This was my first book by this author and it was so entertaining! The novel opens with a substitute teacher being found dead in the teacher's lounge of a local high school. Chaos and hilarity ensue, and we are met with a diverse cast of quirky characters - the teachers and principals of Baldwin High School in Houston, Texas. I loved this inside glimpse into the world of teaching, especially the headaches of the public education system, and this book had me genuinely chuckling several times. I also loved how relatable the characters were - this novel was a reminder that although we don't choose our coworkers and often wouldn't be friends with them otherwise, being in the trenches together gives us a special bond. A really fun book that I breezed through in a few days!

This was one of the most heartwarming and impressively accurate depictions of teaching that I've read and certainly made me miss the classroom and all of its antics.

This book was a complete delight. Told over the course of a school year, each chapter is told from a different faculty member's point of view. I found it to be both moving and funny, and it gave great insight into what it really means to be a teacher in the 2020's. The format of this book made it such a quick read - I found myself blazing through it because I was enjoying it so much. There is a slight bit of politics behind the scenes, especially with the school being set in Texas, which I personally agreed with but know some other readers may not appreciate as much. This book did a great job of humanizing the school staff and showing how much it takes to do a difficult job. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

"The Faculty Lounge" delves into the lives of the faculty, administrators and staff at Baldwin High over the course of a tumultuous school year, presenting a series of interconnected vignettes rather than a linear novel—a format that resonates with fans of short stories. The central thread is the unexpected passing of a seasoned educator turned substitute, whose demise in the faculty lounge sparks controversy within the community and the Central Office.

Amidst the narrative, readers encounter various episodes: from a contentious book banning debate to the transformation of a former punk rocker into a principal; from the touching bond between a janitor and Mr. Lehrer to a vice principal's journey to recovery from substance abuse, catalyzed by an encounter with an unconventional colleague; and finally, a nurse whose dedication to her students goes beyond standard medical care.

The students remain largely peripheral until the latter part of the book, with the focus primarily on faculty-student relationships outside the classroom. While this may have been deliberate to highlight teachers beyond their professional roles, it felt a little disconnected from the other stories in the novel. Nevertheless, all of the book's interactions shed light on the diverse challenges educators face, such as standardized testing, parental pressure and curriculum disputes.

As a high school teacher herself, Mathieu infused "The Faculty Lounge" with authenticity, passion, and perhaps a hint of frustration towards her subject matter.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Penguin Group Dutton, for this ARC!

TW: abortion, alcohol, alocholism, cheating, death, forced pregnancy, forced adoption, grief, and mentioned school shooting

A look at what is often the reality of teaching in a public school today told from multiple viewpoints throughout the school year. Written with a great deal of charm and humor. Recommended.

This book was clearly written by a teacher. It did a nice job of bringing all of the issues that teachers deal with (plus some that I've never personally heard of, such as teachers making out during lockdown drills) to light. There are district initiatives and oversight that don't do quite what they were intended to do, there are teachers sticking to old-fashioned teaching practices (but really, doing a solid job with instruction despite their grumpiness), and the teachers are consistently written as well-rounded people. People who are struggling through grief and doubt and loneliness. People figuring out how to give their best to others while still trying to find it within themselves.

Unfortunately, this book was so much like an actual school that I sometimes didn't want to read it (as my own school year is wrapping up, I wasn't always in the mood to leave work only to come home and ready about staff meetings and angry parent emails), but I think that's a matter of personal preference. Solid 3 star book, with potential for more if you have a greater interest in diving in. The characters were the high point.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

** A copy of The Faculty Lounge was provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **

I was so excited to read this and I'm so glad I was given the chance to read an early copy because it does not disappoint! The Faculty Lounge is series of interconnected vignettes about teachers at Baldwin High School in Houston, Texas. If, like me, you work in academia or education, many of the themes will resonate with you. Warm, heartwarming and poignant!

A pretty realistic look at working in a public school. So many of the experiences were so very relatable.

Our entire EDU team will be reading this title which is an accurate, funny and heartbreaking portrait of a public high school staff in Houston - a must read if you work in or with schools. Educators are heroes and very human. Great book club title!

After having enjoyed Moxie, I was excited to read a book by the same author. I'm not usually big on collections of essays, but this had much more of a sense of flow - an orderly timeline of stories that related to each other and in chronicalogical order. The characters were beautifully and thoughtfully written and I was sorry for the book to be finished. I especially loved the last chapter, as a reflection back in the reason the collection was written.

