Geist discussion

I've been hard put trying to find books like this - a special treasure. It's difficult to find books that are fantasy that contain really good romance that is not too detailed but detailed enough. Most of the time, when I buy a romance genre novel, it turns out to be mostly about sex and sex and sex. But what can I expect from a romance book? There are some, however, that have great character development and world building, which I appreciate.

Since it's so hard for me to find books like this, I need to enlist some help from you guys. What are books that are similar to this in terms of the effective world building, character development, and same amount and detail of the romance?

If you don't mind reading Geist why not try reading Jim Butcher's Dresden Files Book Series. It rarely has sex scenes though it has alot of mystery elements. I will tell you that it has magical references in it as well. Another book series to consider is Valdmar Chronicles by Mercedes Lackey. Again very few sexual scenes involved and very good storyline too! I almost forgot Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series. I hope you find this helpful in your search for good romantic books.

I have Geist on my TBR shelf, so I'm not sure what kind of fantasy it is, but if you like an action packed fantasy with a romance (as opposed to sex), you might try one of the these: (warning, they are quite bloodthirsty, and some have M/M romantic elements).

The Fallen Blade- Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Midwinter- Mathew Sturges
The Drowning City Amanda Downum
The Greyfriar

I didn't finish the darn list, hit wrong key. Here's the rest:
The Greyfriar- Clay and Susan Griffith
The Conqueror's Shadow- Marmell, Ari
Living With Ghosts- Sperring, Kari
A Clockwork Heart- Pagliasotti, Dru

Wow, thanks so much you guys! The recommendations look great. However, I want to clarify. I do love the romance and I'm more than ok with sex scenes. In fact, I like it if it's in a book like this. For me, it's icing AND a cherry on the cake.

But anyway, thanks again! I put some of your recommendations in my to-read list.

If you don't mind romance and sex, I would also suggest Sunny's Mona Lisa series (sort of vamp in modern world), or for a book that starts out as UF and turns into mostly romance/sex, Jory Strong's Spider Touched. Or look at some of the books on my good-read list:
Black, Jenna The Devil Inside demon
Carey, Mike The Devil You Know demon
Connolly, Harry Child of Fire demon
Rowland, Diana Mark of the Demon demon
Hearne, Kevin Hounded Druid, gods
Bell, Alex The Ninth Circle fantasy
Brite, Poppy Z Lost Souls fantasy
Brust Steven The Lord of Castle Black fantasy
de Lint Charles The Mystery of Grace fantasy
Downum, Amanda The Drowning City fantasy
Gaiman Neil American Gods fantasy
Green, Simon R Something from the Nightside fantasy
Hanover, MLN Unclean Spirits fantasy
Howell, Morgan Clan Daughter, Royal Destiny fantasy
Jones, Jaida HaveMercy fantasy
Kadrey, Richard Sandman Slim fantasy
Moore, Christopher The Stupidest Angel fantasy
Novik, Naomi His Majesty's Dragon fantasy
Pratchett, Terry The Color of Magic fantasy
Snyder, Maria Poison Study fantasy
Sturges, Matthew Midwinter fantasy
Tregillis, Ian Bitter Seeds fantasy
Williams, Liz The Snake Agent fantasy
McGuire, Seanan Rosemary and Rue magic
Cole, Kresley A Hunger Like no Other PNR
Arthur, Keri Full Moon Rising PNR, vamp, shifter
Andrews, Ilona Magic Bites shifter
Driver, Lee The Good Die Twice shifter
Hunter, Faith Skinwalker shifter, vamp
Lima Maria Matters of the Blood shifter, vamp
Briggs Patricia Moon Called shifter/were
Vaughn, Carrie Kitty and the Midnight Hour, shifter/were
Carriger, Gail Soulless shifter?
Moning Karen Marie Darkfever UF
Pratt T A (Tim) Blood Engines UF
Richardson, Kat Greywalker UF
Saintcrow Lilith Working for the Devil UF
Weldon, Phaedra Wraith UF
Troop Alan The Dragon delaSangre UF- dragons
Acevedo, Mario Nymphos of Rocky Flats vamp
Armintrout, Jennifer The Turning: Book1:Blood Ties Series vamp
Baker, Nancy The Night Inside aka Kiss of the Vampire vamp
Bowen, Gary Diary of a Vampire vamp
Collins Nancy A Sunglasses After Dark vamp
Davidson MaryJanice Undead and Unwed vamp
Drake, Jocelynn Nightwalker vamp
Farren, Mick the Time of Feasting vamp
Frost, Jeaniene Halfway to the Grave vamp
Garton, Ray Live Girls vamp
Gleason, Colleen aka Gale Colette The Rest Falls Away vamp
Gottlieb, Sherry Love Bite vamp
Hendee Barb Blood Memories vamp
Huff Tanya Blood Price vamp
Huston, Charlie Already Dead vamp
Lewis, J F Staked vamp
Martin George RR Fevre Dream, vamp
Neill, Chloe Some Girls Bite vamp
Newman, Kim Anno-Dracula vamp
Rardin, Jennifer Once Bitten, Twice Shy vamp
Simmons, William Mark One Foot in the Grave vamp
Stein, Jeanne C The Becoming vamp
Sunny Mona Lisa Awakening vamp
Taylor, Karen E The Vampire Vivienne vamp
Hamilton Laurell K Guilty Pleasures vamp, shifter
Harris Charlaine Dead Until Dark, vamp, shifter
Lane, Amy Vulnerable vamp, shifter, magic
Harrison Kim Dead Witch Walking vamp, witch
Chance Karen Touch the Dark vamp,time travel
Adams, Cie T and Cathy Clamp Touch of Evil vamp/body rider
Armstrong Kelley Bitten were
Cacek Patricia Canyons were
Kittredge, Caitlin Night Life were
Butcher, Jim Storm Front wizard
Henry, Mark Happy Hour of the Damned zombie

Thank you, Tasula! I'm going to take a look at some of the books you listed and already put some in my to-read list.

Trying reading the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews her books are similar to Geist.

Stacie - Thanks! I recently just finished reading the series and it was great! Any other recommendations?

Emperor's Edge - Lindsay Buroker (Free on kindle!)

Cast in Shadow - Michelle Sagara West (Honistly I started it a while ago and hated the begining but WOW it gets so much better, and the second book even more so)

Hunted by the Others - Jess Haines

Dying Bites - D.D. Barant

Unholy Ghosts - Stacia Kane (Some of the most origional characters I've read)

I know, I'm the same, I can't say how many times I've been dissapointed by a book because the protagonist fell for the first guy she sees with basically no interactions between them.
If there's to be a romance/relationship in a book I prefer to be pleasantly suprised.
(Man I sounded old then)
(:

Rhian - Thanks the recommendations! I have Cast in Shadow already so this will make me want to read it sooner! The others sound interesting! Thank you!

I think the closest I have read to Geist is the Maria V Snyder books - Study Trilogy (Poison Study, Fire Study and Magic Study) Glass Trilogy (Spy Glass, Sea Glass and Storm Glass, and her Avry of Kazan books - two released so far Touch of Power and Scent of Magic. They are really good.
Another one you could look at is Kristen Cashore with Graceling, Fire and Bitterblue. Both of these authors are in my favourite top ten and both fantasy.

I loved Snyder's Poison Study but Magic Study was a disappointment for me.

I've read Touch of Power and didn't really like it, like Magic Study.

And I've read Graceling and it was pretty good! Haven't read the rest of the series, though.

I liked Geist because it's not really in the YA genre.

But thank you for the recs!