Between Three Flames

by Riley Stetler

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 10, 2026

About the author

Riley Stetler is an English teacher from Cincinnati, Ohio. After graduating with a degree in English Education, he moved to Cincinnati to teach creative writing and encourage young writers to find their voices through storytelling.

Reading works such as Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson and The Will of the Many by James Islington inspired Riley to write a story of his own. His debut novel, Between Three Flames, is the first book in the Velkarin Trilogy.

Reviews

[Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I received an ARC of Between Three Flames in exchange for an honest review!

Riley Stetler has written an amazing debut YA fantasy novel! I truly loved reading through the start of Kaelen's journey. As he went through numerous challenges, I found myself utterly at a loss for words for Kaelen. Every twist and turn had my jaw ON THE FLOOR. (Seriously, I think I got some weird looks from my friends...)
I absolutely fell in love with Nox; her character was impactful in showing what it meant to be a political figure while also battling through her own emotions. She experienced loss, love, and betrayal much like Kaelen, pushing it aside when necessary, and their relationship blossomed through it all.
Kaelen was an interesting MC to say the least. His relatable qualities drew me to qant to learn more about him. As I learned more about him, I felt myself relating to him. He struggles with hiding the truth from his closest allies, advocates for what he wants, dreads losing the ones he loves... Kaelen is a character I will remember for a long time. I am so excited for book two!
In all honesty, however, this book was very predictable from the start. As I mentioned, the twists did leave me shocked, but it was obvious what would happen before it did. I caught myself at times thinking "Yeah, just what I thought," after reaching the climax of a scene. But, I suppose that can be expected of a 22 year old girl reading a YA fantasy novel.

Thank you again to Riley Stetler for trusting me with your debut novel. I cannot wait for the next, which will undoubtedly be even better than the first!

[Kelly · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Between Three Flames is an engaging YA fantasy debut from Riley Stetler that delivers a solid story led by a resilient protagonist (my favourite kind!).

I loved Kaelen as the protagonist. He’s resilient, has a strong work ethic, and a quiet conviction that something bigger is out there for him, which makes him easy to root for. I also really enjoyed Nox. She is a strong female lead who complements Kaelen’s character.

Where I struggled a bit was with the pacing and narrative voice. While the overall plot moves well, moments of heavy over-explanation and tell-over-show narration slow things down. I would have loved to see more physical cues and grounding details in the moment to convey what Kaelen was feeling. The first-person past tense occasionally made the narrative feel less immersive, and at times some of the friendships felt a bit instant.

Despite my own preferences, the rich world and strong character dynamics kept me invested. Overall, I enjoyed Between Three Flames and would recommend it to older YA readers who love fantasy with lots of action and adventure.

Tropes:
Hidden Heir
Chosen One
Political Intrigue
Trials/Tournament

I received an ARC from BookSirens. All opinions are my own.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Riley, for the opportunity to read an ARC for this book!

Riley has created a fantastic debut for this series!  The high-stakes storyline inclines perfectly to the end and I couldn't put this down. 

Is Kaelen the one prophesy speaks of or will he fall like those before him?

Three noble houses are competing for the chance to wield the ancient Emerald Blade.  This is no mere sword; when the keeper of the blade claims its power, their emotion determines how strong they can become.  

Kaelen has survived on the streets, with his guardian, Regar, for as long as he can remember.  He wants more, and when a chance to compete becomes available he takes it. 

There are so many twists, lies, and schemes in the works that you know whatever happens, it's not going to be good - but our protagonist does it anyway.  

The ending was executed beautifully with a cliff-hanger that has you raging for more.  I will definitely be watching for book two!!!

𝔽𝕠𝕣 𝔽𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝕆𝕗 ::

👑Political Intrigue
🗺️Ancient Mysteries
🏰Noble Houses
⚔️Character-Driven Epic Fantasy
⚔️High Stakes
✨Chosen One

[Gabys_Vault · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really surprised by this book.
It's a fast paced YA Fantasy book with a lot of elements that makes you keep reading non-stop. I read it in two days which is fast for a Fantasy book, at least for me.
I really liked the story and the characters, it has all I ask for in a good book but, the first 6 chapters were a little too fast for me, but I got used to that quickly and then the pace takes its own rhythm and somehow slows down a little bit and you get to enjoy the book.
I also feel like all the puzzle pieces start to fit together so you find yourself doing this Fantasy puzzle which is beautifully crafted.
That’s why it’s a 4.5 Stars read to me.

I recommend this book. It’s excellent for people who are starting to read Fantasy 🙂

Finally I want to thank the author for allowing me to review this book.

[Samantha Sturtz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a debut YA fantasy novel for fans of political intrigue, ancient mysteries, high stakes, magic and the chosen one. It follows Kaelen as he enters a tournament for freedom and somehow ends up the center of a centuries-old conspiracy.

This was a fast-paced fantasy. While some of the plot was predictable there were some turns i didnt expect. I really started to sympathize with Kaelyn and Nox. I think my favorite character was Regar - you could tell he had been through hell but I thought he brought a bit of humor to the story. I had a great time reading this & am looking forward to the second book! This book is perfect for someone just starting out in fantasy novels or someone who is looking for no-spice fantasy.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely pulled me in. I found it really difficult to put down because there was always something happening that made me want to keep going. The characters were a huge part of what made the story so enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the action because the author made them feel intense, almost like I was watching everything unfold.

I had such a great time reading this and would definitely suggest it to anyone looking for an exciting story with interesting characters and plenty of surprises. Easily one of my favourite reads of the year!

[Asher Stockwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book!! This book really is a page turner, there was so many twists and turns that always kept you guessing along with the characters! It definitely felt like a faster paced book but nothing that felt overwhelming or too fast (for me personally). For the more sensitive readers, in a few parts it can get a little gory but I think that could be skipped over just fine. I genuinely was speechless by the end of the book and I absolutely cannot wait for book 2!!!!

[Maggie Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was super enjoyable! I was captivated from beginning to end, and so many chapters had me wanting to read more! I especially loved the relationships and emotions between each of the characters and how there were so many twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat! The author did an amazing job describing scenes, especially fighting scenes, and the plot was super fascinating and intriguing! All in all the book was a 10 out of 10. I totally recommend it!

[Eileen Eilbacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great debut from a promising young writer. The story draws you in from the very first page, and the characters are immediately relatable and engaging. It has unexpected twists and turns throughout, the plot builds great suspense and keeps you eagerly anticipating what happens next. It's a captivating read and I’m looking forward to more from this author.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC for free in exchange for a review. Thank you to the author. It is a very well written debut YA novel that left me looking forward to the next. The characters were great, love Regar. Easy to get into the plot and once the book picked up, it was hard to put down.