I Can’t Even Think Straight by Dean Atta
In this emotional novel in verse by the Stonewall Award–winning author of The Black Flamingo, a queer biracial teen confronts issues of race, privilege, class, and sexuality on his journey to falling in love.
Kai knows who he is to others: The good grandson, the reliable best friend, the romantic backup. But he doesn’t quite know who he is to himself.
Kai wants to come out at school, but his best friend there, Matt, stays closeted for fear of getting kicked out by his conservative parents—and wants Kai to do the same. Kai unhappily agrees, but when a rumor goes around that Kai and Matt are dating, Matt starts acting differently anyway.
Kai’s other best friend, Vass, is proudly nonbinary and thinks Matt is a negative influence—though maybe that’s just their crush on Kai talking. Kai has always turned to writing to express his emotions, but when his on-page emotions erupt into the real world, he might just be putting the delicate balance of his life at risk.
Told with Dean Atta’s signature lyricism and candor, this deeply feeling story explores the complexities of crushes, navigating identity, and coming out.
- File Name:i-cant-even-think-straight-by-dean-atta.epub
- Original Title:I Can't Even Think Straight
- Creator:Dean Atta
- Language:en
- Identifier:9780063158054
- Publisher:HarperCollins
- Date:2025
- File Size:4.313 MB
Table of Content
- 1. Cover
- 2. Title Page
- 3. Dedication
- 4. Contents
- 5. Prologue: Summer Holiday, Larnaca, Cyprus
- On a Sun Lounger in Larnaca
- 6. Back to School: London, United Kingdom
- Monday: Queer Talk—Lunch Hall
- Ready or Not?—After School—Granny’s Kitchen
- Tuesday: Self-Preservation—Lunch Hall
- Paranoia—After School—Yiayia and Bapou’s Garden
- Wednesday: The Boys—Lunch Hall
- The Favorite—After School—Granny’s Kitchen
- Thursday: The Feds—Lunchtime—Outside School
- Detention—After School—Mr. Ndour’s Classroom
- After Detention—The Corridor
- Friday: Boyfriends—Lunch Hall
- Rainbow Sprinkles—After School—Vass’s Bedroom
- Saturday: The New Boy—Bouldering
- Sunday: Take Your Pick—Mum’s Market Stall
- Monday: Out and Proud—Lunch Hall
- More Hurt Than Angry—After School—Granny’s Kitchen
- Tuesday: Eyes and Ears—Lunch Hall
- I Can if You Help Me—In the Park—After School
- Wednesday: The Invite—Lunch Hall
- Best Friends—After School—Yiayia and Bapou’s Garden
- Thursday: Open Forum—Lunchtime—Mr. Ndour’s Classroom
- Friday: Nicky Anderson’s House Party
- Saturday: The Pendant—Bouldering
- Sunday: Back for More—Mum’s Market Stall
- Breaking News
- The Following Saturday: A Saucy First Date
- Monday: Doe-Eyed—After School—Vass’s Bedroom
- Saturday: I Can’t Even Think Straight—Bouldering
- Checking In
- Sunday: Fear of Missing Out—Mum’s Market Stall
- Monday: The Author Talk—Assembly Hall
- Meet the Author—Lunchtime—The Library
- Another Detention—After School
- Tuesday: The Good One—After School at Granny’s
- It Takes a Village—Nighttime—My Bedroom
- Eye for an Eye
- Later That Night: Ear to the Door—Mum’s Bedroom
- Wednesday: The Truth Will Set You Free—Before School
- Labels—Lunchtime—The Library
- Something Epic
- Thursday: Additional Support—Lunchtime—Mr. Ndour’s Classroom
- Dark Humor—Nighttime—My Bedroom
- Saturday: Great Expectations—Obi’s House Party
- The Devil You Know
- Later That Night: The Devil You Don’t Know—Obi’s House Party
- Sunday: More Than Friends—Mum’s Market Stall
- The Following Saturday: Before a Fall—Bouldering
- Sunday: The Best Medicine—Morning—Vass’s Bedroom
- Empty-Handed—Lunchtime—Vass’s Bedroom
- Monday: Matt’s Coming Out—Lunch Hall
- Side by Side—In the Park—After School
- Two Months Later: It’s a Wrap—Nighttime—My Bedroom
- 7. Acknowledgments
- 8. About the Author
- 9. Praise
- 10. Books by Dean Atta
- 11. Back Ad
- 12. Copyright
- 13. About the Publisher
Dean Atta
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