263 ratings | 141 reviews | avg rating:4.76

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Joyce Mari

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Julia Gousseva

Goodreads Author

Born

Moscow, Russian Federation

Website

http://www.juliagoussevabooks.com/

Member Since

August 2012

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Julia Gousseva was born and raised in Russia when it was still a part of the Soviet Union, or USSR. For a long time, Russia was hidden behind the Iron Curtain and had a mysterious image of the Evil Empire to many Westerners, specifically Americans. But Russia was a mystery not just to outsiders, but to its own people as well. One of Julia's college history professors used to refer to Russia as a country with unpredictable past. Why? Because every time a new leader came to power, all state-issued history books were changed and rewritten. And all history books were state-issued.

Julia's novel MOSCOW DREAMS is set in Russia and presents life from the perception of everyday people whose lives were dramatically altered by events that have changed ...more

99 posts
Julia Gousseva's Blog

Meeting My Best Friend

[image error]From November until March, Moscow was cold, snowy and brown, the color of trees devoid of leaves and left with empty branches. But spring always came suddenly to Moscow. One day in early March, the sun melted the top layer of ice and snow, shone in the puddles, and turned the streets to mud and slush. It was still coat and hats weather, but Muscovites could sense the approach of the s

Combine Editions
Julia Gousseva’s books

Average rating: 4.19 · 655 ratings · 188 reviews · 25 distinct works

	Gray Shadows 3.95 avg rating — 101 ratings — published 2014 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Anya's Story: Russian Historical Fiction (Anya Series Book 1) 3.85 avg rating — 95 ratings — published 2013 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Twelve Months of a Soviet Childhood: Short Stories 4.03 avg rating — 72 ratings — published 2012 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Moscow Dreams 4.05 avg rating — 58 ratings — published 2012 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Firebird (Adventures of Alex and Katie #1) 4.34 avg rating — 53 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Struggling to Survive (Anya #2) 4.28 avg rating — 43 ratings — published 2015 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Lollipop (Adventures of Alex and Katie #2) 4.74 avg rating — 34 ratings — published 2012 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lethal Cargo: Russian Historical Thriller (Nikolai Volkov Book 3) 4.54 avg rating — 28 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	In the Crosshairs: Russian Historical Thriller (Nikolai Volkov Book 2) 4.30 avg rating — 27 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Russian Soup Recipes: Thirty Delicious and Easy Soup Recipes: A Cookbook for a Soup Pot or a Slow Cooker 4.26 avg rating — 19 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Series by Julia Gousseva

Adventures of Alex and Katie (5 books)
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Julia Gousseva (Goodreads Author)

4.54 avg rating — 141 ratings

Anya (2 books)
by

Julia Gousseva (Goodreads Author)

3.92 avg rating — 159 ratings

Russian Bodyguard (1 book)
by

Julia Gousseva (Goodreads Author)

3.95 avg rating — 101 ratings

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Julia has read Up The Down Ladder: Simple Ideas to Overcome Depression by Dolores Ayotte (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Quotes by Julia Gousseva (?)

“Traditionally, even numbers of flowers are only suitable for funerals and cemeteries. For all other occasions, Russians use an odd number of flowers.”
― Julia Gousseva, Twelve Months of a Soviet Childhood: Short Stories

0 likes

“we are not paid to take a flying bullet in the head but use our head to keep that bullet from flying.”
― Julia Gousseva, Gray Shadows

0 likes

Topics Mentioning This Author

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Cozy Mysteries : Mystery ABC's, Round 4	14302	806	Jan 05, 2019 05:39AM
2026 Reading Chal...: Carol P tackles the TBR monster	10	40	Dec 22, 2022 07:46PM
2026 Reading Chal...: Hindsight Is 2022 - 2022	466	675	Jan 03, 2023 05:52AM
2026 Reading Chal...: I Spy - 2022	727	611	Jan 04, 2023 10:58AM
2026 Reading Chal...: Bookworms Take Shelfies - 2022	687	909	Jan 07, 2023 06:59PM
2026 Reading Chal...: Serial Reader - 2022	688	647	Jan 10, 2023 01:33AM
2026 Reading Chal...: TBR Jar - 2022	463	799	Jan 18, 2023 08:58PM
2026 Reading Chal...: Clear the Shelves - 2022	872	1073	Feb 09, 2023 10:20AM

