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Our Extended Universe
Erin is convinced that delivering the most amazing commencement speech her high school has ever heard will heal the heartache of losing her father. But on the morning of graduation, a notification from a DNA website she’d pretty much forgotten about not only derails Erin’s confidence, it collapses her life and identity as she knows it.
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Evan knows he’s on the fast track to success. Sure, his ultra-conservative parents aren’t happy with his recent coming out, but his improv career is set to skyrocket as soon as he’s selected to the national travelling team. Until Evan’s parents kick him out and all his big plans begin to unravel.
Now as both Erin and Evan pick up the pieces of their shattered expectations, Erin sets out to make contact with her unexpected sibling. The two immediately hit it off, agreeing on almost everything with one key Evan wants to find their anonymous donor while Erin most certainly does not. Only one will get their way, but both will be forever changed as they struggle to redefine their families and themselves, all while not being torn apart by the very thing that brought them together.
Based on close family experiences, OUR EXTENDED UNIVERSE is a humorous yet heartwarming story that’s as much about overcoming grief, anxiety, and failure as it is about embracing new understandings of family, friendship, and personal identity.
.
Evan knows he’s on the fast track to success. Sure, his ultra-conservative parents aren’t happy with his recent coming out, but his improv career is set to skyrocket as soon as he’s selected to the national travelling team. Until Evan’s parents kick him out and all his big plans begin to unravel.
Now as both Erin and Evan pick up the pieces of their shattered expectations, Erin sets out to make contact with her unexpected sibling. The two immediately hit it off, agreeing on almost everything with one key Evan wants to find their anonymous donor while Erin most certainly does not. Only one will get their way, but both will be forever changed as they struggle to redefine their families and themselves, all while not being torn apart by the very thing that brought them together.
Based on close family experiences, OUR EXTENDED UNIVERSE is a humorous yet heartwarming story that’s as much about overcoming grief, anxiety, and failure as it is about embracing new understandings of family, friendship, and personal identity.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 23, 2023
1 person is currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Dane Johns
2 books7 followersDane Johns lives in southern Illinois where he works at a nonprofit youth crisis shelter. At one time, Dane played in several bands that you probably haven't heard of unless you were in very specific places at very specific times. Even then, you probably didn't like them. His debut novel, The Futile, came out in April 2022 via Honey Gold Records. His second novel, Our Extended Universe, will be out May 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 16, 2023
3.75⭐️
I love supporting indie authors and was a fan of The Futile so was quite excited when the author offered me an arc.
This is a quick YA read with a bit of an unexpected story. Erin takes a DNA test for extra credit and it comes back with some unexpected results that take her life in a new direction.
It’s all about the connections we make in our life as well as an exploration into the impacts of anxiety.
This feels like the type of book to sit and read at the lake this summer.
Pub date: May 23, 2023
Read if you enjoyed: Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, The Futile or Dash and Lily
Thank you @danejhns and @honeygold for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 21, 2023
This was my first ARC, which was so exciting for me. This book was a light, easy read. I enjoyed learning about Evan and Erin's lives and the connections they made throughout their lives. It was a very real / raw story.
The ending really pulled me in and made this book that much better! I really enjoyed the random bits of advice Erin had on post it notes from her Dad!
Definitely check it out for a quick YA read.
Thank you Dane Johns for sharing this ARC.
Publishing Date: May 23rd, 2023.
The ending really pulled me in and made this book that much better! I really enjoyed the random bits of advice Erin had on post it notes from her Dad!
Definitely check it out for a quick YA read.
Thank you Dane Johns for sharing this ARC.
Publishing Date: May 23rd, 2023.
May 10, 2023
Wow this is a fantastic book! Based loosely on a true story, Our Extended Universe is the story of Evan and Erin two midwestern teenagers who, after taking a DNA Test, find out that they are connected as half siblings. The book will make you fall in love with the main characters and keep you turning the page with its compelling story.