At Baldwin High School, Houston, Texas, an elderly substitute teacher is lying on a couch in the third floor faculty lounge. First year teacher, Ms Sanderson cannot help but notice that Mr Lehrer is very still and very quiet for a napper. After she gathers the courage to check on him, she discovers that his is, in fact, dead. Unfortunately, this isn't the worst thing that has ever happened in this building. After a couple of weeks the school principal receives word that Mr Lehrer wished to have his ashes spread at the school. The principal brings together teachers and staff after classes end for the day to execute Mr Lehrer's dying wish, but wind and an unexpected group of parents turn the ceremony into an "incident." The administration, teachers, and staff are now bound together by this event, one man's death, and a school year that is littered with difficulty and trouble. This book is a tribute to all those who work in education and the difficult jobs they do. In each chapter we meet one of the characters at the ashes ceremony. We are reminded that teachers are, like us the readers, ordinary people through their common, everyday, life challenges. We also get insight into the unicorn issues of education; the problems of today that frustrate, hinder, and wear down the nation's education corps. If you are or have ever been in education you will recognize each character in someone you know or have known in your career. This book is a cozy hug for all who work in schools. I love this book!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this gem of a story early. 4.25⭐️

There are truly so many different things that I could say about this book. It made me literally laugh out loud three times (I don't remember another time a book did that), while it also made me sad and nostalgic. This school in Texas has captivated me and I could have easily read another 100-200 pages about these characters. This book is light, while also making you think about the true impact teachers leave not only on their students but on their community. This is well worth picking up.

“The Faculty Lounge” is such a hopeful, heartwarming story about the very much underestimated job of being an educator that it made my school traumas look even worse.

From personal issues - such as alcoholism, grief, abortion and abuse - to problems regarding the school system - school shooting drills are the most unimaginable for me as a European, but also the fact that in every school in every country, kids are seen as a number on a score and not actually human beings with difficulties and unique abilities -, our characters are utopian versions of what we hope to find in a teacher: an empathic person who understand their subject and is capable to explain to others.
Seems easy but if you've ever struggled with unbothered, unsatisfied-of-their-lives, uncaring-of-their-students teachers, you know what I mean when I say that not every teacher is qualified to teach.

And even if the core of the book is the amazing people at Baldwin High, this is best described as an ode to what truly means to be an educator, the ups and downs of the profession and the important reminder that if this is not your path, there's nothing wrong with walking away from it.

Thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

3/5 stars. As an education major, this book was so relatable . I was sad, angry and laughing. I think it has a great way of showing many different kinds of educators and I enjoyed it. The writing was a little too simple for me but all in all a great read!

This book is the first adult novel by a YA author, and it is a winner! The book covers a year in a high school in Texas, beginning in September with the abrupt death in the teachers' lounge of a substitute teacher. As the year unfolds, we learn about the past and present lives of many of the school's staff. The book is loosely organized by each chapter focusing on a single character, while interacting with others in the school. The characters are authentic and believable, the plot exciting and realistic, the style readable and easy-to-follow. The author skillfully weaves everything together in a fascinating and entertaining way. Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Dutton for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As a school based SLP working in a middle school as well as a daughter and granddaughter of public school teachers, this story was highly relatable and struck a cord. I easily felt like I was there in the story. This book very much read like a love letter to public school educators, and I enjoyed the format.

The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu is laugh-out-loud funny and an absolutely delightful book! This book chronicles the ups and downs of life at Baldwin High School in Houston, Texas, told through the perspectives of various teachers and school staff. I loved learning about the "inner life" of these individuals too. There were some characters I appreciated more than others, but each chapter focused on a different member of the school community so if someone's not your favorite, you'll move onto someone new soon enough. As the wife of a middle school teacher, I could really see how realistic this book was - and I think everyone in the education world would really appreciate this book. I think I've convinced my husband to read it when it comes out this summer. :) The ending of this book was fantastic and worth the read!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is a wonderful, crazy and oh so true story that everyone will love.
But... for anyone who has worked or is working now as a professional, para-professional, maintenance person or volunteer in a school district this is your life! It is not for the faint at heart and dealing with students and parents each day and each other is so tough.
I loved the truthfulness and at times the laugh out loud scene shown.
It brought back so many memories of when I was a substitute nurse in a large district.

Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Penguin Group Dutton for this terrific ARC and allowing me to provide my own review after reading.
I look forward to more from this debut author.

What a sweet and touching look into the lives of the faculty of Baldwin High! I thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories and backgrounds that made the staff the people they are today. Though I am not an educator, I found their workday and personal lives relatable and heartwarming.

This was a truly delightful insight into the life of a high school staff. It reads like a compilation of short stories with the same general theme. Though I am an adult myself now and have many friends that work in schools, I think it can be hard for some people to realize that their teachers of the past were not only teachers, but they were also people too. People with their own lives, families, insecurities, and heartbreak. I found this really touching at times and caught myself smiling at some of the characters and their stories. Hopefully, the grammar and spelling in my review is acceptable to the English Dept!