I think Lego Book Nooks are the toy-maker's best idea in years, and they deserve a spot on your shelf immediately

Lego Hogwarts Express Book Nook laid out between leather-bound books on a shelf — (Image credit: Lego)

It goes without saying that I love Lego, but those Lego Book Nooks? Damn. I'd argue that they're the company's best idea in years.

To begin with, book nooks in general are a vibe. There's something magical about tiny scenes from novels or movies hidden away amongst your collection, and I feel like the countless TikTok videos about them prove I'm not alone. However, Lego Book Nooks take that to the next level with intricate, Easter egg-filled designs that don't require any crafting skill on our part. They're perfect for the time-strapped builders amongst us, and honestly, it's a smart way to get some Lego in your life if you're short on display space; they slot into your bookshelves as is. Plenty of them are on offer right now too, from the Harry Potter Hogwarts Express version to Gandalf's battle with the Balrog.

Lego Harry Potter Book Nook | £89.99 $71.99 at Amazon
Save £18 - My favorite of all the book nook designs from Lego is this Harry Potter one; the subject-matter feels perfect for the format, with a long but narrow scene with plenty of depth and a lot going on. We have seen it for a little less in the past, but not by much and only once. That makes this a bargain price, if you ask me.

Buy it if:
✅ You want a classy display kit
✅ You adore the Harry Potter series
✅ You're decorating your Wizarding book shelf

Don't buy it if:
❌ You'd rather save for Hogwarts

Price check:
💲 Zavvi | £70.99 (+ £1.99 delivery)
💲 Lego | £89.99

Lego Lord of the Rings Book Nook | £109.99 £79.99 at Amazon
Save £30 - Although I'm not as keen on this design (I think it needs walls to fully take advantage of the effect), it's still a mighty impressive one with the Balrog figure looming over a teeny Gandalf. It captures the iconic stone pillars of Moria well too, and with some additional LED lighting to make those flames really pop, it could be an absolute stunner.

Buy it if:
✅ You adore Lord of the Rings
✅ You don't have space for bigger LotR sets
✅ This is one of your fav scenes

Don't buy it if:
❌ You wish it was a bit more filled out

Price check:
💲 John Lewis | £82.49
💲 Lego | £109.99

Lego Sherlock Holmes Book Nook | £109.99 at Lego
The last of the three book nooks is sadly not on offer. However, it's still an absolute blinder of the kit and is tied with first place for me. Like the Hogwarts Express, it makes great use of the narrow width but great depth of book nooks to create a classic Victorian street with tight alleys and overhangs. It gets bonus points for the outside being designed to look like a Sherlock Holmes novel collection, too.

Buy it if:
✅ You're a fan of the master detective
✅ You want the perfect gift for Holmes fans
✅ You have a Holmes collection on your shelf

Don't buy it if:
❌ You're not fussed about the Holmes books, tbh

Price check:
💲 Smyths Toys | £109.99

I would be affronted at those low prices because I think the Lego Book Nooks are amongst my favorite things to come out of Billund recently, but then I realised we're getting low prices on my favorite things to come out of Billund recently. Seeing as these are contenders for our list of the best Lego sets, I'll take it.

More Lego goodies

View all Lego deals at Amazon
Lego Hogwarts Castle and Grounds: ~~£149.99~~ £106.98 at Amazon
Lego Barad-dur: ~~£399.99~~ £374.48 at Amazon

For more toys, why not check out the best Nerf blasters or the best water guns?

I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, but these days you'll find me managing GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage (I spend my time here handling everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news). I've also been obsessed with Warhammer since the 1990s, and love nothing more than running tabletop RPGs like D&D as a Dungeon Master.