Told through both of the main character's perspectives, the story traces each character's struggles with growing up. The funny and outgoing Evan grapples with feelings of inadequacy after being passed up for an opportunity to join a revered improv troop. Compounding his troubles, he is kicked out of his house by his evangelical parents because of his sexuality. Meanwhile, the smart and thoughtful Erin has to come to terms with the death of her father, deal with her extreme anxiety (personified as Anxiety Brain!) and figure out what she wants to do with her life. She also has to get around to finally calling it quits with her boyfriend.
The book ultimately shows us the importance of found family, that we should embrace who we are, and that despite life's disappointments, our connections with the people who love us make each day worthy of celebration.
Told through both of the main character's perspectives, the story traces each character's struggles with growing up. The funny and outgoing Evan grapples with feelings of inadequacy after being passed up for an opportunity to join a revered improv troop. Compounding his troubles, he is kicked out of his house by his evangelical parents because of his sexuality. Meanwhile, the smart and thoughtful Erin has to come to terms with the death of her father, deal with her extreme anxiety (personified as Anxiety Brain!) and figure out what she wants to do with her life. She also has to get around to finally calling it quits with her boyfriend.
The book ultimately shows us the importance of found family, that we should embrace who we are, and that despite life's disappointments, our connections with the people who love us make each day worthy of celebration.
May 13, 2023
A deeply felt humane story told in a fun and breezy way that will only reward you for your time spent with these characters. A unique story about a specific situation that is so well written and fleshed out it feels universal.
November 12, 2023
Being donor conceived and finding out later in life was such a shock and so hard to comprehend. It literally rocked my world and sometimes still makes me feel like some weird science experiment. Dane captures the feelings of this so well. The characters really come to life and you feel like a part of their world. It made me laugh and cry. I felt like the anxiety brain side character is spot-on and genius. I think this book is easy to get into and the shorter chapters are perfect for people who are not big readers or are wanting to get back into reading. 10/10 I really highly recommend.
June 16, 2023
In this very relatable rollercoaster of emotions, 'Our Extended Universe' follows the stories of Erin and Evan as they take us through the ups and downs, twists and turns of a shocking DNA discovery. Inspired by a true story, we are pulled into their worlds, as the news sends them hurtling toward each other in one unforgettable summer. What will happen next? What is the truth? Will Anxiety Brain ever shut up?! And why IS Christian so attractive? Grab a cup of coffee from your favorite barista and settle into this book to find out.
This realistic story explores various family dynamics, sarcastic friendships, many types of love, and even a little hurt, grief, and disappointment. It goes well beyond the main characters and shows how everyone we meet has a lasting effect on our lives. Especially the advice of those who are no longer with us.
It is truly a big, beautiful, complicated mess! Bravo, Dane Johns, for another amazing novel that took me 'around the wheel of emotions'. From feeling anxious and uncomfortable with Erin's speech to being proud that Evan stood up for himself, plus so much more. I laughed many times thoughout and shed many tears, especially during the last chapters. It forced me to relive some of those awkward teen moments, not regretting that they happened, but grateful that I can look back on them as an adult.
I highly recommend this heartwarming adventure to teens and adults of all ages. Unlike the lukewarm food at Applebee's, you won't be disappointed by this hot-off-the-presses contemporary tale.
This realistic story explores various family dynamics, sarcastic friendships, many types of love, and even a little hurt, grief, and disappointment. It goes well beyond the main characters and shows how everyone we meet has a lasting effect on our lives. Especially the advice of those who are no longer with us.
It is truly a big, beautiful, complicated mess! Bravo, Dane Johns, for another amazing novel that took me 'around the wheel of emotions'. From feeling anxious and uncomfortable with Erin's speech to being proud that Evan stood up for himself, plus so much more. I laughed many times thoughout and shed many tears, especially during the last chapters. It forced me to relive some of those awkward teen moments, not regretting that they happened, but grateful that I can look back on them as an adult.
