I wanted to make sure I read and reviewed this book before its publishing date, but as an educator who just got out for summer vacation, I was hesitant to read a book about school. After all, this is supposed to be a break! I was only a few pages into the story when I realized that my first impression was totally wrong and that I was going to love this book. It made me laugh and text highlights to my coworkers, it had genuine heart, and it offered an insight into public education that people on the outside never experience.

The book begins with a list of the main characters (of which there are many), and I wish I had copied down their names and made notes as I got to know them, because I did find it difficult to keep everyone straight. The chapters focus on different members of the staff, and each story is so personal, so different, and so well-developed.

You don’t have to work in public education to enjoy this story. This book has a lot to say about education in today’s world (while this book is funny, it is NOT satire), but it also has a lot to say about sacrifice, friendship, support, loyalty, grief, and personal growth. Even though it covers a wide breadth of human emotions and experiences, it still is an easy and quick read perfect for summer vacation!

The Faculty Lounge is billed as an ode to educators. And it definitely is that. Teaching is a job I could never handle, so my thanks go out to all those that tackle that vital job. It does a good job of pointing out the difficulties of the job. Like parents who lie to protect their kids’ GPA or think they should be able to dictate the syllabus. And dealing with the bureaucracy of “The Central Office”. But you don’t need to be an educator to enjoy this. Every job has its share of “swooping seagulls” (folks who fly in, sh** all over everything and fly off again). One of the funnier scenes is the mandatory grief counseling after an unfortunate incident involving ashes.
This would be truly funny if at times it wasn’t such a reminder of how off the rails our society is (CRT, anyone?)
Each chapter highlights a different character, so the reader gets the full spectrum of new to old teachers, admin staff, the school nurse, a custodian and a school guidance counselor. I found most of the characters to be fully developed, which is a rare treat when many only really appear in a single chapter.
This is Mathieu’s first adult story. At times the writing still comes across as a little YA, but the subject matter is definitely adult with a capital A. It’s both heartwarming and infuriating. I can’t wait to share this with my daughter, who teaches in junior high and my cousin, the retired principal.
My thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group for an advance copy of this book.

First, thank you to @netgalley and @duttonbooks for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fantastic and such a delightful surprise. While I realized it would be about teachers at a school and everything that went along with that, I wasn’t expecting it to have so much heart!

We meet a lot of characters in this novel, all of whom have their own story to tell. From administrators to veteran teachers to a custodian and new teachers, this book captures all angles of the school. From their unique vantage points, they provide a full picture of the school. And having been married to a public school teacher for the last 15+ years (plus being a college administrator myself), I can attest to the veracity of these tales.

I loved the sarcasm, I laughed, and I had genuine moments of heartfelt surprise. This book was fantastic and unforgettable. Make sure to check it out when it drops on July 23!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book was so wholesome and cute. I love how it follows the lives of multiple people who shared this school.

This is the first ARC I've ever been sent directly to my email without prior contact with anyone responsible, and it was quite a pleasant surprise!

It's my first time reading something from this author and I honestly didn't think I would be interested, but I was hooked from the first line, which is a great first line. This was so easy to read, pleasant, moving, and insightful about what it's like to be a teacher, particularly a teacher in Texas.

We get to meet a whole cast of different characters and they're all fleshed out so well, they feel like real, normal people. I loved that! It felt very much like being a fly on the wall at this school, peeking into the lives of all the staff, not just the teachers.

I really enjoyed this and it made me laugh as well as tear up. I could see this turned into a drama, comedy, feel-good movie; that's what it felt like. It's a delightful read and I recommend giving it a try even if you kind of doubt you'll be interested in school life.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I opened this book, but I immediately found myself drawn into this world. Mathieu follows the employees of Baldwin High School in the aftermath of the death of a beloved former teacher, who had been serving as a substitute. Each chapter shines a spotlight on one of the employees, from the brand new teacher who found the body to the principal who is trying to keep the district officials off his back. The chapters run the gamut from heartbreaking to hopeful and everywhere in between. I connected with each character and understood their experiences and choices.

If you're looking for a fairly quick read with a cast of motley characters, this is the book for you. Mathieu's experience working as a K-12 educator brings this book to life. I highly recommend it.

I loved this book so much. It's a serendipitous story that shows us how a single person's small actions can connect so many others and how those small connections magnify into even more good. If you are a teacher or have been a teacher or know a teacher please read and recommend this book. It's absolutely brilliant. It will warm your heart over and over again.

This was a super cute book! It would be great for anyone who worked in a school. I loved the in depth characters!

𝐇𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥, 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲, 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭.

This was not a book that should have made me weepy, but it did, and for a multitude of reasons. As a high school English teacher nearing retirement, there is a fair amount of reflection that comes when you're at the end of something.

The inciting incident was an elderly substitute teacher at Baldwin High School being found dead in the faculty lounge. After figuring out the best way to remove him in the least conspicuous way possible, life at the school returned to normal pretty quickly. But one short week later, the solemn event of spreading the man's ashes on the school grounds turns tragic and comedic all at once.

What I loved and adored so much about it this book was how the author acknowledged the teachers' persona but showed them as actual people. Believe it or not, even high school kids are mildly shocked when they run into you outside of school. No, we don't live at the school and sleep in our classroom. The diverse cast of characters was beautifully constructed, and I laughed out loud at the English teacher's mishap with an e-mail rant.

There is a beautiful surprise waiting for the reader that I'm not even going to mention. It's the thing that brought me to tears. I've always thought that teaching was one of the best jobs in the world; that is was important and noble. This book solidified that. Many thanks to Dutton Books for the early copy. THE FACULTY LOUNGE will publish July 23, 2024.

This is not normally a book I'd pick up unless recommended by someone I knew. But I'm glad I did.

A humanitizing take on a group of high school teachers after a wild start to the year. It takes place over the course of the school year. From the time a retired teacher, now sub dies and ashes are spread.

There was some great humor that I more than appreciated. And a heart wrenching look at the lives teachers have outside of school. Quite refreshing.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely adored this book, it was everything I anticipated it to be. 5 stars!

I enjoyed this glimpse into the life of high school teachers in The Faculty Lounge. The story starts when a former teacher, who now works as a substitute dies in the faculty lounge. Then his ashes are scattered on the school grounds which leads to some parents getting upset and starts a school year of misadventures and connections. This book has humor and a light tone but the characters were crafted well with depth and complexity which made the story feel real. Will definitely recommend. Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC.

This was the best school-related novel I have read in years. Mathieu does a beautiful job weaving together the ugly parts of being a teacher and the beautiful parts. As a teacher/librarian, I see pieces of my own experiences reflected in each of the characters used for viewpoint. After a particularly difficult year in my 16-year career, this novel has reminded me why I chose this field in the first place, but without sugarcoating.

The Faculty Lounge is a book that intrigued me off of the premise alone. Some of the character chapters are so beautiful and heart-wrenching. I think this book captures the humanity in teaching in a very beautiful way. Some aspects took me some time to get used to, like teachers in casual conversation with other teachers referring to other staff by Mr. or Mrs. last name. The lack of a through line made it challenging for me to really engage with where the story was going. I think if I enjoyed slice of life novels, this one would speak to me more. Overall, this was an enjoyable read with beautiful character work. Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read this in advance.

This was an enjoyable read, set over a year in a high school, focusing solely on the staff. The arc of the story is that a substitute teacher has died (natural causes) in the faculty room, spreading a ripple of consequences. Each chapter focuses on a staff member ranging from the first year teacher who discovered the body to a staff member surveying the days prior to retirement. This is definitely a love letter to teachers, but
realistic one. Teachers aren't presented here as self sacrificing saints (or demons) but as real human beings with frailties: alcoholism, loneliness, feelings of ennui and of elation as they struggle through their lives as educators.

A week later I'm still thinking about this book! As a former substitute teacher, I felt a kinship with every character and their story. Their experiences were funny, real, poignant, shocking and sad. Best of all, they were believable. The pacing was very strong; each chapter was a contained short story about a character, so no one person's storyline was dragged out. In the end, all of the characters had some kind of resolution, and it was satisfying to me as a reader as well. I wholeheartedly recommend this read. Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC!

The Faculty Lounge
by Jennifer Mathieu
Pub Date: July 23, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
By the acclaimed author of Moxie, a funny, bighearted adult debut that is at once an ode to educators, a timely glimpse at today’s pressing school issues, and a tender character study, following a sprawling cast of teachers, administrators, and staff at a Texas high school
Being a retired schoolteacher, this book reminded me of many things that could happen in my school.
Jennifer Mathieu is clearly a veteran teacher-turned author. Every. Single. story rang true. Some a bit too close to my own truths.
Using flashbacks and linked stories we meet the multitude of staff that make up a high school you are not soon to forget.

Each chapter focuses on one of the staff and Mathieu skillfully peels back the layers to reveal their secret hopes and past experiences. Each chapter is a work of art !
I recommend this book! You can't go wrong with this story -it's insightful, it's beautiful, it's sad and it's hopeful.

3.5 rounded up to 4

I'm not sure what I expected with this book. I'm not a teacher, but I am a librarian, and there is a little overlap between the two, and my assistant librarian is a retired teacher, so much of this book resonated with me. I enjoyed finding out about the lives outside of school of the various teachers and administrators over the course of one school year, a year that had a rather disastrous start. I also liked the dark humor and sarcasm. I decided on 3.5 stars because there are long passages with no dialog, just description, and it got a bit tedious to me. Take this with a grain of salt, though--this is just my personal opinion. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, especially to my teacher friends.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

For a book that centers on the death of a beloved substitute teacher, this was a witty, light, and touching story that read like a tribute to teachers and all that they do. This was a surprisingly quick and easy read with an engaging storyline and interesting characters. I enjoyed reading this book.

I received a temporary digital copy of The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu from NetGalley, Dutton and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

After a former teacher-turned substitute dies in the faculty lounge, the teachers at Baldwin High School have to grapple with his death and the remainder of the school year.

The first chapters of The Faculty Lounge are laugh-out-loud hilarious. I don't think Mathieu could have strung together a funnier set of circumstances coupled with the reality of working in a high school; it was truly well done. Mathieu has a clear understanding of the educational system and the life of a teacher which was refreshing and easy to relate to. So why the three stars? I just found the rest of the book incredibly depressing. Mathieu dives into the background lives of the faculty at Baldwin and one after the other is heartbreaking. From the Principal comtempating cheating to the undocumented custodian that no one acknowledges, to faculty suffering from alcoholism, the situations are true-to-life but were hard to get through one after the other.