What do you think?
Rate this book
Grayshell Rising #4
Commanding Scythe and Sky
When humanity is the price, all will stand united… or all will fall.
The Great Commander vowed to dismantle Moros’ regime of terror, but it came at a devastating his mate now captive in the mentalist’s lair. Now, alongside a splintered alliance of warriors, healers, and shadows, August embarks on a bloody quest to avenge humanity and bring her home before Moros shatters her mind entirely.
Still cut off from their hierarchy, an elite squad of warriors make a desperate bid to reunite Grayshell’s forces by traversing the treacherous and illusion-riddled wasteland of The Middle—and time is not on their side. With every moment that passes, the enemy's talons sink deeper into the Seer of the North, twisting her reality until even lies look like the truth.
Still reeling in the wake of their fractured Mate Bond, Freya and Cyrus are left Earthbound, ensnared in history’s twisted threads. As the newly-ascended Paladin queen attempts to secure a tense—but crucial—alliance with the Northern assassins, the young historian must sort through the charred riddles of his ancestor’s mercurial past. But only by working together can they maneuver all of the necessary pieces onto the board and maintain hope of reclaiming their lost souls.
Forced into servitude behind the enemy’s brutal walls, Blythe clings to her loyalties as she navigates hidden motives, ancient curses, and political turmoil. Humiliated and downtrodden, she fights to conceal the secrets lurking beneath her skin in hopes of escaping with Alvara. With revenge at last in her grasp, Blythe must choose between her convictions and protecting the last heiress of a fallen bloodline.
Loyalties are tested. Ancient bonds are frayed. And only one thread remains.
The Great Commander vowed to dismantle Moros’ regime of terror, but it came at a devastating his mate now captive in the mentalist’s lair. Now, alongside a splintered alliance of warriors, healers, and shadows, August embarks on a bloody quest to avenge humanity and bring her home before Moros shatters her mind entirely.
Still cut off from their hierarchy, an elite squad of warriors make a desperate bid to reunite Grayshell’s forces by traversing the treacherous and illusion-riddled wasteland of The Middle—and time is not on their side. With every moment that passes, the enemy's talons sink deeper into the Seer of the North, twisting her reality until even lies look like the truth.
Still reeling in the wake of their fractured Mate Bond, Freya and Cyrus are left Earthbound, ensnared in history’s twisted threads. As the newly-ascended Paladin queen attempts to secure a tense—but crucial—alliance with the Northern assassins, the young historian must sort through the charred riddles of his ancestor’s mercurial past. But only by working together can they maneuver all of the necessary pieces onto the board and maintain hope of reclaiming their lost souls.
Forced into servitude behind the enemy’s brutal walls, Blythe clings to her loyalties as she navigates hidden motives, ancient curses, and political turmoil. Humiliated and downtrodden, she fights to conceal the secrets lurking beneath her skin in hopes of escaping with Alvara. With revenge at last in her grasp, Blythe must choose between her convictions and protecting the last heiress of a fallen bloodline.
Loyalties are tested. Ancient bonds are frayed. And only one thread remains.
1152 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 8, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 27, 2026
Holy. Freaking. Plotlines Batman
TBR be damned because this book just immediately made me want to pause and go back to the very beginning of Grayshell to truly appreciate every twist and turn that got us to this point.
I was DEVASTATED by the end of CBAB so when this ARC popped up in my email, I flew to my kindle to start immediately and could NOT put it down.
We pick up right where we left off, in sheer chaos and devastation. The climb back up from the rock bottom hellscape these characters were subjected to in the last book was stressful. I truly could not stop reading simply because I NEEDED to see them claw their way back. The plot lines that have been carefully weaved and laid are going to make for an absolutely EPIC finale in the last book.
THANK YOU Sydne for blessing me with this advanced reader copy, cruising along this whole Grayshell journey with you has been freaking epic and I can’t wait to see it through to the end!
TBR be damned because this book just immediately made me want to pause and go back to the very beginning of Grayshell to truly appreciate every twist and turn that got us to this point.
I was DEVASTATED by the end of CBAB so when this ARC popped up in my email, I flew to my kindle to start immediately and could NOT put it down.
We pick up right where we left off, in sheer chaos and devastation. The climb back up from the rock bottom hellscape these characters were subjected to in the last book was stressful. I truly could not stop reading simply because I NEEDED to see them claw their way back. The plot lines that have been carefully weaved and laid are going to make for an absolutely EPIC finale in the last book.
THANK YOU Sydne for blessing me with this advanced reader copy, cruising along this whole Grayshell journey with you has been freaking epic and I can’t wait to see it through to the end!
