My suggestions to you are three.
First, you should use Hans Orberg's Lingua Latina series as it is (IMO) unsurpassed in its ability to acclimate learners to the Latin sentence, i.e. emphatic word order and long flowing sentences. It's also great for building vocab and learning about Roman culture. As a bonus, the second volume of the series can be considered a "reader" so you will be all set in that department.
Second, use (in conjunction with Orberg) Wheelock's Latin. This is a direct and clear method for learning the basic grammar that underpins Orberg. Wheelock's has been a popular text for quite some time, and there are a number of resources available on the web to compliment it (there is even a specific discussion board devoted to it here, which you can use if you run into trouble).
Luckily, both Orberg and Wheelocks are rather cheap, so you won't have to spend a lot of money (even if you have it), and I would bet that they outperform many of the more expensive titles.
And third, you should consider a tutor. Depending on where you live, you may be able to find one on Criagslist or through the Classics department of a local college. I think it's always a good idea to have someone with knowledge of the subject around at the early stages to prevent minor, overlooked errors.
**Actually, let me edit my response and add a fourth suggestion regarding a dictionary. A good Latin dictionary can be very expensive. Your ultimate choice should depend on the period of Latin which you plan to read, e.g. classical, medieval, scholastic. The best classical dictionaries are Lewis and Short (L&S) and the Oxford Latin Dictionary (OLD). Both can be purchased on Amazon, but are $200+. Luckily, L&S is available for free online (
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/tex ... 99.04.0059). The online version is much easier to use than the bulky and rather unwieldy print version. It's crucial to use a good, well referenced dictionary to pick up on the subtitles of the language.
You'll need a grammar too, eventually, but probably not until you finish your introductory texts. Allen and Greenough is a perennial favorite (and also free through Perseus), as is Guildersleeve and Lodge.
