This Book Nook Kit Review was brought to you by the EA Creator Network.
Welcome back to The Sims Resource! Today we have a very exciting review for everyone – covering the recently released Book Nook kit! I love the dark academia aesthetic and all things libraries, so this kit is totally up my alley. I thought it would be something I’d enjoy from the name alone (it’s so cute!) but I didn’t think I would like it as much as I did! Let’s get into the details.
When it comes to the basics, the Book Nook kit comes with 25 new build items to create spaces with. The main focus is, understandably, bookshelves! They work a little bit like hanging cabinets do in the kitchen section of the build menu, though they are not as modular as those (they do not have corner variants or half shelves like the cabinets do). They can be arranged to fully cover any wall of any height or to create built-in spaces like the one seen below, which would also work as a great way to frame a TV space in a den or living room.
The kit also comes with a variety of matching furniture for the shelves – I created this room using all of the default swatches to get a vibe for what the pack was intended to be, but everything comes in a variety of swatches that would create a totally different feel for the space just by changing up the colors. I like the dark wood swatches of the shelves and the matching coffee table, side table, and loveseat (which is both fabric and wood). They help to create a dark academia feel, which could be enhanced with the right accessories and upholstery (I’m specifically thinking of the cowplant in the jar from the Paranormal pack for a spooky dark academia vibe). There are three new seating options in this kit – a couch, a loveseat, and an armchair.
All three of these are really nice, and the fabric texture looks super cozy. I could see myself curling up with a good book in the couch especially (the blanket draped over the edge really sells me on it as a great nap spot). There’s one lamp with the kit, a very cool and chic looking standing lamp that makes me want to reconsider using more standing lamps in my game – it’s that cool! It feels very 1920s to me while also looking sort of modern. As someone who doesn’t use a ton of standing lamps in builds, this lamp is making me want to reconsider that stance and use them everywhere!
Now onto my favorite part of any Sims pack – the decorative and clutter objects! You already know I’m a clutter loving fiend, so I was happy to see that this pack has ten (eleven if you count the rug) decorative items to spruce up your book nook. Weirdly, I was most excited to see all the swatches on this wall hanging in the image above – I love having new wall art options in this game to help tie room color schemes together, and this one has a lot of pretty swatches that will work great in any room (not just book nooks!). I really love the variety of book stacks found in this pack, which obviously fit the theme but are also a great way to use clutter in pretty much any Sims room.
In real life, you can actually see vintage or collected books used as decorative pieces in a lot of homes, and I like to recreate that feel in my game. There are even two mini metal storage bins which feel totally realistic to most homes I’ve been in. Bins are a great storage option for organizing the “things without a home” IRL, and I think it’s a great way to make the game feel a little bit more realistic. My favorite piece of clutter, though, is the wooden tray with an open book and coffee mug on it. It gives total ‘cozy book on a rainy day’ vibes and has that lived in feel that I adore in my Sims homes.
There are a few more clutter items to find in this kit, too! Some pretty leaves and flowers in a jar and a mini version of the epic lamp from earlier are the most notable ones. The nice thing about the bookshelves that come with the kit is that some are full of books, but some options have space for clutter items to help display a Sim’s personality and interests, too. All of these new clutter items can be used there, and it made me think of that the items from the Everyday Clutter Kit would fit really well in spaces like this as well. Now let’s get into the reason you read this review: should you get the Book Nook Kit? It depends! If you play the game solely for gameplay reasons and storytelling or CAS, it might not be up your alley since the kit is all build objects.
If you love to build, though, I think this kit warrants looking into! It could be used for creating some great spooky libraries, or even a sunny, cozy reading nook (or book nook ;)) in a smaller home if you play with the modular bookshelves! The ability to manipulate and arrange the bookshelves to create different built ins and architectural shapes is really my favorite part of this pack, along with the clutter items (you know me). If you’ve been waiting for a new type of bookshelf to enter the game – especially one that can be used at any wall height – I think this pack is a good fit for you.
Thanks for checking out the Book Nook Kit review! If you liked this blog, check out Room Reno #86: Infant Bedroom or our Gilmore Girls inspired lookbook. Looking for something else? Read about all the best Gossip Girl inspired CC or check out our Spring Break trends lookbook! Have a great day 😎