October 9, 2026
Oh my goodness! I reviewed this as an ARC book and literally ran to read it. Like any other book Barnett has written it was amazing, it had my feelings EVERYWHERE. The way each character had to deal with losses was so personal that I related to several and drew me in deeper. I truly cannot wait to see what comes next. Thank you Sydne for the opportunity to be an ARC reader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2026
I received the ARC for this book from the author. Commanding Scythe and Sky is the 4th book of 5 in the Grayshell Rising Series by S.J. Barnett. This is the best book/series I have read all year! The story picked up in the middle of the chaos of war, where book 3 left off. The series entwines different hierarchies and multiple character romances into a story of good versus evil. I was enthralled with the first 3 books and went into reading book 4 with high expectations. I was not disappointed! The author does an excellent job at world building and especially character development. One of my favorite things is back and forth banter between characters that literally had me laughing out loud. When an author can take you from laughing to tears when you become invested in a character’s storyline, I believe that is incredible! This is not a norm for me. As the author states, “Like reading a book with a character so compelling, you can step outside your own paradigm and develop sympathy for a life you’ve never lived…”. This book and this series is an excellent choice for anyone who loves to be transported into a fantasy world on par with ACOTAR or Fourth Wing. Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC REVIEW
I. Am. Reeling. I honestly don't know how I will recover from this.
I went into this book with hope, I should have known better, Sydne knows how to weave a masterpiece so intricate and detailed that you don't see the blows coming.
Around every turn it was like getting punched in the gut, and just when you would get up, you'd get knocked down again.
So many little pieces and plotlineswere getting weaved together, things were finally starting to make sense... A little bit.
This book was definitely the darkest of them all so far. The desperation and heartbreak that I felt throughout this whole book was immense. I could not put this book down because I so desperately needed to see these people climb their way back home to each other. I simply cannot wait to see how Sydne will conclude this epic tale!!
I cannot give enough stars for this book, top tier, I will always and forever be recommending this series to anyone I know!!
Thank you Sydne for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!!!! This has been a wild ride so far, and I am with you to the end!!!
I. Am. Reeling. I honestly don't know how I will recover from this.
I went into this book with hope, I should have known better, Sydne knows how to weave a masterpiece so intricate and detailed that you don't see the blows coming.
Around every turn it was like getting punched in the gut, and just when you would get up, you'd get knocked down again.
So many little pieces and plotlineswere getting weaved together, things were finally starting to make sense... A little bit.
This book was definitely the darkest of them all so far. The desperation and heartbreak that I felt throughout this whole book was immense. I could not put this book down because I so desperately needed to see these people climb their way back home to each other. I simply cannot wait to see how Sydne will conclude this epic tale!!
I cannot give enough stars for this book, top tier, I will always and forever be recommending this series to anyone I know!!
Thank you Sydne for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!!!! This has been a wild ride so far, and I am with you to the end!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was easily one of my favorite books I’ve read! I was on the edge of my seat for every chapter, every storyline! The emotional roller coaster every character was on was felt deeply by the reader and felt so genuine. I now have new favorite characters and want to get to know them even better in the next book! Many threads (😉) really started to come together in this book and even though I just finished a reread of the rest of the series before this, I feel like I need to do so again to pick up things that we discovered in this book! It’s been a while since I’ve felt the need to buy hard copies just so I can annotate and really piece things together but I will for this series. Once again, there are plot twists that are shocking and gut wrenching!! I found myself crying at times for characters I never would have thought I’d be crying for in other books! Highly, highly recommend!
October 8, 2026
TBR? Never heard of her.
After the emotional damage inflicted by Commanding Blood and Bonds, there was zero chance I wasn't starting this ARC immediately. We dive straight back into the chaos, heartbreak, and absolute disaster these characters are trying to survive, and I was glued to the pages because I needed to know how they were going to climb out of it.
That said, this series has gotten so intricate that I honestly think I need a reread before continuing. There are so many interconnected plotlines and callbacks that my poor brain was struggling to keep up. But one thing is clear: all the pieces are falling into place for what should be an unforgettable finale. Huge thanks to the team for the ARC and for taking us on this wild ride. 💜
After the emotional damage inflicted by Commanding Blood and Bonds, there was zero chance I wasn't starting this ARC immediately. We dive straight back into the chaos, heartbreak, and absolute disaster these characters are trying to survive, and I was glued to the pages because I needed to know how they were going to climb out of it.
