Unstable Ground

Breaking Point #2

by Harley Tate

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.

Genres: Apocalyptic, Post Apocalyptic

233 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 19, 2026

About the author

When 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.

Reviews

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books]

[ 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.

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[Pam Shelton-Anderson]

This is a fairly good series so far. The Will-Cassidy part stalls a bit on their constant angst and friction and Will makes some poor choices based on a teen's unrealistic idealism. Still they manage to find some good folks too. Erin and the students are in a desperate plight and I'm a little wary of her choices with such a sick kid, but desperation leads to those kind of choices too. I did really like Tom, Kenny and their group of helpers and the students in Erin's group are really rising to the challenge. The two scientists trying to warn everyone are top-notch too. On to book 3.

[Lisa]

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.

[Matt Egan]

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!

[Mjloyd611]

I cannot understand how this book could get such a high rating. It's not a bad book, but also not very good. Since I read the first book of the series, I decided to finish them all, but I could easily have found something much better to read.

I don't find the story suspenseful or full of tension or danger or whatever the author is intending. The writing is just not good enough take me into the mind and heart if the characters.

Regarding the characters, I immensely dislike both Cassidy and Will. The world has gone to shit and Cassidy refuses to see it. Her stupid decisions constantly put her and Will in peril.
I'm so disappointed in Will for giving up their.......so easily without putting up even an iota o fight.
This could be so much better.

[Dena]

somewhere over the rainbow

That scientist just isn’t done yet. Why doesn’t he go over that person? Why didn’t Erin just drop off the kids somewhere and get some medicine for Ethan? I mean as a parent shouldn’t she know basic first aid. I get it’s a disaster but they should come first. I was annoyed by her character. Cassie her adjusting to this new reality is hard because she is so kind. However her dogooder behavior didn’t really help her friends when she heard about the flood waters for her friends. But hey I guess it only goes so far. Then the father on supplies I think he should be more worried on getting something to defend himself with than anything else. I mean hello just something

[Linda Gallagher]

LG

Twenty years prior, retired seismologist Dr. Elijah Gentry had predicted this catastrophic earthquake, yet dismissed as an alarmist, nobody believed him. Currently, he seeks to persuade FEMA that he possesses irrefutable evidence of worse devastation ahead. Meanwhile, Will and Cassidy race to reach Erin, who is working to guide nine surviving students back to Paducah. Amid the chaos, they face escaped zoo animals roaming the streets, gang violence, and nature's relentless assault. This compelling sequel delivers a worthy follow-up to book one. I'm excited to dive into book three.

[James Crawford]

There's major earthquakes coming up and the government needs to be informed about what's happening and what could happen. There's a teacher and a small group of her students in a museum but, iufortunately, there's also a gun with a gun and one of the kids is shot.

There's also a missing wife/mother, the St. Louis zoo (which is not the best place to be with earthquakes going on) and a lot of liquefaction going on.

At the base of all this is a fault that seems to be coming apart. People need to be informed but the groups need to stay alive first.

A rather good story in this genre.

[Kay Mack]

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!

[cathryn baker]

KIDDO!

its ok,a bit slow and very emotional The father in it really gets on your nerves as well as the mother who both narrates the story.constantly wailing about togetherness and staying strong I found myself flicking through the pages that was too sentimental which was a lot
if I hear Kiddo once more ill scream

[Johnny Allen]

This story will shake you

Having lived in California most of my life, I know what is like to experience the fear and utter helpless feelings one gets from an earth quake. This story capture that and the apathy that locals feel when they hear a warning and just gaff it off. I like the protagonists and I couldn't help but feel for them.

[Regina Hay]

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.

[DarcyJ]

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.

[Kellie]

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.

[Mary]

Excellent

Terrifying and exciting! The struggle felt real. Characters are slightly different than the first book of series. They feel very real and desperate as they battle mother nature and other people. Highly recommend.

[TheReadingKnitter/ Kasey]

Honestly this book was a little long winded for my liking. I kept waiting for something to happen. I'll read the third and final book just because I want to know what becomes of the characters and how the story ends.

[Jennie Owens]

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

[Leesa]

Cliffhanger

Good suspense. I live in there New Madrid fault zone. This series gives a raw glimpse of human nature during a crisis.

[Karen]

Good book

AI reader needs some work. Glitchy with unstable speeds and pronunciation problems. But the story was good enough to continue

[Charles Sexton]

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!