Lisa F. Rosenberg

Fine, I'm a Terrible Person" by Lisa Rosenberg is a truly special novel that resonated with me on so many levels. I absolutely loved how a story rooted in what seems like an ordinary family experience can reach so profoundly into the heart.First off, I was enthralled by the use of the Ladino dialect. I never even knew it existed, and as a Mexican reader, I found it deeply enjoyable and eye-opening to connect with the characters through language. It created a bridge that allowed me to engage show more with the story in such a personal way.As I read, I found myself pausing often; reflecting on my own family, on past interactions, and on the ghosts of loved ones who shaped who I am today. This novel is not just a window into Sephardic Jewish culture; it’s a mirror that gently encourages readers to look inward.Lisa Rosenberg has crafted something far beyond a family saga, it’s an evocative, tender meditation on memory, identity, and the quiet ties that hold us together. Such an amazing read! show less

Leyla Feldenburg has molded herself into the perfect wife and mother. Doting on her husband and supporting her two children, Leyla gave up her career to make sure her children have every opportunity. Leyla gives them everything her mother, Aurora, didn't. Now, Leyla has insomnia, anxiety and a strong suspicion that her husband might be cheating on her with another school mom at an upcoming cannabis convention in LA. Meanwhile, Aurora has been living off her children's kindness for years, show more selling things at flea markets and always on the lookout for a quick money making scheme, finds out that her step-mother, Esther, has died. Hoping for something left for her in the will, Aurora heads for her step-mother's home in LA. With Leyla and Aurora both staying with their extended family, they join forces to try and solve both their problems.

Fine, I'm a Terrible Person is a contemporary comedy about learning to let go in order to enjoy life and embracing your culture and family. I was happy to read a book with Sephardic Jewish characters that integrated their culture, especially the food, family traditions and sayings. The realistic tone of the writing effectively presented characters with flaws, emotions, and personal growth, making them relatable and authentic. So much of what Leyla felt in the book resonated with me. I connected with her anxieties and family traumas as she dealt with stifling her emotions, the ability to become invisible and her self-soothing social isolation. Aurora's character, while providing comic relief, was also very authentic. Carrying generational trauma, divorce and the loss of her community, Aurora has acquiesced to simply do the least in life and go where the tide takes her. Together, Leyla and Aurora are an unlikely, but heartwarming pair, getting themselves into hilarious situations. When they come together with their extended family, Leyla learns how to let go and Aurora takes steps to stand on her own.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. show less

Finished reading "Fine, I'm a Terrible Person" by Lisa F. Rosenberg last night. Literary fiction, especially MFA subgenre - not my favorite. Fascinated by story of Sephardic community in Rhodes, Leyla's ancestry, and loved the weed convention scene. Liked it more than most MFA fiction.

Thank you to the author, publisher and FB group Jews Love To Read.

I love humorous Jewish fiction; plus the title had me laughing already. When I read the plot, I said this one is going to be a good one plus the main character was an "older" woman of 73 Aurora and her daughter Leyla, 43, who is just as funny as she is with her quirks and perfectionism. Aurora was one of a kind too. Mother/daughter relationships. You gotta love them!

I was a bit confused at first since Leyla read on Facebook show more (she's a creeper on there, not a poster, etc.) where her cousin Sam posted that her father Robert died. What a way to find out right? Then Aurora gets a phone call from a woman stating that her stepmother died and what to do with her remains, etc. In the plot of the book it states that it's her father's (Leon) widow who died. Aurora was married and then divorced from Robert. So did Robert die or did Leon's mistress/wife die? Guess what? Aurora finds out when she's already at her stepmother's apartment and she finally calls Leyla to tell her that she died. Why couldn't figure that one out is beyond me. I guess I thought that by the plot that only Aurora's stepmother died. It happens right? Coincidence of course or irony?

Leyla's husband Stephen might be having an affair and he's at a cannabis convention in L.A. and decides to follow him there. She was going to leave her kids w/her in-laws but couldn't do it. How convenient that her mother is there with her relatives to clean out her stepmother's apartment. Aurora was hoping to find "treasures" but only found tons and tons of handbags from Target, and all those other "cheaper" places. She was a hoarder of bags only it seems and hasn't found anything worthwhile as yet.

As for Leyla, at the convention, she gets herself into a mess when she steals a man's lanyard at the pool to get into the convention. She's followed by a reporter of a magazine who wants to interview her about her business. How does she get out of this mess? She doesn't and it's hilarious of how she handles it.

Some serious parts of this book too so it wasn't all humorous. show less