That said, this series has gotten so intricate that I honestly think I need a reread before continuing. There are so many interconnected plotlines and callbacks that my poor brain was struggling to keep up. But one thing is clear: all the pieces are falling into place for what should be an unforgettable finale. Huge thanks to the team for the ARC and for taking us on this wild ride. 💜
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This will not be a long winded review...
Because, Commanding Scythe and Sky is ABSOLUTELY FREAKING EPIC!
One of THE BEST books I have read this entire year! OMG!
Masterful world building, plot, characters, with raw and visceral emotion. My goodness, this series is movie worthy.
Sydne...you...are...SPECTACULAR! Thank you for trusting me with an ARC for every book in this series...I can not wait for what I know will be an epic finale.
💋Chef's kiss babe, I'd give 10 stars if I could!
This will not be a long winded review...
Because, Commanding Scythe and Sky is ABSOLUTELY FREAKING EPIC!
One of THE BEST books I have read this entire year! OMG!
Masterful world building, plot, characters, with raw and visceral emotion. My goodness, this series is movie worthy.
Sydne...you...are...SPECTACULAR! Thank you for trusting me with an ARC for every book in this series...I can not wait for what I know will be an epic finale.
💋Chef's kiss babe, I'd give 10 stars if I could!
October 11, 2026
I have no words! This whole world by SJ Barnett is absolutely amazing and each book just gets better and better. Once I can fully wrap my head around my thoughts I will add to this review. For now though, go read this series if you haven’t already!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Easily a top three series for me.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC copy of this book and the day it landed in my inbox I screamed with excitement. Commanding Scyth and Sky by far EXCEEDED ALL expectations I had. Each book in the series could easily be an entire movie.
The endings of Commanding Earth and Shadow and Blood and Bonds left us at the end of an epic battle, devastated. I had a book hangover for months. I could probably read this series a dozen times and still learn something new, not only about the characters, but myself. It is easy to see parts of yourself in the heartbreak and simple joys. I took my time reading the story over a week allowing myself to pause after so many chapters to absorb and process everything. Commanding blood and Bonds had left me devastated and I wanted to pace myself and this picked up right where we left off in the aftermath of Mags detonated.
I love how Sydne dug deep into the grief and pain and didn't skim over it. She dug deep into the grief after loss and how that affected each person differently. Some let their pain keep them from accepting a bond, others kept themselves too busy to sit still and process their pain, and then others let their pain and anger fuel their actions. Everything is written in a way that you feel the emotions right along with each person in the story, it feels real, as if you are living it yourself.
This is a much longer read than the previous books but it is SO worth it! I have very few authors whose books that I collect because I know I will read them over and over again and the Grayshell Rising Series is one of them
The endings of Commanding Earth and Shadow and Blood and Bonds left us at the end of an epic battle, devastated. I had a book hangover for months. I could probably read this series a dozen times and still learn something new, not only about the characters, but myself. It is easy to see parts of yourself in the heartbreak and simple joys. I took my time reading the story over a week allowing myself to pause after so many chapters to absorb and process everything. Commanding blood and Bonds had left me devastated and I wanted to pace myself and this picked up right where we left off in the aftermath of Mags detonated.
I love how Sydne dug deep into the grief and pain and didn't skim over it. She dug deep into the grief after loss and how that affected each person differently. Some let their pain keep them from accepting a bond, others kept themselves too busy to sit still and process their pain, and then others let their pain and anger fuel their actions. Everything is written in a way that you feel the emotions right along with each person in the story, it feels real, as if you are living it yourself.
This is a much longer read than the previous books but it is SO worth it! I have very few authors whose books that I collect because I know I will read them over and over again and the Grayshell Rising Series is one of them
Review of advance copy received from Author
Still reading 5 chapters in. I can safely say I’m 99.99999999999% sure that this rating is going to stand. This book sucks you in from the second you start it. The fact that the recap about the last two books in the series (I mean who does that?? This is why I love SJ!! She knows that the last books had a lot going on and took that into account!) and it’s from Alec’s point of view! I love his sense of humor.
Ok I’ll check back in after I read more
Update: I am on chapter 12 which is only 12% of the way there did I mention this book was THICK! Ok so there is a lot going on multiple POVs it feels like the end but it’s only the beginning. Have I convinced you to read this book yet?
Update: part 3: OH MY GOODNESS
Ok I’ll check back in after I read more
Update: I am on chapter 12 which is only 12% of the way there did I mention this book was THICK! Ok so there is a lot going on multiple POVs it feels like the end but it’s only the beginning. Have I convinced you to read this book yet?
Update: part 3: OH MY GOODNESS
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews