Wails of the Bound: Beta 3

Wails of the Bound: Beta 3 by Keri Kusabi

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


There is very little mention of Kurasama in this volume, especially compared to the others. We finally get more information about Sasabe and his new mate, including the one-sided competition against Utou. There's more than a little bit of heartbreak and stress in this volume, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. While it is not ideal by any stretch and most seem to find it as a punishment, it seems there is a way to remove the mate mark and effects, which gives Sasabe hope that maybe he can have his happily ever after in the end. Things move rather quickly from there once this new pair are on the same page and decide they want their future together. 

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Wails of the Bound: Beta 2

Wails of the Bound: Beta 2 by Keri Kusabi

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I originally found this under a different title online and had read the first two volumes back in 2018. With the different title in the official English release, it was unfamiliar at first, but then seemed more and more familiar as the story progressed. This was the first volume that was entirely new, which left a bit of a gap from where it had left off years back to this volume. The characters are familiar though and the story picks up quickly. Unfortunately, the story doesn't seem to get much better from the first volume under the Beta title, with Sasabe and Utou still seeming to be torn. Even Kurasama seems to have some regrets, feeling as if his previous role in the company plays a part in how Sasabe is treated and viewed as an omega now that he's off the market. Sasabe himself seems to be more than a little jealous at least of the appearance of safety and security that Kurasama's relationship gives him, though it's unclear just how much of the company history he's familiar with. Each character has their own struggle in the end, and this arc doesn't seem to be too kind to them.

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Wails of the Bound: Beta 1

Wails of the Bound: Beta 1 by Keri Kusabi

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Kurasama and Takaba are still in this story a lot, but the main pair focus is on Sasabe and Utou. Unfortuantely, because Utou is a beta and Sasabe an omega, it appears as if they are doomed to not find their "happily ever after." Rather a sad sequel to events, especially after Utou spent so much time trying to care for Kurasama. Not that he ultimately was able to stop or change any of the wrong things happening to Kurasama prior to his pairing, but at least Utou appeared to care and make some attempt to make thing better beyond the rest of the company and customer's actions. Really horrible morality issues going around just due to gender preconceptions.

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Wails of the Bound

Wails of the Bound by Keri Kusabi

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Karasuma is an omega who actually holds a top corporate position - something practically unheard of in the omegaverse. Takaba is an alpha who transferred companies to get away from a situation with omegas (or so it's implied after his rather skewed view from watching his lone parent growing up). Despite the two originally hating the other's secondary gender, they end up admitting that they're drawn to each other and both want to be a committed pair. This will ultimately throw things off a bit for Karasuma as far as how and why he's been allowed to stay at the top for so long, but at the same time it's good to see a mutually desired relationship that's agreed upon in advance without any force. If anything, they both struggle to hold themselves back for the other, though Karasuma still pushes Takaba well beyond his comfort zone on many occasions while he tried to get a read on him.

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