LEGO Creator Expert Bookstore Construction Toy, from 16 Years, 2504 Pieces

I am a huge fan of the modular builds so it was a no brainer for me to get this one when I saw it. Especially as before I started being obsessed with Lego I was an avid reader - definitely past tense as I haven't picked a book up for about 3 months now which is so not me. Anyhow, on to the actual review. There are lots and lots of little details within the buildings themselves and, for me, discovering those is what makes the build really exciting for me. I don't really research a kit before buying it or examine all the pack images omce it is in my sweaty little hands so builds like this with loads of little internal details make me "squee" whilst building. Definitely lots of that going on with this build. First off the external looks of this set are excellent and I even like that pesky Birch Tree (although I would have liked a set of optional green "leaves" for it instead of it being permanentily autumn). Nice to have an actual residence next to the store instead of just retail outlets, depending on how you display your modulars you could separate them out as they just Technic pin together. The internal stairs in the Bookshop are built, which I always enjoy. Yes, it is repetitive but something soothing about doing the same motions again and again to produce a finished look. They also look better finished than the premoulded ones. Even better there are NO STICKERS! Where detailing is needed it is preprinted - heaven for my sausage fingers. Number Of Pieces: 2504 Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.06 Build Time: 6.5 Hours

A fantastic set filled with a charming complementary colour palette and excellent exterior detail. The dark greens, lush browns and gold tiles create a real bookshop 'feel'. The subtle touches tie in with the Autumn setting with great effect - yellow & orange leafs on the ground, a pumpkin growing in the garden ready for Old Hallow's Eve. But it's always the little details that make this theme stand out: the black armchair, "Moby Brick", a warm fire place. Though it is a shame that the Grandfather clock can't be easily detached from the interior wall. To my surprise, an extra Lego minifigure's head popped up in bag 6 whilst building the house. It appears to belong to a ghoul or ghost from the hidden side theme. An intriguing feature given the set's setting around Hallowe'en season! Overall, this was an enjoyable build, if your relatively new - or returning to Lego after a long time - I would go for this set.