Review: Life After Theft

Title - Life After Theft

Author - Aprilynne Pike

Genre - YA Paranormal

Expected Publication - April 30th 2013

Format - Ebook ARC

(Goodreads)(Amazon)

Synopsis 

Moving to a new high school sucks. Especially a rich-kid private school. With uniforms. But nothing is worse than finding out the first girl you meet is dead. And a klepto. 

No one can see or hear Kimberlee except Jeff, so--in hopes of bringing an end to the snarkiest haunting in history--he agrees to help her complete her "unfinished business." But when the enmity between Kimberlee and Jeff's new crush, Sera, manages to continue posthumously, Jeff wonders if he's made the right choice.

Clash meets sass in this uproarious modern-day retelling of Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Review

I received Life After Theft from HarperCollins in return for an honest review. Jeff is the new kid in a new private school where they all wear uniforms. On his first day he happens to see a girl laying on the floor when he sees someone is going to step on her he calls out to hurt taking the first step that will change his life. Kimberlee died a year earlier, no one has seen her and being a klepto has been rough when you can’t steal anything. Then the new kid can see her giving her the chance to finish her unfinished business so that she can move on. Jeff isn't thrilled when he learns he’s the only one who can see Kimberlee and she’s not the easiest person to get along with either. After some persuasion from her Jeff agrees to help her return everything that she’s stolen but it’s not till he can see the entire cave full does he realizes the job may take him forever. 

Jeff has a huge task ahead of him delivering the stolen items to fellow students as well as teacher’s even stores so he starts small with the few people he has met at school. He’s instantly interested in Sera but Kimberlee tells him all about her wrestler boyfriend in attempt to push him away. However he learns that Kimberlee isn't always honest and continues to pursue Sera she even saves him from being humiliated at a party. As the relationship grows between Jeff and Sera things start to come out about who Kimberlee was before she died. Sera is also hurt that someone is returning all the stuff she knew that Kimberlee had stolen dredging up old memories of the past. As Jeff continues to right wrongs the principle is hot on his trail intent on capturing the thief at all costs. Jeff will have to risk it all even hurting Sera. 

I enjoyed Life After Theft. I think the concept is interesting it’s a story about a girl who wasn't the best person fixing the wrongs with the help of Jeff. Most of the story is from the point of view of Jeff the new boy at school, he’s not your typical rich kid because his family wasn't always rich. I wasn't sure about either Kimberlee or Sera at first I wanted to love them both. However throughout the story they stole my heart each one is unique and helps Jeff grow as a character in his own way. I found the story captivating I actually read it in one afternoon because I wanted to know how it would end. The characters are well developed it was easy for me to connect with them all, plus the story flows along really well I easily lost track of time. This is my first book by Aprilynne Pike but I’ll be sure to check out her others books because I think she’s a fantastic writer she created a story that felt so real. 

4 out of 5 stars