Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin House Dutton for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own

Let me start by saying upfront that I usually avoid all books, television and movies that have to do with the teaching profession. Yet some little voice whispered to give this literary fiction about a group of adults who work at Baldwin High School a try. Jennifer Mathieu shows the humanity that exists in a school building. I laughed and I cried and sometimes the characters in the book did make me think of real people( Oh dear!). As someone who now has 18 years under her belt, not all of the situations in this book have happened to me BUT they are realistic.

Chapters focus on different school characters in this Texan high school. However, the main plot seems to be that the series of events happening within the school put their principal's job in jeopardy.

I don't know if this will appeal to all readers BUT it certainly appealed to THIS reader. Very enjoyable!

Expected Publication 23/07/24
Goodreads Review 12/07/24
#TheFacultyLounge #NetGalley.

I’ve worked in elementary, middle, and high schools, and this book rang true for me. It helps the reader to see school staff as humans, with personal lives, problems, and challenges that persist long after the school day ends. There are makeout sessions in a supply closet during lockdown, a former punk rocker who became a beloved school principal, a woman whose grief over the death of her spouse results in her abuse of alcohol, and much more. Read it, and empathize with the humans who devote their lives to educating our children.

This a perfect summer read for educators! This has the making of a TV series - or is there already one? This is a quick read that will have you smiling and also thinking about the unbelievable scenarios in this work. If you work in a school, you know there are many unbelievable things that happen but know they are true! Many find some of the cast of characters very relatable! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

It is hard for me to put into words how much I loved this book. It was hilarious and heartbreaking and so very human. Each character's story was beautifully written, well-developed and authentic, each diving into different problems teachers and people in general are facing. I loved how many issues were covered without it feeling forced or overwhelming. I loved seeing the different personalities of the teachers and then getting a deeper understanding of them when it came to their chapter. I loved the sarcasm and the humor that cut through the heaviness of some of the other topics, making this book a beautiful mix of serious and light. I loved that everyone involved in making a school run - teachers, administration, nurses, cleaners, students, parents - were highlighted and celebrated, leaving nobody out or in the background.

This is possibly one of the most unique books I have ever read as well. There is no single plot or narrative structure. There is no one main character. The school and time push the narrative forward, and each chapter highlights how an individual impacts and is impacted by this. It was really, really beautiful.

I think I extra appreciate this book after teaching at a high school this past year and getting to relate the characters in the book to the personalities I met in real life, but I don't think you need to be a teacher or involved in education to love this book.

Jennifer Mathieu’s The Faculty Lounge offers a poignant yet humorous glimpse into the chaotic and heartfelt lives of the staff at Baldwin High School. The story kicks off with an elderly substitute teacher’s sudden demise in the faculty lounge, sparking a series of events that blend the ordinary with the extraordinary. Far from being a thriller, this novel is a vibrant mosaic of personal stories and professional challenges faced by educators.

Mathieu masterfully weaves a narrative through the eyes of a diverse cast: a former punk rocker turned principal, a rebellious school nurse, and a disillusioned English teacher, among others. Each character is meticulously crafted, their lives depicted with authenticity and warmth. The depiction of their daily struggles—parental interference, bureaucratic hurdles, and the constant balancing act of personal and professional lives—rings true to anyone familiar with the education system.

The book doesn’t shy away from serious topics like grief, addiction, and family dysfunction, yet it maintains a light-hearted tone that keeps the reader engaged. The spontaneous scattering of the substitute’s ashes by concerned parents sets off a chain of events that’s both hilarious and touching. These moments of levity are balanced with deep, reflective passages that explore the characters’ backstories and motivations.

The Faculty Lounge is not just for those in the education sector; it’s a universal tale of human connection and resilience. Mathieu’s insightful and empathetic portrayal of her characters ensures that their stories will resonate with a wide audience. This novel is a testament to the power of storytelling in capturing the essence of everyday heroes in our schools.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for a heartfelt, funny, and thought-provoking read, The Faculty Lounge is a testament to the unseen lives of educators and their unyielding spirit. Whether you’re an educator or simply someone who enjoys a well-told story, this book is a must-read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Dutton for sharing this fantastic farce's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

"The Faculty Lounge" will be out on July 23rd 2024.
The book is set in a Texas high school, Baldwin High, and has as its protagonists the teachers and the administration of this school.
The story begins at the moment of the death of one of the teachers, I thought this would make the story a little more thriller, but instead
it is a normal fiction. In my opinion, the story, with or without the professor's death, would have been the same, there are no real developments,
it's more about telling the various characters, in a nice way. But nothing more, unfortunately it didn't impress me much.
But having to deal with many professors, I will definitely recommend them to read it.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very character-driven story where each chapter focuses on a different teacher in a high school. As someone who has a lot of teacher friends, there were a lot of details that I've heard them describe before that felt authentic and personal to the profession. The school is full of hijinks and district-mandated meetings, angry parent emails and lockdown drills. But you also get a personal look into each of the teachers lives and pasts.

My biggest critique is that it often felt a bit too on-the-nose, even veering into caricature at times. It covers such a wide variety of topics–a teacher dying on school property, a lockdown, parents trying to ban books, an alcoholic assistant principal, a young female teacher who was assaulted by an older male teacher in her first year of teaching, the list goes on–that it ended up feeling like a season of Glee that's trying to cover every single "hot" topic it can think of for better ratings.

I do think the writing style itself was fun, but the choice of plot elements left something to be desired.

This book starts out with a bang when a substitute teacher at Baldwin High, one of the largest public schools in Texas, is found dead in the faculty lounge. Each subsequent chapter focuses on a different faculty member at the school as we get a behind the scenes look at the crazy, funny, and frustrating issues they face. This was witty, poignant, and on the nose and touches on book banning, standardized testing, lack of funding, etc. I loved the voice and thought this was chuckle funny at times. As the novel went on, it started to feel more like a series of interconnected short stories. I think teachers and those in the eduction system will especially enjoy this even more. This would make a great beach read too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin House Dutton group for an advanced reader copy.

As I former teacher, I requested this book based on the title and cover alone. I'm so glad I did- it was amazing. It made me miss the community of a school setting and the reward of connecting with students and other educators. It also reminded me of the bureaucracy, testing, and pressure from parents and the district that I do not miss. This is entertaining for sure but also an important reminder of the value of passionate and effective teachers and leaders.

In a novel that feels like connected short stories, we meet a varied and diverse group of teachers, administrators, counselors, and other school staff. The initial and most common setting is of course the public high school where they all work. But then we see them in other contexts, settings and time periods. It was very compelling to meet each character in terms of their role at the school and then dig deeper into their inner dialogue, their personal lives, their history at the school and with one another.

Simply put, Mathieu did a brilliant job.

4/5 Stars! Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the eARC of The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu.

This was a very unique novel and fast-paced story. My husband is a teacher and it was a huge plus that my husband could confirm some of these situations that happen on school grounds. It was very enjoyable and just...a good book. No good guys or bad guys and felt realistic.

"The Faculty Lounge" is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that addresses important social issues with honesty and integrity. Jennifer Mathieu's powerful storytelling and nuanced exploration of privilege and accountability make this book a poignant and necessary read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of justice and advocacy in educational settings.

Irreverent, important, and, at times, emotionally evocative. This one is for the teachers, principals, and other school staff. If you don’t work in a school, you might think each of the vignettes in this book are over the top, but let me, as a teacher with family and friends from many different schools, assure you that with different names, disciplines, or situations, they all resonate with reality and, where they do stray into the “hasn’t happened in my world yet,” reflect the fears we face as teachers. (I mean, don’t we all have at least one teacher in our building, perhaps our own self, everyone thinks will probably leave the building the last time via the medical examiner's trolley?) I cringed, laughed out loud, and even held my breath at times hoping that a teacher’s story didn’t turn into “that” story (I won’t give those away!). Mathieu ties up some ends too neatly (that never seems to happen in real schools), but you’ll be happy to learn that the stories we share in public education - both joyful and painful - are not found just in our own little corners of high school (or even k-12) academia.

Thank you to Penguin Group, Dutton, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this much needed story.

This one is for all the teachers and school staff!! You will feel seen.
Mathieu captures all the absurdity and bureaucracy and mixed-feelings about the vocation of education in a modern American high school. I'm not even sure if anyone outside of the field will care as much about this book as we will, or understand the satire and humor entirely! From angry parent emails, faculty meetings, crying in hidden spaces, teacher evaluations, and the obsession over data to saving our students' lives on a regular basis, putting our entire souls into our work, the connections to our coworkers, and the meaning of what we do every day.
Thank you to Jennifer Mathieu for this one--we all know a coworker (or an entire faculty) who will appreciate this big-hearted tale.

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.