This book would be most appropriate for new Christians and those who live fairly easy lives. The concepts are sound. The references to the desert mothers and fathers were quite good. However, I had real trouble taking the author seriously. Her own "desert experience" was merely three months of bed rest while pregnant. For those who have faced much, much more serious challenges in their lives, this book comes across as not quite authentic in connecting with real problems and true dark nights of the soul.

The "dark night of the soul" as described by John of the Cross is actually an absence of feeling the presence of God. It is a very difficult experience to go through, and it often lasts for years. I wasn't convinced that this author had actually experienced a true dark night of the soul.

However, this exploration of "the desert" in Christian theology and life was not a bad way to introduce the topic to most people who go to church. I would recommend it to mom's groups and other beginner level formation groups, but not to those who have travelled a more difficult spiritual road and need encouragement with more depth.

"Thirsty for More" by Allison Allen helps us to discover God's unexpected blessings in the dry, desert season of the soul. A period of "dry seasons" makes us feel alienated from God our heavenly Father, our Creator and Blessed Redeemer. Lush, verdant valleys beckon us, not dry, trackless deserts. During the first three centuries of the Christian Church, people seeking God deliberately moved into deserts to pray and meditate on the greatness of God. They understood that the desert is not a wilderness but a place where we can truly taste God's intimacy. Allison Allen offers a fresh perspective for all who believe that God is present in their dry seasons. In the difficult periods of trials and struggles, God reveals Himself to us, to experience His abundant blessings in an intimate way. "Thirsty for More" is a very inspiring, refreshing and rejuvenating message of hope. I highly recommend it to all people who thirst for God and seek to experience His presence in their lives.