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Breaking Point #2
Unstable Ground
The fault strikes back. The heartland rips wider. A family pushed to the breaking point.
Dr. Elijah Gentry slams his seismograph charts on the FEMA counter, voice cutting through the chaos as he warns the geologist: the next rupture is coming east—bridges failing, cities turning to quicksand in hours. No one is listening fast enough. He has to make them hear before the next wave buries everything.
Erin Mason shoves her terrified students through the shattered museum halls, Ethan burning with fever under her arm as gunshots crack below and looters close in. One wrong step and they’re cornered—or dead. With zoo animals loose on the streets and the only bridge left turning into a kill zone, she races forward, praying her family is still alive out there.
Will Mason hurls a jagged chunk of pavement at the armed teens circling his daughter’s stolen car, glass exploding as Cassidy floors it and they tear away—but every mile toward St. Louis brings fresh violence, dwindling fuel, and the growing rumble under the wheels that says the earth isn’t done.
With aftershocks ripping the Midwest apart and time running out, Will, Cassidy, and Erin must claw through looters, infection, and the planet’s fury itself to find each other before the next big one hits.
Unstable Ground is book two in a post-apocalyptic disaster thriller series following ordinary people struggling to survive when a massive earthquake rips through the heart of America.
Dr. Elijah Gentry slams his seismograph charts on the FEMA counter, voice cutting through the chaos as he warns the geologist: the next rupture is coming east—bridges failing, cities turning to quicksand in hours. No one is listening fast enough. He has to make them hear before the next wave buries everything.
Erin Mason shoves her terrified students through the shattered museum halls, Ethan burning with fever under her arm as gunshots crack below and looters close in. One wrong step and they’re cornered—or dead. With zoo animals loose on the streets and the only bridge left turning into a kill zone, she races forward, praying her family is still alive out there.
Will Mason hurls a jagged chunk of pavement at the armed teens circling his daughter’s stolen car, glass exploding as Cassidy floors it and they tear away—but every mile toward St. Louis brings fresh violence, dwindling fuel, and the growing rumble under the wheels that says the earth isn’t done.
With aftershocks ripping the Midwest apart and time running out, Will, Cassidy, and Erin must claw through looters, infection, and the planet’s fury itself to find each other before the next big one hits.
Unstable Ground is book two in a post-apocalyptic disaster thriller series following ordinary people struggling to survive when a massive earthquake rips through the heart of America.
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2026
About the author
Harley Tate
50 books165 followersWhen the world as we know it falls apart, how far will you go to survive?
Harley Tate writes edge-of-your-seat post-apocalyptic fiction exploring what happens when ordinary people are faced with impossible choices.
Subscribe to Harley's newsletter for two exclusive prequels you can't get anywhere else: www.harleytate.com/subscribe
The end of life as we know it brings out the best and worst in all of us. The apocalypse is only the beginning.
Harley Tate writes edge-of-your-seat post-apocalyptic fiction exploring what happens when ordinary people are faced with impossible choices.
Subscribe to Harley's newsletter for two exclusive prequels you can't get anywhere else: www.harleytate.com/subscribe
The end of life as we know it brings out the best and worst in all of us. The apocalypse is only the beginning.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 25, 2026
[ REVIEW ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Star ]...UNSTABLE GROUND: Is the second full length book in the (Breaking Point) series by Author HARLEY TATE. Spoken in dual POV's.
📚'𝙼𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂'📚 can also be found on my blog:
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
I enjoyed the first book Breaking Point: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller so as soon as this went live I grabbed it, this picks up right where the previous book left off.
This kick starts off with Erin with her small group of student survivors are still hunkered down in the museum, trying to get out safely before the looters catch sight of them. Ethan her student is still in a bad way in need of some vital antibiotics due to the cut on his leg which is severely infected spiking his temperature and fear for his survival lands on Erin's shoulders.
Tim and his daughter Cassidy are slowly making their way in search of Erin his wife, a treacherous journey with many setbacks on the way.
Soft hearted Cass, is always trying to stop and help when others are in need wherever she can. But in this new world where everyone is out for themselves, survival is a game no one wants to lose.
I would’ve thought Tim and his daughter would’ve checked if there were any other student survivors in the bus which crashed where Cass had escaped from (where the previous book kicked started from) though they do mention if any others had escaped, I was hoping we'd get more of a mention.
This was enjoyable enough, though it became repetitive with sentences repeated from Erin’s POV a few times.
The chaos in this world is escalating at a rapid speed, danger is always lurking.
📚'𝙼𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂'📚 can also be found on my blog:
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
I enjoyed the first book Breaking Point: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller so as soon as this went live I grabbed it, this picks up right where the previous book left off.
This kick starts off with Erin with her small group of student survivors are still hunkered down in the museum, trying to get out safely before the looters catch sight of them. Ethan her student is still in a bad way in need of some vital antibiotics due to the cut on his leg which is severely infected spiking his temperature and fear for his survival lands on Erin's shoulders.
Tim and his daughter Cassidy are slowly making their way in search of Erin his wife, a treacherous journey with many setbacks on the way.
Soft hearted Cass, is always trying to stop and help when others are in need wherever she can. But in this new world where everyone is out for themselves, survival is a game no one wants to lose.
I would’ve thought Tim and his daughter would’ve checked if there were any other student survivors in the bus which crashed where Cass had escaped from (where the previous book kicked started from) though they do mention if any others had escaped, I was hoping we'd get more of a mention.
This was enjoyable enough, though it became repetitive with sentences repeated from Erin’s POV a few times.
The chaos in this world is escalating at a rapid speed, danger is always lurking.
March 20, 2026
Unstable Ground was a solid gut-punch for me. Much of the story centers on teacher Erin, as she tries to get her students safely out of earthquake-damaged St. Louis. There is no emergency help, and the city is swarming with desperate, violent people. As a retired teacher who used to take students on out-of-state trips regularly, I felt Erin's anguish in my soul. The New Madrid Fault hasn't finished its shaking, but I guess that will happen in the next book. It is terrifying that, days after the initial earthquake that destroyed the infrastructure in multiple states, there is still no official help...no FEMA, no National Guard, no Red Cross, nobody! If you enjoy fast-paced disaster fiction, check out this new series. After all, the New Madrid Fault is still active...tick tock.
March 20, 2026
Tate delivers another winner!
Unstable Ground, book 2 in the Breaking Point series, picks us where the cliffhangers in Breaking Point left off: Erin and her students trapped in the damaged museum as looters ravage the place, Will and Cassidy trying to figure out how to get to Erin and Gentry struggling to get out warnings that the massive earthquake they survived is just the beginning. The pace is fast, very fast, and the plot matches perfectly, the characters are dynamic, flawed and likeable, the dialogue believable, and the tension ratchets up with every page. Given the cliffhangers in Unstable Ground, waiting for book 3 will seem a very long time! Overall, 5/5 stars, with the highest recommendation for fans of disaster and apocalyptic survival thrillers!
Unstable Ground, book 2 in the Breaking Point series, picks us where the cliffhangers in Breaking Point left off: Erin and her students trapped in the damaged museum as looters ravage the place, Will and Cassidy trying to figure out how to get to Erin and Gentry struggling to get out warnings that the massive earthquake they survived is just the beginning. The pace is fast, very fast, and the plot matches perfectly, the characters are dynamic, flawed and likeable, the dialogue believable, and the tension ratchets up with every page. Given the cliffhangers in Unstable Ground, waiting for book 3 will seem a very long time! Overall, 5/5 stars, with the highest recommendation for fans of disaster and apocalyptic survival thrillers!
March 22, 2026
how can you win against the Earth?
Fraught with danger from an angry planet and humanity, there is little time to escape one chapter at a time. The main characters meet it all with courage and determination. I meet it with sore muscles (tensing) and the need to know more. Absolutely brilliant!
Fraught with danger from an angry planet and humanity, there is little time to escape one chapter at a time. The main characters meet it all with courage and determination. I meet it with sore muscles (tensing) and the need to know more. Absolutely brilliant!
April 15, 2026
Excellent read
I have enjoyed Harley Tate books for a few years. She is really growing in her story telling. I’m not sure how many books are in this series, but I’m looking forward to the next.
I have enjoyed Harley Tate books for a few years. She is really growing in her story telling. I’m not sure how many books are in this series, but I’m looking forward to the next.
May 6, 2026
Didn't care for it...
...but read the whole thing. Talk about dumb choices. I realize they're human, but still. That whole thing with the injured kid? I don't know...speed read most of it. Just didn't hold my interest. Giving up on this series.
...but read the whole thing. Talk about dumb choices. I realize they're human, but still. That whole thing with the injured kid? I don't know...speed read most of it. Just didn't hold my interest. Giving up on this series.
May 11, 2026
Hopeful
Cassidy and her dad have headed out to find her mom in a world that is crumbling under their feet. Erin is trying to keep the 9 remaining
students together and get them to safety. Can this family find their way back to each other before the world completely falls apart.
Cassidy and her dad have headed out to find her mom in a world that is crumbling under their feet. Erin is trying to keep the 9 remaining
students together and get them to safety. Can this family find their way back to each other before the world completely falls apart.
March 25, 2026
Good One
So good. Can’t wait for the next one to come out. I enjoyed the character development and the perseverance of the characters
So good. Can’t wait for the next one to come out. I enjoyed the character development and the perseverance of the characters
April 14, 2026
Cliffhanger
Good suspense. I live in there New Madrid fault zone. This series gives a raw glimpse of human nature during a crisis.
Good suspense. I live in there New Madrid fault zone. This series gives a raw glimpse of human nature during a crisis.
April 19, 2026
Good book
AI reader needs some work. Glitchy with unstable speeds and pronunciation problems. But the story was good enough to continue
AI reader needs some work. Glitchy with unstable speeds and pronunciation problems. But the story was good enough to continue
May 8, 2026
Yes, No, Maybe
People robbing people. People refusing to listen. Rules, rules, ruled don't matter when your world is falling asunder. Easy read with tough words and actions!
People robbing people. People refusing to listen. Rules, rules, ruled don't matter when your world is falling asunder. Easy read with tough words and actions!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews