Ian Simmons launched Kicking the Seat in 2009, one week after seeing Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia. His wife proposed blogging as a healthier outlet for his anger than red-faced, twenty-minute tirades (Ian is no longer allowed to drive home from the movies).
The Kicking the Seat Podcast followed three years later and, despite its “undiscovered gem” status, Ian thoroughly enjoys hosting film critic discussions, creating themed shows, and interviewing such luminaries as Gaspar Noé, Rachel Brosnahan, Amy Seimetz, and Richard Dreyfuss.
Ian is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. He also has a family, a day job, and conflicted feelings about referring to himself in the third person.
Hija del Mar stands as a foundational text in Knorr’s "Elemental" universe, establishing the emotional and mythological stakes that carry through the subsequent books in the series. La hija del mar (Spanish Edition) eBook - Amazon.com
: Most of A.L. Knorr's ebooks, including the Elemental Origins series, are primarily available through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited program. Hija Del Mar A L Knorr epub
The setting shifts from Targa’s everyday life to a salvage dive in the Baltic Sea . Knorr uses this location to ground her high-fantasy concepts in a gritty, realistic environment. The shipwreck at the center of the plot is more than a plot device; it acts as a bridge between the ancient past and Targa’s latent powers. The lore avoids traditional mermaid tropes, instead presenting "sirenhood" as a biological and magical inheritance tied to salt water, which physically transforms the characters. Key Narrative Elements Hija del Mar stands as a foundational text
: Reviewers often praise the magic system for its grounded nature; it is revealed only as it becomes relevant to the character’s survival, making the "unleashing" of Targa's powers feel earned rather than convenient. The setting shifts from Targa’s everyday life to
At the heart of Hija del Mar is the theme of identity, specifically the struggle of feeling "ordinary" in a world of extraordinary heritage. The protagonist, Targa MacAuley, has spent seventeen years believing she failed to inherit the siren gene of her mother, Mira. This creates a profound sense of isolation; Targa feels like an outsider both in the human world and in the magical realm her mother secretly belongs to. The narrative serves as a coming-of-age journey where Targa must navigate the fear that her lack of magic makes her a burden, chaining her mother to a terrestrial life she yearns to leave behind. The Baltic Setting and Lore
: Knorr balances "clean" YA fantasy—free of explicit content—with high stakes and emotional depth, focusing on sisterhood and elemental forces. EPUB and Availability Information For readers looking for the EPUB or digital versions: