If you’re tapped into the BookTok algorithm, there’s one name swiftly taking over your feed right now. It isn’t Garrett Graham, Dean Di Laurentis or Sam Florek (okay, maybe it’s them, too) it’s fellow content creator: Allie Rose Co.
The 26-year-old and her small brand has left the BookTok community furious after announcing on June 3rd they had trademarked the term ‘Hot Girls Read’.
Taking to Instagram in a now-deleted post, Allie Rose Co. wrote: “Hot Girls Read™ is officially ours 🤩 3ish years ago after I started reading more consistently and finally started to love to read, I put HGR on some bookmarks and crews and the rest is freaking history!!!”
She went on to add: “In the least corny way possible that lil phrase changed my life and changed the entire course of my business in a way I neeeever saw coming. I love that because of those 3 words a lot of you found me and I love talking about books with you 🙂 this ™ is for the freaking girls.”
Except, BookTok has declared it decidedly not ‘for the freaking girls’.
Why The ‘Hot Girls Read’ Trademark Matters
Many within the community have found the decision by Allie Rose Co. to trademark the term as confusing and upsetting.
Why? The term ‘Hot Girls Read’ is a commonly used phrase amongst the BookTok and Bookstagram community, which they allege wasn’t coined by or original to Allie Rose, despite her claim. It’s also a phrase many other small brands use in their book-related merch, now rendering them unable to sell their stock.
As Emma Ilene, founder of Substack Emma Wrote What, so eloquently explains: “‘Hot Girls Read’ isn’t a thing people associate with one creator. It’s a community phrase. It’s a joke, a meme, a slogan that emerged organically from internet reading culture. It belongs to the same category as phrases like “book boyfriend,” “touch her and die,” or “enemies to lovers.”
Digging even deeper, she points out that Allie Rose Co. claims to have coined the term in 2021, which she highlights contradicts her Instagram caption stating she’s been part of the book community for “3ish years” which would translate to 2023.
Of course, receipts were also shared by Threads user @tatumcoi, among others, who did the detective work of tracking down multiple online accounts who used the term as early as 2009.
So, do we all have to stop saying ‘Hot Girls Read’ now? Well, not exactly. The trademark only applies to certain products, which Allie Rose Co listed along with a warning to other small businesses, in a follow up to her announcement.
In an Instagram Story she wrote: “I also want to (very gently with peace and love!!!!) say that I officially have the trademark for hot girls read in the following categories:
- bookmarks
- stickers
- notebook covers/book covers
- notepads
- sweatshirts
- t-shirts
- hooded sweatshirts
“I’ve seen HGR on lots of items from other business’ that follow me so if that is you please remove those listings from ur site as soon as possible 💛 with love !!!!”
Online, the news has been met with anger and outrage that’s birthed multiple TikTok videos, Reddit threads and an outpouring in her own comment section, which has now been turned off.
“She has only been into books by her own admission since 2023,” one Reddit user writes, “She came into the space for profit because any true seasoned reader would/should respect the space.”
Another pointed out: “I’ve been reading a couple of threads and comments about the topic and most people associate the quote with Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hot Girl” era, and since then it’s basically become a common internet phrase used by readers, small businesses and content creators.”
Who Is Allie Rose Co?
Allie Rose is a 26-year-old graphic designer and content creator based in Wilmington, NC, and the founder of Allie Rose Co.
She started the business in her senior year of college where she studied a BFA in Graphic Design from Salisbury University. According to her bio, the brand was born when COVID-19 sent her home during her senior year, and she began making stickers from her doodles. It was a TikTok tutorial explaining the process that went viral, and thus Allie Rose Co. was born.
She ran the business from her childhood bedroom for four years before relocating to Wilmington, NC in 2024, where she continues to create content and grow the brand.
The brand specialises in eclectic bookmarks, graphic shirts, stationery and accessories like coffee sleeves and kindle covers.
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