By Ava Shaffer
EMMA CHAMBERLAIN / Emma Chamberlain on Instagram
Six months ago, popular YouTuber Emma Chamberlain posted a video titled “Reading Makes You Hot” and the book industry was never the same again.
In her video, Chamberlain discusses how she wants to become “one of those people who reads” so she forces herself to switch out her phone screen time with reading time. After overcoming her initial boredom, she found that reading was actually a calming activity for her, one that helped with anxiety and trouble falling asleep.
Chamberlain states in her video, “I am not the same person I was in the last video. I’m not kidding, there’s been a shift in me...It all started when I decided to bring a book to the beach.” Between this Youtube video and an episode of her Anything Goes podcast titled “We Need To Read Books,” Chamberlain has become a pivotal influencer for the Hot Girl Reading Trend.
How It Started
After Emma posted her video, receiving over three million views, a reading revolution was sparked into action. Now, young people knew they could share their love for reading over social media, and look hot while doing it.
Many other YouTubers began posting book-related content, being met with surprising amounts of positive feedback. Another popular Youtuber, Haley Pham, posted a book-related video three months ago titled “I read 18 Books and Tell You If You Should Read Them.” After reaching nearly 200 thousand views, Haley’s vlog channel quickly turned into a “BookTube” (referring to Youtube videos exclusively about books) channel. Since that video, the past nine videos on her channel have been related to books and reading.
HALEY PHAM / Haley Pham Vlogs
The Hot Girl Reading Trend found its roots in Youtube, but quickly moved into TikTok as well. Tags such as #booktok and #hotgirlsread showcase creators posting videos about books, giving recommendations and reviews to others. These hashtags have reached over 25 billion views, so it’s safe to say reading has become popular again.
Barnes and Noble have even caught on to this phenomenon, creating tables in-store and sections online specifically for #BookTok books.
So, What Exactly Is The Hot Girl Reading Trend?
The Hot Girl Reading Trend embodies the youthful reading revolution, where young women feel empowered by their love for books and the messages in them. The name of this trend could derive from Chamberlain’s video title, but it could also just refer to the fact that confident young women are telling the world they are readers and they are hot! The main point of this trend is to subvert typical expectations when it comes to reading. Long gone are the days of
girls being bullied for having braces and reading during recess. Now young women are celebrated and encouraged to read more, especially by each other.
Other Tips To Become A Hot Girl Reader
Besides reading, there are plenty of other ways to become a Hot Girl Reader. One way is to download the app GoodReads, which is a social media platform specifically for readers. You can track which books you are reading, see what your friends are reading, and set a yearly reading goal for yourself!
If you don’t have the time to sift through dozens of written reviews to find the perfect book, consider watching BookTube videos. Most BookTubers post videos along the lines of TBRs (To Be Reads), bookshelf organization, book reviews, book shopping, and monthly wrap-ups of books finished during a specific month. So if you’re in a hurry and want to find a book fast, watch a video and listen to a quick recommendation!
Another great way to start reading is to use book subscription services, such as Book of The Month! Book Of The Month sends you a book of your choice every month, and it’s an easy way to make sure you read at least one book a month. To see if Book Of the M onth is really for you, check out this UP article!
So what are you waiting for? Go grab a new book and fall in love with reading! It’s Hot Girl Reading Autumn!
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