The Color of Dreams by Michael Zajaczkowski Readalong

A New Life by LJ Ambrosio (Reflection... One Paw at a Time by Jo Sellers

The Color of Dreams by Michael Zajaczkowski Readalong

What if the key to saving your dreams—and your family—came in the form of a tiny, mystical angel?

Ben Davidson’s life is unraveling. He loses his job unexpectedly, his family is slipping away, and the dream he once shared with his father is on the verge of collapse. Just when it seems like all hope is lost, a magical encounter with a glowing little angel reveals six powerful spiritual truths. Will it be enough to help Ben turn his life around before it’s too late?

Set in the late 1980s in the Pacific Northwest, The Color of Dreams weaves an enchanting tale of perseverance, love, and the mystical forces that shape our reality. As Ben embarks on a journey of self-discovery, the angel teaches him lessons that challenge his deepest fears and awaken his long-buried faith in himself.

In this life-affirming novel, readers will be drawn into Ben’s journey as he learns:

How dreams are born from a higher sourceWhy thoughts become realityThe power of choosing faith over fearHow to “Imagine better than the best you know”How to trust the “why” of your dreams and let the “how” unfoldAnd most of all, how to help others by letting your inner light shine

Will Ben be able to apply these life-changing lessons to rebuild his broken life, rekindle his family’s love, and revive the dream he thought was lost? With heartfelt moments of inspiration and a touch of metaphysical magic, The Color of Dreams is a soul-stirring story that reminds us of the power of believing in ourselves and the beauty of second chances.

Perfect for fans of metaphysical fiction, spiritual transformation, and heartwarming stories of redemption, this novel will leave you inspired to chase your own dreams and embrace the possibilities of life’s unseen magic.

My Review

When I started reading The Color of Dreams and the angel was introduced, my first thought was I can’t deal with this. I don’t believe in angels, or manifesting or any of that stuff. But I was enjoying the story, and though both Ben and Em needed a kick up the bum, I loved the kids and of course Sadie the dog and Oreo the cat.

When Sadie was getting weaker and the angel was relaying to Ben what the dog was thinking (I hope that’s not a spoiler), I was crying buckets. When we lost our 17 year old Jack Russell three and a half years ago, she had dementia and was in severe distress. We knew it was time. We sat with her on the grass, the sun was shining, and the vet gave her an injection. You could tell she was at peace. I’d have loved an angel to tell me how she felt.

I’m still not sure whether the angel was real, or allegorical.

I love Ben’s relationship with his father and how after years of bitterness towards him for giving up on Ben’s dream, they can finally let go and rebuild their relationship. Ben also helps his neighbour’s grandson Toby, who is going off the rails because he has no focus, but Ben teaches him all about making the mailboxes and he is totally changed. I was surprised though that he was only 13!

A couple of things mystified me though. Em’s family are very wealthy, but apart from doing expensive sounding things with the grandchildren, they don’t help out financially at all. Seemed pretty mean to me. If they had helped, maybe Em would have been more supportive of Ben’s ambitions. We also stopped hearing about Ben’s mum – was she still around? As for Ryan – just don’t get me started.

At the end of the book there are some discussion points including one about the six lessons. The third lesson asks us Fear or Faith? I suppose this is the one that will stick with me. Because Ben is driven by fear and Em has no faith in him. It’s not a good relationship. It also asks if I could spend one day with the angel, what would I ask her? Well that’s a simple one. I want to know what my puppy is thinking!

Many thanks to @lovebookstours for inviting me to be part of #TheColorOfDreams readalong.

About the Author

“Imagine better than the best you know…” So begins the magical teachings in my new novel, The Color Of Dreams, which releases on May 1, 2025. Imagine if a magical visitor came to you with a chance to redeem your life, a chance to make your deepest dream come true. Could you develop the faith to chase your dream one more time? The Color Of Dreams is a story I’ve had inside me for 30 years. Now my dream is finally becoming a reality! I hope it inspires you to not only let your own dream out, but that it helps you shine your light so others can follow it to live their dreams, too.

I’m inspired by books, people, animals, nature…life itself, really. In my last book, The Owner’s Manual To Life, I collected 100 of my favorite quotes and wrote a two-page essay helping to reveal their wisdom. The subtitle of the book, “Simple Strategies to Worry Less and Enjoy Life More” sums up the intent of the book. Who doesn’t want to enjoy life more? Here a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Happiness is pretty simple—someone to love, something to do, something to look forward to.” –Rita Mae Brown

“We don’t need more to be thankful for, we need to be more thankful.”

“Formula for failure: try to please everyone.”

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” –Annie Dillard

If you’re looking for a book to help you find the joy in this remarkable world, to help you look beyond the occasional darkness, then check it out. I guarantee it will help you become kinder to yourself, and it will help you rediscover the point and purpose of life: to help others.

Lastly, I encourage you to visit my website, https://michaelzbooks.com/ and sign up for the quotes I send out each Wednesday. Also, you’ll find my email address there; I encourage you to send me some of your favorites as well. I always enjoy the wisdom other people have inside of them.

Until then, remember what Ruth Ann Schabacker said: “Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.”