YES! YES! People always ask me what my favorite genre is when reading and THIS is it! Not necessarily the fact it's a middle grade book, but books with paranormal activity and great plots! 
 Cassandra Clare is an amazing author who really knows how to create worlds. This world is unlike her Shadowhunter series with runes, vampires, and warlocks. Instead The Magisterium series is about mages, elementals, and chaos! It has a very Harry Potter like structure and feel to it. I've never read the entire HP series but based off what I do know and have seen from the movies it's a very similar plot. 
 Callum Hunt was taught all his life that magic is bad. He knew that one day the Magisterium would come for him seeking his power and his father taught him to hide that power. Only such strong power isn't easy to hide and Call failed his exams miserably enough to get noticed. Now he's being sent to the Magisterium to learn to control his magic and power to be a successful apprentice. 
 The Iron Trial = Year One of school at the Magisterium which starts with Call at twelve years old. He's grouped with Aaron and Tamara (the highest scores on the exam) to be mentored by Master Rufus. 
 Notes to self for when reading next book.... 
 (view spoiler)[ 
 Callum's mother we learned wrote "KILL THE CHILD" because as she was dying Constantine Madden (aka The Enemy) transferred his own soul into Call's body. Callum ignores the heads up from Master Joseph about this body switch and chooses at the end of his Iron Year NOT TO bind his magic and to walk through the gate. (hide spoiler)] 
 Havoc the wolf pup <3 Now I want to name my crazy kitten I've rescued that ha. (view spoiler)[It makes sense why the chaos ridden all listen to him if he's chaos himself! (hide spoiler)]