1118 ratings | 22 reviews | avg rating:3.34

CK’s Year In Books

CK’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at CK’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to CK’s 2025 Year in Books

CK Van Dam’s Followers (20)

CK’s Bookshelves

to-read (56)
currently-reading (1)
read (1164)
did-not-finish (2)
ai (1)
anthology (3)
didn-t-finish-it (196)
fiction (699)
non-fiction (275)

CK’s Friends (51)

Sherri

1,169 books | 72 friends

Nathan

3,512 books | 144 friends

Deb

55 books | 168 friends

Liz Moss

80 books | 172 friends

Mary Ann

56 books | 35 friends

Carolegene

297 books | 8 friends

Gavin Wigg

105 books | 66 friends

Kristi Golden

48 books | 51 friends

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2026 Reading Challenge

2026

READING

CHALLENGE

CK Van Dam has read 60 of 90 books.

67%

CK Van Dam

Goodreads Author

Born

in Sioux Falls, The United States

Website

https://www.ckvandam.com/

Genre

Historical Fiction, Romance

Member Since

May 2013

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Amazon best-selling author CK Van Dam is a daughter of the Dakota prairies who creates stories about the strong women who have built our nation and our world.

Van Dam’s first novel, Proving Her Claim, received two Spur Awards from Western Writers of America. Lone Tree Claim, the second in the On the Dakota Frontier series, was named a Distinguished Favorite in Western Fiction by Independent Press Awards. Medicine Creek Claim received First Place in Women’s Historical Fiction by Best Book Awards. Iron Horse Claim is the fourth in her series of historical novels.

When the Chokecherries Bloom, written for Middle Grade readers, is the story of Shining Water who first appears in Proving Her Claim.

Visit her website at www.ckvandam.com
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Combine Editions
CK Van Dam’s books

Average rating: 4.35 · 2,407 ratings · 115 reviews · 8 distinct works • Similar authors

	Proving Her Claim (On the Dakota Frontier, #1) 4.33 avg rating — 1,041 ratings — published 2022 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lone Tree Claim (On the Dakota Frontier, #2) 4.32 avg rating — 665 ratings — published 2023 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Medicine Creek Claim (On the Dakota Frontier, #3) 4.37 avg rating — 449 ratings — published 2024 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Iron Horse Claim: On the Dakota Frontier 4.56 avg rating — 193 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	When the Chokecherries Bloom 4.19 avg rating — 59 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Every Dog Needs A Kid by CK Van Dam (Goodreads Author), Mike Dowling (Illustrator) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Every Dog Needs A Kid 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Medicine Creek Claim: On the Dakota Frontier by CK Van Dam (Goodreads Author), Catherine Divaris (Narrator) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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CK Van Dam's Blog

WIP – South Dakota Women Homesteaders

About a year ago, I took on the ambitious project to write a non-fiction book about South Dakota’s real women homesteaders. The amount of research required to write this type of book is tremendous. I spent the better part of 2025 researching prospective candidates for the book. These women must have staked a claim and worked that claim.

Now, I’m in the writing phase of this “work-in-progress.” Ther

Series by CK Van Dam

On the Dakota Frontier (3 books)
by

CK Van Dam (Goodreads Author)

4.34 avg rating — 2,155 ratings

CK is Currently Reading

CK Van Dam is currently reading

Unlikely Guardian (Uncle Chip Saves the Fae #1)

by Jamie Davis (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jul 12, 2026 07:15PM

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CK Van Dam rated a book it was ok SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16 hours, 21 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of SPQR by Mary Beard. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — SPQR by Mary Beard <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
CK Van Dam rated a book it was ok The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16 hours, 22 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Correspondent by Virginia Evans <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
CK Van Dam rated a book it was amazing 2034: A Novel of the Next World War by Elliot Ackerman (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 21, 2026 08:13PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of 2034 by Elliot Ackerman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — 2034 by Elliot Ackerman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
CK Van Dam has read When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chödrön	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 16, 2026 10:09AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
CK Van Dam rated a book liked it Day of the Vikings (ARKANE #5) by J.F. Penn (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 16, 2026 10:08AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Day of the Vikings by J.F. Penn. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Day of the Vikings by J.F. Penn <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
CK Van Dam is currently reading Unlikely Guardian (Uncle Chip Saves the Fae #1) by Jamie Davis (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 12, 2026 07:15PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Unlikely Guardian by Jamie Davis. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Unlikely Guardian by Jamie Davis <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
CK Van Dam rated a book really liked it Rings On Her Fingers (Psychic Seasons #1) by ReGina Welling (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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CK Van Dam rated a book it was amazing Deadly Declarations (The Indie Retirement Mystery, #1) by Landis Wade (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 08, 2026 07:08PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Deadly Declarations by Landis Wade. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Deadly Declarations by Landis Wade <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
CK Van Dam rated a book really liked it A Phantom Storm: Sitting Bull, America, and the Ghost Dance by Norman E. Matteoni	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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CK Van Dam is currently reading Deadly Declarations (The Indie Retirement Mystery, #1) by Landis Wade (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 01, 2026 05:03PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Deadly Declarations by Landis Wade. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Deadly Declarations by Landis Wade <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">