This weeks Literary Ledger 05 to 12 June 2026

Welcome to your weekly roundup of all things books! We’re keeping it short and sweet, just five stories to keep you in the loop without overwhelming you. Think of this as your quick fix for staying connected to the book world.

I) Hot Girls Read… and Trademark Popular Slogans?”

BookTok creator and small business owner, Allie Mitrovich (known online as @allieroseco), recently found herself at the centre of a scandal after making the ill-advised decision to trademark the phrase “Hot Girls Read.”

Why is this such an issue, you ask? Well, anyone with even a passing interest in the book community has likely come across this slogan many times. It’s not something most people would ever assume could be trademarked, until Mitrovich attempted it, and the response has not been positive.

BookTok is often a space of debate and disagreement, but this is one topic that seems to have united the community. Below is the Instagram caption that sparked it all (since deleted).

"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!!!”

I also think it’s somewhat ironic, and a significant misjudgement, to trademark a term enjoyed by so many, especially when she has only been reading for around three years. In contrast, many people in the community have had a close bond with literature since childhood. That’s not to say anyone’s reading is “more valid” depending on how long they’ve been reading, but it doesn’t necessarily reflect well, and it suggests there is still a need to step back and better understand what matters most in the book community.

It also risks harming or limiting other small book businesses who may already use this very common phrase. When she later posted on an Instagram story:

‘I 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!!!!’

That, to me, speaks for itself. You can’t drop a decision like that on small businesses who rely on their own products featuring the phrase HGR, then soften it with “with love” and expect it to be fine. The lack of awareness is concerning.

It would only take a moment to consider the reverse scenario: what if someone had done the same thing before her? Her own business would likely be significantly impacted.

That is not what literature or the book community stands for, and it’s not something the community would typically encourage. Three years of reading experience simply doesn’t seem to have been enough to fully understand that.

Following the backlash, on 8 June Mitrovich announced that the trademark had been surrendered and that the paperwork was in the process of being filed. She apologised, saying: “I’m so sorry to every small business that I harmed in doing this.”

She also addressed the existing “Hot Girls Read” apparel still listed on her site, stating that all profits would be donated to two charities: Room to Read and Read and Feed.

It’s good to see accountability and awareness, although it would be hard to ignore the situation entirely, especially given how much it may have impacted her business image in the first place. Addressing it was really the only option.

That said, we’ve also seen plenty of people double down in similar online controversies, so the way this situation was handled shouldn’t be snubbed.

And really, it highlights just how powerful (and at times intimidating) a force BookTok can be. While it can sometimes feel overly reactive or quick to take offence, this is one instance where the community’s response feels justified.

II) The Love Hypothesis Release Date

Prime has finally announced that the film The Love Hypothesis is set to be released on 23 September 2026. The movie is an adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s very popular book, an author who definitely blew up in popularity (thanks to BookTok, of course) in 2021 after this book came out, and has maintained steady interest in her work since.

Fans are especially excited for this one as it stars Lili Reinhart (As Olive) and Tom Bateman (As  Adam).

Fun fact, if you’ve been living under a rock, The Love Hypothesis actually began as a Star Wars “Reylo” (Rey and Kylo Ren) fanfiction titled Head Over Feet, posted on Archive of Our Own (AO3).

I’ve read The Love Hypothesis and I’m very excited for the movie, I have faith in it. Who doesn’t love a cheesy romance?

III) Everyone Deserves to Read: Macmillan’s Inclusive Book Release

Macmillan Children’s Books (MCB) will distribute 140,000 books across the UK as part of a nationwide literacy campaign linked to the release of Gruffalo Granny (announced back in February).

Around 75,000 copies of Gruffalo Granny will be given away, alongside family reading programmes and community events designed to encourage early-years literacy.

Macmillan is also partnering with nine literacy and disability charities, including (unsurprisingly) the National Literacy Trust.

Accessible editions, including Braille, audio-tactile formats, and British Sign Language versions, will be released at the same time as the standard edition so that children with different needs can access the story from launch day, in whatever way works best for them.

This is a brilliant example of accessibility and inclusion in publishing, everyone deserves the chance to read.

IV) WHSmith Share Sale Explained

WH Smith sold 25.8 million new shares in the company to investors, raising approximately £102 million to reinvest into the business.

This is relevant because WHSmith is now primarily a travel-focused retailer, operating mainly in airports, railway stations, hospitals, and other transport hubs. Its high-street stores were sold off to Modella Capital in 2025 and have since been rebranded as TGJones.

WHSmith did not sell its brand name, which is why it continues to operate under the same name in its travel locations.

These changes are intended to strengthen the company’s finances and support future growth, particularly following expectations of reduced profits due to weaker sales.

V) Reading Inequality in Children

Amazing news! More children are enjoying reading again for the first time in about five years. Not so amazing news… the gap between children is widening depending on their background.

This divide is not surprising, but it is still disappointing. Children with greater access to education, resources, time, and reading support, often from more privileged backgrounds, are benefiting more from this renewed interest in reading. As a result, these children are improving faster, while those from more disadvantaged backgrounds are not catching up at the same rate, and in some cases are falling further behind.

There are many reasons for this, and it is a difficult issue to tackle, especially when you consider pressures like the cost of living. For many families, whether their children read or not is understandably low on the list of priorities when they are simply trying to get by and survive. If parents are working long hours or multiple jobs to support their families, there is naturally less time for shared reading at home. On top of that, schools in different settings can have very different levels of resources, with state schools often operating under tighter constraints than private or grammar schools. There are so many contributing factors.

It is great to see more children reading again, that is exactly what campaigns like the National Year of Reading aim to encourage. However, we cannot ignore it when those gains are not evenly distributed, or when they fail to reflect children from different backgrounds. Every child deserves access to reading, yet it is difficult to ignore how early economic and social disadvantages can already shape their opportunities. These barriers appear so young, and they can have a lasting impact on development. Reading is one of the key ways children can build skills and confidence, but that becomes far harder if access is not equal.