I finished The Iron Trial this morning, the first book in the Magisterium series by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. This is one of those off-to-magic-school stories and includes many of my favorite (ahem) elements. The storytelling pulled me in and kept me turning pages with just the right balance of discovery, tension, and deepening danger. It took me a little while to remember why Holly Black’s name was familiar.
The Spiderwick Chronicles are a favorite. Needless to say, before I hit the halfway point of my Kindle edition, I ordered the print editions for my home shelf. Eager to continue with Callum and his friends as they learn to handle elemental magic.
C. J. Milbrandt 