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1124 ratings | 22 reviews | avg rating:3.35

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2026 Reading Challenge

2026

READING

CHALLENGE

CK Van Dam has read 67 of 90 books.

74%

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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CK Van Dam’s books

Average rating: 4.35 · 2,434 ratings · 116 reviews · 8 distinct works • Similar authors

	Proving Her Claim (On the Dakota Frontier, #1) 4.34 avg rating — 1,051 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) 4.33 avg rating — 670 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 — 455 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 4.55 avg rating — 199 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 — 2,176 ratings

CK is Currently Reading

CK Van Dam is currently reading

Fury in Death (In Death, #63)

by J.D. Robb (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading, fiction

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Sep 09, 2026 06:57AM

CK Van Dam is currently reading

The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam

by Barbara W. Tuchman

bookshelves: currently-reading, non-fiction

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Aug 13, 2026 08:20PM

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CK Van Dam did not finish 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
Sep 09, 2026 07:00AM · 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 is currently reading Fury in Death (In Death, #63) by J.D. Robb (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 Face the Fire (Three Sisters Island, #3) by Nora Roberts (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
Sep 09, 2026 06:56AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Face the Fire by Nora Roberts. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Face the Fire by Nora Roberts <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
CK Van Dam rated a book it was amazing Heaven and Earth (Three Sisters Island, #2) by Nora Roberts (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 Dance Upon the Air (Three Sisters Island, #1) by Nora Roberts (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
Aug 31, 2026 12:47PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
CK Van Dam rated a book it was amazing God's Country (Cork O'Connor, #21 ) by William Kent Krueger (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 started reading The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam by Barbara W. Tuchman	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 really liked it Hidden Riches by Nora Roberts (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 Out Law (The Dresden Files #18.75) by Jim Butcher (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
Aug 03, 2026 09:24AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Out Law by Jim Butcher. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Out Law by Jim Butcher <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
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
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