The Unwanteds Quests #4: Dragon Curse by Lisa McMann

My name is Thisbe, and I can't believe my twin sister Fifer actually wants to have a costume party. After escaping the Revinir, I now have scales from being forced to drink dragon-bone broth, and our brother Alex has died. What is there to celebrate? The Revinir has taken control of all the dragons except for Drock, and I also feel the oppressive pull of her summoning. The others don't understand time is running out. The Revinir doesn't appear to have any weaknesses, and I suspect it will take a new kind of magic to stop her. I know my brother Aaron is distracted by the unrest in Artime, as many dissenters don't like him replacing Alex as the new leader. They also fear Fifer and me due to our unpredictable powers. I know I'm the only one who can stop the Revinir, and I can only think of one way that might work. If not, we're all doomed.

This series is a spin-off of The Unwanteds series, and continues the blend of magic and dragons. You must read the previous books in The Unwanteds Quests first, especially since Dragon Curse picks up right where the third book left off. There aren't too many details reminding you about previous events. The battle against the Revinir is the main focus of the plot, but the unrest in Artime and the conflict between Fifer and Thisbe are equally important. The Revinir now controls almost all of the dragons, and she's determined to recapture Thisbe and attack Artime and Quill. She presents a physical threat, while the other problems are more mental. The problem between the twins is worsened due to assumptions and lack of communication. Each twin might say, "She doesn't understand what I'm going through, and she doesn't care." The lead dissenter in Artime is able to create unrest by twisting the truth and outright lying to the citizens. This conflict only worsens as the story moves along, and reminds me of the negative campaigns of some politicians. My main difficulty with the book and series is the quantity of characters. It's difficult to remember who is who with the cast consisting of dozens of different creatures from several different lands. Their backstories are hard to remember. Overall, the conflicts with the Revinir and the dissenters are very intriguing, so I recommend you give the book a shot, after you read the first three books in the series.