Plot
This delightful story follows a set of teachers across an academic year – each narrating a different story as the year progresses. It opens with a first-year teacher finding a substitute teacher dead of old age in the faculty lounge.

From meddling PTA moms to personal issues impacting faculty performance, from district overstepping to parents challenging curriculum, this story truly covers all the highs and lows of being a teacher in the world today.

Why Kirsten loves it
Both hilarious and poignant, this story reminds me of Abbott Elementary in the best way. I felt deeply for the teachers and their struggles while laughing along with their missteps and flaws.

I am normally not a reader that enjoys books that revolve around teachers especially as of lately they tend to involve illicit relationships between teachers and students. However, this was thankfully not like this.

Jennifer Mathieu shows the humanity that exists in a school building. These teachers had depth and humor in their lives trying to do best by their students but also do the best in themselves. Each chapter focuses on a different teacher and how the death of one of their own has effected them. Not only before his death but after his death when the departed teachers wishes also involved the spreading of his ashes on school grounds which put the principals job in jeopardy.

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

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

For anyone working in the public school system, I see you and this book sees you. I already knew I did not envy those in the industry and <i>The Faculty Lounde</I> pretty much soldified that. The line between sarcasm and truth is very dim because stranger than life things really do happen.
The book is written like short stories of high school staff experiences that all meld together to form one school year. One school year that started off with a substitute dying on the facutly lounge couch. Every one lives the same situations differently and this book was not afraid to show all of the sides.
There was an email exchange forwarding mistake between an educator and a parent that I related to personally. Something similar happened to me as an unsuspecting parent and the educator was beside themselves with regret. There were examples of those teachers who go above and beyond to help students in need. There were teachers that were just doing this job because they didn't know what else to do. There was a red tape, there were angry parents, there were professional training days and everything else in the middle.
This book is not for the faint of heart. We need more respect for our teachers and admins and this book shines the light on what they go through on a daily basis.

I enjoyed this one.. It was interesting learning so much about each of the staff members, as each section began with an excerpt from someone else's past. Some of it was ad - the teachers who are burnt out or under appreciated, the lonely people, the silent struggles. The author did a good job making the characters relatable and making their story make sense.

This is a good look at the inner lives and daily turmoils of public teachers, which may be valuable for many.

I appreciated the dark humor. I did find the storyline slow at times.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I purchased for my library and shared with my reading group.

I loved this book. This is a character-driven novel that reads almost like a series of interconnected short stories following the faculty and staff of a large public high school. I enjoyed meeting each of the characters and following their storylines throughout the book. I especially think anymore who works in the public school system would find this novel relatable and enjoyable.

Were I still teaching, this would be the book I re-read at the end of every summer.

There are already so many wonderful reviews that address the poignancy and humor of The Faculty Lounge, so I'll add one aspect I sincerely appreciated as I read—the structure.

Mathieu chose to tell this story through the shifting perspectives of faculty and staff members of a fictional Texas high school, where the school year began with a death in the teachers' lounge. I was struck by how these interconnected stories, each of which included a lot of backstory, mimicked the sense of isolation and overlap that I remember from my years in the classroom, where I worked primarily alone, my life intersecting with the other school employees only incidentally and primarily (you guessed it) in the faculty lounge.

I was likewise impressed with how a novel that could make me laugh aloud in one scene could evoke deep contemplation in another, how it never shied away from the complex realities—from racism and xenophobia to alcoholism and reproductive rights— that school workers face daily (sometimes expectedly, but more often not).

Whether or not you've worked in an education setting, The Faculty Lounge is worth reading.

This was such a thought provoking and intriguing read for me. I am not an educator or know much about being a teacher in society today, but I still found it enthralling. I thought it was super interesting that all the chapters highlighted individuals within the school system of a fictional school in the Houston area. We follow these teachers, custodians, counselors, and school nurse to name a few of the stories highlighted through a school year that begins with the death of a college in the faculty lounge. While this isn't the focus of the book, it is slightly woven through this character study. I found it to be a very interesting way to connect the stories of these very different individuals who have a commonality- they're all an important part of the school system. This was certainly character driven, very little plot occurs, but I could not put it down. I found each story almost like a vignette or short story itself. While this might turn some people off, I found it quite entertaining. Teachers are obviously some of the most important people in this country, and learning about the struggles that they go through not only in their careers but them as humans as well was very thought provoking and had me coming back to this book for more. While my only complaint is that the chapters were a bit lengthy at times and the reader gets in the weeds sometimes a bit more than other, I did find it very enjoyable and appreciated this book so much. I give it 4.5/5 Stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Character driven storyline rather than plot driven, with each chapter devoted to a different character and how they became the people they are. Endearing characters from the young janitor to the curmudgeonly veteran teacher, who all want the best for their students and co-workers as they fight against a school system more concerned with test scores than education. Even if you're not in the education field, you'll appreciate the camaraderie and sarcasm. Recommended for readers of contemporary fiction.

You know the year won't be like any other when a retired teacher dies in the title's place. Hence, the premise of The Faculty Lounge, which tells the stories of the faculty: the English teacher who was mentored by the teacher who died; the nurse who tries to help girls when a court decision changes everything; the principal who finds himself in the middle of several dramas plus has to fight an attraction to another woman; and the teacher who is trying to teach during the post-pandemic period of 2021-2022. Mathieu builds a world where teachers try to get their students to not go up the down staircase and how they succeed.

A huge thank you to Dutton and PRH Audio for granting me access to this title. I read and listened to The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu. When I read, I often have a hard time putting down my books, so for me, it's best when I can switch between the text and the audiobook so I can just keep myself immersed in the story. I have worked in education for over a decade and The Faculty Lounge caught my eye from its title, the spilled coffee, and the brief teaser on the back of the cover. The Faculty Lounge is about the different personalities at a school and their intertwining stories. It displays the beauty of how educators persevere amidst chaos and how work-life balance looks so different for each of us. I must give an extra shoutout to the audiobook, because the narration was stellar. I genuinely found myself chuckling along with the book. I also read this as teachers were returning from their summer breaks and it hit home for me while I was tangled in the beginning of year chaos tornado that somehow occurs every single year.

⚱️⚱️⚱️⚱️⚱️ / 5

THE FACULTY LOUNGE by Jennifer Mathieu

thank you to @duttonbooks and @netgalley for access to the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

quick thoughts:
👩🏻‍🏫 stories of faculty/staff at a small Texas high school
🌷 contemporary/literary fiction
✍🏼 multiple POVs, short chapters, mixed media
🫨 sarcastic, funny, heartwarming, emotional
👍🏼 would recommend to everyone!

okay, i loved this book! i had no idea what to expect from this, but i was pleasantly surprised—i truly loved it all 🥺

🎶 “teacher, i need you”

i’d say this story is considered literary fiction or contemporary fiction with a hint of a few other genres. i thought it was maybe a mystery at first because it starts out with a suspicious death, but nope. this is a combination of several beautiful stories of the lives of different faculty and staff members of a little high school in Texas. it’s hilarious, but it’s also so sweet and heartwarming as well as heartbreaking 🤍

if you are a teacher, work in a school, have friends/family who do, or were heavily influenced by teachers, i think you’ll love this book. i grew up wanting to be a teacher and kind of do that now, as i work with professionals on their resumes, and i help students apply to college. my MIL is a 5th grade teacher in north Texas, and i had already told her i wanted her to read this one when i was only like 20% in. i highly recommend checking this one out!

The Faculty Lounge begins with big drama as a dedicated substitute teacher passes away in the teachers' lounge at school. Throughout the book we are introduced to the lives and challenges of the school staff at school and home. Complex, heartfelt and realistic, the staff are shown facing the complications of education today with students and parents and adminstration demands while connecting with each other in supportive ways. This engaging book set in a high school hits hard for educators and people willing to look deeper than the surface of each person.

Clever fun read. As the daughter of two teachers there was a lot I could relate to I really enjoyed it but I think it will resonate best with teachers and those that love them.

Quick read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy to enjoy!

This book perfectly describes the ups and downs of life as an educator. I often sympathized with the characters and my anxiety would return as I reminisced my experiences of frustration along with the characters. Luckily, we never had anyone die while on campus, but Mr. Lehrer reminded me of an older gentleman sub we had at my school that everyone loved! The author did a great job of making the staff members relatable but there were times I felt the small details were inappropriate and unnecessary. I also felt the chapters were too long by jumping back and forth between the present and past. This made the story chaotic and seem like it was never going to end. I did like that the author included some of the sweet and tender moments that give a sense of fulfillment to educators. It’s those moments that remind you why you became a teacher and gives you motivation to return for another day or school year. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you @netgalley & @duttonbooks for a copy of this book.⁣
⁣
Gosh, I loved it. As a teacher this was wonderful. Mathieu shows that teachers are real people too, because a lot of times people forget that. We have real lives outside of being in the classroom. We all have different “whys” and that’s also okay. I loved all of the stories of how the staff came to be at the school, it really felt like how most staff on a school site is. It’s a true melting pot. ⁣
⁣
It also reminded me how much I love being teacher. Sometimes I feel like there aren’t a lot of us out there that truly enjoy this profession and that’s okay, but it can be so rewarding and so difficult all at the same time. I love the relationships I have built with my students each year. Even with my 5th graders! They visit me, they keep in contact and it’s the best feeling in the world to have made an impact in their lives. I keep a happy binder full of their letters & drawings and I hope one day my kids will be able to look at it and see that their mom made a difference. Thank you Jennifer for this wonderful book.

When a long standing figure of Baldwin high school passes away in the faculty lounge, the staff somewhat hesitantly come together to remember and celebrate his memory. This event sparks reflection in each member of the school staff from the janitorial crew to the principal and a glimpse into their lives beyond the hallways and classrooms.

As a school employee myself I didn’t really find this to be as enlightening as I think it was intended to be. I’m well aware that school staff have diverse lives and histories beyond what they may share with their colleagues. Some of the stories were endearing, others less so. It was a very character driven novel which isn’t generally my favorite and perhaps that affects how I feel about it but as a whole I was underwhelmed.

This one was not as great as I had hoped. I kept reading hoping it would get better, but it was just ok for me. The characters were nice but nothing special. I'll see how I feel about her next one.

Based on the description and the opening scene of a dead teacher found in the faculty lounge, I expected this book to have a humorous angle—maybe something about how the teachers have to handle the situation or keep it hidden from the students. But that wasn't the case.

Instead, the book focuses heavily on backstories—how the teachers and administrators ended up where they are and the challenges they face in their roles. While this could be eye-opening for those unfamiliar with the difficulties of the profession, it felt more like a serious commentary than the light, humorous read I was expecting.

Given that my husband is a teacher, much of what I read was already familiar to me. While I appreciate the insights, I kept waiting for something funny or enlightening to happen, but it never did.

This isn’t to say it's a bad book—it just might not have been intended for someone like me. Perhaps it would be better suited for parents or others who might need a reminder to give teachers a break.

4 stars

This book is told by multiple character points of view. Each chapter is a different person that works at this high-school. This book was real and raw. I honestly loved reading it and I bet any teacher or person that works at a school of any kind will totally be able to relate to it.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this book.

Ｂｏｏｋ ｒｅｖｉｅｗ 📗✏️📖

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞 by Jennifer Mathieu
Publish Date: July 23, 2024 by @duttonbooks
Reviewed by: Mel
Format: Kindle ARC [ Gifted via @netgalley and @duttonbooks ]

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
It’s that time of the year — back to school! I don’t know why, but even as an adult, far removed from school years, I still feel the change even though I don’t have kids. It’s such a weird thing to base your entire existence around a school schedule for 20ish years and then have to break the feeling of being connected to it!

This book was the perfect Summer read - it was lighthearted and easy to read, but still had entertaining characters and kept me engaged. It was set up with each chapter having a different character spotlight - and I enjoyed these “mini-stories” or vignettes about each character while still having the underlying plot driving everything forward.

As someone who has never been a teacher, but knows a lot of them, it felt like peeling back the curtain and being a part of their day-to-day for a brief moment. The troublesome parents, the gossip, the stress, the quirky things that happen each day - it was carried more by the characters and interactions than a riveting plot which makes it a perfect beach/pool read before going back to school!