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.

Thank you to Penguin Group- Dutton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

I was sent this book as a recommendation from the publisher and thought the synopsis sounded interesting and fun. I am SO glad that I did as I ADORED this book. I picked it up one evening when I felt like I was in a slump and was immediately drawn in by the writing style, the wit and the warmth of the characters. As someone who loved school for the most part and highly valued relationships with teachers who became mentors, this book encapsulates so much of the importance of good, caring teachers. I laughed, I cried, and I rooted these teachers on. Each chapter was a glimpse into another teacher's life and as I read through the book and began to get to know each of them, it made each chapter better and better. I was sad to finish this book simply because I would no longer get to spend time with them. An excellent read! I would give this 10 stars if I could and currently am putting this in my top 5 reads of the year so far. Highly recommend anyone looking for a fun, heartfelt read to pick this up.

a substitute teacher is found dead in the teachers' lounge, he wants his ashes spread in the school parking lot. told from several points of view., it is a good book, especially if you're a teacher.

"The Faculty Lounge" is a fun, satiric novel set at a school called Baldwin. The tone is satirical and dark, as when a retired teacher dies on the teacher's lounge couch while subbing. Gifting this to my teacher friends once it's released, I know they will love it! Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
#TheFacultyLounge
#NetGalley

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 When a retired teacher turned substitute dies on the couch in the lounge at Baldwin School, the hysterically ironic and satirical novel that unravels is an unapologetically delightful read. In a volatile time for teachers, this book is a uniquely refreshing honest read that resonates the importance of teaching and public education. A strangely beautiful and heartwarming read that reminds us of those famous Jimmy Buffet lyrics that “if we couldn't laugh we would all go insane.”

Review is posted on Goodreads and the final review will be on instagram ahead of the publication date!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

“The Faculty Lounge” by Jennifer Mathieu is a novel that captures the essence of high school life from an angle rarely explored—the teachers’ perspective. Set in a Texas high school, the story begins with a seemingly mundane event: the death of an elderly substitute teacher in the faculty lounge. However, the incident sets off a chain of events that reveal the complexities, absurdities, and heart of school life.

Mathieu, known for her young adult novels, makes a triumphant foray into adult fiction with a narrative that is as humorous as it is poignant. The novel is a character study that delves into the lives of the teachers, administrators, and staff at Baldwin High School. Through an ensemble cast of characters, Mathieu offers readers a glimpse into the personal lives of those who are often seen only through the lens of their profession.

The characters are richly drawn, from a former punk band frontman turned middle-aged principal fighting to keep his job, to a no-nonsense school nurse who bends the rules for a student in need, to a disgruntled English instructor caught in controversy. Their stories intertwine in a year marked by wild, bizarre, tragic, mundane, beautiful, and humorous moments.

“The Faculty Lounge” is more than just a workplace comedy and a celebration of the human spirit. It’s about the connections we make and the purpose we find in our daily lives. Mathieu’s writing is insightful and empathetic, offering a timely glimpse at today’s pressing school issues while honoring the educators who navigate them.

In essence, this novel is a tribute to the dedicated, though imperfect, people who educate our children. It’s a story that resonates with anyone who has ever been part of a school community, reminding us that behind every teacher’s desk is a person with a first name and a life full of stories worth telling.

What a warm fuzzy of a book! Loved how it was set up following the death of a beloved teacher using a variety of different POVs from the staff of at the school. If you work in education you need to read this! A lovely depiction of education and the people who work in the system. Overall a lovely read.

If you are a teacher you need to read this book! So many of the stories ring so true to life. I was laughing and outraged along with the characters in the book.

Anyone who has worked in education can relate to this straight talking story that manages to be realistic, funny, and touching. If you haven’t worked in education, this book can give you plenty of insight.

We move through the school year following various staff members. Sometimes this format can wear thin on certain characters, but everyone is very three dimensional. I especially liked the character with a very unexpected musical interest.

I immediately recommended it to a school librarian friend who does a teacher book club.

Thanks for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review, NetGalley!

This is the true definition of working in a school. I could relate to many of the characters and knew plenty in my own life. I truly enjoyed this story and it is a must read for anyone in education.

I adored this novel, told in a cohesive collection of short stories for each teacher. It begins with an elderly substitute passing away in a teacher’s lounge, with his last wish being to have his ashes scattered in the school parking lot.

Preorder this for all teachers in your life, or any fans of Abbott Elementary!

A teacher found dead in the school lounge?That definitely caught my attention and made me want to read this book. The Faculty Lounge is a funny look into public schools and the life of the teachers. I enjoyed the different stories of the teachers' lives and ended up loving the dead substitute teacher!
#TheFacultyLounge #NetGalley

Ever wonder what really goes on behind the scenes at school? Over a school year and with flashbacks, this novel shows the "real" lives of teachers. Each character interacts with the other school staff throughout the year, and has a chapter or two explaining how they got to this point in their careers. The story about a parent wanting to ban a book from the classroom rang true, and made me want to get the opinion of a high school teacher to see how well the other complications mirrored reality.