I doubt this is what you want to hear, but there is is no easy way to learn characters. The best way to learn Chinese characters is like every Chinese person learns them - copying them out with a pen and paper many, many times. You might find learning characters intimidating at the moment, but it actually becomes easier the more you learn. 加油！

Try to think up associations for the characters. Like fire visually similar to 火. My chinese friends gave me this advice for learning. Hope it will help.

Hi, you could pay close attention to the radical and familiar with the other parts of the character. for example, 房 放 防 芳 仿 坊 纺 枋 肪，first familiar with 方，and then add the radicals and remember the radical gives the character meanings. 

Keep going! I know how you feel. Sometimes you think you'll never get there, but you will, I promise. I was there a couple of years ago, and I just finished reading my 9th novel in Chinese. 加油！