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Julia’s Quotes

“When you exclude anything that is improbable, whatever is left, is not as hilarious.”
― Oleg Medvedkov

tags: humor, humour

4 likes

“Oh, and I certainly don't suffer from schizophrenia. I quite enjoy it. And so do I.”
― Emilie Autumn

tags: insanity, schizophrenia

349 likes

“Listen with an open heart”
― William O'Brien

tags: healing-insights, humanity, knowledge, magic, mystical, philosophy, spirituality, truth

23 likes

“Many years ago, plunging was discovered when the moon was in two halves- it's all about dreams, you see”
― William O'Brien, Peter: A Darkened Fairytale

tags: dreams, fairytale, fantasy, magic, moon, mystical, witch, wizard

18 likes

“I am here because I have to be here, as here I am supposed to be! All things should be, and usually are, found in their rightful places. Can you imagine how chaotic the world would be if nothing was in its correct place?”
― William O'Brien, Peter: A Darkened Fairytale

tags: alice-in-wonderland, bizarre, creatures, environmentalism, fairytale, magic, surreal

16 likes

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recent posts
Julia’s Groups

Making Connections — 14766 members — last activity 6 hours, 37 min ago
Read, Review, and Make Connections

White Nights — 400 members — last activity Nov 12, 2019 05:45PM
For anyone remotely interested and versed in Russian literature, history and culture. Love Pushkin, Tolstoy, Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Akhmatova, Nabokov? ...more

The Eastern Bloc: A History — 92 members — last activity Jun 17, 2022 04:40AM
I like to read nonfiction history books about Eastern Europe and Russia from all different time periods. I would love to have interested people to dis ...more

Author Discoverability — 185 members — last activity Aug 03, 2017 10:50PM
In this group authors are invited to discuss methods and ethical ways to market books and build personal brands. There are new developments which I wo ...more

Goodreads Authors/Readers — 55736 members — last activity 1 hour, 7 min ago
This group is dedicated to connecting readers with Goodreads authors. It is divided by genres, and includes folders for writing resources, book websit ...more

Around the World in 80 Books — 30788 members — last activity 8 minutes ago
Reading takes you places. Where in the world will your next book take you? If you love world literature, translated works, travel writing, or explorin ...more

Russian & Soviet Literature — 129 members — last activity Nov 28, 2023 11:35AM
Discussions about Russian literature... - historical perspectives - religion in Russia - sex and abandon in Russian literature - influencing local an ...more

The Cold War — 99 members — last activity Jul 22, 2020 09:21AM
Cold War history, from Harry Truman and Robert Oppenheimer to Ronald Reagan the fall of the Berlin Wall. Soldiers, spies, industrialists, academics, p ...more

Tips for Self Promotion, Sales, and Advertising — 2402 members — last activity Jul 10, 2025 06:00PM
Tips from authors for authors. List what works for you and what hasn't. Whether you're selling a few author copies or just trying to get your name out ...more

New Adult Book Club — 20137 members — last activity Dec 22, 2025 09:27AM
This group is for everyone to share their love of New Adult fiction - the rapidly growing catagory for books that have the same coming of age feel as ...more

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Julia’s Friend Comments

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message 2: by Robin

Jul 27, 2013 07:10PM

Hello Julia, I am really happy we have connected.

Thank you for adding me to your friend's list - it was very nice of you. I am also very inspired by fairy tales and happy ever after books :)

Peace and happiness be with you,

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message 1: by C.J.

Jul 22, 2013 05:27PM

C.J. Heck

Hello Julia,

It's such a pleasure having you for a friend here at Goodreads. You also write for children and I look forward to reading your work!

Thank you so much and best wishes to you.

My warmest regards and respect,
CJ