Life After Theft (Life After Theft)

by Aprilynne Pike

"Jeff is the new guy in school and the only one who can see Kimberlee, a ghost with a lot of (stolen) baggage. To help her move on, Jeff must return everything she stole when she was alive. But being Kimberlee's accomplice turns into more than he bargained for when his crush and the cops get involved"--

• ISBN10: 0061999008
• ISBN13: 9780061999000
• Publish Date: 30 April 2013 (first published 25 April 2013)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 11 June 2021
• Imprint: Harper Teen
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[inlibrisveritas]

Life After Theft took me by surprise. I knew coming in that it was a standalone and that i dealt with a ghost with a former stealing problem, so I expected it to be middle of the road. I know it’s unfair to place standalones in that category but that’s usually the way it is for me. However Life After Theft turned out to be a quick, fun and light read that I really found myself enjoying.

The plot isn’t complicated though it might seem that way. Jeff finds himself in the odd position of being able to see a ghost no one else can….and she desperately wants his help finishing her earthly business so sh can move one. The only problem is her unfinished business has a lot to do with her kleptomania. This would be the perfect light movie; it’s fun, it has sweet moments, moments of pure tension, and those few moments where it touches on emotional all the while keeping it fresh and interesting.

Jeff is probably the nicest main character I’ve read about in a while. He’s not completely perfect but this kid is pretty flawless when it comes to personalities, though he is a bit quirky and socially inept. He believes in doing what’s right and he genuinely tries to be a goo person. I really loved the budding relationship with Sera even though the rocky moments and the tension, it’s a really cute relationship and their chemistry works. Kimberlee however is a difficult character. She’s not easy to like because she spends a good deal of the book being stuck up and rude, but that’s kind of the point. The whole idea is redemption and second chances, everyone is entitled to a second chance and this book focuses on that. Jeff, Sera and Kimberlee experience second chances and all three of them walk away with something new.

While Life After Theft is not the most mind-blowing or emotionally riveting book I’ve read I really enjoyed it. It was a comfortable book that really broke up the heavy and detailed pace I was setting.

[celinenyx]

Life After Theft is exactly what it promises to be: an entertaining YA book with some counter-heisting action in a high-school setting. It's a perfect read for a hot day on the beach. The story probably won't stay with you - but it will give you a few fun hours.

On his first day at school Jeff meets ghost girl Kimberlee. She has died over a year ago, but can't pass on. To help he, he has to return all the stuff Kimberlee stole - a whole cave full.

It's not immediately clear from the blurb, but Life After Theft is written from the male view of Jeff. I think Ms Pike did a great job with the guy narrative, giving him enough emotions, but not making him as angsty as teenage girl voices usually are. His thoroughly a good guy, maybe a bit unbelievably so, but it worked in the book. Kimberlee is his opposite in everything. She's snarky, a liar, manipulative, incurable kleptomaniac and popular in school. I enjoyed their interactions and their bickering. Even though Jeff is a good guy, he doesn't let Kimberlee trample all over him.

As you might expect, Life After Theft has the same polished neatly-wrapped up shine Hollywood rom-coms have. Everything wraps up, every tread is followed up on, every character has a role in the bigger picture. It's something you either like or dislike - for me it worked, but it might not for everyone. There is no grittiness, and barely any meat to the story. There is a small attempt by Ms Pike to touch on metaphysical matters of the afterlife and purpose in life, but to be honest this was something I mostly ignored. In my opinion she didn't do a good job raising that sort of questions, and Jeff's whole "agnostic" thing wasn't very interesting to me.

If you enjoy teen flicks (nothing wrong with that, by the way), you will probably like Life After Theft too. There is almost no darkness, even though it touches upon subjects like drug addiction and bullying. It never dives deep into the effects of these, but it's not as if they're ignored either. Life After Theft is just a rather up-beat story for when you're sick of negativity.

[emruth13]

I call this my "least favorite Aprilynne book"...which really means nothing because I still really love this book! This is such a fun story of Jeff trying to help ghost Kimberlee move on while trying to have a life and not appear crazy. It's great!