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Like most communities, BookTok (an online community of readers on TikTok) doesn't always tend to agree.

There's team Tamlin and team Rhysand. Emily Henry vs. Carley Fortune. Smutty romantasy and classic literature.

But the one thing we can all agree on is that this little corner of the internet is one of the safest spaces you can come by, at a time when going on the internet can send you into fight or flight.

It's the home of polite debate. Of obsessive fangirling. And women truly bonding over what they love.

Today, BookTok has over 80.1 million posts and has significantly propelled the number of young women who read across the world. And there's one phrase that keeps us inspired to continue to show up again and again.

Hot Girls Read.

Or rather, Hot Girls Read™.

Because as of this week, the popular phrase has been officially trademarked by BookTok creator, Allie Rose Co (@allieroseco). And the community is not happy.

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Allie Mitrovich is the owner of a small business that designs and sells book-related merch and stationery, a lot of which displays the phrase 'Hot Girls Read'.

On June 3, Allie shared a now-deleted post to her Instagram.

It read: "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!!!"

"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."

Allie had trademarked the phrase across the categories of bookmarks, stickers, notepads, sweatshirts, graphic t-shirts and hoodies.

She went on to ask in an Instagram story, "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!!!!"

And, well, it didn't go down swimmingly with Allie's fellow BookTokkers. To say the least.

Once the news hit TikTok that one of their favourite community phrases had been trademarked, it was met by immediate outrage and conversations about something bigger — who actually gets to own the language of a community?

'Hot Girls Read' is by no means a new phrase, appearing on BookTok back in 2020, with no official 'creator'. It wasn't until 2023 that Allie began selling merch displaying the term.

For a lot of women, 'Hot Girls Read' was their entryway into the book community.

Growing up as a little girl who loved to stick her nose in a book, it wasn't the most glamorous of hobbies, let alone for the "cool girls". So the reframing of the narrative had a genuine impact on women who love to read or those who were just now dipping their toe in.

When the phrase was trademarked, a line in the sand was drawn that was never there before.

HGR was no longer a fun little term to hashtag on your posts or splash on your T-shirt, it became something commercial and profitable. It was for one person now, rather than the entire book community.

For a relatively tranquil place on the internet, the comments got heated.

"Congrats to the girl who officially trademarked 'Hot Girls Read', you have officially sunk your business", said one booktok creator, Chloe Palmieri.

"If you have to trademark a very commonly used phrase… then your product isn't that good," said creator, Megan Gad.

"When are people going to learn that you don't mess with the book community?", said BookTokker, Lia Reads.

Less than a week later, Allie responded to the commentary by surrendering the trademark, she announced on Instagram.

"It is in the process of being filed right now to be abandoned", Allie said in the video.

"I want to say I'm so sorry to every small business that I harmed in doing this. The decision was made more as like a business strategy decision than a human being decision and I take full accountability for that."

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She also announced that all of the proceeds from her 'Hot Girls Read' merch on her store would now be going to charities, Room to Read and Read to Feed.

While a lot of BookTok creators have denounced Allie from the community, others weren't so quick to judge.

Quite a number of online readers commented that the pile-on was taken too far.

If books teach us one thing, it's that we all make mistakes. And who doesn't love a redemption arc?

There's a difference between holding someone accountable and running them off the internet forever.

"As a community, I hope this apology can be accepted & we can all move forward. Wishing you lots of success in the future," said Meg, the owner of book merch shop Page.

"Some people take joy in watching others crumble and that's NOT community. Sending love your way," profile @corkandspine added.

So, if we learnt one thing from the Great BookTok Debacle, it's that some things are worth more when they can be shared.

Feature image: Instagram/ @allieroseco.