This was a fascinating read into a world full of hedonism and intrigue. Written as though Slava was sitting in a bar retelling his story, this book will take you on an adventure into the pursuit of hustle and celebrity.

This drew me in like watching a bad movie does: I wanted to see the ending knowing the middle would be an absolute mess. I was proven correct; this book was an absolute mess.

Pastuk presents the adventure of a lifetime. He explains how the culture of VICE led him to feeling the pressure of involving himself. You see his rise, his arrogance, and his crash. We're shown the truth of his journey and his raw feelings towards his life.

I wanted to like this more than I did. He just came off as self-absorbed and it made the tone of the book less appealing to me. Seeing that he gave himself a 2 star writing along with the word "yikes" I feel he understands the struggles of this book.

I appreciated the ARC from NetGalley, but I'm not sure I'd suggest this to be read by anyone.

This was an excellent book that was hard to put down. This was good writing at its best. This one was hard to put down.

Slava is a POS. Selfish. Self-absorbed. Etc. I’m tempted to balance these facts by saying: but who of us weren’t also dumb young idiots at different points in our 20s?

There’s a part of me that really hates that young folks, esp young Black folks, got wrapped up in harebrained schemes trying to impress nobodies like this guy. I feel for the young Brother locked up abroad after knowing Slava, tho real talks, he was a fool too.

That being said… This story was engaging in the way a car crash is engaging.

As a Toronto-kid, former event-promoter, show-crawling, at one time record store girl… everything he described experiencing in the city when we used to have places to hang out and dance and there were shows and parties to attend — everything he discusses re: people trying to be seen, the madness creators go through in the city and the constant need for people to try and one-up each other and be where the party is — it all fits in with a culture that can be fun but is spiritually lonely and hides a lot, especially when you have got pull and everyone wants a piece of you. That feeling makes you crave adventure and do dumb shit.

On a level, there are the crazy types one actively tries to avoid.. Slava talks about who they are in this book as he is and has worked alongside them for years. These are typically the flannel shirt wearing, Trinity Bellwoods & Liberty Village types (if they got money) selling dimes on the side, framing music as a boys club, hip-hop heads living in Parkdale (if they ain’t got no money) surviving on white culture vulture mediocrity and red bull. The tea is that anyone dumb enough to listen to this dude and involve themselves with his shenanigans deserves to be wherever they are.

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this book. This book comes out May 2022.

It was intriguing, and the end got me fighted! I appreciate him for speaking his truth, but I can’t really recommend this unless you’re also from the sixside, looking for something random to engage in.

This book was pretty unique. Slava has written his side of the story about how being a journalist for VICE led him to a prison sentence. He lived his regular life making ends every month. But like everyone else, he wanted to work for "cool ones" and write the juiciest stories. Ambition and hard work landed him a dream job. From there, it all goes down.

This book holds a lot of unexpected, hard-to-believe stories. Some are awesome, others - terrible. I enjoyed reading them because the author gives an honest, unapologetic story about his ambitions and willingness to be all-in. I learned a lot about how things I had no clue about work.

The only thing that did not sit well with me was his reluctance to admit that, at the end of the day, his choices were those that lead him to where he is now. Yes, I agree, there are a lot of obstacles that impacted his decision or pushed him in a certain direction. However, it was still he who made the choice. And from what he wrote, I see that he had a way out. He just did not take one. So, my conclusion is that he somehow wanted to be who he became.

This reads like an episode of Locked Up Abroad. Slavs was a journalist, tired I guess of the everyday normal life. He wants the hotter juicer scoops. So he begins smuggling drugs. From there it’s a downward spiral for him.

The author of this book is a walking contradiction. I get it he made some dumb choices for the sake of and appeal of being a part of Vice/Viceland, but before watching Vice/Viceland, he already had made some bad decisions for the sake of "fitting in". The author contradicts himself all throughout the book, in one chapter working for Vice was the conduit to drug use, but he was already using prior to working for them, then in a different chapter, the company wasn't the reason for the drug use. Meanwhile, using drugs is a choice, it is not glamourous and it obviously doesn't open doors. Evading the real responsibility that he was a wannabe, you left your decent-paying job for Vice and then did drugs, drank alcohol, complained, and chose to do more ill-advised things because you wanted to stick with it. That seems like a personal choice. The author became a drug mule, not because of stories he could write for Vice, he did it because he wanted it plain and simple, because it was "on-brand" not because of Vice but because of who that person is. This book just talks extremely negatively about a job that he could have quit but didn't, a company so bad that he stayed on until he was fired from it for lying because if he really did take that trip to Australia for the stories he could get, he wouldn't have lied to the company when asked about it. An utter waste of time, Bad Trips.

