ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little backlogged with my ARC’s but working diligently to get caught up. I really liked how you got some insight into what all the characters in this story were going through! We so often get caught up in our own lives and drama without realizing that others are going through their own struggles. I really enjoyed how the author explored that, all focusing around a dead teacher in the faculty lounge. I would recommend if you enjoy fiction and heartfelt books!

Oh my, this book was amazing! Seriously, that's an automatic 5 stars when a book makes me cry, and The Faculty Lounge made me a blubbering mess.

This was absolutely brilliantly written, and it felt so real and honest. A book truly dedicated to telling the story of life in a public school setting. It's a funny, emotional, and heartfelt love letter to all educators. I can't recommend this book enough!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Book Review:
Title: The Faculty Lounge
Author: Jennifer Mathieu
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/3 stars

“A celebration of teachers who remain heroically human in nearly impossible times… The Faculty Lounge is a hell of a way to announce a major new voice in adult fiction. I loved it.”—Steven Rowley, New York Times bestselling author of The Guncle

This book took a while for me to finish, but it was pretty good. It's kinda like a behind the scenes look at what really goes on with the teachers and faculty at a public school. Everything from death, disciplinary action, rule breakers, controversy, job cuts, etc, which makes you wonder why anyone would want to become a teacher or work in a school!!

Published: July 23rd, 2024

Thank you, @netgalley, and @duttonbooks, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I found this book entertaining. I have never worked in a school before and am not a teacher but I think it’s still relatable, though not as funny if you work in a school, I would think.
A very funny and interesting story about people and how they work and relate to one another.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC

What a weird, fun read! Maybe this might not have the same appeal to someone who hasn’t actually WORKED at a school, but I found the characters memorable and relatable. I’d love to read more from this author.

Loved this one. So many reminders of what I deal with as a teacher. Grateful for the ARC and will be recommending to all my teacher friends.

As a teacher, I can relate to so many of the things in this book. I made so many notes on my Kindle. I love how each chapter or 2 is about different teachers in the book.

Does this woman have cameras at my job? You can see every character she describes in every school. It had all of the chaos, heart, love, and just a great ensemble of teachers.

I am not in a career of education but I loved this book. Educators will eat this up.

The sarcasm and wit in this story found me laughing more than I would have thought.

A variety of characters, admittedly some much more interesting than others, but isn’t that the simple reality of the workforce making this story more relatable in some aspects.

This was a little slow and it picks up as it gets along but the characters seemed to be described in ways that weren't engaging or attention holding as a reader. I enjoyed the whodunnit plot and cosy mystery plot.

If you have ever worked in a high school, you’ll like this one. It gave me “Abbot Elementary” vibes! It is definitely rated “R” and touches on some triggering topics but it also has parts that will resonate with you. The book starts when an elderly substitute teacher at Baldwin High School is found dead in the faculty lounge. After the initial panic, life quickly returns to normal—it’s not like it’s the worst (or even most interesting) thing that has happened within the building’s walls. Each chapter is told from a different faculty member’s perspective and I guarantee you’ll recognize some characteristics of people you have worked with before!

This book sat partially read on my Kindle for months and I’m not sure why it took me so long to be engaged because it’s good. I enjoyed the glimpses into the various teachers’ and staff members’ lives, which made for a satisfying tableau of the community at Baldwin High. There is no obvious resolution to the characters’ struggles or joys, just a quiet yet wry portrayal of the people struggling to provide an education to teenagers in a post-COVID world. It’s effective in that I felt drawn in by the individual stories without feeling frustrated to not have resolution.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This is the kind of book you must read, especially if you’ve ever been part of the teaching profession or worked in an educational setting (like myself). It truly captures the type of life behind the scenes in schools.

While the story is easy to read and relatable, I found myself waiting for something big and exciting to happen—and it never really did. Still, it offers an authentic glimpse into the highs and lows of school life, but don’t expect a lot of drama or plot twists.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Author of Moxie, Jennifer Mathieu brings us a delightful story showing the lives and relationships inside Baldwin High School.

The reader can really dive into the minds of teachers, administrators and school’s personnel. As a teacher myself, I truly appreciated how the author could show the humanizing lives outside the school’s gates.

The story starts with the death of a retired teacher who comes back to Baldwin to work as a substitute. Throughout the narrative, the author shows different points of view, from each member of the school staff, after Mr Lehrer’s death and scatering of ashes over the school surroundings.

It’s a perfect narrative for those who want to dig in a school’s spirit and soul. The Faculty Lounge shows how different people come to find their ways and make sense of their lives inside Baldwin High.

This was a DNF for me unfortunately. I think this is a case of it's not you it's me. I saw so many amazing reviews but, as someone who is not a teacher and does not know a lot of teachers, I couldn't quite relate to the story. There were also a bit too many characters to keep track of and feel invested in.

The Faculty Lounge starts when an elderly substitute teacher is found dead in a staff lounge at a high school. Throughout the novel, we get glimpses of how different faculty is impacted by this and other surrounding events. It’s hard to pull off books that don’t center a few select characters. Even though the faculty/staff of this school is a wide cast, I enjoyed getting background on different characters and the quick glances into their stories. This was a humorous yet heartfelt glimpse into a workplace, and a great reminder of everything teachers deal with behind the scenes.

I could have seen this one having a big cast of narrators (and maybe that would have been too many voices) but Lisa Flanagan did a great job of narrating this alone. I found the list of faculty at the beginning to be helpful initially to remember who was who but there definitely is enough reminders throughout the book to help with that.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

This book was interesting. In each chapter we followed a different staff member from a high school in Texas. The story was told in third person and each chapter shed light on a problem that the different staff members were facing. There was also an overarching plot of a substitute who passed away in the teacher's longue at the beginning of the school year and the fall out from that. I liked that this book really humanized teachers and school staff. So often it is forgotten that teachers are normal people too with their own lives to worry about outside of their jobs. While the story was compelling, it ultimately will not have a lasting impact on me. I recommend others read this and see the things teachers face behind school doors.

“The Faculty Lounge” by Jennifer Mathieu provides a deep dive into the lives of staff at Baldwin High School. Each character has a story to tell about the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Some teachers are new, and some are old. Some have been through the wringer and some are naive in their roles. The chapters share the stories of a different staff members and a specific moment that turned them each into the person they are at present.

At times, the narrative can be a little hard to follow. While there is one overarching event at the school that leads to the breakdown of the characters separately, I would have liked the stories to be a little more cohesive with a better flow. Each character’s story, however, is unique. So many points of view can be hard to navigate, but author Jennifer Mathieu did so seamlessly.

For anyone curious about the inner workings of a teacher's mind, "The Faculty Lounge" is a must-read. It’s witty and fun, but also gives insight into the world of teaching and how the school system has changed through the decades. Our teachers are so important, and its crucial to see the world from their perspective. They’re teaching the future how to make the world a better place and we need to let them. Thank you Penguin Random House for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

If you have ever worked in education or know someone who has worked in education, then you absolutely must read this feel-good, you are seen as an educator novel.

A tour de force in character studies, The Faculty Lounge is a small glimpse into the lives of the faculty of a Texas high school in the aftermath of the death of a beloved teacher. Covering everyone from teachers, the custodian, school nurse, and administrators Mathieu does a phenomenal job of highlighting the stress, the love, and sometimes the absurdity of working in education, particularly with high schoolers. Each chapter focuses on a separate character, but intertwines them with the life of Mr. Lehrer, now deceased.

Having worked as a substitute teacher and paraprofessional, this book had all the feels. The writing and dialogue were sweet and quippy and the stories seemed completely genuine, despite it being a work of fiction. I am most certainly going to be buying a copy for all the teachers in my life for Christmas this year.

Recommended for anyone in education or anyone who absolutely loves a well-executed character study full of heart and soul.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Mathieu, and Dutton for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.