I highly recommend this heartwarming adventure to teens and adults of all ages. Unlike the lukewarm food at Applebee's, you won't be disappointed by this hot-off-the-presses contemporary tale.
August 18, 2024
If millennial readers like myself can get past the fact this book will make them feel incredibly old (mid-00s emo bands are what the protagonist's parents listened to, and a significant proportion of the book is experienced through the digital sphere) Our Extended Universe is a brave and authentic look at a topic that doesn't get much airtime.
Despite the first donor-conceived adults being well into middle-age by now, there is no non-YA equivalent. The majority of family-based plots from the sitcom to the intergenerational drama are more likely to include storylines about marrying your stepmum, or single-handedly solving your father's murder, however rarely those things happen in the real-world, than they are to consider the lived experiences of the millions of donor-conceived people whose lives are lived in the knowledge there are some questions they will never have answers for.
Thank goodness, then, that Erin and Evan's journey to finding each other and eventually their donor is the central focus of Our Extended Universe's engaging multi-polar first-person narrative. Teenage romances, relationship breakdowns, even long-standing friendships and aspirations for the future are effectively sidelined when the two meet by chance when a DNA test yields a result they weren't expecting.
The book's limited release (effectively publised by an indepedent record label owned by friends of the author) is therefore likely to reflect the public perception that such a story has a niche market, rather than any indicator of the quality of the work. But regardless of that perception, donor-conceived people need books like Our Extended Universe, because it captures a confusing, world-shattering situation with warmth, wit, and the kind of optimism which makes anyone grappling with the trials the characters face feel less alone.
Despite the first donor-conceived adults being well into middle-age by now, there is no non-YA equivalent. The majority of family-based plots from the sitcom to the intergenerational drama are more likely to include storylines about marrying your stepmum, or single-handedly solving your father's murder, however rarely those things happen in the real-world, than they are to consider the lived experiences of the millions of donor-conceived people whose lives are lived in the knowledge there are some questions they will never have answers for.
Thank goodness, then, that Erin and Evan's journey to finding each other and eventually their donor is the central focus of Our Extended Universe's engaging multi-polar first-person narrative. Teenage romances, relationship breakdowns, even long-standing friendships and aspirations for the future are effectively sidelined when the two meet by chance when a DNA test yields a result they weren't expecting.
The book's limited release (effectively publised by an indepedent record label owned by friends of the author) is therefore likely to reflect the public perception that such a story has a niche market, rather than any indicator of the quality of the work. But regardless of that perception, donor-conceived people need books like Our Extended Universe, because it captures a confusing, world-shattering situation with warmth, wit, and the kind of optimism which makes anyone grappling with the trials the characters face feel less alone.
May 10, 2023
Hey, this is my second novel and I'm super proud of it. Our Extended Universe is the story of two teens dealing with anxiety and failure who find themselves on an unlikely summer adventure after inexplicably matching as siblings through a DNA site. OEU is based on close family experiences. I relied a lot on my wife, Stacy, and brother-in-law, Ethan, to capture the crisis of identity and reassessment of personal history that they each went through when they found out later in their lives that not only were they donor conceived, but they also had whole constellations of half-siblings out there in the world.
At least that's where the inspiration for this book started. As it came together, I also realized I was working through a lot of my own personal struggles with anxiety and the crisis of identity that can often come along with failure. The end result is Our Extended Universe. It's full of joy, heartache, friendship, humor, and perseverance. My greatest hope is that this book can do for anyone else what it did for me, but failing that, I just hope you enjoy it.
At least that's where the inspiration for this book started. As it came together, I also realized I was working through a lot of my own personal struggles with anxiety and the crisis of identity that can often come along with failure. The end result is Our Extended Universe. It's full of joy, heartache, friendship, humor, and perseverance. My greatest hope is that this book can do for anyone else what it did for me, but failing that, I just hope you enjoy it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews