Review: The Devil's Triangle by Toni De Palma

Title: The Devil's Triangle
Author: Toni De Palma
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Category: Paranormal
Release date: February 15th, 2013
Pages: 218 (eGalley)
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Source: Publicist
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When 17 year old Cooper dies in an attempt to burn down his school, he finds himself in the afterlife. Lucy, the Devil's sister who has crossed party lines, decides to give Cooper another shot at heaven. The deal? Cooper returns to Earth and has to find a girl named Grace. The rest is up to him. 

While Cooper figures out his mission, he's thrown into the life he's always wanted. Great parents, a spot on the Varsity football team and a real future are all within reach. But what he really wants is Grace, a feisty girl with an abusive boyfriend who can pound Cooper into pulp if he doesn't watch out. 

While Lucy plays demonic-puppeteer, clues to an unknown past between Cooper and Grace start to unravel. Cooper discovers that what's keeping him and Grace apart is far more sinister than anything this bad boy could have ever imagined.

Cooper finds himself making a deal with the devil's sister, Lucy.  Her offer doesn't seem so bad.  Live again, get the girl, go to heaven.  When Cooper wakes up in the body of a jock with an actual family, he's surprised at how quickly he seems to fit into this life.  What he doesn't know is that he and Grace, the girl he's been sent for, have always had a connection.  Will the task be easy because of it, or will it prove to be the most challenging thing he's experienced so far?

I really enjoyed the idea of a teenage boy caught in this unusual situation.  The premise of the book made it seem unlike anything I'd ever read before.  Unfortunately, as I began reading, I quickly realized that The Devil's Triangle wasn't living up to my expectations.  I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters and as I've mentioned countless times before, that's a crucial part of each reading experience for me.  Cooper was just learning about his new identity, so that may be why I didn't feel as attached to him as I usually feel to main characters.

Though the story was interesting, there were parts that I wish were explained more.  Of course, the author has left plenty of room to explain more in the next book, but since I don't plan on reading the next book in the series, I wish certain questions weren't left unanswered.  Other than that, I liked the idea of Cooper and his connection with Grace, why he feels a certain pull towards her and why he can't give up, even when something supernatural comes between them.

The Devil's Triangle is a nicely-paced and a slightly unusual story of a boy and his love for a girl who belongs to the devil.  If you love paranormal books with intriguing twists and an interesting plot, I'd recommend giving this one a try.