Family Disaster

Five short stories that give glimpses into the lives of Griffin, Jorie, and the other characters from Second Nature.

Mae Townsend has always dreamed of connecting with her estranged Black family in the South. She grew up picturing relatives who looked like her, crowded dinner tables, bustling kitchens. And, of course, the Townsend family barbecue, the tradition that kept her late father flying to North Carolina year after year, despite the mysterious rift that always required her to stay behind.

The key to understanding the calamitous Afghan war is the complex, ultimately failed relationship between the powerful, duplicitous Karzai family and the United States, brilliantly portrayed here by the former Kabul bureau chief for The Washington Post. The United States went to Afghanistan on...

On a humanitarian mission to fly doctors to a remote village in Mexico, pilot Lisa Merrick discovers something sinister lurking behind the organization in charge. Her plane is sabotaged, leaving her trapped in the Mexican wilderness with a price on her head and no way out. Injured and desperate, she contacts the one man she knows will help her: Dave DeMarco, a tough but compassionate Texas cop with whom she was once wildly in love.

Life hasn't turned out quite the way Becca Cammeyer of Greenwich Village—once voted most likely to land on Broadway or in jail for a good cause—had planned. Her only child has moved to another continent, she's still living in a fifth-floor walkup with her aging dog, still single, still nearly broke, still not on speaking terms with her best friend or her mother, and still hearing the ghost of her long-dead father whispering in her ear.

Raised in a privileged community of wealthy survivalists on an idyllic, self-sustaining Oregon ranch, Marlo has always been insulated. The outside world, which the ranchers call “the Disaster”, is a casualty of ravaging climate change, a troubled landscape on the brink of catastrophe. For as long as Marlo can remember, the unknown that lies beyond the borders of her utopia has been a curious obsession. But just as she plans her escape into the chaos of the real world, a charismatic new resident gives her a compelling reason to stay.

International bestselling author María Martínez pens an angsty, emotional new adult contemporary romance perfect for readers of Colleen Hoover, Elle Kennedy, and Alice Kellen. Until she can figure out what she wants for herself, love will always be a disaster. Twenty-year-old Harper Weston...

Join travel writer Angie Orth (@angieaway) on a journey of self-discovery as she empowers readers to buck expectations, take leaps of faith, and trust that God’s plan is better than anything we think we want for our lives. Angie Orth should have had at least 2.5 kids by now—everyone else...

A new mother must adjust to a life she never asked for in this spirited novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bodyguard and The Rom-Commers “Charming . . . cleverly told and uncommonly appealing.”—People Sometimes the worst thing that can happen is exactly what you’ve...

From the author of Something to Live For, a poignant and funny story about a man whose wife disappeared seven years ago and his journey to find her or find out what happened, interwoven with the story of their relationship, revealing how sometimes the biggest secrets are the ones we keep from...

Discover a new series from the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster: a "heartbreaking and hopeful, raw and sexy" story about one woman's struggle to start over and the man determined to protect her at all costs. (Lauren Blakely, author of Part-Time Lover). Named one of...

In this urgent parenting guide, learn how to navigate the uncertainty of the climate crisis and keep your kids informed, accountable, and hopeful–with simple actions you can take as a family to help the earth. Kids today are experiencing the climate crisis firsthand. Camp canceled because of...

Tragedy happens to everyone. Whether it's the loss of a loved one, a painful divorce, or a serious injury, we must all face personal catastrophe—unavoidable moments that divides our lives into "before" and "after." These events take a heavy toll on everyone, but there are those who have...

Eighteen-year-old Niri and his family live a modest but secure life working in the villa of the wealthy Benzes. But when the pandemic comes, they are all let go, and left staring into the abyss of poverty. As their situation grows desperate, he decides he won’t wait at the mercy of a corrupt, indifferent government. Sneaking through the city at night, past military patrols, Niri returns to the villa to take what his family needs to survive. Waiting for him is his childhood friend—and the Benzes’ daughter—Mary, who has a bigger plan that will change their lives forever.

Earlier this year, me and the rest of my family had to move to the middle of nowhere after my dad lost his job. Now my mum has just lost her job as well, and I must once again save my family from financial ruin and catastrophe - while dealing with silent brother Harold’s girl drama and sorting out my older sister, Harmony, who has joined the protests about a new housing development in the village. Thank goodness I am armed with my Magic Pocket Watch.

Does your disaster preparation plan include security measures? When civilization fails and the desperate masses begin looting, they will come for your food, water, and life-sustaining supplies. This book tells you how to implement a complete plan for operational security and physical defense.

"Out of all the people in the world, why do I have to be the freak who went to school on the very first day of the year with a pair of PANTIES stuck by static cling to the leg of my pants?!!!" Seventh grade was supposed to be Alli's breakout year, only her big debut ends up being a big disaster...