slavery into a story unlike anything I’ve read before. Tess Nottebohm captures New Orleans with such haunting beauty and raw intensity that the city itself feels alive, both seductive and dangerous. The novel is layered with mystery and philosophical questions about freedom and identity, making it as thought-provoking as it is mesmerizing. It’s the kind of book that stays with you, long after your morning fades into the day.

[Ellie Zavala]

I thought I’d just flip through a few pages before bed, but suddenly it was past midnight and I was still reading. Sultry Days of Blood and Angels gripped me in ways I didn’t expect, and a lot of that comes down to the setting. Tess Nottebohm doesn’t treat New Orleans as a backdrop—it’s a living, breathing character with its own voice. The sultry air, voodoo rituals, jazz rhythms, and shadowed bayous saturate the story, making every scene pulse with atmosphere. The city’s history of slavery, Creole culture, and constant edge of danger mirror the themes of passion, freedom, and decay that run throughout the novel. Reading it felt like wandering through New Orleans itself—seduced, unsettled, and unable to turn away.

[Samuel Ziegler]

This is one of those books you keep nearby, not because you haven’t finished it, but because you keep going back to it. For me, the heart of Sultry Days of Blood and Angels lives in its unforgettable characters—especially Divinity. As the daughter of both slave and master, she carries the weight of two worlds, embodying both conflict and resilience. What struck me most was how Tess Nottebohm gave her such depth—Divinity is vulnerable and tender at times, yet also strong, defiant, and determined to survive in a society quick to judge her. She represents the strength of women who are simultaneously condemned and revered, and her presence lingered with me long after I closed the book. Divinity didn’t just move the story forward—she moved something in me.

[Addison Yancy]

It sat on my shelf for weeks — then I opened it on a quiet Sunday morning and didn’t put it down for hours. What struck me most about Sultry Days of Blood and Angels was how Annette’s modern-day story connected so beautifully with the past. Her discovery of Wellsworth’s journal became a bridge between two worlds, pulling her into the lives of Divinity and Priscilla. Annette’s longing for beauty and meaning mirrored their struggles in a way that felt timeless, as though history itself was echoing through her. Tess Nottebohm makes you feel that the past isn’t gone—it’s alive within us, shaping who we are and what we long for. That resonance is what made the novel so powerful and unforgettable for me.

[Stephen Yarborough]

There were several moments where I had to stop, take a deep breath, and just sit with what I’d read. Sultry Days of Blood and Angels held that kind of intensity for me, especially through Wellsworth Worthington’s journal. It became the heartbeat of the story—revealing Divinity and Priscilla’s world through his obsessive, often unreliable eyes. I was constantly questioning him: was he telling the truth, or twisting reality through desire and bias? That tension made the reading experience electric. The journal wasn’t just a historical record—it was a mirror of obsession, giving the novel a haunting intimacy. Tess Nottebohm uses it brilliantly to blur the line between witness and participant, leaving me both unsettled and captivated until the very last page.

[Shane Xenakis]

Reading it felt like finally getting a puzzle piece I didn’t even know was missing. Sultry Days of Blood and Angels isn’t just a story—it’s an experience shaped by Tess Nottebohm’s unforgettable writing style. The prose is lush, poetic, and sensual, almost like drifting through a dream. Each sentence feels steeped in atmosphere, as if the words themselves carry the sultry air of New Orleans. At times, the language drips with decadence, demanding you to pause and savor the richness of the moment. It’s not the kind of book you rush through; it’s one you sink into, letting the spell of the writing take hold. By the end, I felt both enchanted and haunted, as though the book had written itself into me.

[Hailey Whittaker]

Usually, I juggle multiple books at once, but this is one I’m sticking with until I’ve absorbed every insight. Sultry Days of Blood and Angels by Tess Nottebohm is a darkly mesmerizing journey into a world of secrets, desire, and lingering shadows. Nottebohm’s prose is rich and immersive, weaving gothic historical detail with suspenseful storytelling that keeps you turning pages long past bedtime. The characters are vivid and flawed, their struggles and passions rendered with intensity and depth, making the story both sensual and haunting.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves gothic historical fiction, mysteries, or stories drenched in atmosphere. Fans of Anne Rice, Sarah Waters, or Toni Morrison’s Beloved will find it utterly captivating.

[Keith Ellsworth]

Sultry Days of Blood and Angels completely swept me away. From the first page, I felt like I was walking the streets of old New Orleans—hearing the music, tasting the food, and breathing in the humid, mysterious air. Tess Nottebohm’s writing is so rich and vivid that I often had to pause just to savor the atmosphere. What really hooked me, though, were the characters. The women in the old journal felt alive, fierce, and unforgettable, and their stories pulled me into a whirlwind of passion, danger, and discovery. This isn’t just historical fiction—it’s a journey of the heart and soul, full of beauty and tragedy. By the end, I didn’t just read about New Orleans—I lived it.

[Derek Davenport]

My Journey to Redemption is a book that pulled me in from the very first page. John J. Scott writes with a raw honesty that makes you feel every struggle, every setback, and every small victory along his path. What struck me most was how relatable his journey felt—his reflections on faith, guilt, and hope resonated deeply, reminding me that redemption is never out of reach, no matter how far we’ve fallen. This isn’t just a story of one man; it’s an invitation for readers to reflect on their own lives and the choices that shape them. Uplifting and deeply moving, this book left me with a renewed sense of hope and a stronger belief in second chances.

[Jeffrey Carrington]

This novel shook me in ways I didn’t expect. Sultry Days of Blood and Angels isn’t a simple story—it’s a haunting exploration of love, obsession, and what it means to be free. Annette’s search for enchantment mirrored something in me. Haven’t we all longed for more beauty, more passion, something just beyond our reach? The journal felt like a mirror into hidden desires and forgotten histories, and Divinity and Priscilla’s story broke my heart. They were strong yet vulnerable, free yet trapped by the world’s judgment. By the end, I was in tears, not just for them, but for all the lost voices history never honored. This book made me feel alive, unsettled, and oddly hopeful.

[Mackenzie Xander]

My habit is to read just before bed, but with this book, I kept telling myself ‘just one more chapter’ way past my usual bedtime. Sultry Days of Blood and Angels stirred something personal in me. It made me reflect on how fragile beauty and freedom really are—how quickly they can be stolen by judgment, betrayal, or simply the passage of time. Divinity and Priscilla’s struggles filled me with sadness, yet also admiration for their courage and defiance. They lived boldly in a world that wanted to silence them, and that left a deep impression on me. By the end, I was reminded to seek passion and authenticity in my own life, and not to let them slip quietly away.