A biography that reads like a true crimes novel. In his own words, Slava Pastuk writes, “I wouldn’t believe the story was true if he hadn’t lived it myself”.

Summary:

Slava sets up the first half of the book setting the scene of cocaine and beer-driven VICE culture, and the coping mechanisms he developed as a result of being an underpaid VICE journalist in Toronto. Quoting VICE “was cheap to a point of parody”

The coping methods included alcoholism to numb the pain and dealing drugs to supplement the less-than-living wage he made in his full-time position. Ironically creating a portfolio of the vices he creates for himself in his early career.

The second half of the book covers the actual cocaine smuggling, cartel involvement, and eventual recruitment of others to act as drug mules to transport millions of dollars worth of cocaine from Las Vegas to Australia… and he doesn’t leave anything to the imagination. Closing with the repercussions and defamation that ended this chapter of his life, but also, his growth away from being “that VICE guy”.

Review:
Similar to how Slava attributes VICE gaining popularity for articles covering the “testing purity of drugs found at raves” or “how to increase productivity micro-dosing” this biography finds its strength telling you things you feel like you shouldn’t be allowed to know.

Great way to venture on the topic of drugs and addiction, when it comes from a well-seasoned source the taboo is removed and it’s simply the facts and the adventure. No glorifications but also no forced morality shoved down your throat.

The biography is also, what many aren’t, that is fun! It’s an enthralling read of money, drugs, strippers, international travel, the struggle of building a career in a big city with lots of competition. Great way to feel like you’re maybe doing all right with life after all.

Slava does a great job at describing his friends, coworkers, and girlfriend in extremely entertaining ways. I would love to see their reactions to how they were depicted.

Bad Trips is a true account of how a journalist for VICE ended up getting caught for smuggling drugs into Australia. Slava Pastuk gives us an honest, unapologetic look at his ambitions to write for VICE and to live the risky lifestyle that goes along with it. In the end, neither the reader nor the author is surprised at where he ends up, but it’s interesting to see how someone with so much opportunity continually makes bad decisions. We get a glimpse into a hipster world where living your life as a Brand and working for the “CNN for Millennial” are the most important things. Slava lived a full life living downtown Toronto writing about Canada’s rap scene. We get insights into VICE, celebrities, parties and how Slava basically allowed himself to fall into dealing drugs to maintain his lifestyle. This was a fun read.

This book was a raw, unapologetic journey on how a series of ballsy choices can land you in a shitty situation. This story follows music enthusiast Slava Pastuk, on how he lands his dream job, and ultimately, how this job leads to his own demise. The author not only outlines their own narrative, but illustrates the strange rise of the notorious VICE media, with it's over the top parties, endless drugs, and questionable moral code. The author is brutally honest, sharing their mistakes without shame that makes you (the reader) cringe. However, it's the author's unashamed storytelling that makes you want to stay along for this wild ride. Overall, Bad Trips is a good trip for those reading it.

A really interesting read from a viewpoint I don't think I've ever had the opportunity to hear from. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting book. I loved the perspective. Wasn’t like nothing else I’ve ever read. Thanks for the opportunity to read it

This book was like a breath of fresh air, but air that’s tinged with the faint aroma of weed, seediness, and stale takeout. This is the ‘rise and fall’ of a VICE reporter told with a chaotic, drug-fuelled kind of energy that could only come from being in your 20s, living in a big city, and not valuing sleep. I enjoyed feeling exhausted with tales of bar hopping, Xanax-popping, and living in run-down apartments yet frequenting Members’ Only clubs in Toronto. Although ultimately, it manifested in a crazy, irreversible set of circumstances with hefty consequences. The writing has a raw, brutal honesty in the storytelling and reflections, which is what made it stand out for me. It’s like one big “yeah I fucked up but let me tell you the whole story.” And you will want to sit and listen to this. 5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc.