I loved Moxie so I had high hopes for this book. I finished it feeling unsatisfied. That being said, it was very realistic with how the faculty members were depicted and their experiences. As a teacher there were moments that made me laugh out loud because o could think of a similar colleague or situation.

Pretty good but I couldn't enjoy it much
Maybe it wasn't my cup of tea

The plot was lost, and the book didn’t actually go anywhere for me.

This quick and enjoyable read was a delightful escape, populated with well-written characters that felt fun and engaging throughout the story. The author's engaging prose and witty dialogue made for a captivating experience that left me wanting more.

I really enjoyed Jennifer Mathieu’s adult debut. As a teacher myself, her observations and insight into the profession are spot on. I have read books about teachers and schools before that don’t work because the author isn’t a teacher, but you can tell that Mathieu has spent years walking the walk. I appreciate this book and will be recommending it, especially to teacher friends.

The ripple effect of the death of an elderly substitute teacher (who was a retired teacher) in the faculty lounge is felt among various staff and faculty members at Baldwin High School, and they struggle with both the fallout from his service and the difficulties that arise during a school year.

The book follows along the course of a school year, and although it is on the shorter side, it never feels rushed in its pace. As it winds along, it tackles all sorts of relevant issues, and explores how such topics are now more fraught with changing political climates, like abortion and school reading material. The setting of Texas makes it even more difficult for the teachers to do their jobs, and, if you’re like me, you’ll grit your teeth in empathy over how frustrating it is.

I think anyone who loves slice of life type stories will enjoy this. I’m not sure if that’s the right term I’m looking for, but each chapter takes up with a character and we get to delve down into their lives, their inner workings, and the connections they’ve formed with their colleagues. Then the next chapter will move on both in time and with regards to the character in question, but little references will be made to previous happenstances (like the relationship between Rayfield and Sanderson). Somehow they all feel like real people, and I appreciated that they have different styles and approaches to teaching, and some don’t even want to be there at all.

I especially loved two things about the novel. The first thing was that no one really comes off as a bad guy in this but rather they’re just trying to do the best they can in the circumstances they each face. The second was that the book opens with Mr. Lehrer’s death in the lounge and closes with him starting out as a teacher, just before his first day. It’s a poignant, cyclical arc.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the premise of this book, but all the little vignettes felt too disjointed for me and I had trouble sticking with it. The writing itself was thoughtful and witty, though, bumping up the rating.

3.5 stars
This one started out so great for me. An elderly former teacher and current substitute teacher dies in the faculty lounge, and outrageous shenanigans follow. I was having so much, and then the book diverted into character studies and lost me if I’m being honest. The plot was lost, and the book didn’t actually go anywhere for me.

With that said, I enjoyed the characters and was entertained. Three and a half stars is still a good read for me.

I think teachers, particularly those in a large school district, will really enjoy and relate to this one.

Please give it a try and see what you think if it grabs your interest.

An elderly substitute and former teacher at Baldwin High School is found dead in the faculty lounge. It obviously affects everyone on campus in different ways. Throughout the course of the book, each chapter is dedicated to a staff member at Baldwin High. We learn about the lives of the counselor, principal, new teachers, veteran teachers, nurse, and custodian. Each staff member has stories about their time at Baldwin High in Houston, Texas. Through each chapter, you get a glimpse of what it means to be in education.

This was my first book by Jennifer Mathieu, and it definitely won’t be my last! She captures what it is like to work in a school and work together while working with parents and students. I really liked how each chapter was dedicated to a character and how the characters individual stories weaved together. I am a teacher and could picture some of these characters as educators I know in real life. I highly recommend this book to other teachers and people wanting to know more about the education field! I give it 4/5 stars.

A very realistic, heartfelt and humorous novel that revolves around the teachers and administration of Baldwin High. The story begins when a retired teacher returns as a substitute and dies in the faculty lounge. A new teacher discovers the body and the scene is set for the remainder of the school year. The book explores the relationships between the staff and also provides background on the characters and how they ultimately end up at Baldwin. This is a wonderful read and I really enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the Arc.

A quick read about the lives of the faculty staff of a High School after the discovery of their Substitute teacher dead in the break room.

Each chapter more or less focuses on 1 of the faculty members lives.

I did find myself skimming a head.

It was an interesting quick read, not my usual read, and I feel that since it don't work in a school setting, this read wasn't 100% for me.

I have just finished my 32nd year of teaching. And I love it. Things have changed, but kids are still kids and they still need us. So when I saw this book on NetGalley I just had to read it. It spans one school year in a high school setting, each chapter from a different persons point of view. And it made me laugh, cry, and get really pissed off. It is so very relatable. If you are someone who doesn’t see public school employees as “the enemy” then please read this book. If you’re not a fan of school personnel, well… maybe pick something else up. 😂 4 ⭐️

I absolutely loved this book! The death of an elderly teacher in the Baldwin High School faculty lounge sets of a chain of events that impacts the whole school. Throughout the course of the next year, we check in with a variety of wonderful characters, from the beleaguered principal to an undocumented custodial worker. The book has a lot of points to make about teaching and broader issues but does so in an incredibly subtle way--through fully-realized characters who we come to care and root for. The author has built a rich community and given readers a window into the challenges faced by teachers today.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! Unlike anything I’ve read before, The Faculty Lounge is a character study into a group of public high school faculty and staff in Texas, highlighting what we often forget: that teachers and staff are real people who have complete lives outside of the classroom. These characters had so much life and depth, and I loved getting a glimpse into bureaucratic nonsense that public educators in oppressive states deal with, the tumultuous events that characterize a school year and how deeply these events differ from the daily stressors of students, and the humanity and compassion that the best teachers possess.

Teachers and college professors have made an indelible mark on my life and this book was such a lovely way to honor them and their impact. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC!

I really liked this book! It was a light read — great for the summer. Each chapter was a vignette of a different member of the faculty and staff at a school, and reviewed how their lives intertwined and found meaning (or not) from their experiences with the school. I was impressed by the breadth of topics covered.

Thank you to Dutton Books and PRH Audio for the gifted e-book and audiobook.

The Faculty Lounge gave me major Love Actually vibes, except not at Christmas and in a school setting. It’s a character study with each chapter dedicated to a different POV, including teachers, principals, APs, the school nurse, and even the facilities staff. Through their POVs, we watch the school year unfold. There are major events at the school that impact everyone, if differently, and I liked digging into different characters’ headspace while keeping an eye on the overarching plot.

I’m not an educator, not do I work in a school setting. I think if I did, this would have been an unequivocal smash hit. It raises interesting points about the state of our schools and what teaching is like now vs then. It’s filled with human stories and reminds us that everyone is the MC in their own life.

Overall, I liked it. If you’re an educator or you work at a school, read it. Doesn’t matter what types of books you typically like, you’ll love this one. Outside of educators, I’d recommend it to fans of character studies or readers who want to experience what schools are like these days.

Characters: 5/5
Atmosphere/Setting: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Intrigue: 2.5/5
Logic: 4/5
Enjoyment: 3.5/5

This book follows the lives of faculty and staff at Houston’s largest public high school in the aftermath of the death of an elderly substitute teacher. Each chapter more or less followed the life of one character but it didn’t feel disjointed or boring because the characters had a variety life experiences and ages and jobs. Toward the end I was concerned about how everything would wrap up, but the ending made sense and was very sweet. I think a lot of teachers will enjoy this read but I would absolutely understand if they weren’t interested because I’m certain they need an escape from their job during their free time.

There was one thing in particular that came up several times that really annoyed me. The author kept referring to “the local university” and “the large state university.” Just say University of Houston or Rice or whatever you mean. After a few instances of this, I wondered whether the author had ever even been to Houston because she didn’t ever name the part of town the school was in or give any defining details of the city. I was shocked to learn that the author is a teacher at Bellaire High School which is one of the largest and most diverse schools in HISD. I just wanted more detail to help people understand Houston better since it is so large and diverse.

2.5 stars rounded down. Should have had a librarian as one of the characters : )

An ode to the “committed and creative group of people” that show up every day and keep our schools running, under often challenging conditions. Though slight, and often rosy-tinted, this is a heartfelt collection of interconnected stories about the teachers, administrators, and support staff that work at a public high school in Houston.

Bob Lehrer was a beloved English teacher at Baldwin High School, but after many years of retirement, he comes back as a substitute teacher and dies in the faculty lounge. The head of school decides to honor his last request and scatters his ashes on the school grounds, an act which leads to many unintended consequences. Attending the courtyard ceremony are a diverse collection of faculty and staff and each subsequent chapter focuses on one of them, a vignette into their lives in and out of school, past and present.

Maybe as a school librarian (though we aren’t represented in The Faculty Lounge!) I had more interest in the subject matter than most. I certainly enjoyed connecting the author’s themes to my small independent high school in San Francisco, though as far as I’m aware nobody has ever died in the staff lunch room. On the other hand, overbearing parents, classroom management, and teachers with financial worries are themes I recognize.

As with any collection of stories, I enjoyed some more than others and felt that some had more substance than others, but overall it’s a decent portrait of a group of people working towards a common goal under often difficult circumstances.

Thanks to Dutton and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

I’ve been in public ed for 21 years, 19 as a classroom teacher, and I can say that this book is spot on! The teachers, counselors, nurse, and admin all remind me of people I’ve worked with or are friends with….maybe even a little of myself haha. Baldwin High staff have a very challenging year, and the issues they face with Central Office and parent interference ring true to current school conditions- book bans, substance abuse, crumbling schools, stretched budgets, and so on. Really enjoyed this adult debut by a favorite YA author.

Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu!

I liked this! In the first few pages, a beloved long-time teacher at Baldwin High School is found dead of natural causes in the faculty lounge. Each chapter follows a different faculty member of the school that recounts their times with the late teacher.

The story was easy to read, but I kept waiting for something to happen. It never really did. I'm not a teacher, so I don't think this book was necessarily written for me - but I think my fellow educators would enjoy this!

Thank you so much to Dutton Books for the ARC!

I'm so torn with this one because it was so highly anticipated for me! The cover and synopsis and even the start of the book are EXACTLY what I LOVE in a book! I don't know what happened after the first few chapters but it just fell off for me.

I loved the instant drama of a death on campus and scattering of the ashes- how bizarre! But after that each chapter started studying one character and while some were very interesting, the plot fell to the wayside as far as I was concerned.

Overall, I think this had great potential but the format didn't end up working for me!

Definitely still give this a shot if you think it could be for you!

It will be available July 23rd.